There've been many versions of D&D for the computer over the years, and while I've seen a number of them (Baldur's Gate II, Neverwinter Nights), I haven't seen 'em all, so it's possible that some things on my list have been implemented somewhere. But here are things that I would like to see that I haven't before:
Spells:
- Miracle/Wish (Actually, Baldur's Gate II showed how this can be done, so it isn't that hard.)
- Flight (I don't think I've seen this done, which is a amazing since it seems so obvious and its lack is also very quickly felt. There are some associated issues, but none that seem insurmountable.)
- Teleport (A "true" teleport may be too difficult, but a "waypoint" system has been done by games such as Diablo and Everquest.)
- Various Divination spells (There it seems would be harder to implement, except by specifically coding tests for them in various quests.)
- Charm Person, etc. (I don't think I've seen Charm Person and the associated spells as anything other than combat stun/dominate effects. I would like a game where casting Dominate Monster on an NPC could actually affect the plot.)
Random other stuff:
- I'd like druids and other shapeshifters to be able to sneak around by adopting innocuous forms.
- I'd like a computer game where there are rules for disguising your appearance. (Something lacking from Baldur's Gate / NWN, which leads to difficulties in multiplayer situations.)
So what's on your wishlist?
Quote from: hgjsSo what's on your wishlist?
I'd like to play just one character a la Fable rather than a party and have enough to do that I could finish the game, changes characters, and come back at it.
Seanchai
I'd like Temple of Elemental Evil to be finished and bug-fixed, in that order.
I want a good turn-based D&D game.
D&D Tactics looks like it could provide that. It could also turn out to be shit, given that the developer doesn't have the best backlog.
The real-time + pause crap is OK, but I want real turns, grids, all that.
Quote from: J ArcaneI want a good turn-based D&D game.
D&D Tactics looks like it could provide that. It could also turn out to be shit, given that the developer doesn't have the best backlog.
The real-time + pause crap is OK, but I want real turns, grids, all that.
Hear, hear. (Hear here? Here Hear? Here, here?)
I'd also love to see a decent online Pen&Paper alternative.
Quote from: J ArcaneI want a good turn-based D&D game.
D&D Tactics looks like it could provide that. It could also turn out to be shit, given that the developer doesn't have the best backlog.
The real-time + pause crap is OK, but I want real turns, grids, all that.
Yup, see my post above.
Quote from: RedFoxYup, see my post above.
I didn't care much for the interface in TOEE. D&D Tactics, based on the gameplay vids released so far, looks much more my style.
Quote from: J ArcaneI didn't care much for the interface in TOEE. D&D Tactics, based on the gameplay vids released so far, looks much more my style.
The interface could've used a lot of work, but that game just wasn't finished. The combat engine, on the other hand, was sweet. It was essentially D&D 3.5 on the computer, in every way. And it rocked.
I've never heard of D&D Tactics.
Quote from: SeanchaiI'd like to play just one character a la Fable rather than a party and have enough to do that I could finish the game, changes characters, and come back at it.
Most D&D crpgs are easily played with just one character. In fact, I find it a lot more fun to do so. I finished Baldur's Gate and ToEE with just one character. You do have to play more carefully at first, but you also level up much faster as you don't have to split xp with anyone else.
I just want a more open ended game with multiple possible endings. A combination of Fallout and ToEE would be an ideal game to me.
Quote from: hgjsI would like a game where casting Dominate Monster on an NPC could actually affect the plot.
Y'know, I would like to see more CRPGs in
general, D&D or no, explore territory like this. Magic spells are an obvious area to exploit, though others could be explored too. Basically, your character(s) should be able to apply their abilities to affect the story in a multitude of ways. It'd be impossible achieve the open-endedness of a FtF RPG, but a significant number of branching storylines based on different decisions or creative solutions would be awesome.
The usual fare for CRPGs is A) follow the story's path, controlling your guys in combat in between plot points, and/or B) do whatever "trigger" action is necessary to advance the plot, whether talking to the right guy, talking to every guy in town, talking to guy A and fetching him Item X so he'll take it to guy B who'll open the gate to Area Y so you can solve the crisis in Village Z so you can go back to the first town and guy C will take you to see guy D. . .
What if there were multiple solutions to the plot points, usually an obvious one that would advance the "Basic" plotline, but if you think outside the box and, say, use Dominate Person on the Vizier, you can actually prevent the King's destructive war and take the story in a whole new direction. . .
. . .that would rock. Hard.
I'm aware that some games like Fable have explored this territory to a degree. I haven't gotten to play them, sadly, so I can only speculate as to how much they address this sort of thing. I do know it's generally easier to have an open-ended plot game with a "cipher" character that's basically a mannequin for the player with little or no investment in events or emotional reaction to anything. I personally would like to see this sort of thing applied more to the "Stroy-intensive" RPG like Final Fantasy, where the characters are all developed personalities with goals and ambitions. You could still have a developed story without being a mere spectator to its unfolding.
Hmm, looking back I guess this is a bit of a threadjack. That one little comment just sparked something. I'm afraid I haven't played the D&D computer games, so not much to offer on the original topic. Carry on.
Peace,
-Joel
PS: D&D tactics sounds like it would be fun. The D&D combat engine would really shine in that medium.
My primary complaint with all computer games is the lack of ability to do your own thing, build empires, and otherwise screw with things.
Quote from: David JohansenMy primary complaint with all computer games is the lack of ability to do your own thing, build empires, and otherwise screw with things.
You must really hate Civ 4
My dream D&D computer game is not a computer game, per se. Its a hybrid system of TT and Computer. I've mentioned it in this forum before - I'd love to create it...
And Ryan Dancey (in his reaction to the Dragon and Dungeon ending) seems to agree:
Quote from: Ryan DanceyI think that there's a transition looming for tabletop RPGs, where computers become hybridized with the pen & paper environment. I've believed that for a long, long time. D&D in particular is a tabletop game that stretches the envelope of what most people can cope with in terms of complexity and depth of required knowledge. A little digital assistance would go a long way towards making the play experience more fun for a lot of people.
You get all this into a computer system that handles all of the calculations and so forth once the players decide on their actions. Each person has their DCA (Digital Character Assistant) that has their character stuff. The GM has the DGMA that has the scenario and all of the desired possible variations. The server has the rules system (including the capability to change the sub-systems through XML). Network it all together. Allow messages to each other, from the GM to player(s), etc.
Hell, you could even have a screen in the middle of the table that then carried out the actions in "real time." Someday, I thought it would be a hologram.
All of this frees up a portion of the traditional D&D meta-game stuff that deals with the rules and allows the players, if they show choose, to get more into the role.
Yeah, that's mine...
Quote from: James J SkachMy dream D&D computer game is not a computer game, per se. Its a hybrid system of TT and Computer. I've mentioned it in this forum before - I'd love to create it...
And Ryan Dancey (in his reaction to the Dragon and Dungeon ending) seems to agree:
You get all this into a computer system that handles all of the calculations and so forth once the players decide on their actions. Each person has their DCA (Digital Character Assistant) that has their character stuff. The GM has the DGMA that has the scenario and all of the desired possible variations. The server has the rules system (including the capability to change the sub-systems through XML). Network it all together. Allow messages to each other, from the GM to player(s), etc.
Hell, you could even have a screen in the middle of the table that then carried out the actions in "real time." Someday, I thought it would be a hologram.
All of this frees up a portion of the traditional D&D meta-game stuff that deals with the rules and allows the players, if they show choose, to get more into the role.
Yeah, that's mine...
James,
Not nearly so impressive but have you looked at the CHARGen. Web based, renders character sheets to PDF on the fly, stores them on our servers, helps you update after you get XP. I hope to add more GM tools like Foe Generators, Ship Generators, and possibly a combat simulator.
All done through the browser and only requiring Acrobat Reader should you want a PDF.
Bill
Quote from: James J SkachYou get all this into a computer system that handles all of the calculations and so forth once the players decide on their actions. Each person has their DCA (Digital Character Assistant) that has their character stuff. The GM has the DGMA that has the scenario and all of the desired possible variations. The server has the rules system (including the capability to change the sub-systems through XML). Network it all together. Allow messages to each other, from the GM to player(s), etc.
Oh yeah this would work. :rolleyes:
Most of the players in my group are too cheap to buy a frigging rulebook, much less afford this kind of stuff.
Quote from: mhensleyOh yeah this would work. :rolleyes:
Most of the players in my group are too cheap to buy a frigging rulebook, much less afford this kind of stuff.
Eh...
One man's dream is another man's freedom fighter...or something like that...
Dare to "dream" as the OP requested.
And what if you could make the DCA such that you could sell it for $14.99? And it could handle characters from several different rule systems? Or give the DCA away cheap, $3.99, and sell the software chunks to handle different rules systems separately.
My lord, I bought a couple of Tamagochi-thingies for my kids when they were sick and shut in the house for more than a week...and they are still playing with those things going through generation after generation of little "pets." All for ten bucks or so. That's not counting the free website the kids spend time on getting prizes for their pets and building up points for an audience with "the king."
Times, they are a-changin'
Quote from: HinterWeltJames,
Not nearly so impressive but have you looked at the CHARGen. Web based, renders character sheets to PDF on the fly, stores them on our servers, helps you update after you get XP. I hope to add more GM tools like Foe Generators, Ship Generators, and possibly a combat simulator.
All done through the browser and only requiring Acrobat Reader should you want a PDF.
Bill
Bill,
you know how many times I've meant to look at that? Of course you don't - stupid question. Suffice it to say it's one of my to-do's for my gaming time.
And this is how big elaborate systems like I'm dreaming up get built - one section at a time.
Curious - do you write this stuff or are you hiring it out. If you write it, my ego is going to take another hit (after the successful gaming store information) and I'm going to go pout in a corner for 7.2 minutes.
Quote from: James J SkachBill,
you know how many times I've meant to look at that? Of course you don't - stupid question. Suffice it to say it's one of my to-do's for my gaming time.
And this is how big elaborate systems like I'm dreaming up get built - one section at a time.
Curious - do you write this stuff or are you hiring it out. If you write it, my ego is going to take another hit (after the successful gaming store information) and I'm going to go pout in a corner for 7.2 minutes.
Sorry dude, I write it using Java. One of my talents is a high end data management TA and programmer. Strangely, I find Java to be a relaxing language to program in. Originally, I wrote drivers for communications software. I am such a geek. ;)
Bill
Quote from: HinterWeltSorry dude, I write it using Java. One of my talents is a high end data management TA and programmer. Strangely, I find Java to be a relaxing language to program in. Originally, I wrote drivers for communications software. I am such a geek. ;)
Bill
If your wife is good looking, I'm taking my ball and going home... :p