Where should the world of Eora Go From Here? - Please drop in and share your thoughts

[Starwars]

Since Josh has updated his twitter with his location being a town in the Valian Republic, it seems plausible that's where we'll go next.

 

For the long term, I hope they won't be afraid to move the PoE  world to different timelines. I would love to see Eora move forward technologically and explore what impact that could have. Similiarily, I wouldn't mind going backwards in its history either.

If they're willing to make some spin-offs and such, I imagine there's a greater chance for this.

[Stoner]

Would like to see the same map but extended, so we can visit new locations. I don't want game to be set in a particular region, because it would be very interesting to see how world has changed post Pillars events.

 

No epic godlike height please... level cap set to 20-30. Would be VERY good addition if we had something like Prestige Classes which we can pick post 10-15 level that will grant better specialization on certain aspect of class, instead of making hybrid classes. Just few more abilities/spells and mostly revamping existing ones.

 

Old hero or compainions return isn't something very alluring to me, I would be perfectly fine with brand new hero and all new companions, though that doesn't mean there shouldn't be any references to old charcaters and events.

 

And yes, only classic isometric RPG in 2D, I seriously don't wanna see any drastic changes here. This game occupies very specific and highly demanded niche among certain group of gamers, ruining it would be a big mistake. And to be completely honest, no matter how good or bad Eora or overall Pillars lore is, selling point of this game is cRPG mechanics, nothing else.

 

P.S. No idea how one who've been working with RPGs for a while can not like class system... that's very odd for me, since it's most solid, reliable and interesting way of character development, time tested and established a reputation.

[ManifestedISO]

Jungle coast, flooded cave dungeons, pre-civilization, megafauna, megalodon boss battle ... PoE Primal

[drgonzo]

Please god no epic levels. I would like poe2 to be completely fresh.

[Infinitron]

 

P.S. No idea how one who've been working with RPGs for a while can not like class system... that's very odd for me, since it's most solid, reliable and interesting way of character development, time tested and established a reputation.

 

Somebody whose favorite RPG is Fallout and thinks high fantasy tropes are boring?

Edited March 25, 2016 by Infinitron

[anameforobsidian]

I wouldn't mind seeing PE go to epic levels, but I have to say the White March pt. II feels near epic already.  Fighting a wizard who's named in the mechanics, the whole thing with Abydon.  The spells that kill low health characters.  The baby version of the five points exploding heart technique for monks.  Stormcaller, just in general.  I think they're going to have a hard time creating new mechanics that feel epic just like BGII did.  

 

As for the plot, there's several places it could go epic.  Most notably Durance's quest, the child and Sun in Shadow, other places that formed the same function as Sun in Shadow, the spells Concelhaut mentions, the hollow places in the middle of Eora that the Ardra dragon mentions, Vithrack cities, etc.

[Lychnidos]

Since Josh has updated his twitter with his location being a town in the Valian Republic, it seems plausible that's where we'll go next.

 

He is sailing South by Southeast away from the most southeastern city of the Vailian Republics, which means Dreadfire Archipelago.

 

Arrr, mateys! It's a pirate rpg. 

 

 

I'm happy with that, though would have preferred Rautai, or even Aedyr. The Vailian Republics don't seem much more than Renaissance Italy, but black. 

 

P.S. Why does this forum lack a pirate emoticon G1fted? 

Edited March 25, 2016 by Lychnidos

[Messier-31]

 

Since Josh has updated his twitter with his location being a town in the Valian Republic, it seems plausible that's where we'll go next.

 

He is sailing South by Southeast away from the most southeastern city of the Vailian Republics, which means Dreadfire Archipelago.

 

Arrr, mateys! It's a pirate rpg. 

 

 

I'm happy with that, though would have preferred Rautai, or even Aedyr. The Vailian Republics don't seem much more than Renaissance Italy, but black. 

 

P.S. Why does this forum lack a pirate emoticon G1fted? 

 

 

IF this be true, and the Deadfire Archipelago it is, than I hope that Revua will be accessible nonetheless. And IF this be true, and there will be the possibility to export your character from PoE1 then I wonder what this will mean to our characters that originate from Deadfire. Shiver me timbers?

[demeisen]

​​

I hold with those who want a similar level range, say 1-16 or so.  I think the PoE1 system with perhaps a handful of new abilities, spells, and monsters along the lines of what WM provided, but set in a different part of Eora with a brand new story and new characters would be wonderful.  Basically, give me more where PoE1 came from, and I'm a happy camper.

 

I love WM1 and 2, but it feels like it didn't reach the same level of market exposure and press buzz that PoE itself did (so, I would hazard a guess of lower sales).  I suspect that connecting into the middle of the already extant PoE game made it less accessible, but a proper sequel wouldn't have that difficulty.  What I most want is for this sub-genre of game to be financially sustainable, so we can have a bunch of them even though party based iso-view CRPGs are a tiny niche in the whole gaming space.  PoE1 addressed a pent up demand, so there was a burst of nostalgia fueled interest, but can that sustain multiple, high quality sequels?

​

​I'm optimistic that it is possible, if Obsidian plays their hand carefully.  The sequels have to feel like they aren't just phoning it in, blockbuster-part-17 style.  They have to be accessible to people who've never played PoE1, while still capturing the hearts of those who did.  They have to feel fresh, while still feeling like part of the same universe.  They have to give us many beautiful new places to explore, while not being so expensive to make that they fail to recapture development costs.

​

​My guess is that a series could be financially viable, in part because there's a lot from PoE1 that can be re-used to save development costs.  How far they will try to take the franchise, I guess only time will tell.

​

​

[Stoner]

 

 

P.S. No idea how one who've been working with RPGs for a while can not like class system... that's very odd for me, since it's most solid, reliable and interesting way of character development, time tested and established a reputation.

 

Somebody whose favorite RPG is Fallout and thinks high fantasy tropes are boring?

 

And yet is working on "boring high fantasy tropes" while doing very good job at it. Seriously, I don't understand how you can create something as good as PoE when you don't love it's core mechanics with all your heart...

[anameforobsidian]

 

Since Josh has updated his twitter with his location being a town in the Valian Republic, it seems plausible that's where we'll go next.

 

He is sailing South by Southeast away from the most southeastern city of the Vailian Republics, which means Dreadfire Archipelago.

 

Arrr, mateys! It's a pirate rpg. 

 

 

I'm happy with that, though would have preferred Rautai, or even Aedyr. The Vailian Republics don't seem much more than Renaissance Italy, but black. 

 

P.S. Why does this forum lack a pirate emoticon G1fted? 

 

 

It's worth pointing out that there's a bunch of advantages to choosing the Valian Republics:

• It's supposedly the only other places in the setting where animancy is nearly as widely spread as Dyrwood.  Animancy is one of the most novel and interesting parts of the lore, and Galvino's workshop was a great little dungeon.
• The game would probably have a whole bunch of faction politics, which is one of Obsidian's greatest strengths over other companies.  
• The worldmap seems the most developed there.  I seem to remember some indicators from the kickstarter that the extra city was going to be one of the Valian cities.
• Outside of the Dyrwood it has the strongest characterization already.  That could lead to less exposition dumps.
• If Pallegina is any sample, fighting a group of gunadins.
• It's close to Dyrwood, so it would be easier to explain some ties / repeating NPCs.
• Renaissance Italy is fairly different from the pseudo-Germanic high Middle Ages setting we expect.  Historical influence could lead to fewer good / bad binaries, very different religious nature, different climate, and possibly a better focus on game economy.
• It fits the established Early Modern themes well.
• I want to see the people who made the gorgeous art in Pillars do isometric Renaissance art.  I still remember seeing the fountains in BG2 to this day.  Imagine seeing some Renaissance or Humanistic art, architecture, and fixtures.

[Gromnir]

 

 

 

P.S. No idea how one who've been working with RPGs for a while can not like class system... that's very odd for me, since it's most solid, reliable and interesting way of character development, time tested and established a reputation.

 

Somebody whose favorite RPG is Fallout and thinks high fantasy tropes are boring?

 

And yet is working on "boring high fantasy tropes" while doing very good job at it. Seriously, I don't understand how you can create something as good as PoE when you don't love it's core mechanics with all your heart...

 

am thinking the word you might be looking for is professionalism.

 

architects design buildings 'ccording to needs and wants o' the folks paying the bills.  lawyers represent clients they despise. the number o' artists and writers who has, at the direction o' patrons, completed masterpieces is considerable.

 

*shrug*

 

classes is terrible if the goal is to maximize customization and player freedom... which were indeed espoused goals o' poe.  is a conclusion that should be obvious, but always needs discussion. no matter how good is your class system, the classes limit the player's choices.  classes each have unique abilities, otherwise is no point to the class.  unique is, by its very nature, a limitation.  so, why?  why add the limitation?  

 

but more important we will once again observe how ridiculous it is to suggest that josh is personal averse to doing poe2 based on a misreading o' sawyer's observations 'bout the poe attribute/class system.  silly.  josh also has criticized aspects of fallout mechanics, and he has, more than once, complained 'bout d&d rules.  even so, josh very much wanted to do fallout 3, and most o' us is aware that he were much invested in bg3 when black isle were developing the project. this kinda poor reading skills coupled with a penchant for rumor mongering deserves to be stamped out with some harshness.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[InsaneCommander]

Maybe it will start in the Vailian Republics and involve the Dreadfire Archipelago.

[Lychnidos]

 

 

Since Josh has updated his twitter with his location being a town in the Valian Republic, it seems plausible that's where we'll go next.

 

He is sailing South by Southeast away from the most southeastern city of the Vailian Republics, which means Dreadfire Archipelago.

 

Arrr, mateys! It's a pirate rpg. 

 

 

I'm happy with that, though would have preferred Rautai, or even Aedyr. The Vailian Republics don't seem much more than Renaissance Italy, but black. 

 

P.S. Why does this forum lack a pirate emoticon G1fted? 

 

 

It's worth pointing out that there's a bunch of advantages to choosing the Valian Republics:

• It's supposedly the only other places in the setting where animancy is nearly as widely spread as Dyrwood.  Animancy is one of the most novel and interesting parts of the lore, and Galvino's workshop was a great little dungeon.
• The game would probably have a whole bunch of faction politics, which is one of Obsidian's greatest strengths over other companies.  
• The worldmap seems the most developed there.  I seem to remember some indicators from the kickstarter that the extra city was going to be one of the Valian cities.
• Outside of the Dyrwood it has the strongest characterization already.  That could lead to less exposition dumps.
• If Pallegina is any sample, fighting a group of gunadins.
• It's close to Dyrwood, so it would be easier to explain some ties / repeating NPCs.
• Renaissance Italy is fairly different from the pseudo-Germanic high Middle Ages setting we expect.  Historical influence could lead to fewer good / bad binaries, very different religious nature, different climate, and possibly a better focus on game economy.
• It fits the established Early Modern themes well.
• I want to see the people who made the gorgeous art in Pillars do isometric Renaissance art.  I still remember seeing the fountains in BG2 to this day.  Imagine seeing some Renaissance or Humanistic art, architecture, and fixtures.

 

 

No need to try to sell me anything, if you like the place you like it.   To me it still feels like the most one-to-one transplanted area from the real world.

[Karkarov]

There is a PDF floating around the net authored by Sawyer where his answer to "would you do it again" -- in regards to the development of PoE -- is no. His primary reason listed is because he dislikes class based systems. I don't have the link handy, though. Sorry.

You know what's cool about owning your own IP and all rights to it?  If you think a rule, or some part of the gameplay was poor or didn't work well in a early entry.... you can change it in a sequel.

[Infinitron]

There is a PDF floating around the net authored by Sawyer where his answer to "would you do it again" -- in regards to the development of PoE -- is no. His primary reason listed is because he dislikes class based systems. I don't have the link handy, though. Sorry.

 

Uh I know I'm a bit late here but he actually said he would do it again

Edited March 26, 2016 by Infinitron

[Marceror]

^{I'm curious what specifically Josh says he won't do again, but Obsidian probably will:}

 

 

 

^{Would We Do It Again?}

^{• Yeah, probably.}

^{• Benefits outweigh the drawbacks.}

^{• We were happy with the gameplay.}

^{• Players seem happy, too.}

 

^{Would I Do It, Personally?}

^{• Nope!}

^{• Don't like the conflict with classes.}

^{• Don't like class-based systems!}

 

 

As long as people are just talking about "it"... well, we're having a pretty vague conversation.

[Gromnir]

am honest curious what marc thinks he is reading.  is this simple an example o' having made a mistake and not wanting to admit, or is some other explanation?

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Elerond]

It is attribute and character creation systems in PoE. Which were things that whole Josh's talk in GDC was about.

Edited March 26, 2016 by Elerond

[Marceror]

It is attribute and character creation systems in PoE. Which were things that whole Josh's talk in GDC was about.

 

Okay, so if Josh will be involved with PoE2, and he will not be doing attribute and character creation systems again, does this mean neither of these will be present in PoE2? Or was he just being tongue in cheek with that comment.

 

A PoE2 without attributes and classes sounds like a horrible direction for the series.

[Elerond]

 

It is attribute and character creation systems in PoE. Which were things that whole Josh's talk in GDC was about.

 

Okay, so if Josh will be involved with PoE2, and he will not be doing attribute and character creation systems again, does this mean neither of these will be present in PoE2? Or was he just being tongue in cheek with that comment.

 

A PoE2 without attributes and classes sounds like a horrible direction for the series.

 

 

Or they just use one from PoE and maybe adjust it bit.

[Marceror]

 

 

It is attribute and character creation systems in PoE. Which were things that whole Josh's talk in GDC was about.

 

Okay, so if Josh will be involved with PoE2, and he will not be doing attribute and character creation systems again, does this mean neither of these will be present in PoE2? Or was he just being tongue in cheek with that comment.

 

A PoE2 without attributes and classes sounds like a horrible direction for the series.

 

 

Or they just use one from PoE and maybe adjust it bit.

 

Yeah, but that would be Josh doing "it" again.

 

Unless he's talking about the creation of such systems, vs. merely the implementation of existing systems. But these systems would presumably need to be evolved and further developed in other games. Would be cool if Sawyer could drop in and clarify that point.

Edited March 26, 2016 by Marceror

[Elerond]

 

 

 

It is attribute and character creation systems in PoE. Which were things that whole Josh's talk in GDC was about.

 

Okay, so if Josh will be involved with PoE2, and he will not be doing attribute and character creation systems again, does this mean neither of these will be present in PoE2? Or was he just being tongue in cheek with that comment.

 

A PoE2 without attributes and classes sounds like a horrible direction for the series.

 

 

Or they just use one from PoE and maybe adjust it bit.

 

Yeah, but that would be Josh doing "it" again.

 

 

Designing and tuning attribute and character creation system? I don't see how he would do it again if he uses one that he already made and tuned.

[Marceror]

 

 

 

 

It is attribute and character creation systems in PoE. Which were things that whole Josh's talk in GDC was about.

 

Okay, so if Josh will be involved with PoE2, and he will not be doing attribute and character creation systems again, does this mean neither of these will be present in PoE2? Or was he just being tongue in cheek with that comment.

 

A PoE2 without attributes and classes sounds like a horrible direction for the series.

 

 

Or they just use one from PoE and maybe adjust it bit.

 

Yeah, but that would be Josh doing "it" again.

 

 

Designing and tuning attribute and character creation system? I don't see how he would do it again if he uses one that he already made and tuned.

 

Sequels often bring with them new stuff. You don't typically release a new game with exactly what the previous game had. So new classes seem likely inclusions -- looks awesome in the marketing. Higher levels -- also looks great in marketing material. Maybe something like prestige classes could be added in - would have lots of people literally swooning.

 

Surely it's possible that PoE2 could be released without such things, but it would seem like a bit of a missed opportunity.

[Elerond]

 

 

 

 

 

It is attribute and character creation systems in PoE. Which were things that whole Josh's talk in GDC was about.

 

Okay, so if Josh will be involved with PoE2, and he will not be doing attribute and character creation systems again, does this mean neither of these will be present in PoE2? Or was he just being tongue in cheek with that comment.

 

A PoE2 without attributes and classes sounds like a horrible direction for the series.

 

 

Or they just use one from PoE and maybe adjust it bit.

 

Yeah, but that would be Josh doing "it" again.

 

 

Designing and tuning attribute and character creation system? I don't see how he would do it again if he uses one that he already made and tuned.

 

Sequels often bring with them new stuff. You don't typically release a new game with exactly what the previous game had. So new classes seem likely inclusions -- looks awesome in the marketing. Higher levels -- also looks great in marketing material. Maybe something like prestige classes could be added in - would have lots of people literally swooning.

 

Surely it's possible that PoE2 could be released without such things, but it would seem like a bit of a missed opportunity.

 

 

And Josh didn't say that he would not continue to tune and develop systems that PoE has, but that he personally would not like to make another (absolute new) systems that has same/similar goals and features, because he don't personally like that style of system, because classes cause conflicts in designing and balancing attribute system and he prefers classless systems. 

 

And regardless of his personal positions he is professional designer and will design and tune any system that his employee wants to him to design and balance. But if he has given choice he will make classless system.