Planescape: Torment designer hints at follow up

One of the designers of Planescape: Torment has hinted that a follow-up may be on the way, just as word arrives that inXile holds a related trademark.

While not as well-recognised as lead designer Chris Avellone, now of Obsidian Entertainment, Colin McComb was one of the most central of seven additional general designers at Black Isle Studios who worked on the critically-lauded RPG. In a new blog post, the developer said he'd finished his assigned tasks on Wasteland 2 and was looking at what to do next.

McComb, one of the writers of the AD&D Planescape setting, said he looks on Planescape: Torment as one of three major career highlights.

"Of all the games I’ve written, the one that I keep circling back to is Torment. And now that the bulk of my work on Wasteland 2 is largely complete (with some iteration work that still needs to be done), I can start thinking about Torment seriously," he said.

While not making any promises, McComb described his ideas for creating a new Torment game - asking a central philosophical question, re-examining the Planescape setting, using a different RPG system.

"My primary goal would be to help the player tell a story that was evocative of the original Torment without aping it. To be faithful to the odyssey of the Nameless One, and to recognize that it has ended, and that stories of Torment are ongoing," he said.

McComb's musing may be just that, but there is some evidence that inXile is seriously considering the idea. RPGCodex turned up a trademark for Torment made by the same company that filed inXile's casual games trademarks - a company at which inXile boss Brian Fargo plays a key role.

Unfortunately, inXile doesn't have the rights to the Planescape setting, and McComb told RPG Codex readers that Wizards of the Coast isn't interested in licensing it.

"I first approached them in February, and it became clear early on that they didn't seem very interested in talking to me. That's okay, though. Other, equally cool options exist," he added, again suggesting this is something inXile may be actively pursuing.

Discussing the potential project with fans, McComb said neither he nor Avellone is interested in a direct sequel so much as a spiritual successor, but confirmed that he does indeed want to make a Torment game, saying he hopes fans will come to trust that he can do it without the Planescape setting.

Lead designer Avellone has said in the past that he's interested in a Planescape: Torment sequel, and collaborated with inXile Entertainment on Wasteland 2.

Thanks, Evil Avatar.