I was trying to imagine some situations where Larian's next RPG might still feel larger than life, but without being explicitly tied to D&D. I think what I find appealing here in BG3 is that it's both self-contained and also part of a broader system that still exists outside of the game. You can learn how to play D&D by playing this game, or get pretty close to it. I can picture situations where Larian might take on say a Pathfinder, but I think it'd be an odd fit, just given how they've mentioned wanting to move on and own their IP. I don't know, maybe they could buy White Wolf somehow, or use some other scheme to keep with the D20 vibes via other systems. DC20 though, I could see something there, just because it's similar enough to translate but with a lot less baggage in train.
Another thought I keep having is - what's it going to look like when some other studio steps in to do a BG4?
I feel like it's an inevitability now, that someone will want to build on this clearly pretty successful foundation, but I think that would require some other form of continuity or else fans of BG3 may just balk at the effort. What would be required so that players don't balk, but instead feel positively disposed towards any such project? I think absent Larian's involvement the only way to pull that off would be if somehow Pitstop was still behind the camera maybe?
Since so much of what makes this game memorable comes from the performances, it does seem like it might be possible to keep it going that way. I'm sure it'd be a super tall order, but it doesn't seem impossible. Provided the same people were involved in the nuts and bolts direction or in creating the core art assets for that. Like then the overall presentation would at least have some degree of overlap in that case, if the same people were on board. A similar sense of humor or artistic take, something to hold onto that isn't just a complete rework. I could picture that.
Visual callbacks or a similar overall look wouldn't feel quite so copy cat if the same peeps were at the helm. Presumably we'd get something that harmonizes more readily that way. It seems like a very long shot, but one thing BG3 did pretty well was to elevate the performances and make sure that peeps really felt something there. The gameplay would probably have to feel somewhat derivative in order to feel like we're still playing a proper sequel along these same lines, but that's not the worst problem to have. Set in the realms isn't enough though, if the gameplay doesn't grab, so building on what works. It's not too hard to picture what that might look like. Problem is that if it seems all extra corpo with the Wizards calling the shots or just a cash grab in the marketing, you'd lose everything that Larian brought to the table by still making the game 'feel' indy, even though they're hella massive now hehe. Not sure there, seems like a dilemma of a different kind than whatever Larian does with their next game. Still worth ruminating on probably though, if they want a BG4 to capture any of the same fire that we got from BG3.
I don't know, maybe they could buy White Wolf somehow, or use some other scheme to keep with the D20 vibes via other systems. DC20 though, I could see something there, just because it's similar enough to translate but with a lot less baggage in train.
I don't know if Larian would even want to do such a thing. Given that they have had issues with DnD rulesets when making BG3 (Hence all the homebrew they've done) I honestly question if there's actually any part of the DnD ruleset they actually care for and if they simply wanted the rights to BG3 purely for the popularity that comes with its name.
As far as things go... It's not a particularly compelling system. If offers an unreasonable amout of variance due to the small number of rolls (Especially with the nat 1/20 auto results). D100 based systems are far superior in terms of offering a more reasonable level of variance.
Besides that... There's plenty to be complained about with the overall dice systems in DnD:
Armour can feel useless because it only provides AC and if you're unlucky that does nothing (Not to mention the "Heavy/Medium Armour vs Dex" balance issues)
Weapons often feel bad because limited differences between them (Like, why would someone use a D4 dagger when they can use a D6 shortsword? In prior DnD editions you at least had crit roll differences... But that simply meant you just gravitated towards Rapier, Kukri, Estoc, Scimitar or Elven Curved Blade because these have the same damage dice as other weapons but 18-20 critical threat instead of 20 or 19-20)
Control spells feel terrible because of their "Save or suck" nature. They either work or they don't. Meanwhile damage spells have a lot of save only halves damage instead making them more consistent.
Skill checks are awful and often make no sense. The fact you can hyper specialize your character into doing 1 thing and then they just... Can't do it, makes character creation feel pointless. Even more so when you have dumb things like a master thief can fail to break into the most basic lock ever created, while some pleb can get lucky and break into Fort Knoxx without issue all because of dumb dice rolls. I know some people like the chance to fail as it adds depth to an adventure when you aren't simply master of the universe... But such a thing can still exist without being based on random chance, Pillars of Eternity for example has all its skill checks as simply requirements and if you meet them you perform them. If you don't meet them, you instead get worse options that will lead to less ideal results (Like injuring yourself because you broke down a wall by slamming into it... Because you weren't hench enough to do it easily)
The dice system is great... For Table Top. That's what it is designed for, to be easy enough to use to create an engaging system for TT (And enabling some dynamic player interaction because the DM determines the outcome allowing them to make things more fun). But for video games the system just kind of sucks.
Originally Posted by Black_Elk
I feel like it's an inevitability now, that someone will want to build on this clearly pretty successful foundation, but I think that would require some other form of continuity or else fans of BG3 may just balk at the effort.
lolno.
BG3 doesn't have any continuation from BG1 or BG2 (Or DA, DA2 or the other DA which in of itself has no continuation from the other 2 DA games). So why would people care if BG4 didn't continue from BG3?
Baldur's Gate games are popular because the setting is decent.
Honestly, quite a lot of people would likely be very happy if BG4 had absolutely nothing to do with BG3. With things like the Steel Watch, Smokepowder being super common, the terrible plot with Emperor/Orpheus being things they'd want the game to stay away from.
Originally Posted by Black_Elk
The gameplay would probably have to feel somewhat derivative in order to feel like we're still playing a proper sequel along these same lines
Again no.
BG3 has little to do with BG1/BG2 (And again, the 3 DA titles) gameplay wise. BG1/BG2 are RTwP games from an isometric view, DA games are hack and slash ARPG's (The 2 originals are from an isometric view, the modern one is TPP) and BG3 is a TB modern RPG (That is ironically categorised as a CRPG).
BG4 can be whatever genre it wants. So long as the setting is there and the gameplay fits for its DnD basis, it'll work out fine.
I don't know if Larian would even want to do such a thing. Given that they have had issues with DnD rulesets when making BG3 (Hence all the homebrew they've done) I honestly question if there's actually any part of the DnD ruleset they actually care for and if they simply wanted the rights to BG3 purely for the popularity that comes with its name.
....
The question is answered by Swen Vyncke himself in this interview, recently posted on the forum.
I think these boards are pretty reliable when it comes to sussing out the potential pitfalls and all the various reasons that a BG4 will probably never get made now (at least not to my satisfaction, or in a timely fashion.) It took what, 6 years to make this one? With 2 of those years in the oven before we even found out what was cooking. A long lead time there. Especially if they gotta re-pour the foundation again, instead of using the one that was just built out.
I guess I'm mainly just reflecting on my own sour grapes and sorta grasping here, because what I wanted was another game in this same series.
Not in the sense that BG3 was a continuation of BG2 (it's clearly a completely different game, even if I do find the vibes similar) but rather in the sense that BG2 was a continuation of BG1. Coming hot on the heels such that both games stand together in my mind. The whole import character, continuing adventure thing, same system - new campaign.
I would like a BG4 to be a continuation of BG3, in that sense. The BG2 campaign is almost entirely disconnected from BG1 in terms of the story. Aside from a handful of returning characters, the story of BG1 and the story of BG2 are each distinct. So it's easy for me to imagine a follow up campaign to BG3 that uses this formula, but which has nothing much to do with Illithids or the Steel Watch stuff. They could just move it to another locale in FR and pull another thread, and I think I'd happily charge into a new story. I mean I didn't really need all that anyway, I just wanted Durlag's or an interconnected dungeon anticlimax to ice it, but also something with professional production values and a coherent aesthetic. Just so it would harmonize and feel like it was building on the same style of play, but it's harder to imagine how another studio could step up when the engine here is proprietary. Like the Wizards own the setting and all the IP, these characters and such are theirs now, but the engine is Larian's. I almost wish they had spun off a team just to do an expansion and have that as a focus for whichever devs and tech artists didn't feel totally burned out on it already. It's hard to picture everyone in the studio all of the same mind, all breathing a sigh of relief in unison at not having to follow their own showstopper. There were probably at least a few peeps though, who were still excited by the prospect of an Expansion or Sequel for the most popular D&D computer game to date. Instead I think we will probably end up with a BG4 eventually, but where we won't see that for another age. It will be so different by then that they no longer really connect in a meaningful way for the gameplay.
I just wish they didn't have to bail on it, because I think the game has legs. Did they do things I didn't like? Sure, there's always room to improve, but they also did many things right, in particular somehow capturing the trance state of BG restartitus and zen replay. On the whole this is the best Baldur's Gate game since the year 2000. Like for 20 years I'd play BG1 or BG2, at least once or twice a year, always the first game installed on a new computer. Just like that I anticipate playing BG3 for many years as part of the same ritual. It scratched the itch! Somehow they did it, for me anyway. I have trouble returning to EEs now, too special edition-y for me. BG3 has eclipsed BG1 or BG2 as my go-to now. I didn't think it could ever happen, but somehow it did.
That's not to dismiss the jank or the disappointment, cause I feel all that too. But it's still the best in show, and I'm still surprised that I ended up loving BG3, instead of hating it, which I worried might be the case for most of Early Access. I credit Jaheira with a lot on that front, she did some serious heavy lifting for me here. In that sense I could see myself still caring, and do hehe. Good points though
My guess is their next game will be DOS 3. PR interviews aside I don’t believe for a minute their interest in DnD was for anything other than the chance to exploit its popularity.
Their homebrew, Ilithid powers, and drop kicking of the in progress DLC as soon as the awards were obtained speak volumes that drowns out anything said during friendly media love ins.
I think BG3 is a pretty good game but wish a developer that cared about building on its success had produced it rather than Larian.
Yeah I also thought that felt abrupt. Like people always say just rip the Band-Aid off and such, but honestly I could maybe have done with some more foot dragging here lol. Some kiss and make it better. Just kinda playing things up, but I guess they saw that as the time for clean breaks.
I weirdly feel like a team that was slightly less ambitious (I can't even hear myself say some of this stuff lol) but just more consistent the scope/scale? And responsive to the mix and match feedback on stuff like custom characterization.
I think this game could have probably have 500 hours standard instead of 200, just with some Dwarf voices and more avatars and more character and monster art lol. The encounter design for the setpiece momentsm those are all great, if it had some detours into the more random dungeon crawler stuff and scale up difficulty modes. Party of 6 doesn't mean I need a whole new angle, just like more monsters and boss monsters, in some side areas that can be ignored if the player isn't into that, and some way to drop XP totals so it harmonizes. Like just building out the MM to include the stuff they missed, so it's more all purpose.
I keep thinking about how much fun it would be if we could dress our Zombies and Skeletons, or choose custom familiar colors and animal companion riffs. Like so much mileage just out of a thing like that.
I know there will be mods that can achieve something along these lines, but not sure about the area design or what I think would be needed which is the little vignette banter moments to make it hum. The areas and the combat is arcade-ish, like that's what it reminds me of, which isn't the worst thing ever since honour mode is sorta like playing that one quarter, but I also think there are other ways into the endless game. Things like hirelings or MP too, where perfect Meta knowledge works against the replay, whereas in the grand campaign solo it's more things like little achievements and excuses to try different combinations or builds, but still hitting the familiar story beats. I think it had room to grow, but really what I would have loved would be to see them go all crazy with the theater gang and motion capture a bunch of cool new stuff for the custom Tav. Like for customizable emotes and animations, portraits and that sort of stuff just to keep pushing the envelope on what a cool D&D char creator might be. I don't think NWN levels of modding are really ever going to be on the table so I know I'm pipe dreaming a bit here. Like I'm sure there's a wall to hit on that stuff without a new expansion type thing so the engine can get big updates. I just feel like they wouldn't pawn that off though, cause probably they'd just be building the next engine for their next game, instead for like the freebie toolset or DM mode type things.
I don't even remember where I started here, oh wait now I remember. So just the idea that even if you can't do Alien again, maybe Aliens would suffice? Like if they could just get enough of the same talent on board. I mean not everything can be a T2, even though that's always the hope for a level up, but you bring back a couple fan favs and mix the bag. I could see it, or how it might have been. I guess we'll have to see what all really comes across the line in Sept when those tools drop.
So just the idea that even if you can't do Alien again, maybe Aliens would suffice? .
Yes exactly…would have been more than sufficient.
Originally Posted by Black_Elk
…. since honour mode is sorta like playing that one quarter,.
I’ve had no interest in honour mode until I read this. As someone who remembers the thrill and the agony of dropping that quarter I now have reason to try. All I need is to recruit a couple of impatient know it alls to hover behind me as I struggle. Thanks for the inspiration.
I think these boards are pretty reliable when it comes to sussing out the potential pitfalls and all the various reasons that a BG4 will probably never get made now
BG4 will most likely get made. Just not by Larian.
WotC isn't likely to let one of their biggest IP's simply sit there gathering dust. SOMEONE will end up getting rights to BG4.
It's quality is the only real question... Many studios simply don't want to work with WotC...
Originally Posted by Black_Elk
It took what, 6 years to make this one? With 2 of those years in the oven before we even found out what was cooking. A long lead time there.
Yeah... But remember that 3 of those years was the game in EA with them faffing about with Act 1 and rewriting the plot...
Still, 6 years is relatively short as far as game development goes honestly. Takes time to create a solid product (Which is why the rush job on Act 3 is so pronounced in BG3... Half the development time going to Act 1... The other half on both Act 2 and 3...)
Originally Posted by Black_Elk
Just so it would harmonize and feel like it was building on the same style of play, but it's harder to imagine how another studio could step up when the engine here is proprietary. Like the Wizards own the setting and all the IP, these characters and such are theirs now, but the engine is Larian's.
Engine is irrelevant. There's nothing unique about Larian's engine that makes the game wholly distinct from any other game that could possibly be made... Heck, BG1/2 didn't use that engine in the first place to create the series.
Other engines can work to provide a game that feels like a BG game. The only thing it will lack is Larian's signature "Surfaces" addiction which was homebrewed into the game in the first place (And is as a result subject to much chagrin).
I mean, we see other CRPG games using their own, non-Larian, engines don't we? Kingmaker/WotR/Rogue Trader, Dragon Age, Pillars of Eternity, Spellforce... With many companies simply moving to the new Unreal Engine anyway.
Originally Posted by Black_Elk
I just wish they didn't have to bail on it, because I think the game has legs.
I'm honestly of the opinion that developers should work on things they want to work on. If your passion isn't in the project, it shows.
BG3 could continue to get support and likely receive more praise and awards... But I don't think it would be Larian's best work. Which is what I want to see. It's what I've wanted to see since I was blown away in Divinity 2. If Larian wants to work on a passion project, I heartily encourage them to do it. Make their game, not the fans game (Which also coincides with my thoughts that they shouldn't sit around working on Act 1 in EA trying to work off of everyone's feedback like they did with Divinity 2 and BG3... Seems to always end with a really polished Act 1 and then later acts are a rush job because they spent half their resources messing with Act 1...)
Originally Posted by Ranxerox
My guess is their next game will be DOS 3.
If I recall correctly, they said their next project isn't Divinity and that it will be a new IP and they'll return to Divinity afterwards.
They also said this next title will be "Much larger in scope" than BG3... Which gives me concerns given their tendency to only make Act 1 of a game...
Recent interviews reveal they’re working on two RPG’s and in an interview after BG3’s release Vincke was adamant that DOS 3 was definitely going to be made at some point.
Obviously it’s not guaranteed but I think it’s a safe bet one of those two games is DOS 3
They are also reportedly aiming to make even more extensive use of cinematic effects.
I'm fairly sure that at some point recently they also said that DOS 3 was NOT going to be their next title, but who knows how many times they changed the mind about that already.
Personally? I would be happy (or at very least content) with basically anything but that. Not to be excessively mean to Larian, but while I have mild appreciation for their past productions, I would gladly go on with my life without ever having to interact with Rivellon ever again, as far as settings go.
P.S. I'm also hoping they'll stick with turn-based combat, because when it comes to mediocre action combat we already have it IN SPADES from other publishers (and frankly speaking I don't see them competing on even footing with the big dogs like From Software etc in that aspect).
Last edited by Tuco; 28/06/2407:30 AM.
Party control in Baldur's Gate 3 is a complete mess that begs to be addressed. SAY NO TO THE TOILET CHAIN
I can picture situations where Larian might take on say a Pathfinder, but I think it'd be an odd fit, just given how they've mentioned wanting to move on and own their IP. I don't know, maybe they could buy White Wolf somehow Another thought I keep having is - what's it going to look like when some other studio steps in to do a BG4?
White Wolf is owned by Paradox and they are on the cusp of releasing Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 through The Chinese Room dev studio. It might actually be good. In any case there is no way they would sell off that IP at this point.
I don't know who Hasbro thinks is going to make Bg4, but clearly they have failed to learn anything from the past, so I am excited to see what trash they fart out in the next few years. I have looked at the games they have licensed so far and *yawn*
But hey, prove me wrong.
Originally Posted by Taril
Engine is irrelevant. There's nothing unique about Larian's engine that makes the game wholly distinct from any other game that could possibly be made... Heck, BG1/2 didn't use that engine in the first place to create the series.
Other engines can work to provide a game that feels like a BG game. The only thing it will lack is Larian's signature "Surfaces" addiction which was homebrewed into the game in the first place (And is as a result subject to much chagrin).
I mean, we see other CRPG games using their own, non-Larian, engines don't we? Kingmaker/WotR/Rogue Trader, Dragon Age, Pillars of Eternity, Spellforce... With many companies simply moving to the new Unreal Engine anyway.
I respectfully disagree. The Divinity Engine is great fun on it's own. To me it's BG3 that's irrelevant. There was so much damn potential with multiplayer that Larian never really had the time/resources to tap into.
BG3 the game/player base is petering out as the single player crowd finds shinier things to distract them. If Larian had built the engine around multiplayer functionality, and maybe put together some simple modules like an Arena, a procedural dungeon, and a Starting area with shops for players to use as a jumping off point and robust modding tools with an area builder the player base would still be very high. It would have been the next and very upgraded Neverwinter nights.
The crazy thing is with voice AI capability we could even have built out a simple tool to create spoken dialogue with some generic voices.
The Divinity Engine is an open system with a lot of flexibility for how you play, while the Infinity engine - while great at the time and understanding that it is over 20 years old - doesn't hold a candle to this engine and what it can do. if you had released Bg3 with the Infinity Engine do you honestly think it would have been acceptable at all? You'd have a niche group of nostalgia focused people like Kinisthara who would have been into it but overall it would have flopped.
Originally Posted by Tuco
Personally? I would be happy (or at very least content) with basically anything but that. Not to be excessively mean to Larian, but while I have mild appreciation for their past productions, I would gladly go on with my life without ever having to interact with Rivellon ever again, as far as settings go.
P.S. I'm also hoping they'll stick with turn-based combat, because when it comes to mediocre action combat we already have it IN SPADES from other publishers (and frankly speaking I don't see them competing on even footing with the big dogs like From Software etc in that aspect).
Agreed, about all of it. I honestly am also done with the 'tone' of the DOS stuff as well. Kind of a "whimsical-horror' thing going. No thanks.
Engine is irrelevant. There's nothing unique about Larian's engine that makes the game wholly distinct from any other game that could possibly be made... Heck, BG1/2 didn't use that engine in the first place to create the series.
Other engines can work to provide a game that feels like a BG game. The only thing it will lack is Larian's signature "Surfaces" addiction which was homebrewed into the game in the first place (And is as a result subject to much chagrin).
I mean, we see other CRPG games using their own, non-Larian, engines don't we? Kingmaker/WotR/Rogue Trader, Dragon Age, Pillars of Eternity, Spellforce... With many companies simply moving to the new Unreal Engine anyway.
It definitely isn’t impossible to create another RPG like that in a new/different engine but that would be a whole lot of work. I think you are under appreciating a lot of Larian’s unique features (heavily systemic nature of a game, with objects being highly interactable, singleplayer/coop support, AAA isometric etc, motential moddability that you won’t get with licensed engine). All the games you mentioned are far simpler games with less moving parts. No other RPG does what Larian does, and I suppose, like Bethesda, Larian games and engine they are built in are intrinsically linked. There is also a matter of staff that needs to be equipped to build an RPG of that scale. It took Larian 3 games to get here. No one is going to fill a void, definitely not soon, just as no one is in a position to make Elden Ring2-like thing aside from FromSoft.
I think you are under appreciating a lot of Larian’s unique features (heavily systemic nature of a game, with objects being highly interactable, singleplayer/coop support, AAA isometric etc, motential moddability that you won’t get with licensed engine). All the games you mentioned are far simpler games with less moving parts. No other RPG does what Larian does
Yeah, but none of the "Larian-esk" aspects are core elements of the overall feeling of the game.
It's plenty possible to have a game that "Feels" like BG3, that isn't using Larian's engine. Just like there was BG1/2 that "Felt" BG that BG3 is being compared to.
Sure, it won't be an exact replica... But it doesn't have to be in order to still feel similar. Honestly, if anything, Larian's unique aspects make the game feel LESS like a BG game and more like a Divinity game.
Originally Posted by Wormerine
There is also a matter of staff that needs to be equipped to build an RPG of that scale.
I'd argue that there are many, many studios better equipped than Larian to build an RPG of this scale. Given my thoughts about Larian's development process leaving Acts 2 and 3 far, far less polished and complete than Act 1 (Not just in BG3, but across all of their games).
Originally Posted by Wormerine
just as no one is in a position to make Elden Ring2-like thing aside from FromSoft.
Ironic, given that there are ridiculously large numbers of Soulslikes out there...
Team Ninja could easily make a Nioh 3 that's open world like Elden Ring for sure. Then Round8 could make a Lies of P 2 in an open world. Gunfire Games can make Remnant 3 similar to Elden Ring (Remnant 2 already using several open world areas). Bandai Namco could make Code Vein 2 that's comparable to Elden Ring (Would push them a bit given their favouring of more linear areas in their Neptunia titles and such. But they are developing Blue Protocol which is an open world MMO)
It only comes down to whether they decide to or not. FromSoft took a gamble on ER (After their plans for such a title fell apart with DS2) and with gratuitous reuse of assets, they pulled it off. It'd be no different for any other major Soulslike developers, maybe a little trickier because they don't have 5 games of content (Both actual and unused) to copy/paste to fill out the world but not impossible.
i assume the next game will use the Larian engine so will be turn based combat that doesn't work in multiplayer... thats really where larian likes to be in their design
as for what rule set and story... "frankly my dear i don't give a damn"
most people will pick it up and play it unless they really drop the ball like project red so a bag of poo by Larian is about the only way they can fuck it up at this point
Luke Skywalker: I don't, I don't believe it. Yoda: That is why you failed.
maybe a little trickier because they don't have 5 games of content (Both actual and unused) to copy/paste to fill out the world but not impossible.
That’s more or less the point I was trying to make by bringing up Elden Ring. You are right, nothing is impossible, but amount of work to create something on a level of of BG3 is unlikely considering it took Larian 3 games to get there.
You are right, nothing is impossible, but amount of work to create something on a level of of BG3 is unlikely considering it took Larian 3 games to get there.
You're implying that Larian have actually been evolving with each game. Which is not necessarily the case (Especially since most of the improvements from DoS2 to BG3 are simply just using the DnD ruleset instead of Larian's own thing).
You're also implying that a "BG-esk" game requires Larian's level of competence. Which is not the case (And is arguably not a particularly high competence when you account for the whole "Act 3 sucks" thing that is prevalent in Larian titles)
BG3 is not some unreachable level of video game expertise. It's simply the first AAA CRPG, that happens to also be using a very big IP.
BG3 is also not some uniquely "BG-esk" game that no-other game or company can ever approach. The fact that it gets compared to the ORIGINAL games for it's "BG-ness" is literal proof that Larian has no monopoly on something being "BG-ish".
The thing I brought up with Elden Ring, is that FromSoft shortened development time by reusing assets. It's not that they had especially good experience in creating an open world game (They actually had very little) they just had a lot of time saving from copy/pasting existing assets into the game. Meaning, that it's not that other studios cannot create an open world. It's just it'll take longer to create assets for it.
You're implying that Larian have actually been evolving with each game. Which is not necessarily the case (Especially since most of the improvements from DoS2 to BG3 are simply just using the DnD ruleset instead of Larian's own thing).
You're also implying that a "BG-esk" game requires Larian's level of competence. Which is not the case (And is arguably not a particularly high competence when you account for the whole "Act 3 sucks" thing that is prevalent in Larian titles)
BG3 is not some unreachable level of video game expertise. It's simply the first AAA CRPG, that happens to also be using a very big IP.
Yes. There is a bit jump in complexity from D:OS1 to D:OS2 nad D:OS2 to BG3.
I thing you are confusing not liking Larian design (which I am there with you), and the scale of what Larian is delivering. Yes, it is „just the first AAA cRPG”, but those dont appear from a thin air. You need tools, production pipeline, staff experienced with working with those tools and production set up making that type of game.
Yes, there are third party engines, but the question is if those engines are set up well enough to support a niche design like turn-based top down game, or would require a ton of customisation and support. Of course everything comes down to money, but I wonder how many publishers outside of Sven and his independent company would be willing to invest so heavily into such narrow genre. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t. Anyway, here is Tim Cain talking pron and cons of using custom vs of the shelf engine:
I would love for other companies to do bigger budget cRPGs. I would kill for AA-AAA Pillars of Eternity3 for example. larian’s sensibilities unfortunately don’t appeal to me personally. At the moment, however, only Larian seems to be equipped for doing AAA cRPG. Everyone else would have a lot of scaling up, training and R&D to do.
I am all for AA-AAA cRPG wars, though. I can take all they throw me.
