Capturing the Atmosphere of VRPGs

[GMMichael]

Any videophiles out there have luck getting your tabletop game to feel like a video-RPG?

It occurs to me because of recent comments about how D&D 5 shouldn't have a default setting (which would make it feel distinctly D&D), and how I haven't even finished my homebrew RPG yet, but I've already started designing a Gauntlet-module for it.

Now I realize that Final Fantasy, in particular, has a couple freeware RPGs that do an excellent job of turning the game into an RPG. . .

But have you applied a module to an unaffiliated property, like GURPS, D&D, or Vampire: the Masquerade, to create a feeling of POW: Prisoners of War, the Legend of Zelda, or Castlevania?

What's a game you'd like to turn into a TRPG? How would you do it?

 

[pickin_grinnin]

That's pretty much was D&D 4e was - an attempt to make an rpg that would appeal to video gamer types.

 

[Prickly]

That's pretty much was D&D 4e was - an attempt to make an rpg that would appeal to video gamer types.

Well done, that took all of 5 seconds *slow clap*

 

[Prickly]

Not exactly what you mentioned but...

I was toying around with the idea for a game in the vein of shows like Sword Art Online and Log Horizon where a MMO becomes real and the players get trapped in it.
The NPC's become real people and the worlds timed events stop or change in unpredictable ways.

My idea was to use Fate Core and have aspects represent the characters and the "players" aswell. "PC's" would be seen in the world as demigod-like characters and most of the conflict would arise between PC groups as they seize control of nations or misuse their power.
I also thought it would be cool if players could discover some meta abilites like limited access to the server that would allow them to change the world in certain ways. create/unmake items and people etc.

It seems my overall idea is similar to The Strange RPG in a way, where the collective imagining of millions of gamers creates this subjective pocket dimension based off of the game. it might even be possible to travel between the "real" world and the game universe.

Sadly I havent had the time to work out the details or rules of this game, and it might be a bit confusing having players play characters who are players playing characters (RPG inception) but I like the concept.

 

[GMMichael]

it might be a bit confusing having players play characters who are players playing characters (RPG inception) but I like the concept.

You're dreaming. But at least it's about a dream...

The thread is about meta-gaming. Theme-setting. Take Gauntlet, for instance. There's a goofy, disembodied voice. That's the GM's job. Then there are hordes of pitiful enemies. The GM might not have to run them individually, they could be treated as mobs or swarms instead. 8-bit music, you can get that from Youtube. The players have a say in it, too. They can mimic the grunts of their characters if they want, but more importantly, there's some teamwork involved in Gauntlet. Everyone's health is always counting down, and it really matters who picks up which boons, when the group stays together, and when someone goes off alone.

And it wouldn't hurt to have players bring quarters to buy more health. Of course, each quarter spent on more health goes to the pizza fund, or to reimburse the host for snacks.

That's pretty much was D&D 4e was - an attempt to make an rpg that would appeal to video gamer types.

You might be right. But I'm talking about house-ruling a game that's -not- based on a video game, to make it feel like one.

 

[Evenglare]

Ugh, the whole 4e is a video game thing. See you want to know something completely ironic about that "argument" is that THERE WASNT EVEN A GOOD 4E VIDEO GAME. Yet, 3rd edition had a World of Warcraft game! And 3e had so many games such as neverwinter nights, TOEE, NWN 2 etc etc. I mean... god my head just wants to explode from this argument. There is no merit in it at all. 4e was just as much a video game as 3e was. Hell, 4e had a GREAT opportunity to make a game like final fantasy tactics, or Tactics ogre, or fire emblem. But no, no such thing happened.

 

[Scorpio616]

All walls, doors and obstacles are magically hardened to be immune to damage.

 

[pickin_grinnin]

If you ever had any doubts about 4e appealing to the video game crowd, look at how often terms like "boss fight/battle" started popping up in 4e threads after it came out.

 

[pickin_grinnin]

You might be right. But I'm talking about house-ruling a game that's -not- based on a video game, to make it feel like one.

I have found that Fate and Savage Worlds tend to work well for unusual things like that. That's probably the route I would go. You could always go with one of the anime/manga styled ones, like BESM.

 

[Stormonu]

I've use the Diablo (for AD&D 2E) and Diablo 2 (for D&D 3E) books put out by TSR/WotC, and had the World of Warcraft & Everquest books that I mined for D&D games. Does that count?