Obsidian Entertainment has put together a new FAQ that covers the basics of what its upcoming Kickstarter-funded game Project Eternity will be about. Most of the info has been revealed in previous updates, but some is new, and it's handy to have it all in one place. Feel free to read the long update if you want to make sure you get every single detail, but if not here's a summary:
Project Eternity is a party-based fantasy RPG similar to Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale, with a fixed high-angle perspective, and 3D characters on 2D backgrounds. You'll create a customisable character, choosing from six races, eleven classes, and various cultural backgrounds. You can have up to six characters in your party, which can include some of the eight companions Obsidian has written for the game.
Combat is real-time with pause functionality, like in the similar games mentioned above. You can also set the game to auto-pause under certain conditions, e.g. if one of your team becomes unconscious, or play in “slow combat” mode.
The protagonist is a newcomer to a place called the Dyrwood, where colonial powers are fighting it out for the chance to explore ruins left by an ancient race called the Glanfathans. He/she “is caught up in a bizarre supernatural phenomenon” and has to solve a bunch of problems that have been “thrust upon” him/her.
Other stuff in the game will include: a player house, a full stronghold, a fifteen-level backer-funded mega-dungeon called the Endless Paths of Od Nua, and a mentally hard difficulty mode in which party death deletes your one and only save.
