Avadon: The Black Fortress Developer Diary #2

Spiderweb Software’s Jeff Vogel has treated us to a second developer diary for Avadon: The Black Fortress, with this most recent entry covering the indie RPG’s theme, mood, and choices.

Based on the theme, Avadon could go very dark. Mass Effect 2 dark, easily. But I decided early on that I don’t want that. I like writing humor, and I think games that are too unrelentingly grim aren’t very fun.

I decided that Avadon will have a lot of humor and some areas that are fairly cheery. Some of the characters will actually be happy. Sometimes, you will be able to squish evil and make choices you actually feel good about. There will be more confused, cynical moments, of course, but a little of that goes a long way.

A lot of this will show up in Redbeard, the all-powerful master of Avadon. He has much responsibility and power, but I am making him a cheery character, with a lust for life, a macabre sense of humor, and someone who takes true delight in his reach and authority. This character will be the spine of the series, so I want him to be fun to write. And he is.