Quillon

Then the kid should have been at least over 20/fully grown ghoul in over 200 years given that the bull**** he survived that long. Or they retconned the ghouls.

Ghouls really don't age? Why did Raul keep complaining about his age/knees etc all the time? Was he always been complaining since he became a ghoul? Maybe they age real slow? : p

I do like the world and the way it feels. But it doesn't play well hence I want better mechanics. And the writing is terrible. If it'd be a well written RPG in Westeros that looks similar to Skyrim, I would suck it up and play with whatever's the gameplay. But let's see Kingdom Come: Deliverance first, maybe it would set a better example. There is also the obvious Witcher 3 but I don't like the third person view in it; exploration cam's distance/angle/fov/being third person limits the way I can appreciate the great scenery.

From what I gathered it seems like devs don't care about writing a story for a game procedurally generated, they think gameplay & exploration is enough, which is why I don't like it. I like sandbox systems(f.e. some npc/s roaming the game map off screen - lucky/unlucky encounters with them) better than procedural things happening as we go(f.e. the same npc/s just spawns near the player for his convenience). Right now they don't. But, as the technology changes it will be possible. Not with the story itself, but with the locations and NPCs involved. As far as NPCs wandering off map, that's typically a bug. That or, IMHO, a lazy developer who's created a spawn and/or move function/procedure/method that does not position check. The vid below shows how basic bounds checking is, but in this case it's for a 2d object in the game window instead of an actor on a map. Things get more complicated in 3D and, using middleware can obscure game object procedures and increase the possibility of bugs. Alot of Skyrim's issues stem from that I think, especially the long running NPC navmesh issue they had for player mods. However, the principal is essentially the same. (create new NPC, check if randomized x, y and z are beyond player navigable x, y and z.) I wrote off screen, not off map; not a bug but a good feature: f.e. You can cause an NCR officer to move from Primm to some NCR camp to the east of the map(forlorn hope?) in New Vegas and you can actually see him move from Primm to NCR camp in pip-boy map(provided if you have a quest goal to talk to him), you can even follow him in real time in the game/you can meet him at any point on his journey as opposed him being despawned in Primm and respawned in NCR camp. Tho things like these happen often in gamebyro games. When you see this and then you play games like Far Cry or DAI, you can see how lazy the devs are spawning everything around you as you go. Sometimes when you turn around and back again things spawn in front of you(in DAI) it isn't even funny. ...What I meant by sandbox systems.

If he have an Honest(4) reputation he might pull that off : p ps: meant to quote fenixp's post but this works also.

A well written GoT RPG looks and plays similar to Skyrim? From what I gathered it seems like devs don't care about writing a story for a game procedurally generated, they think gameplay & exploration is enough, which is why I don't like it. I like sandbox systems(f.e. some npc/s roaming the game map off screen - lucky/unlucky encounters with them) better than procedural things happening as we go(f.e. the same npc/s just spawns near the player for his convenience).

I wrote this in another thread: I'd like an RPG that plays like Jagged Alliance: Back in Action but maybe a bit simplified/pollshed gameplay: better production value than JA : p, on a big open world/setting like Arma 3's Altis map(could be too big tho), where player character leads some sort of company(companions with personality/quests not just a mercenary roster to choose from, that could be optional), a bit more complex base building than what's in state of decay, managing the base, roles to fill with companions... lots of factions-conflicts etc. MAKE IT! : D Basically I want to play Arma 3 as a party based top down RTwP cRPG(also with cover system) with the same fidelity, DAO'like cinematic conversation system, more and varied factions, much less military/armored vehicle presence. Wish I could enjoy turn based gameplay.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/01/02/chris-avellone-talks-games-obsidian-and-christmas-sweater-etiquette.aspx Again he complains there is no clear hierarchy in Obsidian while developing games and he left Obs after Pillars which seemed like tightly developed game with JES being the clear lead... But nvm, none of our business : d

I was that guy, I considered it a success also unlike some others. Its still around half a million isn't it? Of course the number will increase in time with price cuts and the game's being in some of the top games of 2015 lists atm, which I'm happy to see.

This exploration aspect every beth fan brags about... I can't not see the same assets, same random crap loot where ever I go in the game... hacking/lockpicking per the minute... how is it fun? Even side quests are so boring and quickly can be taken care of... if there is even any.

I'd like an RPG that plays like Jagged Alliance: Back in Action but maybe a bit simplified/pollshed gameplay: better production value than JA : p, on a big open world/setting like Arma 3's Altis map(could be too big tho), where player character leads some sort of company(companions with personality/quests not just a mercenary roster to choose from, that could be optional), a bit more complex base building than what's in state of decay, managing the base, roles to fill with companions... lots of factions-conflicts etc. MAKE IT! : D

CarPG... With JES, Pedals of Eternity'd come first.

If there will be a war going on in PoE 2, invasion/defending stuff would make a lot more sense in there.

Isn't PoE meant to be spiritual successor to 15 years old games? Yes? So It's technically nostalgia : D Anyone can have different reasons.

Whatever the reasons, my point was about "3D's limiting storytelling and lore-building", which I called nonsense.

Bethesda opened a new studio, we can say goodbye to fallout from Obs.

Thing is most AAA games lack good writing, real branching storyline; they have simplified rpg mechanics/choices & consequences; they are avoiding darker themes, dumbing down already existing lore etc to appeal a wider audience. What's wrong with wanting an AAA or semi AAA(AA?) game which includes all these things? It's unrealistic but its something I hope for. I don't want my only option is to be the low budget indie games for good RPGs. I like and play them but I want another CDPR on the market also, they are not perfect but they are the closest ones who try to stay true to what makes good RPGs for mature audience among AAA devs, And here, I don't disagree whatsoever. Why Pillars of Eternity, though? Why not ask for Obsidian to make another IP with 3D environments? Obsidian having another IP that they own would further stabalize them IMHO. Honestly, I would back a NWN spiritual successor so hard it isn't funny. I don't want pillars to turn into a NWN or a DAO, though. I said several times its my personal preference. I'll buy and play PoE 2 whether it's 2D or 3D. Apart from that I don't want another high fantasy RPG from Obs even if its gonna be in 3D. Bring on the steampunk, western, modern, cyberpunk... we have enough high fantasy RPGs.

Thing is most AAA games lack good writing, real branching storyline; they have simplified rpg mechanics/choices & consequences; they are avoiding darker themes, dumbing down already existing lore etc to appeal a wider audience. What's wrong with wanting an AAA or semi AAA(AA?) game which includes all these things? It's unrealistic but its something I hope for. I don't want my only option is to be the low budget indie games for good RPGs. I like and play them but I want another CDPR on the market also, they are not perfect but they are the closest ones who try to stay true to what makes good RPGs for mature audience among AAA devs,

Yeah like I said 2D makes PoE more niche than it already is. And yes what's popular isn't always high quality, heck most of the games(RPGs for the matter) that's popular aren't what I want that's why we're here pleading Obs to make what we want but it doesn't change the fact that gaming's progressed into this. I want more cinematic experience and 2D isometric cRPGs clearly need it; which is why Obs implemented scripted illustrations into the game. Also I don't like the combat in this game in visual perspective, it's too chaotic to look at, if it was 3D it'd be much more clearer; I'd have more easy time controlling the battlefield. If Obs would ditch 2D the only thing I'll miss would be the scripted illustrations/PoE at this state needs more of them in it. I think Bioware did an awesome job modernizing IE games(which my experience can be measured by hours in them) with DAO except the rpg mechanics. Yes they had much bigger budget, clearly.

I backed it cos of proper rpg mechanics, good writing, branching story etc which I believed in Obs have proven and could do again. I didn't care for 2D backgrounds and such, which matters little compared to what I backed it for, now I'm just expressing my personal preference, but the response is like game's being 2D is at least as much important as all the other things combined... I'll buy it whichever way PoE 2 is gonna be so long the things what makes a good RPG is in there. @Fenixp You can dismiss everything by probability. Fact is 2D games are niche now and PoE being 2D makes it more niche than it already is and being niche is not necessarily a bad thing. Also if 2D games are gaining popularity its probably cos of the increasing numbers of mobile platforms over the last decade which can't handle most 3D games but I don't have any actual data to back it up : D Why can't I? Heh, talk about what average costumer wants. ****Relevant**** average customer nowadays wants dragon age inquisition, I want Origins(with Obs' writing), hardcores hereabouts want to go back to 2000 and stay there.

It's been used and enjoyed by more and more people every passing year therefore natural progression, which doesn't necessarily mean its better for everything. And are we talking about big games which includes PoE or mobile games/"shovelware", the supposed future of games which I don't want any part in it?

^This x1000 Nothing could hurt PoE worse, imho, than converting it to a WoW-like 3D environment. Makes no sense. If devs focus on action & gameplay(usually with TPS/FPS RPGs) more than storytelling and lore-building that's on them not on game's being 3D. Original fallout 3 was gonna be 3D and that was the natural progression. PoE's having 2D backgrounds are just for nostalgia and/or money reasons, not because 3D limits such things. It's called aesthetics and it's different from person to person although we can agree to some extent that some things look naturally ugly and some things look naturally beautiful. You can disagree all you want some people value more the paintings of Michelangelo of several centuries ago to the 3d art of the 21st and it's not due to nostalgia they just have been and still are beautiful. Furthermore photorealism techniques have been perfected through the years while real time rendering has still a long way to go. How can you claim is just nostalgia by the way? Have you personally spoken to every one of the 500.000+ buyers of POE and 100% of them told you it's just nostalgia? It's just nostalgia in your own personal opinion and in my own personal opinion it just looks way better. Noted the word personal? In the end beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My reply was to this: "3D is the reason RPGs gave up on storytelling and lore-building." I didn't claim 3D is more beautiful, I said 3D is natural progression for games. Most people who prefer 2D over 3D have played IE games, right? So isn't it a safe bet that I claimed "PoE's being 2D either for nostalgia or money reasons" on my account? Apart from that, Is beauty the most important thing in a """cRPG""" game? Does every other thing you see in a """game""" have to be unique? For future reference: I prefer it to be but I didn't and still not saying PoE 2 should be 3D.

Yeah I know the crazy sensitive cam of NWN2, didn't stopped me from putting several hundred hours into the game tho(and the loading times with the system I had back then..phase 1 phase 2.......) but it was 10 years ago. If they couldn't do it in that time doesn't mean it can't be done properly now. Lots of Obs games were bug-fests back then, now not so much.

And practical reasons. What is the practical benefit of having a 3d isometric game? It doesn't inherently look better, art style is always more important and PoE ended up being one of the most gorgeous games I've seen lately (probably surpassed by Skyrim, but Skyrim wasn't gorgeous because it's 3d, Skyrim was gorgeous because some extremely talented artists worked on the game - and it was first person perspective). The only benefits I can see are technical like proper scaling of backgrounds with resolution, but that can be quite simply solved by backgrounds being high fidelity to begin with, and the benefit of properly animated NPCs, which we got anyway as those are 3d. So ... Again, how would potential Pillars of Eternity 2 benefit from 3d? And would those benefits outweigh the downsides? (repeated textures, much less unique locations due to inherent asset reuse, the game would not be nearly as clear at the first glance unless a ton of polish was put into it) It doesn't have to be that beautiful, 2009's Dragon Age Origins wasn't an ugly game nor I had to fight the cam all the time(tho in another example; sword coast legend's cam is awful). As for benefits of 3D first thing comes to my mind is cutscene dialogues which is huge for dialogue heavy game. Alltho I'm always giving DAO as the example, I'm sure that game had much more budget to begin with. So if Obs will have enough budget for it I'd like them to consider it but like I said before I wouldn't object if it'll be the same as original PoE.

^This x1000 Nothing could hurt PoE worse, imho, than converting it to a WoW-like 3D environment. 3D is the reason RPGs gave up on storytelling and lore-building. Makes no sense. If devs focus on action & gameplay(usually with TPS/FPS RPGs) more than storytelling and lore-building that's on them not on game's being 3D. Original fallout 3 was gonna be 3D and that was the natural progression. PoE's having 2D backgrounds are just for nostalgia and/or money reasons, not because 3D limits such things.