Preview Torment Kickstarter Update #52: New Mark Morgan Track, Circus Minor Screenshot

[Fairfax]

I still don't get this setting. A billion years into the future and people are using tents, wooden crates and barrels in a medieval fair to trade?

 

[Darkzone]

I still don't get this setting. A billion years into the future and people are using tents, wooden crates and barrels in a medieval fair to trade?

The previous civilisations have disappeared and now they have a new civ reboot, hence the ninth world.

 

[Morality Games]

Not to put to fine of a point on it, but people generally don't like to live in gray drabness. Sigil had a kind steampunk gothic look because it exemplified majestic moral indifference of a city overlooking as the cosmos spins around in a endless circle. People in the Ninth World aren't held prisoner by that aesthetic imperative.

I just hope that not all game is going to be so colourful. Now it's a bit like BG2.

Someone (Infinitron I think) said that the Castoffs are like the Bhaalspawn, so the BG2 associations are strong with this one.

I hope the game is as colorful as possible.

Not sure I agree but brofisted for obstinance.

 

[Infinitron]

The core "Steadfast" area of the Numenera setting is actually explicitly described as possessing a medieval level of technology. In Torment's "Beyond the Beyond" region, they can deviate from that, but Sagus Cliffs looks like it's the same kind of thing.

 

[Kron]

I still don't get this setting. A billion years into the future and people are using tents, wooden crates and barrels in a medieval fair to trade?

Enter: generic fantasy settings.

A million gillion generations have passed, and yet everything looks pretty much like any other medieval high fantasy games.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Planescape Torment already walked the fine line between moody/cool and plain "crazy" for craziness' sake, but at least it did so with style and a sense of unity and cohesiveness.

PST had an established and excellent direction coming from Planescape which helped a lot. This one... well, let's say that Numenera lacked good artists.

I am offended by those cobblestones. Nobody lays down cobblestones like that.

It's CRAAAAAAZYYYY.

A million gillion generations have passed, and yet everything looks pretty much like any other medieval high fantasy games.

It is one area, though. There's supposed to be big differences between different areas in the Numenera setting and in this game as well.

 

[Suicidal]

I still don't get this setting. A billion years into the future and people are using tents, wooden crates and barrels in a medieval fair to trade?

Well it's supposed to be post-post-post-post-post-apocalyptic where people are constantly destroying and then reinventing the wheel.

 

[Fry]

Medieval high fantasy...?

 

[Morality Games]

I still don't get this setting. A billion years into the future and people are using tents, wooden crates and barrels in a medieval fair to trade?

Enter: generic fantasy settings.

A million gillion generations have passed, and yet everything looks pretty much like any other medieval high fantasy games.

Unless you're at a Nano you are operating at a mostly medieval fantasy level of understanding.

Not to mention that human beings are still the same species they were before. Cavemen created art to bring color to their caves and even the Romans painted almost every inch of marble and dyed every roll of clothing; they just stopped reapplying the paint when their Empire began to decline. The reputation they have for austerity in their architecture derives from Hollywood/theater not wanting to break the budget on set design. White togas and bare marble got the job done.

Fact is human beings prefer color whenever possible.

 

[Caconym]

I still don't get this setting. A billion years into the future and people are using tents, wooden crates and barrels in a medieval fair to trade?

Enter: generic fantasy settings.

A million gillion generations have passed, and yet everything looks pretty much like any other medieval high fantasy games.

Humanity is not a million gillion generations old though. Some/the majority of the past 8 eras/civilizations weren't human-build. Humans got sort of mysteriously reintroduced to the setting relatively recently, their written history is only a thousand years old at the time the game begins IIRC.

Medieval high fantasy...?

Science-fantasy. Ever heard of Jack Vance? Gene Wolfe?

 

[Darkzone]

Not to mention that human beings are still the same species they were before. Cavemen created art to bring color to their caves and even the Romans painted almost every inch of marble and dyed every roll of clothing; they just stopped reapplying the paint when their Empire began to decline. The reputation they have for austerity in their architecture derives from Hollywood/theater not wanting to break the budget on set design. White togas and bare marble got the job done.
Fact is human beings prefer color whenever possible.

There was the same thing with the cathedrals, they also used to have painted arches, outer figures and etc, but somehow the people stopped at a certain time doing it.

 

[Fry]

The reputation they have for austerity in their architecture derives from Hollywood/theater not wanting to break the budget on set design.

Not really. It's more like all the paint has been weathered off Roman/Greek ruins, and no one really thought very much about the idea those buildings were probably more colorful when they were new.

 

[covr]

Looks better, no?

Spoiler

Torment: Shades of Purpulenera

 

[DwarvenFood]

I am offended by those cobblestones. Nobody lays down cobblestones like that.

Despite that this sounds like a troll post, i have to admit that somehow it is really weird laid out and is changing the directions in in some places at around 90° and that is unusual. Normally this is done more organic with more slight curves, or like a zipper.

I'm getting a flashback to the Wasteland 2 train wagon coupling mechanism discussion.

 

[DwarvenFood]

I still don't get this setting. A billion years into the future and people are using tents, wooden crates and barrels in a medieval fair to trade?

Read some Book of the New Sun !

 

[likaq]

Game looks fantastic.

 

[Daedalos]

Game that borrows art assets and tools from Pillars of Eternity and uses the same graphics engine as Pillars of Eternity, looks like Pillars of Eternity

more news at 11

 

[FeelTheRads]

I'm pretty sure you have clue what you're talking about Fagolos, but it would be pretty dumb if they used actual assets from other games.

 

[Daedalos]

I have much clue, yes.

“Lately we’ve had increased emphasis on developing Torment’s aesthetics and environments. To that end, we have some news related to our environment art: late last March, we announced that we’d be collaborating with Obsidian Entertainment on technology. This primarily meant their conversation editing tools. I’m happy to say that we’ve taken things a step further and recently reached an agreement to license Obsidian’s technology for Pillars of Eternity to use in Torment.”

“What are the practical implications of our licensing PE technology? It provides us with a stronger starting point for certain game systems and pipelines, including the creation of the 2D pre-rendered environments (we’re working on having something to show you in the coming weeks). This means we will have more resources to invest on other aspects of the game, allowing us to achieve a higher quality overall.”


It shouldn't really surprise you, that Torment might look abit like PoE in some areas and instances, even if the art assets are totally different, the tech and engine is not. So.

 

[FeelTheRads]

There nothing there saying they're reusing assets. But you probably don't understand what assets means, so you're excused.

 

[Daedalos]

There nothing there saying they're reusing assets. But you probably don't understand what assets means, so you're excused.

Nothing saying they aren't, either. Either way, you get what I mean. The tech and engine still applies, and thus, why people feel the screenies look like Poe, which they do. Case closed. Fuck you.

 

[Fry]

Pretty sure I'm OK with it looking a little like PoE considering the look of inXile's previous game.

 

[himmy]

I just hope that not all game is going to be so colourful. Now it's a bit like BG2.

Agree. That architecture is as far away as I envisioned the game was going to look. Medieval fayre style.

As opposed to the weird and interesting

Your point?


In any case, this whole things basically boils down with inXile's decision to go with a more creatively restrained approach in designing the first area players will encounter, which by their own admission is middle class, where "Greenery is more commonplace here than in the other districts". If this decision was made in order to accommodate new players (I mean, they must have noticed how many of the people who backed them on Kickstarter are Dragon Age fans who expect a very different game) or for a more creatively integral reason is to be determined.

 

[Kev Inkline]

Complaining that "a bustling combination of festival and marketplace" isn't more gray and lifeless? New low for reading comprehension.

This carnival needs some mud on the streets and be more dirty. The screenshot reminds me too much of Defiance Bay where the streets were cleaned by OCD trash collectors.

There's always hope the streets will be filled with dirty hoes, though - if it is to be a torment game.

 

[Gondolin]

Your point?

Circus Minor looks like it belongs in some other game.