Pillars of Eternity (26 minute video commentary)

[Brash_Endeavors 4,735]

Ok this is one of the Kickstarter projects that I DID back and apparently will be released in a couple months.  This is a game that will mostly appeal to oldschool gamers who fondly remember the Baldurs Gate/Neverwinter/Icewind Dale singleplayer RPG games (its by the original BG devs).  They recently posted a 26 minute video commentary on how the game is looking, character creation, etc, and I was excited so thought I would share:

 

>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxHC8imCwYc

[Rathgar 959]

Does it use the original AD&D 3rd or 4th edition rules, like the previous BG games ?  I see the basic attributes names are changed, I wonder how diferent is it really.

[Brash_Endeavors 4,735]

No, they are not using any third party licenses (well except I think they are using Unity but in an Infinity Engine "style") so I think that means they must invent their own rules sets and not use official D&D rules, lore, creatures, combat or maps.

 

But as you know, they are pretty familiar with "classic D&D" systems so I think their new system will have a lot of similarities (but not too similar). I am sure they know their fans appreciate a certain amount of complexity and decision making.

 

 

 

I backed this as my first kickstarter because I was super excited to see some really talented & seasoned game designers, unleashed from the corporate management mindset.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Brash_Endeavors

[Theodis 338]

Looks very nice. The UI, perspective, and dialog style is very nostalgic. I'm totally excited for this and spent way too much on the kickstarter for it myself . I think the beta for the backers that paid enough is supposed to start soon which will hopefully include a linux version.

[hoof2000 278]

125 bucks for a beta key... i don't think so. but looks promising..

[Brash_Endeavors 4,735]

Ya, I went with the cheapo package, all I get is a DRM-free download of the final game plus "Cooking with Tim – An RPG-themed e-Cookbook". I just hope it doesn't have a kobold section

 

Still, I can understand the attraction of people who backed much more, for this game and for others out there. It wasn't "for" the beta key, it was more like "take all my money because I am so happy you are doing this" .  The earliest kickstarters had a sort of giddiness to them, where you thought finally you as a gamer would have a voice and someone out there would make your dream game just for you.

 

It's hard not to feel grateful since it was clear no one else was going to listen to what you wanted.  

[GorgonKain 355]

Oh man, the wave of nostalgia thinking about Balder's Gate and thinking about this, it is too much.  Obsidian is such a great development studio, I am waiting for this game now. 

[enoofu 206]

Looks nice also another game is coming out as the sequel of 

Planescape: Torment 

 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/inxile/torment-tides-of-numenera

[GorgonKain 355]

Both the new Planescape and Wasteland 2 are both on my supported kickstarter list. It is going to be an isometric Christmas. 

[Brash_Endeavors 4,735]

I think the new Planescape got kicked back a year to Christmas 2015    Wasteland 2 though should be out for this christmas, as well as Pillars of Eternity, cross-fingers-all-goes-well.

 

In fact unless you have school to worry about, you should be playing Wasteland 2 in September.   Eternity is still just a vague "Q4-2014".

 

 

news on the Torment delay:

 

Torment: Tides of Numenera release date pushed back by – you guessed it – Wasteland 2

http://www.vg247.com/2014/06/17/torment-tides-of-numenera-release-date-delayed-wasteland-2/

Edited August 3, 2014 by Brash_Endeavors

[Ecrir 887]

From what I'm hearing Wasteland 2 will probably come out mid September. It's being postponed a little from early September due to delays with the physical copies (so probably thanks to the publisher they are working with for distribution). I played a few hours of it in the beta and it was a lot of fun.

 

Right now I'm greatly enjoying Divinity original Sin with some friends (with a 4 player mod), feels a lot like an old school rpg, and the combat system is great fun. Lots of humor to be found in the story/quests too, I really like that game.

 

2014-2015 looks to be a great year for fans of old school rpgs, since including divinity we're getting at least four of em

Edited August 3, 2014 by Ecrir

[Brash_Endeavors 4,735]

Two weeks left  to release (March 26)

 

Pax East panel with dev take a last looks at the current state of the game on March 7

(gameplay footage starts at about the 11:00 mark)

choose this video if you want dev editorial commentary about the game

Focus is on COMPANIONS, COMBAT, AND STRONGHOLD DETAILS

>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roK1wzOLT-k

 

 

 

There is also a recent (March7) fanmade LetsPlay that explores Character Creation/Classes/Skills&Feats/Combat etc

Choose this video if you want more nuts-and-bolts gameplay mechanics discussion and a walkthrough

>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ_zwpisdGs

[Belrindor 663]

Wife: "You just 'squee'd'.

 

Me: "No, I didn't."

 

Wife: "Yes, you certainly did. I don't think I've every heard you squee before. Can guys officially squee? Or is it something more manly?"

 

Me: "Ahem. Perhaps an Odinian battle cry. Or something like... now for wrath, now for ruin, and the red dawn! But never a squee."

 

Wife: "You squee'd sir."

 

Me: "Did not."

[Klaa 4,872]

Ive waited so long...

[wipeout 1,355]

the beta is quite fun to play >.>

[Kegan 3,926]

i bought the game a long time ago but i did not op in the betas as i want to just play the finished game from the start. 

Edited March 13, 2015 by Kegan

[Belrindor 663]

Very much looking forward to this. I spent the better part of the better part of my life playing BG I & II, Icewind Dale I & II, and Planescape Torment.

 

Looking forward to wasting more life on similar style gameplay.

[Niki 2,278]

Just watched people play on twitch.tv, and it looks really promising that i actually bought, been wanting a new crpg like this for many years. I really suggest people take a look at this, watch videos of it, screenshots don't do justice really.

 

http://www.twitch.tv/directory/game/Pillars%20of%20Eternity

[Brash_Endeavors 4,735]

Rock Paper Shotgun just did an article as the release date (March 26) nears. They were having a little fun with the fact the game's NDA conditions allows livestream gameplay (but they did not want to spoil the plot), but disallows giving any "opinion" on the game, until the final release. So they did a 30 minute video but talked over the gameplay audio to mask the plot, then had a "Can You Read Between The Lines, Sure You Can" closing paragraph of what they thought of the game"

 

From the article (emphasis theirs):

 

“But John!†you cry, “I want to watch them to get an idea of whether I want to buy the game!†Ah, well, like I said, I’m not able to tell you at this point if THE GAME IS REALLY GOOD or not. So you’ll just have to continue not knowing if IT’S DEFINITELY WORTH GETTING for a couple more days.

 

 

>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq3ddThreoU

[Kegan 3,926]

Looks like the website is down so those of us that backed the project might be getting our game key soon so we can download the game for launch.  

[Brash_Endeavors 4,735]

Keys are now available for backers but apparently no one gets to download till 9AM Pacific on Thursday.

 

For those needing some ore last minute material, the following is a rather thorough SPOILER FREE BEGINNER'S GUIDE put together by someone very active in a lot of liveplays and testing of the betas. If you don't want to go in completely blind on how classes and combat work, BUT DO NOT WANT ANY PLOT SPOILERS, this is a good series for you:

 

Sensuki's Pillars of Eternity Beginner's Guide:  Part 1 - Character Creation

>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVhbWTDAbR4

 

Sensuki's Pillars of Eternity Beginner's Guide:  Part 2 -  UI, Controls and Mechanics

>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaCeUrG7Bc0

 

Sensuki's Pillars of Eternity Beginner's Guide:  Part 3 - Basic Gameplay and Combat

>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoWw5swpfX0

 

 

edit to add a link of a nice series of videos (mechanics/class tutorials, letsplays, etc) by Quill18

Edited March 26, 2015 by Brash_Endeavors

[Klaa 4,872]

Character creator that explains the stats and their impact?

MADNESS!!!

[Tipper 260]

Thanks, so is this all 2D except for the character models? (I'm hoping it is.)

 

EDIT

 

Answer: yes.

 

"Pillars of Eternity uses prerendered 2D backgrounds and only 3D models are characters, effects and moving objects."

 

http://community.pcgamingwiki.com/page/blog/_/features/port-reports/pc-report-pillars-of-eternity-r180

Edited March 29, 2015 by Tipper

[Klaa 4,872]

Well... Wurm is dead to me for a few days. At least when the dl finishes.

[Brash_Endeavors 4,735]

I am only a short ways in but it has a real nice "feel" to it.  Although there is no true "multiclassing", you have a lot of leeway in gear so I am playing a sneaksy cloth armor druidelf caster-with-a-bow who tends to proceed very very cautiously but has a nice shapeshifting ability when things get snarly. I know its not the best use of druid class for power players (druids make mighty good tanks in this game) but I like playing a little bit of jackofalltrades type character.    I considered a rogue (sneak attack with bow? Oh yes..)  or ranger (pet class)  but in AC1, I used to love playing an archer with strong magics and now my druid seems to have what I am looking for, though I might also look at chanter & ciphers next ... 

 

 

Oooh, RPS and others have their reviews out now too:

 

 

RockPaperShotgun: A Game With Soul

 

Metacritics: 93 Metascore, 8.4 Userscore

 

RPGCodex 

 

PCGamer (They Liked It, They Really Liked It)

 

 

P.S.S. edit, because who can resist a video review by Super BunnyHop

Edited March 27, 2015 by Brash_Endeavors