So... How did you feel about Pillars of Eternity?

[Invictus]

Seeing how this game generates a lot of controversy and seeing Sensuki's fanboyism turn to sour disgust I was wondering how you guys felt about this game. I dont think it is a masterpiece but it is good solid fundation for Obsidian and the IP and I would back future projects from them

 

[Excidium II]

Learn to make polls nigger.

Also roguey agrees PoE sucks fyi.

 

[Fairfax]

From the analysis I'm writing:

Pillars of Eternity is a game where the developers had their mind in the right place, but not their heart. Bashing JES is kind of pointless at this point, and I don't disagree with everything he says, but I have nothing new to say about his philosophies. Still, many aspects of the game feel like he was trying to fix things that nobody wanted fixed, and was trying to change things in a type of game he fundamentally disagrees with.

The game actually fell just short of greatness, if you ask me, in the sense that the changes needed to fix numerous flaws are fairly minor, but the problem is that it fell short in way too many aspects.
The fact they had no reason to do some of the things that made the game worse makes it extremely frustrating. This is why I'm also convinced that the company's financial situation made them too afraid to experiment, and why MCA had a lesser role (which he won't even take credit for) in it, but I digress.

This is the introduction to the game's Kickstarter campaign page:

Obsidian Entertainment and our legendary game designers Chris Avellone, Tim Cain, and Josh Sawyer are excited to bring you a new role-playing game for the PC. Project Eternity (working title) pays homage to the great Infinity Engine games of years past: Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment.

That trio did not bring us this game. 2/3 had a very minor role, and MCA had nothing to do with design. Also, Pillars of Eternity does not pay homage to Planescape: Torment in any way other than the graphics. In fact, it's less of a love letter to these games and more of an attempt to replicate the first Baldur's Gate with some Icewind Dale added to it.
It's no wonder so many - myself included - were frustrated. Many of us felt it was the opportunity for Obsidian to go wild, and great C&C with extensive replayability was something pretty much every Obsidian fan counted on. The game fell short in that regard as well, which is inexcusable.

I still liked the game and wouldn't regret a full purchase (I do regret my $150 pledge because the physical stuff was subpar, but that's another issue entirely). I believe it's a decent foundation for what could be a fantastic sequel, but I won't get my hopes up.

 

[Bubbles]

From the analysis I'm writing:

You should think about submitting it to the front page.

 

[Fairfax]

You should think about submitting it to the front page.

Not sure if you're being ironic, but I don't think people are interested in another RPGCodex review, specially one that's not nearly as negative as most seem to feel towards the game. It'll also be way too long for that, I think. I'm going to analyze everything about the game. First the lore, going through every region described, every location in the game, every race, every faction, every deity, technology and magic in Eora, etc. Then I'll move to the game design, addressing every system and mechanic, and then every quest/task, classes, weapon types, major characters, companions, and so forth.

I doubt more than a handful would even read most of it, but it's a personal project where I might get some useful feedback along the way. Win-win, I guess.

 

[Bubbles]

specially one that's not nearly as negative as most seem to feel towards the game

Infinitron

 

[racofer]

Where is the "It's total shit" option?

 

[Roguey]

Replace "Roguey" with "goons."

Also roguey agrees PoE sucks fyi.

I never said any such thing. I just said RPG Moses is unable enter the promised land. Also something about Fenstermaker's Folly, but after D:OS and Wasteland 2, it's clear I can't rely on the writing evaluations of others.

I'll evaluate PoE when it's done or close to it.. Since it just received enemy immunities, I'd say it's not close to being there yet.

 

[Sjukob]

Since there is no

"It's total shit" option

so

Learn to make polls nigger.

 

[MilesBeyond]

A lot better than it could've been, a lot worse than it should've been.

 

[Commissar Draco]

It is ok good for what it was, but would not kickstart this or other Obsidian projects.



I am glad I gave shekels for Larian and In Exile games even if I didn't managed to complete DDOS cause even if flawed those were made with zeal and did some elements right; Pillows were decent enough to finish but so bland, safe and mediocre on purpose I guess I wont bother with new Obsidian game unless they will hire back and allow people like MCA, Ziets and Gonzalez the creative freedom.

 

[Shaewaroz]

There was another thread about this topic, no?

 

[Commissar Draco]

There were another threads about this topic, no?

-ed

 

[AetherVagrant]

I loved it at first. I bought all the hype and thought it was going to be BG1 meets New Vegas with some Planescape thrown in.
It wasnt but i didnt realize it until 3/4 of the way through the game. I loved the game up until this moment of realization because i was constantly waiting for the plot, the world, the SOMETHING to finally open up...but i feel like the intro levels of the game were the entire game. It took less than 40hrs to play through without walkthrough, min/maxing, etc, i was an hour 1 player. But the BIG THING never materialized. the beautiful writing was mostly detail work, the art served no purpose/interactivity, changing approaches to the game just changed reactions and the letters that come with the reward...buy replaying the game as a chaotic/callous druid and ranger compared to my good mage and NOTHING IS ANY DIFFERENT except a few words. I got the same worthless loot, same skills and spells have to use regardless of who has what role and when in the party, this game eliminates the sense of progression to the point that its visible neither from a mechanical nor plot standpoint.
Aka its a good game if it came from some small euro company with big ambitions but small budget, but it reads more like a black isle "early days" attempt and not something capitalizing on the years and games worth of experience.
aka ill play all obsidian games.
sure as hell wont back or preorder the next one.

 

[Lord Carlos Wafflebum]

My opinion of this game is very similar to Fairfax's. The game was pretty good, but it felt woefully uninspired.

I could have overlooked almost all the bad gameplay had the story been good. I genuinely tried very hard to get into it, and there was so much potential in the setting, but without being able to get more specific the whoile thing felt very forced.

I've downloaded White March, but I'm hesitant to play it. If it's the same uninspired drudge through pretty but somehow souless scenery I'm afraid I'll never touch the game again. And I really want to like this game and setting.

That said, I'm not opposed to supporting another Obsidian project, but it sure won't be at the same level I backed PoE at. Depending on the pitch, the most I'll back at is the minimum to get a digital download from Steam. If the next project they ask funding for is PoE 2, I won't back it. I won't buy it until at least a week after launch when enough people have reviewed it and say it's good.

 

[Cyberarmy]

It is ok, I liked the game and feel confident enough in Obsidian for future kickstarters.

Edit: Also agreeing on that game felt woefully uninspired.

 

[Darth Roxor]

10/10 would review again

 

[Fairfax]

Speaking of the options, I picked the second one but I feel closer to something between the 2nd and 3rd options. It was good, and I might figstart another Obsidian project, but I'll be extremely skeptical at first and would not do so without them acknowledging PoE's major flaws very early in the campaign. I'd also like to see them telling everyone who's going to do what and what kind of game they're actually making.

IMO any CRPG crowfunding campaign (perhaps any KS game) should have a comprehensive vision statement. After all, isn't that how they got the original IE games done in the first place? In Obsidian's case, if half of their vision for the next crowdfunded game resembles the Planescape: Torment Vision Statement, then I'll back it, otherwise I'll wait for a few dozen updates and reconsider a PayPal pledge. I don't expect Obsidian (or any other studio, for that matter, including InXile's pseudo-Torment) to match the original, especially without MCA in any capacity, but the first dozen pages or so in that document have many elements that should apply to any decent CRPG, not just projects that are meant to be similar to PST.

Sometimes a KS project can have a very vague pitch, like the "Double Fine Adventure". One had the chance to pay for a Tim Schafer adventure game, that was it. It reminded me of a professor running for dean back in college. He was charismatic, very outspoken and had notoriously controversial views, but he was predictable in that sense. His views were well known, so when someone asked what he had to offer and what kind of promises he could make, he said: "What promises? Well, me! What else do you expect?!".
Trusting that kind of pitch can go both ways, and it's easy to frustrate a lot of people if they get the wrong idea, and without a proper vision statement, no one can blame them.

I'm not saying Project Eternity was this vague, although it was very light in that regard. Much like another thread in this section, it makes some of us questions whether it was a day dream all along. I don't think anyone would buy this "Black Isle reborn works on ultimate IE CRPG with best of BG, PST and IWD worlds" pitch again, even if that's not exactly what they meant. It was never possible in the first place, but I guess it was easy to fall into the hype machine at the time. I should give them due credit for being open during the whole development process, but even then, most of us only saw what the game was actually going to be by the time they released the beta.

My opinion of this game is very similar to Fairfax's. The game was pretty good, but it felt woefully uninspired.

I could have overlooked almost all the bad gameplay had the story been good. I genuinely tried very hard to get into it, and there was so much potential in the setting, but without being able to get more specific the whoile thing felt very forced.

I've downloaded White March, but I'm hesitant to play it. If it's the same uninspired drudge through pretty but somehow souless scenery I'm afraid I'll never touch the game again. And I really want to like this game and setting.

That said, I'm not opposed to supporting another Obsidian project, but it sure won't be at the same level I backed PoE at. Depending on the pitch, the most I'll back at is the minimum to get a digital download from Steam. If the next project they ask funding for is PoE 2, I won't back it. I won't buy it until at least a week after launch when enough people have reviewed it and say it's good.

Definitely the same here. $140 was way too much for me in hindsight.

 

[J_C]

Ah, another rating thread with a poll. And of course it will turn out the same way as the others: majority of the votes will go to "it is good" or "it is OK". Yet haters will still argue that it is a failure and everybody hates it, even though every evidence points the other way.

So, it is a flawed, but GOOD game. Not as good as the IE games, but it is good on its own right.

 

[Ziem]

Ah, another rating thread with a poll. And of course it will turn out the same way as the others: majority of the votes will go to "it is good" or "it is OK". Yet haters will still argue that it is a failure and everybody hates it, even though every evidence points the other way.

So, it is a flawed, but GOOD game. Not as good as the IE games, but it is good on its own right.

yeah..

btw fallout 3 is a good game, the majority thinks that "it is good" or "it is OK" (ask on bethesda forums) which is an evidence that its not a failure
so it is a flawed, but GOOD game, not as good as the old fallouts, but it is good on its own right.

Spoiler

 

[hivemind]

never played it, never will

 

[Invictus]

Ah, another rating thread with a poll. And of course it will turn out the same way as the others: majority of the votes will go to "it is good" or "it is OK". Yet haters will still argue that it is a failure and everybody hates it, even though every evidence points the other way.

So, it is a flawed, but GOOD game. Not as good as the IE games, but it is good on its own right.

I like it myself, Just started a new char and the new character AI make it play so much better by having the fighter types reasonably efficient and unlike the IE games you can actually set magic users and support units too since there is an option for them to use only their per encounter abilities and leave you to choose when to use the big spells. It is one of the few areas which the current design might make a better combat experience than the original IE games
One of my favorite philosphers is Spinoza who defines pity as the ability to perceive an object more through the things it lack rather than what it posseses, I feel that most of the people who are dissapointed by this game is because they focus on its flaws rather than its strengths, wishing for it to be sonething else than what it is and that is what simply blinds them to give the game any chance...it is not an IE heir but it is a beautiful looking gaMe with enough good oarts to make up for its so so bits, both from a design & budget limitations so yeah the story is not very "epic" but it serves the purpose of actualy establishing the ganeworld and its lore and I believe that Obsidian played it a bit too safe to make sure it would be appealing to a mainstream audience too
I think that with the lessons learned the sequel could be the evolutionary leap forward that Baldurs Gate 2 was

 

[Animal]

I don't see my opinion of the game reflected in any of the poll's choices.

I felt it had potential, but came up short because of boring writing and boring combat mechanics.

Would still kickstart other stuff if I liked it and had spare dollas...

 

[ArchAngel]

My support of their future KS projects will mostly depend on how much they fix PoE with these two expansions and what they ask for in next KS. I don't trust them automatically anymore.

 

[Stompa]

I don't remember if I've posted in this thread or not. All Pillars threads are like a blur, melding together into a multi-reviewed abomination with a skin color of an inflamed butthole and smell of Josh Sawyer's cologne for his private parts.