[Pillars of Eternity II PREVIEW BLITZ]

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhjQX21Qczo

I am confused. It is B.B. I hope B.B. is not the “near final build”. Did gameinformer get access to a different build? Did they all get access to a different build but are allowed to showcase BB only? Is near final build including cut skill trees, old UI, and half implimented features? Have journalistic previews lied to me this whole time???? (just kidding I know they do that).

 

 

Well "near final" is relative. It's certainly near final relative to what they had in like August last year. I guess two months out of a multi-year process is near final by any estimation.

[Curious about Pillar of Eternity II funding goal 4.5 Million Ship Crew managing]

The crew management bit is the best part of the ship minigame as it currently stands. IMO, obviously.

[Plural of eoten]

Didn't your mother teach you never to take your Eoten out in public?

[Pillars of Eternity II coming to consoles!]

This is a ****ing betrayal of your player base, Obsidian.

Next time you go to crowdfunding make sure to say it before that you're making a ****ing console game, instead of a more hardcore RPG made for PC. Also, you can do without my money in advance. 

 

If you look at the UI of this game and think it's been somehow compromised for consoles, I literally don't know what to say.

[Anonymous General Feedback]

I remain bemused that elves are still described as intelligent but intellect is not one of their bonus statistics; intellect is not in the descriptor for “godlike”, yet for them it is a bonus statistic. Perhaps swap the two?

I'm actually surprised that the flavour text says that. I seem to remember none of the species was inherently more intelligent than any other (which was the logic for the godlike getting the Int bonus). If that's changed, I guess elves should get the +Int, but also, why haven't they taken over everything?

 

Moreover during character creation, to me it felt unintuitive that I could not move between different stages by clicking on the icons at the bottom of the screen (only on the “Next” button).

Agreed.

 

I wonder whether it would be more logical to have character background right after character race, rather than following character class?

This has been argued on and off since the PoE1 beta. I agree it should go first, after all, your race also gives you bonuses to stats that you don't know what they do yet. Besides there are tooltips.

 

I remain extremely annoyed and frustrated by the reduced party size: A huge variety of party member responses to the environment and plot is one of my chief delights, closely followed by a large number of diverse interactions between party members. In both the BG and NWN series I modded my game to enable the maximum number of NPC’s, and enjoyed imagining scenarios by which (for example) the noble paladin and “evil” drow might surmount their differences and find common cause to assist the player character.

I'm with everyone who's saying that 5 feels pretty good.

 

For me, the use of phrases in other languages such as “per complancanet” really helps to add a feeling of diverse ethnic groups within the world. Having definitions popup over them during conversation is great, because it maximises the ethnic effect while reducing the concomitant occlusion of meaning (!).

Agreed.

 

Personally I emphatically dislike the “smoking pipe” animated icon for something as personal as the “loadscreen waiting”: With apologies to JRRT, Elminster and many others, I find it difficult to dissociate smoking from the (for me) highly emotive topic of cancer. NPC’s smoking is fine; it is just the entirely individual question of where the line gets drawn.

Personally I’d prefer an icon suggestive of the seafaring nature of the game- perhaps a sailing ship rocking on rolling waves?

Eder's pipe is great. I refuse to hear a word against it.

 

Combining the effects of statistics of a player with those of other party members in order to pass statistic checks is a fantastic idea. At this early stage I am not sure if it has been done, but some other ideas include (i) using the maximum value of a statistic across the entire party plus a factor contributed by other party members, and (ii) seeing if any other party members meet a particular attribute trait (eg White that Wends) rather than just the player. These 2 stratagems would further increase the diversity of checks which a player could pass, thus making feel more immersed in the world. It also reduces the need for multiple playthroughs, for which I lack both time and strength.

It feels right as is. After all, it is the main character talking, not the party members.

 

Hitting the <tab> key does not highlight some lootable corpses eg sand grubs, which is annoying.

Agreed.

[Pillars of Eternity II coming to consoles!]

Makes a lot of sense. A couple of my friends played the original on console, apparently it was a good port. I'm surprised that it sold well enough to warrent bringing the next over though.

[Paladin Order Talents]

Again, entirely subjective, but I think the paladin builds that were used for The Ultimate are incredibly unfun to actually play, ut saying that they're weak is pretty objectively wrong.

[any reason to replay poe 1?]

Just chiming in to agree that The White March (particularly part II) is some of the most fun I've had with a game in the last decade.

[Single Weapon Style?]

That will almost certainly be changed though, right? Because it was balanced for the point at which basically nothing grazed.

[Ship to ship combat]

I think you're all pretty harsh on this...

It does need improvements for sure, but you're almost asking for a Game in the Game.

 

I wasn't. I wasn't expecting anything this detailed. But I just think it's fallen in a really unfortunate position. They've put too much work into it to want it to be really minor and rare, but not enough that it isn't repetative and rote. I really liked the derelict ship thingy, but the actual combat doesn't feel deep enough to not drag. Maybe the addition of outside factors like ship customisation and purchasing different weaponry will offset that, but we can't do that yet, so I don't know. As it is, I want to be able to do more things that actually feel like they have an effect on the combat. Basically, I'm here:

 

 

 

They should have released the ship combat earlier because I think it's too late to give a lot of feedback now. Two months is not enough time to make a lot of advancement to the ship combat.  I guess it's a good idea for them to just make an instant board option to appease the people who don't like the combat.

 

I'd like to be wrong though!

[Feedback on new World Map (Overland Map)]

I love the "handdrawn" Tikawara map they've added in this update. Like the Neketaka one they've shown in previous footage. I hope all the villages get one of those, really adds a bit of polish.

[Forest/Meadow Orlans instead of Wild/Hearth?]

Such explicit Orlan racism in this thread. The correct level of Orlan racism is Eder level, where you want to pet their cute fuzzy little heads (because they're basically cats).

[Forest/Meadow Orlans instead of Wild/Hearth?]

I'd be down to switching it to Forest/Meadow, but it might be needlessly confusing for people.

[Let's gather feedback for AI customization here]

Have briefly tried the new system. And even through haven't done anything complex yet, absolutely lovin' it.

 

Just issue the attack, grab popcorn, and watch your party decimate the enemy: link

 

This is great.

 

This whole system is great. 10/10 Obsidian. Would program again.

[IDEA - Stacking Resistances]

At the very least, the game should stop you from being able to take passives that are suppressed by a passive you already have.

[Suggestion: identify damage type in weapon proficiency screen]

Yeah. It should give you the whole weapon rundown. Base attack speed, damage, penetration, damage type and bonus (e.g. deflection for hatchets, +crit damage for battle axes). There's no way a new player would know that stuff. This should probably go into the bug/feedback forum.

[beta version 3: missing stat bonus]

Deadfire characters actually do get the stat bonus, for some reason it just doesn't show at chargen.

[Playing as an Eothan priest]

Hell, that's an issue with a priest of anything. But there are several options. You could disbelieve Iovara, or you could believe that there's no reason that a constructed god isn't as "divine" as a non-constructed god. In lots of fantasy settings there were gods that didn't used to exist as gods, people still worship them.

 

Presumably the "god" just becomes the physical embodiment of its domain at that point. If you believe in the concept of redemption, Eothas is still there as an ultra-powerful exemplar of redemption, true divinity or not.

[Explanation about DLC or expansions please]

I honestly just want all the eventual DLC to amount to what WM was content-wise, preferably as parts of a continuous story. Personal worst case scenario would be smallish unrelated adventures. Still, with Paradox not in the picture, perhaps we are going to be spared portrait packs...

 

The New Vegas DLCs were mostly unrelated stories, and they were really good. It's all about execution.

[White March events in PoE2]

Thanks for your fast answers, but I don't find appealing to go jump back to WM and return to sun in shadows and play the final battle.

 

I hope that final saved games fron PoE will be coherent in PoE2 no matter you play or not WM.

 

The only way you can get an ending save game that's not coherent for import into Deadfire is the weird edge-case where you complete WM1, but not WM2.

[Ship to ship combat]

Yeah. It's a good start, it just seems like as a system it needs a lot work, which, two months out from release, I can't see it getting.

 

I also found ship to ship combat confusing, especially with movement. How come I cant close more in one turn? It seemed useless for me to go full sail ahead at the beginning and then turn port or starboard until the round is over. A "maintain course" action seems necessary.

 

Looks like this is getting changed. This is what Josh said on SA:

 

A few things that will likely be changing:

* In the initial contact, the ability to Close to Board, potentially suffering a hailstorm of cannonballs if you just want to go to deck-to-deck combat.
* Removing the Full Sail x1 or Half Sail x2 style moves per round.
* Jibing being an immediate flip with few consequences.

E: There are not currently any wind/directional mechanics related to moving in the ship duels. Gaining advantage at the beginning of a round will allow you to move farther in that round.

[Who is Mirke?]

Throw the letters around, and given her greenish hue, the name Kermi', should come as no surprise.

 

I just want to see Miss Piggy's portrait. I hear you can get her as a quest reward from a farmer.

[Who is Mirke?]

Someone at the Pillars wiki said that she may be a sidekick because she has a large portrait.  I hope that's true.

 

Clearly the sidekick replacing Ydwin when she gets announced as a surprise companion.

 

But no, crew member or quest giver is a safe bet.

[Multi-classing - hopes, dreams, wild speculation]

 

Just a few ideas off the top of my head;

 

1) The Napalmdin: Darcozzi Paladin/Unbroken Fighter Crusader

 

Frontline tank, strides up to the enemy and uses Unbroken's bonus Engagements to take on as many as she can, and then procs FoD and Fires of Darcozzi Palace. Fight her directly? Every time you touch her, you BURN. Try to get around her? Unbroken's bonus to Disengagement plus Overbearing Guard means she knocks you Prone, and pulls you right back Into The Fray anyway. And that's why she's the Napalmdin; she sticks to you like glue, and you BURN, BURN, BURN.

 

2) The Gunslinger: Island Aumaua Sharpshooter Ranger/Black Jacket Fighter Hunter

 

Your standard Arms Bearer/Quick Switch Island Aumaua gun Ranger, now enhanced by the Black Jacket's reduced Recovery upon weapon switching, and bonus weapon proficiency means he can use a wider variety of firearms in his arsenal. Plus no Constant Recovery is no big deal; he's staying in the back and blasting targets in the face anyway.

 

3) The One Man Army: Berserker Barbarian/Streetfighter Rogue Marauder

 

Your standard OSA/Vengeful Defeat/HoF Bombarian, now even deadlier when Flanked or Bloodied. A fire-and-forget WMD you send first into the enemy ranks and trust to do his job, letting you save your focus for micro-ing the backline. Despite the name, he works best with teammates providing buffs and CC, but either way he's the only melee DPS you're ever going to need.

 

4) The Batman Wizard: Conjurer Wizard/Trickster Rogue Spellblade

 

Get around the Conjurer's ban on Illusion spells, with the Trickster's access to them! A weaker Sneak Attack is no big deal; she's there to cast spells, not to stab someone. That just leaves Evocation, but who cares about those when you have the right tool for every situation?

 

5) The Weather Witch: Priestess of Eothas/Fury Druid Universalist

 

Mild-mannered staff chick at first glance, but you won't like her when she's angry. Because when she does, that means Minor Avatar + Relentless Storm + Storm Blight Spiritshift. And with the Eothas Priestess's access to extra Druid Elemental spells, plus the Fury's bonus with same, she can call down the thunder all day long. Hope you don't have anything valuable in the general vicinity.

 

Tried this yesterday thinking the same thing - but the Trcksters illusion spells are disabled (apparently by the conjurers ban) 

 

 

I think that's a bug? Try posting it in the backer beta bugs forum.

[Ship to ship combat]

 

Josh said on SA that their going to add a "board" option at combat start, so you can get straight into boarding in exchange for an indeterminate amount of ship damage if you find the ship combat boring.

yhh. I would much prefer for combat to be decent and boarding to be one of the feature of combat, rather than "skip" button.

 

 

It's hard to disagree with this!