Jump to content

Update #22: Q&A with Tim, Cooking?, and Avellone Trolls You!


Recommended Posts

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!

 

12cee203d8e1fca4f48117444e5e9d87_large.jpg

 

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.

 

637d99d3f9a5210af70c1290ac3e1a0b_large.jpg

 

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

  • Like 5

Follow me on twitter - @adam_brennecke

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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:

2je4d9w.jpg

  • Like 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

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. :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

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

How do you find that Easter egg in BG? Played it thru twice and never saw it...

Recipe makes me drool :alienani:

 

 

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 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

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 by Darth Trethon

1zq6793.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

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

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

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 by C2B
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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...

  • Like 1

Azarhal, Chanter and Keeper of Truth of the Obsidian Order of Eternity.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...