Looks like Obsidian headbrain Chris Avellone’s earlier talk about getting ‘Kickstarter fever’ based upon Double Fine’s happy day (they’ve now passed $1.3 million in funding by the way – which, as Tim Schafer notes, is more than the budget for Day of the Tentacle and almost that of Full Throttle) wasn’t idle chatter. Obsidian have just posted a forum thread asking for community suggestions as to what they should make, were they to start a Kickstarter-funded game. Obviously this is purely theoretical right now and there are absolutely zero guarantees, but as they’re clearly feeling out the ground here, you should go and make sure that the ground they feel is green, pleasant and potentially profitable. And, ideally, old-school RPG-shaped.



Here’s the pertinent comments:

“The idea of player-supported funding is… well, it’s proof certain genres aren’t dead and sequels may have more legs than they seem. And the idea of not having to argue that with a publisher is appealing. Out of curiosity, if Obsidian did Kickstart a project, what would you want to see funded? (You can respond in comments or to @ChrisAvellone on Twitter, whichever you prefer.)”

Oh sure, some people will ask for Alpha Protocol and Neverwinter Nights 2 follow-ups, and that’s lovely for them. But they should really be asking for a new RPG with some of the values (and most especially the intelligence and strangeness) of Planescape: Torment. Not a sequel, though. Something brand new. MAKE IT SO.

Whatever they make: what I’m most excited about is the idea of Obsidian finally getting to make a game that wasn’t held to someone else’s deadline. I am certain great things will result.

(Note: Obsidian’s site seems to be under enormous, server-troubling pressure at the moment, so bide your time).