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Game News Pillars of Eternity II Fig Update #3: Level Up!

l3loodAngel

Proud INTJ
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Edgy
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Messages
1,452
... have you been drinking?

Yeah, in the real world if you were a local at a bar or on a ship or in any social situation of any kind you would meet all sorts of people who have all sorts of level of engagement and interest in the society around them. A world like Arcanum feels real (despite its awkward and sometimes frankly bad writing) partly because you have companions have varying levels of engagement with you, each other, and the world around them. Companions with "their own goals and different motivations" doesn't amount to much when every arc proceeds in adhesion with the exact same formula. The reason why dramatic fiction has to be written with supporting cast of varying importance and participation is because the audience is supposed to experience things vicariously through the protagonist and the supporting cast have varying importance and participation to him. When you make every character equally important and make their arcs proceed according to the same formula, it feels far less like you are a discovering an amazing fantasy world and more like playing a video game that somebody designed in a very obvious way.

Furthermore, in Planescape, when you think of companions, you don't think of them it in terms of concepts like "personal quests." Grace's personal quest (if she even has one) happens before you recruit her (talking to the prostitutes in the Brothel of Slaking Intellectual Lusts), you would never know Dakkon even had a quest unless you were a mage and spent a lot of time digging through text, Morte doesn't have a quest at all, etc.

Gold Pact Knight as described is a great role playing concept for a variety of reasons. The opportunities for interactivity are endless because unlike say Durance or Eder this is a guy who has a plausible reason to know everyone and be involved in everything (he's a mercenary who has been around the block for years or decades). He knows secrets and can serve as a compass to any number of treasures or Easter Eggs (the vault he was once employed to guard he can put out to the player). His motivation is probably the most natural and sensible of any companion given the nature of the Watcher's quest (which involves killing stuff and finding valuable treasures), and can be used to turn traditional concepts of heroic fantasy on their head (raising an eyebrow at the suggestion that he should have a personal quest for the Watcher to solve, "I'm on your dime, boss." It's pretty clear why people would like him and want to have him in their party on at least one play through. Furthermore, his participation is based partly in mechanics and economy rather than purely story line reasons.

Not enough obviously...

A good story nobody has asked for. The problem here is with the setting/story, that it's on par with DA2. You're the Hawke! (even more a "God Slayer") You came to kick ass and chew bubble gum, but the bubble gum has ended... Your companion ideas are good and all, but it sure as fuck won't gonna help.

Btw. You'll get Polish speaking monk if you reach a stretch goal so it ain't all that bad. :lol:
 
Last edited:

Roguey

Codex Staff
Staff Member
Sawyerite
Joined
May 29, 2010
Messages
35,657
They need a Goldpact Knight type companion who is a completely likable and interesting and whose sole investment in the adventure is that it fits his conviction that fighting for money is the noblest thing a Paladin can do, and has no drama or bullshit aside from the player having to make periodic payments in order to stop him from leaving the party. On the other hand, he has fought for lots of factions and groups in the Archipelago, so he is a useful asset to have around from a role playing perspective.

Make an adventurer.
 
Joined
Apr 27, 2015
Messages
821
Location
Isometric realm
I don't know, it looks like Stretch goals are now what a normal 2nd part game should have. I get they should not include stupid ones like the backer NPC's in the first but I would love to see a promise of an expansion pack in the future or something more convincing like more voice acting is another example.
 

l3loodAngel

Proud INTJ
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Edgy
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Messages
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I don't know, it looks like Stretch goals are now what a normal 2nd part game should have. I get they should not include stupid ones like the backer NPC's in the first but I would love to see a promise of an expansion pack in the future or something more convincing like more voice acting is another example.
:abyssgazer:
 

Arkeus

Arcane
Joined
Oct 9, 2012
Messages
1,406
I do think it's fairly good that not every party member have the same kind of importance to the story.... But that is something almost all games do already.

Given the party size is now 5, going from 8 to 7 companions (there was 8 in PoE without white march right?) is actually more rotating power, and it's very possible we'll get another companion stretch goal, which would mean two full rotation withhout taking the same twice.
 

Raziel

Educated
Joined
Jun 18, 2016
Messages
80
With how the stretch goal is worded(Xoti being the 7th companion) you can easily assume there's 6 already in the game.

If you look at the official artwork you can see 5(Eder, Aloth, Pallegina, some Orlan dude and a guy with a rifle+a bird). I'm hoping the 6th will be something special(a la One of Many)

https%3A%2F%2Fd3pylr1apgoxnh.cloudfront.net%2Fcampaign_images%2Fimages%2Fb21218c112034aa621cf1ef86b6d33768807c959%2Foriginal.jpg%3F1484960167

deadfire
 

Jaesun

Fabulous Ex-Moderator
Patron
Joined
May 14, 2004
Messages
37,241
Location
Seattle, WA USA
MCA
Did furry guy turn into a werewolf?
 

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