Azrayel

I think that what we all want more than anything is for P:E to grow into a strong, recurring IP our beloved Bugsidian can hold up and say "this is our's, bitches!" and I think that could really allow a more numerous following to coalesce compared to the currently rather mercenary format of projects performed. A series of postulations forming a proof: 1. Project Eternity's first installment's success is desirable and will lead to more P:E and financial independence for Obsidian in general 2. Resources (time\money/personnel\QA testing) spent on MP are resources not spent on the SP 3. Project Eternity has limited resources that are being applied to a refined, traditional experience 4. MP is not a part of or encapsulated within the defined experience of the team leaders for P:E (although it was a part of some traditional examples) 5. MP can be added if there is another P:E (pipeline et ketra no longer an issue, lots of basic assets to work from, hopefully more denars to throw around) Then it's a question: Would you rather the first P:E have MP, or would you rather there be subsequent iterations that could add MP along the way? Food for thought (obviously I am not infallible and this proof was quickly constructed, so maybe it's all just a load of horse**** but I hope it was a better format for my thoughts than blocktext).

She's really not famous, though. She's in some old movies, some of which have cult followings in the SF scene-- but she's a Shakespearean specialist who's only done voices for games twice, one an RTS as the helper-lady ("click and drag to select multiple units at once") and t'other Knights of the Old Republic II. They don't need to make a role for her if, as Sawyer seemed to indicate in that linked post, they're getting a narrator. @GhoulishVisage: iSuspect this may come to pass, and if so-- who better to do that than Sara Kestelman? A metaLynk between two of Ravel's facets in the metaPlot.

Hey kids, yet another "hire x talent!" thread! So, without further adieu... Hire Sara Kestelman! Now being pragmatic here, you might ask "for what role?" and "does she even still do VA for games? It looks like she's only done it twice" to which I reply "it's the point where they can make a role for her" and "it's worth offering to her." Then comes one last question: "Who the hell is Sara Kestelman!" She was Kreia from Knights of the Old Republic II, and she complemented the writing so well as to totally sell the character for me. Obviously this game isn't full VA but even snippets can really make the text come alive when you take what you've heard and apply it to what you read-- oh, and of course, if this game happens to employ a narrator she'd be the best for that as well. For the uninitiated: http://www.youtube.c...ed/RK8ni6Gl3ws (don't think this does justice but it's a better overview for those who didn't play the game) http://www.youtube.c...ed/tDVCHKeM1Uk Really, no video can describe Kreia well enough; you can find lots of lengthy posts about her here and across the internet-- and I think a lot of the impression was driven by Kestelman's delivery coupled with the unmatched character writing and creative id Obsidian's got: So why not put the band back together for another go round? Forumites for Kestelman, unite!

But did it say it was a riddle? Some of the best puzzles are the ones with the simplest answers we overlook initially. While I could certainly see frustration getting stuck on that towards the end of what's essentially the first real dungeon of the game-- I think that in a game like P:E where there may be multiple approaches, not every puzzle is an elaborate riddle that outsmarts you but is hidden in plain sight. If you can still get past it via other means, perhaps involving more work\resources expended, then if it really becomes an object of frustration you can take the pass. Also, someone said something about relegating these to mostly side-quests, and honestly that + advantages in the Main Quest (like they can make certain fights or dungeons easier or tilted in your favor but not totally needed) with maybe one or two really necessary things to do to advance the plot that require a bit of a sit-and-think. Also, relegating it to such means making it a complex, research-required riddle is x10 more feasible: I'm certain the folks at Obsidian are more than capable of doing this sort of thing, they just don't want to punish the average player. Sawyer seems quite concerned about being too hardCore in the latest dev diaries, and I think this'd fall under the same tree.

Thing is, laws don't matter. There have been whole documentaries where people go to gun shows with people who, via lobbyists and other wonderful untouchable groups, have arranged on a federal level to be able to peddle fully automatic guns to "license people"-- and they don't even demand to see their driver's license before selling them the guns. The guy who does the asking's kid died in at Columbine IIRC. Also, I hope that we can work towards a society where things like this don't happen because people won't do them, and the kind of people who would can be identified and stopped before this becomes an issue: everything else, however "realistic" it may seem, is nothing but a functional band-aid or a swing towards police state.

Here's hoping the big companies are already on the Warpath and Obsidian's legal person will just have to do some treaty-signing in preparation for the decisive broadside without having to plug the cannons with any of its own money/time\willpower-- the American legal system is far too taxing, we need these people slaving over games not lawsuits.

Cipher first; the psychic magic is just too good to pass up. I'm of course hoping for some special dialogues and options for manipulating situations with my magic, but, even if that all turns out nil (which iSuspect it won't) I'd still go Cipher. There's also the fact that Ciphers don't seem as book-dependent as other magical classes, so in the unfortunate event I find myself in a cell or naked in the woods I should still be able to hold my own without using substitute weaponry from the first fool to get Rambo'd. Strong second: Chanter. There seems like an amazing about of stuff possible with it, but will have to see more as we draw closer to release before I can say that it rivals\dethrones Cipher for first place. On my second play through though if I go Cipher, I'll be a Priest: that's more or less settled. I always play priests\healers in MP games, but helping to heal my minions can be rewarding-ish as well. It's going second for two main reasons: 1) It sounds like their ability to heal is going to be rather toned down in accord with the industry trend to reduce dedicated healers-- which kills much of the fun in that for me-- and 2) Knowing what happened as a Cipher will give me an "enlightened" preview of events that will be reflected in how I play my divinely inspired character; I'm imagining my Cipher will be a jumpy person, prone to rash spur of the moment decisions after periods of anxiety because of the relative open-ness of their minds (I'm pretending they'll work kind of like Psykers despite knowing that'll be impossible). Second play through after Chanter? Probably Cipher, unless I see their skills in my companion\foe Ciphers I encounter as being under-awing: in this case, proceed to square Priest. A thought occurs; will your class effect your background? Like wizards of a certain race are assumed to have formal training from somewhere and that creates a sort of connection that comes in sometimes...? If so, all of this gets turned on its head.

I have the wallpaper on my desktop, and now that I'm thinking about it... maybe downsizing the bosom on Cadegund's breastplate was a strategic decision on her end o.0 EDIT: OT: Great thread, really on board with Osvir here. Light could help this game realize its potential and go from good to great.

I never suggested the PC could do anything to save the relationship, or that it would fall apart. Besides, what you do with the characters is up to you; iDon't think P:E would tell you that a decision with them was "wrong" going by what the devs said. But do you just want slabs of meat to cast spells and swing swords? Because I gotta break something to you then. You can find a lot of that elsewhere, probably done with better tech and a higher budget than you will here. If you're not interested in the people, regardless of whether or not you want to be a "relationship counsellor," why exactly do you want to play an Obsidian game-- particularly this Obsidian game?

What if it was just between other party members? There was one NWN mod I really enjoyed and whose name I will not mention for fear of great shaming where a paladin couple hires you to tag along with them to a temple. Male's a douchebag trying to cheat (but equally a **** to the PC if you decide to cheat with him about how you're essentially a piece of ass and he really likes the woman he's just cheated on with you) and female's willfully oblivious/sees the best in him until just about the end of that arc. I'd like to see something similar given great chance, with perhaps an already married couple or two party members who begin to fall in love? Could create interesting situations when someone gets seperated/Appears to have been killed. The PC might be able to meddle in the relationship, but the true romance (or lack thereof) should be between two NPCs. It just seems like an unexplored area of near-infinite possibility.

It could be intersting if the player (or NPC) chose which special words to include in an individual "chant" and stringing them together attracted different types of souls to come together and produce different effects. For example, you might have a dozen syllabals or runes or whathaveyou and the chanter picks x many for an x level chant taking x amount of tactical resources and then gets their basic effects as they're said-- then either compounding with the others, forming an entirely new effect discovered by gamelogic\experimentation/lore basis, or a combination of the two. As for the whole "passive buffer"-- they're putting (or allowing) wizards in plate; the perspective of Obsidian for PE seems to be utmost freedom for every class: if you want to dance about in a lute and frilly attire recitiating it iambic pentameter, run naked into your foes with a battle "Axe" chanting up the spirits of your fallen kin, or barrel through foes with a warhammer pelting out haikus, I think they're going to let you spec your Chanter that way. Outside of combat... iWould like to see some instances of actually being able to talk to spirits using Chanting to summon them though; if the PC isn't one they'll just need to drag one along (or an alternative method could be provided, like a nearby Priest who has another way to summon the soul but must be bribed/forced/seduced\whathaveyou).

Jesus, if I had known how EuroCentric Obsidian fans could be... I know this isn't everyone, but I feel like part of this clamor by some people to remove the Asian influences is because a lot of people are just increasingly insecure about anything foreign; if anyone remembers those old threads about which languages to include... yeah. Really, really awful stuff was said there in the most nonchalant, matter-of-fact way. Please, keep this conversation away from devolving into that. I'd like to at least maintain the veneer of sharing hobbies this hobby with non-skinheads.

T'would seem to be our best bet; this isn't exactly a poetry haven, gots t'stick together we do.

The book unread is unwritten. The reason we don’t explain it is the reason we use it. Its power is in its mystery. That is the Leaden Key, in part, in whole. Is it clear?” “Digging for truth buries the seeker.” ---------------- “Two centuries ago, your divine champion told the people of Dyrwood to grovel at his feet. If you’ve come on pilgrimage to the blasted crater that was our reply, Godhammer Citadel is *that* way.” ---------------- Eothas burning the Waidwen's flame Magran choking on her own newfound fame; Eír Glanfath is def to all but the dirge a hundred thousand souls cry out for they must in formless, burning, bombed-out pain they must. (((A concrete poem is a poem in a shape, usually of what it describes: I used the campaign almanac terms from one of the updates and my own feeble skill as a poet to compose the third and final section of the key, the rest is directly quoted from whoever at Obsidian wrote the countdown text for day -3 and the hidden text on said page))) EDIT: Comes up more like it did in the .txt on Tumblr: http://azrayelthewhitelion.tumblr.com/ (I link to here from there as well so hopefully this isn't too criminal)

Always good to see another companion returning the party. Three cheers for Paul!

A merit based system would be very interesting, because iThink Plato's "Republic" would be fun to visit-- rulers well versed in all subjects, with competent people running everything would seemingly mean high efficiency and low corruption. But remember Plato had and I think a merit based system would have a great interest in maintaining the status quo-- no new or "overly liberal" thoughts because an intellectual revolution in this society means a civil war. Heavy censorship of the arts, overt declarations of incorrectness, place in society based upon quantification of intellect-- something lots of people don't think can be quantified. But what about the positive results? What if this maintained order and kept people alive the best? Would you fight for freedom when it meant more death? Are they really just that much smarter you should let them do what they see fit? The consul system sounds very interesting and I imagine many interesting scenarios with it: Hero made dictator for long enough to save the day? Or plots of the senate to make sure a favorable civic consul is elected who will trade exclusively with one faction rather than the popular senator who would open to all/trade only with the other? I don't think Obsidian would shy from doing something similar or taking inspiration from, but probably not exactly the same for originality purposes. I don't think it's complex, though: sophisticated describes it better in my opinion.

There won't be a few men stronger - there will be thousands of men stronger. I'm sorry, but it's not a stereotype. You keep harping on the average, as if we're comparing the above-average woman only with (below)average men. No, she will be competing against above-averge men. That's the whole point. Just like couch potatoes aren't athletes, neither are good soldiers couch potatoes. Sure, if you bring out a women athlete, she will outperform me, because I don't practice anything (except sitting in the office for half a day). However, the physical potential is there. If I were to train as hard as she, I would outperofm her. then agian, I would be an athlete then. The differences aren't minor as some of you think. Males have a higher physical ceeling they cna reach. Both on average and in the extreemes (especially extreemes). Sports pretty much prove it. Science proves it. Some just refuse to accept it. As someone whose brother did a lot of fencing and who himself has done quite a bit of martial arts and just general sparring, as well as seeing actual people in real fights… Raw strength is not the dominant factor in hand to hand combat unless neither has skill, in which case it's often the one with the initiative or speed that wins. With weapons? You're playing a whole new ball game buster. Also: science? Sports? We live in the real all-human world; how Drow and Dwarf females are compared to Human males or those of their own species in this world has not yet been stated, and indeed if humans can use magic could there not also be other physiological differences between them and us? I think we should stop thinking about this as real life guys, we're not making a Mount & Blade contender or DnD AmaA-- brand new iP, brand new world.

True; they would also probably try to control who could be a mage\the training thereof (at least some of them), so it would be another Mage License situation. If you've read Wheel of Time there's a matriarchical mageocracatic order that controls almost all magic users.

I voted Russian and Polish for two reasons: One because the switch of characters is going to make the translation a bit trickier than from other Romantic alphabet using languages so it may be best if this is done with official support so our Eastern European friends don't need to worry about characters not fitting in boxes right et ketra and having to mod a whole lot more than words in if they'd like to translate themselves. Two because I've seen many Russian forumers talking about and asking for translation/localization, and Polish is also often mentioned in the discussion. Going off the poll I'd say there's definitely an interest or at least a shared perception that that's something a number of fans will want.

iKnow that all of us are excited to see the various factions and regions being cooked up for us by Obsidian, but as we know they're still forming. I've seen lots of ideas thrown around vaguely and as part of other, larger posts about types of governments (specifically matriarchies or "Amazonian" societies). I thought I might run down a short list and then we could jump off talking about them or other, even more interesting ideas of what system of government various cities\states could use. Theocracy Rule by religious authority; would essentially adhere to a quasi-Pope or council of theocrats. Would be interesting for a number of reasons: perhaps as a Watcher or due to soem other circumstances you can challenge the potentate's authority so they try to knock you off/butter you up\send you on an impossible quest and try to make sure it's your last. There could also be religious laws about Plane Touched and magick that require all sorts of careful manuvering to avoid a kerfuffle. One might also have some right whereby anyone can challenge someone to a duel if they challenge dogma or somesuch. Matriarchy Ye olde Drow obviously have this, and if the Lake of Drow Tombs is anything to go by I'd say we may be seeing some of them-- but what about a surface-side, or even human matriarchy? Would give options for gender-specific quest related possibilities, and reverse the normal casual sexism a'gainst "girl-'ventureres." Maybe only women are citizens and you get into some legal kerfuffle that requires your party's women (possibly including yourself) to try and clear the names of the men who've all been arrested because they've been framed or due to prejudice. Would be an interesting altParty moment, like in KotOR II when you return to Drexl for the Ondoron Civil War shtick but with perhaps more dialogue and a good bit longer. Oligarchy Oligarchies are not rare, just rarely done representatively as I'd like them-- that is to say, many disparate plots and manuverings towards various goals. You'd have to pull favor for each of them to get them to OK some sort of agreement you had to strong arm them into, like in DA:O at the Kingsmoot-whateverthefluck-- saving the guy's kid and finding the documents and such won them over t'you. Should also be mutually exclusive people who want you on one side or t'other, and the two different players have different benefits that come with cooperation. Any other ideas for systems of government? Also, in the "Free Palitinate" do you hope to see City States or a singular at least slightly cohesive government? Would the idea of an occupied Dyrwood by imperialists in some places like port cities be interesting to you, or would that fall too much into the lines of "and there are rebels and an evil empire now which do you choose" tropes?

For the first one: "bonus quests" have been described as just alternate endings for quests, like in DA:O where the Royal Dwarf can take the throne himself. Still a quest for everyone else. It's be an instance where maybe feminine\masculine whiles could go a certain ways towards coercing someone, or a virgin sacrifice would have to be of a certain gender to complement the other already-captured NPC you're trying to save so for a false flag operation the PC could go as one of the "sacrifices" instead of their other-gender'd companions (who could still be sent, no loss of options). For the second: forgive me if my memory fails, but nothing the devs said seemed to say to me that this combo would be necessary. A m/f of a certain race would 9 times out of 10 fit in to a "racially sensitive" quest, it seems to me, as good either way without the designers particularly attempting to make it fit. If they did, I don't see needing to be a Female Drow (because they have a matriarchy) or a Male Elf (because elfs R hawt) being more of an issue than just pure race or gender. tl;dr: I don't think they're going to double dip. As for "rape" and "political correctness"; women can and do rape, not just get raped, and men severely under-report getting raped due to societal pressure; generally just the one whose genitals are mauled get found somewhere and reported. Political correctness? Yeah, I see people complain that other people's interests are getting included: they'd use the opposite argument if something they liked or was representative of them was deliberately set aside, though. You don't need to be a Jew to dislike the Holocaust.

Probably sailing and piracy with perhaps some sea creature encounters for $3M. I'm not saying like you'd steer it, but you find NPCs around the world who you could hire to work on your ship you've gotten via purchasing/questing for it. You then go to where it is, tell the helmsman to set sail for X destination, and off you go! The specifics of the system could be whatever but iWouldn't suspect movement animations for the ships, or only static ones to show them like moving up to board one another. Would open up room for lots of interesting water/naval based questing, which would fit with the tech period you're shooting for.

I would like to see the summoning of demons being an important element in the game, but if they're on the level of like a djinn or greater I want it to be a plot/quest type deal-- not a simple mechanic, although summons you're unsure of you could control would be quite interesting. I want there to be gathering of ingredients, optional sacrifice of a virgin (and special alternate outcome if it turns out the sacrifice wasn't really a virgin after all), learning of True Names (used as an example by a dev for non-combat skill use), spilling of blood, chanting of ancients words, precisely drawn pentagrams circles and such on the ground, and a potentially volatile otherworldly portal which might pour out more than what you asked for. Then a long, complex dialogue with the demon in which you bargain with them. Gaining them as a companion should be only for the best players who thought things through and took all the right options. If you didn't do quite that good an don't make the mistake of lowering the constraints around him and letting him free to wreck havoc, then perhaps he could bestow upon you an epic demonic item with certain draw backs he may forget to mention if you don't explicitly ask. Perhaps he'll just answer three questions if you don't have all the stuff or skills for the other outcomes, and maybe he'll possess one of your companions or corrupt their mind if a certain set of conditions is met/you have him join you. At any rate I think they should be interesting moments in the game and plot which would only happen twice or thrice at most. Rarely do I see the idea of summoning and bargaining with a demon built into a fleshed out scene, and even then I'm generally disappointed honestly. P:E ought t'set the new standard!

This could be interesting; not ability like something you use to attack people, but something that makes you a "Watcher" and adds an extra level to the game-- like a Third Sight that lets you see magical energies/ghosts\spirits\whathaveyou. It could be cool if, because souls are so important, it was something to do with them. Maybe you can use souls of the fallen to make yourself more powerful (would add a dark flavor to "leveling up") or enchant items, but that doesn't seem to go with the tone of the teaser quotes from the count down. I'm sure the devs can come up with lots of cool ways to make the Watcher a unique and memorable cRPG character no matter what though: that's why we're all here and so many of us are raining money on them, isn't it? Faith. Anywho, I'm honestly going to have to brainstorm before iCan think of anything really cool. Maybe interesting if certain other rival characters have it too though, whatever it is?

Indeed, I thought about this too; scientifically revolutionary things going on and all it could be interesting to see that approach in a faction or society taking hold: but the way they devs have been talking make it sound like gods are going to be a given. Rolling with that, this seemed like a way to keep them far less mundane-- my example of actually talking to the god was probably ill-concieved, them existing as aloof concepts would be both more probable and offer more room for each player to question and form personal opinions about the realness of a given god and their reasons. Also, if you know your god is real, faith isn't really a component in religion any more is it? iS'pose they'd only reveal themselves to certain people in extreme situations but eh, who knows. I'm also just really curious about those quotes from the count down-- who is the they that dubs the PC a Watcher? What does a Watcher do, what did the Watcher see, why is this person trying to convince them they don't have to follow whatever horrible fate it is that's been laid out for a Watcher?