Should D&D be sold as a boardgame?

[JoeGKushner]

In terms of sold, I mean for like family fun. Imagine "selling" D&D as a family game where you bust out some maps, similiar to those found in the basic boxed set, some miniatures, (once again, similiar to the basic boxed set), and get started playing with pregenerated characters.

That would be interesting if aimed at families. I think the Basic D&D game could do it in terms of providing what you need, but I don't think it's aimed that way.

 

[Crothian]

I think it would be cool to have a D&D board game like the old Dungeon board game of old. But I don'ty think the D&D RPG should be sold as a board game itself.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Not only do I think there should be some sort of Basic D&D game, sold in toy stores and aimed at families and children, but I firmly believe that it's the only truly meaningful way to grow the hobby and the RPG market.

There must, must, must be a modern equivalent of the old red box Basic set--and I mean not merely in physical form, but in how it's sold and marketed--or the hobby will continue to slowly dwindle.

 

[LostSoul]

Yeah, that would be awesome.

 

[gizmo33]

I think it would be cool to have a D&D board game like the old Dungeon board game of old. But I don'ty think the D&D RPG should be sold as a board game itself.

I agree - I think a fantasy related board game that markets the ideas of RPGs, and the specific IP of DnD would be a great idea - it would be a sort of "gateway drug" for RPGs and give the ideas and characters from RPGs more recognition in the general population.

But I don't think the format of an RPG lends itself to being much more simplified than it already has been. I know people that won't even play Monopoly because it takes too long. I think there's no hope for those folks.

On a side note - they have a Monopoly game for Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, why not DnD? I think it would be hilarious to have my Mind Flayer land on Waterdeep and have to pay rent.

 

[JustKim]

Not only do I think there should be some sort of Basic D&D game, sold in toy stores and aimed at families and children, but I firmly believe that it's the only truly meaningful way to grow the hobby and the RPG market.

In the early 90s there was in fact a Basic set and three expansions that were sold through Toys R Us with the board games. They were wide boxes, with miniatures, chits and maps that were really pretty nice. The first one had an adventure that served to teach the rules, Escape from the Dungeon of Zanzer Tem. Then there was The Goblin's Lair which had three goblin adventures, Dragon's Den with three dragon adventures, and The Haunted Tower with three undead adventures.

 

[SteveC]

They already do, to a certain extent.

I have this game and all the expansions. It is not really d&d (it uses almost none of the rules) but the feeling is there. The best version of this type of game, to my mind, is what we call the game of kings.

I think this kind of game has tremendous potential, and I'd buy it in a second. In fact, I aleady have, multiple times.

 

[Henry]

Chance Card:
Go to the Nine Hells.
Go directly to the Nine Hells.
Do not pass "Level Up."
Do not collect 200 Gold.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

Well, we've sort of got a few semi-there offerings in the boardgame marketplace.

We've got HeroScape or HeroQuest or whatever that new one is, which has the little miniatures and wargame stats, in a semi-collectable format.

But there's also things like Arkham Horror and Betrayal At House on the Hill, which are AAAAALMOST Call of Cthulhu RPG action in a boardgame format ... and quite popular among the university crowd, I think.

I can't get people to play D&D around here, but they do love Betrayal every Friday.

I think something similar would be ABSOLUTE GENIUS.

Nothing like "I'm the Dungeon Master". I think the GM should be entirely scrapped and replaced with a small booklet of "quests" and a bunch of configurable map tiles, most likely drawn at random.

Like Betrayal. The players form a party from half a dozen minis and 12-18 "Characters" (3 PCs looking similar enough to one mini that you don't need lots of minis). The Characters will have simplified stats, but stats that will be recognizable upon picking up D&D. Strength, Intelligence, Charisma and Reflex, Willpower, and Fortitude, an Attack, an Armor Class, some Hit Points, and a slew of special abilities.

You draw X number of tile cards, lay them down to form a map, an aspect of those cards determines a Quest that you look up in the booklet, and you sally forth to kick the crap out of some Orcs and Dragons and Kobolds and the like.

It'd probably be a 50 dollar boardgame, for all of the pieces, but if it were super-replayable and had cheap'n'easy expansion possiblities (new terrain cards, new quest packs, etc) I think it would be BRILLIANT.

Now to pitch the idea to WotC and gets me a job.

--fje

 

[LostSoul]

Nothing like "I'm the Dungeon Master". I think the GM should be entirely scrapped and replaced with a small booklet of "quests" and a bunch of configurable map tiles, most likely drawn at random.

You draw X number of tile cards, lay them down to form a map, an aspect of those cards determines a Quest that you look up in the booklet, and you sally forth to kick the crap out of some Orcs and Dragons and Kobolds and the like.

I think that would be cool. If you could place map tiles upside down and flip them over when you entered the room you wouldn't need a DM. You could have an encounter card (which may or may not lead to a treasure card) that is drawn for every map tile. A little x or something on the corner could allow you to make sure that each room would match up.

Then you move your little guys through the rooms and fight whatever's there and take its stuff!

Monster tactics would have to be pretty simple. Like "engage nearest PC in melee" or "move away from nearest PC in a straight line and attack at range" or "use mind blast until all PCs are incapacitated and then attack nearest PC in melee". There'd be some random rolling to see what they do.