Luridis

Most indie games wouldn't look significantly different on these engines than something written for Ogre3D or Unity. The barrier is in the supporting tools to create hi poly models and textures, that software is expensive. Not to mention you need a lot more people and time to detail a game world like that. If indie guys make a good game, be it on unity or SDL, I'll buy it. So skip the expensive engines unless you really need it, and most of them likely will not. In fact the only exception I can think of right now is Xing.

My contribution to the developers here at Obsidian... http://youtu.be/csyL9EC0S0c?t=12m41s

I wouldn't call myself a "new" programmer, since I got my start writing assembly on the 6502 when I was about 12 years old. There was lots of peek(a)ing and poke(b)ing until I called Commodore and they mailed me an assebler on a 5.25" floppy. ...and still I use python. It's got one of the largest tool libraries around, it's easy to write, very readable and allows you to iterate code changes quickly. When you're ready to release there are 8,000 ways to turn it into compiled C. http://cython.org/

Fair enough but your question was asked and answered earlier in this thread. Pillars will be made available through GOG so there will be a DRM-free option for the general public. Yes, this issue is important but name-calling does not help anyone's arguments here. Okay.... "nitwit" is a tongue-in-cheek name calling. It's not meant to be taken offensively, but I guess since he's in Germany, he might not realize that I meant it in the most jovial sense. Then it's ok. I really didn't know that. Mein bester ist aus Deutschland. Er oft erinnert mich auf mir mein Albernheit. Hopefully, I didn't butcher that zuviel.

I wasn't trying to offend, please forgive me for acting like a Schwachkopf.

Fair enough but your question was asked and answered earlier in this thread. Pillars will be made available through GOG so there will be a DRM-free option for the general public. Yes, this issue is important but name-calling does not help anyone's arguments here. Okay.... "nitwit" is a tongue-in-cheek name calling. It's not meant to be taken offensively, but I guess since he's in Germany, he might not realize that I meant it in the most jovial sense.

Yes... Let's just bring this out in the open. I'm a backer, and I have no interest in this crap right here! < Another "Paradox" game... [...] Please stop trolling. This is by no way "another Paradox game". It's a 100% Obsidian Entertainment game and you should know that if you read the thread here carefully. Paradox is some kind of subcontractor to Obsidian. Obsidian outsourced marketing and (physical) distribution including backer fulfilment to them because Feargus and Brandon thought that they have better skills on these topics than the guys at Obsidian themselves. That has nothing to do with any EULAs of Paradox games since Paradox just offer some services here. They don't have any decisive power how this game will be developed or how the franchise will develop in the future. And as a matter of fact Pillars of Eternity will be DRM-free as well. DRM-free means that of course you will be able to mod the game for example. It also means that you don't need any client to start the game. Nothing will change that. Paradox won't change that. So calm down, take a breath and please consider the real facts of the deal instead of just sticking to the "Oh my god, I hear PUBLISHER = evil" kind of BS... I'm not trolling you nitwit... I'm emotional about it because I'm vested in this. I speak real loud-like when I object. I do that, because I find that all-to-often, when something is clearly wrong... Or, might be headed that way, not one person in the room will say a damn thing about it. I'm not angry... I'm worried. There's a reason I don't back kickstarter MMO's... I refuse to back anything that someone can turn around and revoke my right to play, or mod, or move to a new computer. I am done with that and if things even look end up that way, then I'd prefer to not have even bothered in the first place.

Note that OpenGL is a C library, but you can get language wrappers for Python, EMCAScript, Lua, etc. If you go with Python you can use get good performance out of something like PyPy that has a highly efficient just-in-time compiler. Or, something like Cython that will convert your Python code directly into C and compile it directly on GCC, LLVM, Mcc, etc. Don't be scoffing at Python, Eve Online runs on it.

http://pythontutor.com/ https://www.libsdl.org/languages.php http://pyopengl.sourceforge.net/

Yes... Let's just bring this out in the open. I'm a backer, and I have no interest in this crap right here! < Another "Paradox" game... Download / Client Manager is required, including for gameplay User account creation is required Warranties waived (excluding physical merchantability warranties) Cover waived against any unforeseeable damages, disruptions of service Users must accept ALL changes to the Policy before playing the game. Difficult to read, understand and is inconsistently worded Drafted to only abide by the laws of Sweden1 Users not visibly notified of any changes made to the EULA / TOS Can’t review and query changes made to the EULA / TOS License to play the game only provided No refunds or exchanges for purchased games Circumvention of Steam DRM prohibited Not permitted to create “mods” Monitoring services / software are required to play Leviathan: Warship Warranties waivered (excluding physical merchantability warranties Class Action Waiver Cover waivered against any unforeseeable damages, disruptions of service Termination process dictated by Paradox Interactive Arbitration process isn’t freely-provided and is overseen by Paradox Interactive2 Note that 1 & 2 are just about a contridiction... Governed by the laws of Sweden & binding arbitration? I did not sign up and back this project for more publisher bullsh*t! If this is the way it's going to go Obsidian, you can take my signed copy right out behind the studio and toss it in the dumpster. I am GDS&T of publishers and their... crap. I have to deal with the atrocities of licensed commercial software all day long at work. I will not come home and deal with product activation and always-on bs and giving me crap about making mods. Seriously... I won't be back to kickstart anything you do, ever again. Don't make go pull Southpark off my wishlist.

IANAL But, I'm pretty sure you're mistaken on this front. I've just read their EULA and there are some issues with it... First, they can't "summon" you... You can just choose not to go. Contracts are governed by Civil Law, not criminal law, if you were worried about extradition. You'd have to break a criminal law in their country and extradition would involve lawyers and a court here first. Second, it's a very one-sided contract and judges tend to look down on that kind of agreement. They ask for idemnity from you for any and all civil action and at the same time state that they can sue you and, if defeated, have the right to sue on another point, perpetually. (i.e. if defeated, the rest of the agreement doesn't expire.) This kind of contract is one I've seen the label "Exploitation or Unconscionable Bargain" put too more than once. Personally, whatever software they sold you... I'd go ahead and download and then circumvent the protection scheme... Which is easy on steam. Am I suggesting you break the law? No, because you have the RIGHT to circumvent for the purposes of ineroperability. See section 1201(f): Circumvention for the purposes of interoperability. If you want to run that game on Linux under WINE, you're covered. Consult a lawyer first, but I would think that if you really do make an attempt to run it on another platform and document your attempt, then you're butt is covered. Note: There is a section on archival as well. But, you're right to object to their rediculous contract... Obsidian: I don't care what deals you strike with whoever, as long as you own the IP and are doing the development, etc. That said, I have NO INTEREST in Paradox's click-wraps... I expect my backer click-wrap agreement to be with OBSIDIAN, not latecomers to the party.

I haven't been following the mechanics so... Does this mean the flanked enemy suffers reduced battlefield movement rate or that something is going on with their defense? i.e. Blocking not possible, flat-footed, etc. when further attacks are calculated? Great update, glad to see it taking shape.

Intriguing... But also highly disturbing! You know what is more-so? Skyrim machinema! NSFW! http://youtu.be/ZPllpzxmM5k

P2W! P2W! Lol... Okay, I just teasing y'all now.

I've got another cool story for you... Want this MMO you're talking about in one hand, and crap in the other. Now see which hand fills up first.

Mr. Bester, I thought Mr. Garibaldi caught up with you some time ago... Re: Prologue - World of Warcaft cannot be copied because it was a situational success. The games industry is finally figuring out that MMOs have more in common with TV shows than video games. In 2004 there were a ton of people looking for a fantasy game in the wake of the Lord of the Rings films and WoW's initial success is tied to those films. Then, just as a show gains more viewers as fans start to talk about it, so too did WoW. People started WoW because that's what everyone else was talking about. They stayed because that's where everyone was at, they understood it, and were vested in the knowledge of both mechanics and lore. It is far easier to start a new WoW character than it is to venture into a whole new MMO; one where you're guaranteed to be the "epic failsauce nubule" that all the bittervets love to hate-on. World of Warcraft continues to be successful because it's the popular culture of multiplayer gaming. Re: 1 - This works in Eve because the game is focused on large social groups and economics. Those are more difficult to replicate in a fantasy environment... i.e. You can't make spells cost ISK to cast, but you can put a price on ammunition in a space game. Re: 2 - Unbalanced? Then everyone plays the i-win class. Additionally, if Rogues could steal other people's hard earned gear then soon everyone would be playing Rogues because, who wants to put all that work if there's half a dozen rogues waiting out side the raid zone to loot everyone when they come out? Re: 3 - Soulbound items create the economic effect that destructible ships produce in Eve. If items were not soulbound then they'd need to wear out, and in a relatively short time span. If something didn't consume equipment then the economy would quickly saturate with an item, regardless of origin (hand-me-down on drop only), and its value would deflate to vendor trash. Re: 4 - While there are a small number of hard-core players of many games whom like this sort of thing, even in single player games via dead-is-dead; most people don't want to lose character progress/power. A ranking system is different thing all together. Imagine trying to hold a regular raiding schedule when 50% of your guild has a 3 day grind after every wipe... that's going to be almost universally hated. Re: 5 - Personally, I agree with you. I like, and even perform better, at PvP when strategy must be devised and changed on the fly. When my decisions are based on the opponents actions, rather than playing rock/paper/scissors game created by cookie-cutter builds with absolute best offensive and defensive strategies for any specific pairing. However, I suspect most people prefer the predictable nature of offensive and defensive playbooks. Re: 6 - No... Personally, I think instancing has far less to do with making sure everyone gets their own personal loot than it does preventing the kind of in-game lag that makes you want to pull your hair out. Ask anyone who's experienced 100% TiDi in Eve or anyone who played during the opening of The Gates of Ahn Qiraj on the first few servers in WoW. It's a horrible, horrible experience... period. A postal chess game is more exciting, really. I'm tried... will have to reply to the rest later, if I remember.

Personally, I think at this point that multiplayer is made a design focus of a lot of games, and perhaps even those pitched as single-player, for the the real intended purpose of requiring a live connection to play the game. Of course, the publisher just heralds the game as multiplayer and consumers don't question it. But, behind closed doors the whole idea was nothing more than a cover for DRM. Don't get me wrong, multiplayer makes a lot of sense and is the natural result of a world network of computing devices. It is only natural to want to play a racing game with a friend who's 2 states away since you got married. But, a large number of RPG and even action adventure settings have no need of multiplayer and would make little sense at all to have it. The Legend of Zelda: Now with multiplayer! See how much sense that doesn't make at all? But... but... What about questing together? Now you're just talking nonsense. Questing together works in MMO's because the quests are simple and straight forward, or dungeon focused. By comparison, imagine trying to play through the trial in NWN2 with multiple characters on multiple game clients; that's nonsense.

I have a monster in my head... One perfectly fit to the theme of an RPG... Unfortunately, it's description is really a short story and too large to fit here. In a game itself it would need to be a quest due to its complexity.

Actually, I wasn't talking about scary from a horror fantasy perspective. Hell, just reading the lauded tale The Willows will do that for me. I would consider games like Alan Wake to fit well into that subject. When I say scary undead, I actually mean that, "Oh sh**, this thing is dangerous!" feeling. I believe creatures stronger than a zombie or ghoul should inspire that feeling. i.e. "Crap, that's a wraith, if we're not careful one of us is going to find himself a dead and dessicated husk on the ground." Edit: BTW: If you haven't read The Willows, I highly recommend it... It's a short story passed out of copyright, so it should be easy enough to find. HP Lovecraft cited it as one of his inspirations. I'm a big fan of non-specific and unexplained powers, phenomena and monsterage. Worst thing an author can do in my mind is come up with some blood-borne symbiotic organism to explain the powers of premonition and telekinesis or use an alien virus as an explanation for vampirism.

I've said this before and I'll say it again. I think a lot of the supporters seem to think that because they funded the development that they are personally the director of creative vision. This is not the case at all. We agreed to fund the developer's vision of a game, not our own. To do that we would need our own private kickstart campaigns. I think I've funded 4-5, they're all still in development and none appear to be completely disappointing so far. That said, I have realistic expectations. Early on, I made a post somewhere that said, "you will not love everything about Project Eternity." And, that is still true. There will be things you like and things you don't like. But, this is also true of just about every game we've ever bought. The ones we claim to like are the ones who simply tally more likes than dislikes on our personal game review checklists. For instance: Some people feel strongly about turn-based or real-time-with-pause. Most of the people whom have an opinion about that feel strongly one way or another. Personally, I don't care, I've played both mechanics and found them both to be valid forms of flow control. But, think about this... Have you ever played a game with a single mechanic you didn't like, and even felt really strongly about, but liked the game overall in spite of it? A perfect example of that for me is Skyrim. I despise it's lack of meaningful dialogue, but the open world makes up for it and then some. How about a game you thought you wouldn't like at all and ended up loving? For me that was Dreamfall Chapters; from the videos, it looked like a game that was made to be marketed at teenage girls. I wasn't real keen on the action-adventure genre either, remembering the suck that was Defender of The Crown, Another World, etc. adventure titles of old; hated every one I tried. BTW: Failures aren't limited to Kickstarter. I'm a long time Egosoft customer and I really don't know what happened with X: Rebirth, but that is a sad, sad game right there.

Never even considered it this... P2W is out for me. http://youtu.be/u1eCG8JeXEw

I so no mention of the ancients... So, you could just as easily say, "The fact that we're returning to the game play of the SSI Goldbox series is exciting." After all, they did the square to square movement thing too. Okay... Okay... Now I feel like I've gotten far too serious about this. Maybe all I should say is... Leave Might & Magic alone! Leave her alone! http://youtu.be/aEpwBVXbKhs?t=30s

Fine, then its a decent game if you say so... But it's not Might & Magic... it's whatever they decided to try to sell more boxes by slapping that name on it. Given UBI's reputation... They'd put "The Witcher" on that box, if they owned the name and thought it would sell more copies. My issue is far less the game, than calling it M&M. Old school is fine, but M&M was usually on the cutting edge of the day. So, in the spirit of M&M, going old-school is far from it. BTW: World of Xeen never needed uPlay.

I have been a long time fan of Might & Magic, my first RPG being in that series on the Commodore 64. The game mentions and open world and whatnot along with a floating camera shot of a area or two. No doubt a clamor for some Skyrim fans winding down on that IP. Now here's my honest assessment... First, ignore the cut-scenes and scripting camera shots and look very short segments of the party moving around. It appears to have tile based movement restricted to right angles. Don't know what I mean? Think Legends of Grimlock, on a much larger budget. The original M&M was this way, but it was technological limitation on 8 & 16 bit computers; not an apparent design choice. I didn't even see 45 degree movement, much less free-form locomotion across the game world that you expect from a first-person perspective on modern hardware. Now, look at the couple of fight segments. Monsters are animating in place, not actually moving around. There will be no circling dragons that fight in the air, on the ground and then back in the air. Instead, monsters will act more like cardboard bad guys popping up during a police academy forced entry training session. If I wanted to play 8-bit tech, I've got emulators and the original games to play on them. They might as well be 2 dimensional billboards... Otherwise put, you will not see combat that resembles this in any way: http://youtu.be/12jhCHPYu8Q (Note: I'm not familiar with that game, but it at least has free-form movement for both player and monster.) I don't know who the girl is in the pseudo-Diablo 3 opening cinematic, or what she was on about but... I know what she didn't say. There was no mention of the ancient alien machines, Sheltem, Melkor, Corack or any of the other notable personalities from Cron or Xeen. In other words, whatever this is, it's clearly vacant of M&M lore. The bottom line is that, without Jon Van Caneghem, it is not Might & Magic. New World Computing was acquired by 3DO around 1996 and that division laid off in 2002. The IP has since been sold off several times and ruined further with each new owner's molestation of the IP. At this point Might & Magic is nothing more than a recognizable trademark that its owning-publisher-of-the-day can use to sell yet another game that has absolutely nothing to do with the series of games that many of us grew up on and loved. Might & Magic died on April 15th, 2002 and I really wish to hell these publishers would let the name die instead of continuing to rub their dirty crotches on it. Yes, I'm grumpy about it. Wouldn't you be if the likes if an ultra-low budget RPG was picked up by a publisher and called "Baldur's Gate 3" or if some low budget RTS game was called "Planescape Torment: Battleclones" - effing seriously... no. Being handled by another developer isn't the problem, its when the lore and form of the original is tossed out and they're just using the name to garner sales.

After gaming a bit this morning, I've got just a little rant about undead in more modern RPGs: What happened to undead being the stuff of nightmares? I'm not saying that it's all wrong, everywhere. I think there are some kinds of undead that seem to have held on to the long standing ideas. Low-level corporal undead seem to be fine: Skeletons, Zombies, Mummies, Ghouls, etc. These range from weaker-than-NPC to stronger-than-NPC combat ability with the occasional nasty surprise like a disease or two. High-level undead like Liches, Vampires, Death Knights, Revenants are often okay, but just okay. The powerful caster or melee monstrosity side of them seems to have survived, but the special ability mechanics seem to have gone by the way-side. Mid-level undead is where I see the biggest problem... I don't know how to say it other than they have just become unimaginative. I'm talking primarily talking about incorporeal undead: Wraiths, Ghosts, Specters, Phantoms, Banshees, etc. Hell, in a lot of cases they don't even look scary anymore. Translucent-iridescent re-skins of NPC models just don't inspire that "oh crap!" feeling. I mean, what happened to this? This kind of undead use to be fearsome in RPGs. Even at higher levels they were not something to be ignored as trash in a fight. And, while they weren't wizards of legend, their special abilities made them a high priority: level drain, attribute drain, aging, magical disease, silence, death magic, mind-control (possession) etc. Not only that, but you sometimes needed special weapons to even hurt them. I can remember a PnP game I played once where we had become somewhat complacent and careless. The DM saw this and set us up. We just waltzed recklessly into a room occupied by a Banshee and a couple of other nasties. What ensued was pandemonium and party hysteria. We managed to pull though, but we had to pretty much retreat out of the dungeon after the fight was over because the party was all kinds of screwed up with long-term effects. I could say many of the same things about the way aberrations have come to be treated. Have you ever seen a Beholder played to its full capability? This is not a trash mob. Anyway, that's the end of my rant. Hopefully one of the PE developers will run across it and maybe they'll decide not to put the kid-gloves on ghosts.