D&D 5E So Why Can't 5E Get a Video Game?

[Saeviomagy]

http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/news/codename-entertainment

Sounds like junk.

Just like that stupid "D&D arena of war" mobile game.

 

[thenimblebanana]

Let me put it another way. What are the best extant D&D video games? Opinions will differ, but I don't think I'm gonna ruffle too many feathers if I say that it's probably the Baldur's Gate series. These are not fun and well-balanced turn-based combat video games. And that's not just because one of the few deviations they made from the AD&D ruleset was to toss out the "turn-based" part -- turn-based or otherwise, the combat in these games was never their main draw. I will wager that you have never heard Baldur's Gate's tactical challenge praised in the same breath as X-COM or Starcraft or Dark Souls. It couldn't be, because there's simply no comparison there.

And that's fine. Not every game has to be a tactics game. Baldur's Gate carries itself on its world, its characters, its story, and its roleplaying, and it does so spectacularly. So the fact that it's got a kinda ropey combat system is a minor annoyance at worst. But if Black Isle had been trying to make a more combat-focused game, they would have been well advised to drop the rules system that was originally written for collaborative tabletop storytelling, and instead adopt a system that's actually purpose-built for the medium and the genre. Like their successors at BioWare did in Dragon Age and Jade Empire and Mass Effect -- seriously, if you've played any of those games, try to imagine how much worse they'd be if they'd stuck to D&D/d20 rules.

Divinity did turn base fantastically and I could see that working really well for 5e.

 

[Jester David]

Also, I don't understand why some folks want DnD video games to emulate DnD mechanics. It's a different medium.

I want a game to get the point of the rules, but I can't imagine caring whether the details are the same?

When you play a football or hockey game, you kinda want it to emulate the rules of hockey and not just make up a brand new game that uses familiar names.

 

[TheCosmicKid]

When you play a football or hockey game, you kinda want it to emulate the rules of hockey and not just make up a brand new game that uses familiar names.

The D&D rules are seeking to emulate adventurers in the same way that a hockey video game is seeking to emulate athletes. Making a video game using D&D rules isn't like making a hockey video game using the hockey rules; it's like making a hockey video game using the rules for a hockey board game that's emulating the hockey rules. "Roll a die and consult the following table to determine where the puck bounces", that sort of thing.

 

[Staccat0]

Let me put it another way. What are the best extant D&D video games? Opinions will differ, but I don't think I'm gonna ruffle too many feathers if I say that it's probably the Baldur's Gate series. These are not fun and well-balanced turn-based combat video games. And that's not just because one of the few deviations they made from the AD&D ruleset was to toss out the "turn-based" part -- turn-based or otherwise, the combat in these games was never their main draw. I will wager that you have never heard Baldur's Gate's tactical challenge praised in the same breath as X-COM or Starcraft or Dark Souls. It couldn't be, because there's simply no comparison there.

And that's fine. Not every game has to be a tactics game. Baldur's Gate carries itself on its world, its characters, its story, and its roleplaying, and it does so spectacularly. So the fact that it's got a kinda ropey combat system is a minor annoyance at worst. But if Black Isle had been trying to make a more combat-focused game, they would have been well advised to drop the rules system that was originally written for collaborative tabletop storytelling, and instead adopt a system that's actually purpose-built for the medium and the genre. Like their successors at BioWare did in Dragon Age and Jade Empire and Mass Effect -- seriously, if you've played any of those games, try to imagine how much worse they'd be if they'd stuck to D&D/d20 rules.

There is no reason you couldn't do both in 2016. The original Pool of Radiance is a classic from before I was born, but I play it once every few years when I have no group.

No reason you can't make a story driven evocative and thematic tactical RPG using D&D's mechanics from my POV. It'd be no less compelling than a Fire Emblem game I can play on my phone.

It's a different medium, for sure, but turn based tactical RPGs are a thing people love and the world of D&D is too dopey to draw me in for any reason outside of being a kinda solitaire version of my favorite game.

I love Torment, but I don't need WOTC to have something like that in my life.

 

[Kalshane]

I enjoyed the Baldur's Gate games, but I only played them once. (I never managed to make it through Neverwinter Nights 1 or 2). Temple of Elemental Evil, on the other hand, I played through a dozen times and even spent about a year or so helping the Circle of Eight with their fan fixes.

Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 were good games, but they didn't scratch my D&D itch because they were too dissimilar, where ToEE, despite being flawed, did.

 

[Jester David]

The D&D rules are seeking to emulate adventurers in the same way that a hockey video game is seeking to emulate athletes. Making a video game using D&D rules isn't like making a hockey video game using the hockey rules; it's like making a hockey video game using the rules for a hockey board game that's emulating the hockey rules. "Roll a die and consult the following table to determine where the puck bounces", that sort of thing.

It needn't follow the D&D rules so closely that it uses the exact same math and all the powers do the same damage on tabletop and combat lasts the same number of rounds. Just like you don't have period breaks in a hockey video game or lengthy breaks between plays in a football game. Just like you don't worry about career ending injuries, or equipment breaking, or the audience throwing something onto the ice, or a playing being hungover because they spend the previous night doing blow and hookers.
But things should feel the same. The major beats of a game should remain intact and there should be the illusion of playing the real game.

What they shouldn't do is strip away all the names and visuals from the game and make a brand new game with completely different rules and mechanics, and then slap the familiar names overtop.
You don't make a D&D videogame by making a generic fantasy video game and then slapping in beholders and mind flayers.

 

[Azurewraith]

I would just like to say this topic inspired me to grab a copy of pool of radiance(God bless abandonware) and spend 2hours sorting out the config to get it running.

Never played Adnd was it really that deadly a group of orcs 1shotted my thief and cleric/fighter!

 

[JonnyP71]

Yep, and Basic was even more deadly still. It wasn't worth giving a character a name until they reached level 2, and you didn't dare get attached to them until level 4!

We're playing a 1E campaign at the moment, we've had 3 PCs die at level 1, 2 die at level 2, and another 2 die at levels 6 and 7 - those last 2 have been resurrected.

5E players have got it easy!!!

 

[Azurewraith]

Yep, and Basic was even more deadly still. It wasn't worth giving a character a name until they reached level 2, and you didn't dare get attached to them until level 4!

We're playing a 1E campaign at the moment, we've had 3 PCs die at level 1, 2 die at level 2, and another 2 die at levels 6 and 7 - those last 2 have been resurrected.

5E players have got it easy!!!

Few almost thought I was doing it wrong. Ok first time I ventured out unarmed and naked but shhhh