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Eternity Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Pre-Release Thread [BETA RELEASED, GO TO NEW THREAD]

TT1

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Make the Codex Great Again! Grab the Codex by the pussy Insert Title Here RPG Wokedex Strap Yourselves In Codex Year of the Donut A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. My team has the sexiest and deadliest waifus you can recruit.
I wish they would do something like an Egyptian based like culture...

Oh no! Enough of deserts, mummies and pyramids. We've seen a lot of that in games and it's pretty much a must do in every game since Mario 3. We still have the new Assassins Creed this year, probably based on the Egyptian empire.

Personally, I prefer the games to be inspired by other mythologies, which have not yet been explored, such as the Assyrian / Babylonian, Sumerian. Tupi-Guarani, Portuguese, African, etc. Even Christian mythology would be interesting to explore in Readceras.
 

Reinar

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I like how the Forgotten Realms decided to not even bother pretending and made its ancient Egypt-like nation be actual ancient Egyptians teleported from Earth
Teleported?
latest
 

Mazisky

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I wish they would do something like an Egyptian based like culture...

Oh no! Enough of deserts, mummies and pyramids. We've seen a lot of that in games and it's pretty much a must do in every game since Mario 3. We still have the new Assassins Creed this year, probably based on the Egyptian empire.

Personally, I prefer the games to be inspired by other mythologies, which have not yet been explored, such as the Assyrian / Babylonian, Sumerian. Tupi-Guarani, Portuguese, African, etc. Even Christian mythology would be interesting to explore in Readceras.

Titan quest did a Greek, Egypt and China megamix combo, and it was nice.

I mean, why not doing all togheter so you have an excuse to make different environments
 

Chris Avelltwo

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I wish they would do something like an Egyptian based like culture...

Wouldn't that make more sense in Tyranny? Since it's "greek (sort of) inspired"

Both ancient Greece and ancient Egypt were set in the bronze age, just like Tyranny, so yeah. Then there are also the often forgotten about ancient civilizations of Babylon and Sumer which actually started it all in the first place. Kyros' invading armies do have a definite Graeco-Roman look and feel, but the Tiers itself and its people did seem somewhat Mesopotamian to me with all the mudbrick buildings and so forth. Also, there's the beast tribes, which kinda connects to the story of the wildman named Enkidu. I wonder if maybe Obsidian drew inspiration from that legend in coming up with the beastmen concept.
 

Spectacle

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I wish they would do something like an Egyptian based like culture...

But that would have to be Pillars 3 because that would be out of place in the pseudo-Polynesian setting of Deadfire. Unless they had one Egyptian themed island, but that one island would hardly do it the justice it deserves, so it would make more sense for something like that to wait for a new game where it can be explored more in depth.

BTW, have you ever played the Treasures of the Sun DLC for Dungeon Siege III? That is very ancient Egyptiany in theme.
Maybe the islands of the deadfire are actually the tips of giant pyramids stretching down to the ocean floor?! All occupied by an ancient mummy civilization.
 

Infinitron

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Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
https://www.fig.co/campaigns/deadfire?update=315#updates

Update #29 - Factions of the Deadfire, Part II
POSTED: 04/12/2017
Welcome back for Part II of our 'Factions of the Deadfire' update! There's a lot to learn about the Royal Deadfire Company, Vailian Trading Company, and how each faction operates. But first, here is our weekly Slacker Backer funding breakdown:


Slacker Backer Funds
  • Fig Slacker Backers - ~$109,900
  • Backer Portal - ~$135,200
Total Slacker Backer funds are up to ~$245,100, and our total is $4.65M. Can we get to $4.75M in 14 days when our Slacker Backer funding ends? You can help make our stretch goal a reality, so spread the word!

Remember to confirm your pledge on our Backer Portal if you haven't already. You can read through our instructions for confirming your pledge in Update #25.


Factions of the Deadfire, Part II
If you missed our previous update, we introduced two of the four main factions: The Príncipi and Huana. This week, we'll be going into detail about the Royal Deadfire Company and Vailian Trading Company.

Royal Deadfire Company
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(Abbreviated as RDC in some text locations)

The Royal Deadfire Company is based in the aumaua nation of Rauatai but have expanded their empire's reach to their ancestral homeland in the Deadfire Archipelago. While they are interested in the harvest of precious resources from the region, the RDC have a long-term goal of conquering the archipelago and making it an extension of their empire. The Rauataians believe that the native Huana culture is inferior to their own and treat the Huana people accordingly. In contrast to the Vailian Trading Company, the RDC is organized like a naval force. Their titles and behavior reflect that view of the world.

Philosophy and Goals - Rauataians as a cultural group have a long history of trade and conquest. The more hawkish personalities in their government have made steady progress towards a more aggressive "best defense is a good offense" stance in the world, and the leadership of the RDC comes from that mindset. They have flourished through a mixture of intrepid exploration, aggressive conquest, and relentless engineering of their hardscrabble homeland. They believe that through organization and engineering, they can bring civilization to Deadfire.

Relationship with Other Factions -

  • Vailians/VTC - They are deceitful, flamboyant, and frivolous, emphasizing form over function. Their pretty words cannot be trusted. Their preference for polymaths over specialists suggests impatience, which can never lead to true mastery.
  • Huana - They are super disorganized and (seemingly) passive - it's why they haven't flourished like the Rauataians. They were fractured by the disaster that drove the Rauataians away, and rather than establish a strong nation, most of them drift from island to island chasing seasonal resources. They don't solve problems, so they're beholden to them. What they need is some good ol' Rauataian civilization to set them straight.
  • What looks like adaptability to the Príncipi looks like haphazardness to the Rauataians. Like the Rauataians, the Príncipi had to leave their homeland. But rather than establishing a stable country (like their cousins in the Republics), they remained shiftless and aimless, living on ships and in driftwood towns that are one squall away from destruction. They are like children who refuse to grow up.Resources - Rauatai is known worldwide for its cannons. Gunpowder likely originated there, and they still trade in it as well as raw saltpeter. Those latter two items are the primary staples of their trade economy.

RDC Clothing Concepts

https%3A%2F%2Fd3pylr1apgoxnh.cloudfront.net%2Fcampaign_body_images%2Fimages%2Ff0bee78834608247df8bb93d5bb502d1f8afdd10%2Foriginal.jpg%3F1491268075


Vailian Trading Company
https%3A%2F%2Fd3pylr1apgoxnh.cloudfront.net%2Fcampaign_body_images%2Fimages%2F12cca87e397a691f6d3dfccad74ff962c380ebb0%2Foriginal.jpg%3F1491247335


(Abbreviated as VTC in some text locations)

The Vailian Trading Company is the largest with a ducal charter and the only trading company with a canc suolias (five suns) charter, meaning it has the full backing of all five Grand Ducs of the Vailian Republics. The VTC was first featured in Pillars of Eternity during the quest 'At All Costs' in Ondra's Gift.

Philosophy and Goals - The Vailian Trading Company exists, according to its charter, for the sole purpose of enriching its investors, and, by proxy, the Vailian Republics themselves. Beneath that, however, runs a strong undercurrent of cultural pride. The directors of the company are motivated by the belief that the Vailians are the best traders in the world, and must always continue to be. While the Vailian Trading Company is generally considered reputable among the major foreign powers it trades with, on the frontier, far from the prying eyes of overseers, those standards quickly degrade.

Relationship with Other Factions -

  • The VTC is at peace with the Huana, but see the Huana as little more than a means to get what they want from Deadfire. They do not think anything of the Huana's claims to the land there, and believe it is only a matter of time before they are able to wrest it away with their charms and wiles.
  • Hostilities with the Royal Deadfire Company are ongoing. A bargain struck with the Kahanga prohibits conflict between the two in Deadfire, and within the borders of Neketaka, there exists an uneasy truce. (Though the two make every effort at espionage, sabotage, spite, and one-upmanship.) Elsewhere in Deadfire, the agreement is all but impossible to regulate, and fighting occurs readily when the two companies have the opportunity.
  • The Príncipi are a perpetual thorn in the side of the Vailians. They have a personal grudge of sorts against the Republics, and relish targeting VTC ships, seeking not only personal enrichment, but to do great damage to VTC operations.
Resources - The Vailian Trading Company is known for its versatility, having made a name for itself by securing deals on a broad range of goods. The Vailians feel that if there is money to be made on anything, large or small, they want to be the ones to be making it. The Republics themselves are sources of iron, copper, silver, glassworks, ships, spices, clocks, and astronomical equipment.

VTC Clothing Concepts

https%3A%2F%2Fd3pylr1apgoxnh.cloudfront.net%2Fcampaign_body_images%2Fimages%2Fec44c196eaa31a08282b8e2f02c1c7f2397bc42a%2Foriginal.jpg%3F1491268075


With the four main factions introduced, which faction are you most likely to side with? Let us know in the comments!

Thanks for reading this week's update. Next Tuesday, we'll show you how an area is created, from blockout to final render.
 
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Abu Antar

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Enjoy the Revolution! Another revolution around the sun that is. Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
I hope you can turn them all against each other. I really hope whatever they do with the factions, it will be interesting enough on second or third playthroughs.
 

santino27

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My team has the sexiest and deadliest waifus you can recruit.
Starting to wonder if we'll even hit the sea monsters stretch goal. It doesn't help that the updates have been more than a little dry, and press/streams/interviews have basically disappeared.

Also curious what's being done with the Codex's loot. Are we still going the 'special pet' route? Does anyone know?
 

erickaqua

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Now this really feels like a bizarro Southeast Asia, they certainly did their homework.

VTC is basically the Dutch's VOC, but now with black people in power. So yeah, I guess Obsidian can't show them colonializing the Huanas and make them work in plantations like in reality, that would be liberal shitstorm. VOC was nowhere "at peace" with the locals.

RDC is basically Chinese/Mongol presence in the region (we're now buff shark people thanks Obsidian):
  • The racism against locals is true - check, but then again the Chinese see all other civilizations as barbarians, like the Romans.
  • The defense is best mentality is true - check
  • The sizable naval force... eh no, I guess only Ming dynasty got spiffy fleet.
  • Exploration boner... yeah that's definitely a no, only Ming's Zheng He do that.
  • The desire to conquer Southeast Asia... yes and no, yes only when under the Mongols (see Mongols' invasion of Java in 1293), but no after that, China pretty much went turtling. But someone gotta do the VOC's role, and it won't be the black people :)
So I guess RDC is a weird mix between IRL Chinese and IRL Dutch.

The Huana's description is very accurate, they are basically local people (can be Javanese, Malays, etc) inhabiting the islands. They are disorganized, don't solve their problems (again, just go to Jakarta), and live a simple, ambition-less, and yet free life. But the part where they don't establish a strong nation is not true, there were the Majapahit Empire and the Srivijaya Empire, but they fracture soon after uniting and it would be a while before they reunite against the Dutch and formed Republic of Indonesia.

Both the Dutch and the Chinese are trying to "civilize" them, but the Dutch are much more forceful about it (accept Jesus! *Protestant* Jesus!), while the Chinese do it through inter-marriage (not always a happy one, but such is marriage) assimilation.

All in all, I think they did their research well, I can't wait to see how it turns out in the final game. It's not often we get a game set in Southeast Asia that is not a caricature (Just Cause 2, Farcry 3)
 
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FreeKaner

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I like how VTC is VOC except they are black and wearing Spanish Renaissance clothing. I guess they are trying to be a little unique and not full blown Spain. Also the description is literally IRL Dutch as erickaqua said, they are also a small republic that has considerable naval power and trade power over their size as well, like how the Dutch were. The world-building is coming together nicely with the second game, adding and expanding on the first one.

  • The sizable naval force... eh no, I guess only Ming dynasty got spiffy fleet.
  • Exploration boner... yeah that's definitely a no, only Ming's Zheng He do that.
On these two points, Ming was initially very outwardly both in exploration and fleet size, their internal focus and isolationism only began later. Ming is also likely the influence for the "Chinese faction" in the game since Ming was the Chinese dynasty active for much of the early modern period.
 

Got bored and left

Guest
Has anyone accused Obsidian of whitewashing black people with european culture yet?

I'm pretty sure someone on the Obsidian forums complained about the Vailians not being full-blown Africans back when the first game was in development. So, yeah, kinda.
 

almondblight

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Now this really feels like a bizarro Southeast Asia, they certainly did their homework.

Yeah, they did something similar with PoE 1, with the Dyrwood being the USA, Glanfathans being American Indians, Valian Republican being Italian Republics (with the Old Valian Empire being the Roman/Byzantine Empire), etc. Not a 1 to 1 copy, but you can see how Sawyer's interest in history makes the game world more interesting.
 

Fry

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The setting kinda makes me hope that the main plot (retrieving your soul from a vengeful god I guess?) is actually a fairly minor part of the game. Fantasy colonial politics could be pretty cool.
 

Azarkon

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Now this really feels like a bizarro Southeast Asia, they certainly did their homework.

Yeah, they did something similar with PoE 1, with the Dyrwood being the USA, Glanfathans being American Indians, Valian Republican being Italian Republics (with the Old Valian Empire being the Roman/Byzantine Empire), etc. Not a 1 to 1 copy, but you can see how Sawyer's interest in history makes the game world more interesting.

The Glanfathans were more based on Celts, which would make the people of Dyrwood Anglo-Saxons, rather than Americans. Not that it matters, since in practice Pillars of Eternity's method of conveying culture was so bland that I just treated them all as fantasy stereotypes: the default Europeans, the elves of the forest, and those foreign merchants who almost always seem to be a culture from the Mediterranean. It's not what makes or breaks the setting or the story, and I don't expect it to do that here, either. Cultures and factions provide a necessary context; but it's the characters and themes that ultimately provide the soul of the writing.
 

Hyperion

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The most shocking part of PoE was the revelation that Eothas / Waidwen, AKA Christ, was 'right' in his distrust and rebellion against the fake Gods. His love for humans was real, and the Jews blew his ass up for it. Usually Christianity gets ripped apart in the vidya games.


Perhaps I'm just looking too much into the allegorical possibilities.
 

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