mstark

Is it possible, at all, to play the game on a lower resolution screen? If no, is there also a maximum allowed resolution?

Based on some of the most popular threads on these boards, this is what I'd expect to see: A console based, multi-player, LAN experience with modding support Localization/translations for every country Great DPI scaling Justin Sweet will be making the portraits. The main plot line would focus on feminism, the role of female breastplate, with splashes of romance. No save games to prevent degenerate play Armor

The surface pro 2, and its previous iteration, will be able to run Project Eternity without a hitch. Just keep in mind you might need upwards of 50GB storage for the game's texture files. The only weakness of laptops is their integrated graphics, but this is near irrelevant in Project Eternity, since only characters and spell effects will be polygon-based. You should be able to run it medium to high settings, you won't really need to use AA on a screen with that pixel density (the technology was only invented to combat pixelation on lower resolution screens), and this will improve your performance. However, due to the high pixel density, you may want to play it on a resolution lower than the native 1080p in order for the game to remain playable (UI elements will become tiny, and it'll look a bit like you're playing with an ant farm). The surface pro 2 can drive an external monitor, so you could get a larger screen to connect it to for an improved experience. I'm considering getting a Vaio Tap 11 (similar to the Pro, but with a weaker CPU), I really like the portable form factor combined with the ability to turn it into a full desktop experience once you connect a screen, mouse, and keyboard . Either way, if the game would struggle at any point, you only have to lower the quality of 3D props (spells, characters, monsters, npcs...), the 2D backgrounds will remain as gorgeous as ever, especially on the high pixel density surface pro screen. The Intel HD4000 (4400, 4600, 5000, 5200 etc.) are surprisingly capable graphics cards, but few games are/have been optimized for them. This is changing now that these cards are posed to pretty much take over the (non-hardcore 3D gamer) market. I'm convinced Obsidian will make it a priority to make the game run on an average (Intel HD4000) laptop. Regarding the touch screen, you will be able to use it since touches and drags are OS native (if you touch the screen it'll count as a left click). The game, however, will be unlikely to have any support for bespoke touch commands like pinch-to-zoom, this was addressed by a developer at some point (unless this changes before release).

I'm giving my Rogue daggers, my Paladin the largest shield I can find, my Fighter a god damn 2-hander, and all my casters robes and wizard hats. Gotta stereotype

The green grass texture looks quite blurry, as if a lower resolution texture was stretched to cover the area, or even intentionally blurred, before being applied. The texture on the stones could do with displacement/bump maps, for the dark lines not to look so flat. Actually, since it's all pre-rendered, go wild with the displacement maps! It adds actual depth to an otherwise flat texture. No idea if the software you use supports it, I've used it with v-ray for architectural renders: http://www.vray.com/vray_for_sketchup/manual/displacement_in_vray_for_sketchup.shtml.

Lovely, lovely lore. @JFSOCC, I agree with your critique of the environment, I pulled up the original PE screenshot for comparison, and it's more densely populated by foliage. I think the quality of the trees (leaves) is miles better in the new screenshot, though. I hope we'll see areas similar to this dense forest area in a Robin Hood game. I also find that the stones look decidedly computer generated, compared to the art style of the rest of the world. I know they're meant to stand out, I don't mind their textures, but their general shapes are recognizably computer generated. I also hope we'll see some awesome way of exploring dense forests with trees that are 25-100 meters tall (where the trees are so large the go beyond the visible screen), as opposed to the 4-10m trees we've seen so far. Might be hard in parallel projection. Finally, I hope we'll see urban areas that can rival the quality of those in Commandos 2. I might be alone about this, but, to this day, I still don't think any 2D game has ever rivalled the graphics of Commandos 2. This. Is. Incredible.

Cached copy: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.holdtheline.com/threads/a-date-with-eternity-my-interview-with-obsidian.6345/ Copy/pasted:

Well spoken. Unfortunately TVs and surround comes first, monitors second.

I'd prefer to have a regular messenger that can only reach me at particular times (for example while resting), rather than a soul magically relaying messages to me. If a form of "instant messaging" is made available through souls, I believe that would have extreme ramifications on the social structure of the entire world, and wouldn't fit quite as snugly in the setting as one might think.

I wouldn't mind being given a message from my stronghold when I arrive at a resting area (camp site, inn, or brothel). Maybe the stronghold system could be designed so that events only take place when you arrive at dedicated resting areas. That way it won't interrupt the flow of the game, since you are already mentally prepared for micro-management when deciding to rest.

You can likely rest assured that the Stronghold will be optional, there is, after all, also "player housing" for those who simply want a house to rest & store their loot in: At $2.0 Million, your support funded a player house. Inspired by features like The Sink found in Fallout: New Vegas Old World Blues, the house is a convenient place to store gear, interact with companions, craft items (thanks to the $2.4 Million stretch goal), rest, and buy and sell from special merchants. Some of you wanted something that went beyond the standard player house, allowing you to take control of a full stronghold and its surrounding lands. Well-done strongholds provide players with the ability to make large scale changes, undertake special quests, customize the contents of the stronghold and the surrounding environment, and engage in light strategic gameplay between adventures [...] —Josh Sawyer, Update #20 (unless the stronghold completely replaces the player house, but I doubt that.)

I can't help feeling I would have been happier not reading this. I'm not meaning to say I dislike the ideas of the stronghold, but I do feel it may take away from the overall experience of owning and growing it if I know even half of everything that can happen to it (I'm probably trying to say I wouldn't have minded seeing a spoiler tag at the start of the update). Maybe it's just me, but I feel that once I know what to expect from a game, it becomes little more than a chore. Other than that, the stronghold sounds great! I hope events surrounding it won't be too disruptive to regular gameplay, though (what's that about certain events requiring immediate attention, will I be teleported? Please don't send me notifications, like angry spam emails, about every little event that takes place in my home while I'm off killing undead.)

Many fans, including me, have brought up similar points at several occasions, it's good to have a dedicated thread! I would love to see: Scale-able font sizes (to make sure text remains readable on all kinds of screens/resolutions). At least one generously sized text option. A solid choice of font family, one that contains all the fonts weights, styles, ligatures, and punctuation that may be required in a story-driven RPG. On choosing a typeface for screen use. On choosing type in general. A straight forward combat log, with well thought out coloration (green name tags for allies, red for enemies, blue for neutral, gold for interactive NPCs?). Good typographic practices based on context, using either manuscript-like or hardcover novel-like typesetting. Example action/combat log I put together during discussions in the Update #62 thread: As you make your way through the debris, the smell of rotten flesh makes you cringe. Wicht: “Mommy?” Wicht: attacks Forton PAUSED Cadegund: “Yes?” Cadegund: “I shall rip your limbs off!” Cadegund: attacks Wicht Aloth: “Sire?” Aloth: “Any time.” Aloth: casts Lightning UNPAUSED Wicht: misses Forton (attack roll: 4 + 2 = 6) Cadegund: hits Wicht for 12 stamina and 3 health (attack roll: 8 + 2 = 10) Aloth: hits Wicht for 16 stamina and 4 health. Aloth: hits Forton for 22 stamina and 5 health. Wicht is unconscious. Forton: “Ugh” Forton is unconscious. Cadegund: hits Wicht for 4 stamina and 1 health (attack roll: 12 + 2 = 14) Wicht dies. Aloth: “What is it now?” Aloth: “Sure.” Aloth: casts Restore Stamina Forton gains 6 stamina. Slime: attacks Aloth Slime: hits Aloth for 4 stamina and 1 health (attack roll: 10 + 2 = 12 success) Aloth is poisoned. Aloth loses 1 stamina (poison). Aloth loses 1 stamina (poison). The stench of spilled ale, rotting hay, and firewood assaults your senses as you enter the inn. Aloth: drinks Acid Antidote (no effect). Aloth loses 1 stamina (poison). Aloth: drinks Poison Antidote (cures poison). Edair: “Huh?” Edair: “Sure thing!” Osmaer: The innkeeper digs inside a mug with a dirty rag before raising his thick eyebrows to your level. “Welcome! Welcome! Please, make yourself comfortable, traveler.” Osmaer: “Food's hot and my rooms keep cool. Holler whenever you need, I always got time to spare these days.” A strange silvery tooth appears behind his fat, shiny smile. Thunder strikes in the distance as you consider your options. Cadegund: “We should rest until the storm passes.” Edair: “We're in a hurry. We better be on our way soon.” Osmaer: “How can I help ya? 1. “I have questions about the area.” 2. “I want to order food and drinks.” 3. “Let's see what rooms you have.” 4. “Goodbye.” This log doesn't cover all possible scenarios, but quite a few of them. If it would work for Project Eternity is down to how they would like to tell their story! For reference, the official WiP dialogue window from Update #62:

Interesting Info: Pixel density of screens that Infinity Engine was officially designed for: 75dpi (1024*768 on a 17" CRT). Pixel density of screens where Infinity Engine games start being unplayable without mods due to small text & ant-farm miniature feel: 91dpi (1920*1080 on a 24" LCD). 21% higher than the game was designed for. This means fonts and characters appear 21% smaller than intended on these monitors. Highest pixel density officially confirmed by devs that Project Eternity will be designed for: 108dpi (2560*1440 on a 27" LCD, the dev's largest "target resolution"). Pixel density on the next generation of computer monitors: 140dpi (3840*2160 on a 31.5" LCD). 29% higher than what the game was designed for. This means that fonts and characters appear 29% smaller than intended on these monitors. Pixel density on the next generation of laptop screens: 180dpi+ Conclusion: Project Eternity will be largely unplayable on "standard sized" 4k screens without mods, and a large percentage of recently released laptops. Miscellaneous: Windows 8.1 will automatically detect the DPI of the screen(s) it's being used on, and offer ways for software to access the information from applications. This means that apps can scale their font and UI sizes automatically, by looking at the setting in Windows. So, if you're using Windows on a 3200px x 1800px 13" monitor, Windows 8.1 will default to scaling UI & text to 200%, and an application could access this information and scale its UI & text accordingly. The first "new-gen" 31.5" 4k pro monitor is finally available from Asus, with Sharp's and Samsungs' offerings close in tow (Samsung will be showing off their 4k monitor at IFA, early September!): US: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DJ4BIKA/ref=s9_simh_gw_p147_d7_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0Y9PQ3TRXAWX0VZ6T4GZ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846 UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00EC82URC/ref=s9_simh_gw_p147_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1D7S6CKV6E05RRMNF855&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=418448307&pf_rd_i=468294 Can't wait for the price point to drop on these beauties (it probably will once a consumer edition e-IPS/ah-IPS/PLS version is released).

Agreed on bookcases. Would be great if the stronghold, when we take it over, is fairly huge but abandoned, with an empty library/reading room that we can spend our time doing up and re-stocking. While I don't care much for Fabergé eggs, I'd love to see display pedestals for my unused pieces of armour and weapons. I don't think we particularly need collectibles for the sake of collectibles (usually turns out quite lame and artificial), but allowing us to effectively store the many items we collect during our adventures efficiently could go a long way!

Yes, when you hold the power and the money, you can abuse your subjects, or, as in this case, artists. Some artists would fail under their patronage, some would succeed. Without the patronage, they wouldn't even have had a chance to try. Strikingly similar to the Kickstarter situation, if not directly analogous. Some famous patrons that I had in mind were people like the Medici family, Ludovico Sforza, Cesare Borgia, and King Francis I of France. It's true that neither of them can, under any circumstances, be considered an angel. However, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, or Michelangelo, for example, would never have had the chance to pursue their artistry if they didn't have funding (from patrons, or, if you prefer, investors). Arguably, pursuing art is a noble effort. It follows, then, that funding art would be noble, too. Whether the people doing the patronizing, or the artists themselves, were noble in all their actions is beside the point. One could forever argue about the philosophical definition of being noble, or whether the emergent field of video games could yet be considered an art form. Suffice it to say, in my humble opinion, artistic patronage was, and is, a noble pursuit. Donating to cancer research may well be nobler, but we'd live in an awfully boring—if physically healthy—world had we never supported the creation of art. You are, of course, fully entitled to "refrain from calling it noble". It is, after all, merely semantics.

I think it's a very noble thing to do, similar to artistic patronage during the renaissance.

Reminds me of my recently started replay of BG2. My main character is an Archer (never played anything that used a bow/xbow before) and I dropped full proficiency into longbows. I'm running around critical-/one-hitting near enough everything. I'm not even particularly min/maxed, aside from the weapon proficiency and decent dex. Fun times. In Project Eternity I'm assuming we'll start at level 1, instead of 7/8, so maybe we won't be given the same chance to min/max proficiencies at character creation.

Notch is well known for backing Kickstarter projects with a full $10k. He's one of the $10k backers for PE. That should give you an idea!

@Hiro, I haven't read your entire discussion word-by-word, but I think I get what it seems to be about. Your main argument seems to be that emphasis is an unnecessary gimmick in writing, and, frankly, it's not. It's a valuable tool at the disposal of any author/writer. To begin with, the definition of the word emphasis (see #3). You may also want to read up on Rhetoric. Basic rules for how to achieve it with typesetting. That it's a gimmick is a personal opinion of yours, I would happily bet you that any writer would beg to disagree. In a form of communication that lacks expression, emphasis as the single form of inflection is invaluable. You are right, however, that using asterisks to achieve this emphasis is a gimmick. It's an artefact from "chat" language (and typesetting software), since there's commonly no way to bold/underline/italicize text in chat programs. In environs where advanced typesetting isn't readily available, the following can be used: *bold*, _underlined_, and /italic/. I am guessing the IWD team only had time to kern a single weight for the bitmap font they decided to use, and resorted to asterisks for emphasis rather than kern the entire bold version, too. There's, of course, such a thing as too much. However, emphasis, by its very definition, isn't emphasis any more when used too much. I'm not writing this as a personal opinion, merely presenting facts.

It's more like my limited intelligence can't cope with the butchered English, I simply don't bother trying to decipher it, especially when all I expect to find is straw man arguments against mote points. In other words, I just don't have the time to bother with posting counter arguments against someone who so blatantly doesn't believe in anything I believe in. There frankly isn't even anywhere to get started—there are no valid arguments to counter. I read one post of his, saw through it, and simply didn't bother. I also wouldn't be surprised if Felonious is a "clever" secondary (or tenth) account of Gromnir's. It's exactly what I would do if I was attempting the same.

Not sure I like the sound of 'smaller quests'. I can't remember such a thing as a 'smaller quest' in Baldur's Gate 2, but maybe I just don't remember them. Or maybe rescuing Aerie in Waukeen's Promenade counts as a small quest? In that case, give me plenty of 'em . Oh, Waukeen's Promenade... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcHnqodZoJM

(For the record, I am completely ignoring anything said by/to Gromnir as I see no reason to feed this particular individual. I also haven't read any of his posts.) In order to invent a believable "culture", whether you know anything about existing cultures or not, you will still require a deep understanding of why humans are pack animals, why we have evolved into a socially dependent species, why there is such a thing as 'group behavior', why we look up to leadership, and why and how we construct social phenomena around ourselves. Generally, you will need to study existing cultures in order to extrapolate such information, but it could potentially be done by studying either human psychology, or evolution, and extrapolate similar information. With a solid understanding of the fields/examples mentioned above, you can then lay down behavioral patterns, in a believable manner, to form a completely new culture with no connection to Earth's existing cultures, other than being recognizable to us as a human phenomena. You would follow the same pattern to invent "believable" magic. It annoys the hell out of me when fantasy books drop magic on you as a "snap-of-the-finger-makes-anything-happen", with no explanation whatsoever. I much prefer reading something that at least gives a remotely believable explanation to magic other than "it's magic". Project Eternity, fortunately, has souls/animancy, and what appears to be an entire school of meta-science behind it. Love it.

As long as the font is actually readable and not some crazy calligraphy design. Readable is exactly what manuscript / novel typesetting, as a general rule, is

The edit post time limit is a bit short! I tried to keep the "pure white" messages to major events, but this would make more sense: Slime: hits Aloth for 4 stamina and 1 health (attack roll: 10 + 2 = 12 success) Aloth is poisoned. Aloth loses 1 stamina (poison). Aloth loses 1 stamina (poison). Aloth: drinks Acid Antidote (no effect). Aloth loses 1 stamina (poison). Aloth: drinks Poison Antidote (cures poison).