Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity [BETA RELEASED, GO TO THE NEW THREAD]

[Grunker]

They have repeatedly said they wanted a non-floaty UI as the IE games all had UI that were fixed like above, so i doubt the UI from that screenshot is anything true to what they are planning to do.

I fucking hope so. Not going with the frame is already bad enough.

 

[Hassat Hunter]

I fucking hope so. Not going with the frame is already bad enough.

It makes me sad I can't brofist this yet... so true.

 

[Sensuki]

The picture with the dragon-like Stegosaurus creature is the one mentioned in the newegg 10 things I liked about PoE

On a character designer’s computer, we had a chance to look at a work-in-progress dragon. We were told that the dragon in question had spent thousands of years eating “magical mortar,” and that was the explanation for the craggy, amethyst-like protrusions covering its body. The concept art was incredible, and totally unlike anything we’ve seen in other games.

and according to JES on SA

The actual model of that creature is really crazy looking.

 

[Xbalanque]

No Tormenty-lime portraits?

 

[Spectacle]

This game is either going to be the most amazing game since Baldur's Gate or a complete flop. I can't wait for people here to react to its release.

No matter how good it is, it will certainly fail to satisfy a bunch of people who imagine this is their dream game come true. The butthurt will go beyond all known bounds.

 

[Answermancer]

I like the one in the video more than the thing in the WIP screenshot, or rather I like how the central hub of buttons is designed and the lack of a background covering up the playspace.

But then I know I am heavily biased against skeuomorphic UI.

 

[Sensuki]

We have quests to create unique armor and weapon items and a crafting system to create consumables and enchant weapons and armor.

Every creature (other than PC races) drops ingredients for crafting.

Party stats are now up and I realize I have to tune the arquebuses down. The cipher with Soul Whip + arquebus = deathlord by a huge margin.

 

[agris]

The portrait area is not skeuomorphic.

This might be worth posting on the official forums

Here is a larger cap.

Looks like we have a gauntlet cursor a la BG1.

Looks like "Aloth" has a new portrait too?

This is pure speculation on my part, but perhaps this is the minimalist UI option? Akin to hitting Pg-Down in the IE games until the chat log is but a sliver. If that's the case, I'm fine with it. If not....

 

[Xor]

I would be surprised if that UI is even close to final.

 

[Abelian]

I hope the UI will include the weapon swapping feature from IWD2, so you could switch between sword&shield and bow/2H weapon.

 

[Jaesun]

As long as Obsidian is smart (and I am sure they are) the UI is XMI based (like NWN2 If I recall correctly) it does not matter what the UI looks or works like. Because no matter what, someone from the community will ALWAYS come up with a much better UI. As long as they allow that option.

 

[Zed]

I like that the portraits are very separate from the rest of the stuff. I wish the portraits would show a little more of the characters tho.
The text window is probably expandable, in which case it's fine.
The middle control panel is fine too.
It's not as bulky as I'd hope but it'll do.

I wonder where the action bar is. Maybe it's only visible when a single character is selected.

As long as there's no radial button in sight, I can live with it.

 

[Sensuki]

I see Guard Interface (JES Fav lol), Attack, Select All, Formations button, not sure about the other two (Stop, and Party AI maybe). The other side looks to be menu. Middle is clock/pause.

But yeah no action bar in sight and No health and stamina bars. That's why it might be the Area Testing module.

 

[Grunker]

I hope the UI will include the weapon swapping feature from IWD2, so you could switch between sword&shield and bow/2H weapon.

Wasn't the plan to have dynamic weapon swapping since different encounters will pretty much require different weapons?

 

[Infinitron]

The game has an "equipment belt" for each character where you can put weapons to swap and anything else you want to use during combat.

 

[Hassat Hunter]

I hope the UI will include the weapon swapping feature from IWD2, so you could switch between sword&shield and bow/2H weapon.

Considering each 'modern' game has that... and I don't think that's seen as dumbing down or handholding (cause it ain't, it's just an UI tool to reduce manual swapping)... I woul expect that to surface in PoE too.

 

[Sensuki]

Another dose of JES answering SA banalite questions:

Technological items

There are some clocks and a very small number of early watches. Animancers tend to be mechanical inventors and tinkerers since so much of animancy is only possible through technology. Animancy itself is not so much a fusion of technology and magic as it is a field of study that uses machines to examine essence, i.e. soul energy.

Character Tattoos

I think the only character who currently has any tattoos is Sagani. It's not a big part of any of the cultures that are highly present in the Eastern Reach (this part of the world).

Reactions to Godlike (which has been asked 100 times before but a diff answer this time)

It depends on local attitudes and personal beliefs. Devout people who truly believe that godlike are blessed may be extremely reverent around godlike characters. Some people think that godlike are cursed or may be hostile toward godlike "of" a faith they don't like. E.g. godlike associated with Eothas are treated badly in the Dyrwood due to the Saint's War. Godlike associated with Magran are received much more positively for the same reason. The godlike themselves have varying attitudes about it.

 

[Delterius]

So, refresh me on what we do know about PoE's plot? The main character is witness to a terrible supernatural event which makes him somewhat special in the grand scheme of things, becoming a sort of gravitation center for a number of companions.

And then I watch DA:I's trailer. Main character is witness to a Fade Breach and its only survivor, now he's become the gravitation center of the WHOLE WORLD.

These two games are becoming more easily compared by the week.

 

[Infinitron]

So, refresh me on what we do know about PoE's plot? The main character is witness to a terrible supernatural event which makes him somewhat special in the grand scheme of things, becoming a sort of gravitation center for a number of companions.

And then I watch DA:I's trailer. Main character is witness to a Fade Breach and its only survivor, now he's become the gravitation center of the WHOLE WORLD.

These two games are becoming more easily compared by the week.

The real question is how similar it'll be to the Black Hound.

 

[Goegoff]

It's actually just the "witness to a terrible supernatural event" that hes been revealed and nothing else.

And I kind of hope it stays that way.

 

[tuluse]

It's actually just the "witness to a terrible supernatural event" that hes been revealed and nothing else.

And I kind of hope it stays that way.

MC is also confirmed for having a complete soul which grants special (but not unique) powers.

 

[coffeetable]

So, refresh me on what we do know about PoE's plot? The main character is witness to a terrible supernatural event which makes him somewhat special in the grand scheme of things, becoming a sort of gravitation center for a number of companions.

And then I watch DA:I's trailer. Main character is witness to a Fade Breach and its only survivor, now he's become the gravitation center of the WHOLE WORLD.

These two games are becoming more easily compared by the week.

it's not really surprising: if you want

• to give the player freedom of background
  
• to have a large-scale plot
• but which concerns the PC personally

then about the only motivating device available is to subject the PC to some kind of extraordinary event at the opening of the game.

 

[Delterius]

Yes, but then again its not just that. Both supernatural events seem to be of a similar nature. In DA:I its the Fade, the world of dreams and ideas. This abstract-given-form-and-sentience also seem to be a province of the Souls in Obsidian's new universe. If anything, if PoE has more similarities with the Black Hound, then the Fade and whatever Soulrealm Obsidian are cooking up are even closer. Sure, we know don't know much at all from PoE's plot so there's a lot of deviation, but forgive me I can't help but smugly hope that Obsidian's game will be a more interesting spin on a similar starting point.

 

[Abelian]

So, refresh me on what we do know about PoE's plot? The main character is witness to a terrible supernatural event which makes him somewhat special in the grand scheme of things, becoming a sort of gravitation center for a number of companions.

And then I watch DA:I's trailer. Main character is witness to a Fade Breach and its only survivor, now he's become the gravitation center of the WHOLE WORLD.

These two games are becoming more easily compared by the week.

it's not really surprising: if you want

• to give the player freedom of background
  
• to have a large-scale plot
• but which concerns the PC personally

then about the only motivating device available is to subject the PC to some kind of extraordinary event at the opening of the game.

Spoiler

 

[Morality Games]

Yes, but then again its not just that. Both supernatural events seem to be of a similar nature. In DA:I its the Fade, the world of dreams and ideas. This abstract-given-form-and-sentience also seem to be a province of the Souls in Obsidian's new universe. If anything, if PoE has more similarities with the Black Hound, then the Fade and whatever Soulrealm Obsidian are cooking up are even closer. Sure, we know don't know much at all from PoE's plot so there's a lot of deviation, but forgive me I can't help but smugly hope that Obsidian's game will be a more interesting spin on a similar starting point.

And they should release it a month ahead of ahead of Dragon Age: Inquisition with a marketing blitz that draws off of the latter's momentum.