Eternity Pillars of Eternity II Beta Thread [GAME RELEASED, GO TO NEW THREAD]

[Kem0sabe]

The obsidian name alone is enough to catch the interest of a lot of gamers, even if fleeting. On reddit, even on the PS4 sub, New Vegas still has a massive following and is considered by many to be superior to anything Bethesda has done, that means a lot of goodwill towards obsidian.

Now translating that into sales is much harder, especially considering that PoE series is isometric rtwp, but I suspect that the next 3d action rpg from obsidian will sell millions.

 

[2house2fly]

True 250k isn't bad for Tyranny, but with all the extra effort they've invested in POE2 (graphical improvements, character relationships, sailing system, revamping combat etc) I'm pretty sure they're aiming to exceed the original game's popularity. I doubt it'll manage it, but then I doubted POE1 would appeal to many people who hadn't already backed it on kickstarter, and I was wrong there

 

[Flou]

True 250k isn't bad for Tyranny, but with all the extra effort they've invested in POE2 (graphical improvements, character relationships, sailing system, revamping combat etc) I'm pretty sure they're aiming to exceed the original game's popularity. I doubt it'll manage it, but then I doubted POE1 would appeal to many people who hadn't already backed it on kickstarter, and I was wrong there

Naturally they are aiming higher than POE1 even though they will break even at lower numbers. Selling enough games to get the FIG investors their money back and then some is pretty crucial if they are planning on using FIG on another game. You want those investors to come back and fund the next game as well, that's 2,25 million dollars after all.
Going forward selling about 1 million copies of the game would ensure that they have the funds to start making POE3 and some other game(s) as well. Somewhat above Tyranny numbers doesn't necessarily mean it would make a loss to Obsidian, but it would hurt them later on and it definately would hurt the genre and their chances of getting investors involved in POE3 or other RTwP games.

 

[Mustawd]

Wait, so this game has party AI settings? Seems like the beginning of Biowarian design.

 

[Mustawd]

Bonerbill , what?

 

[Nano]

but people will intuitively not want to just skip part one of a series

I don't really think that's true. Most normies don't care about playing games in order like that. A lot of people who played Witcher 3 never played 1&2 for instance.

 

[J_C]

Wait, so this game has party AI settings? Seems like the beginning of Biowarian design.

AI settings? Oh the horror! What a terrible thing to have in a game!

 

[ArchAngel]

Wait, so this game has party AI settings? Seems like the beginning of Biowarian design.

So did IE games.. what is your point?

When gameplay is so much cancer that using AI options is only sane choice then we need to start worrying.

 

[Lacrymas]

Meh, I'll use AI settings only for spells you cast at the beginning of each encounter and be done with it, if that. I suspect DA:O's AI settings were there because of the awful, awful cooldowns that you HAD to automate in some way unless you wanted to tear your hair off flicking between characters to see whether their cooldowns were off. Cooldowns in a party-based game is so retarded I can't even. Anyway, I doubt the AI settings will be useful in PotD, as you don't want the AI to waste the precious few spells you have on stupid shit.

 

[FreeKaner]

The main use of the AI settings for me is by necessity of having to develop a complex AI system they must have developed and diversified the AI of the enemy in encounters.

 

[Morkar Left]

We'll see if it won't happen like Numanuma, the only interested people being the ones who backed it. I doubt it, though, since Numanuma was just shit in general and I doubt Obs are that incompetent or that the game is so niche in the first place.

The fact that it's a sequel with save import will potentially work against it. Sure you can make a dragon age tapestry-style simulated save, but people will intuitively not want to just skip part one of a series. Plus, while normies like pirate stuff, I can see the tribal and tropical environments failing to catch people's interest. It looks better than the first game, but that only matters to people who are judging it in relation to the first game. The classic RPG renaissance is long over and games like Tyranny and Torment sold pretty dismally even by the lowered sales standards of a 2D RPG- and judging by steam achievements so did the White March. I'm interested to see how POE2 sells but I'm predicting it'll tread water

Dunno, for me it's the opposite. The ability to import my char from the previous game(s) actually motivates me a lot to get the sequel. It's already really off-putting to only have a save-import which maybe recognizes some choices I made in the first one but I'm confronted with a completely different rule-system and have to level up my former char again. Even if it were true what you say it would just mean they could sell more PoE1 copies.

The problem for me regarding PoE or Obsidian in general is that they try to tick all the right boxes for oldschool rpgs together with some improements but never hit the mark. Seriously, they never ever managed to hit it in all of their titels. The closest they ever got to was New Vegas, which actually sold the most.

 

[J_C]

Meh, I'll use AI settings only for spells you cast at the beginning of each encounter and be done with it, if that. I suspect DA:O's AI settings were there because of the awful, awful cooldowns that you HAD to automate in some way unless you wanted to tear your hair off flicking between characters to see whether their cooldowns were off. Cooldowns in a party-based game is so retarded I can't even. Anyway, I doubt the AI settings will be useful in PotD, as you don't want the AI to waste the precious few spells you have on stupid shit.

I will use the AI system the same way I used in DAO. I only set up a condition of if HP < X, drink healing potion. That's it. I won't waste my time coming up with complex systems, since I can manage my party thank you very much. Especially now that there are only 5 members. But having an AI system like this have no effect on the game whatsoever.

 

[Lacrymas]

New Vegas being modeled after which old-school RPG exactly?

In any case, this shouldn't have been a direct sequel. While it will be nice if you can import your story talents, it isn't that important and isn't worth the contrivances.

I will use the AI system the same way I used in DAO. I only set up a condition of if HP < X, drink healing potion. That's it. I won't waste my time coming up with complex systems, since I can manage my party thank you very much. Especially now that there are only 5 members. But having an AI system like this have no effect on the game whatsoever.

Drinking any kind of potion is remarkably slow in PoE1 and triggers recovery, so I'd want to micromanage that as well. In DA:O it was a no-brainer because it was almost instant, but it won't work as well in PoE.

 

[Abu Antar]

Using AI system for the buffs/abilities I want to start combat with. Then, I control the party on my own.

 

[Jimmious]

Interestingly, we already have 3-4 different uses for the AI system. Seems that it's not completely useless after all

 

[Mustawd]

AI settings? Oh the horror! What a terrible thing to have in a game!

Umm yeah. I mean it really is. Why have a party?? Just for the banter??

Wait, so this game has party AI settings? Seems like the beginning of Biowarian design.

So did IE games.. what is your point?

When gameplay is so much cancer that using AI options is only sane choice then we need to start worrying.

That's why I said " Biowarian".

You guys are nuts. I really don't understand the appeal of that. AI settings creates a "watch game play itself" effect. How can you be FOR that?

Whatever. I just am gonna play my turn-based rpgs with parties and look at you guys like some kind of aliens.

Cheers...I guess?

 

[Flou]

Is this new info?

Brandon Adler is Game Director on Deadfire DLC since January 2018!

 

[AwesomeButton]

AI settings? Oh the horror! What a terrible thing to have in a game!

Umm yeah. I mean it really is. Why have a party?? Just for the banter??

Wait, so this game has party AI settings? Seems like the beginning of Biowarian design.

So did IE games.. what is your point?

When gameplay is so much cancer that using AI options is only sane choice then we need to start worrying.

That's why I said " Biowarian".

You guys are nuts. I really don't understand the appeal of that. AI settings creates a "watch game play itself" effect. How can you be FOR that?

Whatever. I just am gonna play my turn-based rpgs with parties and look at you guys like some kind of aliens.

Cheers...I guess?

There are players which will like party AI because it makes the game easier for them. They actually find it hard, because they can't be bothered to study the rules.

 

[calgary.alberta]

Completed POE on the weekend and looking forward to POE 2. Mostly to see what if it can do differently.

My biggest issue with POE is that is was a fine role-playing game, with a lot of options (ish), but the content felt very light and fast. Once a area was cleared there no reason to really go back, and the without all the class options of a D&D game the party became very by the numbers near the end.

It was just clear this dungeon level, then the next, fast travel back to where, hand quest in, go back, clear dungeon, then back. Eh that what is all down to, while it was good. It felt simple

 

[Sentinel]

Is this new info?

Brandon Adler is Game Director on Deadfire DLC since January 2018!

So they changed game director while they're in development?

 

[santino27]

At least six people on my steam friends list(normies) actually purchased PoE just because there's a sequel coming out. I'm really..like...I dunno, careful to tell them "holy shit, research it" because most of them are Bioware fans and think its like, a Bioware game, but I keep saying, "there's no romances, combat is hard(compared to a bioware game)" and they're like "Haha silly TGA, I'm a hardcore gamer I beat Inquisition on easy once!"

They only beat Inquisition once? These are terrible Bioware fans. From my understanding, most Bioware fans will play it dozens of times and romance Iron Bull every time... https://kotaku.com/for-my-third-time-through-dragon-age-inquisition-i-pr-1822966367

Spoiler

The main use of the AI settings for me is by necessity of having to develop a complex AI system they must have developed and diversified the AI of the enemy in encounters.

According to one of the interviews/previews, that is the case, but I'm not sure I noticed a huge change in the beta with enemy AI. I probably need to pay more attention on my next playthrough, but I am waiting on the mechanics update.

Source: https://www.pcgamesn.com/pillars-of-eternity-2-deadfire/pillars-of-eternity-ii-companions-custom-ai

Obsidian’s changes drill deeper than just top-level changes, though. The surgery being performed on combat reaches right into the system’s cerebral cortex: the AI that powers both allies and enemies. Sawyer admits that the first game’s logic was “fuzzy,” and the rewritten AI system - rooted in three layers of conditional logic - ensures Deadfire’s approach is clearer cut.

“That has allowed us to do a couple of things,” Sawyer explains. “One is that our enemy AI can be much much more challenging. But the benefit from a player perspective is if you really want to customise your character’s AI you can go really, really crazy with it.”

 

[Sizzle]

Is this new info?

Brandon Adler is Game Director on Deadfire DLC since January 2018!

So they changed game director while they're in development?

Sawyer said multiple times that he wouldn't be the lead on DF's DLCs.

He's still Obsidian's Design Director, so he'll have some say on those DLCs, but he won't be the lead designer.

 

[Sentinel]

Is this new info?

Brandon Adler is Game Director on Deadfire DLC since January 2018!

So they changed game director while they're in development?

Sawyer said multiple times that he wouldn't be the lead on DF's DLCs.

He's still Obsidian's Design Director, so he'll have some say on those DLCs, but he won't be the lead designer.

yeah but PoE2 hasn't even released and the beta is still going.

 

[Sizzle]

Is this new info?

Brandon Adler is Game Director on Deadfire DLC since January 2018!

So they changed game director while they're in development?

Sawyer said multiple times that he wouldn't be the lead on DF's DLCs.

He's still Obsidian's Design Director, so he'll have some say on those DLCs, but he won't be the lead designer.

yeah but PoE2 hasn't even released and the beta is still going.

Sure, but there's lots of stuff in pre-production they could already be starting on: music, design, writing, concept art, animations, etc.

Most of that is already done for PoE2's base game (it's coming out in less than two months). Right now the development of DF mostly consists of Q&A, fine-tuning, balancing and programming.

 

[Jezal_k23]

They should get that huge ass banner on Steam that's currently announcing the release of Kingdom Come Deliverance when Deadfire comes out.