The Next Innovation in Gaming

I would suspect it will involves device and content delivery convergence. Call it D&Di 2.0.

Devices could/should include technology found in Laptops, Google Wave, Kindle, Tablet PCs, Surface, XBox Live, Natal, Smart Phones etc. The trick is going to be delivering content that works across a multitude of these devices. Not PDFs but a new file system that includes all the stuff a DM needs to run a game. A complete e-adventure experience that is plug and play. The plug and play would would require the seamless integration of content and play over multiple device platforms.

I think a key factor will be how far the AI goes. The point of RPG vs CRPG is interesting to me. Part of the fun of RPG play is the freedom they offer. CRPGs can not handle rule zero. To match the play experience RPGrs are used to the system needs to have good tools that do not limit rules or the ability to adjudicate on the fly.

Edit: the system also needs to be able to handle user generated content in the same way that publishers produce it. It has to be easy to use as well

Imo it would be the next step in toolset supported modular CRPGs. NWN was like that, DA:O is like that, and a lot of hard work from people made even BG and IWD like that. Now imagine such a game were generating user content is actually simple and has a functional multiplayer (with a relatively small player cap). When the day comes that creating modules and altering gameplay rules and AI becomes easy for such a CRPG, I think we will have the next step of eRPGs

Hmmm...

User created content in a game like DA:O or NWN, so I could build an adventure and share it with my friends? I always liked that idea.

Still, the piece missing, for me, is the ability, as a DM, to run the adventure. Maybe if I could have a pseudo RTS interface and could 'hop' between NPC's or control groups of them like an RTS.

The players game would be a CRPG or a first/third person shooter, and the game for me would be a hybrid RTS.

Add a library I could pull things from and put in the game on the fly and I'd be very happy... maybe. For some reason most computer games are not for me.

Scott_Rouse said:

The plug and play would would require the seamless integration of content and play over multiple device platforms.

Click to expand...

There is a web standard in committee for being able to package client-side webapps. I suspect this will the precursor to "programs" that truly run anywhere. That's just a standard, though. Someone would have to write a webapp that can run connected and disconnected; can run against the main server and hopefully peer-to-peer; and of course this someone has to have both the desire and the ability to create a portable RPG/CRPG hybrid.

I think a key factor will be how far the AI goes. The point of RPG vs CRPG is interesting to me. Part of the fun of RPG play is the freedom they offer. CRPGs can not handle rule zero. To match the play experience RPGrs are used to the system needs to have good tools that do not limit rules or the ability to adjudicate on the fly.

Click to expand...

This is my stumbling block. I program computers. I know the level of AI needed here and it just is not possible. People with bigger agendas and budgets than ones to make a CRPG have not been able to make an AI as intelligent as a bug. It will not happen in our lifetime.

Edit: the system also needs to be able to handle user generated content in the same way that publishers produce it. It has to be easy to use as well

Click to expand...

If only the DDI worked like that. (I know. Not your problem any more.)

jmucchiello said:

There is a web standard in committee for being able to package client-side webapps. I suspect this will the precursor to "programs" that truly run anywhere. That's just a standard, though. Someone would have to write a webapp that can run connected and disconnected; can run against the main server and hopefully peer-to-peer; and of course this someone has to have both the desire and the ability to create a portable RPG/CRPG hybrid.

Click to expand...

You would obviously know more about this than I do, but sure this sounds about right.

I was blurting out a lot of ideas at once so there are a lot of ideas burried in the thought. One possible scenario is that someone creates a client and content that could be played over a closed network like Xbox live/MS Live or PSN. Microsoft seems to be moving towards convergence on Live. The new Xbox Game room should accessible for play on your PC, MSLive, and XBL. My thought was not a game per se but more of a service that had downloadable content, tools for content creation and connectivity for remote play (game table).

This is my stumbling block. I program computers. I know the level of AI needed here and it just is not possible. People with bigger agendas and budgets than ones to make a CRPG have not been able to make an AI as intelligent as a bug. It will not happen in our lifetime.

Click to expand...

Yes, I guess I wasn't clear. I would advocate less AI than a CRPG and more free form "DM makes the rules play" The "rulesy" programed stuff would be for things like die rolls, line of sight, distance tracking, area effects etc.

My couple of cents, I think that an electronic battlemat, (wether MS Surface or a flexible display or the projected lazer system refered to up thread) that auto sysncs (via bluetooth or something else) that registers your character sheet and allows them to be manipulated on the battlemap display.
I don't think the iphone will have the screen realestate for a character sheet. Unless they invent a device line the phone/computers in Earth: Final Conflict.

Now I think that the battle mat should be able to interact with real minis and dice.

Finally add in this So that your buddy whose baby sitter failed to show can turn up also.

That said I see this being really popular with the hex wargamer crowd as some of the old monster games would become playable since the device would store the counters, setup and save the current state of play when the session ends and you do not have to stop because the cat ate panzer group Guderian.

The other possibility is the rise of the professional DM. A website with a lobby and games available 24/7 in officially sanctioned campaign. Where the characters can move between DMs and good social networking could give rise to superstar DMs that could charge fees.
I suspect that WoTC had this in mind under their original vision of Gleemax.

A couple of more thoughts on the electronic battlemat:
I do not think that NWN is a good model, maptools is better and less sophicticated graphics is better than a high quality rendered 3d environment.
What is required is ease of use, and a graphical representation that reflects the information that the DM wishes to convey.

jmucchiello said:

As for GMless RPGs, isn't Rune an RPG where the rules state that the players rotate GM responsibility?

Click to expand...

Yes, but "by Thor's thundering hammer" and "Odin's frosty beard" Rune "is a Viking game!" It downplays the functionality of a Game Master, or the "runner/designer designated as plotter," to running each "scene, usually involving combat." Robin D. Laws suggests that it is more of an introduction to RPGs and if you "want to try injecting some plot development and characterization" you should "investigate other fine RPGs, such as Atlas Games' Ars Magica."

Scott_Rouse said:

I was blurting out a lot of ideas at once so there are a lot of ideas burried in the thought. One possible scenario is that someone creates a client and content that could be played over a closed network like Xbox live/MS Live or PSN. Microsoft seems to be moving towards convergence on Live. The new Xbox Game room should accessible for play on your PC, MSLive, and XBL. My thought was not a game per se but more of a service that had downloadable content, tools for content creation and connectivity for remote play (game table).

Click to expand...

You also said it should be open. I don't expect Xbox Live to allow "open" anything ever. This is why I was talking web standards. I see this stuff more on next generation eReaders, netbooks and tablet computers. Closed platforms like Xbox and PS3 would be a great place for this except that they are closed. Although I guess the nextgen of consoles might be able to do this if they have full browsers in them and support the web standard I was talking about.

Yes, I guess I wasn't clear. I would advocate less AI than a CRPG and more free form "DM makes the rules play" The "rulesy" programed stuff would be for things like die rolls, line of sight, distance tracking, area effects etc.

Click to expand...

This already exists in maptools (someone already linked to it). Maptools handles the grid, lighting effects, line of sight, fog of war, movement, etc today. What it lacks is the ability to run on your iPhone and enough popularity to handle the "I'm bored. Is there a game somewhere, anywhere?" scenario.

But a broadband connection, a laptop, and something like Skype and you can play live with your friends over the Internet and everyone can see the dungeon in 2D as the DM reveals it.

jmucchiello said:

You also said it should be open. I don't expect Xbox Live to allow "open" anything ever. This is why I was talking web standards. I see this stuff more on next generation eReaders, netbooks and tablet computers. Closed platforms like Xbox and PS3 would be a great place for this except that they are closed. Although I guess the nextgen of consoles might be able to do this if they have full browsers in them and support the web standard I was talking about.

Click to expand...

I said it should be open?

And I would not assume MS to maintain a 100% closed system. The XNA dev kit may not be open as in GNU open source but from what I understand it's open in the sense that it gives indie developers tools to make games that will work on the Xbox and Windows platforms. Granted those games can't take advantage of Xbox Live system but but if the dollars were there for MS it is conceivable that there could be a XNA like content authoring kit that allowed one to create content for personal use through the Creators Club Community.

This already exists in maptools (someone already linked to it). Maptools handles the grid, lighting effects, line of sight, fog of war, movement, etc today. What it lacks is the ability to run on your iPhone and enough popularity to handle the "I'm bored. Is there a game somewhere, anywhere?" scenario.

But a broadband connection, a laptop, and something like Skype and you can play live with your friends over the Internet and everyone can see the dungeon in 2D as the DM reveals it.

Click to expand...

and it still requires the DM to do the heavy lifting. It's not like I can buy a Goodman adventure off RPGnow that when plugged into map tools has done all the maps, FoW, etc for me.

While we're are it, minis will be revolutionized by the prevalence of 3D printers:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHxp9Ail6MY"]Full Color 3D Printing[/ame]