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

[AN4RCHID]

Hmmm, that is weird about Defiance Bay. I'm sure the icons are subject to change though, and they'll probably add in a legend before release. The only thing that puts me off about it is how all the non-forest land is tan. I assume the areas around the coast aren't desert, but it looks like they are.

 

[Sensuki]

Umh... It looks like Faerun.

Completely intended. The map is supposed to be reminiscent of the Dalelands from Forgotten Realms

 

[Surf Solar]

Umh... It looks like Faerun.

Completely intended. The map is supposed to be reminiscent of the Dalelands from Forgotten Realms

For a moment, I thought you would be talking about Icewind Dale and its glorious geography, then I realized in my half drunk gazing at your post that you are talking about something different. Anyway, source?

 

[Hormalakh]

http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/109480-je-sawyer-on-project-eternity-social-round-up.html

source for dalelands = PE map.

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3506352&userid=17931

This is good feedback. The actual map is significantly larger; I just bored down on this section for detail. That particular section was what I worked out first. I'll try to address the geological problems (e.g. rivers) and I'll think more about the rest.

Sorry for those of you who didn't like it. I was actually trying to capture the feeling of the Dragon Reach/Dalelands, which is an area of the Realms that I always liked.

...

Yes, Spain would not be a wholly inaccurate comparison in terms of size.

 

[Surf Solar]

http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/109480-je-sawyer-on-project-eternity-social-round-up.html

source for dalelands = PE map.

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3506352&userid=17931

This is good feedback. The actual map is significantly larger; I just bored down on this section for detail. That particular section was what I worked out first. I'll try to address the geological problems (e.g. rivers) and I'll think more about the rest.

Sorry for those of you who didn't like it. I was actually trying to capture the feeling of the Dragon Reach/Dalelands, which is an area of the Realms that I always liked.

...

Yes, Spain would not be a wholly inaccurate comparison in terms of size.

Thanks!

 

[Sensuki]

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/59911-obsidian-has-a-kickstarter-profile/page-4#entry1184688

For a visual comparison.

 

[Excidium]

No wonder it looks like ass if they're basing it on maps from third edition

Oh nevermind, it's a quote box. What a shitty color scheme

 

[Sensuki]

The inspiration probably comes more from 2nd Edition even though that map is from the 3E forgotten realms campaign book.

That area was used in the Time of Troubles / Avatar Trilogy written by Scott Ciencin and Troy Denning; the Bhaalspawn Saga was branched off a part of this story.

Eir Glanfath is probably reminiscent of Myth Drannor, which is seen in the Pool of Radiance games and various novels.

Wouldn't be surprised if one of the towns reminds in the final game reminds me of Shadowdale either.

 

[MicoSelva]

There is one another Avellone themed blog entry on the ananofholland.wordpress.com, although nothing directly related to PE.

 

[Kem0sabe]

I don't recall from previous released game info, but comparatively, how big (in terms of discreet game areas) will the game be in regards to something like BG2+TOB?

 

[hiver]

From the map it looks to have even more big and small towns and discrete locations than BG2.

+ vast wilderness and forests and stuff in between them.

 

[MicoSelva]

I don't recall from previous released game info, but comparatively, how big (in terms of discreet game areas) will the game be in regards to something like BG2+TOB?

It will be something like BG2+ToB, but with two big cities instead of one.

Yeah, I also don't know how they plan to pull this off in 18 months.

 

[Arkeus]

I don't recall from previous released game info, but comparatively, how big (in terms of discreet game areas) will the game be in regards to something like BG2+TOB?

Hard to say. What with having Two big cities as well as that mega-dungeon, it could easily be much bigger than BG1 and maybe bigger than BG2, but they didn't get THAT much money, and unless they pull a lot of other developers as well as make a longer development cycle, i would say it's going to be 2/3 the size of BG1.

 

[Infinitron]

It will be something like BG2+ToB

??? Source?

 

[Kem0sabe]

I think roughly the size of BG1 with a bit more content added to the wilderness areas is the sweet point for this kind of crpg, but yeah MicoSelva, not sure how they will pull this off in 18 months while maintaining a consistent level of quality throughout... but as they are all industry veterans, i guess they have this stuff down to a formula and know what they are doing.

 

[Sensuki]

There is no defined size for the game. Josh Sawyer wants to avoid giving one because they still aren't sure how much content they can create during production yet. Currently the largest bottleneck is the Environment Art pipeline, of which they need more Environment artists. If they don't get some more then that will obv. limit the amount of areas they can produce within the production time. Currently I think they just have 2 guys (Hector Espinoza and Sean Dunny), they have job ads up for a full time Enviro artist, a Junior Enviro artists and 2 Interns.

This Environment Artist will assist the Art Director in define the visual target for environments in Project Eternity, as well as coordinate with other Environment Artists.

The junior environment Artist will be responsible for creating beautiful and detailed props and buildings, efficiently.
Applying their knowledge of shape and form, proportions, color and design, they will model, texture, and create the materials for various types of props and set pieces, on the Project Eternity Team.

The Environment Intern will be responsible for creating beautiful and detailed props and buildings, efficiently.
Applying their expert knowledge of shape and form, proportions, color and design, they will model, texture and create the materials for various types of props and set pieces, on the Project Eternity Team.

 

[MicoSelva]

It will be something like BG2+ToB

??? Source?

Informed speculation (sorry), based on bits of information read in the updates and interviews.

1. A game featuring two big cities + mega dungeon + rural areas will be the size of a BG2 + ToB. I know that Spellhold can be treated as one mega-dungeon, with Watcher's keep being a second one, but since Endless Paths are supposed to be fifteen levels deep, I believe it is safe to think they are going to be bigger than either of those.
2. Level cap at 12 means world size similar to (or slightly bigger than) Baldur's Gate 1, which was bigger than vanilla BG2. Unless, of course the levelling pace is really different from IE-games (I doubt it).
3. Vertical slice size (11 maps, including 1 village, 2 dungeons, at least 2 wilderness areas) seems to indicate a certain scope for the game world.

 

[Carrion]

1. A game featuring two big cities + mega dungeon + rural areas will be the size of a BG2 + ToB. I know that Spellhold can be treated as one mega-dungeon, with Watcher's keep being a second one, but since Endless Paths are supposed to be fifteen levels deep, I believe it is safe to think they are going to be bigger than either of those.
2. Level cap at 12 means world size similar to (or slightly bigger than) Baldur's Gate 1, which was bigger than vanilla BG2. Unless, of course the levelling pace is really different from IE-games (I doubt it).
3. Vertical slice size (11 maps, including 1 village, 2 dungeons, at least 2 wilderness areas) seems to indicate a certain scope for the game world.

BG2 had several big dungeons in addition to Spellhold and Watcher's Keep, though, like Firkraag's dungeon, De'Arnise Hold, the Underdark, the Bhaalspawn strongholds in ToB... PE's content will most likely be centered around that one huge dungeon, and I really doubt they'll have enough time and resources to put in as much optional content as there is in BG2. You probably won't get stuff like Umar Hills or the Druid Grove quest in this game.

As far as the level cap goes, it doesn't really tell anything at this point, although I'd be really surprised if gaining levels was slower than in the IE games. I'm expecting something along the lines of NWN2.

 

[MicoSelva]

PE's content will most likely be centered around that one huge dungeon

I like my speculation much more than yours.

 

[Sensuki]

If they manage to hire enough environment artists then the game could be fairly big. That is the main issue at the moment.

 

[coffeetable]

If they manage to hire enough environment artists then the game could be fairly big. That is the main issue at the moment.

No, it isn't. Those posts will get filled very quickly - there's not exactly a shortage of out-of-work graphics artists in California. The limiting factor on the size of the game is the budget.

Informed speculation (sorry), based on bits of information read in the updates and interviews.

1. A game featuring two big cities + mega dungeon + rural areas will be the size of a BG2 + ToB. I know that Spellhold can be treated as one mega-dungeon, with Watcher's keep being a second one, but since Endless Paths are supposed to be fifteen levels deep, I believe it is safe to think they are going to be bigger than either of those.

"Big city" is an awfully vague term. Two cities the size of ToB's Saradush, or two the size of NWN2's Neverwinter, would still fall well short of BG2's Athkatla (which was ridiculously huge). Similarly the Endless Paths might be bigger than Spellhold or Watcher's Keep, but it's certainly gonna be smaller than several of BG2's stronghold dungeons put together.

The only solid thing we have regarding the size of the game is the budget. We know they have ~$4 million to play with. We know that corresponds to ~400 staff-months of development time. We know BG1 took ~1100 staff-months. The questions are: how much of those 1100 staff-months on BG1 were spent building an engine? How much more efficient is developer methodology, and specifically the area construction process, today?

If anyone has budget figures for IWD2 floating around, that'd give us a much better handle on things.

 

[Blaine]

No, it isn't. Those posts will get filled very quickly - there's not exactly a shortage of out-of-work graphics artists anywhere and many would move cross-country to get paid an actual salary.

Expanded for completeness' sake.

 

[Arkeus]

"Big city" is an awfully vague term. Two cities the size of ToB's Saradush, or two the size of NWN2's Neverwinter, would still fall well short of BG2's Athkatla (which was ridiculously huge). Similarly the Endless Paths might be bigger than Spellhold or Watcher's Keep, but it's certainly gonna be smaller than several of BG2's stronghold dungeons put together.

Well, we actually got more precision on what they meant by 'Big City': Baldur's gate sized, maybe even Akhatla's sized.

The only solid thing we have regarding the size of the game is the budget. We know they have ~$4 million to play with. We know that corresponds to ~400 staff-months of development time. We know BG1 took ~1100 staff-months. The questions are: how much of those 1100 staff-months on BG1 were spent building an engine? How much more efficient is developer methodology, and specifically the area construction process, today?

If anyone has budget figures for IWD2 floating around, that'd give us a much better handle on things.

Yeah, i am really hoping they have a way to maximize the Budget they have. Possibly by only having the minimum of people working at the different phase of the game by switching people from different games they are working on, because unless they are accepting lower-than-normal salaries things aren't going to be simple.

 

[Carrion]

PE's content will most likely be centered around that one huge dungeon

I like my speculation much more than yours.

Well, in this interview Avellone says that, as it is, the dungeon "serves a key role" in the story. What that means in practice is another thing entirely, but it doesn't sound like it's going to be like Watcher's Keep, even though that might've been their initial idea. Rather than starting from scratch with the dungeon, they'll probably use some of the stuff that they originally planned for some other part of the game in order to fill all of those fifteen levels. To be honest, I wouldn't mind if there was a slight ToEE vibe to the game, focusing a big part of the content on a single location (or three, if you count the cities) rather than making tons of different areas and possibly spreading the resources too thin.

 

[Sensuki]

No, it isn't. Those posts will get filled very quickly - there's not exactly a shortage of out-of-work graphics artists anywhere and many would move cross-country to get paid an actual salary.

Expanded for completeness' sake.

Environment art creation is still their slowest asset creation pipeline by far, Josh said so on the SA forums. The sooner those jobs are filled the better.