Third Expansion

[Ohioastro]

I actually hope that they start with either low or mid-level characters (think Baldurs Gate 2).  High level characters, in every one of these games, tend to be massively imbalanced and finicky to run (basically, your wall of powers-o-death against equivalent ones for your foes.)  The most interesting part of the game is where you have some powerful abilities but not overwhelming ones.

 

To be truthful, my main hope is that they ditch the Vancian spells completely.   Modern games have moved away from lists of hundreds of abilities with hot keys to a mode where you have a modest number of interesting choices, and it works very well for game play.  It also makes things like balancing far less painful, as you don't have to anticipate so many broken combinations.  The machinery is already there.

[mychal26]

Could always have the main character in the sequel 'awaken' to their past life as the watcher, which would effectively continue their story. It could be spun in such a way that it doesn't feel like a rehash of the first game. As they progress through the sequel, decisions you make either agree or clash with previous dispositions which grant certain bonuses. Also, I like the idea of epic levels (> level 20).

[Luckmann]

 

Just to clarify - "CRPG" stands for Computer Role Playing Game.

Not true. CRPG stands for Club of Refined and Prestigious Gentlemen.

 

 

This is true, as clarified within the Codex.

[why]

I'd rather not see a poll, although one regarding which region to use next wouldn't be horrible I guess. The thing is, you'd have to think that they've had a vision for what they're going to do with Pillars 2 for a long time. I want them to follow their own vision. So far, it's resulted in a game that I enjoy greatly. I know you weren't suggesting that they design by poll, juanval, just that they make a poll about this one thing, but I'd rather the story come entirely from their creative minds. For example, I say I want them to do something new and turn the storyline on its head, but what I really want is for them to have already come up with a great story and be working on it right now. Whether they flesh out old ideas or present radical new ones, I want to explore their creative ideas.

 

As far as game mechanics and the like, those seem more apt for community input and I think community involvement really helped with the design, especially fine tuning spells and abilities. However, I would vote to stick with Vancian because he's the one what brought us to the dance and damn can he dance! That would be a major overhaul to a system and I already know I enjoy. On the other hand, I'm not much of a rabble rouser, so if they changed it, the worst they'd get from me is low level sniping and a few random complaints.

[juanval]

Anyway, any decision devs will take for PoE 2, will have lots of critics because of the big amount of players we are

 

on the other hand, PoE has been a big success for obsidian and the community of IE fans

Edited February 19, 2016 by juanval

[Quillon]

I think the most part of the community wants PoE 2 instead of a third expansion

 

I'd like to play PoE2, a new adventure in the Vaillian Republics region with a fresh low level character instead of playing PoE2 with "the Watcher".

 

Devs could make a poll and see what players want for the future

 

I'd like to continue with the watcher(imagine the game's name was The Watcher : p confusion would be our epitaph). There is too much lore dump in PoE, a new protagonist means only more lore dump. I like to see more characterization from the second game rather than people dumping lore over me left and right and I want to see what will become of our poor watcher. Also I'm a sucker for sequels with save imports, hopefully there'll be save import and hopefully it will do more than just carrying over char stats.

[Skladzien]

I'd hope for another and completely new story. Like IWD1 and 2 had nothing in common except title and region of Forgotten Realms. New Main character, new companions, new story.

[Sylvus_Moonbow]

I'd like a whole new story, new location, new protagonist with a back drop of the history from events in Pillars of Eternity mentioned in lore and by NPCs during conversations.

If one had a final save and completion of Pillars of Eternity, perhaps PoE2 would read that file and grab the names of the party that completed the Hollowborn story line, and incorporate their names into history books, and mentioned in conversations.

There's a whole wealth of a world yet to explore, so I too, would be very excited about the next part of the series and the adventures that await!

[Ineth]

Like IWD1 and 2 had nothing in common except title and region of Forgotten Realms.

 

And a few reused maps.

 

And Oswald with his airship.

 

And Nym, that scoundrel.

 

[abaris]

Sad!

 

But expected.

[illathid]

Having the Watcher's story continue does pose some technical problems. Since the watcher actually experienced the events of PoE, any reference to them would need to take that into account or ignore it for the most part (think how BG2 reacts to stuff from BG1). Whereas if it's a new protagonist, they can just make oblique references to it without nailing anything down (think how TES games deal with events from previous titles).

 

While a new protagonist would be easier, I'd prefer to continue the story myself.

[Bill Gates' Son]

Having the Watcher's story continue does pose some technical problems. Since the watcher actually experienced the events of PoE, any reference to them would need to take that into account or ignore it for the most part (think how BG2 reacts to stuff from BG1). Whereas if it's a new protagonist, they can just make oblique references to it without nailing anything down (think how TES games deal with events from previous titles).

 

While a new protagonist would be easier, I'd prefer to continue the story myself.

 

Or they could just go with a canon path for the protagonist.  Games like FO2 (and new vegas), MoTB, and WL2 went with this route.

Edited February 19, 2016 by Bill Gates' Son

[Rosveen]

There is too much lore dump in PoE, a new protagonist means only more lore dump.

Not necessarily. Overly heavy lore exposition isn't for the protagonist, it's for the player new to the setting - and most of it in PoE had to do with the region, the gods and the nature of souls, which won't have to be explained so thoroughly again in the sequel. The Watcher lore I wouldn't call a lore dump, it felt pretty natural.

What we probably won't avoid is a bit of a lore dump regarding a new region's history if the sequel takes us out of the Dyrwood, but that has nothing to do with the protagonist themself.

Edited February 19, 2016 by Rosveen

[Skladzien]

 

Like IWD1 and 2 had nothing in common except title and region of Forgotten Realms.

 

And a few reused maps.

 

And Oswald with his airship.

 

And Nym, that scoundrel.

 

 

Think this all counts for "same region of Forgotten Realms"

[evilcat]

KS, it probably give idea how expected the title is, and how far devs can go. Sure, why not.

 

Hero, i prefer new hero with his own story. Since i like going from level 1. Just to live again joy of 1st named weapon.

After PoE and WM there is not many beings presenting threat to fully leveled and geared up watcher.

 

New companions, some companions as questgivers, some as party members. A whole new journey.

[anameforobsidian]

 

 

I'd rather espect a PoE 2 Kickstarter in the near future.

I'd back that. All the same, surely they don't have to use a kickstarter again? After the success of POE, someone should be willing to fund them...

Yes, someone is: their fans. It worked out pretty well the first time.

It's really a matter of weighting the pros and cons of each funding method. How much money do they need for a sequel? Do they even want a traditional publisher? What other avenues might be worth exploring? I wouldn't automatically rule out crowdfunding just because they have other options now - it's not reserved only for start-ups and desperate people, you know.

 

 

They'll probably use Fig (since they're founders) and jack the price of the base tier up to $40+.  I'm less than excited about that future.

Edited February 20, 2016 by anameforobsidian

[Gairnulf]

I made the CRPG clarification for the overly enthusiastic "old-school, like Oblivion" players, who seem to think it stands for "classic RPG".

Edited February 20, 2016 by Gairnulf

[DreamWayfarer]

I wouldn't like to continue as the Watcher. By the time the game is over, we are already killing dragons and talking to gods, so what will PoE2+Expansions make us do?

I'd rather have another protagonist, and have former companions appear as part of quests or even follow the new PC as well, if fitting.

[JJGee]

I would be a little bit disappointed if Pillars of Eternity 2 featured the same protagonist. I'd be excited to leave this hero behind and imagine their exploits from that point on, and start anew in a new place. What I'm most fascinated by is the opportunity to learn more about the world, and see an entirely new region through the eyes of a brand new character.

 

As for the story and whatnot, if I was to say "I hope X, Y and Z happen in PoE2", I'd already be really disappointed if those things came true. I definitely don't want the story be something I'd be able to predict that easily. Whatever the story is, I just really hope it's something the good folk at Obsidian have created with the same integrity with which they created the world to begin with. I don't want them to please anyone specific with the story - I want them to tell the tale they want to tell.

 

Finally, I don't think I'd be thrilled about tethering the sequel to the first game in any significant way. I don't want numerous references to specific choices I made in this one, nor do I want to meet all of this game's companions again, or anything like that. I don't want a Mass Effect game. I want something fresh - the world itself is original enough to make the sequel feel sufficiently familiar just by being there. I want less "Hey, remember this from the last game?" moments, and more of those moments of discovery and excitement that Pillars of Eternity has offered so far by being something entirely new.

[Marky]

Could always have the main character in the sequel 'awaken' to their past life as the watcher, which would effectively continue their story. It could be spun in such a way that it doesn't feel like a rehash of the first game. As they progress through the sequel, decisions you make either agree or clash with previous dispositions which grant certain bonuses. Also, I like the idea of epic levels (> level 20).

That's a really cool way keep the protagonist and reset the levels. It also fit's really well with the setting of Eora.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Marky

[Luzeryn]

I prefer a new character and a different region for the sequel. And only bring back companions if it fits.

[why]

 

Could always have the main character in the sequel 'awaken' to their past life as the watcher, which would effectively continue their story. It could be spun in such a way that it doesn't feel like a rehash of the first game. As they progress through the sequel, decisions you make either agree or clash with previous dispositions which grant certain bonuses. Also, I like the idea of epic levels (> level 20).

That's a really cool way keep the protagonist and reset the levels. It also fit's really well with the setting of Eora.

like the eternal champion idea?

[Sonntam]

 

 

Having the Watcher's story continue does pose some technical problems. Since the watcher actually experienced the events of PoE, any reference to them would need to take that into account or ignore it for the most part (think how BG2 reacts to stuff from BG1). Whereas if it's a new protagonist, they can just make oblique references to it without nailing anything down (think how TES games deal with events from previous titles).

While a new protagonist would be easier, I'd prefer to continue the story myself.

 

Or they could just go with a canon path for the protagonist.  Games like FO2 (and new vegas), MoTB, and WL2 went with this route.

 

I really dislike this kind of thing. If I make choices I want to see them reflected in future games too or at least not to be completely canon non-compliant. 

 

If exporting saves to the new game is too much effort, then one could at least go the Kotor 2 route with organically choosing the state of the world in conversation.

 

(Like:

 

"I heard Revan was a guy"

"What? I served under Revan, she was a woman", etc.)

 

It may be too much with so many variables from so many quests, but I guess in the end there are not so many things that would matter to people outside Dyrwood. If Doemenels rule the capital it may be important, but what happened in Gilded Vale would be largely irrelevant in Living Lands or in Rautatai.

[Infinitron]

Don't understand all the people asking for a new character. We haven't had a high level RPG since Mask of the Betrayer, folks! It's a challenge that needs to be taken on.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Infinitron

[ruzen]

I think PoE2 has to be in a brand new new character not returned from wheel nor level 20 start. Beside from that I wish we could go back in time(like 1000years) and see how Engwithan people lost their lands to colonist. I didnt like the gun powder for this game, It didnt felt fun for me. Also I hope we wont be watcher again cuz It was a "WOW" effect for first game. To be able to talk with the death,etc... but this time It has to be new thing.