Personally, I'd love to see a turn-based strategy RPG based in the points of light setting, with a story and NPC's as quirky and well crafted as Baldur's Gate, as well as an option the custom-build an entire party.
And I'd like to see better art. In my opinion, the art in most of the recent D&D games have been really bland. I'd like to see the art direction become more unified, perhaps adopting the style of popular D&D artists like William O'connor, Raven Mimura, Wayne Reynolds, or Todd Lockwood.
I would love to see a D&D game that is as visually arresting as the new Prince of Persia game.
If I ever get to choose a single thing, it will only ever be one specific thing:
Turn-Based.
I'm not trying to limit people to one thing and one thing only...write a ten page thesis if you feel inspired to do so, by all means.
I'd also like it if you weren't obligated to drag a whole party along. The scaling of encounters is mathematical enough, surely at the start of a 4e video game you could be asked how many people you want in your party. Then the game could throw NPC party members at you based on your choice. (NWN2, got stuck with a gnome and a shrew of a sorceress whom I had no use for.)
I would prefer if you could make up your own party, but i can understand the difficulty in this. It makes the story kinda impersonal, and cannot focus on any one person. If they could overcome this hurdle, it would be awesome!
I think the Temple of Elemental Evil handled 3e quite well. Shame the game sucked, but the system was solid. Something similar would be nice.
2. Customizable NPCs
A cross between Baldur's Gate, and Icewind Dale. Have it present us with two options - default, where it doesn't show us anything and the story just goes on like BG, and custom, where it gives us a list of personalities. So, for example, "Crazed berserker", "Fighter druid", "Whiny elf". We won't get as spoilered, there'll be dialog and names, but we could customize our eventual party as we like, while allowing for them to have story and inter-party dialog.
3. Story
Let's not have it like Fallout 3 where the story wasn't even on the list of priorities. Open-ended is good, but an actual story in the framework would be better. Main plot first and foremost. Then the world. Then the secondary things we can wander into and explore and get involved in.
4. An Ending
This is tied into my gripes about Fallout 3. I don't care if we can explore after the story is done or not, that's just an Easter Egg for all I care. I would love endings where our past decisions mattered. Where we find out what happens if we foiled a coup d'etat or helped a group of paladins - or if we chose not to. So we can feel like what we did had an effect.
Everyone has their opinion, but I actually LIKED the linear storyline in BG type games. I actually do not like the sand-box kind of freedom in Fallout and Morrowind type games. Yep. You can have a linear storyline and still have heaps of side quests and heaps of choices, interaction and consequences. You can even have different outcomes in a linear storyline, it's just you are limited in where you can explore.
I agree with that.
2) Either have a nameless band of adventurers doing what needs to be done or give us a main character with a face, a reason to do what needs doing and his posse that back him up. Don't try to let us create a character and then force our back story into the mold of the story.
3) The opportunity to have an impact on the world. Give us choices that matter.
4) A long and engaging story that the time to go through does not include the combat, which shouldn't be skimped on regardless. Basically something like 25+ hours without combat.
5) Allow us to explore and learn about the world. Let us go places and find things off the beaten path.
6) Make the outside of combat as robust as inside combat. There is very little to hold you back in that regard. Making a slightly better RP experience should be pie to implement and something that a patient writer can come up with.
7) Going from that, I want someone or several people with a vast expanse of patience to write the role play portions. Semi-skilled or awesome will show but what will show even more is the person with the patience to come up with all the possibilities and to write them into the game. I'm pretty sure this is one of the biggest hold-ups in doing RP on a game.
1. Turn Based
I think the Temple of Elemental Evil handled 3e quite well. Shame the game sucked, but the system was solid. Something similar would be nice.
2. Customizable NPCs
A cross between Baldur's Gate, and Icewind Dale. Have it present us with two options - default, where it doesn't show us anything and the story just goes on like BG, and custom, where it gives us a list of personalities. So, for example, "Crazed berserker", "Fighter druid", "Whiny elf". We won't get as spoilered, there'll be dialog and names, but we could customize our eventual party as we like, while allowing for them to have story and inter-party dialog.
3. Story
Let's not have it like Fallout 3 where the story wasn't even on the list of priorities. Open-ended is good, but an actual story in the framework would be better. Main plot first and foremost. Then the world. Then the secondary things we can wander into and explore and get involved in.
4. An Ending
This is tied into my gripes about Fallout 3. I don't care if we can explore after the story is done or not, that's just an Easter Egg for all I care. I would love endings where our past decisions mattered. Where we find out what happens if we foiled a coup d'etat or helped a group of paladins - or if we chose not to. So we can feel like what we did had an effect.
You do realize that the fallout 3 content is episodic right? They will be revisiting the main story again this year. And I do not share your complaint about not seeing the results of your actions int hat title. I feelt hey did a very good job with that (try blowing up Megaton next time you play through)
love,
malkav
Ian
I'd love to see something turn based too. I think if they do something like this though, it might be something MMORPG.
This. I do not EVER want to see that the only D&D 4e video game is a MMORPG. I hate MMORPGs. Saturating the PC game market and driving single-player RPG lovers like me to big, expensive consoles we can't afford and are only gonna buy maybe two or three games for tops!
This. I do not EVER want to see that the only D&D 4e video game is a MMORPG. I hate MMORPGs. Saturating the PC game market and driving single-player RPG lovers like me to big, expensive consoles we can't afford and are only gonna buy maybe two or three games for tops!
Are you saying that there aren't any PC RPGs being released? Cos that's just not the case.
Are you saying that there aren't any PC RPGs being released? Cos that's just not the case.
PC RPGs are being released, but there is a heavy saturation of MMOs right now. I know that locally, at least, many game stores devote a majority of their PC game space to MMO games even though those games still represent a minority of the titles.
While I would be interested in a MMO 4E game, I think I'd get the most enjoyment from a nice story-driven RPG with tactical combat.
Then put in a full set of tools for the DM to make maps, alter creatures, you name it.
I want to be able to play real 4e D&D with people all around the world.
While I'm wishing, let's make it cross-platform too.
I don't think it will happen, but man it would be nice.
If I ever get to choose a single thing, it will only ever be one specific thing:
Turn-Based.
We've had like 100 of these threads, so to be short. This.
1- Have combat be handled in a similar way to shining force, disgaea or jeanne d'arc - turn based, tactical grid combat. Except please, no 'anime style' graphics..
2 - Allow for exploration of the world similar to how Baldur's Gate do it. You can walk around and click on stuff... when combat occurs, it 'zooms in' and starts the encounter with a battle grid and all that (as per #1).
3 - Interesting npcs with multiple dialogues and various outcomes to the way sidequests and even the mainquest can end. I personally think Mass Effect did a much better job of this than Fallout 3. That's also one of my grip with most Tactical RPG - usually, outside of cutscene, there's no actual dialogue or rp 'choice'.
However, I'd like to see a game that is half as good as Planescape: Torment and for the love of all the gods in D&D and anywhere else, please, please please, distance it as far away from Neverwinter as possible. I truly HATE those games. Poor story, poor voice acting (Neeshka you whining little.. well, I can't say the word here, who should have died a thousand painful deaths because she never shut the frak up, I'm looking at you.)
If I was given carte blanche to make a D&D game I'd set it in the points of light default pseudo-setting as it can be open-ended and could also allow for mods easily. The story would actually be 3 separate arcs each one corresponding to each tier and with the writing the character would become a mover and shaker in each tier not just a lackey for someone else. I'd be sure to include the elemental chaos not to mention the other planes such as the astral sea and feywild over the course of the adventures.
Another important focus is choices that actually matter during a game, for instance if you leave so and so to die he can't give you information later, etc. I'd make playing an evil character a viable option - something I feel has never really been implemented properly in most games. You play evil, and your punished or forced to be good. I mean can't an evil character do 'good' things to ingratiate folks to him so he can better manipulate them? Nope, because you do a good thing for a selfish reason and you become 'good' in D&D games. What. The. Frak?
Runs well on older machines as well as Macs.
Hand painted backgrounds.
Birds-eve view (AKA top down)
Contain a "main character" with several other pre-gen characters, perhaps with reward characters that we can build ourselves.
Vast 30 level main story with scores of side-quests.
Have the game scale on two fronts. Scale to party size and scale to selected difficulty.
Include a toolkit for people to create their own content and give a reliable way for people to distribute player-made-content. I think this is what the game should be about at it's core.
Have all races, classes, PP and ED available, with all powers from core books.
Optional: Selectable setting, from Generica (the place included in DMG) to Eberron to Forgotten Realms to Other.
also would be awesome if it was updated with new classes/races/feats etc as the new books are released.
2. A DM client that was easy to use, fast, yet had tricks and twists for any that wanted to have all the options.
3. An easy to mod system so that there was a good hack base behind it.
4. Lower loading speeds than NWN2. Say 5% of what they were. Seriously i have gone and made a cup of tea and had a few biscuits in the time it takes that game to load.
Another important focus is choices that actually matter during a game, for instance if you leave so and so to die he can't give you information later, etc. I'd make playing an evil character a viable option - something I feel has never really been implemented properly in most games. You play evil, and your punished or forced to be good.
/boggle
Have you played any videogame in the last 10 years?
Most game that allow for 'evil character' are actually waaay easier if you're evil... it's not only viable, at some point you start to wonder why you're bothering being a good guy.
I mean can't an evil character do 'good' things to ingratiate folks to him so he can better manipulate them? Nope, because you do a good thing for a selfish reason and you become 'good' in D&D games. What. The. Frak?
It's true that if you do a good act, you'll usually gain 'good points' and that may tip you over to the good side (Talking about generic such game, be they Fallout, Mass Effect, Fable, etc)... but usually, one or two good act won't switch the balance.
My character in fallout 3 was a thief. I stole stuff all the time, broke in locks, pick pocketed... and everytime I'd do so I'd get the 'You've lost karma' message.
But at the end of the game, my karma was good.
/boggle
Have you played any videogame in the last 10 years?
Most game that allow for 'evil character' are actually waaay easier if you're evil... it's not only viable, at some point you start to wonder why you're bothering being a good guy.
Yes I actually have played a video game or two in the last 10 years. Obviously not as much as you, but what can I say, I enjoy the out doors. But those that I have played, the evil 'path' is usually a washed out bland, kill everything that opposes you generic cartoon villainy boring ass storyline. Most games that let you play evil just keep it as a sandbox for mindless carnage. To use alignments they do chaotic evil. I want a game that there is as elaborate a storyline for an evil as there is for the good. Same story, different ways of getting there. Most games still 'punish' you for being evil by removing the story and replacing it with wanton acts of violence. Maybe punish is the wrong term, but consider it a punishment when the story isn't developed more than one path. Is this a hell of a lot of extra work for the design and writing team? Yes. Is it a worthwhile investment? I believe so.
It's true that if you do a good act, you'll usually gain 'good points' and that may tip you over to the good side (Talking about generic such game, be they Fallout, Mass Effect, Fable, etc)... but usually, one or two good act won't switch the balance.
My character in fallout 3 was a thief. I stole stuff all the time, broke in locks, pick pocketed... and everytime I'd do so I'd get the 'You've lost karma' message.
But at the end of the game, my karma was good.
That is still a problem with a game. Why does doing something that some would consider a good act make you good? Especially if you do it for selfish reasons. I guess, I expect more out of a game than is currently possible.
I want a D&D MMO with a lot of trade and business simulation..
Me, I would like to see a return to the gold box games. Turn based tactical combat. Pool of Radiance and Pools of Darkness were my favourites. I would like to be able to do more outside of combat though, which 4E ruleset should provide. I never got into the later games (BG, NWN) because of the realtime combat, it just wasn't DnD.
Wow. I remember playing Pool of Radiance on my C-64. In particular, finding a fireball scroll that allowed me to get past this one room teeming with kobold archers. Great fun.
If it's released on a hand held console, make it available for a computer system too, we (or I, more accurately/likely) don't want to buy stuff just to play one game.
) a third of the game devoted to skill choices and one that makes an immersive world where athletics and acrobatics come into play, hence, tactical turnbased is out the window for me.
but it would be prety inovative as one of the first or few games where the dnd characters can jump. i think demon stone on the x box was the last to do this.must be forgotten realms to start. perhaps set in a different part of the map. and not the sword coast or anything to do with the west side of the map. would also love a chance to see the shadowfell and feywild.
1-4 players to command, im on the fence on pregened characters, i liked them since baldurs gate all the way to nwn2. i also like to tailor the chracters to suit playstyle.
im also on the fence on top down, like baldurs gate or diablo because of the "miniatures appleal" or adventure style prince of persia. im willing to accept either though it would be easy to implement a paused turn based feature similar to the baldurs gate turn based as completly optional.
my biggest regret was dnd tactics. it seemed to have everything i wanted in a dnd game. i love the music the aesthetic and everything about it except gameplay. three rounds in and i havn't pick it up again. truly a shame.
im not willing to rule out a final fantasy style version where combat 'turned' turnbased when an encounter was activated. but i want all the visuals of final fantasy.
last part... take whatever budget you have and throw it into visuals and gameplay, since nwn1-2 i have yet to play a good 'player made' module. ever. no exceptions.
Yes I actually have played a video game or two in the last 10 years. Obviously not as much as you, but what can I say, I enjoy the out doors. But those that I have played, the evil 'path' is usually a washed out bland, kill everything that opposes you generic cartoon villainy boring ass storyline. Most games that let you play evil just keep it as a sandbox for mindless carnage. To use alignments they do chaotic evil. I want a game that there is as elaborate a storyline for an evil as there is for the good. Same story, different ways of getting there. Most games still 'punish' you for being evil by removing the story and replacing it with wanton acts of violence. Maybe punish is the wrong term, but consider it a punishment when the story isn't developed more than one path. Is this a hell of a lot of extra work for the design and writing team? Yes. Is it a worthwhile investment? I believe so.
Basically, the idea is to have your alignment actually have a significant impact on the storyline. Too many games simply have token support for this style of play, such as a few quests whose outcomes can end in a 'good' or 'evil' way but have no impact on the greater storyline. The evil character's motivation for fighting the same bad guy as the good character is typically a bit shaky (usually the best they can come up with is to have the villain attack the protagonist personally so he can claim he's out for revenge).
In a game which actually has support for an 'evil' path, there would be a point where the plot diverges (ideally, somewhere between halfway to 3/4th of the way through), depending on a certain choice or series of choices you make. The good route would involve the typical 'save the world' plot, while the evil route would have you seize the villain's magic MacGuffin and try to take over the world yourself.
The only D&D brand game I like is still Capcom's 4-player arcade Shadow Over Mystara. Here's why:
- You pick your starting character, name, & costume.
- The art, especially character design, is better (not more realistic) than any D&D brand game's I've yet seen.
- It's easily single or ≤4P multiplayer.
2 more video games whose influence I'd like to see in a D&D game:
- Fire Emblem: You didn't have to use or even meet a number of these characters, but they all had some personality that was colorful enough that you cared whether they bled to death in a hole or not. You could choose whether to see more of them in story line or not by talking to them and using them in your party more often (Support system). The epilogue for each character changes with who has the highest Support level with whom. They also have snappy character designs.
- Shadow of the Colossus: Who needs side-quests? You have a minimalist but strong story, a world with its own art style, and hundreds of nooks and crannies you discover following the main quest that have no to-do list or "done" badges but are fun to just play in with no other aim. Plus, the creatively conceived monsters each have their own strategy, shape, and environment. [PS: SoC's "rewards" are less tangible: a small segment of her voice, a viewpoint from the top of the shrine, exploring for the heck of it; not all that is gold has stats.]
How did Fire Emblem and Disgaea make it big? 4e already has a fun tactical system, so get a good artist, give the game a personality, and allow the player to choose their party members and visit multiple endings! (...a cooperative/competitive multiplayer mode wouldn't hurt either.)
General
- Final Fantasy Tactics template
- Turn-based
- Focus on unique, challenging encounters
Party Formation
- Up to 5 fully customized characters (in the vein of Icewind Dale)
- Races, feats, classes, and items from PHB, PHB2, AV, FRPG
Artistic Direction
- Follow the Blizzard-model... keep it simple and elegant
- Get the composer from Icewind Dale 2 ;)
Other
- Incorporate skill challenges
- Occasionally allow for noncombat resolutions
- Put in a Watcher's Keep style dungeon for some REALLY tough challenges
This updated with 4e rules.
You're kidding right? I consider that title to be one of the most heartbreaking games I have ever bought. It came so close to being what I wanted, but the interface (especially party and inventory management) was so horrendous that I traded it in within a week.
As for what I do want to see, I agree with the turn-based nigh-consensus. I would also love to seeGladius style co-op. (For those who haven't played this flawed but enjoyable game, the co-op allows you to split the characters between two players with each player controlling roughly half the team. Expand this to four players and your group can each play their own character).
I would also love to see scaled down graphics (sprite based would be fine with me) so that it can play on PS2, Wii, low-end PC, or a handheld.
Turn-based party-based tactical game with highly customisable characters using 4e rules for the Nintendo DS. And set in the campaign setting linked in my sig, as long as we're wishing.
The old 32-bit Capcom D&D brawlers (Tower of Doom and Shadows of Mystara) rereleased, possibly through Playstation Network, Xbox Live, or WiiWare or something like that.
1) A single-player game with turned based combat.
2) A multi-player FPS style game. The "maps" would be like 5 man dungeons for WoW. You join a game, you get a choice of 10 or so ready made characters of the appropriate level and when 5 people are ready it starts.
1. Some Disgea type stuff
or
2. Something stylied after the Persona series.
* Story-Heavy: Concentrate on having a strong story, with meaningful options built to it, preferably more than just two of them. Short, medium and long term cause and effect would be nice to have.
* NPCs & NPC interaction: I want companion NPCs... but don't give me a dozen Grupies. Less is more in this case: Give me four or five NPCs and really flesh them out: lots of quests, reactions, dialogue & story elements. How many party-joining NPCs did NWN2 have and how many did you use**?
* Single Player: Don't waste ANY resources on multiplayer, please... I get multiplayer at a real table face-to-face.
* Go light on the graphics: Don't give me all those useless bells and whistles. A clean, usable interface is preferable to an imposing castle or pretty fireball. Music, on the other hand is important, give me a good, mood-setting soundtrack. Icewind Dale did this really well.
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** Khelgar, Elanee, Neeshka, Sand, Annoying Sorceress Brat girl, Bard, Paladin, Ranger, Gith Cleric, the Golem, the Warlock guy, Farmer girl... guess how many of those I used?