Obsidian design director Josh Sawyer believes that video games can and should draw artistic inspiration from a vast array of sources, extending far beyond conventional influences. In a recent YouTube video discussing game development, Sawyer argued that inspiration can be found in "anywhere and everywhere," citing ancient Greek plays as an example of timeless works that developers can still learn from.
Sawyer addressed a viewer's question about the balance between artistic inspiration and systems design. He stated that artistic inspiration is not a separate component but a continuous element throughout the entire development process. The core of game design, according to Sawyer, lies in understanding the goal to make players think or feel something about a subject, which is a common objective across all art forms.
He highlighted that games differ from other media due to the significant amount of time players invest. For games that can exceed 100 hours, like those Sawyer has worked on, developers must constantly reevaluate how both major narrative moments and the moment-to-moment gameplay systems reinforce the intended player experience. This involves ensuring that even minor elements, such as animations in Fallout: New Vegas to enhance a "cowboy" fantasy or character executions in Pentiment to evoke difficult moral choices, contribute to the overall emotional effect.
Sawyer also explained how certain design choices, like the names of Chanter abilities in Pillars of Eternity, were crafted to echo snippets of songs, poems, and plays within the game's fictional cultures, encouraging players to imagine their origins. He also touched upon how systems like inventory management, while potentially immersion-breaking by shifting focus to menus, serve to engage players in different cognitive modes, prompting evaluations of value, weight, and other attributes distinct from in-world gameplay.
Sawyer's personal inspirations are diverse, ranging from Robert Bolt's character writing in screenplays for "Lawrence of Arabia" and "The Mission" for Fallout: New Vegas's Honest Hearts DLC, to the moral complexities of classical theater for Pentiment. He also draws from Sondheim musicals, medieval illuminated manuscripts, art books from his sculptor father, Rothko paintings, and even misinterpreted song lyrics. Sawyer maintains that this continuous influx of inspiration from various disciplines is not only possible but essential for creating impactful game experiences.