Ahoy everyone,
 
We did it. WE DID IT! Not only will Obsidian give us a Black Isle for free but we also managed to fund raise the Black Isle Bastards pirate group. This was quite a ride and I would like to thank everyone who has pledged to our cause. Thank you very, very much!
 
Meanwhile word about the nefarious Black Isle Bastards has spread throughout Deadfire Archipelago and beyond. Even Pallegina, Edér and Aloth have heard rumors about them.
 
So now that we have our island and our pirate group you may wonder what is left to do? The icing on top of the cake, that’s what’s missing! And therefore we would like to equip the Black Isle Bastards with a unique item in the game.
 
So once more I ask for your support. Let us give them a treasure worthy of an infamous pirate group!

 

In order to decide on what kind of special item we could give to the Black Isle Bastards that is what this poll is for. Please note, that the vote is not anonymous because I might consider the votes of members who actually pledged for this cause to be more important than the votes of those who do not support this cause.

 


Disclaimer: I am the sole person who is collecting the funds and who is responsible for the donations. Obsidian Entertainment is not involved in these donations in any way, however they are fully supportive of this project. Donating here will NOT give you a copy of the game (exceptions may apply as specified in the F.A.Q.).


 

  

(This artwork was commissioned  from TariToons also known as Buttercheese on this forum.)

 

F.A.Q.:
1.) What exactly would I be pledging for?
A: You would be helping us to crowd fund a special item for our pirate crew who call themselves the “Black Isle Bastards” for Pillars of Eternity 2. Donating here will NOT give you a copy of the game (exceptions may apply as seen under question 8, 9 and 10).

2.) How do you make sure that your backer made content fits into the game world and does not break immersion?
A: We are going to give Obsidian only a rough idea on our pirate crew. We will let Obsidian Entertainment then work out the details themselves to ensure that our pirate crew fits seamlessly into the game and its lore. Similarly, Obsidian will make sure that our special piece of equipment is going to fit seamlessly into the game.

3.) Will there be a Black Isle in the game?
A: Yes, that has already been confirmed.

4.) How large in size is the Black Isle going to be?
A: It is going to be a tiny island. And it would only be able to support one structure on it at most. A ship does count as a structure in this context.

5.) I saw that there is an option to pledge an additional 8$ to get a "Black Isle Bastards" forum badge. Is that money used to crowd fund the pirate crew in the game or the special piece of equipment for the Black Isle Bastards?
A: No, it is not used that way. The "Black Isle Bastards" forum badge is funded independently from the "Black Isle Bastards" pirate crew and the item.

6.) Why do the $8 for the BIB forum badge not count for the crowd funding of the Black Isle Bastards or the item?
Originally we had planned on crowd funding an island. We would have had to raise $5000 for the "Black Isle" but then Obsidian decided to give us, their community, the "Black Isle" for free, as a gift. The BIB forum badge serves as a token of appreciation and a thank you to Obsidian for giving us an island for free.

7.) How much money have you raised to incorporate the “Black Isle Bastards” into the game?
A: 5000$! Thank you everyone who contributed for this! The Black Isle Bastards have been funded!

8.) What are you collecting money for now?
A: We are going to try to fund an item for the Black Isle Bastards for which we need to raise additional $750. If we don't manage to collect these $750, then we will use the surplus money to buy additional game copies and put them into a lottery for our donators.

9.) What happens with the other rewards (other than the pirate crew and the ship) on the tier "Build a Pirate Party" on the Fig campaign?
A: By default we will pass up on them. Only if there is a very generous donor to our cause who has donated considerably more to our overall collected money than any others then he or she will get all the additional rewards.

10.) What happens with the other rewards on the tier "Create an Item" on the Fig campaign?
The additional rewards from that tier go to the donator with the second highest amount of our overall collected money. If there are multiple donators who are close to be the second highest donator they can share the additional rewards but only if they can peacefully reach a agreement on who gets what.

11.) Is Obsidian Entertainment bound to the results of this poll?
No, they are not. The results of this poll serve as suggestions. However, Obsidian Entertainment can deviate from them if they think that that would be to the overall advantage of their game.

12.) How can I pledge for this?
You can't anymore. WE ARE FUNDED!!!

13.) Is there a deadline for when you need to have raised $5750 ?
A: Yes, the deadline is 25th April 2017 23:59 PM (GMT+2)

14.) What does Obsidian Entertainment think about your project? A: See for yourself:

15.) How much money have you raised so far for your cause?
Base goal: $5000 / $5000 (100% funded)
Stretchgoal ("Create an Item"): $750 / $750 (100% funded)

overall: $5846.06 / $5750
66 backers
biggest donation: $1998
donation on average: $88.58

16.) Will there be any ingame recognition for the donors of this project?
Currently, that is up for discussion. We are looking for creative, easy to implement ways, to give our donors recognition in the game while that must in no way break the fourth wall/immersion. Feel free to share your ideas on this!

17.) How are you going to contact the donors of this project?
For cases, that I need to reach donors specifically, I would send an email to the email address the donors provided on PayPal. If you have donated please make sure to always check that email address until this whole campaign has ended!

Edited April 8, 20187 yr by Fluffle

Ingame Recognition for our backers, how it will work:

 

The Black Isle Bastards keep records of their most curious victims. The victims might be especially wealthy, or just have an odd appearance or some special kind of loot or something else notably. This ingame recognition is about text only. It will not add any item other than probably a book/list with the records itself to the game.

 

Prerequisite: You donated at least 10$ to our cause (if you donated less, you can still hand in your submission, but don't get your hopes up too high, sorry). The Black Isle Bastards badge does not count for this because it never had to do anything with our campaign.

 

We are restricted to 50 records of victims. If more than 50 of our backers submit then Obsidian will choose the ones they like best.

 

So, you can describe one of the victims of the Black Isle Bastards. The victim may be based on you but does not have to be.

 

You can pick two of the following four categories:

- description of robbed individual

- specific lore friendly name of robbed individual

- robbed individual's fate

- taken possessions

 

Please make ONE coherent record entry that describes a victim of the Black Isle Bastards. You don't make separate entries for 2 of the 4 categories, but rather ONE complete entry that contains information on 2 of the 4 categories.

Your overall message must NOT exceed 80 characters.

 

Also note: Obsidian is free to alter/change your submission as they see fit. There will be absolutely no guarantee that:

1.) Your submission will make it into the records

2.) Your submission will make it into the records unchanged

 

The submissions should fit into the game. Therefore Obsidian is free to reject or alter them.

 

Please send your submission to BlackIsleBastards@gmail.com with the SAME email-address with which you donated to our campaign (otherwise I will not accept it unless we find another way of identification).

 

Also you are free to make teams with other backers. The Black Isle Bastards do not only rob individuals but also groups of people of course.

So if you'd like to be in a group, that got robbed by the Black Isle Bastards, with another backer that is possible.

The character limit will add up. And you can use the combined length of the character limit to describe your group (you are then not necessarily bound anymore to choosing two of the 4 categories above).

 

This will require some additional administration effort for me, so I'd say if you're interested in making a group with someone, let us know in this thread, or message me per PM.

 

Let me know, if anything has been left unclear. Cheers

 

The deadline for handing in the submissions is: 17th July 23:59 PM (GMT+2)

 

IMPORTANT: After you have sent your submission you WILL get a confirmation email from me. If you don't receive a confirmation email from me, then contact me ASAP here on the forum, or try to send your submission to my web.de address instead.

Edited July 10, 20178 yr by Fluffle

I think someone proposed earlier a flag for our ship, I like that idea. Otherwise I would suggest a pistol or hanger, to go with a pirate theme! I voted for having some element of obsidian in the item mostly because it also fits the *Black* Isle Bastard theme, I would reckon.

I think someone proposed earlier a flag for our ship, I like that idea. Otherwise I would suggest a pistol or hanger, to go with a pirate theme! I voted for having some element of obsidian in the item mostly because it also fits the *Black* Isle Bastard theme, I would reckon.

 

Please keep in mind that all things relating to our ship are already covered in the tier "Build a pirate party". If we pay additional $750 for something that is already part of our "build a pirate party" tier then we would actually waste those $750.

 

So if we are allowed to make custom choices about our ship to that extend it will be as part of our "Build a pirate party" tier and NOT as part of the "Create an Item" tier.

 

This thread and poll assumes a piece of equipment for a character.

 

I think someone proposed earlier a flag for our ship, I like that idea. Otherwise I would suggest a pistol or hanger, to go with a pirate theme! I voted for having some element of obsidian in the item mostly because it also fits the *Black* Isle Bastard theme, I would reckon.

 

Please keep in mind that all things relating to our ship are already covered in the tier "Build a pirate party". If we pay additional $750 for something that is already part of our "build a pirate party" tier then we would actually waste those $750.

 

So if we are allowed to make custom choices about our ship to that extend it will be as part of our "Build a pirate party" tier and NOT as part of the "Create an Item" tier.

 

This thread and poll assumes a piece of equipment for a character.

 

Ah, right... I assumed the proposition of a flag was more in the style of a ship aesthetic, but could have also been akin to a Tyranny artifact or something, the way I was thinking it. But yeah, don't mind that part then!

How about some sort of a mini hand-held cannon for a weapon?  I was thinking maybe something like the rat boss in Grimrock 2.

I voted for a hat. A pirate's hat. A tricorn with a small, engraved piece of Obsidian tucked away in one of its seams carrying the initials of one of its previous owners: Mr. B. Isleby. (Black Isle B. Abbreviation of the Bastards).

 

A cool pirate's hat would allow for enhanced role-playing, thereby increasing all of our precious Immersion (capital I included).

 

If not a hat, I would vote for a magically enhanced lantern. A useful item for any pirate. This oil lamp particularly, could for example be opened and emit light, thereby enhancing the party's attunement to fire (increasing fire based damage by 5%) and having the ability to cast a moderately weak fireball with an extremely large blast radius (necessitating friendly fire, imagine a large amount of fiery oil spilling out of this magical lantern). It could also be closed, thereby increasing the parties resistance to fire by 5%.

 

If not a cool and useful pirate's attribute and if I would HAVE to vote for a weapon, a cool cutlass would do.

Edited April 15, 20178 yr by gogocactus

Free hat!

A pirate's hat would be cool. I actually want my first character to be a pirate looking guy and my second playthrough would probably be a girl ninja type theif.

I still like the idea of the obsidian bastard sword but with sentient and soulbound weapons both being a thing in the sequel maybe we should stay away from making weapons.

I voted for a hat. A pirate's hat. A tricorn with a small, engraved piece of Obsidian tucked away in one of its seams carrying the initials of one of its previous owners: Mr. B. Isleby. (Black Isle B. Abbreviation of the Bastards).

 

A cool pirate's hat would allow for enhanced role-playing, thereby increasing all of our precious Immersion (capital I included).

 

 

Obsidian-less feather plumed hat. 

 

https://youtu.be/Jq8_PHzwSPY?t=5495

 

...as Rodriques dandily demonstrates.

Hi Fluffle. We will also have the new item class "trinket" in the game. It will get a separate slot and will provide bonuses. This can be anything from an instrument to a vodoo puppet and whatnot.

 

Maybe include that option in the poll, too?

Edited April 15, 20178 yr by Boeroer

There is one thing I would like to note. As you can see the poll options are very vague in the sense that they only contain the general categories of possible items.

 

In case you have missed it I proposed a very specific sword to Aarik but in the case of weapons I got the reply that the developers are not going to create a new weapon. Instead we would have to choose from a pre-selected set of weapons.

 

So I fear that the developers are not going to design a completely new item for us from scratch. At least I can verify that that is true for weapons.

I wouldn't be surprised if that holds true for other kinds of categories of items as well - in worst case even for all of them.

 

Very probably we will only get to know what items we can actually have - AFTER we buy the "create an item" tier.

 

It's more or less the same problem we face with our "build a pirate party" tier. For example we don't know to which extend we can make choices about our ship, i.e. it's design.

 

That's a huge drawback to this crowdfunding approach in general. You don't know what a certain tier offers you concretely BEFORE you buy it. You don't know the extent of your choices within a tier BEFOREHAND.

 

Just as an example, I like the idea of a tricorn as a pirate hat. But I fear that, if there aren't already tricorns in the game then the devs are not going to design a new item for us from scratch.

 

And that is my general assumption. Very probably they are not going to design any item from scratch. I fear they're just going to modify an already existing item.

 

And let's be honest for a backer $750 is a lot of money. For a video game developer that's almost nothing.

I fear that designing an entire new item from scratch would be much much more expensive.

 

Keep in mind though, that most of this post is speculation on my part without official confirmation!

 

Keep your ideas coming, but I have the feeling the more general and easy-to-implement and the less sophisticated your ideas are, the higher the chance they can be realized.

 

TL;DR - It may be that the "create an item" tier is more like a "modify an already existing item" tier. I have no official confirmation on that but I have a feeling that that might be the case.

Edited April 15, 20178 yr by Fluffle

Hi Fluffle. We will also have the new item class "trinket" in the game. It will get a separate slot and will provide bonuses. This can be anything from an instrument to a vodoo puppet and whatnot.

 

Maybe include that option in the poll, too?

 

I have already used 15/15 answer slots for that question. So you could use "other" if you wanted to vote for a trinket.

 

Or just tell me which other category I should replace with "trinket".

What happened to the Black Isle Bastards thing that you were raising money for?

You really didn't read the opening post, did you?

You really didn't read the opening post, did you?

I did like 5 hours ago lol and then I forgot. Lots of things happening here. Too much to remember all the little things but thanks, now I have time to read it again and actually lock it in.

SonicMage117, the Black Isle Bastards are now funded. In fact, the reason we are now raising money for the 'create an item tier' is because they're funded in excess. We figured that, if we are raising extra money anyway, we might as well use it to add an additional Black Isle Bastards themed item to the game.

 

Like our dastardly captain Fluffle explained in the FaQ above, if we manage to raise $750 dollars we will 'create an item'. If we do not manage to raise that amount, we will purchase extra copies of the game and distribute those among the Black Isle Bastard's backers through a lottery.

 

@Salador : a hand-cannon also sounds like a fun idea. I for myself always fancied the image of Blackbeard, keeping several loaded pistols with smoldering fuses upon him to shoot at his enemies during fights. I could imagine a somewhat weaker pistol, with a special 'quick draw' (-30% recovery time when switching items) ability would suit that idea. In any case, how would you envision such an item? At least, description-wise?

 

@Fluffle : the Deadfire Archipelago without tricorn hats? I'm not sure whether that's a world I could live in :'( . Like you said, we can't expect the developers to grant us all of our wishes. It's nice to brainstorm about possible cool items and to be able to offer them a list of items and ideas for inspiration though.

Edited April 15, 20178 yr by gogocactus

@Fluffle : the Deadfire Archipelago without tricorn hats? I'm not sure whether that's a world I could live in :'( . Like you said, we can't expect the developers to grant us all of our wishes. It's nice to brainstorm about possible cool items and to be able to offer them a list of items and ideas for inspiration though.

 

Indeed, it is nice to brainstorm some ideas. And I absolutely don't intent to stop or discourage you

 

I just wanted to lower the expectations a bit, to make a "reality check". So that you might not be disappointed.

 

So yes, feel free to brainstorm but at the same time be aware that limitations apply. And they may be even more restrictive than we think they are.

Keep your ideas coming, but I have the feeling the more general and easy-to-implement and the less sophisticated your ideas are, the higher the chance they can be realized.

In general, I think that's a really good idea. Keeping it more general, less detailed, and more open to interpretation allows Obsidian to have an easier time to work it into the game. The more specific, detailed, and narrowly focused it is the harder it is to implement because the more work it needs and the less it may fit into the specific things they're trying to accomplish.

 

It's like contributing a small piece to somebody elses larger work--you want them to be able to work it into their project in whatever way is easiest for them to do.

I understand that the devs have stated the macuahuitl's off the table, but if you're still interested in weapons that are good matches for the area where Huana culture's concerned, an obsidian axe or hatchet would line up pretty well with the stone axe heads that turn up among Hawaiian/Polynesian artifacts (http://www.academia.edu/11042949/A_Note_on_Hawaiian_Stone_Axes).

 

A mokomokai trinket, as seen here (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mokomokai) or here (https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinakillgrove/2015/09/20/preserving-tattoos-of-the-dead-is-a-little-macabre-but-not-new/#1f72c94074cf), might also be interesting. Alternatively, it could work as an amulet pretty easily since they only require inventory icons.

 

I'm not voting since I haven't contributed to the BIB item fundraiser yet, but I thought the ideas might have a place here.

Edited April 15, 20178 yr by blotter

Great idea with the poll Fluffle. Let's get that item!

What about the "Black Isle Plaster" - heals all your injuries 1/rest?

 

What would be easiest and won't interfere with ingame 3D-models and stuff would be a weapon with the usual appearance, but a different set of colors and/or materials.

 

So, things like an obsidian sabre, stiletto, dagger or rapier would fit the pirate theme best. But on the other hand that's also pretty boring stuff - unless you'd come up with some really creative combination of the usual enchantments (because new, unique ones we make up will also not be implemented).

 

So... the shape of the item can't be too different from items which will be in the game (but we don't know which weapon types and shapes will be in, erm...). Great situation that!

 

What about a wooden sword with the shape of a "usual PoE2 sword", no matter what that fial shape will be, but the edge is made of obsidian, fused into the wood. This would not require a different 3Dmodel but only an easy texture change where the inner blade apperes brownish and the edge is jet black. Maybe also some obsidian inlays. It's a mystery how the creator of this blade was able to craft obsidian in this way, but the sword is light and supersharp (for example - come up with other enchantment ideas please).

 

Could still be of Huana/animancy/shamanistic origin and might have onve been a weapon of revenge - the Huana shaman of a nearly extincted or enslaved tribe wanted to kill raiders/colonists/whatever with a weapon which looked like the ones they brought into the Huana world, but which consisted of the materials his tribe used and was infused with the magic of his tribe. Was also used to execute and sacrifice a lot of captured foreigners to their god(s). Maybe Skaen in a different appearance got int otheir heads at some points. Something like this.

 

I also really like the idea of putting an ability onto this item like the Girdle of the Driving Wave gives you Knockdown or the Siegebreaker Gauntlets give you Cleave and so on.

 

Because of that, and the possible backstory/lore I still like the idea of putting Blood Thirst on the weapon (= 0 recovery after kill). This would best fit to a slower, two handed weapon. So I think I'll vote for melee weapon made of obsidian. 

At this point it should be mentioned, that every wholehearted pirate needs at least one ass-kicking boot, made of Xaurip or Stelgaer-leather, soaked with saltwater, rum, blood and immorality.

Edited April 16, 20178 yr by Corlagon

Wait-wait-wait! What about "The Black Belt"? It would give you martial arts powers, aka Transcendent Suffering?  

 

Or what about a summoned weapon? Would that be possible? That way we could get two items into the game. A ring/gloves/trinket that summons a powerful, black weapon entirely made of obsidian (appearence like OBS wishes). Like Forgemaster Gloves basically.