Please bring back the pencil drawings of items

[Grotesque]

I really miss the simple pencil drawings of items & weapons in their description windows.

It would greatly increase the feel of a Infinity Engine RPG game.

 

Those drawings gave items personality because the artist was introducing graphical elements and details to the item that was impossible to reproduce in the engine.

 

              

 

Maybe items would not have the extensive lore backgrounds they have in the past games but at least Pillars of Eternity would preserve this exquisite and simple pencil  presentation of them.

 

 

EDIT: If you agree and feel the same in this regard, please like this post to send the message across to anyone from the dev team that maybe is reading it.

Thank you.

Edited August 19, 2014 by Grotesque

[Cabamacadaf]

I think the stuff they have in game now might be placeholder, so there's still a chance for them to add stuff like this.

[Grotesque]

I think the stuff they have in game now might be placeholder, so there's still a chance for them to add stuff like this.

 

I hope you are right but I do not think to be a placeholder because the item description window is sized not to handle the bigger drawings needed.

Anyway, I think the item description and the UI windows in general should be larger than is now.

Edited August 19, 2014 by Grotesque

[Sensuki]

This would be great, but I'm just not sure if there's enough 2D Art time left on the project. I would love to get a Kaz drawing of these, but I'm just not sure if he'd have the time to do this without sacrificing something else: Area Paint overs, Portraits, 2D icons, UI reworks, etc etc

[Grotesque]

I remember playing Baldurs Gate back in the day and being "confused" by the item drawings in the inventory. But in time I've come to love them and I can't imagine a spiritual successor of Baldur's Gate without this.

This way of visually representing items is iconic.

[dmbot]

I would also like that, but it's clearly secondary - considering the game also needs more portraits, assets, icons, UI elements etc.

[Malekith]

This would be great, but I'm just not sure if there's enough 2D Art time left on the project. I would love to get a Kaz drawing of these, but I'm just not sure if he'd have the time to do this without sacrificing something else: Area Paint overs, Portraits, 2D icons, UI reworks, etc etc

Then maybe they should outsourse some of the 2D staff, or even better hire another 2D artist on site, or bring Brian Menze on this project to help. So far the area Obsidian seems lacking is art, not in quality but in quantity, and this game stakes a lot in it's art. 2 artists are very limited manpower for this kind of project, more so since so much *art things* Area Paint overs, Portraits, 2D icons, UI reworks remaining.

[Grotesque]

 

This would be great, but I'm just not sure if there's enough 2D Art time left on the project. I would love to get a Kaz drawing of these, but I'm just not sure if he'd have the time to do this without sacrificing something else: Area Paint overs, Portraits, 2D icons, UI reworks, etc etc

Then maybe they should outsourse some of the 2D staff, or even better hire another 2D artist on site, or bring Brian Menze on this project to help. So far the area Obsidian seems lacking is art, not in quality but in quantity, and this game stakes a lot in it's art. 2 artists are very limited manpower for this kind of project, more so since so much *art things* Area Paint overs, Portraits, 2D icons, UI reworks remaining.

 

 

 

I thought Brian Menze is already assigned on the project.

 

 

This drawing is made by him. As I remember it is for Pillars of Eternity

[Malekith]

 

 

This would be great, but I'm just not sure if there's enough 2D Art time left on the project. I would love to get a Kaz drawing of these, but I'm just not sure if he'd have the time to do this without sacrificing something else: Area Paint overs, Portraits, 2D icons, UI reworks, etc etc

Then maybe they should outsourse some of the 2D staff, or even better hire another 2D artist on site, or bring Brian Menze on this project to help. So far the area Obsidian seems lacking is art, not in quality but in quantity, and this game stakes a lot in it's art. 2 artists are very limited manpower for this kind of project, more so since so much *art things* Area Paint overs, Portraits, 2D icons, UI reworks remaining.

 

 

 

I thought Brian Menze is already assigned on the project.

 

 

This drawing is made by him. As I remember it is for Pillars of Eternity

 

He worked as concept artist at first, but i'm not sure if he stayed to make in game content or moved to another project. I'm under the impression that only Kaz and Polina are working on PoE atm. If they are just the two of them, Obsidian should bring another one along for the pencil drawings or outsource them. I realy liked them as well, but Kaz and Polina have very much to do as it is.

[mrmonocle]

this should have been a kickstarter stretch goal, now it's too late i'm afraid

[Sarex]

Then maybe they should outsourse some of the 2D staff, or even better hire another 2D artist on site, or bring Brian Menze on this project to help. So far the area Obsidian seems lacking is art, not in quality but in quantity, and this game stakes a lot in it's art. 2 artists are very limited manpower for this kind of project, more so since so much *art things* Area Paint overs, Portraits, 2D icons, UI reworks remaining.

 

Question is if they have enough money for it.

[Rostere]

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Corto81]

 

Then maybe they should outsourse some of the 2D staff, or even better hire another 2D artist on site, or bring Brian Menze on this project to help. So far the area Obsidian seems lacking is art, not in quality but in quantity, and this game stakes a lot in it's art. 2 artists are very limited manpower for this kind of project, more so since so much *art things* Area Paint overs, Portraits, 2D icons, UI reworks remaining.

 

Question is if they have enough money for it.

 

 

I don't think there's enough time or money for it, sadly.

 

Still, if the game pans out like we all hope it will, I don't think it'll matter.

[Totottoro]

 

Then maybe they should outsourse some of the 2D staff, or even better hire another 2D artist on site, or bring Brian Menze on this project to help. So far the area Obsidian seems lacking is art, not in quality but in quantity, and this game stakes a lot in it's art. 2 artists are very limited manpower for this kind of project, more so since so much *art things* Area Paint overs, Portraits, 2D icons, UI reworks remaining.

 

Question is if they have enough money for it.

 

 

Hopefully they'll go the Wasteland 2 route and opt in to Steam open beta. Take the money from new sales and put it in towards an even better final product.

[Sensuki]

Yeah I have been saying it might not be too bad of an idea. But not yet, wait until it's much, much more polished.

Edited August 20, 2014 by Sensuki

[Co0n]

Yes please!
 

[Malekith]

Yeah I have been saying it might not be too bad of an idea. But not yet, wait until it's much, much more polished.

I think they should use the 4 months remaining for polishing and bug hunting, and then winter 2014 release the game as EA for 60$. I would be worth the price as by then it will be the most polished EA game ever released, and the money would easily by another 2 months for the artists to enchance the game.

[Shevek]

I hope they include something like this. It is small touch but an impactful one. It also shouldnt take that much time. We are talking small sketches not full color paintings. Also, item sketches would certainly mesh well with the storybook interactions already included in the game.

[Malekith]

I hope they include something like this. It is small touch but an impactful one. It also shouldnt take that much time. We are talking small sketches not full color paintings. Also, item sketches would certainly mesh well with the storybook interactions already included in the game.

I would not be so sure. There will be many items in the game. To draw all the different sketches propably would take Kaz and Polina a month. I agree it would be an impactful touch and i realy hope they delay the game a few weeks in order to do it, but it's not trival.

[Shevek]

 

I hope they include something like this. It is small touch but an impactful one. It also shouldnt take that much time. We are talking small sketches not full color paintings. Also, item sketches would certainly mesh well with the storybook interactions already included in the game.

I would not be so sure. There will be many items in the game. To draw all the different sketches propably would take Kaz and Polina a month. I agree it would be an impactful touch and i realy hope they delay the game a few weeks in order to do it, but it's not trival.

 

 

Well they just have to have one generic sketch for each item time (scimitar, longsword, dagger, mace, chain mail, plate mail, robe, hood, helm, goggles, etc etc..). If there is time, then they can add sketches for unique items (robe of the magi, etc etc). If there isn't enough time for unique item sketches, at least some generic sketches would be nice.

[Co0n]

 

 

I hope they include something like this. It is small touch but an impactful one. It also shouldnt take that much time. We are talking small sketches not full color paintings. Also, item sketches would certainly mesh well with the storybook interactions already included in the game.

I would not be so sure. There will be many items in the game. To draw all the different sketches propably would take Kaz and Polina a month. I agree it would be an impactful touch and i realy hope they delay the game a few weeks in order to do it, but it's not trival.

 

 

Well they just have to have one generic sketch for each item time (scimitar, longsword, dagger, mace, chain mail, plate mail, robe, hood, helm, goggles, etc etc..). If there is time, then they can add sketches for unique items (robe of the magi, etc etc). If there isn't enough time for unique item sketches, at least some generic sketches would be nice.

 

exactly this.

 

we know there is a budget and time problem. but we dont ask for something impossible.

The IE Games reused many item sketches for trivial items and that can ofc be also done for PE (to a much greater extend if budget and time are to short).

[Shevek]

One final thought on this:

One would assume they should already have sketches handy. Don't concept artists have to draw out the items before a 3d artist models it?

Edited August 20, 2014 by Shevek

[Co0n]

Another final thought:

The sketches in the Item descreption made the weapons a lot more awesome. The ingame Weapons look all kind of similar because of the isometric view. There is just not much detail visible for the player. the item sketches in the IE games gave the player a very good idea of how to imagine the weapons and items the characers are currently using.

[Michael_Galt]

I second this.

[Qiushui]

Whatever happens the decision will probably have to made quite soon because whatever the item art is going to be, is also going to have an effect on the final UI design.

 

I wonder if OE would actually be willing to accept community artwork for this one specific thing?  

 

Anyway, I'm fully in support of this getting into the game somehow, reality be damned!