Before we crown 'the next BG', let's see the game play, the story and whatnot. Don't get me wrong: I very much want this game to be excellent across the board, I've seen many promising games fall to either tedious game play or uninteresting story. Again, I'm not saying it will be these things, but I've become very reticent to crown games that are still in development.
The game does have some black powder firearms. From what I gather, the time period it most represents (while of course not being truthful to it due to it being its own setting) will be the 16th-17th century, as opposed to the usual 11th-12th century of normal fantasy.
And yes, that does look like a flint-lock musket. As long as it has a god-awful rate of fire though, I don't see it being an issue. (Not sure how their system works yet, but a 2nd edition Musket took 3 rounds to fire (1/3 attack per round and wasn't benefited by any extra attacks) and only dealt 2 more damage (1d12) as a heavy crossbow..but they did ignore AC bonuses from body Armor).
@Malicron - And firearms would be a deterrent from me playing that game [Arcanum - and I still haven't played it], as well. My personal preference is to not have them in fantasy; it's not rational on my part, but it is a strong aversion for me. I think it stems from the suspension of disbelief - if there is modern machinery (I don't like steampunk gnome engineering for the same reason), there is no reason to be a medieval fantasy setting. Gunpowder rapidly ended that era in human history.
Anyway, the end result is just a skewing of the probability needle of me buying the game. Imagine a scale of 1 - 100, where 1 is almost no chance of buying. Firearms shifts that (for me) about 20-30 points to the left of the scale (in a fantasy game).
Truth be told I have mixed feelings about firearms in a high fantasy world setting. *If* Project Eternity possesses a certain steampunk centered civilisation/culture/society, then including antique firearms (the low damage output/long reloading time variants with either rare or expensive ammo) is neither game nor immersion breaking. After all, those "boom sticks" were pretty much just a fusion of slings and crossbows. You can even find them in Forgotten Realms in AD&D second edition, D&D 3rd edition and 3.5 edition.
On the other hand I'd really be angry if they'll decide to include any kind of modern firearms: those are ugly as hell, too accurate and have a overpowering damage output which would put any medieval melee weapon to shame. Have I ever mentioned that they are dreadfully ugly?
The cultures of Project Eternity are in a variety of different technological states. Though some remote civilizations are still in the equivalent of Earth's Stone Age or Bronze Age, most large civilizations are in the equivalent of Earth's high or late Middle Ages. The most aggressive and powerful civilizations are in the early stages of what would be our early modern period, technologically, even if they are not culturally undergoing "Renaissance"-style changes.
For most large civilizations, this means that all of the core arms and armor of medieval warfare have reached a high level of development: full suits of articulated plate armor, a variety of military swords, war hammers, polearms, longbows, crossbows, and advanced siege weaponry. Architecturally, these cultures also employ technologies found in Earth's Gothic structures, allowing them to create towering vertical structures.
The most recent technologies seeing use in the world are ocean-going carrack-style ships and black powder firearms (notably absent: the printing press). Cultures with large navies and mercantile traffic are exploring the world, which has led to contact with previously-unknown lands and societies and settlement in new lands. Despite their intense drive, these explorers have been restricted from aggressive long-range exploration by monstrous sea creatures that pose a lethal, seemingly insurmountable threat to even the stoutest, most well-armed ships.
Black powder firearms are of the single-shot wheellock variety. Largely considered complex curiosities, these weapons are not employed extensively by military forces. Their long reload times are considered a liability in battles against foes that are too monstrous to drop with a single volley, foes that fly or move at high speed, and foes that have the power of invisibility. Despite this, some individuals do employ firearms for one specific purpose: close range penetration of the arcane veil, a standard magical defense employed by wizards. The arcane veil is powerful, but it does not react well to the high-velocity projectiles generated by arquebuses and handguns. As a result, more wizards who previously relied on the veil and similar abjurations have turned to traditional armor for additional defense.
Meh, while I may not be a fan of guns in fantasy games, it wouldn't have affected whether or not I backed the game even if I had known back then*, nor does hearing about it now change how much I am looking forward to Project Eternity.
*I guess I was skimming pretty hard when I read the Kickstarter page, or maybe I just skipped some updates entirely, because I don't remember the stuff TheCoffeeGod posted at all.
I'am not a fan of firearms either, but in a world with magic I admit powder would be an easy thing to discover and put to use. But it does break a bit that dnd feeling... of bows, crossbows and slingshots. Anyway Eternity art style is awesome, sometimes I forget its not dnd.
@Malicron - And firearms would be a deterrent from me playing that game [Arcanum - and I still haven't played it], as well. My personal preference is to not have them in fantasy; it's not rational on my part, but it is a strong aversion for me. I think it stems from the suspension of disbelief - if there is modern machinery (I don't like steampunk gnome engineering for the same reason), there is no reason to be a medieval fantasy setting. Gunpowder rapidly ended that era in human history.
To be fair, Arcanum isn't medieval fantasy, it's Victorian era fantasy. Tophats and monocles and steam trains and fireballs.
Personally, I like the inclusion. If you think about it, a wizard in any medieval fantasy setting is (very quickly) a ridiculously powerful figure, simply due to the fact that he can wipe out scores of enemies by himself (throw two fireballs into an angry mob and see how motivated they still are to rebel against their superiors). It never made sense to me that a setting could have these characters walking around without them being in charge of *everything*. Giving the common man a device that allows them to level the playing field (a bit), keeps things in perspective.
Really looking forward to this. Alas, my keen necromancer senses tell me this is prolly going to fall much short for all kinds of initial release windows
My first playthrough is reserved for the Cipher class. It's been far too long since I played a psionic character in cRPG's. As for races... I'm thinking of playing either a Island Aumaua or Coastal Aumaua. The semiaquatic aspects of this species fascinates me.
@Shandyr, they all seem perfectly analogous to D&D classes. If I'm still into bards when it finally comes out, I might try a chanter. I'm tempted to go with a wizard, but that's usually the hardest class to learn a new game with.
There's a good chance I'll choose priest for the first playthrough, because priests always get a good combination of melee toughness and magical ability, plus healing, making them one of the easiest classes to play in most games, other than straight fighter.
It'll be interesting to see how party construction is going to work. I wonder if it will be like in Baldur's Gate, where you create a main character and then find allies in the game, or like Icewind Dale, where you have to construct an entire party before you start.
Comments
As for classes, i guess their version of the paladin was interesting, but i wanna learn more about the priest as well.
some cool new (blurry) screen caps of a presentation.
Jeez, this game really is shaping up to be the next BG. Obsidian seem to know how to recreate the Infinity engine feeling.
A new screenshot
From what I gather, the time period it most represents (while of course not being truthful to it due to it being its own setting) will be the 16th-17th century, as opposed to the usual 11th-12th century of normal fantasy.
(those look a LOT like Eldar)
And yes, that does look like a flint-lock musket. As long as it has a god-awful rate of fire though, I don't see it being an issue. (Not sure how their system works yet, but a 2nd edition Musket took 3 rounds to fire (1/3 attack per round and wasn't benefited by any extra attacks) and only dealt 2 more damage (1d12) as a heavy crossbow..but they did ignore AC bonuses from body Armor).
I don't know, Arcanum was a good game.
Anyway, the end result is just a skewing of the probability needle of me buying the game. Imagine a scale of 1 - 100, where 1 is almost no chance of buying. Firearms shifts that (for me) about 20-30 points to the left of the scale (in a fantasy game).
One word: ditto.
On the other hand I'd really be angry if they'll decide to include any kind of modern firearms: those are ugly as hell, too accurate and have a overpowering damage output which would put any medieval melee weapon to shame. Have I ever mentioned that they are dreadfully ugly?
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/obsidian/project-eternity/posts/312639
*I guess I was skimming pretty hard when I read the Kickstarter page, or maybe I just skipped some updates entirely, because I don't remember the stuff TheCoffeeGod posted at all.
Personally, I like the inclusion. If you think about it, a wizard in any medieval fantasy setting is (very quickly) a ridiculously powerful figure, simply due to the fact that he can wipe out scores of enemies by himself (throw two fireballs into an angry mob and see how motivated they still are to rebel against their superiors). It never made sense to me that a setting could have these characters walking around without them being in charge of *everything*. Giving the common man a device that allows them to level the playing field (a bit), keeps things in perspective.
Alas, my keen necromancer senses tell me this is prolly going to fall much short for all kinds of initial release windows
There's a good chance I'll choose priest for the first playthrough, because priests always get a good combination of melee toughness and magical ability, plus healing, making them one of the easiest classes to play in most games, other than straight fighter.
It'll be interesting to see how party construction is going to work. I wonder if it will be like in Baldur's Gate, where you create a main character and then find allies in the game, or like Icewind Dale, where you have to construct an entire party before you start.