Civ:Beyond Earth Writer Leaves Game Development

[sisko]

Walt Williams, Civ:Beyond Earth writer (2K Games), has left the studio. For the time being, what he'll be up to is unknown, but he has mentioned that it's still going to be game industry-related.

Read more here: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Spec-Ops-The-Line-Evolve-and-Civ-Beyond-Earth-Writer-Leaves-Game-Development-458045.shtml

And his twitter: https://twitter.com/waltdwilliams/status/507917957750472704

[Geo]

Wonder if that's why the sponsor -and leader texts for Kozlov and Polystralia weren't done "inhouse".

[sisko]

it's possible. Walt Williams' last day at work was September 5th  while Kozlov's text was released August, 26, which is, i guess, inside the notice period.

BTW, who in the world is Evgeniy Baranov who wrote Kozlov's speech?

[t_ras]

I dont believe it will have any immediate effect on the coming game, but if there were some sequel in mind it might affect that.

[BlaneckW]

creative differences

[Geo]

BTW, who in the world is Evgeniy Baranov who wrote Kozlov's speech?

AFAIK, its the guy who wrote Kozlov's speech as fan fiction, and later on it was made part of BE's canon/lore by Firaxis.

[Trenacker]

Kozlov's speech isn't very good writing even for somebody who may have been trying intentionally to simulate bad English grammar.

While I give the author credit for introducing a Slavic character that doesn't play to the stereotype of ethnic chauvinism, the studio's enthusiasm for his work seems to me to be a bad sign.

While Alpha Centauri wasn't perfect -- some of the writing was tin-eared -- the standard of content was nonetheless extremely high. I don't see that tradition being carried on here.

I sometimes wonder if the attention to detail in games like Alpha Centauri, StarCraft, and even Command & Conquer went the way of the dodo because studios have replaced written manuals with in-game tutorials that require much less context.

[BlaneckW]

While I give the author credit for introducing a Slavic character that doesn't play to the stereotype of ethnic chauvinism, the studio's enthusiasm for his work seems to me to be a bad sign.

I sometimes wonder if the attention to detail in games like Alpha Centauri, StarCraft, and even Command & Conquer went the way of the dodo because studios have replaced written manuals with in-game tutorials that require much less context.

Firaxis didn't care then, and they don't care now.  AC was done by an independent team under commission by Firaxis, that's the only reason it exists.  Firaxis isn't a high cultural patron, it's a pop game maker.  The goal is to make something as casual as finger-painting.  If older Civ games had any complexity to them, it's because they appealed to a niche audience.