[I've got an email interview with Obsidian for this week]

What kind of macro versus micro strategic assets are we looking at?

 

Macro = Strategic assessments, such as the player house, inventory, equipment, Tech, Skills, Crafting and so on and so forth

Micro = Skill, combat, clicks, APM, dodging "bullets" and so on. Can you dodge attacks by going into prone mode in combat?

 

If talking generally, out of the blue (not necessarily a P:E question but a personal question to the staff of Obsidian): What features would an optimal co-op mode have, in a game, that they'd enjoy the most?

 

I would also, personally, want to get some ideas that may or may not be related to P:E. So that's a question too: Could you give us some more crypticism? xD

 

EDIT: Can you donate more money to Obsidian post-Kickstarter through PayPal? Or are there some legal issues post-Kickstarter that kicks in?

[PE already inspiring others]

Kickstarter is great on so many levels, Tom and Brenda will make a great game I'm sure. But at the same time yes, it is a little bit iffy, but so is Obsidian's Kickstarter to be completely honest.

 

I just think that's the thing with Kickstarters, they are iffy to make, and even more iffy for the viewer. Heck Wasteland 2 Kickstarter was iffy too and I think I laughed at it once or twice.

 

What I have collected, information:

 

* Publishers will tell the Devs how to make the game, or what to include in it (Such as advertisers, subliminal messaging or whatnot, popular culture today... just look at what happened with Guitar Hero... it's more like Pop Hero today. Rocksmith does look amazing though).

 

* Kickstarter gives the vision free reign. Obsidian can follow their dream, and when dreams are fulfilled, that's when you make a good product (just take a look at Avatar by James Cameron).

[2D Isometric Graphics (Warning: Large Pictures)]

And this is why I want Fog of War, so I can wash away all that darkness and find the beautiful art behind it

It also gives those of us who are OCD about it something to do. I can't be the only one that systematically clears a map with FoW trying out every bend and corner to remove as much of the FoW as possible

you most certainly are not.

 

Most certainly not. That's why Obsidian should make a Clairvoyance ability for us so we can explore every nook and cranny (only usable outdoors). Or perhaps get a pet Hawk that can fly and explore those areas you can not (Man I'd be so mad if some ranger shot that Hawk down whilst I'd explore with it *whistles*).

[I don't want PE to be another Icewind Dale]

I'd guess no - the Infinity engine games didn't have that mechanic, and it probably fits better into a turn-based game.

 

I'm sure Josh and Tim will dream up a cool critical hit/miss system or something though.(HOPES!)

 

I can see the aiming feature fit into it though, but at the same time no. Leaning more towards no personally, but it could work exclusive for long range fighters such as an Archer with an "Aim"-feat/perk perhaps? Oh right there's gonna be guns in this one, I kind of forgot.

[2D Isometric Graphics (Warning: Large Pictures)]

And this is why I want Fog of War, so I can wash away all that darkness and find the beautiful art behind it

[[Merged] Co-Op Multiplayer as some potential future stretchgoal?]

Co-op would be great and I would love to see it as an addition if Obsidian gets time and money for it. I'd give them a couple of more months to be honest, if they really felt they wanted to add it in there. With that said:

 

All IE games were practically Multiplayer and it did make the games so much better. I can barely play the IE games Single-Player anymore because I tasted the Multiplayer. Just having a couple of characters in your game that are out of your control, managing tactics with your friend over Skype and narrating a completely unique story for your characters together is brilliantly more fun than roaming around in the world all by yourself.

 

Multiplayer does not ruin an experience, at least not a Baldur's Gate/Icewind Dale experience... there are times I'm googling around hoping that a PS:T multiplayer mod or tool has arrived from the Heavens so that I can play that Multiplayer too. Oh PS:T would have been great co-op, one player could've had control over Morte and the Host controls the Nameless One and as party members came into the party you could just divide and change "Permissions" and "Control" in some sort of "Modify Team" view a la Baldur's Gate. Something that could work for the P:E games perhaps?

 

So I voted Yes/Possibly. It shouldn't be a focus, but I think Obsidian already knows this.

 

Also I wrote a "DM-Mode" thread that got moved:

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/61243-dm-mode-for-the-future/

 

Having one friend be the DM of the game. Imagine playing Baldur's Gate with 3 friends, one is practically the "God" with the power to summon monsters at you when you Rest, or call down Lightning. Cause environmental effects and decide what kind of loot you get when you slay enemies, spawn quests and/or direct you towards it.

 

However, there are two things that are super important for a Co-Op feature:

A, Being able to PING on a mini-map.

B, Suggesting placement and positioning to your friend/team mate/co-op:er in-game. How many times did me and my friend try to pull each others hairs out playing combat in Baldur's Gate? Many times. I wanted him to do this and he wanted me to do that.

 

I can say one thing, playing Baldur's Gate multiplayer was sweaty and challenging. More challenging than playing single player.

 

Multiplayer was like = 2v1 Chess xD very frustrating but so much fun

[Journalism]

I don't get it Tamerlane.

 

But your map picture provided gives me further ideas for the Journalist~, markers on the map, different kinds (Maybe a skull for a dangerous area, a black inkblob or something for an un-explored area and so on and so forth). I would love to be able to draw on the map too but I've heard that is really advanced programming so maybe not. Being able to write in the journal+markers on the map are two important features to me. Either for.

 

A nice feature to have in the game, but there's always Notepad and/or pen and paper.

[What kind of dialog mechanic you want?]

This I feel strongly for; Leave VO for the fans, or have something basic "You click, I move" (the hilarity of Baldur's Gate soundsets <3). I'd prefer either, but making the game fully voiced over will, I believe and many others say it, simply cost too much time and money for Obsidian and it shouldn't be anything they should worry about or pull their hairs out about "Should we get actors to do the voices?". At this point, and heck even at a future point in development, I think this is (voices) one of their least concerns.

 

As long as they make it easy to implement your own soundsets and VO

[Journalism]

So yes, a small feature although very enjoyable in Baldur's Gate. Being able to write and edit in your journal in-game.

 

Possibly a feature included?

Did you ever use it?

[New Goals 2.7 and 2.8 revealed!]

Dragon Knight would be a nice addition now that I think about it.

 

As Rogue is a pretty broad Class in itself I am sure we'll see some sort of variations of it I.E "Class Path". As an example, I think it might turn something along the way of being able to create an Assassin Rogue, or a more Utility Rogue, and of course a Thief Rogue (I wish to say that Assassin, Rogue and Thief are 3 different "classes" by themselves).

 

edit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chant

[New Goals 2.7 and 2.8 revealed!]

George Ziets is nice, though I think we have enough classes by now. Why they don't put up a goal like the one for 2.2 (more regions) is beyond me given that seems to be what most people are interested in. Hopefully they're saving it for the 3 million mark so I can have a reason to increase my pledge.

 

I deem it: The more classes, the more regions. As every class is woven into the world... right? So if there is Paladin's in the game, that would equal more Temple's (or just 1 Temple)/culture. Maybe even crusader's of light traveling around in an area to slay evil and so on. Patrols, history/lore, abilities. I believe the game becomes much richer as a whole the more classes there are.

[Paladins and Bards]

I'm lazy, copy+paste from this thread:

http://forums.obsidi...nd-28-revealed/

 

Lol I'm not trolling. Chanting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbE5HtqU7us

EDIT: Some magic of the soul = Singing/Chanting/Incantation

 

Also, this monk is badass

 

2nd EDIT: I can see the Chanter being a Monk/Priest/Bard (Brother Tuck springs to mind). Rogue? Possibly, if a "Town Crier" could be seen as a "Chanter", sure.

 

2.7 is Paladin and Bard Chanter

2.8 is George Zeits

 

I've seen this mixed up in several threads

 

EDIT: I mixed it up haha

2nd: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chant

[New Goals 2.7 and 2.8 revealed!]

Lol I'm not trolling. Chanting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbE5HtqU7us

EDIT: Some magic of the soul = Singing/Chanting/Incantation

 

Also, this monk is badass

 

2nd EDIT: I can see the Chanter being a Monk/Priest/Bard (Brother Tuck springs to mind). Rogue? Possibly, if a "Town Crier" could be seen as a "Chanter", sure.

[I don't want PE to be another Icewind Dale]

PE is not another BG, another IWD, or another PS:T. We want to take the best elements from each game to make something new. From BG, the exploration and companion interaction, from IWD, the environments and tactical combat, and from PS:T, the highly-reactive narrative and exploration of mature themes.

 

Oh, wait, but the companion interaction was superior in PS:T compared to BG... :sweat:

 

Have you seen some of the mods for BG today? I know I know, that's all post-release mods. But it is also what BG is today. A year ago I found the PocketPlaneGroup, they had a big article saying "Play Baldur's Gate like it is supposed to be played today, not 10 years ago. Download this mod pack".

 

I would say that a "True" Baldur's Gate is one that is highly modded. The "Original" Baldur's Gate is something of the past, for one we're getting the EE of it (Enhanced Edition) in a month

[Adventurer's Hall]

I thought the Adventurer's Hall was simply just a name for the feature of being able to create your own team.

 

I like your idea a lot, it also springs to mind thoughts about the Adventurer's Hall being a feature in the game, an actual Hall/Location on the map. So you would always create one character and somewhere early game you could find this place (after the skipable Prologue/Tutorial/Candlekeep area? xD).

 

I don't remember who said it but one of the Devs did say "Crossroad's Keep". This to me could be the very first area where you start off, at a Crossroad with several options (practically walk in any direction) and Keep implies to me it would be the first area (paying homage to Candlekeep *tips hat*). Wow sorry I went off-topic there haha, back on track:

 

What I am implying is more towards the idea of having the "Create character" interface within the game for extra additions. Which springs forth another question:

1. Would creating an extra character cost anything?

2. With a cost, you could even create an extra character at a certain level

 

(2) explained: You've traveled across half the lands, you've lost two warriors in your party to the plague up North. Now you need more warriors for your party, generally your party is around level 5~. So you return to the Adventurer's Hall, either you can grab a companion you met earlier in the game that is now stationed here to do other quests with other adventurer's (following their own path's and plots, perhaps one dreams of becoming a famous sword master. Or one plans to take over the world in tyranny, in guise of a smiling happy commoner so that none would suspect). Or you can create a completely new character, at level 5 for the extra gold.

 

But mostly for convenience. If you are level 5 you do not want a new level 1 character. Or perhaps you do, all preference and choice. With an Adventurer's Hall in this way you could create a new Companion at any point at any time (given you have the coin of course) throughout the game and they would scale with your character/economy.

 

In Baldur's Gate, in multiplayer mode, you have this feature to be able to create a character at any point (In Icewind Dale too, for that matter) but they will always start off as a level 1 (am I wrong? Suddenly I became uncertain). That's the issue which would be addressed with a monetary system of your sub-character creations*

 

*Purely as a difficulty option? If no money should be spent on it; ability to create new characters that are up to your character's level?**

** Could this be abuseable in any way? The only thing I can think of would be the... I can't really think of an abuse per say, this is the closest to it I can come up with:

- This would give you the ability to solo (gain experience faster, a.k.a. level up faster) suddenly you are level 5 and you can create level 1-5 companions. If level 6 you'd be able to create level 1-6 characters.

[I don't want PE to be another Icewind Dale]

I had these Multi-Quoted whilst I was reading the pages just so I could answer...

You don't want the game to be a like Icewind Dale? Heh... I don't want it to be like Planescape Torment.

We don't really get what we want in life, now do we?

The only old school Rpg I've played is Planescape: Torment...I hope the game will be like that one. I seriously do. In everything except combat that is. I hear the combat in other old school Rpgs is a lot better.

 

... someone more credible did it first

PE is not another BG, another IWD, or another PS:T. We want to take the best elements from each game to make something new. From BG, the exploration and companion interaction, from IWD, the environments and tactical combat, and from PS:T, the highly-reactive narrative and exploration of mature themes.

 

in addition, P:E will be P:E. In fact, P:E already is P:E and somewhere and somehow I unexplainably already like it more xD

[Intelligence-Gathering]

What happens if your intelligence gatherer fails though? If the beggar I hire to sneak up and gather information fails and get red-handed by the guards or whatnot and he spills the beans... what happens to our party?

[DM-Mode, for the future]

The way you talk about it makes it seem predicated on multiplayer being part of the game. Which seems getting ahead of ourselves at this point.

 

You misunderstand Tale. Read the first sentence:

"Purely a discussion thread, this has nothing to do with Project: Eternity as a development."

 

I made this thread in the General Discussion because of this reason. Not necessarily for an Obsidian game either, more like "Hey, what do you think about this feature? Is it something you'd like to see in any Baldur's Gate esque game? Any game at all? Skyrim? GTA? Driver? I don't know... discuss with me! :D"

[DM-Mode, for the future]

A good shout, a sort of micro-editing tool for characters.

 

I'm sure a modder will make one, though. I love SK.

 

Yes!

 

I am sure that modders will make a similar Save Editor such as the SK or whatnot, I am curious to the functionality of having an extra player who isn't a player but he actually "controls" the pacing of your game (The Dungeon Master). In a sense, the game Baldur's Gate is the "Dungeon Master" itself, but what if someone else could take control of it in-game without having to Save/Load game because you edited some content out-of game?

[Intelligence-Gathering]

Yes please. Give it to me lots and hard. Mmhm, you got it right there <3

 

Seriously though (if it wasn't clear in ^that sentence) great ideas :D

[Huzzah, barbarians and ciphers are in!]

I imagine the Barbarian and the Cipher to be leaning towards the more action oriented player base.

 

Barbarians = Enduring, stronger. Whilst the Fighter is more versatile and balanced, the Barbarian leans way more towards crushing skulls and taking more hits.

Ciphers = Soul stealer and soul manipulator. I have strong sense of that this is going to be a "Mage" variation that goes with almost unlimited "Mana" (I know mana isn't part of P:E but whatever it's equivalent is). I.E, "focused" mage.

[DM-Mode, for the future]

Purely a discussion thread, this has nothing to do with Project: Eternity as a development.

 

First off, what is Shadowkeeper, DLTCP and NearInfinity? Different modding tools to either enhance or God-mode your game.

 

I found it very interesting to play around with these whilst me and my friend was playing our Baldur's Gate session. I felt as I was the Dungeon Master (giving the party some disadvantages at some points, some advantages). We didn't have a Thief in our party, so I decided to Multi-Class one of my characters into a Thief (Adding our own personal Lore to it, why and how this was possible).

 

What I am suggesting is pretty much a DM-Mode in a future installment of a Baldur's Gate-esque game. Where you don't need to edit anything outside of the game (such as Shadowkeeper or DLTCP) but something where you can edit in-game.

 

Per example, if I were the DM, and 6 posters on this forum where players in the game, I could enhance your experience as a DM. I could call upon monsters, or direct you towards a quest, give you appropriate experience and so on and so forth. Immersing the player's into an even deeper experience.

 

Another thing me and my friend were going to start (which we never did, Guild Wars 2 took up his time) was a session where he would play the game and I would narrate the story (Skype = Share-Screen is great for this) as well as use Shadowkeeper and DLTCP to effect his game.

 

Is this something you would like to see in a future RPG?

[Hugs!]

But if it makes you feel any better Im sending you a hug, Osvir, a little bit of enthusiasm can't hurt .

 

Makes me feel much better! And a hug to you too Ywerion

[Epic items in PE world]

BG2 style FTW!!

 

And PLEASE GIMME A SWORD THAT TALKS (and is upgradable), ARRGH that would be EPIC!!!

 

http://suikoden.wikia.com/wiki/Star_Dragon_Sword yes yes? :D

[Your Personal House]

Hmm, can I capture evil monsters and cage them in the basement for use in alchemical experiments?

 

If I'm going to earn a stronghold, I'd also like to have something to defend (and suffer the consequences when I don't).

 

Yes! Like, one of those artifacts you found when you were out treasure hunting. Burglars or Bandits, attacking your house.