Podcast #253: D&D and 5E Video Games

This week, Morrus and Peter talk about the D&D 5e video games Baldur’s Gate 3 and Solasta: Crown of the Magister. In the news, NuTSR files for bankruptcy, Modiphius buys the solo RPG Five Parsecs from Home, Cocaine Owlbear RPG released, and more! Plus Our Favorite Game in All the World and a brand new sketch about wizard tower repair contractors.

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#253: D&D and 5e Video Games | Morrus’ Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk

This week, Morrus and Peter talk about the D&D 5e video games Baldur’s Gate 3 and Solasta: Crown of the Magister. In the news, NuTSR files for bankruptcy, Modiphius buys the solo RPG Five Parsecs from Home, Cocaine Owlbear RPG released, and more! Plus Our Favorite Game in All the World and a...

morrus.podbean.com

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News

NuTSR Declares Bankruptcy https://www.enworld.org/threads/nutsr-declares-bankruptcy.698239/

Timeline of the TSR Trademark Saga https://www.enworld.org/threads/the-full-glorious-history-of-nutsr.684697/

Pendragon Starter Set Releasing June - The Pendragon Starter Set

What’s OLD is NEW Starter Set Starter Set — What's O.L.D. is N.E.W.

Cocaine Owlbear RPG COCAINE OWLBEAR Or FANTASY WOODLAND COCAINE HEIST CREW by Fainting Goat Games

Homebrew and Hacking Blog Post about Industry-Related Episodes “Industry Episodes”

News Digest for June 16, 2023 (Modiphius acquires Five Core system games) https://www.enworld.org/threads/news-digest-for-june-16-2023.698277/

Homebrew and Hacking: Crafting Heritages and Cultures from PJ Coffey Homebrew and Hacking: Crafting Heritages and Cultures - Homebrew and Hacking | DriveThruRPG.com

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Kickstarters

The Last Caravan: A Cars and Aliens Tabletop RPG https://www.kickstarter.com/project...e-last-caravan-a-cars-and-aliens-tabletop-rpg

Knight https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/armouredgames/knight-0

20 Bounties & Most Wanted https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sidequest20/100-bounties-and-most-wanted-ideas-for-game-masters

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D&D 5e Video Games

Baldur’s Gate 3 Website Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 on Steam (PC and Mac)
Baldur’s Gate 3 on Playstation Baldur's Gate 3

Solasta: Crown of the Magister Solasta: Crown of the Magister

Solasta: Crown of the Magister on PC
Baldur’s Gate 3: Returning to the City After 20 Years
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Please support us on Patreon at http://patreon.com/morrus

Don’t forget to join the Morrus’ Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1033145023517295/ and join us on Discord at https://discord.gg/VAuxX8M

Ask your Listener Question on Twitter, email morruspodcast@gmail.com, or contact us on TikTok at TikTok

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Hosts: Russ “Morrus” Morrissey, Peter Coffey, and Jessica Hancock

Editing and post-production: Darryl Mott

Theme Song: Steve Arnott

Malach the Maleficent played by Darren Morrissey

Check out all the media content from EN World at http://enliverpg.com

 

[Vincent55]

Yes well, video games cost too much and once played i have no use for so i don't do it.

 

[PJ Coffey]

Yes well, video games cost too much and once played i have no use for so i don't do it.

Well I quite enjoy playing them. Sometimes it's fun to go through a second or even third time.

Valheim is a great game. Lots of exploration and world to explore! I've got about 600h on that.

 

[GMMichael]

Valheim is a great game. Lots of exploration and world to explore! I've got about 600h on that.

That's not much compared to my hours on Altis, Stratis, and Malden (Arma3). I do a lot of exploring there, mostly to find enemies to shoot, vehicles to sabotage, and coffee shops (all closed, apparently they don't like war).

These Baldur's Gate games are coming out at a rate close to a Song of Ice and Fire books.

 

[Abstruse]

That's not much compared to my hours on Altis, Stratis, and Malden (Arma3). I do a lot of exploring there, mostly to find enemies to shoot, vehicles to sabotage, and coffee shops (all closed, apparently they don't like war).

These Baldur's Gate games are coming out at a rate close to a Song of Ice and Fire books.

It's not a continuous story though. Baldur's Gate I and II were released in 1998 and 2000 respectively and used AD&D 2nd Edition rules. They each told separate but linked stories about the protagonist character. Baldur's Gate III is a completely separate story about a separate character that's called "Baldur's Gate" because it's a similar style game and name recognition. They're adding in a few cameos and easter eggs, but it's not a direct sequel to the first two games.

There were also never any plans for a third Baldur's Gate game. Or if there were, they died when Interplay died and the dev team moved on to Neverwinter Nights at Obsidian. Then they got busy doing stuff like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Dragon Age and Mass Effect and didn't really want to bother with licensed content anymore.

The only reason we're getting a Baldur's Gate III is that Larian pushed Wizards of the Coast for it. Divinity: Original Sin was already a spiritual successor to the late 90s/early 00s D&D video games, and they lobbied hard for the license. They even made the adventure from the 5e starter set Lost Mines of Phandelver in their level creation software for Divinity: Original Sin 2 as part of the audition for Wizards of the Coast to get the chance to make Baldur's Gate III.

 

[Morrus]

I have now started playing Solasta. Not far in, but I'm liking it a lot so far. This from somebody who really doesn't play video games.

 

[Abstruse]

I have now started playing Solasta. Not far in, but I'm liking it a lot so far. This from somebody who really doesn't play video games.

I played the demo when it first came out and it's very well done. Even in that early state. It's a very old-school take on the turn-based RPGs as you're roleplaying as the entire party instead of just a single character with companions. It's also very 5e so if you know D&D rules, you're about 90% of the way to knowing how Solasta works.

BTW, Baldur's Gate III is also coming out for the Mac on August 31 as well as PC and PS5. Not that common these days, particularly when it's not getting an Xbox release (apparently there are technically difficulties with getting split-screen co-op to work on the Series X/S).

 

[Mercador]

For every BG3 or Solasta, there's 10 Dark Alliance from Tuque Games unfortunately.

 

[PJ Coffey]

For every BG3 or Solasta, there's 10 Dark Alliance from Tuque Games unfortunately.

Never played them. Give 'em a miss?

 

[Abstruse]

Never played them. Give 'em a miss?

Dark Alliance isn't bad. But I also got it free as part of Game Pass so I didn't pay for it...

Basically it's a great game from 2006 that somehow got released in 2021.