Project Eternity - Update #39
 

In the latest update of Project Eternity, Josh Sawyer talks about the basics of the "non-core" classes, cooldown system (or lack thereof), how attacks are resolved, and on the evolution of the armor system. In addition it shows the dungeon tileset test render is shown and a shakycam of some of the combat basics running in engine. With the exception of the last, everything is both in text and in a video.


More information.

I think that the quality of RPGs, to a large extent, depends on the quality of their writing, plot and pacing. Get those wrong and the other mechanics don't really matter. That's the primary reason, I think that Baldur's Gate 1&2 were so good. Am hoping that Project Eternity, which seems promising, doesn't make the mistake of making the story/plot an afterthought, just to fit into their mechanics.

I'm so playing a Chanter. Looks like a fun class with the word mixing system.

I'm actually the other way, to me gameplay (the actual mechanics) is the most important thing, while story/plot is secondary. Guess the problem is that I have very bad memory and a little ADD so I don't really remember what that booming voice said in the last cutscene a few minutes ago, I just know that the result is that I have to go to Elephantville to deliver something.

Ditto. While a well told story is a nice bonus, if it's the focus, then the game is an adventure game with rpg elements; at least to me. I got tired of Torment because it spent way too much time blabbing at you while you're standing around passively. I want to play, not read or listen.

I don't know if I've ever read anywhere of this being done in the order you prefer. Maybe you are aware of some games. But even U7, the unarguably best RPG of all time ( :P ) was built mechanics-first from what I read about the game while it was being developed back in the 90s.

I do see your point though that there are certainly pitfalls to blindly building mechanics with no substinative thought to story and narrative - most of us here at RPGWatch have certainly played RPGs that fit that bill. But I doubt that decent developers are utterly blind to their story and narrative while developing their mechanics. In fact I'd bet good money that the development of mechanics are often inspired by visions of story and narrative.

By story/plot I don't mean just textual stuff, which I often don't even bother to read, but the whole ambiance that enables one to suspend disbelief and imagine one is in a different world. The graphics, voice overs, sound etc are all a part of that illusion. In many recent games (Guild Wars 2 for instance) I feel a bit of a disconnection, where I wasn't able to imagine the world and my toons living in that world. Also it sometimes feels that the enemy isn't really an enemy, but just mobs stuck in certain places as road bumps. I felt that might be because they weren't really trying to design a consistent world, but rather just to provide their users with particular mechanics and mobs as cannon fodder.

This is a good interesting update, unlike the last. :)

I too get more motivated by good gameplay. Story comes second but it's important too. But let's face it, most game stories are pretty crummy when compared to the best novels. What a game really has to offer is gameplay so that's what's most interesting. Immersivity is a different kind of appeal.

If the plot or theme is bland I cannot play it for very long no matter the gameplay systems.

so, is that PE running in the background?

Yes, although there are no texture. It is the same area than shown in the screenshot in the update.