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[Interview] Pathfinder Online: A Sense of Pride

SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129

Pathfinder Online has been one of the games that has garnered a lot of attention over the past several months as being a sandbox title to watch. We managed to catch up to Goblinworks CEO Ryan S. Dancey to talk about Pathfinder Online. See what he's got to say about this ground breaking title.

MMORPG: Pathfinder is one of the top RPGs out right now in the tabletop world. What is it like for Goblinworks to bring this game into the online universe?

Ryan S. Dancey: I have such a sense of pride about Pathfinder.  A lot of people don't know this, but when Lisa Stevens (Paizo Publishing's CEO) and I were working at Wizards of the Coast, we wrote a lengthy 10-year plan for the Dungeons & Dragons business.  After we both left, Wizards decided to pursue a different path.  With Pathfinder, Lisa is following our original plan and having huge success.  So I feel like a happy uncle to everything that Paizo has accomplished - watching them make history has been one of the highlights of my life.

We approach Pathfinder with a deep sense of the love and community that Paizo has created.  Pathfinder isn't something that can be treated cavalierly.  Every decision we make about the game is debated and discussed with a panel of Paizo's top leadership, and we give the entire Paizo staff numerous opportunities to see what we're working on and give us comments and feedback.

Read more of Garrett Fuller's Pathfinder Online: A Sense of Pride.

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Comments

  • piquetpiquet Member UncommonPosts: 189

    Not impressed by the graphics and character models. In the second to last screenshot on page 1, the 2 female characters in particular look really bad. Just my opinion of course.

    That said, the game as such sounds very interesting, will keep an eye out for it for sure.

  • MMOGamer71MMOGamer71 Member UncommonPosts: 1,988
    Watching out for this one.
  • BlueMountainBlueMountain Member UncommonPosts: 147
    @ piquet: Remember that those were from the tech demo after only a couple of months of work from scratch (though based on illustrations of iconic characters). Notice the improvement available in the recent environment experience (downloadable from the kickstarter page). That was released just a few days after selecting the Unity middleware they will use for the client.
     

    To dream, perhaps to be.

  • DancingQueenDancingQueen Member Posts: 201
    Only three days left on Kickstarter so please support Pathfinder Online and make your pledge on http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1675907842/pathfinder-online-a-fantasy-sandbox-mmo?ref=search
     
  • MetanolMetanol Member UncommonPosts: 248

    I've been following Pathfinder Online since the Tech demo kickstarter, and the project does indeed look -very- interesting. However, I am not willing to pay a sub just yet, especially for beta (which was their plan - release beta and make it require a sub.)

     

    Even though they've gone too far from P&P in terms of combat, their own system looks kind of interesting with the ideas of these action points, or whatever they called it.

    We?re all dead, just say it.

  • KrematoryKrematory Member UncommonPosts: 608

    My concern with this game is that it already looks terribly dated visualy, and they plan to release it on 2015. Other than that sounds good, at least on paper.

    Oh, and Lisa Stevens looks scary O_o

    "EVE is likely the best MMORPG that you've never really understood or played" - Kyleran

  • maplestonemaplestone Member UncommonPosts: 3,099

    I worry that talk of "meaningful player interaction" is playing just a little too coy about the question of the role of PvP.

  • CaldrinCaldrin Member UncommonPosts: 4,505

    I like the sound of the features so backed the on kinkcstarter.. most of the work you see graphics wise is pretty early on..

    Unity is not the best engine on the market but they just brought in DX11 support and it can be made to look pretty good...

  • MaelwyddMaelwydd Member Posts: 1,123

    The sadest part of the interview for me was "After the Elder Scrolls Online project releases, there are no large AAA Theme Park MMOs under development at any significant publisher or studio."

     

    The Elder Scrolls Online.....Theme Park.....A sentence containing those 2 phrases just makes me cry...

     

    Oh but the game does look really promising if it can get enough support.

  • MumboJumboMumboJumbo Member UncommonPosts: 3,219

    This is one company (Goblin Works) with the right roots and right approach: Churning out tons of info on the goblin works blogs: Very impressed. I like how they are taking inspirations in key areas from EVE, Runescape and World of Tanks for eg and various other innovations. A quick summary:

    • Player-Player Contracts - replace quests
    • Player formed factions - all/any eg as per EVE
    • Skill-Training Progression -> 2.5yrs to max level earliest in x1 role only; horizontal progress
    • Player created settlements -> Each Hex (256) can be conquered and controlled
    • Player formed Armies -> Real formations
    • Virtual Economy -> full-blown autonomous economy (not simulated)
    • Player Crafting item production and PvE Resource Cycle (maj. item creation by players)
    • Career Skills as well as Combat Skills (bounty-hunter, bandit, diplomat, tavern owner, soldier, trader...)
    • Alignment, Reputation, Politics & Open-World PvP (EVE style again)
    • NPC Alliances (changes which mobs are friend/foe)
    • Single-server World map - all emergent game story is shared by all players
     
     
  • Slapshot1188Slapshot1188 Member LegendaryPosts: 16,927
    Yeah they got me off the fence. Made my first KICKSTART ever. I even went big-time for $175 to get in Early Release.

    All time classic  MY NEW FAVORITE POST!  (Keep laying those bricks)

    "I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator

    Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017. 

    Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018

    "Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018

  • YizleYizle Member Posts: 517
    From the graphics I have seen looks very dated like many have said. Some of the ideas and features they say will be in there are interesting though.
  • Ambros123Ambros123 Member Posts: 877
    Originally posted by MumboJumbo

    This is one company (Goblin Works) with the right roots and right approach: Churning out tons of info on the goblin works blogs: Very impressed. I like how they are taking inspirations in key areas from EVE, Runescape and World of Tanks for eg and various other innovations. A quick summary:

    • Player-Player Contracts - replace quests
    • Player formed factions - all/any eg as per EVE
    • Skill-Training Progression -> 2.5yrs to max level earliest in x1 role only; horizontal progress
    • Player created settlements -> Each Hex (256) can be conquered and controlled
    • Player formed Armies -> Real formations
    • Virtual Economy -> full-blown autonomous economy (not simulated)
    • Player Crafting item production and PvE Resource Cycle (maj. item creation by players)
    • Career Skills as well as Combat Skills (bounty-hunter, bandit, diplomat, tavern owner, soldier, trader...)
    • Alignment, Reputation, Politics & Open-World PvP (EVE style again)
    • NPC Alliances (changes which mobs are friend/foe)
    • Single-server World map - all emergent game story is shared by all players
     
     

     

    That sounds all very intresting.  However the contracts, settlements and armies sound like one of those ambitious features that many MMOs with big developement teams (which the worst companies like Funcom are likey leaps and bounds better that kickstarter ones like this) promised also but then never delivered.

     

    Something to keep on the radar but certainly am not going to inverst especially since they are charging a sub for friggin beta access.  If they are going to charge a sub then it better be close to a finished product and not some freebie testers for em that they can make testers pay.

     

    Still intrested what the virtual economy is all about.  Not gonna go reading up on it at their site so if anyone would give me a down n dirty be much obliged.

     
  • AmarantharAmaranthar Member EpicPosts: 5,781

    I was getting excited until mention of the cash shop. That's a no go for me. To the Devs on this game, you can have a winner, but cash shops are a big hit to "fairness" and game world mechanics, especially economic.

    The other issue I had earlier when checking out this game was that there evidently won't be any permanent dungeons? All instanced to a character discovery, then just goes away after it's "used up".

     

    Once upon a time....

  • OzmodanOzmodan Member EpicPosts: 9,726

    It is easy to talk about a feature list, it is much harder to implement such.  Kickstarting any company is a real crap shoot.  I have yet to any of these so called great sandbox games that really gets what a sandbox is.  My suggestion is to take a wait and see attitude on a game like this until we actually get information from people actually play testing it.

    Must have had a significant brainfart to spout this nonsense: "After the Elder Scrolls Online project releases, there are no large AAA Theme Park MMOs under development at any significant publisher or studio. 

    Titan and EQnext come to mind as AAA titles, you can bet  there are others unannounced.  This guy sounds like a snake oil salesman.  He can talk the talk, but can he walk the walk.   I have my doubts.

    Oh and paying to beta test is just a real indication of bad intentions.   I do not trust companies that ask you to pay to test their software, should be the other way around.

  • BlackUhuruBlackUhuru Member Posts: 770
    With dx11 the graphics will look top notch, GB have only been using Unity for two months.

    They started off with Bigworldstechnology to make their tech demo then switch over to Unity shortly after.

    But for me it's all about the mechanics and game features. For the last ten years we've gotten graphics and flashy combat animations but with little content.

    Here's looking forward to a real RPG made by real RPG developers!!!! For once....

    "It would be awesome if you could duel your companion. Then you could solo pvp".--Thanes

  • erictlewiserictlewis Member UncommonPosts: 3,022

    They have 225k to go I don't think they are going to make this in 3 days and poof there goes 750k in funds.

  • BlackUhuruBlackUhuru Member Posts: 770
    @Ozmodan

    We have no idea what Titan is or will be, and EQnext was scrapped as a Themepark and announced as completely redoing it as a sandbox style game.

    Name a AAA themepark title after Elder Scrolls in development? Not one and for good reason!

    "It would be awesome if you could duel your companion. Then you could solo pvp".--Thanes

  • OzmodanOzmodan Member EpicPosts: 9,726
    Originally posted by BlackUhuru
    @Ozmodan

    We have no idea what Titan is or will be, and EQnext was scrapped as a Themepark and announced as completely redoing it as a sandbox style game.

    Name a AAA themepark title after Elder Scrolls in development? Not one and for good reason!

     

    Excuse me, you just named two AAA titles. 

  • BlackUhuruBlackUhuru Member Posts: 770
    @Erictlewis

    The last 1mill Kickstarter game that got funded recently pulled in 600k the last 72hrs.

    Don't be so quick to right PFO off, I wouldn't be surprised if they exceed 1mill in pledges by the end of the Kickstarter.

    "It would be awesome if you could duel your companion. Then you could solo pvp".--Thanes

  • BlackUhuruBlackUhuru Member Posts: 770
    @ Ozmodan

    Ryan says AAA THEMEPARKS, there will be plenty of AAA sandboxes in the works.

    You miss reading what Ryan is saying...

    "It would be awesome if you could duel your companion. Then you could solo pvp".--Thanes

  • GwapoJoshGwapoJosh Member UncommonPosts: 1,030
    Originally posted by BlackUhuru
    @Erictlewis

    The last 1mill Kickstarter game that got funded recently pulled in 600k the last 72hrs.

    Don't be so quick to right PFO off, I wouldn't be surprised if they exceed 1mill in pledges by the end of the Kickstarter.

    I'm one of the people who is throwing money down on the last day ;)

    "You are all going to poop yourselves." BillMurphy

    "Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone."

  • NobleNerdNobleNerd Member UncommonPosts: 759
    Looks interesting with great ideas. Implementing those ideas over many years is where the proof will be. I was a little leary of the one guy who listed one of his credentials as "The Elder Scrolls Online" seeing it is still in heavy development. Did he jump ship on that project or did he not cut it for Zenimax and now he is here? BUT all in all it will be one to watch and hopefully not gett bored seeing it is a long ways from even a beta yet.


  • VorthanionVorthanion Member RarePosts: 2,749

    To BlackUhuru,

     

    Titan will not be a sandbox, because Blizzard doesn't do sandboxes.  Archeage is a sandpark and releasing after Elder Scrolls.  Then there is Neverwinter (action themepark), Wizardry Online (hardcore themepark dungeon hack), Defiance (fps themepark), Wildstar (themepark), Marvel Heroes, Game of Thrones, PlaneShift, World of Warships and World of Warplanes, Transformers Universe.....  needless to say, themeparks are not going extinct and for good reason.  There is more than enough room in the genre for themeparks, sandboxes, sandparks, action / first person shooters like Planetside 2.

     

    On topic, I won't be funding this game.  I just can't get past the FFA full loot PvP.  On top of that, I've yet to see a game implement consequence systems that did a frakking thing to discourage griefing.

     
     
     

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  • SBE1SBE1 Member UncommonPosts: 340
    I really hope they can make a great sandbox game.  Tired of themeparks.
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