http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/nonfiction/feature-interview-chris-avellone-game-designer-fallout-new-vegas/

I loved the interview and am wondering about the companion we didn't see...Ulysses. FNV discussion is after the half-way mark but the whole interview is interesting. Thank you, Chris, loving the game.

There was a Van Buren character known as Odysseus/Ulysses. When I read this yesterday, I had to wonder if it was the same one.

Really REALLY enjoyed this interview. :goodjob: Chris Avellone is one of my favorite game developers, I will very likely buy any game he works on.

Also I am curious now about Ulysses - and why he was taken out!

For those wondering about Ulysses, the Van Buren Odysseus/Ulysses, if they're related at all, was a pre-war AI. So we might have had a second robot buddy.

Though, if it's not related, it could have been a Caesar's Legion related character. His name is thematically Roman. Perhaps the evil Boone.

Wow. Brilliant, the man is brilliant.

I'd buy any game he designs for damn sure.
Torment is probably my no.1 favorite game and fallout2 is a close second.

I'm rushing to buy any game he designs

Very nice interview.

A Fallout game lead by MCA would really be something to look forward to.

Except Alpha Protocol you mean

Alpha Protocol is actually a pretty good game.

Idea was good. Execution was horrendous. Way too many horrible bugs.

I wonder why they pulled Ulysses from the game, hopefully he'll be added in DLC.

That makes me want to play Torment again. Been YEARS.

I <3 http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/5076/hatersgonnahatep.gif

Actually, Ulysses (the NV one) is a black guy with dreds and a sleeveless leather jacket with the US flag on the back (the 13 star one, duh ).

According to his playing card (from the collector's edition), he was portrayed as the kind of guy who would do anything for his country (that is, America, not necessarily the NCR or the Legion. Though he kind of looks like he could be a Khan).
"The day I set my flag down, it'll be over my body or over a nation I believe in."

Yes, it was a good game IMO. The American reviewers of that game should be ashamed of themselves. They evaluated the game solely on its weaknesses and completely ignored its strengths. By that logic you could trash most GOTY games for having linear stories.


Can you name some? I'm on my third play-through and I've only seen a few minor ones. Maybe I just don't know what to look for? I'm assuming you've played the game.

Anyway, even if there are a lot of bugs that I've somehow miraculously missed (not saying it's impossible), you'll notice where CA mentioned that Sega dictated the release schedule. Yeah, as soon as you see the publisher telling the devs how long it's going to take it's a safe bet you're going to end up with a buggy game. That's not the right way to run any kind of software development project. The developers tell you how long it's going to take, not the other way around. If you don't like it then you scale back the scope of the project or add more resources. Period.

I do like the idea of Chris doing a Shadowrun game. He's one of the few writers in the game dev business I can think of that would do that amazing IP justice. I'm talking about the table-top RPG with reams and reams of fantastic backdrop and content already created...not the two 16-bit console titles or the MS shooter.

I have the Caravan Deck from the Collectors Edition.
Ulysses is a black man with cornrows and wear a west with Fallout's american flag on it's back.
If we are to go by the Caravan Deck card that is.
But I'd say it's more reliable than the old Van Buren design docs.