Pillars of Eternity

Yeah, what Kana said. Can you imagine trying to control where every one of your party members is, and picking all their skills to use, and managing where the enemy is, and doing every other thing that needs to be done quickly in the heat of battle, using a console controller? Just wouldn't work, imo.

I'm glad they're not making a console version. This way we can expect a real CRPG and not a dumb adventure game à la Fable 2. The problem with consoles is that the game has to cater to a much wider audience and that means making it easier, less challenging and more importantly lighter on text (because most people don't like reading).

Isometric games can work with consoles, just think about the last Bard's Tale for instance.

I've used the controller for the PC to play DAO and to me it was much nicer than playing with a keyboard but then again DAO is some sort of hybrid (like Kana put it above).

As far as romances are concerned female characters in BG2 didn't get much choice. Anomen was a nightmare (almost as bad as Aerie). I have always thought that Valygar would have been the perfect character for a romance (especially since consumating the romance would have been a problem because of his family curse). Imagine a female magic using Bhaalspawn romancing Valygar. That would have been terrific.

I did wish I could have a female character romance Valugar. If I had ever played a gnome my choice would have been Jan jansen. In ToB I did get a, well, a lust for Seravok. (is that spelled correctly?)

Pledges have slowed down but it is almost up to 1.3 million. If they could get some more concept art out, generate a bit more interest we might make it to the 2.2 mil goal.

Kana, do you know what happens after the Start date. do people continue to back the game or do people start purchasing a license to buy the game? I know games are expensive to develop, My biggest concern is that they will decide to go for big, long, extensive and end up taking two or three years to make. At my age time is of the essence. I want them to do it right but not take years to do it. Projected release date is April 2014 but I think it will be longer than that. Right now we have no idea how much they have done.

They might offer what Mojang did for Minecraft...

Kickstarter pledges get the digital game plus their reward goodies whereas the latecomers could be offered just a promise of the digital game.

To be honest, in my mind I was just happy to support their idea. The fact that I'll get a copy of the game is just a bonus.

I know what you mean, Daniel. I finally opted to splurge a little gave them a bit more than the basic to get the game but opted just for the game and digital manual and downloadable sound track.

Games are expensive to make. Someone posted that Fallout I cost 5 mil to make and I know that I read four or five years ago that was the standard cost for making games. People are totally unreasonable in their expectations.

I feel like telling them you want quantity over quality? Go back to Skyrim or some other game that has lots of frills but no depth.

The thing is they have the experience and we can assume that making an isometric game cuts down on some of the headaches that 3D games involve. They need artists to paint background scenes and animation for sprites so I'd suppose the big part has to do with writing. They have some very talented people associated with this project so if they get the funds (which looks likely at the moment) they may well be able to respect the deadline.

Fallout 1 came out from scratch and was pretty impressive at the time. They did pretty much the same with Arcanum, Lionheart and other games (I'm not talking about Obsidian but about the people involved with these titles).

So part of the reason it is so hard to get good quality, indepth 3D games is the difficulty of working with it?

If I may go off-topic for a moment...

I am interested in re-playing Planescape: Torment... is there a specific release to go and buy to be able to correctly patch and widescreen mod? I already own BG1 and BG2 so don't need a compilation with those in it.

I don't want to get stuck like the Sold Out Games customers who bought Emperor and could not patch it to 1.0.1.0 so I thought I would ask.

DanielCoffey wrote:

If I may go off-topic for a moment...

I am interested in re-playing Planescape: Torment... is there a specific release to go and buy to be able to correctly patch and widescreen mod? I already own BG1 and BG2 so don't need a compilation with those in it.

I don't want to get stuck like the Sold Out Games customers who bought Emperor and could not patch it to 1.0.1.0 so I thought I would ask.

I'd go with the GOG.com release, which I recently bought myself to replace my 4-CD version. It comes with the last official patch already installed.

http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/planescape_torment

Then install at least the widescreen mod, UI mod and fixpack from here:

http://www.gog.com/en/news/mod_spotlight_planescape_torment_mods_guide/

THanks. Much appreciated.

Daniel check out this thread:

https://bellesakurasaloon.frenchboard.com/t161-planescape-torment-widescreen-mod-and-ui

Nakia the Rogue wrote:

So part of the reason it is so hard to get good quality, indepth 3D games is the difficulty of working with it?

I assume it is easier to get nice looking sprites for an isometric view since you don't have to rotate them (you look at the animation from the same angle).

1.4 mil first stretch goal met 29 days to go. The pledges are muchslower now. The work week begins so maybe we will get more information in the next few days. I am sure they have more complete than they have told us as far as a plan and concept art goes at least.

Maybe once more information is given out the donations will pick up. Time for the Mac users to step up to bat.
Next tier is 1.6 mil. Mac version and expanded story, new locations, new quests, new NPCs, new special loot.

Just posted on Obsidian forum: Some game information

The "so-called "godlike"" sound interesting. I'm keeping an eye on this game.

I have no idea what they mean by "godlike" Supernatural? Having special powers? But there will, I bet, be other non-playable races. The even is a Supernatural catastrophe of some sort which you accidently witness. At least you aren't some super-hero chosen by the gods.

It does sound as if you will have a lot of freedom although haunted by what you have seen. That is good. I do not like Main Quests that are not main quests but I also like freedom, at least the freedom to escape or try and escape from doing it.

In J.E. Sawyer's video, he said the "godlike" races would be something like the Aasimar, Tieflings and Genasi from Forgotten Realms. I guess that would mean they would be hybrids of human and certain supernatural beings.

I really like the fact that, at least so far, it sounds like it won't have a "save the world" plot. I generally prefer more personal ones like Torment, Mask of the Betrayer, or New Vegas. At the very least, I'm expecting great writing from this project.

I'm with you on that Kana. If anyone can pull this off it's Obsidian.

It would be a refreshing change to experience a fantasy game in which the player character can have his own agenda without being the subject of yet another prophecy.

The whole "chosen one" thing is getting stale. I loved how the Bard's Tale made fun of this trope. It's even worse when games can't deal with this messiah thing in the proper way like for instance Skyrim and the Dragonborn story which is anything but impressive. In that respect Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning is much better since the Fateless One is special for very good reasons that tie in with the plot and made that sort of things interesting (which is not often the case).

1.6 mil stretch goal achieved. As for the main quest we have been told that you will accidentally witness a supernatural catastrophe which you will be encouraged to investigate. You can go off and try to ignore it but it will hound you. At leas no Chosen, no god born, no prophecy, no prisoner. Just an innocent wander out for a stroll who gets caught up in some weird adventure. I hope they keep it mysterious, in the corner of your eye but allowing you to go your own way.

I can live with that.

Update four out: DRM free download on COG

Other changes and additions.


edit: Shame on Publishers

Nakia the Rogue wrote:

edit: Shame on Publishers

Gotta love capitalism. This is hardly surprising though, we all know that it is all about greed otherwise there wouldn't be so many shitty games around.

Obsidian earned a bad rep for making unpolished games because publishers wouldn't let them finish them properly (and that includes Lucasart and Bethesda).

Big companies are not even patching up their games they are too busy making DLCs and sequels so they can cash in on preorders and day one DLC (think about EA and Bioware).

At least we can respect Feargus Urquhart for his stance.

Supposedly developers love making games, publishers love making money.

Well, Obsidian did the right thing by opening up the beta tier and announcing a DRM free version pledges have picked up.

Publishers bad, developers good, is how it's seen, and, from what I've seen, is how it is. Bethesda publisher = bad, Bethesda developer = awesome. Things like that.

Disregard this post, please, it's nearly twelve at night or morning or whatever and I haven't slept in a while and I don't think I'm thinking coherently

As you wish . Get some sleep. Publishers don't need to be bad but maybe players need to be more choosy. Refuse to buy games from publishers that provide shoddy, buggy games. I don't think I will ever recuperate from seven patches for Skyrim and still a buggy game.

Souls and technology.
Update five