Update #72: Death Godlike and Expected Ship Date

[BAdler]

Update by Rose Gomez, Jr. Producer

Hello everyone! My name is Rose Gomez - I'm the newest Producer on Pillars of Eternity. I'll be handling a lot of the Kickstarter related duties for the game from here on out. I've been working at Obsidian Entertainment for a little over three years now. My previous titles include South Park: The Stick of Truth and the Fallout: New Vegas DLCs. I'm thrilled to be able to work on Pillars of Eternity and can't wait to interact more with all of you in the coming months.

 

For this update, we've got some awesome new character, area, and concept art that we're excited to show. However, before we get to the art, we wanted to officially update everyone that we are looking good to release Eternity by Winter 2014. So, look forward to getting your hands on Pillars of Eternity later this year.

 

Our next update will be all about Pillars of Eternity lore by Eric Fenstermaker.

 

Stretch Goals
After much discussion and consideration of the poll on our forums we have decided not to pursue any additional stretch goals. Rest assured that the team is working hard on completing the game and including our current stretch goals.

 

Surveys
Our designers are working hard to implement the designs that our higher tiered backers have come up with. If you have a survey that needs to be filled out, please do so by March 31st. It's important that you get your surveys completed by the deadline because we are closing in on Alpha quickly. The team needs ample time to get your content into the game. We can't guarantee your in-game contribution will make it into the game if you are late. This includes inn/tavern designs, adventurer party designs, portraits, NPCs, and items/weapons, so make sure you get your idea in before the deadline! You can fill out your surveys on our Backer Portal after you've finished managing your pledge. They can be found on your account page under the Surveys tab.

 

Worried that your design won't fit into Pillars of Eternity lore? Not sure if you want that innkeeper to be an Orlan or an Aumaua? Take a peek at the Pillars of Eternity Wiki to get some inspiration or clarification on the world.

 

Characters
With all that news out of the way, let's get to the art. To kick things off this week, we'd like to show you all some of the awesome new Godlike variants Dimitri has finished up - the Death Godlike. As we've mentioned before in previous updates, the Godlike are people that were "blessed" before birth by one or more of the deities of the world. Godlike manifest their divine heritage in a variety of ways, and in the case of the Death Godlike that heritage can be seen through their wicked looking horns and the misting darkness that shrouds their visage.

 

Death Godlike.

 

Another type, the Earth Godlike, can be seen below in some new portrait variants that Polina whipped up. These are just a few of the combinations that will be available to use for your character during the game.

 

Earth Godlike portrait variants.

Areas
The environment artists are flying through their various scenes and churning out awesome looking pieces week by week. Below you can see a cool new interior from a Blacksmith's shop by Holly Prado.
 

Blacksmith interior.

Up next we have a really awesome piece by April Giron from an area called Ondra's Gift. This area is still a work in progress but we thought you all would enjoy taking a look at what we've got so far.
 

Ondra's Gift interior.

Both of these areas have a lot of cool detail in them so make sure you view them at full resolution.

Creatures
In Pillars of Eternity, Druid characters will be able to shift into a few different spirit forms. Druids start with specific spirit forms and can find additional spirit forms in the world. One of these forms is the Cat, shown here in a concept drawing by Polina.
 

Druid Cat Form concept.

Below you can see what the Cat form looks like when modeled and textured, rendered out of our engine.
 

Druid Cat form in engine.

That's all for this week. Don't forget! If you need to fill out a survey for any Pillars of Eternity pledges please do so on our Backer Portal by the March 31st deadline. In the meantime, keep managing those pledges and commenting on our forums.

[Gumbercules]

I'm quite surprised that you won't be pursuing additional stretch goals! It seemed like the voting and discussion was overwhelmingly in favor of them. Maybe it's because even a lot of the people supporting the idea qualified their support with, "As long as it doesn't delay the game much..." etc.

 

The Earth Godlike and environments look really good. I like that there will apparently be small variants for every portrait. The druid shapeshift is also pretty good, although at the moment it seems to lose something in the transition from concept art to model. I'm curious to know what abilities the cat form provides.

 

The Death Godlike...yikes! Wasn't expecting something like that at all. They look really disturbing and over-the-top. That's not necessarily a bad thing, if it's what you were aiming for, but it really needs to be reflected in the writing and presentation. I can't imagine someone like that fitting into most societies.

[Mloren]

Awesome art
I wish people wouldn't use ship dates like "Winter 2014", the seasons are different in other parts of the world so dates like that mean nothing to those outside of America (well we can work it out but it's still anoying).

[Lephys]

Can't watch the video just yet, but I'm excited to! All of the art concepts are simply exquisite!

 

That blacksmith's shop... SUCH ATMOSPHERE! 8D

 

And those portraits are fantastic! Is that the kind of subtle portrait variance we'll see with actually-selectable-at-character-creation portrait options in the game? Because, if so, that would be sooo splendid. In a lot of games, you just kinda get (for example) a couple of, say, Earth Godlike portraits, even though you get about 1,000 different options for your resulting Earth Godlike look. Or, the same with any race, really. Which, I get that portraits require time and effort, and to make so many just to provide variance is often a lower priority. But, still, IF we could get that kind of variety in our options at character creation, that would be fantastic. Just to represent the general variations we can have in our particular race.

 

Also, speaking of types of Godlike... are there just going to be different types (Death, Earth, etc.) and that's it? Or are they still going to be a sub-type of the various races? What I mean is... are there going to be Orlan Death Godlike, and Aumaua Death Godlike? Just curious.

 

And lastly, DAT CAT FORM! I like that it's not the often-seen 90% human, 10% cat, but it's also not just the opposite ("I just turned into a large cat instead of a person"). I'm excited to see all the various spirit forms, 8D. Also, I hope that you can pick different ones at character creation. I mean, even if you start with, say, 3, and only 1 is variable or something (so that all Level 1 Druids have 2 of the same, etc.). That seems like a very good variable of focus for character building. Kind of like schools of magic for a Wizard (D&D's setup, for example).

 

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK! Oh, wait, sorry. There's no morality in PoE.

 

KEEP UP THE WORK THAT CAUSES THE BACKER FACTION TO FAVOR YOU!

[Lephys]

The druid shapeshift is also pretty good, although at the moment it seems to lose something in the transition from concept art to model.

Agreed. I don't know how to put it, other than that the concept art conveys a semblance of it being some kind of spiritual/"magical" form (the fur of the mane, and at the forearms/elbows kind of looks like both fur AND shadow, simultanously, and the whole form of the creature appears slightly "unnatural" in a good way), while the current model (I get that it's not finished) just sort of conveys "this is just a biological creature in the wild." Of course, I'm sure part of that is just the goofy "I'm a character model in default orientation" pose it's in, versus the very natural pose in the character art. 8P

 

Dunno if that's helpful feedback to the dev team. But, just in case.

Edited February 11, 2014 by Lephys

[coffeetable]

The Death Godlike...yikes! Wasn't expecting something like that at all. They look really disturbing and over-the-top. That's not necessarily a bad thing, if it's what you were aiming for, but it really needs to be reflected in the writing and presentation. I can't imagine someone like that fitting into most societies.

I'd put the Earth Godlike in the same category. They're either gonna need a lot of custom dialogue, or they have to be common enough in the world that they aren't often worth commenting on.

[Sarex]

Glad you chose to not go through with the stretch goals, I really dislike what Star Citizen is doing.

[Lord of Lost Socks]

Awesome art

I wish people wouldn't use ship dates like "Winter 2014", the seasons are different in other parts of the world so dates like that mean nothing to those outside of America (well we can work it out but it's still anoying).

Winter 2014?! Spring is in like 1 month.

 

Also.

 

*droools*

Edited February 11, 2014 by Lord of Lost Socks

[tajerio]

Also, speaking of types of Godlike... are there just going to be different types (Death, Earth, etc.) and that's it? Or are they still going to be a sub-type of the various races? What I mean is... are there going to be Orlan Death Godlike, and Aumaua Death Godlike? Just curious.

 

I second this question.  Saying "this is a Death Godlike head" while leaving off a race descriptor is a touch confusing.

 

The stuff in the update is excellent as usual.  Really love the detail in that blacksmith's shop.

[Ulquiorra]

Is it me or those "Cat form" look almost exacly like "wolf form" ?

[MasterPrudent]

Interesting to note that April Giron's interior uses a prop drafted by Kaz for The Endless Paths of Od Nua. Given that it's in a different area it makes me wonder if the Od Nua's influence extends throughout the PoE world. Or it could just be a sub area in the Endless Paths I guess - that's the trouble with speculating on limited update info.

 

Also I cannot say how excited the Death Godlike heads make me. The textures on the growths look like chitin which calls to mind China Meiville's Khepri and New Weird fiction in general, which is exactly the kind of vibe I look for in fantasy games.

 

(EDIT: Although assuming that the PC can be a Death Godlike that model does make me wonder how the team is going to put a helmet/hat on them.)

Edited February 11, 2014 by MasterPrudent

[Bryy]

Looking fantastic.

[Lephys]

Is it me or those "Cat form" look almost exacly like "wolf form" ?

Might be just you. Wolves don't have a distinct mane, or a "fat" muzzle/head like that, or a long, lion-like tail like that. Etc.

 

*Shrug*

[ShadySands]

Awesome art

I wish people wouldn't use ship dates like "Winter 2014", the seasons are different in other parts of the world so dates like that mean nothing to those outside of America (well we can work it out but it's still anoying).

 

Should work for the half of the world with the most people in it

[Flow]

Awesome art

I wish people wouldn't use ship dates like "Winter 2014", the seasons are different in other parts of the world so dates like that mean nothing to those outside of America (well we can work it out but it's still anoying).

 

End hemisphereism now!

 

C'mon... think of something better to complain about. All calendar and time references are for California, USA. Do the rather simple math(s) to translate to your region.

[Hiro Protagonist II]

Werewolves usually have fur all over them. The model seems to have fur around the mane and a little down the front and back. I'd like to know if there will be both male and female cat druids.

[Elerond]

Cat model looks good in my opinion, as with some shaders it will have that magical effect what Lephys mentioned.

 

I like how death godlikes look, those heads make me want to make death godlike be my first characters race.

 

Both areas look superb, they capture exactly that aesthetics what I expect from this game.

 

Earth godlike's portraits look magnificent. Question is that portrait for female orlan based earth godlike or some other race or are they general portraits for all earth godlikes? Ears in those pictures make me think that she has orlan heritage.

[coffeetable]

Godlikes' weakness is that they can't wear helmets.

Edited February 12, 2014 by coffeetable

[Ulquiorra]

 

Is it me or those "Cat form" look almost exacly like "wolf form" ?

Might be just you. Wolves don't have a distinct mane, or a "fat" muzzle/head like that, or a long, lion-like tail like that. Etc.

 

*Shrug*

 

 

Mayby so, but at least i think that their jaw is a little bit to long ... but mayby it's becouse of angle ...

[Cubiq]

No more stretchgoals what a shame...

 

So whats the differencw between godlike and death godlike?

 

If i compare the cat form concept and 3d model i think the tail in the 3d model is a bit lacking.

[Quadrone]

A questions regarding the Death Godlikes:

 

Are those masks/helmets they are wearing or are those really natural growths i.e. the "horns" that were mentioned?

If so, how will some of these wear helmets? Do they have some special kind of sight so they can see without eyeslits?

[Elerond]

 

 

Is it me or those "Cat form" look almost exacly like "wolf form" ?

Might be just you. Wolves don't have a distinct mane, or a "fat" muzzle/head like that, or a long, lion-like tail like that. Etc.

 

*Shrug*

 

 

Mayby so, but at least i think that their jaw is a little bit to long ... but mayby it's becouse of angle ...

 

 

To me it look very lion like, maybe bit more square, but that is probably result from low polygon count.

[MasterPrudent]

No more stretchgoals what a shame...

 

So whats the differencw between godlike and death godlike?

 

If i compare the cat form concept and 3d model i think the tail in the 3d model is a bit lacking.

Death Godlike is a subtype of Godlike. The Godlike are blessed by a particular god. If you get blessed by a nature god you get doe ears and flowers and whatnot. If you're blessed by the PoE equivelant of Hel or Hades you get a creepy chitin helmet and tendrils of black stuff whisping around. Presumably there's more to it than that but this: http://eternity.gamepedia.com/Godlike is all we know so far.

 

(btw to anser my own question it looks like some godlike won't be able to wear helmets as per this post: http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/62316-armour-weapon-designs-a-plea-part-iii/page-13?do=findComment&comment=1310846)

[fverret]

Very good-looking interiors. One detail, though: wouldn't the blacksmith want some water and/or some oil to dip the metal into?

[Quadrone]

 

(btw to anser my own question it looks like some godlike won't be able to wear helmets as per this post: http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/62316-armour-weapon-designs-a-plea-part-iii/page-13?do=findComment&comment=1310846)

 

 

Huh, in that case choosing a Godlike as your race should bring quite a bit of extra power/abilities I'd guess.

After all, missing out on one equipment slot is potentially a big drawback once magic items become more powerful.