Update #24: Less than 30 Hours to go! Life and Death, and Audio CD Soundtrack!

[Adam Brennecke]

 

By the time this update is posted, we'll have only about 30 hours or so before the end of our Project Eternity Kickstarter campaign. You've helped us make amazing progress over the weekend, easily surpassing the $3.0 Million Stronghold stretch goal -- and it looks like we may, in fact,

of Big City #2 at $3.5 Million.

 

Physical Audio CD of the Project Eternity Soundtrack

For the last final hours of the Kickstarter, we have a limited run add-on of the Project Eternity Soundtrack in a physical audio CD format for $20. You need to be at a physical tier ($65, $100, $140, $250+) to add-on the audio CD soundtrack.

 

 

Tonight, don't forget to tune in and watch some Obsidian dungeon-delvers tackle a one-shot D&D 3.5E Forgotten Realms adventure in a live stream of BLOOD IN THE BRINE (there will be weresharks). Check out the live stream on USTREAM starting at 5PM PST. A recording of the play session will be made and released later for those that miss it.

 

Life and Death in the Dyrwood

For today's update, I was supposed to do a lore update, but I decided that I wanted to talk about a specific subject and how lore and mechanics tie into that subject. Today's subjects are LIFE AND DEATH. Project Eternity is a fantasy RPG inspired by several A/D&D-based settings in which death is, for those with means, a temporary setback (for the Nameless One, it's even less problematic). The priests of the Forgotten Realms run around with boatloads of cure x wounds spells, the ability to banish disease, and even the power to bring the dead back to life.

 

In Project Eternity, prospects are not so bright. And when death comes, some try to stay, some choose to go, but most people believe that once they make the trip to the other side, there is only one way back: to begin a new life.

 

Common Mortality

Project Eternity's world is one with limited medicine and medical understanding. Unlike many fantasy settings, there is very little access to curative magic. Remedies for health problems often have only a palliative or placebo effect at best, owing their continued use more to folk beliefs and tradition than any basis in scientific methodology. Though soul-based magic has helped the great exploring cultures from suffering massive pandemics and has helped some individuals overcome illness over the long-term, there is no quick magical "cure" for disease or illness. Most people go through life and death in the ordinary way -- unless they put themselves in harm's way, that is.

 

Stamina and Health

In Project Eternity's combat, players need to be concerned with two elements of a character's vitality: Stamina and Health. The majority of damage a character takes is subtracted from his or her Stamina. Stamina represents how much general abuse a character can take before falling unconscious. Characters lose it quickly and regain it relatively rapidly, even without assistance. Soul-based abilities are able to help replenish or regenerate Stamina and are often used on the battlefield to turn the tide of combat. If a character hits 0 Stamina, he or she is knocked out. Intervention from another character can bring an unconscious character back into a fight.

 

For players, the Health of their party members is a tether that makes them consider how far they are willing to venture from a safe resting spot. Though Health is typically lost at a lower rate, when the PC or a companion hits 0 Health, he or she is maimed (in standard play) or killed (in Expert mode or as an option in standard play). Magic may help mitigate damage to Health and slow the tide, but once characters have died (in Expert mode), there is no known magic that can bring them back.

 

A Lottery of Souls

The world belongs to mortals. As time has progressed, mortals have lifted themselves out of ignorance and into ages of increased self-awareness, harnessing the power of their own souls to amazing effect. So... why worship the gods, anyway? For many mortals, worship is a matter of respect and tradition. They consider their gods (or, in some cases, all gods) to be their creators. They follow the guidelines of religion because history tells them that the gods have punished individuals -- and entire nations -- for ancient episodes of religious disrespect and dismissal.

 

For others, religious worship is a matter of karmic self-interest. Often, people believe that if an individual's soul arrives in the realm of a pleased god, the god will place that soul into the body of someone who will have a good life. To such believers, choosing to not worship or is to risk spiritual confusion and aimlessness in the afterlife. They speculate that the faithless are entered into a "lottery of souls" from which many will wind up no better -- or much worse -- than they did in their last life. Some of the same faiths also believe that religious apostasy or lax observance is a cause of soul splintering upon death, which many consider to be an even worse fate.

 

Gods for All Seasons

People worship many gods, but usually the ones who are most associated with their way of life. Farmers may worship gods of light, growth, or storms. Warriors worship gods of battle and fortune. Though some faiths are exclusionary, most people will say a prayer to any god when the circumstances are right -- farmers praying to a god of battle when their lands are invaded, warriors praying to a god of growth when they're starving in the wilderness.

 

Sometimes the same god -- or gods -- may have a different identity in a different part of the world. The most notable is one of the most widely honored, if not warmly embraced. Called Berath in Aedyran and Cirono in Vailian, it is the god of cycles, of doors, and of life and death itself. People commonly place or carve the figure of Berath in doorways, windows, and other "portals" from one place to another, figurative or literal.

 

In Eír Glanfath's ruins, explorers have discovered two common figures, Caoth i Bhád and Bád i Caothaí (Life in Death and Death in Life, respectively), semi-skeletal female and male figures who occupy positions opposite each other in doorways -- like a twinned display of the split aspects of Berath/Cirono.

 

Necromancy

Despite the assumed natural cycle of things, there are individuals in the world of Project Eternity who either want to know more about that cycle or who choose to alter that cycle. Broadly speaking, "necromancy" refers to any attempt to do either, whether that involves speaking with the soul of a dead mortal, attempting to tap into the unconscious past lives of a living soul, or to bind soul energy or a complete soul inside of a dead body.

 

These acts are viewed with differing levels of criticism depending on the culture. Many folk share the interest of necromancers and would like to understand more about the eternal cycle, but are also afraid of what they might learn. Some extremists are opposed to any and all necromancy, and tales say that a quiet and powerful cult that has worked for centuries to discredit, trap, and even murder necromancers for their efforts. To the people who oppose necromancy with such violent passion, mortal understanding should have limits, and they fear the consequences for the world should those limits be unraveled.

 

 

That's all for today's update! Thanks for reading.

 

Update By Josh Sawyer

[C2B]

thanks

[Ieo]

Hm, broad interpretation of necromancy; okay.

 

I really like the split health/stamina mechanic thing. Looks awesome---and paired wit h Josh's interview, no resurrection, intriguing! More "realistic."

 

In Eír Glanfath's ruins, explorers have discovered two common figures, Caoth i Bhád and Bád i Caothaí (Life in Death and Death in Life, respectively), semi-skeletal female and male figures who occupy positions opposite each other in doorways -- like a twinned display of the split aspects of Berath/Cirono.

 

Aha, the screenshot.

 

POLINA-STYLE SAGANI, thanks! Looks a wee bit different from the first concept art, but that's fine, this is still concept...

 

* Please release art of the characters in that first Sagani painted look as well! I don't care about Justin Sweet--if that was done internally, go for it!

[Farudan]

Is there a bigger resolution for the Sagani concept, par to the previous ones?

[Audron]

Can I, later on, increase my pledge somewhat? I honestly cannot get another 20$ for the soundtrack and 10$ for the cards... But I would like them, yet later on. I mean, until 2012 wen the game ships, we can still add tuff and even increase pledge, right? Right now my favorite one is 250$, but I cannot go beyond 168. 140$ for the tier, 20 for the shipping cost, and 8 for the Obsidian order. Thank you. I honestly expect and answer.

Edited October 15, 2012 by Audron

[kahoshi]

Had to create an account just to respond to this one. Glad to see the coverage of necromancy, and I appreciate that it is the broader stance that allows for both the good and evil aspects. Far to many people focus just on the "evil" of necromancy. THey ignore that the original term for necromancy was uding the dead to divine the future, something usually not considered evil. Then there are the ones that steal bodies, raise the dead, trap souls, and whatever else all to gain power.

 

I know its to late for such a thing to make it into the main game, but if an expansion had a necromancer class it would be awesome. Such classes are usually my favorite, to the point I made my own for D&D.

 

Thanks for the good work!

[hideo kuze]

Please record the UStream.

 

Not all of us are able to watch it live.

 

Thanks

 

(will have to read the update later.. have to go)

Edited October 15, 2012 by hideo kuze

[Bloody Hypocrite]

Interesting stuff. Let's get this puppy to $3.5m folks!

[Monte Carlo]

I don't really understand how the souls / dying / no-health-potions or healing thing works.

 

Genuinely, I'm not trolling, I'm just properly baffled. It's a bit high-falutin' for my little brain. Can somebody help me a bit in terms of how it pans out gameplay wise?

 

Is stamina verging towards a DA:O style spam mechanic to avoid perma-death?

 

TBH, as I posted on the other thread, the XP mechanics, healing, slow-levelling and comments about fighting and wilderness encounters are making me a bit leery.

 

You know i'm a big supporter of you guys but this has got me a bit... baffled.

[rjshae]

Thanks, that is an interesting update.

 

I really like the split attribute approach to health; it addresses a lot of the defects of the old hit point system. I hope the developers also decide to include hit locations so we can have more variety in armor components (instead of boring old 'leather armor', for example).

 

The update makes it sound like disease will be a lot more dangerous than in standard D&D. 'Ware Mummies!

[japol]

The whole stamina/health concept sounds good,i guess.What is the reason you guys decided to do that instead of the standard hit point system?

What issue do you address with that mechanic?

[Gfted1]

I don't really understand how the souls / dying / no-health-potions or healing thing works.

 

Genuinely, I'm not trolling, I'm just properly baffled. It's a bit high-falutin' for my little brain. Can somebody help me a bit in terms of how it pans out gameplay wise?

 

Is stamina verging towards a DA:O style spam mechanic to avoid perma-death?

 

TBH, as I posted on the other thread, the XP mechanics, healing, slow-levelling and comments about fighting and wilderness encounters are making me a bit leery.

 

You know i'm a big supporter of you guys but this has got me a bit... baffled.

 

I didnt get it either. So if you get to 0 stamina and pass out, then what? You continue to lose "health" just lying there? Or if someone comes over and kicks you while youre down you will lose health? I too am a little bummed that everything is starting to sound like work. I may or may not have to wait for abilities to come off cooldown? Maybe sleep will fast forward that? And now little to no healing? Meh.

[Kitan]

Really cool update... I like how Necromancy isn't just summoning undead and evil and stuff but more a source of knowledge and moralwise neutral

At first I wasn't sure what to think about the whole soul stuff but it starts getting interesting.

 

In older RPGs I've been playing stamina was not only consumed by damage but for every physical action. So if a fight lasted long enough your Fighter could pass out just of exhaustion. Is Stamina in this case only a health indicator or does it have further use ?

Edited October 15, 2012 by Kitan

[Rabain]

This kind of settled my nerves on the whole stamina thing:

 

Though Health is typically lost at a lower rate, when the PC or a companion hits 0 Health, he or she is maimed (in standard play) or killed (in Expert mode or as an option in standard play). Magic may help mitigate damage to Health and slow the tide, but once characters have died (in Expert mode), there is no known magic that can bring them back.

 

So I guess there is no perma-death in normal gameplay mode, you just become "maimed" which I guess leaves you out of combat until it ends much like DAO system. It is only by either choosing permadeath option in an Options menu or moving up difficulty level to Expert that you encounter perma death.

 

In Normal mode: If your stamina reaches 0 you fall down but a party member could get you back up using some spell that gives you back some stamina perhaps. If you get "maimed" both your stamina and health is at 0 and you are out of commission until combat with the rest of the party ends.

 

I'm fine with that.

Edited October 15, 2012 by Rabain

[SqueakyCat]

This is less and less what I thought the game mechanics would entail.

 

Quest/goal experience is a hugh let-down for me. No traditional healing -- I'm with Monte on this, so I guess I'm failing my intelligence check on that point.

 

Completely takes the wind out of my sails. With less than 30 hours to go, I have a lot of re-evaluating to do with regard to enjoyment factor versus pledge level.

 

I so much wanted this to be more in line with the older I.E. games.

[rjshae]

I didnt get it either. So if you get to 0 stamina and pass out, then what? You continue to lose "health" just lying there? Or if someone comes over and kicks you while youre down you will lose health? I too am a little bummed that everything is starting to sound like work. I may or may not have to wait for abilities to come off cooldown? Maybe sleep will fast forward that? And now little to no healing? Meh.

Once you're passed out I'm guessing you'll be helpless and further attacks will go directly to health. At least that is how it works in similar PnP RPG systems like HERO/Champions. Since stamina has a recovery rate, I'd think that will continue to run even if you are passed out.

[norolim]

Nice. As I mentioned in another thread, I really like those Stamina/Health ideas. And the fact that curative magic is a rarity is even better. It was exactly what I was asking for

[Monte Carlo]

Developer comments would be helpful.

[japol]

Also,no resurrection magic?It seems to me that in a world that revolves around souls you could do some neat things with resurrection.

Maybe every time someone got resurrected,his ability to use soul based skills was affected somehow?I don't know,seems like a lost opportunity

to not include resurrection to me.Especially since there will be necromancy.

Edited October 15, 2012 by japol

[aVENGER]

I like the health/stamina concept. It reminds me of Jagged Alliance 2 and I thought it worked pretty well there.

[Monte Carlo]

I'm just worried it's looking a bit too complicated and over-designed.

[DiabolicallyRandom]

I don't really understand how the souls / dying / no-health-potions or healing thing works.

 

Genuinely, I'm not trolling, I'm just properly baffled. It's a bit high-falutin' for my little brain. Can somebody help me a bit in terms of how it pans out gameplay wise?

 

Is stamina verging towards a DA:O style spam mechanic to avoid perma-death?

 

TBH, as I posted on the other thread, the XP mechanics, healing, slow-levelling and comments about fighting and wilderness encounters are making me a bit leery.

 

You know i'm a big supporter of you guys but this has got me a bit... baffled.

This is less and less what I thought the game mechanics would entail.

 

Quest/goal experience is a hugh let-down for me. No traditional healing -- I'm with Monte on this, so I guess I'm failing my intelligence check on that point.

 

Completely takes the wind out of my sails. With less than 30 hours to go, I have a lot of re-evaluating to do with regard to enjoyment factor versus pledge level.

 

I so much wanted this to be more in line with the older I.E. games.

Developer comments would be helpful.

 

Restating all of the above for emphasis. The stamina/health thing has me a bit disconcerted - so say I am playing, and I get knocked out, and while knocked out, they finish off my health. What then? Game over? I literally start from scratch?

[Rabain]

It has the potential to make all combat a particularly scary prospect. Some might consider that a bad thing, I guess it will depend how balanced it is. If party members are constantly on the floor doing nothing it could be a decidedly frustrating system.

 

On another note it also implies that Priests will be much more combat focused than playing the role of healer as is usually traditional.

 

On another side note it seems to me if the KS gets to 3.3m at the 24hr mark we will definetly get the Big City 2 because we have seen 100k per 24hrs pretty consistenly, add in Paypal and we got 3.5m for sure.

[The Mist Devil]

Thanks for all the latest updates and the Streams. I've upped my pledge to encourage you further. Keep going and if all of us up our pledge just a little, we'll get Big City 2 and maybe reach the mysterious CATS at 4 million.

[J.E. Sawyer]

I didnt get it either. So if you get to 0 stamina and pass out, then what?

Then you're knocked out/out of the fight. It's not a whole lot different from being knocked out but not killed in D&D. When combat ends or when another character restores some of your Stamina, you're back up. I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that it's more work.