Development Info Pillars of Eternity Kickstarter Update #73: Eric Fenstermaker speaks!

[tuluse]

I don't think it was ever going to be Arcanum.

However, Tim Cain does not have design credits for Arcanum. He is co-listed as a project leader and lead programmer.

For Fallout, he has producer, lead programmer and "original game design" credits, but was not the lead designer.

 

[Roguey]

Cain said himself he just wants to program and come up with ideas and doesn't have much interest in taking on another leadership position.

 

[Athelas]

Don't make hasty assumptions. Just because Cain isn't working on anything else now doesn't mean he won't do so in two months.

As for Fong's other project, I don't see why it couldn't also be the unannounced AAA project. So what if they've been working on it for a year? (have they?) Duraframe300

New ks will be announced in March. I think it won't take long from announcing to getting it on ks. If so, then this project must be in early preproduction (ToN was for a few months before ks). It's needed in order to:

• be 100% sure that it is a project Obsidian wants to make
  
• know what features should be a part of the pitch
• have concept arts and mockup screen
• can describe game world, mechanics
• know what to put as stretch goals

They didn't do any of those things for their previous Kickstarter.

Anyway, I don't really think we can put much stock in that interview with Feargus.

 

[set]

The AMA was lame, only soft-ball questions were answered. But that's to be expected I guess.

 

[dukeofwhales]

Yeah I was a bit disappointed by it. Only very short answers too - I guess they did only allow one hour.

 

[tyrannosaurus rex]

The screen from this update is coming from an already seen area

This is classy. It's like they took the best of the countryside English, colonial Spanish and medieval Romanesque style and mixed it together.

Obsidian artists are utmost gentlemen.

One day they'll try Medieval Gothic I hope. That's the toughest but'll be beautiful.

 

[Duraframe300]

Don't make hasty assumptions. Just because Cain isn't working on anything else now doesn't mean he won't do so in two months.

As for Fong's other project, I don't see why it couldn't also be the unannounced AAA project. So what if they've been working on it for a year? (have they?) Duraframe300

New ks will be announced in March. I think it won't take long from announcing to getting it on ks. If so, then this project must be in early preproduction (ToN was for a few months before ks). It's needed in order to:

• be 100% sure that it is a project Obsidian wants to make
  
• know what features should be a part of the pitch
• have concept arts and mockup screen
• can describe game world, mechanics
• know what to put as stretch goals

All of this needs a Lead Designer. Lead Designer will be a guide during a ks pitch. So the LD must be already assigned.

As for Fong: he was the Lead Programmer on SL and AP. It's more possible he will retain his position on the project he was assigned on. If he is assigned to U AAA then it mean the game lost it's previous LP. Possible, but I think it's more possible that there is a new project needing experienced LP which will suck some of SP production team.

You're making lots of assumptions here and no.

A: Jay could take over a Lead position, but he doesn't have to.

B: Simple question to you: When did Jay change projects? Because thats pretty fucking important for your argument.

Also double no because the Project Director would guide through the pitch in Obsidian's case.

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

A: just assume that good people are not degraded. He would not be welcomed back at Obsidian if he were not decent
B: some time after funding PoT and now. Possible after prototype was made, because it's when having a good programmer is essential. So it's like 9 months from now if I remember correctly? Still not enough to announce game if it is funded by publisher.

 

[Duraframe300]

A: just assume that good people are not degraded. He would not be welcomed back at Obsidian if he were not decent
B: some time after funding PoT and now. Possible after prototype was made, because it's when having a good programmer is essential. So it's like 9 months from now if I remember correctly? Still not enough to announce game if it is funded by publisher.

A: He wasn't degraded. Same fucking thing. And he did come back as a senior programmer on a project btw.
B: 9 months ago the new kickstarter wasn't remotly a thing. I can assure you that.

And we already know which games they were working on back then. If its the case (which again is a complete assumption) it is most likely the AAA RPG which was signed in december 2012.
Hell, I'm speculating a lot, but you're building here a scenario with no information at all.

 

[Grotesque]

why eating of human flesh restores your rotting body?
isn't this concept onefold and lazy?

 

[Duraframe300]

why eating of human flesh restores your rotting body?
isn't this concept onefold and lazy?

It doesn't restore it, just stops or more like slows it down.

 

[Copper]

Damn, I'm the only one who snickered at fampyr? I guess most people are just gonna call them ghouls/vamps and the hardcore conlangers can pleasure themselves with how their pronunciation is. Sawyer must rule his gaming table with an iron fist, my old group would always joke at characters' names that sounded off, and would have probably lynched me if I'd expected them to master the rules of a fictional language.

 

[Grotesque]

fampyr: a vampire who faps too much at the prospect of fresh meat.

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

A: just assume that good people are not degraded. He would not be welcomed back at Obsidian if he were not decent
B: some time after funding PoT and now. Possible after prototype was made, because it's when having a good programmer is essential. So it's like 9 months from now if I remember correctly? Still not enough to announce game if it is funded by publisher.

A: He wasn't degraded. Same fucking thing. And he did come back as a senior programmer on a project btw.
B: 9 months ago the new kickstarter wasn't remotly a thing. I can assure you that.

And we already know which games they were working on back then. If its the case (which again is a complete assumption) it is most likely the AAA RPG which was signed in december 2012.
Hell, I'm speculating a lot, but you're building here a scenario with no information at all.

B: That's why I thought there is a second secret project. Mentioned ks because of Cain.