I’ve said it a few times on the other threads but I think it bears repeating: elements of the tabletop experience fundamentally alter the perception of some mechanical outcomes. To use a single issue – the To-Hit mechanic – we can see that a reasonably high probability of failure (30% plus) is managed perfectly well at the table where a ‘miss’ is narratively fulfilling to the group (See critical role: the return of Liam where Travis was rolling nothing but Nat 1s and the group were in pieces laughing – I was cooking dinner and watching and I was pissing myself too.). Failure feels fun.
However, at a computer without the narrative interface, even a relatively low miss chance feels bad – I’m playing Divinity and I start stressing if my to-hit probability drops below 80% because otherwise I might waste that turn, and three or 4 in a row and it feels like the game is being unfair. Imagine the fun at the table of making 5 attacks in an encounter, and each time rolling 1-5 while only needing a 7 to hit – hilarious. Imagine Dungeon crawling on the new D&D turn-based game and that happens…….well, it wouldn’t because you’d rage reload after the 4th miss (also worth noting that games built on 3.x mechanics didn’t have this issue so much because with BaB you’re first attack could be +25, all but guaranteeing a hit)
This has massive repercussions for whether or not a game based on the D&D mechanics should be turn-based or not. Why? Because a high miss rate is most easily solved by running in Real Time – the maths are hidden away and you’ve got 6 people to manage (even with autopause and combat text), so you only really notice the miss rate over a longer time period, and by then hopefully the law of averages has balanced out the result. If, however, you choose to address this in the fundamental guts of D&D probability, you a) risk unbalancing the game, b) stop it feeling like D&D, and c) create a riskless chess game where no one misses, so it’s simply a case of stacking up DPR on either side and seeing who wins first.
Player experience is important. I think Bungie (?) group tested a new weapon and people said it was underpowered and didn’t do enough damage. All they did was increased the volume – the group said it was perfect. Similarly here, at the table a miss ‘feels’ as good as a hit – the loud gun feels suitably powered. And if you’re going to significantly alter the game mechanics to compensate, why are you sticking to a D&D IP that restricts you elsewhere?
So if the answer is, generally, turn-based (and D&D is fundamentally turn-based) then the most important question is: Is a turn based D&D video game going to be Fun? My answer to that is probably: Unlikely.
