Pre-orders and new trailer now live!

[Labadal]

I am guessing that in the full game, enemies will not be locked on to the first attacker of the player party. At least I hope the enemy AI behavior will be modified in the full release. That way, you will probably want to equip armor on most (hopefully) all characters.

[Sensuki]

Not if the Melee Engagement system is kept. That is the primary reason why the game promotes 1 man tank,  man naked ranged playstyle.

It's very easy to create a logjam of melee enemies with one character in 'tight' spaces - such as the archways in Lle A Rhemen because for some reason they made all creatures really wide in this game.

While ranged was good in the Infinity Engine games (pretty OP in BG1, less so in the others), melee was really good too. Currently the best way to play this game most of the time is 1 melee and 5 ranged, sometimes 2 melee and 4 ranged. Any more melee units is generally very bad, particularly due to creature size and pathfinding.

But of course, I play on Hard - there's less enemies on lower difficulties.

Edited November 12, 2014 by Sensuki

[Labadal]

It's true that ranged combat is usually the best way to go but I have played on hard with 3 melee and 2 ranged characters and performed on an acceptable level (on hard). I will wait before I judge anything until we actually have something balanced to work with.

 

I wouldn't shed any tears if the engagement system was scrapped though. If I end up not liking it in the final release, there are always mods.

[Knathrek]

Hey, everyone. Just wanted to give a heads-up that pre-orders are now live on the Pillars of Eternity site.

 

You will notice that we are adding in a few pre-order bonuses that will be announced soon. We wanted to let you know that, as backers, you will be getting those items automatically.

 

Also, another cool bit of news is that we have a new trailer out for the pre-order. You may notice a few new areas and creatures on display.

Hi,

 

Was wondering about anyone who is a "Slacker Backer" (Couldn't find a more insulting name?), if I want to upgrade my pledge now pre-order is happening... how would I do it?

 

Thanks,

[Gairnulf]

 

Hey, everyone. Just wanted to give a heads-up that pre-orders are now live on the Pillars of Eternity site.

 

You will notice that we are adding in a few pre-order bonuses that will be announced soon. We wanted to let you know that, as backers, you will be getting those items automatically.

 

Also, another cool bit of news is that we have a new trailer out for the pre-order. You may notice a few new areas and creatures on display.

Hi,

 

Was wondering about anyone who is a "Slacker Backer" (Couldn't find a more insulting name?), if I want to upgrade my pledge now pre-order is happening... how would I do it?

 

Thanks,

 

Go to http://eternity.obsidian.net/backer/index (assuming you are logged into your eternity.obsidian.net account), click "Buy Addons" on the lower right

[Polanski]

Do the extra copies added when backing also get the pre-order item?

[BAdler]

 

Hey, everyone. Just wanted to give a heads-up that pre-orders are now live on the Pillars of Eternity site.

 

You will notice that we are adding in a few pre-order bonuses that will be announced soon. We wanted to let you know that, as backers, you will be getting those items automatically.

 

Also, another cool bit of news is that we have a new trailer out for the pre-order. You may notice a few new areas and creatures on display.

Hi,

 

Was wondering about anyone who is a "Slacker Backer" (Couldn't find a more insulting name?), if I want to upgrade my pledge now pre-order is happening... how would I do it?

 

Thanks,

 

Looks like someone already answered your upgrading question.

 

Sorry if you are offended by the "Slacker Backer" moniker. It wasn't meant to be offensive. it is a term that is used in a lot of Kickstarters to refer to backers after the initial Kickstarter has ended and we ended up using it.

[BAdler]

Do the extra copies added when backing also get the pre-order item?

This will be the case, yes.

[Nonek]

Personally I liked Amentep's alternative titles:

A Fistful of Backers.

For a Few Backers More.

The Good, The Backer and the Ugly.

Crouching Crowdfunder, Hidden Backer.

[Darth Trethon]

By looking at the Hero and Champion editions on GOG it's good to notice that the Hero edition only comes with some wallpapers and avatars because that means it should be safe for all backers to get it without ending in a bad spot like Wasteland 2 did where backers got a version that is not even for sale anywhere stripped of all bonuses because "your sh***y $20 pledge doesn't get you the bonuses of the regular retail edition"......getting that to the Digital Deluxe after buying the Digital Deluxe upgrade and still missing stuff because my sh***y $800+ TTON pledge didn't entitle me to the basic retail edition bonuses took a month and a lot more effort and nerves than it was worth....really makes me want to rethink my future support of inXile. Now with PoE I will get all the digital bonuses from the pledge management site but what of most backers whose pledges don't entitle them to any of the Champion edition upgrades or anything in the way of digital bonuses.....what if they want to upgrade? Will you guys offer an upgrade package on GOG? It would benefit you guys because people who want those bonuses are far more likely to dish something like $20 for an upgrade instead of $70 for another copy of the game they already own.

 

Also huge props to Obsidian for being decent and giving the preorder bonuses to all their backers and for extra copies too without any of the inXile shenanigans that "your pledge doesn't deserve that" or "what do you mean you didn't know the second copy wouldn't get that" and "what do you mean you didn't know which of those two codes was for the main copy with all your pledge's bonuses and the second, stripped of everything, copy?".

Edited November 13, 2014 by Darth Trethon

[ManifestedISO]

Aw yeah, half day tomorrow at work, home in time for the live stream at 1pm. That's still a thing, right. 

[Cantousent]

I don't really care if folks get a little more.  It's like Matthew 20:16.  On one hand, it's irksome that people who didn't pledge as much to get something akin to what the people who pledage more get.  On the other hand, as long as I receive what I agreed to receive for my tier, why should I care?  Contractually, the people who pledged at a higher tier should only expect what they were promised.  Realistically, as long as the people at lower tier don't get *more* than what the higher tiers receives, I don't think it matters really all that much.   okay okay, I *do* want my new ringtones.  I'll probably come in and grouse if I don't have good ringtones *and* instructions on how to install them on my phone.

[Darth Trethon]

@Cantousent Are you replying to my above comment? If you are then I haven't the slightest idea what "Matthew 20:16" is but I sincerely hope it doesn't have anything to do with any religious book or text. Beyond that you completely missed my point entirely, I didn't say anyone should be given free stuff but that everyone should have the opportunity to upgrade....that also means pay. Beyond that Kickstarter is about good will so locking your backers into a corner where if they want to upgrade they would have to pay full price for the CE separately....that's bad business and no way to show gratitude towards the people who had faith in you....though I'm sure those concepts are alien to you.

 

But to address your point: while I do not speak bible I would never be opposed to other backers who gave less than me getting more because I pledged out of the desire to help these companies because I viewed them as good people, what bothers me is when their actions resemble those of the big greedy publishers who treat people like cash cows....but I'm sure the big wigs can converse bible with you and how money and contractual obligations should trump nonsense like "good will" and "gratitude"....and they can probably be your heroes too since they are likely descendants of the people who wrote the political text you call bible back when they used it to make themselves the sole holders of all political, military and spiritual power and used it to determine who should be publically executed. But no, I don't speak bible.

[Gairnulf]

@Cantousent Are you replying to my above comment? If you are then I haven't the slightest idea what "Matthew 20:16" is but I sincerely hope it doesn't have anything to do with any religious book or text. Beyond that you completely missed my point entirely, I didn't say anyone should be given free stuff but that everyone should have the opportunity to upgrade....that also means pay. Beyond that Kickstarter is about good will so locking your backers into a corner where if they want to upgrade they would have to pay full price for the CE separately....that's bad business and no way to show gratitude towards the people who had faith in you....though I'm sure those concepts are alien to you.

 

But to address your point: while I do not speak bible I would never be opposed to other backers who gave less than me getting more because I pledged out of the desire to help these companies because I viewed them as good people, what bothers me is when their actions resemble those of the big greedy publishers who treat people like cash cows....but I'm sure the big wigs can converse bible with you and how money and contractual obligations should trump nonsense like "good will" and "gratitude"....and they can probably be your heroes too since they are likely descendants of the people who wrote the political text you call bible back when they used it to make themselves the sole holders of all political, military and spiritual power and used it to determine who should be publically executed. But no, I don't speak bible.

That was cool, were you lying in ambush for someone to mention religion somewhere on the internet, with that paragraph ready, or it just came to your mind? What does anyone's religion have to do with anything discussed on this forum anyway?

Edited November 13, 2014 by Gairnulf

[Darth Trethon]

 

@Cantousent Are you replying to my above comment? If you are then I haven't the slightest idea what "Matthew 20:16" is but I sincerely hope it doesn't have anything to do with any religious book or text. Beyond that you completely missed my point entirely, I didn't say anyone should be given free stuff but that everyone should have the opportunity to upgrade....that also means pay. Beyond that Kickstarter is about good will so locking your backers into a corner where if they want to upgrade they would have to pay full price for the CE separately....that's bad business and no way to show gratitude towards the people who had faith in you....though I'm sure those concepts are alien to you.

 

But to address your point: while I do not speak bible I would never be opposed to other backers who gave less than me getting more because I pledged out of the desire to help these companies because I viewed them as good people, what bothers me is when their actions resemble those of the big greedy publishers who treat people like cash cows....but I'm sure the big wigs can converse bible with you and how money and contractual obligations should trump nonsense like "good will" and "gratitude"....and they can probably be your heroes too since they are likely descendants of the people who wrote the political text you call bible back when they used it to make themselves the sole holders of all political, military and spiritual power and used it to determine who should be publically executed. But no, I don't speak bible.

That was cool, were you lying in ambush for someone to mention religion somewhere on the internet, with that paragraph ready, or it just came to your mind? What does anyone's religion have to do with anything discussed on this forum anyway?

 

 

Nope, nothing expected or at the ready....that was totally an in the moment kind of thing. Now people can believe whatever they choose but when they casually drop bible references as if I should know what they mean that's another matter altogether. But no, I'm not particularly looking to dig too much into the matter either.....at the moment I am far more interested in discussing the game and hopefully we can get an answer to whether or not they plan any upgrade packages.

 

What irks me most is that a lot of people don't understand how much of the world's population lives in poverty, people who work very long and very hard hours for very little......sure some of the people pledging minimum were cheap but there are almost certainly also some for whom their $20 was a great sacrifice when also considering they also may face needing PC upgrades to play the game.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Darth Trethon

[Cantousent]

Yep, that's the way to make a compelling case, DT.  See, we religious nuts can use sarcasm also.  Some of us are even advanced enough to read things on the interwebs.

 

I actually wasn't talking to you directly.  I'd read the exchange some pages back.  I'm sure you might have been part of that exchange regarding the tiers and what's available.  I don't really know because you didn't even show up on my radar until you addressed me specifically to attack my citation of one specific Biblical passage.  You don't speak "Bible?"  How about English?  I'm sure you're conversant enough in the language to use context to get the point.  If you had simply skimmed over the citation, the rest of the post was pretty clear, at least it seemed so to me.

 

At any rate, I'm not going to be bullied by some message board cowboy into hiding or being ashamed of my religion.  I don't bring it up much, but the passage I did cite specifically relates to the discussion I thought we were having.  So, I typed 12 characters (13 with the space) and you drive the discussion into religion bashing territory?  Intolerant religious nuts like me just can't get along with anyone!  That's sarcasm again, by the way.

 

To get back to the topic, my point is actually less about what Obsidian does than about us.  For myself, I won't be upset if someone manages to get something similar to me even though I had to pay more for it.  I think Obsidian has to be careful to protect their brand, which means trying to balance kickstarter pledge tiers with later pledges and then also with specials and deals available to consumers on STEAM.  So, while I won't begrudge someone being advantaged by the circumstances (which is part of our human experience anyway), I also understand they can't be too generous without engendering anger or outrage on the part of people who pledged more.  The compromise of allowing current backers to cut a special deal doesn't seem out of order to me.  However, I will point out that the money they received up front benefited them more than money they received later and the pledges they received later benefited them more than the money they get right now.  At least, that's true dollar for dollar.  If they have a ton of sales, then that's profit.  What made the profit possible was the investment thousands of us made in the beginning.  Having said that, we should give them some latitude to work out a solution that makes the most people happy and, just as importantly, pisses off the fewest number of people.

 

So, I tell you what, take another shot at my religion and I'll let it go.  I think it was asinine, but I'm not really angry so much as surprised at the depth of feeling about a mere citation.  I didn't even quote the passage.  After you sound all erudite by attacking me, let's put my religion aside and talk about the actual issue.

[betelges]

great news but i have seen stereotypical and inaccurate floors...ok..i'm too picky
but how do without it after the splendid mosaics of BG2?

[Darth Trethon]

Yep, that's the way to make a compelling case, DT.  See, we religious nuts can use sarcasm also.  Some of us are even advanced enough to read things on the interwebs.

 

I actually wasn't talking to you directly.  I'd read the exchange some pages back.  I'm sure you might have been part of that exchange regarding the tiers and what's available.  I don't really know because you didn't even show up on my radar until you addressed me specifically to attack my citation of one specific Biblical passage.  You don't speak "Bible?"  How about English?  I'm sure you're conversant enough in the language to use context to get the point.  If you had simply skimmed over the citation, the rest of the post was pretty clear, at least it seemed so to me.

 

At any rate, I'm not going to be bullied by some message board cowboy into hiding or being ashamed of my religion.  I don't bring it up much, but the passage I did cite specifically relates to the discussion I thought we were having.  So, I typed 12 characters (13 with the space) and you drive the discussion into religion bashing territory?  Intolerant religious nuts like me just can't get along with anyone!  That's sarcasm again, by the way.

 

To get back to the topic, my point is actually less about what Obsidian does than about us.  For myself, I won't be upset if someone manages to get something similar to me even though I had to pay more for it.  I think Obsidian has to be careful to protect their brand, which means trying to balance kickstarter pledge tiers with later pledges and then also with specials and deals available to consumers on STEAM.  So, while I won't begrudge someone being advantaged by the circumstances (which is part of our human experience anyway), I also understand they can't be too generous without engendering anger or outrage on the part of people who pledged more.  The compromise of allowing current backers to cut a special deal doesn't seem out of order to me.  However, I will point out that the money they received up front benefited them more than money they received later and the pledges they received later benefited them more than the money they get right now.  At least, that's true dollar for dollar.  If they have a ton of sales, then that's profit.  What made the profit possible was the investment thousands of us made in the beginning.  Having said that, we should give them some latitude to work out a solution that makes the most people happy and, just as importantly, pisses off the fewest number of people.

 

So, I tell you what, take another shot at my religion and I'll let it go.  I think it was asinine, but I'm not really angry so much as surprised at the depth of feeling about a mere citation.  I didn't even quote the passage.  After you sound all erudite by attacking me, let's put my religion aside and talk about the actual issue.

I mostly just find it highly ironic about which ends of the argument we're on but there is certainly plenty of history behind why I reacted the way I did.....but that is besides the point. It's not so much that I care about your religion or beliefs that bothers me but the fact that your comment came across as though people ought to know what it's about or that you don't seem to think citing religion could bother others although you sure notice the discomfort on your end, but at least I hope you can understand that there is A LOT of history about the text that so many view as well meaning that is far from that and yes, even twelve characters are more than sufficient for tempers to flare over a topic behind which so much blood has been shed.

 

On to the point.....I can see why some would be upset which is why I acknowledged that keeping the regular retail edition basic is preferable to a situation like the one inXile had with Wasteland 2 and the reason I am proposing an upgrade package option rather than proposing that all backers be gifted the Champion edition. I also understand the economic realities of the situation but there are ways to deal with the situation in a way that is fair to all and doesn't make most KS backers feel like unwanted bastard fans.....part of it I believe, as I initially mentioned, is setting up a regular retail edition that can be easily given to fulfill simple pledges without having to treat them as sub par to the people who waited to buy the game on day one......the other part, which at this point should be no problem implementing, is setting up an upgrade package so that backers who want it can get that content for a price that is fair too all.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Darth Trethon

[HaydenRead]

Has there been any word on when backers will get their key(s) for the game?

[Darth Trethon]

Has there been any word on when backers will get their key(s) for the game?

It's not releasing until next year so there's certainly time, at this point a game key wouldn't do anything other than adding a title to your library. Nothing to play yet as this is not a beta pass.

[HaydenRead]

 

Has there been any word on when backers will get their key(s) for the game?

It's not releasing until next year so there's certainly time, at this point a game key wouldn't do anything other than adding a title to your library. Nothing to play yet as this is not a beta pass.

 

My main reason for asking is in regards to gifting additional copies to friends before they go out and buy the game themselves.

[Silent Winter]

^Send them an IOU? (seriously, just tell them "I've got you covered with one of my spare keys")

[Jordan Joestar]

15 march is the release date?

[lightblade75]

A lot of questions this time:

 

The new trailer was very convincing. I really liked it much. I watched the gaming session with Josh and this other guy

and really liked what I saw. This seemed to be a more advanced version than the actual backer build 333?

It made me feel that backing this game was the right thing. I am really curious about the things to come.

 

I hope this will speed up the pre-sale.

 

Will the pre-sale money get into the pollishing of the game? 

Has the Kickstarter money already been consumed by development?

Will we get the numbers of sold copies via Steam and GOG?

 

As I of course want PoE to be a great game I hope pre-sale works well.

 

I guess the next beta build will be the last one for this year?

[TheisEjsing]

Wrong topic, woops.

Edited November 14, 2014 by TheisEjsing