Preview Pillars of Eternity Presentation at PAX East 2015

[Infinitron]

Tags: Adam Brennecke; Brandon Adler; Chris Avellone; J.E. Sawyer; Obsidian Entertainment; Pillars of Eternity; Tim Cain

After PAX South and PDXCon, the Pillars of Eternity extended publicity tour continues at PAX East in Boston. Once again, it's a gameplay demonstration followed by a Q&A session, with the full Obsidian crew on board. It should be starting any minute now:

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Eager to see whether our suggestions to Brandon Adler made any impact!

Update: And it's over. It was a rather geeky presentation this time, that began with an in-depth introduction to the companions Obsidian chose to use in their gameplay demonstration. The gameplay itself consisted of a bout of dungeon combat, followed by a fairly in-depth look at the stronghold and its mechanics, which are vaguely Crusader Kings-ish. No wonder Paradox likes this game! Too bad the subsequent Q&A session wasn't as good as the one at PAX South, though.

 

[Zed]

Not a lot of new stuff but pretty neat nonetheless. Much better than last presentation.

 

[Infinitron]

Updated OP.

 

[J_C]

This game is full of win. It is the first time I hear the battle music, and finally I can say that some of it is just like in Baldur's Gate, in terms of style. The main theme Justin Bell showed us earlier is only in the main menu, and it sounds good at that point. The opening theme is much more impactful, just as wished it. If I judge the music based on what I heared here, I have to take it back that Justin is not good enough, he made very nice tracks for the game. Combat is much clearer, it is not a pausefest and I feared in the beginning. There is not many things I can complain about, maybe the narrator voice, which is not to my liking, but it is decent at worst.

Not a lot of new stuff but pretty neat nonetheless.

Well the stronghold and the challanges were new info at least.

 

[Raapys]

I like it. Bit annoying how sound effects stop to play when you pause; I think the IE games solved this by not solving it, i.e. letting sound effects continue while paused.

 

[Lurker King]

(starts at around 6:18:15)

Here is a link to the specific presentation.

 

[sser]

I like it. Bit annoying how sound effects stop to play when you pause; I think the IE games solved this by not solving it, i.e. letting sound effects continue while paused.

I was thinking just this. It's very jarring to have it go insta-mute.

 

[Durante]

The dungeon gameplay looked fantastic to me. Pretty much BG2 with a much better UI, better graphics and the welcome addition of the scripted interactions. I can't wait.

 

[Sensuki]

BG2 with a much better UI

Sorry, but nope. One large downside is that the combat log is fucking useless in a corner.

 

[Frusciante]

Looks great. Only worrying thing is that standard speed seems to be a bit too fast. Think I will always play with slow mode on in combat.

BG2 with a much better UI

Sorry, but nope. One large downside is that the combat log is fucking useless in a corner.

Havent been following the discussion much lately, how are your hopes now for PoE when it releases? At one point I remeber you being very pessimistic/negative, have your hopes improved the last months?

 

[Sensuki]

It has. It won't be a complete mess and it should be fairly good. But like the other Kickstarter games it will take a lot of post-release support to fix it up.

 

[Athelas]

'It won't be a complete mess' should make for a great tagline in the promotional material for this game.

I do hope the post-release feedback will make them rethink some things like the engagement system.

 

[hiver]

Tim Cain speaks! Yes.

Pallegina was shunned by her parents and had trouble in the military order that took her and the society in general... but she has motherly instincts about "her" country? How is that her country when it rejected her whole life? People with experiences like that dont get to be big patriots, ffs.

Of course, the whole concept of Godlike is unnecessarily overblown for nothing at all. They should have designed them to have weird features but of minimal kind, not anything like fucking burning heads and other such shit. They should have been able to wear anything just like anyone else - but have difficulties and special reactions in dialogues because those features can be noticed. And then you could make a whole small nice system about how they try to hide those "godlike" features and diverse reactions to people noticing them or failing to notice them.

Such a waste...



- characters seem like complete cliches. Pallegina even speaks with annoying accent for fuck sake...

 

[Frusciante]

Tim Cain speaks! Yes.

Pallegina was shunned by her parents and had trouble in the military order that took her and the society in general... but she has motherly instincts about "her" country? How is that her country when it rejected her whole life? People with experiences like that dont get to be big patriots, ffs.

She was brought up by a nationalistic, partiotic military order basically from child birth. So being indoctrinated as patriotic isnt that far fetched. Plus people who don't ''fit in'' in general sometimes have a tendency to overcompensate in order to get respect etc. Bit of a jump, but some of the most cruel/fanatic jihadists are converted white western kids. Just because they have to work extra hard to be recognised as a true jihadist.

 

[Durante]

BG2 with a much better UI

Sorry, but nope. One large downside is that the combat log is fucking useless in a corner.

Sorry, but yes. IE doesn't even show you your fucking areas of effect.

Also, as demonstrated in the video, you can actually have significant positioning without fiddling with pixel-perfect location on your tanks, thanks to the engagement system

 

[Athelas]

Tim Cain speaks! Yes.

Pallegina was shunned by her parents and had trouble in the military order that took her and the society in general... but she has motherly instincts about "her" country? How is that her country when it rejected her whole life? People with experiences like that dont get to be big patriots, ffs.

Did you pay attention? It was the military that took care of when her mother abandoned her.

Of course, the whole concept of Godlike is unnecessarily overblown for nothing at all. They should have designed them to have weird features but of minimal kind, not anything like fucking burning heads and other such shit. They should have been able to wear anything just like anyone else - but have difficulties and special reactions in dialogues because those features can be noticed. And then you could make a whole small nice system about how they try to hide those "godlike" features and diverse reactions to people noticing them or failing to notice them.

Such a waste...

There is reactivity to race in the beta. I doubt it'll end up mattering much, though. Making significant amounts of unique content for a bunch of races is simply too much work to be feasible, and PoE looks like it won't be an exception to that rule.

 

[Sensuki]

Also, as demonstrated in the video, you can actually have significant positioning without fiddling with pixel-perfect location on your tanks, thanks to the engagement system

Actually no, the significant positioning is determined by the targeting clauses of the enemy, which has more impact than engagement does initially. Engagement does not dictate which enemies attack my party members - initial positioning does, like the Infinity Engine games. On hard difficulty where there are more creatures, the engagement system only works against the player, unless you abuse it. You also have to have pixel perfect positioning if you don't want to suffer disengagement attacks when trying to issue commands that require a one-pixel step to the left from your current position.

One could argue that not showing AoE is 'more skillful'. I don't mind that they do stuff like that - I thought you were talking about the Main HUD though.

 

[hiver]

Tim Cain speaks! Yes.

Pallegina was shunned by her parents and had trouble in the military order that took her and the society in general... but she has motherly instincts about "her" country? How is that her country when it rejected her whole life? People with experiences like that dont get to be big patriots, ffs.

She was brought up by a nationalistic, partiotic military order basically from child birth. So being indoctrinated as patriotic isnt that far fetched. Plus people who don't ''fit in'' in general sometimes have a tendency to overcompensate in order to get respect etc. Bit of a jump, but some of the most cruel/fanatic jihadists are converted white western kids. Just because they have to work extra hard to be recognised as a true jihadist.

Idiotic idea. No amount of indoctrination can convince you to support something that rejects you and humiliates you at every turn.
The jihadis from west are various idiots and idealists who felt uncompatible or rejected by current false democracies and capitalist society. Not the opposite.


Athelas

Did you pay any fucking attention at all except having kneejerk reactions to try and cover and excuse your emotional engagement spasms?

Of course, the whole concept of Godlike is unnecessarily overblown for nothing at all. They should have designed them to have weird features but of minimal kind, not anything like fucking burning heads and other such shit. They should have been able to wear anything just like anyone else - but have difficulties and special reactions in dialogues because those features can be noticed. And then you could make a whole small nice system about how they try to hide those "godlike" features and diverse reactions to people noticing them or failing to notice them.

Such a waste...

There is reactivity to race in the beta. I doubt it'll end up mattering much, though. Making significant amounts of unique content for a bunch of races is simply too much work to be feasible, and PoE looks like it won't be an exception to that rule.

I know there is reactivity but it is based on an obviously idiotic presentation that does not fit in the world that is trying to portray itself as plausible fantasy.

It is utterly idiotic and shallow concept that creates a basic fourth wall break and disconnection from the game and requires shutting down basic brain functions to tolerate.


I said nothing about creating extra content for bunch of races fucker. Address the things i say not what you imagine. Or else.

 

[Durante]

You also have to have pixel perfect positioning if you don't want to suffer disengagement attacks when trying to issue commands that require a one-pixel step to the left from your current position.

Is there no hysteresis thresholding for disengagement?

One could argue that not showing AoE is 'more skillful'. I don't mind that they do stuff like that - I thought you were talking about the Main HUD though.

What is the "main HUD"? I'd say that targeting is a pretty central feature of any UI.

 

[Athelas]

Or else.

 

[hiver]

I also see that enemy spear wielders do not maintain range at all but come for close up chest to chest fighting.... thats just... awesome, as VaultDweller would say.

- Paradox trying t bribe audience. Hate that guy immediately. -


- examples of what evolution does to humans who sit on their asses all day... ffs.... ugh.. getting their upgrade tickets.
Dont blow all of your budget there paradox! Six upgrades! Jeee! Throwing money around are we?


- Yeah Josh, slow mode... thats what makes combat manageable
design combat that needs slow-mo to be manageable... great job.

 

[Deleted member 7219]

The character dialogue seems genuinely funny. Not lulzy, but funny. I like that.

 

[Infinitron]

The character dialogue seems genuinely funny. Not lulzy, but funny. I like that.

I think the majority of the audience (including some Codexers) will interpret them as quite Biowarey although of course it's not really that different from anything Morte, Annah and Grace might have said to each other in PS:T

:mcadiditfirst:

 

[Deleted member 7219]

Notice the look on MCA's face when a woman asked a question about how Pillars related to Torment and KOTOR 2 in terms of the storytelling of the main protagonist?

MCA reached up to the mic and was about to speak when Sawyer cut in.

Sawyer gonna Sawyer.

 

[J_C]

I also see that enemy spear wielders do not maintain range at all but come for close up chest to chest fighting.... thats just... awesome, as VaultDweller would say.

- Paradox trying t bribe audience. Hate that guy immediately. -

Yeah, just listening him talk made me go: I would never want to meet and talk to this guy in real life.

Yeah Josh, slow mode... thats what makes combat manageable
design combat that needs slow-mo to be manageable... great job.

Dumbfucks gonna dumbfuck. Combat is manageable by default, but there might be people who prefer slow-mo instead of pausing.