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

[Delterius]

I hope they dont dare to make non wizards just one trick ponies like it sounds they are...

How much more of a one trick pony can non-spellcasters be when the one thing melee specialists did back then was auto-attack?

 

[Infinitron]

If the BG2 devs were focused on making all sorts of builds and character archetypes as close as possible to equally effective and/or mechanically deep as one another what do you think the odds of them having spectacular spellcaster gameplay would have been? Do you think mages would have been nearly as in-depth and interesting if the devs were constantly worried about making fighterd00ds as tactically rich as mageguyz?

Yes, I see no reason why they couldn't be. The idea that they can't be is simply a failure of the imagination on part of the "balance-phobes".

Check out Dragon Age. The mages there were OP too, but I don't see anybody praising the game for that. Why? Because their abilities were generally shallow and uninteresting MMO fare.

If you want cool abilities, ask for cool abilities directly. Don't ask for them by proxy via "unbalance", because that's not the main issue.

 

[Sensuki]

If the BG2 devs were focused on making all sorts of builds and character archetypes as close as possible to equally effective and/or mechanically deep as one another what do you think the odds of them having spectacular spellcaster gameplay would have been? Do you think mages would have been nearly as in-depth and interesting if the devs were constantly worried about making fighterd00ds as tactically rich as mageguyz?

I am a tiny bit concerned about this as well, but P:E will be a low level game (levels 1-10/12) so that probably means only accessed to 5th/6th level spells max. Because it's going to be a 40 Level series, it would make more sense to space spell level upgrades to (Spell levelx2) or something rather than 2 but they might be afraid people will get bored if they don't get fast-access to higher level spells.

 

[Sensuki]

A Chanter Mer...

Chanters can absolutely do other things while chanting. They have good Stamina/Health, balanced defenses, and balanced melee/ranged Accuracy. Also, as their phrases tick over, they generate the ability to unleash Roars, which are powerful active-use (often offensive) abilities. Chanters are meant to mix it up in standard weapon combat and periodically unleash super slams.

 

[Ramireza]

You can fling almost any combat based low level spell at him and interrupt him...

He casts a magic missile iirc

His first spell is "fear", after this he fires a magic missle.

 

[Sensuki]

No IWD style portraits though:

Yeah, we're doing head and shoulders portraits because it will allow us to do many more of them. Also, it's generally easier for players to match a portrait to a variety of character concepts if the body/equipment isn't visible. The IWD/2 "knees-up" portraits were cool but very time-consuming. On IWD, it took almost all of Jason Manley's time on the project just to generate the portraits.

Probs get BG1 style instead albeit more stylized.

Found this too:

We may still have two separate assets, but for our portraits we will be going for a "head and shoulders" (BG1/BG2) approach rather than the "knees-up" (IWD1/IWD2) style. The full body portraits are dramatically more time-consuming and much more limiting when it comes to player concepts. Our "paper dolls" are pretty detailed because they're using the same 3D models of the characters that you see in the game. The knees-up portraits create more visual discontinuity when you see them next to the game models.

 

[Lhynn]

How much more of a one trick pony can non-spellcasters be when the one thing melee specialists did back then was auto-attack?

They actually weren't even at the level of sophistication of a one trick pony, because as the name implies, they must have a trick to qualify. Anyway, i like the treatment the book of the 9 swords gave to warriors in general.

 

[Athelas]

No IWD style portraits though:

Yeah, we're doing head and shoulders portraits because it will allow us to do many more of them. Also, it's generally easier for players to match a portrait to a variety of character concepts if the body/equipment isn't visible. The IWD/2 "knees-up" portraits were cool but very time-consuming. On IWD, it took almost all of Jason Manley's time on the project just to generate the portraits.

Probs get BG1 style instead albeit more stylized.

Found this too:

We may still have two separate assets, but for our portraits we will be going for a "head and shoulders" (BG1/BG2) approach rather than the "knees-up" (IWD1/IWD2) style. The full body portraits are dramatically more time-consuming and much more limiting when it comes to player concepts. Our "paper dolls" are pretty detailed because they're using the same 3D models of the characters that you see in the game. The knees-up portraits create more visual discontinuity when you see them next to the game models.

I hope they won't try to replicate the terribly gaudy art style of the Baldur's Gate portraits. Icewind's Dale's portraits looked good because they had a cool art style, not because they showed the character's bodies. Torment went for that weird pseudo 3D that was so popular in the late 90's, but the underlying art design was great.

 

[Sensuki]

Well from the portrait artist's first two concepts I'd say we're safe.

 

[Delterius]

How much more of a one trick pony can non-spellcasters be when the one thing melee specialists did back then was auto-attack?

They actually weren't even at the level of sophistication of a one trick pony, because as the name implies, they must have a trick to qualify. Anyway, i like the treatment the book of the 9 swords gave to warriors in general.

But they do have one trick: getting their asses to class and learning the supreme powers of manipulating the fabric of reality. Really, I had no qualms with spellcasters being 'overpowered' in BG2 simply because it sort of makes sense and, of course, characters without spellcasting ability and way, way in the minority of possible builds.

I also thought of another trick: pack mule. =D

 

[Lhynn]

But they do have one trick: getting their asses to class and learning the supreme powers of manipulating the fabric of reality. Really, I had no qualms with spellcasters being 'overpowered' in BG2 simply because it sort of makes sense and, of course, characters without spellcasting ability and way, way in the minority of possible builds.

I also thought of another trick: pack mule. =D

That would have made me laugh if i wasnt a DM.
I mean, you have to fucking see a dude taking 3 different actions on a round, 1 inbetween enemy rounds, one before his round start and one after his round ends and another player just telling me "i power attack for X amount this round", so fucking retarded it breaks my heart.

On my table warriors can deflect blows by rolling a set number of free deflect attempts, they have special attacks based on the weapon they are wielding, passive effects that can help them set up attacks with other players, etc. Making playing with a warrior a more tactical aproach with moment to moment decisions. Even a low level warrior is capable of ending the life of a high level caster within a single round if the caster is a retard.

Ive also given rogues their own advantages, like being able to end traps or any kind of triggered effect (magical or otherwise) with their ability to disable mechanism, being able to slip between the enemy lines with ease, being able to have always prepared some sort of contigency (they can chose which at the moment of using it, as if they had planned for it, cant be very big tho, maybe an escape route, maybe some sort of vial or poison, etc. and only once per encounter).


Stuff that actually encourages roleplaying. 9 swords for me is a must have if you have a mage and a fighter type on your party, even if you are playing with core only... Of course i went back to 2nd ed a long time ago so fuck that shit.

 

[tuluse]

Yeah, same thing with a less offensive implementation.

I sort of see your point, but I disagree. When you're in a fight, you can't just cheese and wait until an ability recharges, and you can you use all abilities available in a single whenever you want to.

The main problem with cool downs is that it's just a really boring mechanic, and makes the time the only resource that matters.

 

[Zed]

edit: from Sawyer's twitter

 

[Infinitron]

Source?

 

[Athelas]

They should really try to come up with a name already, otherwise it could end up hurting the marketing potential of the finished product. All the other big projects already had their games titled either before or shortly after launching the Kickstarter.

 

[Grunker]

^ I think they're going to continue the name until RIGHT before launch.

 

[coffeetable]

They should really try to come up with a name already, otherwise it could end up hurting the marketing potential of the finished product. All the other big projects already had their games titled either before or shortly after launching the Kickstarter.

Broken Age?

 

[tuluse]

They should really try to come up with a name already, otherwise it could end up hurting the marketing potential of the finished product. All the other big projects already had their games titled either before or shortly after launching the Kickstarter.

I doubt this is really true. All you have to do is write "Death of Dyrwood: the famous Project: Eternity Kickstarter by Obsidian Entertainment".

I suspect 80% of marketing ideas are complete bs.

 

[Infinitron]

Just call it "Eternity", with a subtitle related to the villain's plan or something like that.

ETERNITY
Curse of the Soultaker​

Use a nice font and add a cool abstract symbol and you're set.

 

[Athelas]

Eternity: The Balance of Sawyer.

 

[Grunker]

Broken Hour Glass 2: The (Actual) Release

 

[Osvir]

Just call it "Eternity", with a subtitle related to the villain's plan or something like that.

ETERNITY
Curse of the Soultaker
​

Use a nice font and add a cool abstract symbol and you're set.

Nice one!

Just a test:

ETERNITY​

Shadow of the Phantom
​

Not to forget the mention of this sweet ride, Honda Shadow Phantom:

 

[DefJam101]

FUCK

SUBTITLES

 

[Infinitron]

FUCK

SUBTITLES

I don't like them much myself, but they're easier than thinking of a super-catchy main title that you can just add numbers to. "Eternity" doesn't seem substantial enough on its own.

 

[Grunker]

FUCK

SUBTITLES

I would just like to express my wholeheartened and unquestionable support for your choice of new avatar.