Josh Sawyer's tweets and teasers, part 2

[Guest]

 

Scaling :

https://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/171556665066/one-question-for-deadfire-i-just-love-pillars

I'm confused as what counts as crit path stuff here. Ideally I'd just scale the main story and whatever the DLC turns out to be down the road (because I'd be playing it with an endgame character), but it's not clear whether the DLC would count as crit path, so maybe I should just scale everything...

DLCs have a critical path also.

[Gromnir]

Based on the endings to the first Pillars, I can see the following ones making a return appearance:

 

Durance - the ending in which he survives states that he's become a wanderer, which means his search for a "mechanism of revenge" *could* bring him to the Deadfire.

Kana - he's the most likely in my opinion, simply due to the sisterly connection. At least one of the endings also mentions that he "set sail on yet another expedition". But several others do suggest he simply returns to Rauatai, and unless his business brings him to the Deadfire for some unknown reason, we might simply hear of him through Maia instead.

Sagani - ehh... Maybe. It really depends on whether we get to explore Naasitaq or not at all. Maybe in an expansion.

Hiravias - much like Durance's ending above, Hiravias also becomes a wanderer, regardless of having followed Wael or Galawain. Wael's ending says he "ventured beyond the sights of the mountains of Eir Glanfath", which suggests he didn't just remain wandering within the Dyrwood/Eastern Reach.

Maneha - in two of the three endings she remains either an adventurer or a Giftbearer, thus meaning she could be anywhere and very well be in the Deadfire. If you dissuaded her from forgetting the memories, however, she does return to Rauatai and it's thus unlikely that she'll be seen in the game.

The Devil of Caroc - ehh... I seriously doubt this one, but if we killed Harmke she eventually makes her way into the ocean - we *could* therefore find some remains of her body, but doubtful that we'll be able to interact with her still alive though (maybe through Watcher senses?).

Zahua - if we do not complete his quest he also becomes a wanderer. However there are also a few ways to complete his quest and have him go to Defiance Bay - if we are able to explore Defiance Bay at the beginning of Deadfire we *could* cross him. Doubtful though.

 

So with all of these in mind it turns out that the *only* one I do not see returning whatsoever is the Grieving Mother. As for the options above I also don't think all of them will make an appearance - we might see a companion or two making a cameo only. Venturing a guess I would say Sagani in an expansion, and Kana and Maneha if the endings justify their appearance. But all the same, each do seem to leave an option open with which to return in either Deadfire or a future Pillars game.

pallegina is actual one o' the characters am seeing most difficult to easily slip into deadfire as her endings were resulting in her having significant variation in her standing and relationship with a key player in the deadfire: the vallian trading company.  is difficult to envision pallegina as a static or fixed quantity, which is kinda what she needs be at the start o' deadfire. the other characters, other than devil, is requiring only a bit o' imagination or creativity to get 'em into deadfire in such a way as is plausible, but pallegina, while having good reason to be involved in a story involving the vtc as a major player, is gonna be the character am most concerned. 

 

no plausible reason to be in deadfire is hardly a significant hurdle to a decent writer, particular in a fantasy story where the implausible is ordinary.  converse, pallegina has history and baggage, and her relevant history and baggage is gonna be different depending on how a player concluded her poe companion quest.  in addition to the fact we did not like how pallegina were written, she appears to be one o' the more difficult poe companions to integrate into deadfire.  sure, the obsidian folks could functional ignore the poe endings for pallegina, but such would be a rather unsatisfactory starting point, no?

 

HA! Good Fun!

[algroth]

 

Based on the endings to the first Pillars, I can see the following ones making a return appearance:

 

Durance - the ending in which he survives states that he's become a wanderer, which means his search for a "mechanism of revenge" *could* bring him to the Deadfire.

Kana - he's the most likely in my opinion, simply due to the sisterly connection. At least one of the endings also mentions that he "set sail on yet another expedition". But several others do suggest he simply returns to Rauatai, and unless his business brings him to the Deadfire for some unknown reason, we might simply hear of him through Maia instead.

Sagani - ehh... Maybe. It really depends on whether we get to explore Naasitaq or not at all. Maybe in an expansion.

Hiravias - much like Durance's ending above, Hiravias also becomes a wanderer, regardless of having followed Wael or Galawain. Wael's ending says he "ventured beyond the sights of the mountains of Eir Glanfath", which suggests he didn't just remain wandering within the Dyrwood/Eastern Reach.

Maneha - in two of the three endings she remains either an adventurer or a Giftbearer, thus meaning she could be anywhere and very well be in the Deadfire. If you dissuaded her from forgetting the memories, however, she does return to Rauatai and it's thus unlikely that she'll be seen in the game.

The Devil of Caroc - ehh... I seriously doubt this one, but if we killed Harmke she eventually makes her way into the ocean - we *could* therefore find some remains of her body, but doubtful that we'll be able to interact with her still alive though (maybe through Watcher senses?).

Zahua - if we do not complete his quest he also becomes a wanderer. However there are also a few ways to complete his quest and have him go to Defiance Bay - if we are able to explore Defiance Bay at the beginning of Deadfire we *could* cross him. Doubtful though.

 

So with all of these in mind it turns out that the *only* one I do not see returning whatsoever is the Grieving Mother. As for the options above I also don't think all of them will make an appearance - we might see a companion or two making a cameo only. Venturing a guess I would say Sagani in an expansion, and Kana and Maneha if the endings justify their appearance. But all the same, each do seem to leave an option open with which to return in either Deadfire or a future Pillars game.

pallegina is actual one o' the characters am seeing most difficult to easily slip into deadfire as her endings were resulting in her having significant variation in her standing and relationship with a key player in the deadfire: the vallian trading company.  is difficult to envision pallegina as a static or fixed quantity, which is kinda what she needs be at the start o' deadfire. the other characters, other than devil, is requiring only a bit o' imagination or creativity to get 'em into deadfire in such a way as is plausible, but pallegina, while having good reason to be involved in a story involving the vtc as a major player, is gonna be the character am most concerned. 

 

no plausible reason to be in deadfire is hardly a significant hurdle to a decent writer, particular in a fantasy story where the implausible is ordinary.  converse, pallegina has history and baggage, and her relevant history and baggage is gonna be different depending on how a player concluded her poe companion quest.  in addition to the fact we did not like how pallegina were written, she appears to be one o' the more difficult poe companions to integrate into deadfire.  sure, the obsidian folks could functional ignore the poe endings for pallegina, but such would be a rather unsatisfactory starting point, no?

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

I think I recall Josh saying something about Pallegina's way back into Deadfire being pretty difficult/convoluted if she was banished (edit: oh, right, that was the most recent tumblr post he did on the subject - "a little tricky" was his expression), which makes sense because why would the Vailian Trade Company send a disgraced Five Suns paladin who in the past invented a whole new trade agreement with a neighbouring nation to represent them in this expedition and so on? Maybe her role will be rather different if that is the case, so I agree that it'll be interesting to see how the game handles the ramifications of her character from the various endings available in the original game.

 

And certainly the options I have mentioned above don't preclude former companions from making an appearance for wholly different reasons than the ones I listed above, I was just listing ways in which their respective epilogues could suggest their presence at the Deadfire, were we to find them there.

Edited March 5, 2018 by algroth

[the_dog_days]

So with all of these in mind it turns out that the *only* one I do not see returning whatsoever is the Grieving Mother (edit: there is a way in which she can return, which is if we get to visit Dyrford at the start of the game, and she in her epilogue returned to Dyrford herself). As for the options above I also don't think all of them will make an appearance - we might see a companion or two making a cameo only. Venturing a guess I would say Sagani in an expansion, and Kana and Maneha if the endings justify their appearance. But all the same, each do seem to leave an option open with which to return in either Deadfire or a future Pillars game.

 

I, for one, am thankful GM is gone. I despised her character--too much like Torment's own weird-for-weird's-sake going on with her.

[Juodas Varnas]

 

So with all of these in mind it turns out that the *only* one I do not see returning whatsoever is the Grieving Mother (edit: there is a way in which she can return, which is if we get to visit Dyrford at the start of the game, and she in her epilogue returned to Dyrford herself). As for the options above I also don't think all of them will make an appearance - we might see a companion or two making a cameo only. Venturing a guess I would say Sagani in an expansion, and Kana and Maneha if the endings justify their appearance. But all the same, each do seem to leave an option open with which to return in either Deadfire or a future Pillars game.

 

I, for one, am thankful GM is gone. I despised her character--too much like Torment's own weird-for-weird's-sake going on with her.

 

... I liked her.

Heck, she was probably my most favorite companion... After Eder.

But Eder doesn't count, cause he's everyone's favorite.

[rothamon81]

Well, I didn't use GM much, but I finished her quest. She showed me/the player what a cipher actually is/can be in this world, other than: "some sort of psychic"; that she did very well.

[Guest]

Well, I didn't use GM much, but I finished her quest. She showed me/the player what a cipher actually is/can be in this world, other than: "some sort of psychic"; that she did very well.

I blame the voice actress for much of what I don’t like about her character. Her side quest was a gut punch though.

[Juodas Varnas]

Well, I didn't use GM much, but I finished her quest. She showed me/the player what a cipher actually is/can be in this world, other than: "some sort of psychic"; that she did very well.

I blame the voice actress for much of what I don’t like about her character. Her side quest was a gut punch though.

I don't get you people at all, i loved her voice acting!

 

Y'all are weird.

[rothamon81]

 

Well, I didn't use GM much, but I finished her quest. She showed me/the player what a cipher actually is/can be in this world, other than: "some sort of psychic"; that she did very well.

I blame the voice actress for much of what I don’t like about her character. Her side quest was a gut punch though.

I don't get you people at all, i loved her voice acting!

 

Y'all are weird.

 

 

Well, I didn't use her much because she never felt like an adventurer to me. More like a patient who needed a psychotherapist/watcher to help her. Yet a cipher has a lot of nasty spells at hand, didn't seem right to use her like that. "Oh, those poor innocent children and their special bond to their mothers, let me help, but first I have to squish the brains out of some peoples ears"

[Guest]

 

 

Well, I didn't use GM much, but I finished her quest. She showed me/the player what a cipher actually is/can be in this world, other than: "some sort of psychic"; that she did very well.

I blame the voice actress for much of what I don’t like about her character. Her side quest was a gut punch though.

I don't get you people at all, i loved her voice acting!

 

Y'all are weird.

Different strokes, I guess.

[algroth]

I liked her quest a lot but didn't enjoy her much as a character myself either. She came across a little too much as some kind of crazy "oxygenate your wombspace" new ageist, and felt that most of her dialogue interjections were extremely heavy-handed and merely made explicit the underlying impressions to the other character's words (one example that stuck to my mind is when we speak to the woman at Brackenbury Sanitarium that tells us about how the Hollowborn are often referred to as buoys and why, to which the Grieving Mother proceeds to gag and state something along the lines of "HOW HORRIBLE, TO THINK OF ALL THOSE BABIES FLOATING ON THE WATER, POOR POOR CHILDREN!! WATCHER, WE MUST PUT AN END TO THE HOLLOWBORN PLAAAGUE!!"). I also felt that her "invisible peasant woman" shtick, whilst interesting, also made her feel entirely separate to the rest of the party, hardly interacting with them in response and thus not adding much to the party dynamic. Through the last two playthroughs I've only kept her in my party for only as long as I needed to resolve her quest.

[CottonWolf]

I also felt that her "invisible peasant woman" shtick, whilst interesting, also made her feel entirely separate to the rest of the party, hardly interacting with them in response and thus not adding much to the party dynamic.

 

This is my issue with her. She might as well be a hireling cipher the majority of the time.

 

The fact that Thaos doesn't even notice her is simultaneously brilliant and an illustration of everything that's a problem with her as a character.

Edited March 5, 2018 by CottonWolf

[InsaneCommander]

GM was my first character's best friend. In my last playthrough, though, she only made it up to Dyrford.

[Guest]

 

I also felt that her "invisible peasant woman" shtick, whilst interesting, also made her feel entirely separate to the rest of the party, hardly interacting with them in response and thus not adding much to the party dynamic.

This is my issue with her. She might as well be a hireling cipher the majority of the time.

 

The fact that Thaos doesn't even notice her is simultaneously brilliant and an illustration of everything that's a problem with her as a character.

Both she and Durance leaned heavily on the “only the PC interacts with me” thing. Coincidentally, both were penned by MCA who was all about poking at the 4th wall in this game.

[Fardragon]

Durance as main antagonist. I could see it happening.

[Juodas Varnas]

Durance as main antagonist. I could see it happening.

Could you?

In one of two of his endings, he commits suicide.

 

And in the other, he forsakes his Magran completely (and i assume loses his priestly wiggity woo magic)

Edited March 6, 2018 by Juodas Varnas

[Fardragon]

 

Durance as main antagonist. I could see it happening.

Could you?

In one of two of his endings, he commits suicide.

 

And in the other, he forsakes his Magran completely (and i assume loses his priestly wiggity woo magic)

 

 

The PoE manual is pretty clear that cleric spells do not come from deities, so a faithless clerics do not lose their spells.

 

Not that a character would need to have spells to be an antagonist. Nor indeed, be alive.

[Juodas Varnas]

 

 

Durance as main antagonist. I could see it happening.

Could you?

In one of two of his endings, he commits suicide.

 

And in the other, he forsakes his Magran completely (and i assume loses his priestly wiggity woo magic)

 

 

The PoE manual is pretty clear that cleric spells do not come from deities, so a faithless clerics do not lose their spells.

 

Not that a character would need to have spells to be an antagonist. Nor indeed, be alive.

The spells don't come from the deities themselves, yes, but it's faith that fuels them (hence why Eothasian priests are still able to perform, even if their god is 'dead').

 

But in-game, Durance himself even says that he will get rid of Magran's influence once the Watcher's quest is over (if you convince him that Magran conspired with Woedica), so i assume that losing one's faith (or purposely forsaking it) would cause the priest to lose his/hers powers.

 

Though, i could be misremembering things, of course.

Edited March 6, 2018 by Juodas Varnas

[Wormerine]

But in-game, Durance himself even says that he will get rid of Magran's influence once the Watcher's quest is over (if you convince him that Magran conspired with Woedica), so i assume that losing one's faith (or purposely forsaking it) would cause the priest to lose his/hers powers.

 

Though, i could be misremembering things, of course.

That how I understood it as well. 

[MortyTheGobbo]

This has always struck me as trying to justify D&D-style clerics in a world that portrays its deities way differently.

[Gromnir]

GM was my first character's best friend. In my last playthrough, though, she only made it up to Dyrford.

our issues with gm explained:

 

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/76919-least-liked-companions/?p=1707821

 

HA! Good Fun!

[DexGames]

Not Josh, but few things are coming out.

Katrina "Birbs" Garsten apparently traveled to Australia to show the Game :

 

"Impulse Gamer" Interview :

https://www.impulsegamer.com/katrina-garsten-interview-pillars-eternity-ii-deadfire/

 

"The Iris" upcoming Interview :

https://twitter.com/DaHunter07/status/970907157272018949

[Guest]

First link is cancer on mobile

[morhilane]

"Impulse Gamer" Interview :

https://www.impulsegamer.com/katrina-garsten-interview-pillars-eternity-ii-deadfire/

 

I think this interview spoil one of the romance options, at the very end.

[IndiraLightfoot]

 

Jaw'say?

 

Edited March 6, 2018 by IndiraLightfoot