D&D's Future ?

[Aeolius]

Honestly, to do it right, you cannot release a version of D&D for the DS. You could release a game based on D&D, perhaps, but D&D is "bigger" than a handheld device. You might be interested in the iPhone Will Kill D&D thread.

Should D&D's future include an integrated digital element, WoTC would need to stay as divorced from the project as possible. We would need a social networking site that actually lived up to its promises. We would need an integrated character builder, dungeon designer, and virtual tabletop that supported multiple platforms and browsers, as well as prior editions of D&D. Future editions of the manuals should be available in a format equivalent to a PDF, as well as an interactive format that would allow snippets of the manuals to be combined into user-defined booklets. This format should also be readily available to third party publishers, whose offerings should work seamlessly within the above-mentioned applications.

Think ahead to the age of netbooks and color ePaper (the next Kindle). D&D's digital offerings should be as useful to a face-to-face game as they are to a virtual one.

 

[teitan]

There have been some great games under the D&D name that I'd LOVE to see ported to the DS like Shadows of Mystara (but with a better, player driven ending), the PC Baldur's Gate games, the Gold Box series with updated graphics, Eye of the Beholder. I'd also like some new PC games like Baldur's Gate, ICewind Dale and Torment.

 

[Grazzt]

Because they make RPGs not computer games?

I'm gonna have to agree with this.

 

[Umbran]

Should D&D's future include an integrated digital element, WoTC would need to stay as divorced from the project as possible. We would need a social networking site that actually lived up to its promises. We would need an integrated character builder, dungeon designer, and virtual tabletop that supported multiple platforms and browsers, as well as prior editions of D&D.

I think it would be sufficient to start with a character builder, dungeon designer, and virtual tabletop for the current system.

Social networking? Given how many sites support gamer interactions, this would be reinventing the wheel - folks can network elsewhere, to start with.

Prior editions? Not a reasonable expectation. They've got their hands full dealing with the current edition.

 

[Derren]

Prior editions? Not a reasonable expectation. They've got their hands full dealing with the current edition.

Actually it is unknown if Atari is working on a 4E D&D game. The two traditional D&D studios are occupied with other projects (and one belongs to EA now) and the only D&D game which is currently made is another expansion for NWN2 and thus 3E.

The combat system of 4E is very hard, if not impossible, to convert to real time (or semi real time like in NWN) and the current D&D video game brands are based on this real time combat.

Making a turn based game (which includes creating a new brand) on a mainstream plattform (PC, recent Gen console) is imo too much risk for Atari so its unlikely they will do it.
So either they somehow create a real time 4E combat system (leaving out most pushes, interrupts, etc.) which requires a new engine which takes 2-3 years to develop or they stick with 3E and just import 4E fluff, classes and races (partially done with the latest NWN2 expansions Storm of Zehir).

Atari recently tried a handheld turn based D&D game (D&D tactics on the PSP) but the reviews aren't very good so its unlikely that this game did well outside the D&D gamer demographic.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Yeah, that's what I was going to do.

But in terms of 'video', even the best of them are just using the D&D name and some variant of the engine. I believe that the DDI needs to go mobile for it's next... logical step of taking the math out of the game.

Honestly, to do it right, you cannot release a version of D&D for the DS. You could release a game based on D&D, perhaps, but D&D is "bigger" than a handheld device. You might be interested in the iPhone Will Kill D&D thread.

Should D&D's future include an integrated digital element, WoTC would need to stay as divorced from the project as possible. We would need a social networking site that actually lived up to its promises. We would need an integrated character builder, dungeon designer, and virtual tabletop that supported multiple platforms and browsers, as well as prior editions of D&D. Future editions of the manuals should be available in a format equivalent to a PDF, as well as an interactive format that would allow snippets of the manuals to be combined into user-defined booklets. This format should also be readily available to third party publishers, whose offerings should work seamlessly within the above-mentioned applications.

Think ahead to the age of netbooks and color ePaper (the next Kindle). D&D's digital offerings should be as useful to a face-to-face game as they are to a virtual one.

 

[Umbran]

Actually it is unknown if Atari is working on a 4E D&D game.

I'm not sure what that has to do with what I said.

The combat system of 4E is very hard, if not impossible, to convert to real time (or semi real time like in NWN) and the current D&D video game brands are based on this real time combat.

Well, I was talking about the possibilities of a virtual tabletop, which I think should be turn-based, rather than real-time.

Be that as it may, I think you overstate the difficulties. I wouldn't be surprised if a clever designer or two could crack that particular nut.

 

[Derren]

For a Virtual Table Top you should best use on of the already existing solutions. The status of WotC own VTT (which should have been ready at 4Es release) is currently unkown and WotC is doing a reevaluation of its software projects (after having fired a good chunk of their software staff).
Also VTT are never edition specific, so there is no old edition/new edition problem. Although I don't see WotC making a Character Creator for 3E or even including 3E races (mainly splatbooks) into their visualizer. I hate the impression that WotC is very hostile towards older editions and would be very happy if everyone switched to 4E.

As for the game mechanics, 4E features so many interrupts and precise movement that its impossible to recreate that in a real time environment. The 4E combat system must be mangled beyond recognition to work in anything else than in a turn based system.

Depending on what the contract between WotC and Atari says, Atari might very well decide to stick with 3E as they have less development effort and with NWN a well recognized brand whos wants won't appreciate a complete rule change (most PC gamers could care less what edition of the PnP their video game uses and many likely don't even know that there is a D&D PnP)

 

[rounser]

they stick with 3E and just import 4E fluff, classes and races (partially done with the latest NWN2 expansions Storm of Zehir).

Ack. Please say there are no "dragonborn", "eladrin" or "warlords" in there, I was considering buying this one.

 

[gangbustersrpg]

Every kid 8 and older is using the DS and DSi, and it is that route that helped make Pokemon the money making empire, it is. Don't want to be a fad when there's hundreds of millions of dollars in that fad and a gateway to a fresh gaming market.