Adam Brennecke Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbyFqrEYSFw Tim's Q&A This week's Q&A is a little different. I spent some time reading the questions that people were asking in various Project Eternity forums, including our Kickstarter comments, our Project Eternity Facebook page, the RPG Codex forums, the reddit Project Eternity group, and our own Obsidian forums. I have picked five questions to answer, one from each of these forums, and I have answered them below. For each question, I have included the forum poster who asked it, along with his original question text. Let's start with Facebook. Facebook Ockert van der Westhuysen asks... Will back for psionics. Any hope? I think you might find our cipher class to your liking, since their method of using "magic" is quite different from wizards and clerics and is instead tied to mental abilities. They feel a lot more like psionic abilities from earlier D&D editions. You can read more about the cipher class in Josh's update #15, which you can read here: http://www.kickstart...ty/posts/321413 RPGCodex Wise Emperor asks Is there any confirmation that Eric Fenstermaker will be involved in PE? Obviously it would be cool if yes. Eric is currently working on another project at Obsidian, but there is a good chance he will move over to Project Eternity when that first project is completed. Until the Kickstarter campaign is over and we know the full scope of the game, the assignment of particular people to it will not be completed. Obsidian forums rjshae asks... Back in the BG series, experience growth was relatively slow and it felt like an accomplishment to reach a new level. Since then, D&D v3.5 rules came out and level up began to feel almost like a cheesy accomplishment that didn't require much effort. That has become the trend in modern games: leveling up after every few battles. I have to wonder how this will be handled in PE? It sounds like Obsidian wants to return to the style of the BG series, which would seems to entail a return to slower level progress. If they do allow a more rapid level up, I hope they tone down the power growth rate so that lower level monsters remain a challenge for longer periods. We are working hard to make Project Eternity revive the spirit of the older IE games, and this includes making leveling up an important accomplishment, one that makes your character feel substantially more powerful afterward. I agree that frequent level-ups make the event feel less special, so we plan to space out these events over the course of our storyline. The first few level-ups will occur relatively early in the game, but the pacing of the subsequent level-ups will be much slower. For people who enjoy level-ups, they are free to use our Adventurer's Hall to swap out new companions frequently, so they are always leveling up new characters to use in later parts of the story. For people who aren't sure what character classes they will want to have available in the end game, it's always nice to have the choice of having all of them. Kickstarter Stephen P asks... After seeing this screenshot my anticipation for the game has spiked considerably, but it left me with a few questions. I understand the 2d portrait background concept, but will there be any overlapping animation with the river to make it appear flowing, even if the actual image doesn't move? The same question for the flowers? trees? will wind be simulated somehow? We will certainly be adding animations to our backgrounds. The trees should sway, there will be birds or butterflies or insect clouds, depending on where you are, and the water in rivers and waterfalls will flow. We are using a rendering technique similar to the one we used in Temple of Elemental Evil, where the background is a pre-rendered 2D image and the characters and some props are 3D objects. This gives us the advantage of exquisitely detailed environments without the polygon cost, along with lots of animation without the memory cost that 2D sprites would entail. Reddit Mirokunite asks... Will there be low intelligence/charisma dialog? Yes, we will have these dialogs. They are a great deal of work, since it means writing two versions of every dialog in the game, but I am sure that our wonderful writers are up to it. I really want these dialogs too! I find it fun to replay the game with a low intelligence character, just to see how the NPC's react to my slow-witted attempts to help them. And there we have it! Five questions answered from five sites. Again, thanks for your support of Obsidian and Project Eternity. There are just a few days left before the Kickstarter campaign is over and we enter full production of this game, and we are all very excited about the prospect of working on a classic CRPG again! RPG Eats! Do you like to eat? Do you like RPGs? I am going to give out my favorite RPG themed recipes to all of our backers! The Project Eternity Cooking with Tim Recipe Book will contain 10 delicious recipes in PDF format. Enjoy the good eats while you play Project Eternity when it's released! Troll Portraits by Chris Avellone Chris Avellone has graciously volunteered to draw a custom troll portrait for you to help raise additional funding towards our last stretch goal target of $3.5m for Big City #2. Chris will number and sign the portrait, write a humorous message to you, and a print will be physically and digitally sent to you. This is a limited run of 30 at a $750 tier (includes all the goods in the $500 tier), so get in quickly. If you are above the $750 tier and would like a custom troll by Chris Avellone please contact Obsidian and we will work with you. Adam is currently live streaming all day long today at UStream. Join in on the fun and watch him play Icewind Dale II. We also hit 60,000 backers! Again, one more level to the dungeon is added! Update by Tim Cain 5 Follow me on twitter - @adam_brennecke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C2B Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parhelion13 Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 (edited) Tim you nut. Love it. Edit: one of the funnest parts of this update was watching Adam futz around with it on USTREAM for like 20 minutes : P Edited October 13, 2012 by Parhelion13 So sayeth the wise Alaundo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infinitron Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 lol, the RPG Codex brand is going global. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndiraLightfoot Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Hooray, a cook book with Tim Cain! He does look like chef, doesnät he? And for those with deep pockets, CA's trolls are legendary! Go grab them. Hurry! *** "The words of someone who feels ever more the ent among saplings when playing CRPGs" *** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plasma Jesus Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 I want to do that $750 tier so much, too bad I don't have the money. Great update though, we better soar right past that $3.5 million goal! "Six bullets. More than enough to kill anything that moves." "Simon! Let's see you grit those teeth!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aran665 Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 i need tims shirt Chevalier of the Obsidian Order of Eternity and all around classy dude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ieo Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 RPG Eats! Do you like to eat? Do you like RPGs? I am going to give out my favorite RPG themed recipes to all of our backers! The Project Eternity Cooking with Tim Recipe Book will contain 10 delicious recipes in PDF format. Enjoy the good eats while you play Project Eternity when it's released! One of the best easter eggs in BG: 6 The KS Collector's Edition does not include the Collector's Book. Which game hook brought you to Project Eternity and interests you the most? PE will not have co-op/multiplayer, console, or tablet support (sources): [0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Write your own romance mods because there won't be any in PE. "But what is an evil? Is it like water or like a hedgehog or night or lumpy?" -(Digger) "Most o' you wanderers are but a quarter moon away from lunacy at the best o' times." -Alvanhendar (Baldur's Gate 1) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starwars Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Tim Cain had recipes in Fallout and Arcanum manuals as well (ToEE also maybe?). I made the banana bread in Arcanum once and it was delicious. Awesome to see this tradition continuing! Listen to my home-made recordings (some original songs, some not): http://www.youtube.c...low=grid&view=0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoverdog Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 3 [intelligence] I'm fighting the Good Fight with my posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaesun Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Tim Cain had recipes in Fallout and Arcanum manuals as well (ToEE also maybe?). I made the banana bread in Arcanum once and it was delicious. Awesome to see this tradition continuing! Page 152 of the Temple of Elemental Evil Chocolate Chip Cookies of the Gods. 1 Some of my Youtube Classic Roland MT-32 Video Game Music videos | My Music | My Photography Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorik Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 How do you find that Easter egg in BG? Played it thru twice and never saw it... Recipe makes me drool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wombat Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Mirokunite asks... Will there be low intelligence/charisma dialog? Yes, we will have these dialogs. They are a great deal of work, since it means writing two versions of every dialog in the game, but I am sure that our wonderful writers are up to it. I really want these dialogs too! I find it fun to replay the game with a low intelligence character, just to see how the NPC's react to my slow-witted attempts to help them. Nice. This might end up with PCs following NPCs' lead but, probably, they'll try not to diminish C&C part. I know your writing team is one of the best when it comes to RPG dialogue writing - so, don't let some minor issues get in. Well, now I wonder if I should make a Charsima Boy/Gal for the PC or pick one as an NPC. Thanks for the update! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Aquatic Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 I might be in the minority here, but if Obsidian's going to sink time and money into rewriting the dialogue for low stats, I think a low charisma 'the protagonist's a socially inept doofus' dialogue set in the vein of Fallout New Vegas's speech check failures would probably be better than a Fallout/Arcanum-style idiot dialogue set. Just in terms of, like, possible jokes before it gets stale and all that. I understand that idiot dialogue's traditional and all, but still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyCrimson Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 I want a troll. “Things are as they are. Looking out into the universe at night, we make no comparisons between right and wrong stars, nor between well and badly arranged constellations.” – Alan Watts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ieo Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 (edited) How do you find that Easter egg in BG? Played it thru twice and never saw it... Recipe makes me drool Baldur's Gate 2, asylum. The hint is in the recipe name---that character was also in Baldur's Gate 1: TotSC, and I really loved him for being all crazy. Oh, and you can't get it very easily. Most people don't bother talking to NPCs more than once... Edited October 13, 2012 by Ieo The KS Collector's Edition does not include the Collector's Book. Which game hook brought you to Project Eternity and interests you the most? PE will not have co-op/multiplayer, console, or tablet support (sources): [0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Write your own romance mods because there won't be any in PE. "But what is an evil? Is it like water or like a hedgehog or night or lumpy?" -(Digger) "Most o' you wanderers are but a quarter moon away from lunacy at the best o' times." -Alvanhendar (Baldur's Gate 1) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Trethon Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 (edited) Interesting and rather nice update but short....not much to it really which makes me wonder weather it will be enough to maintain and increase momentum in the final days. I really hope we see the 3.5 mil become reality but I don't know if I should dare rise my hopes here. The cookbook is a neat idea and I may even enjoy reading it....anything more an I might cause an apocalyptic disaster. Let's hope it helps bring in new backers. Also 60k backers means the mega dungeon now has an 8th level.....for that I am happy. Edited October 13, 2012 by Darth Trethon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorik Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Thanks! Think I´ll go start up BG2 again ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran2Chaos Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 I would like a hint of what is in The Project Eternity Cooking with Tim Recipe Book. Wonderfully beef filled stews, a pie or two, give me something. Also is there going to be these foods within the game that the character can eat, maybe a little easter egg of some chef serving these foods? Also like the idiot dialogue but I want to know will there also be low strength dialogue or low endurance like some NPC's look at the player and say they can't trust them because of how weak they look (just an example, maybe high intelligence characters get some dialog options where they stupefy someone who would mock the player if he/she had low intelligence). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirottu Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Obsidian forums rjshae asks... Back in the BG series, experience growth was relatively slow and it felt like an accomplishment to reach a new level. Since then, D&D v3.5 rules came out and level up began to feel almost like a cheesy accomplishment that didn't require much effort. That has become the trend in modern games: leveling up after every few battles. I have to wonder how this will be handled in PE? It sounds like Obsidian wants to return to the style of the BG series, which would seems to entail a return to slower level progress. If they do allow a more rapid level up, I hope they tone down the power growth rate so that lower level monsters remain a challenge for longer periods. We are working hard to make Project Eternity revive the spirit of the older IE games, and this includes making leveling up an important accomplishment, one that makes your character feel substantially more powerful afterward. I agree that frequent level-ups make the event feel less special, so we plan to space out these events over the course of our storyline. The first few level-ups will occur relatively early in the game, but the pacing of the subsequent level-ups will be much slower. For people who enjoy level-ups, they are free to use our Adventurer's Hall to swap out new companions frequently, so they are always leveling up new characters to use in later parts of the story. For people who aren't sure what character classes they will want to have available in the end game, it's always nice to have the choice of having all of them. I actually never finished Baldurs Gate and one of the main reasons was the leveling. It took ages and when it happened, depending on your class, there was a good change you didn't get to choose anything or do anything. Making leveling slower doesn't make it better. When you level up and get to make choices that make a difference and matter, make leveling better. This post is not to be enjoyed, discussed, or referenced on company time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crooked Bee Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 (edited) I want a troll. You can also get a Chris Avellone troll by donating a mere $200 to the RPG Codex's own fundraiser. Edited October 13, 2012 by Crooked Bee 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackCanopus Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 I am sure they are going to have lots of books inside the game (which is great), so it wouldn't hurt to add a modified version of the recipe book to the game, or as an Easter egg. I must add I was a big fan of newspapers in Arcanum too, and I liked them even more than books, mostly because the text inside newspapers is a reflection of the player's actions. Reading about yourself is always a lot more interesting than reading about other people. I suppose they are not going to have newspapers in PE, but one can never stop dreaming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C2B Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 (edited) I am sure they are going to have lots of books inside the game (which is great), so it wouldn't hurt to add a modified version of the recipe book to the game, or as an Easter egg. I must add I was a big fan of newspapers in Arcanum too, and I liked them even more than books, mostly because the text inside newspapers is a reflection of the player's actions. Reading about yourself is always a lot more interesting than reading about other people. I suppose they are not going to have newspapers in PE, but one can never stop dreaming. They have not. The printing press hasn't been invented yet in the world of eternity. Edited October 13, 2012 by C2B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morhilane Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 I am sure they are going to have lots of books inside the game (which is great), so it wouldn't hurt to add a modified version of the recipe book to the game, or as an Easter egg. I must add I was a big fan of newspapers in Arcanum too, and I liked them even more than books, mostly because the text inside newspapers is a reflection of the player's actions. Reading about yourself is always a lot more interesting than reading about other people. I suppose they are not going to have newspapers in PE, but one can never stop dreaming. They have not. The printing press hasn't been invented yet in the world of eternity. Books existed before the printed press was invented. Copies were made by clerks and monks in monasteries. This mean books were very expensive and rare, but it didn't matter because the majority couldn't read anyway... 1 Azarhal, Chanter and Keeper of Truth of the Obsidian Order of Eternity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C2B Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 I am sure they are going to have lots of books inside the game (which is great), so it wouldn't hurt to add a modified version of the recipe book to the game, or as an Easter egg. I must add I was a big fan of newspapers in Arcanum too, and I liked them even more than books, mostly because the text inside newspapers is a reflection of the player's actions. Reading about yourself is always a lot more interesting than reading about other people. I suppose they are not going to have newspapers in PE, but one can never stop dreaming. They have not. The printing press hasn't been invented yet in the world of eternity. Books existed before the printed press was invented. Copies were made by clerks and monks in monasteries. This mean books were very expensive and rare, but it didn't matter because the majority couldn't read anyway... I was talking about newspapers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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