Search the Community

Hi Guys, Wasn't this feature already in the original Pillars of Eternity ? If not, it was in Tyranny right ? Where you could tell any of your 3 companions (Verse, Lantry, KIS, for ex.), how to react in combat in certain circumstances. (Like : Protect, Full Aggro, etc) If not... what is this Player AI Scripting for Companions ? What does it bring to Obsidian for Pillars II ? Thank you

Hey guys! So I just wanted to drop this here. To my knowledge, no other originally recorded custom voice mods exist, at least not that I've been able to find, and since my Baldur's Gate ones went over so well, I figured I'd do a couple for PoE, as well! The videos below are just demos of the new sound files, and you can pick them up at the Nexus, provided below! And by the way, does anyone know of anyone else that's done something like this? I've seen a fair few people pull files out of other games to use them, but my search for a custom-made voice continues. What do you guys think? Any comments, questions, requests? -Chaotic Neutral- -Lawful Evil- -Nexus- http://www.nexusmods.com/pillarsofeternity/mods/140/?

A psuedo-introduction thread, because psuedo makes everything sound cooler! I believe that "Everything" is "Material". Reading some on the P:E Wikia I see relations between this board and what is being said there. I don't know if it is one way or the other (we are inspired by the Wikia or the Wikia is inspired by the forums). If the Wikia is inspired by the forums then your username and how you write here is also possibly an inspiration to characters and the world itself in P:E. So who do you see yourself as in P:E? Or as an inspirational material, what type of character would you be? Are you one of the Gods, one of the Companions? The bar owner? Are you the jester? How would you see yourself? Let me explain, when I went theater class we did some Commedia Dell Arte which is about putting on a "mask" and acting on the mask. The mask doesn't necessarily have to be like the picture seen below (there are millions of different masks, what kind of mask are you?), it could be a person, you put on and act on a different body language than your own really (Method Acting). We had one class where our homework was to go out to town and research, watch people and find one person to imitate (body language) then twist it up a notch making it hilarious and exaggerated (could get really awkward too if not authentic). A casual step forward could become a long slow motion awkward step forward. It was super fun to work with. Basically this is a thread about everyone. If you are imitated into P:E and exaggerated/twisted/tweaked similarly as explained above, do you have any "demands" on how you would wish to be presented or do you give Obsidian free reign? Getting to that awkward part where I haven't thought out ways I see myself and getting to that awkward point of presenting myself (which feels rather awkward)............. So... thinking about it a little bit, how do I see myself? As a Chanter, Cipher, Druid, Wizard or Monk. Tinkering and thinkering, friendly and passionate. A philosopher, necromancer in a sense, a Socratic individual (Socrates had to drink a vial of poison because his philosophy was not welcome, he was executed for his ways, I'd say that could be seen as "necromancy" in the eyes of the people who wanted him dead e.g., authority). Socrates was also believed to be a mad man by everyone, yet he is one of the most important historic figures for us today in philosophy. Irony right? I absolutely love to travel, Druidic and nomadic in that sense that I love the land. I intend to travel Europe next summer. When I was in Boulder, Colorado last spring I hiked a lot in the mountains and camped out as well. Boulder, Colorado is absolutely gorgeous, and they've got some pretty sweet rock climbing spots. "So Crat Es" in Latin translates to "So was the art". I like cryptic and deep riddles~information. Something that is more than meets the eye, something that can transform from one thing to another and/or deconstructed and then constructed again. I want to have an open mind and an open heart, often deciding to be positive before reading anything. A title in the Forum saying "Mini-Game", I can decide if I'm going to think "Not going to touch that blegh!" or "Oh! Mini-Games, I already get 11 ideas by the title itself!!". I've taken apart many computers just to put them back together just because I was curious. Self-aware and conscious what I am writing, how I am wording and how it is structured (where I put comas and parenthesis as well). I edit a lot post-posting because I notice structural failure when I've posted (In a sense it is like "production complete" and then I can work on polish/details). As long as the post isn't posted it is a work in progress, and there is a sense of relaxation and "rewarding success" when you've actually posted. A post is like a program, you won't notice some bugs until you've actually released it (because you didn't have the same mindset or whatnot pre-posting). I was asked once by a stranger (who felt like my sister) what my superpower was, and I told her "Kindness". I only want good. I stand with two feet on Mother Earth, and not with two feet in a country. I feel we are all family and friends on one planet, a floating big ball in space. I'm definitely a Chanter, being singer-songwriter. I like everyone here on the forums and think everyone has interesting points, thoughts and ideas Alignments A mix of Chaotic Neutral and Chaotic Good, trying to be True Neutral. Sometimes gets bitten by Chaotic Evil (in essence, being a selfish jerk), though I dislike being bitten by it and always feel bad about it (it happens you know, sometimes you've got a good day sometimes you've got a bad day). I feel strongly for having honor and a sense of duty, but not enough to touch Lawful Good. Osvir is a well thought out screen name, which started on a roleplaying board as "MaskedMan", wherein Os Vir literally translates to "Bone Man". It's my "Avatar"/"Alter Ego", like a character in World of Warcraft is (otherwise I would display my real name, I have told Obsidian my real name because they tell us their names, just felt it respectful). Os by itself can translate from Latin to English as "Mask", but seems to be more related to "Speech", "Mouth", "Lips", "Bone", "Source", "Mien", structure and presentation. Os is also "Opening", "Effrontery", "Impudence" and "Countenance". Vir can be "Lover", "Husband", "Virility", "Soldier" and "Manhood". ^I relate who I am to these, which is pretty funny and coincidental to me, been using the screen name Osvir for a couple of years now and I relate to the Latin translations. I'm a crazy and confused individual from time to time, and do weird things, but I'm not harmful, I don't bite (hard ). I'm just human like all of us. In video games I always play the good character for a more Passive Story Playthrough, and an evil character for Hack & Slash Action Playthrough and laughs. Laughs for both actually (Good/Evil). Who are you?

Different types of paths and/or professions. Starting off as nothing but a commoner, the Event might not have happened or it is what happens on Square 1, opening scene or whatnot. Regardless, I'll use the "commoner" because I think that appeals to most different styles as possible. I had this idea for a mod for Baldur's Gate, instead of starting off as a "Fighter", you start off as a commoner. Going to Winthrop could make you a Bard, to the Priest and you can become a Cleric etc.etc. different types of professions instead of "just a class" that you choose during character creation. Being a commoner, we're in the first city, money is low and need cash. These different "Professions" wouldn't just be the "Class", but it could be woven into "Factions" and "Economy" as well. Having a "Proffession" generates "Income". But not only that, a different approach, from a different angle depending on which Profession/Faction you choose (to a start, you could always switch, what with Reputation). You could become a Guard, and your quests would be related to patrolling the streets, which would lead into deeper conspiracy, like the cop in L.A. Noire you start to suspect your superiors or whatnot. Anyways, your Fighter class getting stronger. Likewise, if Economy+Food also gets important somehow, becoming a Thief pickpocketing could also be a "Profession" and a way to get an "Income" going. The Thief would in turn also go his/her own path, perhaps through the Thieves Guild or even through stumbling into a Noble's house that happens to be woven into the grander scheme. With "Professions", there could be several different paths. As a Wizard and a magician, you might be granted audience with the "King", whilst a Thief might be visited by an associate to another King, when the Thief has been thrown in "Jail", leading to another "Faction". A Chanter or a Bard might seek work on the streets, or at Church, earning some little copper and in turn gets discovered by some aristocrat who pulls the Chanter in. Or perhaps you can go about and learn to master "Ancient Poetry" and spreads wisdom and investigates deep ruins. A treasure hunter who goes down deep dungeons and across land to find treasures dug down in the earth. Following in-designed riddles and clues. Some of the treasures being tied to an even greater plot. All part of the same grand plot, but simply different paths. Too much? Thoughts? Do you have any more paths that could be explored? Other Professions? Regardless if it would be too much for P:E, could it serve as inspirational material? Please, share your ideas for different types of "Fantasy" professions. Perhaps a "Monster Hunter" could be an actual profession, and at the top of it's "quest tree" you become a "Dragon Slayer" or as some would like it "Mythical Creature Slayer".

* 1st Should Economy cost more on higher difficulty? In Baldur's Gate (once upon a time) I played one game with "Tactical Settings". It made Bandit Raids more rough and more difficult, but more important for this thread, it made the Iron Crisis real. Items broke more often (due to the Iron Crisis), and due to the Iron Shortage all of the "iron" items cost a ton more (and breaking way easier). I think a Short Sword cost around 100~ gold or something similar, whilst on an original vanilla game it goes for something like 10-15 gold. * 2nd Adventurer's Hall also included? This question is regarding the Adventurer's Hall specifically because I am curious to know what people think about companions costing gold from the Adventurer's Hall. If this is the case "Companions for Hire" that is, would they cost even more on... let's say Hardcore? Could you perhaps even be able to "Shut off" the Adventurer's Hall on Hardcore? (In essence: Not being able to hire companions for Hardcore difficulty). * 3rd Adventurer's Hall "Off" on Hardcore? This question is related to the Adventurer's Hall & Hardcore difficulty, or as an option regardless of difficulty. Excluding yourself from the possibility to hire "extras", making the game more difficult naturally and automatically (handicapping yourself, basically). I personally think that if you can turn it "Off" it'd be way more difficult. However, you could just not use it if you don't want to use it, but locking yourself out from it entirely also removes any thoughts of "Backup plans". Without the Adventurers Hall occupying the sub-conscious of the back of your head, it being "Closed" would and should cause even more carefulness in progression of the story. * 4th Why should Economy be affected by higher difficulty? In my opinion, it adds immersion and realism. At least it did for me with BG with Tactics Mods. Finally, this is a lot on "Hardcore", how could it work on easier modes? Is the Adventurers Hall "Free to Hire" on Casual mode?

Basically: High Profile (High Reputation) versus Low Profile (Low Reputation) How many chases after you as a "High Profile" character, how many wants autographs? How much ego stroking? Quests that you wouldn't find before? (Some old man trusting the White Knight wherein he doesn't trust the random Low Profile character). How many assassins go after you? How many who would've attacked you on one playthrough just don't because you have a high enough reputation, how many wants to challenge out of honor? As a "Low Profile" character, does that necessarily mean that you are a Rogue/Stealth/Non-Lethalist? No I don't think so. It just implies you don't leave any witnesses of your passing and are very adept at covering up your tracks. Might not get as many assassins after him, but could end up in fights where a "High Reputation" character does not. How does Reputation affect the game, on low's and high's? Is Mid-Reputation important? Does a Low Profile open up more possibility for more suburb Quests, thieves guild or whatnot, but locks out from some High Profile quests? Vice versa. Hugs, have a great day

So does the game end or can we continue to treck on in the world? This could go in the category of "Narrative Second Wind" but wanted its own topic. What I am suggesting is that the main characters role is rather slim and it is the party's role that is overcome objects. Not only does this add more intensity to a solo play, but I think it might create some pretty interesting plots. And hey, if you die with your character on a solo play that's pretty much that anyways. Basically, your main character dies, and you can continue the game with the party that you have (No Gameover). With the Adventurer's Hall, some might say "That's abuseable!" but if hiring companions at the Hall actually costs gold (and more gold for higher levels) you wouldn't be able to do it over and over and over again (too much). Story-wise, one player loses his main character early game, another mid-game and someone late-game. Most people probably don't. But for those who enjoy experiencing a story (in a game) it could be a twist to the player story and adds for lots of replayability. This would mean that other party members could act as the "Front figure". Taking over the "Choice" mechanic basically. However, if one of your characters has a high reputation and dies your average party reputation should lessen (which is another question) Individual reputation? E.g., Forton has 4 Reputation, Cadegund has 3 Reputation, some Party Math Stuff makes some average rounded down to 3 Party Reputation.

Could the Player take the "Quest" in a completely new direction by the actions he/she is taking? Say, there is a Side-Quest to banish a Demon, but instead you release him and becomes his master. Now this wasn't just some "Hey Demon become my summon!" but an actual "Doomsday Demon" making it even more threatening than the task previous task at hand, and he's on your leash Could the player produce some "doom events" themselves? Basically, instead of facing Sarevok, the Bhaalspawn goes off elsewhere on a "X" choice. Choosing to face other player triggered events that is way more a problem than Sarevok. Or stumbling into some dark deep place and accidentally summon Cthulhu (in a side-quest). Sarevok is just an ant in a much larger scheme after all... no? Basically, can the Player kind of become the "threat" narratively?

I've had some thoughts on experience (most of it gathered up in my wall of text in my signature though) and how I view experience. I am slightly concerned about P:E (as thus far revealed) being tied to Objective Based experience. I like it a lot, but I'm also scratching my head about it; "Are there more ways to improve it?". Now I don't realize to what extent this is going to be implemented and "How", merely just discussing and sharing some thoughts on what I see could be an issue.. to the point: Being rewarded after getting from point A to point G. I experience a lot during the journey between A and G (B, C, D, E, F), but I will only be rewarded at G, when I have fully completed the objective. Which to me feels more like a "temp-work" kind of dealio. I contracted this job and I will only be paid at the end of it. That is what concerns me. My character going through the dungeon, facing enemies, solving mysteries and riddles, finding books, items and equipment making my character slightly stronger, but won't level up until I have finished the dungeon and returned to the surface. I view the "Objective/Quest Experience" as "Character/Player Experience", or even "Spiritual Experience". Life Experience. Insight Experience and so on. I would like to see the Character Experience and the Combat Experience differ, being two different experience tables. What your character does in the world, in terms of quests and objectives, makes your character grow in knowledge, in reputation (how the world sees you), in insight, understanding of the world, exploration and so on. Your character becomes more devoted into their Class, their way of life, as they explore the world. All "Character Experience". It doesn't define any "Physical Aspects" but only the "Mental Aspects". Knowing in theory how to swing a sword will make it easier for you to understand how to swing a sword, but will you swing a sword better because of it if you've never swung a sword before? No. You're going to be a noob like everyone else, you might be a better noob or a worse noob, the point is that you are still going to be a noob with that sword. You might learn faster, or you might learn slower depending on pre-knowledge and research. The concern I have is exactly that, with a Quest based Experience system the issue could become that my character is suddenly a Master Swordsman, regardless of Class. "Poof" like a magical smoke out of nowhere. Drawing a parallel to Baldur's Gate: Baldur's Gate has both, that both defines Character Experience and Combat Experience. It is one pool. What I am suggesting is splitting up the character in 2, but keep the way experience is gained like the IE games. BG: Quest+Combat = Leveling up 1 Experience Pool. The proposal/Suggestion: Quest = Levels up the Character/Class Combat = Levels up Combat skills -------------- Conceptual (Numbers are conceptual as well): In the IE games you take down an enemy to get 15 Experience. Your character has now 15/1000 experience to level up. As proposed, you'd still be at 0/500 experience to level up your character, but have 15/500 on combat aspects. Experience Graph IE: 15/1000 Experience Proposal: 15/500 Combat Exp 0/500 Character Exp P:E (as far I know it): N/A Combat Exp -------------- Likewise, in the IE games, finishing a Quest in those games you get perhaps 450 Experience, adding up with the pool of defeating monsters you would be at 465/1000 Experience to level, whilst as proposed you would have 450/500 experience to level up your Class, and 15/500 experience to level up your weapon. Experience Graph IE: 465/1000 Experience Proposal: 15/500 Combat Exp 450/500 Character Exp P:E (as far as I know it) N/A Combat Exp 450/1000 -------------- Perhaps the level of the Character could decide (accordingly) how fast your Combat experience grows. If you have a Level 4 Sword Experience and a Level 8 Fighter, but you want to play with a Mace instead (and it's level 1), the Mace could grow at x2-x3 times experience up to a certain point (so that Bandit that gave 15 experience is instead giving 30-45 experience). Just to make you be able to catch up with another weapon and specialize in more than one combat aspect. How does this balance the game? More importantly, how does this balance the classes? Your Rogue can be a level 5 Rogue, with specialized Combat making your Rogue a more adept sneaky bastard or a straight out close-combat martial artist. It could even make your level 5 Rogue an Adept in Magic, a Rogzard (Rogue/Wizard). Your Fighter would become a level 5 Fighter, but not at all specialized in close combat, or just so. Perhaps being an excellent tank, or a weak magical buffer. Or heck, even your level 5 Fighter is a Fighter but roleplayingly he could be seen as a Level 5 Paladin Trainee (due to his combat prowess and direction you chose to upgrade/level him).

Hi! Got this thought in another thread, first of all, what is "Second Wind"? -----------A------------- In Borderlands and Guild Wars 2 this is a feature you can use to "get back in the field", basically it is you fighting with your dying breathe to get back into the game. It makes no sense really because: A, I lost all of my health, yet I can still fight B, When I kill an enemy in this mode, I get "Second Wind" and can return to the battlefield (with a portion of health returned) C, If you fail to kill enemy during the time period you get "Game Over"/"Respawn". D, It is super fun and great design (in other words, it doesn't matter in these action games if it makes sense or not) -----------B------------- As P:E isn't action based like GW2 or Borderlands, and with 6 party members, a "Second Wind" feature gets difficult to "implement". Instead, P:E would benefit from what I like to call a "Narrative Second Wind". What does this mean? A, You entire party got knocked out unconscious by a group of Ogres B, You wake up in another screen, you are in a pot and you are about to get cooked C, Charm your way out of it to escape, or you get "Game Over". D, In a game like P:E, with more depth attached to it, sense would have to play its part more than in an action game. E, With a Narrative approach there are more ways to play with it, sent to Jail, stripped off all of your gear, you become a slave on a boat/camp/mansion, there's no end to the possibilities to what kind of "consequences" failing a Fight could get you thanks to being "Narrative". Perhaps you wake up on the shores of Dyrwood, with a narrative texts saying "You woke up at the bottom of the ocean". Etc. etc. ------------------------ Personally I would like the B approach, but for some encounters (not every single encounter) but in some fights there is some sort of "Second Wind", an ability to win a fight after loosing the fight. Which is pretty much what the concept of Borderlands and Guild Wars 2 is going for (You won the fight whilst going down, never surrender! Which can be pretty epic). Thoughs?

The Event happened, you've finished the prologue, you're in an open world. In Baldur's Gate you could go straight to Nashkel, or go to the Friendly Arms Inn (or explore the world as you saw fit). Nashkel and the Friendly Arms would still have been there for you. What if you had a 3rd path you could've taken, which would be "Your" path (the Characters path, the story/main-story) and you can explore Nashkel, help out with the mines, if you wanted to. What if the entire story with Sarevok could've been a side-quest and you, the character, has a bigger purpose than that. Back to the first sentence, how would you want to embrace the world? "Go to point A" or point "B"? Or would this mark the moment where you can go anywhere and integrate with the world? Could you battle the Factions, or join one of them as an infantry man? Kingdom of Amalur felt to me as if it had something like this, but I got confused and lost in all the side-quests so I didn't even know what was the main story anymore. What is important for the story to be consistent and not.. confusing? The same thing happened to me in Fallout: New Vegas and Fallout 3. Though in Fallout 3 (when I started to follow the main story) I enjoyed it much much more (never tried that for Fallout: New Vegas). Star Wars The Old Republic as well. When does too many side-quests become too many side-quests? In SWTOR I found it was way too many important NPC's in one location, and finishing one quest for them gave you 3 more, that led to some other place that had 3 more NPC's with 3 more quests each. The Lost Forest of the Side-Quest Tree is a difficult one, and one way to handle it (in my opinion) is to not have too many Quest givers send you off to another City where there is more NPC's waiting for you, but specifically sending you off to the Firewine Bridge, or one sends you off to Shandalar's Ice Island. Some might ask you to go to Beregost and clean out their spider infested home (which leads to more Quests in Beregost, though those quests in Beregost felt like West/North/East/South quests that you led you all directions and you could pick and choose which way you wanted to go, in a good way). Baldur's Gate had a real nice pacing on quests, and I never felt that I was lost from the "cause", what I was doing in the world or what the purpose was. It was always clear to me that Nashkel was the way to go too (and that it would give me more resolution if I did so. The Black Knight was always the clear path and it was known from the very beginning). Unlockable areas are important as well. I get to Chapter 2 and a new area is available (Not perhaps right off the bat on second one of Chapter 2 but one area that I couldn't access before I can now by talking to some weird NPC that has either spawned or didn't tell me before). It is important that the Main Quest isn't sent in the Fog ("What is the purpose??") or into the Forest ("So many trees!!!") but most importantly that it never is Shadowed ("This Main Quest SUCKS! That Side-Quest before felt like the End Times of Chaos and I just owned the **** of that!!!"). There needs to be a clear threat to the Character/Player consistently throughout the game, mysterious to a start and confusing to a start (We are unraveling the plot as we go along after all, I did not realize Koveras was who he was until it was told to me and it gave me an "Oh **** I'm stupid" expression added with a touch of admiration and defeat towards the Developers/DM "Most intelligent ho ho most intelligent" *slow clapping*). I want to believe that one guy is the enemy but really another one is, in Baldur's Gate it was pretty much a given right off the bat who I was facing. What if it had been revealed after I beat Sarevok that someone else was? Oh right, Irenicus. But those are 2 games (put together: 1 big game). I want to be fooled but I also want to see through it, could I ignore the dummy Sarevok and head for Irenicus instantly if I can unravel it on my own on a side-path? Perhaps one of the Companions in my party (depending on who I got) alerts me and tells me "We are being led the wrong way" or something, and I can ignore the Mid-Boss pretending to be Final Boss and head straight for the Purpose (by solving clues and taking a different approach/path) <- This could work well for a Non-Lethal approach, I don't want to fight too much and I want to be more stealthy/scholarly/intelligent. EDIT: Maybe even taking the other path towards the Final Boss makes the Mid-Boss grow and he becomes a different type of threat (Saruman, Silmarion, which I haven't read but I have researched it slightly). Thoughts?

Omg, single best feature I've heard so far. I mean the whole game in general sounds great but I've always loved the concept of owning a home in game. Even as far back as Baldur's Gate and Diablo 2 I day dreamed about having a home in game to go to. I just hope there is more variety and more features to the player house than there was in Fallout 3. I'm really hoping that they make the 2 million mark, lack of a player house would be very sad. Preferably I'd like as much home customization as they give in The Sims 3, but I've been saying for years all games should incorporate the features of the sims. Homes, marriage, jobs (in this case maybe a bounty board for monster hunting, or catching a thief, or something), reproduction, food and sleep needs, that sort of thing. A lot of games already have features like this here and there but not all in one place, besides the sims, but the sims isn't as great as a game like this.

What information is available on this? For some reason ive seen little discussion on the topic. Can we expect sliders, portraits or a choice of premade faces and minimal alterations? If there's one thing modern rpgs have done right, it must be the ways we can customize our characters appearance, deepening the immersion and personalization of the game. If i missed any obvious choices, do tell.