Project Eternity - Update #10, Interview

Chris Avellone posts Project Eternity Update #10, which is primarily a video showing his messy desk, celebrating his birthday and following up on the characterisation blog from a few days back:

Today's Project Eternity update is shorter and sweeter than usual (at least on the text side), and instead is a fun video from Obsidian's creative director, Chris Avellone. In the video, Chris talks about birthdays, gratitude for fan gratitude, his one really @$!$ messy desk, and some extrapolation of characterization in Project Eternity.
The video is a follow up to his Project Eternity and Characterization blog post over on the Obsidian forums from a few days ago. We encourage you to check it out first if you haven't already, particularly if the process of character design interests you, and then watch the video!

There's also a piece of concept art.
Over at Penny Arcade, there's an interview with producer Adam Brennecke. There's not a lot of new revelations, though here he talks about the first screenshot:

Brennecke talked about Project Eternity exploring mature themes, though the studio’s definition of “mature” doesn’t necessarily mean sex and gore. Brennecke’s example was racism. Reading through the Kickstarter updates, there’s some hints of how that could play out on reincarnated souls. “…souls are subject to “fracturing” over generations, transforming in myriad ways, and not quite… working right. Some cultures and individuals place a high value on “strong” souls, souls with a “pure” lineage, “awakened” souls that remember past lives, “traveled” souls that have drifted through the divine realms, or those that co-exist with other souls in one body. However, the opposite is also true, resulting in negative discrimination and sometimes outright violence.”
Although they’re not ready to share it just yet, Brennecke told me he saw the first screenshot of the game the day we spoke. Even he was impressed. “It looks amazing.”

More information.

Tough to watch. It's like he's on a boat or something. I started to get seasick.

Compare the concept on Kickstarter with the concept on PAR. 'twas the result of a lenghty, now closed forum discussion.

I do like that the female character in the concept art is wearing what looks like actually believable platemail. Who would have ever thought that the pinnacle of armored protection might not be metal thong.

Cadegund used to have a real boobplate. They changed it after "feedbacks".

You can see that version of the concept art on the PA report on Project Eternity.

Originally Posted by azarhal
Cadegund used to have a real boobplate. They changed it after "feedbacks".

You can see that version of the concept art on the PA report on Project Eternity.

Yes because we all know women don't have boobs that come in different sizes. There just going for realism now.

Though boob plates were needed for larger cup sizes. Sadly there weren't many big breasted amazons in armor in reality.

Reality-



Fantasy-

Yeah - looks more like the real thing:


Obviously - as plate has to be somewhat well fitted in certain areas so as to disribute weight as effectively as possible and avoid chaffing - a female-tailored plate would still probably have some distinctly feminine characteristics depending on who it was made for.

So… No armored Dolly Parton?
What kind of RPG is that? Sacrilege!

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
Yes because we all know women don't have boobs that come in different sizes. There just going for realism now.

Though boob plates were needed for larger cup sizes. Sadly there weren't many big breasted amazons in armor in reality.

Reality-



Fantasy-

In reality, there was not that many women in armour. That is what immersion is such a flimsy concept. From the moment, you accept the idea of women in armour in medieval like worlds, why draw a red line for what women should sport? In medieval times, few to none uni gender clothes. But those who could afford wanted distinctive armours.

Actually, there was more daily unisex clothing in medieval than in the 18th or 19th century. The more and more distinct style in clothing is a trend starting with Renaissance.

Originally Posted by Avantenor
Actually, there was more daily unisex clothing in medieval than in the 18th or 19th century. The more and more distinct style in clothing is a trend starting with Renaissance.

Yes we went from wool and leather to perfume and laces. What an improvement.

In reality, there was not that many women in armour. That is what immersion is such a flimsy concept. From the moment, you accept the idea of women in armour in medieval like worlds, why draw a red line for what women should sport? In medieval times, few to none uni gender clothes. But those who could afford wanted distinctive armours.

There a few notable female knights and warriors but your right they were few. I was mostly taking a crack at people bothered with the original character design. They must have been many since they changed it.

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
Yes we went from wool and leather to perfume and laces. What an improvement.

Nope

There a few notable female knights and warriors but your right they were few. I was mostly taking a crack at people bothered with the original character design. They must have been many since they changed it.

They had the Project Director on their side. He's more on the historical side of things.

From the moment, you accept the idea of women in armour in medieval like worlds, why draw a red line for what women should sport?

Meh I don't see there as being a red-line, I just appreciate it when I see a game that doesn't give characters armor that appears designed to deflect blows towards the center of the chest and to crack the wearer's sternum when they fall.

Originally Posted by jhwisner
Meh I don't see there as being a red-line, I just appreciate it when I see a game that doesn't give characters armor that appears designed to deflect blows towards the center of the chest and to crack the wearer's sternum when they fall.

but you're ok that those same characters can double jump in mid-air and cast fireballs when they land, in full plate?

Originally Posted by Avantenor
Nope

You really can't take sarcasm can you?

Originally Posted by wolfing
but you're ok that those same characters can double jump in mid-air and cast fireballs when they land, in full plate?

Well in his defense it's a game. Your supposed to do things you cant do in reality.

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
You really can't take sarcasm can you?

My sarcasm detector did not ring.

Originally Posted by wolfing
but you're ok that those same characters can double jump in mid-air and cast fireballs when they land, in full plate?

From that perspective we could also vote for a Final Fantasy Look. That would be an interesting discussion thread on the official forums.

But there is a point in it. Let's keep it that way: Boob plates give games a certain touch that sometimes and for some people isn't appreciated.

Originally Posted by Avantenor
But there is a point in it. Let's keep it that way: Boob plates give games a certain touch that sometimes and for some people isn't appreciated.

I can agree with that. Boob plates have been a rule in fantasy for years and there not going away any time soon. The concept art still looks good anyway.

I don't feel like going into all the sexism articles that seem abundant about games lately. That's another can of worms.

my point is, why make for boring looking armor just because they're more 'realistic' in a fantasy game. If it was a medieval simulation game, I'd be all for it, but in a fantasy game, I'm ok with boob armors and chainmail bikinis that protect more than a full body leather armor.

I like boobplates, or the first part anyway.

I draw the line at chainmail bikinis, thats just ridicilous.


C

Originally Posted by wolfing
my point is, why make for boring looking armor just because they're more 'realistic' in a fantasy game. If it was a medieval simulation game, I'd be all for it, but in a fantasy game, I'm ok with boob armors and chainmail bikinis that protect more than a full body leather armor.

I can only speak for myself, but I was tired e.g. by Snowblind's urgent attempts to make all heroines in the Champions games look like Pamela Anderson in Fantasy-Baywatch. They did the same in Dark Alliance, too. It bores me to death, seeing nearly undressed booby girls running through an elsewise stupid game. One could think, the money spared from "meaning" was put into atomic boobs and that they are always presented in a right shape.

Yes, you don't have to play it, but in this case Obsidian wants the money before the game is reviewed and is explicitly asking for feedback. So I can understand that there are people reasoning against if they get the chance and somebody is listening.

I don't know if advocates of booby plates would also welcome Mick-Jagger-like pants with bucklings or even more explicit shape. My guess would be it would turn into another sexualism / morality debate. Or even worse! Because everybody knows pee-pees are bad in general.