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No, he both has Johan's old job of managing PDS (Johan now manages all our studios), and is lead on a secret project.
- Dec 14, 1999
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Paradox Studios Group = art, qa & common resources are here... Kallocain, Forzaa, Aerie, Captain Gars and others.
=> Paradox Development Studio (in Sthlm) : Led by Besuchov & Doomdark : Does our strategy games.. Wiz, Podcat, Johanlerstrom, Birken etc..
=> Paradox North (in Sthlm): led by Mattias Lilja : Makes Magicka stuff. (like Wizard Wars)
=> Paradox Arctic (in Umeå): led by Mattias Wiking: (secret stuff)
=> Paradox South (in Skövde): Led by Lars Håhus : makes lots of art for all PSG titles.
We used to have Paradox France, but that Studio was shutdown a few years ago.
Whatchamean? HOI, CK, Victoria, Magicka, Cities in Motion, Warlock, M&B all started as secret projects.
/shams
Deciding who goes to the trade shows is a combination between what is being showed, who is needed for the projects back home, how many people makes sense to send, and personal preference. Some people have to travel a lot before Gamescom and might opt out for specific shows.
Kind regards
Susana
We've had quite a few 3rd party titles slip into 2015 - so it definitely impacts the overall picture compared to last year when we released tons of games. But 2015 is looking killer.
/shams
Great question.
We've looked at the genre - it's like you say - there are some titles out there that are "meh" to "ok". There's definitely an opportunity - but the stuff we're doing is frankly more exciting to us. Not enough mafia fans at Paradox I guess
Besides if we'd do it it would likely have a bigger emphasis on the strategic part rather than the tactical - seems like everyone and their grandmother is doing something with a tactical component similar to X-com.
/shams
I Kickstarted a certain Eternal game back before you became publisher. Guess how happy I was to hear that when they first got a publisher after all, it was you.
My question: Are you planning any long term colloboration, or is Pillars of Eternity at the moment a one off thing?
We always enter our developer partnerships with the ambition to make it a long term one if it makes sense for both sides, as far as the specific relationship with Obsidian we will start off with Pillars of Eternity.
Kind regards
Susana
I can't answer your first question. But I would probably recommend Vic 2. It's a different game, but I still recommend it
"As promised here's a thread where you get to ask us (almost) whatever you want. I write almost as some of you might want to ask questions you know we cant answer. Like: "When is CK2 coming?" or "Whats the next game you are making" etc etc. These are not the type of questions you should be asking."When is Victoria III coming?
I wouldn't hold my breath for an answer.
What do you think of the new game from the makers of Maniac Mansion in the same graphical style? Shams, I know you abhorr Kickstarter, but play with me here and comment on the GAME IDEA.
Great question - also kudos on the use of the word "abhor" not used enough.
I'm a big fan of kickstarter - I however do abhor dishonest crowdfunding campaigns that prey on peoples sense of nostalgia and promise things they can't deliver. As you've seen there have been a number of Kickstarter projects that have failed miserably or simply been terribly late. I'm quite frugal with my money so if anyone doesn't deliver on my promise when I've given them money I'm going to be upset. In this industry the easiest thing is to promise features - the hardest thing is finishing a game. Ben Cousins tweeted the other day:
It summarized the whole thing for me.
That said - about Thimbleweed park. I played a ton of click and point adventure games - 15 years ago - today I don't enjoy the genre - that includes the telltale games. The project looks cute & fun, but not something I'd buy/back. Ask yourself - are you happy with Gilberts delivery on his latest kickstarter project?
"Building games is always risky. What we bring to this project is a lot of real experience, not only designing games, but planning, budgeting and running projects and talented teams.
Any creative and artistic endeavor is about making tough choices and managing scope. A project’s biggest risk is controlling that scope and staying focused. Our experience brings realistic game design and production goals to the project.
Does that mean we won't be late? No, we probably will be late, but not by a lot and the game will be better for it. That's just the reality of making a game and we're going to be honest about that. We'll keep everyone up-to-date and hopefully there will be no surprises"
This is nice talk for - "It'll be finished when it's finished, if at all, we'll do our best to inform you as we go along. Don't ask so many questions".
If you walked into a business meeting and asked for $375,000 and that was your entire risk analysis the meeting would be over in a heartbeat. It's a joke to be honest. The only reason it works is because...well you know gamers.
I'm not saying people who back KS are stupid - I'm saying you have a different concept of value of money (disposable income) than I do. $20 is not much - but I'd rather spend it on something tangible - now, instead of maybe, later.
/shams
Thankfully, we nowadays have removed such (immense) power from the fingertips of single person. We now have a process with multiple smartypants involved. It (roughly) looks like this.
1: Someone puts forth an idea
2: I help vet/develop the idea - is it a Paradox game, will it make money, is it fun, does it gel with where we're headed, will the forumites like it etc etc - lots of smart questions.
3: Others give the thumbs up.
4: A small team creates a proof of concept.
5: We play the proof of concept - if fun we go to step 6 - if not -back to step 1.
6: Full production.
The question is - Rome 2, Victoria 3, Gettysburg 2, Magicka 3, CK 4, EU5, Cities in Space 6, Stalin Vs Martians HD 7 , Queen Arthur 8 and Nights of Pen & Paper 9 - where are they in the process?
Kidding aside. A lot of games get to step 1&2 - few make it to 3, fewer to 4.
/shams
Great questions. What the hell is kdern btw
We're conservative in most respects, innovative in others.
Clearly, being a premium price, PC mainly, old skool genre focused we're clearly conservative. Very little of that free to play, Facebook, social, new genre stuff that everyone else is chasing.
Besides the fact that we're 98% digital a large part of Paradox is very 1999. Then again oldskool is "in".
On the other hand we're innovative we we're doing stuff with the old model that few others are - our DLC model for instance. Similarly we try to break new ground with our other IP - Magicka, knights of pen and paper both rely on tested mechanics, but explore them in a Fredh/innovetive way.
Internally we're always challenged to find a good balance - you have to be bold and change or you die - without losing your base. Very few old skool premium model publishers have managed the transition. Fred and myself are risk takers, we have people who (thankfully) temper our zeal. We've done some crazy things over the years, maybe too crazy.
Regarding technology - as say this despite my formal training we an engineer - technology is the spawn of satan. It is merely a means to an end - good gameplay. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either delusional or a programmer. We use every conceivable shortcut to avoid doing unnecessary techie stuff.
//s
I've had the same experience with Snapchat - 12 year-olds are like "Instagram - what are you like 22?"
Streaming game services like Gaikai and Onlive are also franky, for me personally, very "ain't nobody got time to figure that shit out". But I have tinkered a lot with VR.
If anyone has any sensible - and I mean sensible - idea for using VR in a grand strategy game - let me know.
/shams