Chris Avellone Talks Project Eternity at VG24/7
Chris Avellone Talks Project Eternity at VG24/7
Interview - posted by Crooked Bee on Fri 21 September 2012, 10:53:50
Tags: Chris Avellone; Obsidian Entertainment; Pillars of EternityVG24/7 has talked to Obsidian's Chris Avellone about Project Eternity and why it's awesome, he's awesome, and the backers are awesome, too. Have a snippet:
You can find the full interview here.
VG247: So, how does it feel to make $1.6 million with 27 days left to go? What does that influx of funding tell you about what people are looking for in their RPG experience today?
Chris Avellone: Well, I uess the old-school RPG genre isn’t dead after all. Players recognize that you don’t need the latest graphics, tint control, fully voiced characters, and distracting bells and whistles to make a great game, and in some cases, it makes for a better role-playing game not to have those attachments present. [...]
Can you give us an insight into what stage of that process you’re at now?
We’re in pre-production, although most of our efforts at the moment are focused on the Kickstarter. Adam Brennecke is heading up our production and tasking efforts – he’s where we’ve gotten most of our Kickstarter metrics and planning.
Josh Sawyer is our project lead and he’s laying out world elements, races, and systems, I’m working on narrative approaches and character concepting – which should be up this week -Rob Nesler is setting up the visual look and feel of the game, and Tim Cain is working on a number of design elements of the game, including basic stats and armor mechanics, as well as ideas for non-combat ability design.
In addition to the folks above, we have a number of other Obsidianites are working on gameplay and graphics, which you’ll see samples of in the days to come.
Project Eternity is geared towards bringing back the magic of classic RPGs like Baldur’s Gate. Can you give us a run-down of what key values you absolutely have to include in the game to make sure the end product meets hits that target?
Significant character creation with classes, races, skills, and character development. Party-based tactical combat – some of the mage battles in Baldur’s Gate and the boss rival adventuring crew battles in Icewind Dale 2, especially the Holy Avenger fight and the Chult dragon fight, are moments we want the player to challenge themselves with in Eternity.
There has to be a meaningful, strong selection of companions, along the lines of the Baldur’s Gate and Planescape: Torment crew, and a strong storyline, quests, and freedom to move, explore, and quest as you would in an Infinity Engine game.
You also need reactivity to events in the world and factions based on your actions, as well as narrative and character continuation into future titles – backers and players willing.
Chris Avellone: Well, I uess the old-school RPG genre isn’t dead after all. Players recognize that you don’t need the latest graphics, tint control, fully voiced characters, and distracting bells and whistles to make a great game, and in some cases, it makes for a better role-playing game not to have those attachments present. [...]
Can you give us an insight into what stage of that process you’re at now?
We’re in pre-production, although most of our efforts at the moment are focused on the Kickstarter. Adam Brennecke is heading up our production and tasking efforts – he’s where we’ve gotten most of our Kickstarter metrics and planning.
Josh Sawyer is our project lead and he’s laying out world elements, races, and systems, I’m working on narrative approaches and character concepting – which should be up this week -Rob Nesler is setting up the visual look and feel of the game, and Tim Cain is working on a number of design elements of the game, including basic stats and armor mechanics, as well as ideas for non-combat ability design.
In addition to the folks above, we have a number of other Obsidianites are working on gameplay and graphics, which you’ll see samples of in the days to come.
Project Eternity is geared towards bringing back the magic of classic RPGs like Baldur’s Gate. Can you give us a run-down of what key values you absolutely have to include in the game to make sure the end product meets hits that target?
Significant character creation with classes, races, skills, and character development. Party-based tactical combat – some of the mage battles in Baldur’s Gate and the boss rival adventuring crew battles in Icewind Dale 2, especially the Holy Avenger fight and the Chult dragon fight, are moments we want the player to challenge themselves with in Eternity.
There has to be a meaningful, strong selection of companions, along the lines of the Baldur’s Gate and Planescape: Torment crew, and a strong storyline, quests, and freedom to move, explore, and quest as you would in an Infinity Engine game.
You also need reactivity to events in the world and factions based on your actions, as well as narrative and character continuation into future titles – backers and players willing.
You can find the full interview here.
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