Obsidian's front page survey

[Frisk]

On Obsidian's front page is a "Which game do you hope Project Eternity is most like?" poll.

 

Now, Obsidian presumably put it there to confirm what their fans and supporters are really looking for, and the results are interesting, but not unexpected.

 

46% say BG or BG2 and 38% say PS:T. The other games get a far, far lower percentage. Now, this does not surprise me, but what does it really tell us...what do BG and PS:T have in common?

 

One key feature of those two games are the companions - interactive companions with a story, motivations and a personality - and yes - interactions with each other. Compare that to IWD where the player-created characters are, well..flat, like cardboard pieces.

 

The second key feature is the story. BG had a good story, and PS:T was really all about the story. The story in the other games was quite a bit weaker.

 

Now, considering what Obsidian has said about Project Eternity, it sounds to me that they will really be giving the majority of their fans and supporters what they are hoping for.

[stkaye]

Personally I'm still grappling with the fact that Call of Duty is currently outscoring Icewind Dale.

 

Joke options scare me.

[Matthiasa]

It isn't just IWD that it is outscoring.

Although I almost click it because I really don't care which of the other listed games it ends up most like.

[Tsuga C]

Put in my vote for Planescape: Torment, but I'd be very happy with the BGs, too.

[Badmojo]

PS:T for me.

[Dream]

Call o... Nah. PS:T is the way to go.

[SinoSamba]

OK, I know CoD is there as a joke, but oh the temptation to just click it for the heck of it.

[Marceror]

Voted for the BGs, because those are my all time favorites. But I'd like to see plenty of PST influence also. I'd also like to see the character options and control of IWD2 and ToEE, and combat mechanics on par with ToEE. If the art direction is largely inspired by IWD2, that's certainly okay too.

 

CoD, sure, how about some CoD toilet paper that I can use to clean up with after taking a bio break... following a good long play session of PE! Just send that with my Collector's Edition game.

 

See, I included it all!

[Cultist]

Oh, Call of Duty Crowd joke is really cruel to BioWare.

[GhostofAnakin]

I'd like to see some kind of hybrid of BG and PST. BG's "epicness" combined with PST's deeper writing and more fleshed out NPC companions.

[IcyDeadPeople]

I picked Call of Duty not really as a joke, but because I've never played any of the other games. I don't have a frame of reference to form an opinion as to whether it should be more like Baldur's Gate or less like Icewind Dale, etc.

 

I've never played Call of Duty, either, but since it was obviously in jest, it seemed equivalent to a neutral "I have no idea" sort of response. Perhaps I should have not voted at all, but I can't help clicking on polls sometimes ;-)

[YourVoiceisAmbrosia]

I know Call of Duty is a joke, but it's still kind of sad how it has more votes than Temple of Elemental Evil and Icewind Dale.

 

On that note, Dragon Age 2 should have totally been an option.

Edited November 1, 2012 by YourVoiceisAmbrosia

[HansKrSG]

I go with the crowd that feel that its scary and funny that Call of duty actually have about 8% of the votes. Planescape: Torment and BG 1+2 are two of my absolute favourite games, so I am happy with the poll results.

[Avaruz]

How come they do not mention Arcanum? To me it was the better of those games, and it worries me that they think so little of it.

[Monte Carlo]

I am prepared for brickbats and my shields are switched to maximum.

 

PS:T fans are a very vocal minority and their clamour (understandably though that might be) should be taken with a pinch of salt.

 

PS:T is a classic example of a cult hit, a love-it-or-hate-it kind of deal. I usually refer to it as Wordscape. Having read MCA's subsequent views on the design process, it's clear that he sees the faults himself and more credit to him. It also means that he is unlikely to make the same mistakes again.

 

For me it's an interactive novel with too much navel-gazing about the metaphysical oddness of a world with which I felt unable to connect. It tried to be avant garde to the extent that it became unplayable (for me). P:E is a niche enough product as it is, and it needs to sell. By taking some of the least commercial aspects of PS:T (i.e. the bits hardcore fans love) it might well commit P:E to an even narrower niche ghetto.

 

Just my two silver pieces.

 

I know that this is a much-beloved game. I respect the love and genuinely understand the sentiment behind it. But P:E should channel BG1 & 2 with a splash of PS:Ts NPC depth. Like a shot of tabasco in the soup.

[Oner]

Hey guys, we're making a game that is a mix of IWD, BG and PST. Which one should it resemble most?

 

Well all three, duh.

[Sacred_Path]

TOEE, that flawed gem of a game. Story and exploration are nice, but character building and combat offer replayability. Also *gasp* Lionheart

[TheDogProfessor]

I think that BG is outvoting Ps:T for two reasons. Firstly, it is a far more famous game and hence has been played by more people. I'll use myself as an example: I had BG recommended to me by an acquaintance about 8 years ago or so when I was playing the first Dungeon Siege, whereas I discovered Ps:T of my own accord while searching for me IE game to play. Secondly, as Monte Carlo stated (my other point was also made my Monte, just not as explicitly), Ps:T is a niche game; it's more particular in it's taste and is, very much, a piece of art.

[Syraxis]

I voted for Call of Duty. 4 hour campaigns ftw!

[lolaldanee]

lol @Call of Duty

i guess i'll have to pick it, since i really can't choose

art style from icewind dale + planescapes good characters + baldurs gate 2 balance between combat and talking would be my preference

isn't this what they said they would make in the pitch anyway?

Edited November 1, 2012 by lolaldanee

[Theobeau]

Could have thrown in the action-RPG such as the ME series or even MCA's own FNV into the mix; interesting to see if that option would have scored a few more %.

 

For what its worth, count me as one of those dyed in the wool CoD I mean PST fans.....(phew, almost revealed my true colours here!)

[FlintlockJazz]

Can I vote for more than one? Want to vote for both BG and PST...

[JFSOCC]

I voted BG and BG2 but really I want PE to stand on it's own.

[Karkarov]

Honestly from a pure mechanics perspective Temple of Elemental Evil is the clear winner. Hence I voted for it. Either way every game on the list other than Call of Duty has so much in common that answering any of them is almost totally interchangeable.

[Kleisthenes]

I voted for BG and BG 2, but I would love to see PT as well. However, I think the best would be for the game to get it's own "magic". So when people talk about these RPGs, they won't be talking how alike BG and Project Eternity are, but how both of them have their own "magic" (ex, that atmosphere and so forth).