Definitive Edition confirmation

[awg]

Hello!

I'm a new Pillars of Eternity player here. I need a confirmation on Pillars of Eternity Definitive Edition, so if anyone could explain I'd very much appreciate it.

I have purchased Pillars of Eternity and The White March Expansion Pass many years ago (about 7 years ago, I believe). When I look at the store page I see that I can buy Pillars of Eternity - Definitive Edition package. But when I open the package page I see that I own all ITEMS INCLUDED IN THIS PACKAGE. Though I don't remember that I was ever buying Royal Edition Upgrade Pack at all.

I read that the Definitive Edition also includes the content that only Kickstarter backers could get. So how can I confirm that I have a Definitive Edition including the backer's content?

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

It's somewhat obscure, since there have been multiple editions that have been obsoleted/replaced eventually, the upgrade options have also become obsolete, and there have been implicit upgrades for some packages. Base game, Hero Edition, Champion Edition, Royal Edition, Definitive Edition, plus free DLCs.

In your Steam games library page for Pillars of Eternity, click on the "DLC" tab, then scroll down to the bottom. You've likely acquired multiple upgrades as a bonus offer at some point of time.

What kickstarter content do you refer to? I'm not aware of any. There have been a few basic items for prepurchasers. And various in-game rewards for kickstarter backers. Like backer NPCs, tomb stone messages, high tier rewards like contributions to the design of a tavern/inn and items, ... everyone gets that content, of course.

[awg]

I was trying to dig up some information on Steam DB, and found that there were many of different editions indeed.

Yes, there are many of different entries listed in the "DLC" tab, some of them not even related to the Pillars of Eternity but to other games.

I was referring to this pack: https://steamdb.info/app/329081/info/
I like to have video games with all content included, so I was hoping that someone could clarify this for me. And I thank you for the information you have provided.

I think I will purchase Pillars of Eternity Collection anyway since I don't have the second game. By the way, you are very acknowledged about Pillars of Eternity, so can I add you as a friend?

[ZirzoR]

If you have the kickstarter, you will start with a new game with a Wyrm Pet and a Special Looking cloak in your inventory, if you dont, then sadly you dont have it.

[awg]

Originally posted by ZirzoR:

If you have the kickstarter, you will start with a new game with a Wyrm Pet and a Special Looking cloak in your inventory, if you dont, then sadly you dont have it.

I have just started playing Pillars of Eternity after purchasing the collection yesterday. I got both the wyrm and the cloak, also a piglet pet and a ring. So I believe that the Definitive Edition grants the access to Kickstarter bonuses then. Glad to sorted it out. And thanks for the information.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

--> https://pillarsofeternity.fandom.com/wiki/Tiny_Obsidian_Wurm

There are older topics, as old as 2015, about people not getting the wurm pet while others get it. It's strange, since there have been automatic upgrades of older versions of the game plus The White March expansion pass to the definitive edition package.

On the other hand, the ring Gaun's Pledge has also been a pre-order bonus item:
--> https://pillarsofeternity.fandom.com/wiki/Giant_Miniature_Space_Piglet
--> https://pillarsofeternity.fandom.com/wiki/Gaun%27s_Pledge_(item)

[awg]

Interesting.

As for the other content, I can only confirm that Definitive Edition will grant the access to both Pillars of Eternity Backer Rewards and Pre-Order bonuses.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Go figure! My Hero Edition pre-purchase from 2015 plus expansion pass from 2015 has received all those automatic Royal/whatever upgrades for free but no kickstarter bonus items. I've only been a backer of the sequel.

Those extra items are best sold to Heodan at the prologue caravan camp site anyway, since he offers the highest store prices in the game. With the early income one sneak through to Gilded Vale and hire a bunch of level 1 adventurers immediately.

[awg]

Originally posted by D'amarr from Darshiva:

Those extra items are best sold to Heodan at the prologue caravan camp site anyway, since he offers the highest store prices in the game. With the early income one sneak through to Gilded Vale and hire a bunch of level 1 adventurers immediately.

Yes, this is a good idea. I have started the new game after a few tries, and sold everything that had any value to Heodan.

[awg]

Originally posted by D'amarr from Darshiva:

Go figure! My Hero Edition pre-purchase from 2015 plus expansion pass from 2015 has received all those automatic Royal/whatever upgrades for free but no kickstarter bonus items. I've only been a backer of the sequel.

I have also discovered that if you purchase Pillars of Eternity - Definitive Edition (not separate packages but as a whole package), either on Steam or by activating a code, you will also get an exclusive achievement that you will not be able to get any other way now. I think the activation code must be a Pillars of Eternity - Definitive Edition and not any other (Complete, Royal. etc.)

Update: https://steamdb.info/depot/291656/subs/

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Originally, the kickstarter backer achievement trigger was tied to a Steam account (via activation code), not to any official edition of the game (Hero, Champion, Royal, Definitive).

The original game and/or Hero edition was released in 2015, the Champion edition stuff was optional. The Definitive Edition was released in Nov 2017 at the end of the game's development - after The White March. Earlier buyers of the base game and the expansion pass have received the various upgrades automatically, such as the Royal edition stuff. The Deadfire Pack DLC is free for anyone.

Any Steam account that has received the game as part of the kickstarter campaign unlocks the kickstarter backer achievement when starting a new game for the first time. Anyone else who loads a savegame file made on such a Steam account will also be able to unlock the achievement.

So, when you've really not been a kickstarter backer in 2015, but have unlocked the related achievement as a normal buyer of the definitive edition in 2023, perhaps that's due to some oversight in the Steam shop database values.

[awg]

I might be wrong about the activation codes, but according to Steam DB getting a package with subID 220633 should grant this content. It says "Store or CD Key", so I'm a bit confused it with retail codes, but Steam store purchase or complimentary activation should do the trick.

Originally posted by D'amarr from Darshiva:

So, when you've really not been a kickstarter backer in 2015, but have unlocked the related achievement as a normal buyer of the definitive edition in 2023, perhaps that's due to some oversight in the Steam shop database values.

You know it might be an oversight. I remember to have a soundtrack DLC for The Banner Saga, which I shouldn't have, and after a small talk with a moderator it got removed after few months. Maybe I will lose the access to the Kickstarter items for Pillars of Eternity after some time too, but as you mentioned - it has almost no impact in the game. So I don't care about it too much.

And you know what is more strange? Kickstarter Backer achievement is the most unlocked by players on Epic Game Store, as far as I can tell.

https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/achievements/pillars-of-eternity

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Haha! They must have messed up something then for sure when adding the game and internal game IDs to that store. That store hasn't even been an option for kickstarter backers, since it was introduced no earlier than late 2018. I mean, when a kickstarter backer received a Steam activation code for the game via the backer portal, the Steam shop had to distinguish between a normal purchase and a kickstarter campaign based "digital copy" with extra in-game rewards - effectively via different game IDs.

[ZirzoR]

Originally posted by D'amarr from Darshiva:

Snip...

You can also get the achievement by simply having the correct files in your DLC folder. (The files that spawns the kickstarter items in your inventory)

Hence why using mods make it work.

So there are still a bunch of ways to get it.

[awg]

Originally posted by D'amarr from Darshiva:

Haha! They must have messed up something then for sure when adding the game and internal game IDs to that store. That store hasn't even been an option for kickstarter backers, since it was introduced no earlier than late 2018. I mean, when a kickstarter backer received a Steam activation code for the game via the backer portal, the Steam shop had to distinguish between a normal purchase and a kickstarter campaign based "digital copy" with extra in-game rewards - effectively via different game IDs.

Yes. This situation made it hard to believe in a good intention form a publisher. They could simply remove a backer achievement for those who acquired Pillars of Eternity on EGS (just like they did for a console version of this game).

Originally posted by ZirzoR:

You can also get the achievement by simply having the correct files in your DLC folder. (The files that spawns the kickstarter items in your inventory)

Hence why using mods make it work.

So there are still a bunch of ways to get it.

It's that simple? I always thought it is a question of whether you have activated a license for a particular content or not. After purchasing a Pillars of Eternity Collection I noticed that there was huge number of different packs installed.

Update: I have updated the Steam and noticed that somehow I have a lesser number of DLC right now. So now I wonder if this was some sort of an error (store glitch?) when I were purchasing the Collection and I shouldn't have received a backers exclusive content. It really reminds me of that situation with The Banner Saga Game when I got the soundtrack DLC that I did not purchase.

[awg]

I have contacted the Steam Support and after exchanging some messages I came to conclusion that this was indeed a store glitch during the purchase of Pillars of Eternity Collection.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2943587407

I managed to detect and delete inappropriate content, but it seems that the achievement is impossible to be removed.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2943587645

It's hard to tell why my account was affected by such error, but situations like this makes me want to avoid games from this publisher.