Update #6: Choosing the Best Tool for the Job [Linux Confirmed]

[The Guildmaster]

At Obsidian, we have always tried to choose the engine and toolset most suited to the game we are making. When making a sequel to an existing game, we use the engine from the original game so that we don’t waste time recreating the inner workings and gameplay behavior in a new engine before we can even start developing new content. When creating a new game from scratch, we evaluate the options available to us and choose the one we think fits best. In the case of Project Eternity, we feel the best fit is Unity.

 

Unity enables small teams to be very productive. Unity has an amazing development environment that makes it very easy for programmers, artists and designers to work together to build great games. In a very short time we have already made great progress prototyping some of the core functionality for Project Eternity.

 

We do intend to use some of our in-house tools in conjunction with Unity where it makes sense, such as in the case of creating conversations and editing some of the RPG-specific game data. Unity makes it very easy to extend not only the game engine but the development tools as well, and we feel integrating some of the tools that have already proven effective on previous Obsidian games will get us off to a great start on the development of Project Eternity.

 

Unity also supports a wide range of target platforms. We knew that a likely request from the community was going to be support for Mac and Linux versions of the game, and we wanted to make sure we were in the best position to do that. While we could have ported Onyx, our internal engine technology, to those platforms, the time and effort required to do so would reduce the budget we have to make the game and result in less of the awesome gameplay and content our fans desire. Mac and Linux will still require time and effort from us to test, maintain and support but Unity gets us most of the way there. In fact, our experience with Unity so far has made us confident enough that we have decided to remove Linux support from the stretch goals and just commit to providing a Linux version right here and now! Of course, we can’t take something away from our stretch goals without putting something else in its place, so what is that going to be?

 

The $2.2 million stretch goal will still include a new Region, a new Faction, a new Companion and all the hours of additional gameplay, quests, NPCs and items that go along with those things. But we’ve also got something new coming to this stretch goal, and it’s big enough that it’s deserving of its own update to talk about it! So tune in this coming Monday, September 24th where we will reveal our new stretch goals, unveil a fun new tracker for them, and announce our schedule of guest stars for the week!

 

Thank you for supporting Obsidian and Project Eternity!

 

Chris Jones

CTO, Obsidian

[aegishield]

Great choice going with Unity! I wonder if my idea of teaming up with Inxile to reuse some of the Wasteland 2 code will now become reality...

[Klaleara]

Quite a few people angry about the use of Unity. I'm no programmer, so I have no real opinion. I just hope you guys made the right choice, and make it BA, no matter how many might hate on your decision.

 

NOTE: I hope the new Stretch Goal is Player Fortress, instead of "house".

[Sensuki]

Well they did say they were going with their own rendering method. So hopefully no cartoony graphics ala all other unity games I've seen.

[Pidesco]

Unity with 2D backgrounds. Is that usually done?

[semu]

Great to hear. Could someone give a quick overview of Unity's pros and cons?

[Lysen]

And I was hoping they will use a modified Onyx Engine, because DS3 looked really great. Still, I am no programmer and it was probably the best choice.

[LordCrash]

I'm confident that Obsidian will create an epic game whatever engine or tools they use for development.

 

But great news indeed. I've seen the Unity 2012 video and there are some decent games with that engine. But please create something in the direction of "Anna" which means more moody and atmospheric and less colourful and comic-like graphics.

Edited September 21, 2012 by LordCrash

[havok45]

Can't wait to see what it is going to look like.

[adamsorkin]

Well, the list of Unity games published at their site (linked in the update) doesn't exactly inspire confidence for isometric RPG, but I guess I'm willing to trust that they Obsidian knows their business much better than I do.

 

I guess I'll feel better with some kind of tech demo.

[generic.hybridity]

Cool! I wonder how close Wasteland 2 and Project Eternity will be technically given the two studios have a working relationship. Mayhap we'll see a robo scorpion easter egg somewhere in Project Eternity?

[ekster]

Thank you! That's great news and an awesome choice with Linux!

[Humodour]

Thanks for the Linux support!

[dlux]

Yup, Unity. I am not surprised by this at all. ^^

[tox1c5lug]

Seems like a very good engine

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hucBB7mlv0Y

[Hornet85]

I think it should be titled confirmed support for Linux. Had to read till the final paragraph and I hope the Linux fans out there would be aware of it too.

 

Now is the time to promote the game to all Linux fans out there, let them know that yes, it is happening.

[Merin]

Sounds like several good choices, and Obsidian continues to hit it out of the park with their Kickstarter. Once we get the "fun new tracker" going I'm hoping to see an increase in rate of pledges.

 

Here's hoping inXile and Obsidian, since they are both using Unity and both using Chris Avellone, can share assets to make both games even better!

[IEfan]

You know, Obsidian only needs to eventually post a picture of what non-cartoony stuff they can achieve with Unity and besides shutting up Unity-naysayers, would probably induce a lot of pledges. The nerd-outrage is kinda hilarious. But it's up to them if they want to post any kind of pictures or videos at all (cough wasteland 2 cough).

 

I mean yeah I too am expecting the more realistic graphics of BG/IWD than the more cartoony ones we've seen in RPG's as of late. But I thought it was kinda obvious that's the style Obsidian will do considering it's oldschool-IE games.

 

Also awesome update & can't wait till Monday. My friend probably pledges now since he has linux.

Edited September 21, 2012 by IEfan

[Kopi]

Thank you for Linux support!

 

I think unity is a good choice, but will you be able to improve the particle system in unity? Is it possible to make crispy clean particle effects rather than washed out stuff I've seen so far from unity games?

[Eccehobo]

Since the WiiU is going to support Unity, does this mean we could see Project Eternity on that device?

[Hornet85]

I'm not sure why people attribute cartoon-ish Team Fortress 2 esque graphics to a game engine, because surely those depends on the artist who are using the engine no?

 

Team Fortress 2 runs on the same engine as Half Life 2 and Left 4 Dead, and they look nothing alike.

Edited September 21, 2012 by Hornet85

[Kaldurenik]

Im sceptical... I have not played a smooth and good game using the unity engine. Ofc that dont mean that the engine is bad just that devs might not have been very good. But still... Im sceptical until i see some kind of proof / concept art on how it will look and play.

 

I'm not sure why people attribute cartoon-ish Team Fortress 2 esque graphics to a game engine, because surely those depends on the artist who are using the engine no?

yes it depends on the devs themself.

Edited September 21, 2012 by Kaldurenik

[sesobebo]

w0ot?! linux in?!

 

linux gamers, time to step up!

[IEfan]

I'm not sure why people attribute cartoon-ish Team Fortress 2 esque graphics to a game engine, because surely those depends on the artist who are using the engine no?

 

Team Fortress 2 runs on the same engine as Half Life 2 and Left 4 Dead, and they look nothing alike.

They're comparing this to Wasteland 2 graphics, which in that beta-video had that overbloomed, over-coloured 3d graphics as of late (well, exaggarated animation too). Not overly cartoonic as in Borderlands but u no, like flirtin' there? U get me bro? : ^ B Some of them bring up indie games, no doubt, which is hilarious in it's logic like I said.

Edited September 21, 2012 by IEfan

[Karranthain]

I don't know much about engines, but aren't graphics basically a completely seperate matter? I.e. engine doesn't directly dictate the graphics style.