Deities and Divine Intervention in Project Eternity

[Crusty]

I remember a post here wondering if a system similar to the Saints System in Darklands could be implemented in Project Eternity. Loved the idea so much, I felt it deserved it's own thread.

 

To clarify, in the cRPG Darklands, there existed a mechanic in which it was possible for characters to learn about, and pray to, certain Saints for help and intervention. Each individual Saint (if successfully prayed to) would grant the character unique (temporary) bonuses to skills, or attributes, or anything, really. Many of these Saints also could be called upon on specific occasions wherein receiving their aid not also granted the PC bonuses, but allowed the party to advance in the game's CYOA sections successfully in the same way a skill check would advance dialog in the player's favour.

 

i.e Calling on a Saint when being pursued by the City Guard in the middle of the night. A flashing light blinds the Guards, allowing the party to escape without incident.

 

To that end, there were skills (Virtue and Religion) that determined the success of prayer and an extra resource (Divine Favour) which would be spent on each prayer attempt. The amount spent was adjustable by the player, giving them more control and opportunity to plan around it. The greater the DF spent, the greater the chance for success. DF could possibly be rejuvinated by going to Mass, Confession or by spending money on donations/tithing, but it was a resource that could not simply be recharged when galavanting around the countryside by chugging down a potion.

 

---

 

Now here's my question. Would a mechanic similar in nature be a good fit for Project Eternity? Would it be fun?

 

I'm not necessarily speaking of a direct copy paste, but the idea of Deities (whether they be real or fake ones) in the setting as taking a direct hand in the events of mortals would be an interesting angle, not just story wise, but in terms of gameplay too.

 

Perhaps you could link the mechanic to that of your soul. Exchanging Divine Favours and temporary boosts in power for pieces of your soul (which may affect you stats and story wise over the long term). Or something.

 

Yes? No? Ideas or suggestions to add?

Edited September 28, 2012 by Crusty

[nikolokolus]

Based on this line in the pitch video, "If the gods won't answer it's for us to decide," I'm not so sure this is going to dovetail with the world they have in mind.

[metiman]

I prefer more significant gameplay effects than just temporary stat bonuses. That seems to trivialize the whole god/diety thing. I like the idea that the gods are dangerous. That contacting one is something to be taken very very seriously and maybe a sacrifice or semi-secret ritual is necessary. I like the Lady of Pain model. A god/diety is someone to be feared.

[Anaeme]

I agree completely with Metiman Above

 

Temporary stat increases trivialize the influence of deities. You might as well drink a potion.

 

A deity should provide permanent perks associated with its worship and devotion.

 

I would like to see the mechanic where certain achievements can enable mortals transcend the limitations of the world and become deities.

 

I would love to see the world with the eyes of a deity. It will be a revolutionary experience for players if a developer can imagine it and implement it properly

[Cthulhu0316]

I like the idea of divine intervention...but I dont like it just "given" to me because I drank something or hit a deity totem...and since most deities are in conflict with on another (a-la Greek Gods), if I align myself with one maybe another one down the road won't like me so much due to my affiliation...or factions may like me more or less due to my affiliation with said deity.

[Caerdon]

To be honest I'm not too thrilled about the idea of deities having a significant role in the game. A fantasy RPG without any gods or godlike beings whatsoever would be pretty refreshing right now.

 

I have faith in Obsidian, though - even if not in any deity.

[TrashMan]

Why should a diety give a permanent boost?

 

When you read in mythological refferences of divine intervention, ti was usually one-time deals.

[licketysplit]

I hate the idea of deities to begin with, let alone them meddling in the game.

[nikolokolus]

Personally I'd favor some really capricious and/or indifferent dieties. Make getting their attention a little harrowing and dangerous.

[Tuco Benedicto]

Darklands has by far the most interesting system for "clerical magic" that I can remember of. Nothing comes even close.

It's also one of my all time favorite games.

 

That said, I'm not sure that system could fit this kind of game. But of course you wouldn't hear complaints from me if they try.

 

P.S. roughly half of of the repies in this thread clearly didn't understand how the system actually worked.

You are nitpicking over just one example over dozens that he could give you, guys.

 

 

Why should a diety give a permanent boost?

Who said anything about them being *permanent*? They weren't.

Beside "stat boosts" were just one possible outcome out of hundreds. You were able to pray a Saint to drive away a pack of wolves hunting your party, to exorcise a cursed altar, to give you divine inspiration about something, and so on.

Edited September 28, 2012 by Tuco Benedicto

[Foefaller]

Based on this line in the pitch video, "If the gods won't answer it's for us to decide," I'm not so sure this is going to dovetail with the world they have in mind.

 

I think that has more to do with the nature of souls in the setting (which one of the updates specificly mention as being the one Big Question the gods have gone out of thier way to obfuscate/hide the answer for) rather than thier willingness or unwillingess to involve themselves in mortal affairs.

 

...Which seems to me is very willing, based on the fact that "meddling" has been the most commonly used adj. to describe them in the updates. In fact, the use of "meddling," along with thier efforts to hide the nature of souls, also makes it sounds like thier less of a "worship me and good things will happen," and more of a "venerate me do what I want to make the bad stuff stop happening," group of gods and goddesses, and that your average person does *not* want to call undue divine attention upon themselves without thinking long and hard of what kind of trouble it will get themselves into.

Edited September 28, 2012 by Foefaller

[rjshae]

Following up the souls concept that is central to this setting, what if the divine intervention took the form of granting you temporarily access to ancestral memories and abilities? Depending on what you did in a particular former life, you gain a set of associated skills, powers, or whatever. Perhaps these powers are even revealed to you through a divine vision?

[Troller]

Nice idea man, I would love to see such a complex element in the game, hopefully we will have something similar to this, instead of what many shallow things like multiplayer and romances, that people are asking all the time for.

[Wombat]

Darklands is set in real world setting and, by design, these "miracles" appear to somewhat look like coincidences to our eyes. I'd like to see such RPG but, in the world of PE, magic seems to have much more obvious effects. Also, considering D&D audiences who are accustomed to fireball and meteor strike, it's quite possible that magic can be implemented in such a showy way.

 

Personally, I'd like the designers to optimize the setting/game-play for mature audiences but some D&D traditions may not be avoidable. As of the game-play difficulty levels, some number adjustment could be enough but, it would be harder to make the content enjoyable for both mature and those who feel nostalgic about D&D games.

 

At the moment, we can only trust the words by Tim Cain below.

gamrReview with Tim Cain

We want to explore deeper issues like what happens when cultures clash, when ideologies are questioned, or when individuals have their rights trampled. We want the player to tread into the murky grey areas between black and white, and we want them to have to make decisions that will affect their characters, and maybe the player will think about some of these issues in their real lives.