Worldbuilding

[KindCollusion]

So in my last post I complained about how badly the characters, namely Pallagina and Xoti, were written. To balance things out i wanted to complement this game on its worldbuilding. The factions and cultures are extremely well drawn. I have trouble deciding whose vision to side with. It all seems very realistic and there is very little if any bias weaved into the narrative. Brandon Sanderson once said something to the effect of 'there are two kinds of writers, worldbuilders and character writers. I think Obsidian must just do a better job at he worldbuilding. There are noble natives with backward traditions; a monarchy with good vision but strong feelings of entitlement and ethnocentrism; there is even a republic run by business interests with a reckless bend toward science. All well conceived, and made to make the audience think, yet still relevant to current philosophical discourses. I havent finished the game yet but I am very impressed with this aspect of the game so far.

[Taevyr]

While i agree that Obsidian built a really good, believable world in Deadfire, I wouldn't say they should focus on one aspect over the other. There's a reason a company like theirs hires various narrative designers: some will inevitably be better at one aspect than the other, and I wouldn't call characters like Tekehu or the faction leaders shallow. Hell, the "shallowness" of the gods only serves to strengthen the idea of them being personified ideals, which is a good thing in my book. I'd hazard to say good narrative design means knowing which writer does what best, and trying to work with that as much as possible; however, as they're a company on a deadline (moneyline?), this won't be possible most of the time.

 

I'd also wait until they've taken a good look at the relation system, and the stock reactions they used for it. It's really "hit-or-miss' the way it works now: i.e. Xoti would definitely approve highly of properly burying some dawnstars, but she probably wouldn't laugh her ass off. Not to mention "Jokes make everyone like you" except Aloth.

 

As for your examples: I haven't used Pallegina much myself, but she did seem somewhat ruined compared to her PoE1 characterisation. Xoti seemed like a badly executed Leliana expy: not necessarily a bad character, but she could've been more.

 

 Brandon Sanderson once said something to the effect of 'there are two kinds of writers, worldbuilders and character writers.

 

If this is true, what devil did he deal with to be good at both? CAN I DEAL WITH IT AS WELL?!

Edited June 14, 2018 by Taevyr

[InsaneCommander]

 Brandon Sanderson once said something to the effect of 'there are two kinds of writers, worldbuilders and character writers.

 

If this is true, what devil did he deal with to be good at both? CAN I DEAL WITH IT AS WELL?!

 

You guys talking about Brandon Sanderson made me think: do they have Highstorms in Rauatai?

[Taevyr]

 

 Brandon Sanderson once said something to the effect of 'there are two kinds of writers, worldbuilders and character writers.

 

If this is true, what devil did he deal with to be good at both? CAN I DEAL WITH IT AS WELL?!

 

You guys talking about Brandon Sanderson made me think: do they have Highstorms in Rauatai?

 

Does that mean Ukaizo's a conduit for Stormlight between the cognitive and physical realm? Is animancy the study of Investiture? THERE'RE SO MANY POSSIBILITIES HERE!

 

also, inb4 the gods turn out to be some weird shard offshoot

Edited June 15, 2018 by Taevyr

[InsaneCommander]

 

 

 Brandon Sanderson once said something to the effect of 'there are two kinds of writers, worldbuilders and character writers.

 

If this is true, what devil did he deal with to be good at both? CAN I DEAL WITH IT AS WELL?!

 

You guys talking about Brandon Sanderson made me think: do they have Highstorms in Rauatai?

 

Does that mean Ukaizo's a conduit for Stormlight between the cognitive and physical realm? Is animancy the study of Investiture? THERE'RE SO MANY POSSIBILITIES HERE!

 

also, inb4 the gods turn out to be some weird shard offshoot

 

 

Or a Shard comes to show what a "real god" looks like.

[KindCollusion]

While i agree that Obsidian built a really good, believable world in Deadfire, I wouldn't say they should focus on one aspect over the other. There's a reason a company like theirs hires various narrative designers: some will inevitably be better at one aspect than the other, and I wouldn't call characters like Tekehu or the faction leaders shallow. Hell, the "shallowness" of the gods only serves to strengthen the idea of them being personified ideals, which is a good thing in my book. I'd hazard to say good narrative design means knowing which writer does what best, and trying to work with that as much as possible; however, as they're a company on a deadline (moneyline?), this won't be possible most of the time.

 

I'd also wait until they've taken a good look at the relation system, and the stock reactions they used for it. It's really "hit-or-miss' the way it works now: i.e. Xoti would definitely approve highly of properly burying some dawnstars, but she probably wouldn't laugh her ass off. Not to mention "Jokes make everyone like you" except Aloth.

 

As for your examples: I haven't used Pallegina much myself, but she did seem somewhat ruined compared to her PoE1 characterisation. Xoti seemed like a badly executed Leliana expy: not necessarily a bad character, but she could've been more.

 

 Brandon Sanderson once said something to the effect of 'there are two kinds of writers, worldbuilders and character writers.

 

If this is true, what devil did he deal with to be good at both? CAN I DEAL WITH IT AS WELL?!

Lol Sanderson says he can do both but i really feel like he is more of a worldbuilder himself

[KindCollusion]

 

 

 

 Brandon Sanderson once said something to the effect of 'there are two kinds of writers, worldbuilders and character writers.

 

If this is true, what devil did he deal with to be good at both? CAN I DEAL WITH IT AS WELL?!

 

You guys talking about Brandon Sanderson made me think: do they have Highstorms in Rauatai?

 

Does that mean Ukaizo's a conduit for Stormlight between the cognitive and physical realm? Is animancy the study of Investiture? THERE'RE SO MANY POSSIBILITIES HERE!

 

also, inb4 the gods turn out to be some weird shard offshoot

 

 

Or a Shard comes to show what a "real god" looks like.

 

huh lolol i hadn't thought of that