Thank You, Obsidian!

[blackrabite]

When I was twelve, most of my experience with RPGs were from consoles: SNES, PSX, the like. I hadn't the foggiest what was available for PC. When I asked about RPGs in the store, I was waved toward the appropriate shelf with no direction. Then, this guy - ballparking at seventeen - approaches me with a tomb of box and places it into my hands:

 

"This is what you want, kid."

 

Baldur's Gate. I had no idea what I was getting into, but I sure as hell couldn't wait after reading the inscription from Volo on the inside of the box. Faerun became one of the great backdrops of my imagination, as it did for my friends as well. We were humans, we were elves; we were thieves and wizards; we were philosophers from another realm. I'll spare you all the rest because I know you know where I've been.

 

--

 

Growing up is hard. How I spend my time is warped by a life without Summer Breaks and gifts under the tree. I try not to get older, but sometimes I wonder if I let something slip away. Rock 'n Rollers preach that they had it best, and it's easy to don those rose-tinted glasses and say that Baldur's Gate belongs to the past; nothing will hit us (me) like that again.

 

I didn't even realize Pillars of Eternity was a thing until a close friend was like "... uh, dude, have you not heard about this game?"

 

--

 

I'm not that young any more, and things still don't feel quite like they should. But this game makes work misery the same way BG subverted my enthusiasm for school: I can't wait to go home, load up, and see what it has to offer. ****, I'm still just breakin' out of Defiance Bay. But, I know that if I put this game into the right kid's hands, it'd make his youth as awesome as Black Isle had made mine back in the day.

 

Thank you for transposing the Infinity Engine.

Thank you for rennovating the mechanics.

Thank you for colorful portraits,  lurid descriptions, non-combat resolution, combat resolution, compartmentalized reputation, a compelling stat system, plenty of things to do, for a world with a story.

 

--

 

I jumped into the game at 1.05, and I know it can be a rocky road. So keep your chins up and know that you're nailing it. I have my own misgivings about certain bits of voice-acting & quest resolutions & dialogue options & other things that may not ever get addressed. Doesn't matter. You're nailing it.

 

I'm never going to be twelve again. But Pillars makes me remember what it feels like, and that is just so valuable to me.

 

Thank you for braving the waters.

 

Best Wishes,

Ben  (twenty-seven years young)

[kozzy]

amen, good post. As a huge Baldurs Gate and Icewind dale fan, I found Pillars to be fantastic. Not perfect but very very good.