Interview RPG Codex Community Q&A: Project Eternity with Josh Sawyer

[Zed]

Tags: Baldur's Gate; Black Isle Studios; Eternity; Fallout; Game design; GOTY 2018; Icewind Dale; J.E. Sawyer; Obsidian Entertainment; Pillars of Eternity; Planescape: Torment

So, here we are, with the responses to our community-sourced questions for Obsidian regarding Project Eternity. Or just Eternity. I really am not sure whether they have dropped the 'Project' bit or not. In any case, project director Josh Sawyer took it upon himself to answers all the questions we had. Well, pretty much all of them. There were a lot of questions.

Here's a wetter:

Hormalakh asked his cat, but his cat won't answer:
Can you discuss what the different animal companions will be for the ranger and whether these companions will play any differently? Will they offer different tactical/strategic choices in combat, different choices in the story, or will their differences just be for flavor?

It is more likely that they will offer different tactical choices than story choices, but we want to make the differences more than just cosmetic. We don't have a full animal companion list yet because we're still developing our bestiary.

Kem0sabe has more faith in his question than in developers:
At this point is there a risk that Obsidian is obsessing over particular areas of the game, like the design of rules and mechanics, leading to an over-designed game with too many discreet systems?

Given the choice between an over-designed game and an under-designed game, I'd prefer the former, but I think the risk is low. We design a lot of the fundamental mechanics up front and let the other systems or pieces of content develop more organically as the project progresses.

For example, the classes were initially designed from levels 1-5 and done in waves (starting with the "core four"). We're not going to develop the remaining character levels until we've played around with the classes in the low range for a while. Doing so will allow us to adapt the classes' remaining content and even adjust their core mechanics if we feel it is necessary.

Rake took a minute to describe the environment before asking:
What are your thoughts on descriptive text in the log and in dialogues? It's more of a Fallout thing than an IE one, but Planescape:Torment had it and was better for it. Do you think it offers much to an isometric game fleshing out the world to be worth the effort?

We are currently writing our dialogues with descriptive text in the general style of Planescape: Torment. We don't use it on every node, but we do use it when we feel it adds something to the conversation.​

It's pretty lengthy so grab a (healthy) snack and relax (moderately).

Read the full article: RPG Codex community Q&A: Project Eternity with Josh Sawyer

 

[evdk]

The specific list may change, but the biggest difference players will notice in Attributes (compared to A/D&D ability scores) is that all of their bonuses are uniformly applied instead of being keyed to specific types of weapons or attacks. E.g. one Attribute affects bonus damage (and healing) and one affects bonus accuracy -- regardless of the weapons or spells being used.

SAWYEEEEEEEER!!!

No, I really, really don't like that design.

 

[Infinitron]

The specific list may change, but the biggest difference players will notice in Attributes (compared to A/D&D ability scores) is that all of their bonuses are uniformly applied instead of being keyed to specific types of weapons or attacks. E.g. one Attribute affects bonus damage (and healing) and one affects bonus accuracy -- regardless of the weapons or spells being used.

SAWYEEEEEEEER!!!

No, I really, really don't like that design.

I see it as an admission that the importance of base attributes in D&D-like games is overrated anyway, so you might as well strip them down to the basics. From looking at Sawyer's design, I was actually afraid he'd remove them from the game entirely - it probably could have worked.

What we still don't know is whether attributes will improve over the course of the game (as in D&D 3E) or remain static except for item bonuses (as in AD&D).

 

[evdk]

The specific list may change, but the biggest difference players will notice in Attributes (compared to A/D&D ability scores) is that all of their bonuses are uniformly applied instead of being keyed to specific types of weapons or attacks. E.g. one Attribute affects bonus damage (and healing) and one affects bonus accuracy -- regardless of the weapons or spells being used.

SAWYEEEEEEEER!!!

No, I really, really don't like that design.

I consider it an admission that the importance of base attributes in D&D-like games is overrated anyway, so you might as well strip them down to the basics. From looking at Sawyer's design, I was actually afraid he'd remove them from the game entirely - it probably could have worked.

What we still don't know is whether attributes will improve over the course of the game (as in D&D 3E) or remain static except for item bonuses (as in AD&D).

I wouldn't mind removing attributes if an adequate alternative system was introduced, what I don't like is the same attribute providing a damage boost to both physical and magical offense. I always try to silence my inner simulationist when it comes to cRPGs but this is just too much.

 

[Rivmusique]

Stealth and Crafting stuff sounds good.

A lot of that depends on the difficulty setting and the player's skill, but we aren't designing encounters to require prescience. We're trying to avoid sucker punches in fights, enemy tactics that demand a very specific combination of items, classes, spells, or abilities to overcome. While there will certainly be strategic and tactical choices that will work very poorly in certain fights, we'd rather give the player a number of ways to win a battle. If we wind up creating specific formulae or one valid strategy to win a fight, I think that takes a lot away from the player's potential enjoyment.

Great, but I hope we don't end up with one tactic that can blow through the majority of fights.

 

[Shadenuat]

Told you he'd go that crappy MMO route with attributes. Now to see healing chains critical hitting for +632 HP

 

[Infinitron]

I wouldn't mind removing attributes if an adequate alternative system was introduced, what I don't like is the same attribute providing a damage boost to both physical and magical offense. I always try to silence my inner simulationist when it comes to cRPGs but this is just too much.

Well, remember that the attributes will presumably not be named "Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence" so it's not like you'll be asked to believe that increasing Strength makes your arrows and spells hit harder.

My concern about the system is that it seems rather boring. INCREASE THIS ATTRIBUTE TO DO MORE DAMAGE. Doesn't sound like there will be as many tradeoffs and intricacies as there are in D&D. But, we don't have the full picture yet so I dunno.

 

[Space Satan]

Me be pleased

 

[evdk]

I wouldn't mind removing attributes if an adequate alternative system was introduced, what I don't like is the same attribute providing a damage boost to both physical and magical offense. I always try to silence my inner simulationist when it comes to cRPGs but this is just too much.

Well, remember that the attributes will presumably not be named "Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence" so it's not like you'll be asked to believe that increasing Strength makes your arrows and spells hit harder.

My concern about the system is that it seems rather boring. INCREASE THIS ATTRIBUTE TO DO MORE DAMAGE. Doesn't sound like there will be as many tradeoffs and intricacies as there are in D&D. But, we don't have the full picture yet so I dunno.

It looks a bit like the DA2 system this way, yeah. Pump your attributes to watch all the numbers go up.

 

[Infinitron]

It looks a bit like the DA2 system this way, yeah. Pump your attributes to watch all the numbers go up.

Well not exactly, since in DA2 each class had a different stat that increased the damage per attack. In PE it would be the same stat for everybody. But damage per attack isn't everything. Or at least it shouldn't be.

 

[Kem0sabe]

Great Q&A, wide range of different questions and very direct answers by Sawyer. Especially liked reading about how involved the stronghold seems to be and their plans for it.

 

[felipepepe]

The specific list may change, but the biggest difference players will notice in Attributes (compared to A/D&D ability scores) is that all of their bonuses are uniformly applied instead of being keyed to specific types of weapons or attacks. E.g. one Attribute affects bonus damage (and healing) and one affects bonus accuracy -- regardless of the weapons or spells being used.

SAWYEEEEEEEER!!!

No, I really, really don't like that design.

Yeah, that's Diablo 3-like design... he's one step away from a DPS stat.

 

[Roguey]

In our current design, companions and adventurers (created at the Adventurers Hall) gain a fractional amount of experience while they are at the stronghold. The stronghold system gives you options for increasing the portion of experience that those characters gain while they aren't in the party.

Nice, I was hoping he'd go the moneysink way for this.

Projecting the specifics of such a large game is not exact, but we can always look at the list of things we need to provide: 11 classes, 6 races, two big cities, a 15-level mega-dungeon, etc.

It'd be delightful if, in the end, the only areas included are a tutorial area, two big cities, and a 15-level megadungeon.

Creatures do have two detection states (other than not detecting anything): investigation and alert.

Games with stealth where there are only two states (unaware and hostile) are so annoying. Looking at AP here, even though enemies had an investigative state if you used that sound thing.

We are currently writing our dialogues with descriptive text in the general style of Planescape: Torment. We don't use it on every node, but we do use it when we feel it adds something to the conversation.

As long as it isn't every node or too excessive.

The specific list may change, but the biggest difference players will notice in Attributes (compared to A/D&D ability scores) is that all of their bonuses are uniformly applied instead of being keyed to specific types of weapons or attacks. E.g. one Attribute affects bonus damage (and healing) and one affects bonus accuracy -- regardless of the weapons or spells being used.

It will be a minor factor on occasion, but reactions to sex will be infrequent overall.

Almost all of our crafting recipes are used to either create consumables or to add/upgrade properties on existing items.

More of that Dragon Age II crafting influence.

I don't think an area like IWD2's Severed Hand would be out of place for Project Eternity. I liked the blend of non-combat interactions and big fights in those areas and I'd like to see more of them in our game.

Nice again.

 

[Delterius]

Translating Tuluse's question:

WHY DIDN'T YOU BASTARDS MAKE A SUCCESSOR TO ARCANUM!?!?@!? OH GOD WHYY

I wouldn't mind removing attributes if an adequate alternative system was introduced, what I don't like is the same attribute providing a damage boost to both physical and magical offense. I always try to silence my inner simulationist when it comes to cRPGs but this is just too much.

I don't think there'll be an issue with simulation, you can always say that the character's 'Skill' boosts damage and his 'Cunning' boots his defenses and so on. Problem is if the system is simplified and it probably won't be since there are still many attributes.

What I'm afraid of is that they trivialize the attribute system by making everyone viable in spite of your choices. I'm all for making every attribute useful, but you still should have to stick to a path.

 

[Infinitron]

villain of the story Your opinion on the proposed stealth system.

What I'm afraid of is that they trivialize the attribute system by making everyone viable in spite of your choices. I'm all for making every attribute useful, but you still should have to stick to a path.

To me, it sounds like the attribute system isn't as "core" as it (supposedly) is in D&D. It's more of a way of giving your character an "edge" on top of his talents and class abilities, which are the true core of the system.

 

[Grunker]

The specific list may change, but the biggest difference players will notice in Attributes (compared to A/D&D ability scores) is that all of their bonuses are uniformly applied instead of being keyed to specific types of weapons or attacks. E.g. one Attribute affects bonus damage (and healing) and one affects bonus accuracy -- regardless of the weapons or spells being used.

SAWYEEEEEEEER!!!

No, I really, really don't like that design.

Why? One of the main complaints I've seen RPG-fans have both here and elsewhere is systems where dumping your points into one/two stats was your only option. Look at the amount of people munching BG and IWD by having fighters with 3 int, cha and wis. One of the most boring parts of that game. You had to LARP or just ignore the fact that your protagonist with the system-based wit of house cat was able to have actual conversations with people. Sawyer's solution here enables strategic variety in your character customization.

Told you he'd go that crappy MMO route with attributes.

How the fuck is this related to MMO attributes? MMOs are ALL ABOUT stacking the one or two attributes that are keyed to your class.

Like Infinitron, I'm more concerned at his comment that they are keyed to damage. Funny you should compare it to DA, evdk. DA's system had some interesting things like Magic deciding how effective potions would be when you drank them, thus making it viable for other people than casters, and Willpower deciding Stamina.

Almost all of our crafting recipes are used to either create consumables or to add/upgrade properties on existing items. Outside of special quests (which aren't part of the crafting system), we don't intend to use the system to make non-consumable equipment items.

Thanks the heaven. I was nervous about that one.

 

[Shadenuat]

How the fuck is this related to MMO attributes?

Up your DEX and get +% critical for any attack, physical, ranged or magical, is a pretty common stuff in MMO's (and modern rogues... no not the one up there, games of course).

Stealth system sounds nice.
Crafting is't, I hoped for much more after NWN2.

Druids turning into furries is, well... um... I want to be a bear

 

[Zed]

I like what I've read about everything, especially stealth and crafting. I'm left a little bit unsure about the attribute system, but I'm sure it's gonna work out alright. It's probably gonna need a deeper introduction with examples and stuff for me to fully grasp it.

 

[Lancehead]

The game potential to be a better stealth game than Thiaf.

 

[CappenVarra]

Project Eternity attribute system (and Avatar 2 release date) confirmed: Power, Finesse, Speed, Resilience

 

[Infinitron]

Causing trouble on the Obsidian forums:
http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/64156-rpg-codex-josh-sawyer-qa/
http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/64...ion-about-project-eternitys-attribute-scores/

Two threads for double the rage.

 

[Ignatius Reilly]

So long as Sawyer knows D3 has the most god awful stat system in any RPG ever, and does his best to avoid making it too much like that, we should be relatively fine. And I'm not even sure that's exactly what he means, because, damn that response was confusing.

Everything else sounds wonderful. Especially stealth. It's nice when a game manages to find an effective way of blending player skill (positioning) and character stats (stealth radius).

 

[Azael]

Jesus, someone give Sawyer a sandwich!

 

[Delterius]

Causing trouble on the Obsidian forums:
http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/64156-rpg-codex-josh-sawyer-qa/
http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/64...ion-about-project-eternitys-attribute-scores/

Two threads for double the rage.

And One to rule them all.

 

[Sensuki]

Crafting sounds good. Stealth sounds good.

Druids ... nyeh okay I guess. BG2 shapeshifter with spell-casting enabled (or was it already?)

Attributes ... yeah a bit worrying. Damage for everything (including spells) is one step too far for me. I agree with evdk about separation of damage types. One for physical and one for magical would be better.