Pillars of Eternity Interview

While we’ll have to wait unitl next week to read the previews coming out of Pillars of Eternity’s E3 closed doors demo, we can at least take a gander on this article on the game from Red Bull Games which focuses on the game’s themes, companions and narrative mechanics. Nothing particularly new for anyone who has followed the game closely in the last two years, but interesting nonetheless:

“While designing the world of Pillars of Eternity, we drew from the full spectrum of the human experience, touching on broad subjects like religious and cultural conflict, oppression, and political upheaval alongside the smaller-scale travails of day-to-day life,” says Olivia Veras, another of Pillars’ level designers.

“We don’t need to shy from the depiction of sexuality, or pull our punches when it comes to the effects of violence on individuals and communities. The people of Pillars of Eternity, as in our world, are multifaceted, and prone to the same virtues and vices. They might hold superstitious or bigoted beliefs, or covet their neighbour’s wealth. They might visit brothels or indulge in narcotics after a long day.

“Our characters live in a world where conviction or desperation can drive people to terrible acts, where children aren’t spared from the effects of violence, and where long-lasting tensions between races and cultures have led to the rise of xenophobic factions. It’s also a world where even small acts of kindness can have a far-reaching effect.

“We don’t include these topics simply to titillate players, but to provide a rich and grounded framework for an engrossing and memorable experience.”

Like gaming’s other Kickstarter success stories, Obsidian are only making their first foray into crowdfunded games with Pillars of Eternity. Given the studio’s history with isometric fantasy RPGs, the switch from the standard videogame funding model seems like a good fit for a genre that, not that long ago, proudly eschewed fancy-pants visuals and famous voice actors in favor of telling deeper stories.

The really die-hard Obsidian fans might also want to check Giant Bomb’s post-E3 chat given the segment between 1:07:47 and 2:05:28 includes Josh Sawyer as a panelist. In truth, he barely even speaks, and only chimes in to talk about his experience showing off Pillars of Eternity to a crowd that wasn’t necessarily as nostalgic about the Infinity Engine games as the backers, and the development of Alpha Protocol and South Park.