Update #36 - Deep Diving Into the E3 Video

[Mikey Dowling]

Greetings, everyone! First up, some great news: Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire has won the Best PC Game at E3 2017 from HardcoreGamer.com. This adds to the RPGFan.com Best of Show award we received at E3 a couple of weeks back.

 

 

Contratulations to the entire Deadfire team! Now on to the update. Last week, we said that we'd be back one more time with the E3 video to provide a deeper dive, and that's what we're doing. To help us with that, we're joined by Pillars II Executive Producer, Adam Brennecke! Adam is going narrate the video and point out some of the updated systems in play, as well as flag some key information you may have missed when he and Josh were talking to IGN. Without further ado, let's pass it over to Deadfire Producer, Katrina Garsten, to tell us more.

 

 

That was a lot of great information! As Katrina said, we'll return in just a few more weeks to take a deeper look into the mysterious and always enrapturing videos that Game Director, Josh Sawyer, has been putting up on his social media feeds.

 

Let us know below what you thought of the features we discussed in the E3 video and what you'd like to see us discuss in future videos. We also want you to keep July 12th marked on your callendars as we'll be doing a Q&A stream over on our Twitch channel at 4:00PM PST/1:00AM CEST with Josh Sawyer and Lead Character Artist, Dimitri Berman. Until next time, everyone!

[blindinkpoet]

Will we be able to change the figurine that represents the party in the world map?

[FlintlockJazz]

Oooo the Beyond I'm guessing is Watcher stuff?  That a lot of what was done purely by text in the first one is now going to be played out?

[Starwars]

I really don't like the dialogue screen just being black like that. I *greatly* prefer it when it feels like it's made of a material and "part of the world" so to speak, as seen in the first Pillars. The way it looks in the video is just... boring and sterile I think. I mean, it's a WiP like Adam says but since we're also encouraged to leave feedback on it... well? Hehe.

[smjjames]

I really don't like the dialogue screen just being black like that. I *greatly* prefer it when it feels like it's made of a material and "part of the world" so to speak, as seen in the first Pillars. The way it looks in the video is just... boring and sterile I think. I mean, it's a WiP like Adam says but since we're also encouraged to leave feedback on it... well? Hehe.

 

Since the game isn't paused while chatting, having an opaque background would block your view of seeing something happening, so, it might be better.

 

@Devs: What was the level of the stealth skill on that character in the vid? Some people were discussing how in some games which implement pickpocketing, you need ridiculously high stealth in order for it to be useful. Mainly it's just a concern of balance between actual balance and useability. Basically, stealth isn't an easy thing to balance.

[algroth]

I really don't like the dialogue screen just being black like that. I *greatly* prefer it when it feels like it's made of a material and "part of the world" so to speak, as seen in the first Pillars. The way it looks in the video is just... boring and sterile I think. I mean, it's a WiP like Adam says but since we're also encouraged to leave feedback on it... well? Hehe.

 

I would agree with this - with the watercolour portraits I was sort of imagining the rest of the dialogue interface would be designed in that fashion, with a more rustic appeal. Also I do think we could do without the player's portrait in the conversation lest there are moments later in the game where we take over what our companions say in conversation: if the choices that are presented to the players are always for the protagonist then the player can already assume it's the protagonist speaking, thus making their portrait superfluous in the layout. If we *can* take over companions' dialogue choices and the portrait is there as an indicator of who we're speaking as at a given time, then maybe I'd suggest another way into including the portrait which isn't so vertical, maybe by putting both portraits to either side of the interface or resizing the lower one with regards to the upper one... As it is I do feel it's all a bit too cluttered. Anyhow, my two cents, hope it helps! Great work so far!

Edited June 27, 2017 by algroth

[Senselesstaste]

Looks wonderful. Not so sure about the "white glow" around journal updates in the top left corner but this is all making me even more excited about the game! 

[Osvir]

It looks freaking amazing!

Some things I particularly liked was (animation) is the weight behind the swings, and magic effects in general. Also, an idea/suggestion/concept, about Magic Missiles, is I've always imagined them as "barraging" an enemy rather than all going in synchronicity towards in pin-point accuracy. Kind of like, a rain of magic missiles pulsing out of the Casters hand. Don't know exactly if it'd look "cooler" or "better", just curious what it'd look like.

Will crew members go off the boat and you can find them at locations (towns/villages)? Wondering because there's an NPC (Vektor) saying "Gellarde, civilization at last!" when you enter Tikawara (although, that guy isn't visible on the ship, unless he's in the mast?). Is that a crew member? On that note, Ora the Mad and Eld Engrim are potentially recruitable crew members? (Can you name them?)

Observations:

3:34 Player misses Aloth too

6:52 (door opening) made me think and wonder, any chance a door itself could be a trap? Or the typical/cliche "door opens slowly, fight waves of enemies until the door is open, escape through door and close it behind you" type of thing/event. Maybe if there'd be an exploding barrel there, you could blow it up to close the passage behind you?

Throughout it all it looks really good with that white outline of both allies and enemies, much easier to read everything.

1:38 (I'm rewatching it a couple of times and taking notes here, that's why jumping back to 1:38). Two things. Are the lamps affected by Dynamic Weather? And second is, the lower guard under the Chief's hut  could be positioned slightly lower, like 2 steps south-east (you can see the spear, but also with the length it looks as if it is clipping through the ramp). Also looks as if he's holding the lamp post at the same time.

2:08 The firepits looks really cool and in motion they give this really cool loop "puffing"/living fire effect, but at the same time it somewhat looks 2D and clippy through the coal. A smaller constant fire in the middle with the loop effect around it might hide the "clippy"-ness a bit? (Watercolor portraits are stellar! Love em!)

~3:34~ re-visited. Is there a loading screen in transition or does it load instantly into the map (or did you cut it out for the video)? Also, have you tried (just for experimentation) to zoom into the map/location when entering a location/before loading screen? It can give a sort of "You are now entering" effect.

6:41 dat hair on the Luminous Revenant :D (models are very nice)

Art, lighting (shadows!), sound, voice, it's all looking really good!! :D

[smjjames]

Where in the vid is the NPC saying that? I didn't see, or hear, it.

[DexGames]

First of all, Thanks to Andy for his commentary !

 

Secondly, UI Dialogue Screen is Ok to me, I just fear that these tiny Icon for required Skills within dialogue will be confusing.

Of course, once we'll get to learn them all it won't be a problem, but as of now, I simply can't figure out what the "Book Icon" imply.

To resume, I don't wanna wonder everytime : "What's this icon for again ?", "Never seen this one, what is it ?", if you know what I mean... And, it's really not a big deal though.

 

• Loved the fact that, when you wanna retarget your Fireball, you don't have to replace your cursor on the "III + Fireball", but simply move the tiny Icon around directly on the battlefield. Good job for that.

 

• I wonder what's that "Grey Circle" when sneaking, since it works with "Vision Cone" now. I'd assume they're a "Footsteps Noise" Mechanic implied here. They can see you, but if they don't, they still can hear you if you don't pay attention.

 

• Combining Personnal Inventory with The Stash is a cool addition, hope it won't lag when full of items like POE lol. Also.... Show us what's behind that Crafting Button !!! 

 

In any future update, I'd like to see some raw sketches/concept arts of Ship Types we unlocked with the associate Stretch Goal. Just some images of what you've planned for us. Shape/Size/Design (InGame ?  )

 

Oh and, if it's not edited in the video, the new streaming system is an INSANE IMPROVEMENT from the first game. Congrats to Bobby Null !

 

 

Now, I just remembered that... We have to wait. 

Edited June 27, 2017 by DexGames

[smjjames]

• I wonder what's that "Grey Circle" when sneaking, since it works with "Vision Cone" now. I'd assume they're a "Footsteps Noise" Mechanic implied here. They can see you, but if they don't, they still can hear you if you don't pay attention.

 

Not sure if it's been said so by the devs, but it's been implied or at least assumed to be the 'hearing range' or at least the 'close enough to potentially be audible' range'.

[DexGames]

 

• I wonder what's that "Grey Circle" when sneaking, since it works with "Vision Cone" now. I'd assume they're a "Footsteps Noise" Mechanic implied here. They can see you, but if they don't, they still can hear you if you don't pay attention.

 

Not sure if it's been said so by the devs, but it's been implied or at least assumed to be the 'hearing range' or at least the 'close enough to potentially be audible' range'.

 

 

Yeah, I think it was in one of the Q&A Stream, where Josh revealed the new Sneaking & Pickpocket System. I think it's fair to assume that it must be this.

[Quillon]

I really don't like the dialogue screen just being black like that. I *greatly* prefer it when it feels like it's made of a material and "part of the world" so to speak, as seen in the first Pillars. The way it looks in the video is just... boring and sterile I think. I mean, it's a WiP like Adam says but since we're also encouraged to leave feedback on it... well? Hehe.

 

Can't disagree more. Loving the minimal intrusive new UI. Dialogue UI shouldn't get in the way of enjoying the scenery, now with unpaused world & more detailed characters its more important for the scenes to be visible. Having played Pillars 1 on a 720P monitor for a time, the dialogue UI was especially bad, covering more than half of the screen and I assume some people will also play Deadfire with a similar output.

 

Having said that UI customization was a stretch goal. Make it optional; everyone's happy.

[Osvir]

Where in the vid is the NPC saying that? I didn't see, or hear, it.

1:17

[Baltic]

I don't know why but having 'continue' in the same place as the dialogue options looks weird to me.

[Senselesstaste]

I don't know why but having 'continue' in the same place as the dialogue options looks weird to me.

Yeah, I agree on that. Does seem strange when used to it being at the bottom typically. But I suppose it isn't a big deal in the end. 

[khango]

Dialog screen needs some more work (maybe some contextual separation between other party indicator and dialog options?), but otherwise looking real good!

[ShowMeBillyJo]

Do you plan to release a transcript of the video for persons with hearing impairments (and those who prefer to read rather than watch)?

[smjjames]

 

Where in the vid is the NPC saying that? I didn't see, or hear, it.

1:17

 

 

I see. Speaking of other crew members, when the group walks up to the aft part of the deck with the wheel, when the green shirted crewmember walks in the direction of the group, he walks normally initially and then goes into a crouch, which seems wierd.

 

The crew member that was talking (kind of looked elven) may have been in another part of the ship, not just in the crow's nest (which is what you're thinking of). In the vid, we see several crew members, one reading something in what looks like the ships library or maybe crew quarters, you have to look fast to catch that one, a shirtless and white bandanna'd crewmember near the bow, someone in Vailian style clothing on the deck, near the door is what might be a female crew member looking at a map, the green shirted sailor up top, and a guy with a mohawk manning the helm.

 

 

 

I really don't like the dialogue screen just being black like that. I *greatly* prefer it when it feels like it's made of a material and "part of the world" so to speak, as seen in the first Pillars. The way it looks in the video is just... boring and sterile I think. I mean, it's a WiP like Adam says but since we're also encouraged to leave feedback on it... well? Hehe.

 

Can't disagree more. Loving the minimal intrusive new UI. Dialogue UI shouldn't get in the way of enjoying the scenery, now with unpaused world & more detailed characters its more important for the scenes to be visible. Having played Pillars 1 on a 720P monitor for a time, the dialogue UI was especially bad, covering more than half of the screen and I assume some people will also play Deadfire with a similar output.

 

Having said that UI customization was a stretch goal. Make it optional; everyone's happy.

 

 

I use 1280x720 resolution myself and the the dialogue box covers the lower quarter/third of the screen, so, having a transparent or semi-transparent dialogue box would be welcome.

 

Though yeah, just make it optional.

Edited June 27, 2017 by smjjames

[Mikey Dowling]

Do you plan to release a transcript of the video for persons with hearing impairments (and those who prefer to read rather than watch)?

 

The Closed Caption subtitles (English only) have been updated to accurately represent what is being said in the video, so that should be able to help you greatly.

[smjjames]

 

Do you plan to release a transcript of the video for persons with hearing impairments (and those who prefer to read rather than watch)?

 

The Closed Caption subtitles (English only) have been updated to accurately represent what is being said in the video, so that should be able to help you greatly.

 

What about the Twitch Q&A on July 12th?

[Mikey Dowling]

I'll do the best I can!

[rjshae]

That Titan was ineffectual. It made only three attacks during the battle and spent most of its time looking confused. I hope that was just done for demonstration purposes.

 

Looks good otherwise.

[DexGames]

I'll do the best I can!

 

If you're looking for someone to do this on every upcoming content from Obsidian, hire me (lol?), I'd be happy to help.

Can translate to French aswell if needed.

 

I could do previous Q&A aswell if needed. (Could take a while though  ).

[Quillon]

Deep diving into the video: 

 

- Suspected this back when ships revealed...so why are we controlling whole party on board the "small" ship when there is no combat going on? 

- More varied and better weapon swing animations needed. Eder swings his sword like hammering in a stake half the time.

- Melee wep. hit sounds are missing most of the time . Also what is that metal on metal scrape sound we're hearing often in combat?

- Destructible wall part needs a slight delay in "destruction" and more dust to obfuscate the transition more I think.

- *Arquebus smoke*

 

for the positives:

 

- Everything else looks great