Development Info Pillars of Eternity II Fig Update #30: Creating Environments

[Infinitron]

Tags: Obsidian Entertainment; Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

This week's Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Fig update offers a behind-the-scenes look at Obsidian's environment creation pipeline, using the map of the Vailian Trading Company headquarters as an example. It's the kind of update we've seen many times before in previous crowdfunding campaigns, but it has been a slow news day and there's a part of it that's kind of amusing. Carpets are the new cobblestones (click to zoom in):

The first pass render of scenes is sent to our Art Director and Lead Designer for review. They look over the master beauty render and make notes for both VFX and the environment artist to address in the second art pass.



When notes are finished, the environment artist begins work on a second pass of the scene.


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Deadfire is now in the final week of its extended crowdfunding period, with $4.66M of funding. Still nearly $90,000 from the next stretch goal. Maybe they could add it anyway?

 

[Morality Games]

Considering all the stretch non goals they had until $4,000,000, sure.

 

[Pentagon]

Those interiors look gorgeous!

 

[Ismaul]

"Remove them chairs we need more balance!" -JES

Balanced carpets, balanced draperies and balanced floor symbols. Balance in every room.

 

[Infinitron]

Those notes were written by Bobby Null (lead designer) and Rob Nesler (art director), not Josh.

The two Bobs, heh.

 

[Junmarko]

 

[Ismaul]

Infinitron, JES was assuming direct control, obviously.

 

[J_C]

Where do you get these from? XD

 

[Ruzen]

I really liked the piss reflections on floor at top left. Nice touch

 

[Junmarko]

Deadfire is now in the final week of its extended crowdfunding period, with $4.66M of funding. Still nearly $90,000 from the next stretch goal. Maybe they could add it anyway?

After Numenera, I've realised how spoiled we were with PoE.

Open the floodgates Obsidian

 

[Riddler]

That is one huge-ass toilet...

Do the VTC employ Americans who need to be driven into the bathroom with a truck?

 

[Bohrain]

That is one huge-ass toilet...

Do the VTC employ Americans who need to be driven into the bathroom with a truck?

What if there is a huge twist that VTC actually stands for Vailian Toilet Company and they have a secret agenda to sell the poo-dwelling Rauatai indoor plumbing?

 

[Outlander]

We need a REKT! button.

 

[Lady_Error]

"Remove them chairs we need more balance!" -JES

Balanced carpets, balanced draperies and balanced floor symbols. Balance in every room.

Balance harvesting done right.

 

[luj1]

Pretty environments are fine, its just the maps were pathetically small in the first game.

After decades of RPG experience having just 3 or 4 points of interest on an area map is amateurish and shameful.

But I guess cute bowls of fruit on a table, or window lightning, or customizing the color of ship sails, makes you forget about everything else that's important - like shitty core systems, weak world-building or forgettable writing

I love the approach of these hipster developers! At this rate RPG will turn into The Sims!

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

But I guess cute bowls of fruit on a table, or window lightning, or customizing the color of ship sails, makes you forget about everything else that's important - like shitty core systems, weak world-building or forgettable writing

Contamination alarms are going off on my shitposting terminal, must be a Watch url somewhere...

 

[Lady_Error]

Pretty environments are fine, its just the maps were pathetically small in the first game.

After decades of RPG experience having just 3 or 4 points of interest on an area map is amateurish and shameful.

But I guess cute bowls of fruit on a table, or window lightning, or customizing the color of ship sails, makes you forget about everything else that's important - like shitty core systems, weak world-building or forgettable writing

Play White March 1 and 2.

 

[Shilandra]

Pretty environments are fine, its just the maps were pathetically small in the first game.

After decades of RPG experience having just 3 or 4 points of interest on an area map is amateurish and shameful.

But I guess cute bowls of fruit on a table, or window lightning, or customizing the color of ship sails, makes you forget about everything else that's important - like shitty core systems, weak world-building or forgettable writing

Play White March 1 and 2.

Is white march mostly fighting?

Also where is this extended crowdfunding thing happening?

 

[Prime Junta]

Is white march mostly fighting?

Yes. There is a bit of story too though. I liked it, it's unpretentious and straightforward, and fits the fighting well. Also Zahua is a hoot.

Also where is this extended crowdfunding thing happening?

Backer portal.

 

[Lady_Error]

Is white march mostly fighting?

It has more Darklands CYOA sequences, pretty large and imaginative maps and a good amount of fighting. There are also at least a few ways to solve the major quests.

 

[Sizzle]

Is white march mostly fighting?

Yes. There is a bit of story too though. I liked it, it's unpretentious and straightforward, and fits the fighting well. Also Zahua is a hoot.

TWM2 also has an area (The Monastery) that harkens back to Raedric's Hold, one of the best-designed areas of the base game. You can enter the Monastery guns arquebuses blazing and fight a whole bunch of tough high-level monks, or carefully bluff your way inside (maybe you can also infiltrate it by sneaking? Haven't tried that approach), and you'll only have a small number of combat encounters along the way.

As for the story, it takes the god conundrum of the base game and strips it of all pretentiousness to deliver a very fun and satisfying D&D-like little romp.

 

[Prime Junta]

ITT we learn that trying too hard is the bane of game writing.

Or, put another way, don't try to be Chris Avellone unless you actually are Chris Avellone.

 

[Lone Wolf]

unless you actually are Chris Avellone.

And even then it's dicey.

 

[luj1]

Pretty environments are fine, its just the maps were pathetically small in the first game.

After decades of RPG experience having just 3 or 4 points of interest on an area map is amateurish and shameful.

But I guess cute bowls of fruit on a table, or window lightning, or customizing the color of ship sails, makes you forget about everything else that's important - like shitty core systems, weak world-building or forgettable writing

Play White March 1 and 2.

Same bullshit, different package

 

[luj1]

Is white march mostly fighting?

Yes. There is a bit of story too though. I liked it, it's unpretentious and straightforward, and fits the fighting well. Also Zahua is a hoot.

TWM2 also has an area (The Monastery) that harkens back to Raedric's Hold, one of the best-designed areas of the base game.

There is hardly anything special about Raedric's Hold. Its just a big, mega-boring fortress of blandness where you fight the same trash-mobs (which don't grant exp) over and over until you get brain cancer.

But I guess compared to the rest of the game, it takes the cake because its actually DESIGNED