TheRPGSite

Pen & Paper Roleplaying Central => Pen and Paper Roleplaying Games (RPGs) Discussion => Topic started by: tenbones on September 13, 2017, 04:20:45 PM

Title: Everquest Next and Amber Diceless
Post by: tenbones on September 13, 2017, 04:20:45 PM
How the wheel turns.

We're all well informed about how MMO's influenced TTRPG's (mostly in bad ways). But developer notes dropped for the ill-fated Everquest Next game which promised some truly revolutionary ideas. Well a big part of that was pushing the StoryBrics system to make AI combat more "realistic" and dynamic based on who the AI was fighting. To my shock - at the center of this design idea was none other than Amber's Diceless system with the Warfare stat being the core design concept.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jxzgb52360v04dl/EQN%20AI%20Proposal%20-%20RR.pdf?dl=0

I don't do any AI game development - but I think it's an important acknowledgement that most video-game players don't understand. The power of good TTRPG systems can, should, do influence their games more than they should influence TTRPG's. As AI gets better - many of the abstractions of our various TTRPG systems will be able to be modeled as intended. I think it's fantastic that they approached it this way, with AMBER no less!

What we shouldn't be doing it looking at videogames recapitulating TTRPG mechanics BACK into TTRPG's. That kind incestuous design makes for less RPG than boardgame on mecharoids.
Title: Everquest Next and Amber Diceless
Post by: Shawn Driscoll on September 13, 2017, 06:01:36 PM
People playing computer games by hand, where the GM emulates a game server, and players spam with their "I attack it!", is retarded as fuck.
Title: Everquest Next and Amber Diceless
Post by: Dumarest on September 13, 2017, 09:34:59 PM
Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;992078People playing computer games by hand, where the GM emulates a game server, and players spam with their "I attack it!", is retarded as fuck.

For once I agree with Shawn Driscoll. This date should be commemorated.
Title: Everquest Next and Amber Diceless
Post by: tenbones on September 14, 2017, 12:14:56 PM
Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;992078People playing computer games by hand, where the GM emulates a game server, and players spam with their "I attack it!", is retarded as fuck.

LOL. I say the same thing about many table-top games. =/=
Title: Everquest Next and Amber Diceless
Post by: Herne's Son on September 15, 2017, 04:12:26 PM
O k ow quite a few video game developers. Every single one of them got their start with, and still play TTRPGs. Not surprising that there's a TRRPG influence in so many video games.