March 4, 2016 Josh Sawyer interview ... last part kind of interesting.

[MonkeyLungs]

Here's a quote from the article:

 

MMORPG: What is next for Pillars of Eternity -- can gamers consider the game done or are there more expansions or even a sequel planned?

Josh: Pillars of Eternity is all wrapped up.  It's been a great experience, but we'd like to move on to a new project.  We'd love to make a sequel and have a ton of ideas for ways we can improve on Pillars, but that's a way off.

source: http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/feature/10633/page/2

[Karkarov]

So all he is saying is they are done, minus maybe a patch or two, with Eternity 1.  He all but said, "yes there will be a sequel".

[MonkeyLungs]

Actually no. He said "we'd love to do a sequel." not 'yes there will be a sequel.' But that's not what I found the most interesting. It is the "...but we'd like to move on to a new project" part that I'm curious about. I wonder what it is?

[house2fly]

He also didn't say "we have a new project that we're about to start working on". I sure hope they announce Pillars 2 and also a space opera RPG

[MonkeyLungs]

Correct. He said "we'd like to move on to a new project". I'm curious about that part!

[Tigranes]

Obsidian has always been a multi-project company, and we know there's at least one unannounced RPG in the works. POE2 is pretty sure to happen at some point, but who knows if it'll go through another KS, change engines, etc.

[IndiraLightfoot]

The way I read that is that we'll see a PoE sequel, but it'll take a while.

 

More importantly, from what I can garner from various sources, is that Obsidian is preparing for a big CRPG project, I'm just wondering: Which kind?

I know some peeps yearn for some kind of space opera. I don't.

Others want some kind of Fallout-CRPG badly. Not me.

I have high hopes for either a more classic Western-Medieval-ish CRPG (like Pathfinder), or some Asian-influenced RPG - an original Obsidian IP, like Bushido, but fantasy etc.   

[anameforobsidian]

Probably the actual Pathfinder game.  I'm more surprised they're not going straight for the sequel.

Edited March 5, 2016 by anameforobsidian

[zered]

Im kind of disapointed they aren't going for the sequel now. Ah well, hope they can get a succes with the new project as well and I damn hope it's an isometric rpg

Edited March 5, 2016 by zered

[gkathellar]

I think y'all may be reading more into the statement than is actually there - really, the most I can get out of it is "no more Pillars expansions." It mostly sounds like he's very intentionally avoiding confirmation on anything.

[Miquel93]

We know they're working on project Lousiana, which started (or know of) a few months before release of WM p2, and that this project has at least 3 key people from the PoE team (Josh Sawyer, Adam Brennecke and Brandon Adler. Brandon came later, but assumed basically the position of Brennecke as producer so he could focus on the programming).

 

Josh can say what he wants ("if we make a sequel" has been his go to phrase every time he's talked about things he would improve for PoE), but they're clearly working on a sequel, they just can't tak about it now.

[SkySlam]

I've read somewhere that they were working on a different project, but ALSO on Pillars 2, which will take place in different regions of Eora.

I also remember speculating with some of you about where the sequel might take us (Readceras, Vailian Republics etc.).

Was it just a dream?

[RingMachine]

I've read somewhere that they were working on a different project, but ALSO on Pillars 2, which will take place in different regions of Eora.

I also remember speculating with some of you about where the sequel might take us (Readceras, Vailian Republics etc.).

Was it just a dream?

 

You are correct: http://www.pcgamer.com/pillars-of-eternity-2-would-be-set-in-a-whole-new-world/

[Odd Hermit]

VTMB2 and Fallout: New New Orleans are possibly/hopefully going to come before PoE2. And the stuff they're working on now -

 

 

Future

Obsidian Entertainment is currently working on two projects; the westernization of Skyforge,^[61] and the free-to-play multiplayer military shooter Armored Warfare.^[62] On August 13, 2014, Obsidian announced that they had licensed the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game to make electronic games, starting with a tablet adaptation of the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, which is scheduled to be released on March 29, 2016 for iOS and Android, with releases for other platforms to be announced.^[63] Paizo CEO Lisa Stevens also confirmed plans for an Obsidian-developed computer role-playing game.^[64] Urquhart had stated a desire to collaborate with BioWare again on a new Star Wars game. After the release of New Vegas, there is also a desire to work on another Fallout game.^[65][66][67]

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsidian_Entertainment#Future

 

 

I like PoE but I would love a VTMB sequel since first one was great but super flawed and didn't age well, and another Obsidian style Fallout game would of course be amazing.

Edited March 5, 2016 by Odd Hermit

[RingMachine]

VTMB2 and Fallout: New New Orleans are possibly/hopefully going to come before PoE2

 

No. Josh explicitly said that the Project Louisiana they're working on isn't Fallout and Paradox only just bought the WOD rights. That Wikipedia section is also missing the RPG that's about to get announced.

[Luckmann]

When I see people reading way too much into a comment, I must stress that practically all interviews are edited, especially if it happened in person or in conversation. There are nuances in a conversation that does not translate well to text, with all the uhms and aahs and buts. And if it's not, the one being interviewed has an endless opportunity to be as diplomatic or as restrictive in giving out what they want as they want, which presents the issue of trying to make things sound good, or better than they are. Or even intentionally misleading.

 

That being said, I am sad to hear that Pillars of Eternity is over. I realize that it was fruitless, but I was still holding on to the sliver of hope that there would at some point be a narrative pass, creating somewhat of an enhanced edition/director's cut. A definitive version of the game, without the many small oddities that stick out like sore thumbs, to take the game from 'good' to 'great', from "the best we've got at the moment" to "among the best there's been".

This caught my attention, though:

 

As the Enhanced Editions of the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale games have shown, touch tablets are actually a pretty decent platform for this type of game.

 

Oh Sawyer. Sawyer, Sawyer, Sawyer. What are we ever to do with you?

 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2016 by Luckmann

[apolloooo]

i think he means, the game, and not the series

[Karkarov]

More importantly, from what I can garner from various sources, is that Obsidian is preparing for a big CRPG project, I'm just wondering: Which kind?

I know some peeps yearn for some kind of space opera. I don't.

Others want some kind of Fallout-CRPG badly. Not me.

I have high hopes for either a more classic Western-Medieval-ish CRPG (like Pathfinder), or some Asian-influenced RPG - an original Obsidian IP, like Bushido, but fantasy etc.   

Concur.  I would actually really like to see a pathfinder RPG because I have very little experience with that world.  By the time it was getting popular my work life and schedule made it pretty much impossible for me to do table top anymore.

[Elerond]

I would guess that Obsidian needs bigger project or several smaller project when Armored Warfare is released, and as Obsidian is looking new employees I would say they have something secured.

 

I they are planning big RPG my guess would go that they most likely have deal with Paradox (World of Darkness, PoE sequel) or Bethesda (Sequel for F:NV). Of course there is possibility for something surprising and different like AW. I find odds for Pathfinder RPG bit lower because I can't think publisher who would be interested to fund one.

 

I would not close out another KS funded game (PoE sequel) addition to some bigger project. I would also guess that this time they would take their time to plan the pitch instead doing it in similar hurry as they did PoE's (at least in document they gave impression that they mostly improvised whole pitch for PoE).

[Ignatius]

Actually no. He said "we'd love to do a sequel." not 'yes there will be a sequel.' But that's not what I found the most interesting. It is the "...but we'd like to move on to a new project" part that I'm curious about. I wonder what it is?

 

That's just a game designer being careful with their words and understanding the industry. It'd make no sense to announce it like this, as a footnote to an interview.

 

"We're done with PoE, but look out for PoE2 someday!"

 

Then the interviewer has an exclusive about the sequel which they blast all over the internet and Obsidian has to start answering tons of questions about something that probably isn't much more than a pile of design docs. Seems like a waste of everyone's time.

[kvaak]

I would not close out another KS funded game (PoE sequel) addition to some bigger project. I would also guess that this time they would take their time to plan the pitch instead doing it in similar hurry as they did PoE's (at least in document they gave impression that they mostly improvised whole pitch for PoE).

 

No surprise there. See: Endless Paths.

[demeisen]

It's kind of unimaginable that they would not do a PoE2.  They might have to contend with legions of PoE1 players descending on their doorstep with pitchforks in hand, demanding to give them another Kickstarter's worth of seed money in exchange for a sequel.  Much easier for all concerned to take our money voluntarily.

 

But seriously, I think a key aspect of PoE was it being their own IP.  They're not beholden to publishers or 3rd parties: they control it and can chose where it goes, not to mention it's always more satisfying to work on something you own in the end.  Not a lot of game studios end up in that sort of position.  It's hard to imagine them not taking advantage of it to build the franchise further, given the apparent success of the first one.

 

Plus, it avoids the whole unpleasantness with money-bearing pitchfork-wielding hoards.

[gkathellar]

^ Yeah, basically. They did Lords of the Eastern Reach because once you have an IP with fans, you milk the damn thing.

 

Honestly, Pillars' greatest weakness as a potential multimedia franchise is the lack of a distinctive "look" and artistic style. They'll ameliorate that with time, but it's hardly the most important thing for its type of game, so it'll be fine for now. PoE2 is happening, no question.

[house2fly]

I'd kind of hope they wouldn't need a kickstarter for POE2; the original game sold over half a million and while I don't know what kind of cut the developer gets from that after Steam/Paradox get theirs and funding the expansion/patches, I'm sure there's $3 million left over for them to make another game on POE's level.

Edited March 5, 2016 by house2fly

[danielkx]

No doubt they will make PoE 2 at some point, it just may not be their next project. After do so much world building and fixing/changing the game for the last 3+ years I would imagine that the primary people would want to take a break from PoE world and do another project or 2 before returning to the franchise.