[Happiest Countries in the World proves Western Ideology Works]

There is no such thing as "Western ideology", and your notion that "democracies work" is (i) implicitly tautological and (ii) dubious.

 

Citation needed.

[Update #50: So... Project Eternity!]

 brilliant colors, and beautiful embellishments when appropriate.

 

 

Don't worry, this was also the case back then, In real life.

 

When people actually see 100% reconstituted medieval houses with the painting and decorations included, they think it's a fantasy design

[Project Eternity 3 : Modern Warfare?]

 

 

No, most of us understand that you have an irrational fear of an unrealistic development. As you haven't played a game that hasn't even been made yet, who are you to declare that P:E is "coherent, authentic and believable"? There's no rational, logical, evidentiary basis for belief in the concept of a soul or magic in reality, so what makes P:E more believable than any/every other fantasy setting? The P:E setting is still plenty full of fantasy tropes from what I've seen, the term "fantasy setting" is a trope in itself. There is a 0% chance that P:E will be 100% original and devoid of Tolkien or D&D influences. The only issue with fantasy games is whether or not they're well-executed, because at this point, anybody with an expectation of a Tolkien/D&D-free fantasy setting is just begging for disappointment. It's the technological differences that make P:E more appealing. Everyone knows the 1247 A.D. version of Fantasy RPG already.

 

Also, please point out which development update/dev post on the forums suggested to you that P:E is going to be steampunk, cyberpunk, etc., or stop insisting that it's an imminent threat to all you hold dear (which is, at this point, essentially a pre-alpha game build about which you know barely anything.)

 

Try harder. This post is so full of strawmen I won't bother answering them.

You don't seem to understand basic concept. There is a difference with the cartoonish World of Warcraft RPG with giant hammer, polarized world, overly ornamental armor, absurd and simplistic geography, exaggerated landscapes everywhere,  incoherent magic/powers...

In PE, they seem to thrive for less over the top designs, to go for more coherence and down to earth perspective. 

 

You should know that this kind of more realist fantasy settings are pretty rare in the video game industry.

 

''hur dur, magic isn't realistic''. If you don't get the point you are beyond saving. 

[Project Eternity 3 : Modern Warfare?]

I wouldnt worry seeing how josh loves ancient civilizations. Wanna something really cool?

Alot of ancient civilizations were actually pretty modern compared to today standards.

 

Going by history, empires pushed development but when said empires were gone, said developments that were possible came to be because of alot of money backing it.

 

So techically it can go so far into modern territory and then rush back the other way due something happening. Alot of countries have progressed and digressed and vice versa for long periods of times.

 

So dont wry there plenty of real life situations to halt technology if it gets to rampant. History gives us many examples

 

 

My fear is that the developers end up going full technology at some point (not in the first one), ruining the initial feeling.

 

Mostly as a knee jerk reaction to be trendy and discard the ''generic'' fantasy setting that gaming hipsters seems to be allergic to.

[Project Eternity 3 : Modern Warfare?]

 

 

Magic vs Technology at war

 

Project: Eternity 2a = Technology won

 

Project: Eternity 2b = Magic won

 

To be honest, I think that^ is possibly something Bioware is doing with Mass Effect.

 

(Mass Effect Red, Mass Effect Blue & Mass Effect Green, games that take a spin from each choice)

 

This is taking us off-topic, but I think it's overwhelmingly likely that Blue (control) will be considered the 'canon' ending. If they don't figure out some way of avoiding the problem altogether. It leaves almost all the pieces still on the board to play with, and they won't have to contend with everyone's green glowing synthesis eyes.

 

Back to Eternity guns: I don't think it's anything for you to worry about. We'd be talking about some serious advancement before firearms become anything more than one-shot-per-battle throwaways. This is realtime with pause we're talking about here. Everyone firing a volley right away and then carefully reloading for twenty seconds won't make for entertaining gameplay. There will always be swords and spells at the heart of it.

 

This is my hopes : that this stays a sword and spell setting.

And also, roughly ''medieval'' (not necessarily european).

 

That also comprises the dark ages. It could be interesting for one of the project Eternity to be set after a major civilization has fallen, and the land regresses from renaissance to dark age. 

They could explore the themes of decadence, the concept of civilization, identity of a nation, of a people... A bit like in age of decadence.

[Project Eternity 3 : Modern Warfare?]

 

 

Assuming this is a fictional universe subject to the whims of its creators and not "natural" forces of technological revolution, I'd say your fears are baseless.

 

It's always up to the developers. A fear is a fear, not a certitude. But those guns could indicate the intent to deal with progress and technological revolutions, in the universe of eternity. It won't happen in the first one, but could be a possibility for the second or the third. 

 

Unless they come up from the start with a rule that prevents further evolution of these guns or other tech. 

 

How long have these guns been around, and are they improving over the decades? = good start to understand the trend.

[Project Eternity 3 : Modern Warfare?]

DOUBLE EDIT: You also seem to be making the assumption that magic/traditional and modern/technology are glued together and mutually exclusive from each other. That "tradition" can only involve "magic" and "modern" can only involve "technology," and the two cannot mix in any way. While this is very common in fiction, I don't think it's right to assume it's the same for this world. That "tradition" can only involve magic and no form of technology (which is ridiculous because the bow and the blade were new technologies once) and society has to forsake magic in order to gain new technologies or social advancement (which I can't understand because magic and fantastical races can inspire social and/or technological change).

 

Magic-induced stasis aside, I see no reason why both the fantastical and the technological can't continue to grow in the world of P:E. Dare I say it: feed each other? If magic and technology don't get along (which I'll assume they might not since the developers have hinted that people seem to be creating technology as a way to fight magic) it's more than possible the traditional will rise to the new technological challenge rather than shrink away. For example, based on what the developers seem to have hinted: magic is more powerful than the blade, so muggles invent bullets, so wizards start wearing more armor, so (maybe) muggles invent better bullets, so (maybe) wizards create more efficient magic. It goes back to my theory that "magic" isn't passively fading in the presence of the "modern." That "tradition" and "technology" aren't mutually exclusive (as the traditional mages are taking advantage of new technologies to fight new technologies). And that the two might be improving each other rather than one simply sitting back and letting the other swallow it whole.

 

I feel like your theory only works if we assume that "tradition"/"magic" and "technology"/"modern" are mutually exclusive and one passively lets the other crush it, rather than mixing and challenging each other. And again, it took centuries for us to get where we are now without magic, fantastic creatures or gods getting involved with our daily lives. How on earth can it happen in this world with these?

 

 

My reasoning is that, technology can catch up with magic, and completely exceed it, making magic obsolete. 

If you look at a modern army, let's say the american one, It's difficult to imagine an army of mage and magic-sword fighting warriors waring against it. Or they can, but then we have fallen in some heavy ultra high fantasy stuff.

 

The problem is that if magic and technology mix, there's not much point in magic anymore, since it's just another physical force, and Magitech heavy universe are basically disguised science fiction. They don't give the same feeling.

 

By traditional fantasy, I mean a fantasy with only ancient civilization and no modern technology. It's not really about magic or not. Magic could be minimal or even inexistent (lowest fantasies).

And I believe that makes a huge difference on how the whole world feels. An ancient society that can compete with a modern society is basically a modern society herself (even if it still uses some magic). Modernity can arise, and supplant everything (in 500, 10 000, 100 000... years). 

 

Unless Technology is seriously inhibited by something else.

 

Example 1 : even the smallest magic presence perturbs the surrounding space, making it impossible for any ''refined'' and precise technology to work (even if it's solely mechanical) . Which means only big bulky guns, trebuchet... could work around a magical item/mage/warrior/whatever. 

 

Example 2 : The very nature of the gods makes them despise modernity. And they, and maybe other magical/folkloric elements, will work against it.

 

In that case, technology would just never further evolve than primitive applications. And the world will max out at a renaissance level.

[Project Eternity 3 : Modern Warfare?]

People, my OP isn't clear?

 

It's not about the primitive guns! It's not about a fear that modern society is at the gate!

 

It's just a concern that all this could potentially happen,in 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 10 000 years. It's just that, as opposed to some other fantasy settings I know, Modernity is not out of the question. 

 

Contrary to the popular belief, coherent, authentic and believable fantasy settings in video games are very rare. Project Eternity is one, it would be a shame if it went all cyberpunk/sci-fi/modern/steampunk in some time leap sequel.

[Project Eternity 3 : Modern Warfare?]

My gripes aren't specifically against guns in themselves. I thought I would make it clear.

 

It's just that I'm wondering what could prevent eternity from ever evolving into a modern world, with internet, cameras, nukes, cars, shopping centers, highway... ?

 

That would obviously be at the complete opposite of what the setting used to be. Some are fines with that, some aren't.

[Project Eternity 3 : Modern Warfare?]

Your fears are a bit overblown.  Firearms technology is in the matchlock stage (late 15th/early 16th Century).  As such, the technological boom of the Industrial Revolution is quite a ways off.  Longbows and lightning bolts will be the norm for this series with firearms being a new and fiddly technology still in its not-ready-for-prime-time stage.

 

I'm going to edit my post to make it more clear.

 

I am aware of the current level of technology. Hence the Project Eternity 3 in the topic : I'm talking about future development of the franchise.

[Project Eternity 3 : Modern Warfare?]

Obviously what triggers this reflection are the guns and gunpowder. It's the fact that you can apparently use some of those laws of physics that are usually ignored in Medieval or most ancient times fantasy.

 They mainly introduced guns to further distinguish themselves from traditional fantasy settings (guns are only one part of the larger effort of course).

 

Before we start  : I am aware we are still centuries away from Modern technology. I know the guns are still primitive and their use very specific.

 

Now this potentially opens the way for further technological improvement, and maybe the development of industrial societies in a few centuries.

The advent of modern warfare : Automatic riffles, sniper riffles, airplanes, drones, Thousands off nukes, radar, advanced logistics... 

 

 

And overall, the prevalence of Modern societies over traditional societies.

 

That basically means that this authentic ''folkloric'' setting isn't endless, and that in a few centuries, even decade, it could completely die, and be replaced by a modern setting.

 

Obviously, pure traditional societies rely on magic to stay relevant , maybe even more viable in the face of potential technological revolutions. But only if magic and technology cannot coexist. Or else everyone will just adopt a mix of the 2 (see shadow run universe).

 

For example : arcanum played that pretty well. Magic and technology were both incompatible, and could not thrive in the same place. That allowed for a clear polarization between Modern, technological civilizations and traditional civilizations. The universe would shift periodically between classical fantasy era, and modern technological era. 

 

 

I haven't followed this project closely enough, and don't feel like reading every comment Obsidian made on the universe (reddit, forums, update, interviews). 

 

How would they intend to handle technological progress? What would limit it? 

And if the laws of the universe allows technological progress : What would compete against it?

 

 

 

 

 

PS : Personally I don't like modern setting, I find ancient settings more appealing, at least when I'm escaping from reality (gaming, books...). Hence why I'm interested to see how it plays out.

[Update #49: Water, Trees, Day/Night, Lighting... All That Jazz]

Now that's art! 

 

I really like this temple. It's not too fantastical, or over the top, yet it's still outlandish and it's design as well as the surrounding feels wholly and pretty coherent.