While it's a somewhat obvious idea, I have doubts that a traditional D&D MMORPG can compete with the likes of WOW and such. After, WOW is a game specifically made to be an real-time MMORPG. D&D is made to be a tabletop RPG with turn-based combat.
However, if D&D could instead become a tactical, turn-based MMORPG (with a battle system similar to Final Fantasy Tactics/Shining Force/Disgaea), it would be unmatchable by any of its MMO competitors.
How would this work?
Instead of making a single-character, a new player would instead create a PC party composed of five 1st-level characters (combining the available 8 races and 8 classes). Of course, it could use Character Visualizer to customize the appearance for each character.
Since a typical MMO player will find too boring and complicated to customize the abilities of 5 characters, he could instead choose one of the two "builds" available for each class (for instance, "Inspiring Warlord" and "Tactical Warlord"). A character with a "build" will have its ability scores, feats and power automatically selected when it gains a level. Of course, a powergamer will have the option off turning off the "build" feauture and customize each characters' abilities by himself.
PC parties gain experience by defeating NPC parties, composed of monsters and NPCs created using monster creation rules. A PC party usuallu can't attack another PC party, unless in specific areas assigned for "war". This prevents newbie players from having their PC parties immediately killed upon joining the game.
PC parties walk around the world like any real-time MMORPG. However, when a battle between two parties begins, the scenario shifts to a square-grid, turn-based, battle mode - the same used for D&D Game Table. Players who are outside the battle will see some icon indicating that there is a battle ocurring in that place, but they can't join it (or else complicated rules will need to be addressed).
When a PC party is entirely reduced to less than 0 hp, it makes a "Desperate retreat". It returns to the last city it was, but all characters lose some XP and every item carried by the party has a 20% chance of disappearing (20% of the money also disappear). If the PC party was defeated by another PC party, the items and money appear in the hands of the winner party. Players have the option of storing items and gold in banks to avoid to protect these items.
Recruiting:
Players may recruit new 1st-level PCs on "Mercenary Vaults". As five member is an absolute limit, they are required to dismiss one of the PCs before recruiting another. Alternatively, players may voluntary negotiate PCs with other PC parties. This lets you recruit characters above 1st-level.
Extra idea: Additionaly, PC parties would have 2 additional slots which may be used exclusively to recruit monsters and NPCs. Recruiting may be made when fighting NPC parties - Diplomacy and Intimidate checks may be used. Diplomacy works better when the monster is at full hp, and Intimidate works better when the monster is bloodied. You can never recruit monsters with level higher than your highest-level character.
Recruited monsters and NPCs increase the power of your party. In the other hand, they never gain additional levels, but they still take a fraction of the XP gained by your party. So, using them comes to a cost.
An elite monster takes both NPC slots. A minion monster takes 1/5th of one NPC slot. Solo monsters cannot be recruited.
...
Well, what do you think?
EK
I'd still prefer to have just a single character however. A key part of such things is getting together in a group, the social interaction, and you'd lose that if you ran a whole team.
Neverwinter Nights would have made for a great MMORPG with a little work but D&D4 just has great mechanics for conversion to the genre.
I wouldn't play the type of game you are talking about, though. One of the best things about DDO is the real-time combat, where you're not just clicking abilities the whole time like in WoW or EQ2 or any of the various other MMOs.
I play DDO and I like it quite a bit. I'd continue to play if they implemented 4E rules.
I wouldn't play the type of game you are talking about, though. One of the best things about DDO is the real-time combat, where you're not just clicking abilities the whole time like in WoW or EQ2 or any of the various other MMOs.
Just wondering what server do you play in ddo? I still play and enjoy it, I also wouldnt mind if they switched to 4E
What server are you on?
I play mostly on Khyber. That's got my main on it anyway, and a few alts. My problem is making alts on other servers and spending time on those instead of the main.
What server are you on?
lol I mainly play on Khyber and play to many myself have few alts elsewhere but the best alts are on Ghallanda. Hmmm might have to look each other up in game I am in the Crimson Eagles guild on khyber my Main is Uska a 16th level healing spec'd cleric
It's not particularly a new idea. I've long wanted such a game but the community seems to want their MMORPG's to look like first person shooters where you just sit back and watch your character do things. Heck, I wouldn't care if it was done with sprites.
I'd still prefer to have just a single character however. A key part of such things is getting together in a group, the social interaction, and you'd lose that if you ran a whole team.
Neverwinter Nights would have made for a great MMORPG with a little work but D&D4 just has great mechanics for conversion to the genre.
DDO has pretty much active combat yeah you can turn on auto attack but that wont switch targets for you, plus if you just control it your self you can do things like trip or stunning blow or shield block.
lol I mainly play on Khyber and play to many myself have few alts elsewhere but the best alts are on Ghallanda. Hmmm might have to look each other up in game I am in the Crimson Eagles guild on khyber my Main is Uska a 16th level healing spec'd cleric
Cool. My main is Nix, a Rog 11 Fig 2. I am in the guild Mature Adventurers Club. I'll add you when I'm on again.
Cool. My main is Nix, a Rog 11 Fig 2. I am in the guild Mature Adventurers Club. I'll add you when I'm on again.
ahh a great guild always have a good time when playing with your guildies
However, I would really love a tactical turn based *single player* D&D game. Kinda like the old Gold Box games, but without the suck.
However, I would really love a tactical turn based *single player* D&D game. Kinda like the old Gold Box games, but without the suck.
a couple of the more recent games played alot like the old gold box games.
temple of elemental evil was one and I think the other was called ruins of myth drannor. both are a few years old now, but reminded me of the old gold box in terms of how the combat plays out.
The terms 'turn based' and 'MMO' are sort of contradictory. MMOs are already pretty much as effectively turn based as they could ever be: click on the thing, wait for your character to recharge and do another attack, ad nauseam.
Except Dungeons and Dragons Online isn't like that...
I'd just be happy with that sort of feel, only similar to D&DI but made large enough for thousands at once. Being able to party up and walk about the world map together and have encounters spring up in a manner similar to Chrono Trigger would be nice too.
Moving your characters around on a combat grid, selecting your powers and targets. The only difference I'd think would be a timer placed on turn taking and a specialized and customizable User Interface.
Except Dungeons and Dragons Online isn't like that...
And it's not turn based. Which is what the people on this thread are asking for. The point is that you either go real-time, or you do a crap turn-based/real-time hybrid. But turn-based gameplay is impossible in online games (Civilization games, for instance, suck in multiplay).
The only way that that a turned base process really breaks down is when there are too many participants. The increasing number of players bring the total time between one turn and the next past a point where people are willing to wait. There's one of the two reasons why there aren't twenty people to a dealer when you play poker. Nobody wants to wait five minutes for the flop.
If party size is limited and If there's no PVP then this isn't much of an issue. If you do have PVP then PVP battles are going to be really really slow.
The other two options are:
1.)allow a greater blanket amount of time for all players on a side to choose one action and then all are performed simultaneously. This of course defeats individual initiative but is FAST and exciting.
2.)Just give everyone a number of seconds per turn where everyone acts at once just like an MMO but then... it really messes with a tactical movement based game like D&D4 is turning out to be.
What it really needs is a way for people to create their own worlds/adventures/etc. Then you can get your players (who are scattered to the world and responsibility) to play D&D virtually.
And it's not turn based. Which is what the people on this thread are asking for. The point is that you either go real-time, or you do a crap turn-based/real-time hybrid. But turn-based gameplay is impossible in online games (Civilization games, for instance, suck in multiplay).
No it's not. Neverwinter Nights on AOL back in the early 90's used turn based gameplay and it ROCKED! PvP was a blast.
Not to shoot down you idea but I should hope that such a thing as an turn-based MMORPG for D&D never comes to be.
Call me archaic if you like but I like playing with many different players but I'd like playing D&D with them face-to-face around the table.