Eternity Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire + DLC Thread - now with turn-based combat!

[ERYFKRAD]

Are you guys too sophisticated for simply kiting messrs. drake and com

 

[Luckmann]

I can criticize Pillars of Eternity for a lot of things, but the environments isn't one of them. Aside from the fact that some maps are or "feel" small, I must say that they are beautiful.

I was just looking at the Adra Mill at Queen's Berth and I realized that there's a solid aesthetic here that feels distinctly faux-Renaissance, distinctly Caribbean-esque, yet still distinct.

I just wish that they hadn't re-used the music from the first game. I'm finding myself falling asleep at times. Would it have been so hard to use the same general tunes but introduced some coconuts and percussion drums or something? The morose and flowing style wasn't always good in the first game, but at least it felt appropriate. Here, it feels incredibly out of place at times. I remember a really old conversation around the time when the PoE soundtrack was revealed, and how some of them conjured the mind's eye of flowing over the forest, down the mountains. It feels depths of Canada, and Lord of the Rings.

This does not feel Cuba and Pirates of the Caribbean. Deadfire should feel Cuba and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Edit: Also, can we discuss how this game is basically a serial pet theft simulator?

 

[FreeKaner]

I can criticize Pillars of Eternity for a lot of things, but the environments isn't one of them. Aside from the fact that some maps are or "feel" small, I must say that they are beautiful.

I was just looking at the Adra Mill at Queen's Berth and I realized that there's a solid aesthetic here that feels distinctly faux-Renaissance, distinctly Caribbean-esque, yet still distinct.

I just wish that they hadn't re-used the music from the first game. I'm finding myself falling asleep at times. Would it have been so hard to use the same general tunes but introduced some coconuts and percussion drums or something? The morose and flowing style wasn't always good in the first game, but at least it felt appropriate. Here, it feels incredibly out of place at times. I remember a really old conversation around the time when the PoE soundtrack was revealed, and how some of them conjured the mind's eye of flowing over the forest, down the mountains. It feels depths of Canada, and Lord of the Rings.

This does not feel Cuba and Pirates of the Caribbean. Deadfire should feel Cuba and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Edit: Also, can we discuss how this game is basically a serial pet theft simulator?

A lot of western ost makers are allergic to percussion for some reason, I think they often have formal training and use that because western canon doesn't have much percussion, except in military bands. It really is a shame, I think they could have added some rautai and huana music that's percussive.

Also Deadfire is NOT Cuba or Caribbean, people immediately think of Cuba and Caribbean whenever there is pirates and ships, as well just 18th century piracy of Americas in general since that's what people are familiar with and know of but to me Deadfire is clearly much more like Southeast Asia in 16th-17th.

 

[Prime Junta]

The drake fight is the toughest encounter in the game if you are doing it as intended (3 party members). I'm surprised you didn't go into more detail about it. Are you playing on PotD?

I would say from my experience that splintered reef is harder than the drake fight. Those fampyrs can be nasty.

Only if you go there really early. I cruised through it in my playthrough, and it was by no means near the endgame. (Yes, PotD.)

 

[Hoaxmetal]

This does not feel Cuba and Pirates of the Caribbean. Deadfire should feel Cuba and Pirates of the Caribbean.

You can always play this in the background:

 

[Lacrymas]

A lot of western ost makers are allergic to percussion for some reason

Eeeeeehhhh, I'd say percussion is both overused and underused. There are tons of silly film and game scores which abound in percussion, especially "battle music". But "ethnic" percussion is underused for a few reasons imo; first because it's hard to find good samples of them when you don't have access to real players; second because it's hard to find players who play these instruments; and third because most of the time film and game composers don't know what kind of percussion instruments are out there. I had to consciously and intentionally seek out a percussion teacher while I was in university to teach me the types of instruments they have, how to play them, and how they sound. And even though we had a sizable collection of them, we also lacked a lot. There's also the problem of notation, especially if they aren't tuned to the western 12-tone system.

 

[FreeKaner]

A lot of western ost makers are allergic to percussion for some reason

Eeeeeehhhh, I'd say percussion is both overused and underused. There are tons of ridiculously silly film and game scores which abound in percussion, especially "battle music". But "ethnic" percussion is underused for a few reasons imo, first because it's hard to find good samples of them when you don't have access to real players, second because it's hard to find players who play these instruments, third because most of the time they don't know what kind of percussion instruments are out there. I had to consciously and intentionally seek out a percussion teacher while I was in university to teach me the types of instruments they have, how to play them, and how they sound. And even though we had a sizable collection of them, we also lacked a lot. There's also the problem notation, especially if they aren't tuned to the western 12-tone system.

Civ5 is very successful in this, they hired actual composers from appropriate areas or used real historical pieces. However yes you are correct a lot of film and game scores do have them, sometimes very gratuitously. For example I really dislike Japanese made western fantasy games OST, they feel so synthetic. I suppose other aspect is in early modern Western setting, there wouldn't be percussion anyway, I just wish they made some Indian/Chinese music pieces for Huana/Rautai, perhaps very militarised pieces for Rautai to better reflect their militaristic society.

I also think it's just bother the composers and the audience are unfamiliar with such pieces, though how well-liked Civ5 OST non-western tracks are makes me think the audience would appreciate variety.

Something like this for Huana/Rautai exploration theme:


This could also be easily converted to a full blown combat theme:

 

[rusty_shackleford]

What do you gain by having Vela constantly withdrawn?

dumbest challenge

 

[Luckmann]

Also Deadfire is NOT Cuba or Caribbean, people immediately think of Cuba and Caribbean whenever there is pirates and ships, as well just 18th century piracy of Americas in general since that's what people are familiar with and know of but to me Deadfire is clearly much more like Southeast Asia in 16th-17th.

Eh, I guess you're kinda right, but I think I'm still feeling the Caribbean vibe in the piratical and the vailian stuff, but now when you brought it up the entire Huana thing is clearly more Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

Still want more coconut-ness, though.

This does not feel Cuba and Pirates of the Caribbean. Deadfire should feel Cuba and Pirates of the Caribbean.

You can always play this in the background:

Oh, believe me, I've considered it. One of the first things I thought about due to my Shadowrun group playing the Tropico soundtrack(s) in our Caribbean game.

A lot of western ost makers are allergic to percussion for some reason

Eeeeeehhhh, I'd say percussion is both overused and underused. There are tons of silly film and game scores which abound in percussion, especially "battle music". But "ethnic" percussion is underused for a few reasons imo; first because it's hard to find good samples of them when you don't have access to real players; second because it's hard to find players who play these instruments; and third because most of the time film and game composers don't know what kind of percussion instruments are out there. I had to consciously and intentionally seek out a percussion teacher while I was in university to teach me the types of instruments they have, how to play them, and how they sound. And even though we had a sizable collection of them, we also lacked a lot. There's also the problem of notation, especially if they aren't tuned to the western 12-tone system.

I don't give a shit, it's all digital. Press button, receive bonk. Press for multiple bonks and inject into theme.

 

[Delterius]

Still want more coconut-ness, though.

oh boy

coconuts come from southeast asia

 

[Luckmann]

Still want more coconut-ness, though.

oh boy

coconuts come from southeast asia

Yes, they do.
That is a statement.

 

[Sharpedge]

The drake fight is the toughest encounter in the game if you are doing it as intended (3 party members). I'm surprised you didn't go into more detail about it. Are you playing on PotD?

I would say from my experience that splintered reef is harder than the drake fight. Those fampyrs can be nasty.

Only if you go there really early. I cruised through it in my playthrough, and it was by no means near the endgame. (Yes, PotD.)

Maybe that was the case. I can't remember what level I went there. I do play enforced solo however (its just my preference) and that might also play into it a bit. From my PoV going there with a solo character its really rough. While you can do some clever kiting to deal with the drake, you won't be so lucky with the fampyrs.

 

[oldmanpaco]

The drake fight is the toughest encounter in the game if you are doing it as intended (3 party members). I'm surprised you didn't go into more detail about it. Are you playing on PotD?

I would say from my experience that splintered reef is harder than the drake fight. Those fampyrs can be nasty.

Only if you go there really early. I cruised through it in my playthrough, and it was by no means near the endgame. (Yes, PotD.)

Maybe that was the case. I can't remember what level I went there. I do play enforced solo however (its just my preference) and that might also play into it a bit. From my PoV going there with a solo character its really rough. While you can do some clever kiting to deal with the drake, you won't be so lucky with the fampyrs.

I never understood people soloing these types of games. All you do is exploit AI and game mechanics.

I mean I know its just a single player game and people play how they want but how is this fun?

 

[Prime Junta]

enforced solo

Yeah OK. You could have mentioned that, I’m sure it’s a completely different experience.

 

[Orobis]

Currently playing potd full upscale with a full custom party, berath's blessings and a couple god challenges. Gallawain is fine but do not play with Abydon's challenge, you will regret it.

 

[Haplo]

I'd say Gorecci street is the toughest encounter in the game, though.

I'm sad to hear that the inverse difficulty thing is so pronounced that I've apparently already covered the hardest fight in the game, but that was a really bullshit fight. I feel like I only managed to power through it in the end because of lucky rolls and nothing else.

And it was waaaaaay harder than the fight with the young drake and the menagerie of random beasts.

Well, for me the Drake & boars with company were harder then Gorecci. Then again, to have a more... balanced challenge, I always visit Gorecci after clearing the digsite nowadays, with a 4-man party.

 

[Lacrymas]

If you go to Gorecci after the digsite (i.e. 4 party members at a higher level), yeah it's easier. But if you go with only Eder and Xoti (or 2 mercenaries) when you get the quest, oh boy.

 

[Infinitron]

 

[MajorMace]

What the fuck are the gods titans ?

 

[Haplo]

Spoiler

Bodies the gods used to inhibit on earth. Eothas basically used the adra statue to fashion a new body for himself.
Also in Forgotten Sanctum you enter the former (forgotten) body of Wael (plus his... appendages are everywhere).

 

[Parabalus]

I'd say Gorecci street is the toughest encounter in the game, though.

I'm sad to hear that the inverse difficulty thing is so pronounced that I've apparently already covered the hardest fight in the game, but that was a really bullshit fight. I feel like I only managed to power through it in the end because of lucky rolls and nothing else.

And it was waaaaaay harder than the fight with the young drake and the menagerie of random beasts.

There are very challenging fights later on with DLCs. Difficulty in the island is simply a function of limitation of options. Unfortunately in every game player's party scales in power exponentially due to synergy you can create while enemies will scale linearly.

The DLCs and bosses are pretty challenging, compared to other recent RPGs. At least outside of abusing Salvation of Time and Wall of Draining.

 

[Grunker]

Spoiler

Bodies the gods used to inhibit on earth. Eothas basically used the adra statue to fashion a new body for himself.
Also in Forgotten Sanctum you enter the former (forgotten) body of Wael (plus his... appendages are everywhere).

TENTACLES HITTING ASS AND LEG OH GOD ITS HAEVAN

 

[Grunker]

 

[MajorMace]

Is there a clear lore explanation about what the non-beholders are to Wael ? Are they an extension of himself ? Some form of "children" (or "actual godlikes") ? His creations ?

 

[Haplo]

Is there a clear lore explanation about what the non-beholders are to Wael ? Are they an extension of himself ? Some form of "children" (or "actual godlikes") ? His creations ?

Spoiler

The Oracle is a sort of avatar/manifestation. Or yeah, an extension of Wael - but autonomic, not a part of his present consciousness.
It tends to the body and the Sanctum (including acting as an immunity/guardian system).