I want to find a video game that captures the tabletop fantasy roleplaying experience. Something like "Wasteland" for the FRPG set. Got any suggestions?

Do you want modern, single player games? MMORPG's? Or what (original Wasteland could be played via BBS yes?)


For "classic FRPG"--Oblivion, modern era design for Xbox360 and PC. If you want its original ancestor and can tweak settings to run it on a modern system: The Elder Scrolls: Arena. (the latter available for free)

For MMORPG's--World of Warcraft. Pretty much everything FRPGish in a package. Fighting monsters, making stuff from parts. (Or were we the only ones who carved up evil dragons to make swords and armor?)

Single-play, offline. PC-only. Top-down perspective would be good.

Neverwinter Nights.  All the way.  The original campaign isn't the best, but the two expansions are fantastic, and you can get the complete set now for pretty cheap.  There's also a fair number of great mods on the NEverwinter Vault, though it can take some digging to pick out the good ones.  

NWN2 is shaping up to be every bit as good, but it requires a pretty beefy PC to run it.  

You also want to play the Ultima games.  Especially VI and VII.  VI will be tough to get running on modern PCs, but if you can make sense of DOSbox, you can do it.  Ultima VII meanwhile has Exult, which is an open-sourced remake of the engine, that allows you to paly the original on modern PCs, with some enhancements to boot.  

Also, while not fantasy, you absolutely must play Fallout, especially if you're a Wasteland fan.  Fallout is quite simply the best damn CRPG ever.

Final Fantasy III (USA version, it's Japan's VI). Old school, but good.

You've played Fallout, yes?

I also second the suggestions of Ultima.  The third through sixth games are favorites of mine.

Wizardry 8 (or 9? the one released before Sir-Tech's demise) is a great party-based game.  The setting's a bit wonky, but it feels like an old school romp.

If you like Bioware games, I have to say my favorite was Icewind Dale, simply because it was built from the ground up as a party-based game.  You can create the characters you want, not being stuck with a bunch of lame NPC personalities that the game gives you.  And again, it feels like an old-school mini-campaign of the sort we'd run back in high school.

also, now that it has been patched up and added to by the community, Temple of Elemental Evil is a pretty fun game.  the Circle of Eight site has quite a bit of stuff, and for a game you can pick up now for less than $9, it might be perfect for what you want!

NWN2 is pretty nice so far, but the camera's a bit wonky, and the system requirements are kinda steep.

not sure if you're into rogue-likes, but IVAN is kickass.

Arcanum.

I love it.  

Quote from: kregmosieralso, now that it has been patched up and added to by the community, Temple of Elemental Evil is a pretty fun game.  the Circle of Eight site has quite a bit of stuff, and for a game you can pick up now for less than $9, it might be perfect for what you want!

NWN2 is pretty nice so far, but the camera's a bit wonky, and the system requirements are kinda steep.

not sure if you're into rogue-likes, but IVAN is kickass.

Yanno, I have tried the demo of ToEE on several different occasions, but by and large I just couldn't get into it.  The interface was really wierd for one, they should've just stuck with grids instead of the funky Silent Storm type system they used for movement.  Character turns tended to end so abruptly too that I'd windup accidentally giving move orders to the wrong characters constantly.  Plus, the damn thing was hard as hell.  I never got past that first encounter at the castle.

Is the final version better?  Because I'd really love to have some TBS D&D on my PC.  I'm gonna be getting D&D Tactics when it comes to PSP, but that's not coming until nest year, and I could snag TOEE now.  

Also, didn't they add a module editor to TOEE as well?

Quote from: J ArcaneYanno, I have tried the demo of ToEE on several different occasions, but by and large I just couldn't get into it.  The interface was really wierd for one, they should've just stuck with grids instead of the funky Silent Storm type system they used for movement.  Character turns tended to end so abruptly too that I'd windup accidentally giving move orders to the wrong characters constantly.  Plus, the damn thing was hard as hell.  I never got past that first encounter at the castle.

Is the final version better?  Because I'd really love to have some TBS D&D on my PC.  I'm gonna be getting D&D Tactics when it comes to PSP, but that's not coming until nest year, and I could snag TOEE now.  

Also, didn't they add a module editor to TOEE as well?

yes, it's certainly not everyones cup 'o, but despite all its quirks and the horrible reviews it got initially (well deserved, iirc...was apparently bug-riddled) , i really enjoyed it.  (and for like $9, it's not that big of a gamble.)

not sure about the editor...don't think they did, as a petition still exists on Co8 to get the devs to release the SDK/tools.

Quote from: VellorianArcanum.

I love it.  

Same here, but for some cosmic reason I haven't been able to play it in the last 3 years, I loaned it to a friend just a while after I bought it, 6 months later he returns the game to me (not working), so I managed to get a copy from another friend and guess what?? It's not FI@#$# working either, not on my Pc, nor in my laptop, I couldn't even make a copy out of it. Seriosly all the major powers on every pantheon agreed to deny me the joy of Arcanum:bawling: