Taking computer RPG material into your table-top RPG

[Bullgrit]

Have you ever taken a place, character, quest, plot, anything from a computer RPG, (like WoW, Skyrim), to use in a table-top RPG?

I once used world, (terrain), screenshots from WoW to represent various lands of my D&D world. When I was playing WoW, I experienced several quests and locations that I thought would make great adventures for my D&D game, but all my Players were also playing WoW, and so would immediately recognize the material.

Bullgrit

 

[Reynard]

I made pretty extensive use of the Fallout (1) strategy guide for a post apocalyptic campaign -- the maps in that book were really good for table top gaming, and i made use of some other information as well. Generally, a good CRPG strategy guide is as good as any mega adventure you might buy, usually at a fraction of the cost.

 

[Ringlerun]

Never used anything from a computer game but i did use magic the gathering cards once. I just randomly pulled cards from a huge stack and what was in the picture i put into the game.

 

[Weregrognard]

My first dungeon maps were pretty much copied from a Final Fantasy 1 strategy guide.

There. I said it.

Bonus: I had no idea who Strahd was, but the name stuck (prob from reading a catalog) when I ran a Castlevania-like, haunted castle dungeon where the "final boss" was a certain vampire named "Count Von Strand." No, that's not a misspelling and I am extremely embarrased right now, but in my defense, English was not my first language

Bonus 2: Quiz time for the Marvel Comics fans! My first D&D players once fought and later befriended a pirate captain who went by the name of Kiber the Cruel. I owned one of those Marvel universe guides and the name stuck. I think I used the Elmore illustration of a bald, bearded guy from either the Expert or Companion Set for Kiber's look. My player's called him "Keebler". He hated that.

 

[Asmor]

Absolutely. I find World of Warcraft, in particular, a very rich mine for ideas.

 

[Dragonblade]

I made pretty extensive use of the Fallout (1) strategy guide for a post apocalyptic campaign -- the maps in that book were really good for table top gaming, and i made use of some other information as well. Generally, a good CRPG strategy guide is as good as any mega adventure you might buy, usually at a fraction of the cost.

Strangely enough, I have never thought of doing that. Thats a brilliant idea, especially because I'm preparing to run a 4e game which makes it really easy to implement!

Some people may deride this about 4e, but its a powerful strength in my opinion. I can easily borrow and implement ideas from other games like cool maps and terrain effects, enemies with movement based tactics and multi-stage boss battles. Hmm, may have to research this further and hit up GameStop for a strategy guide or two on my way home from work.

 

[Rechan]

@frankthedm has video-game sprite downloads that I've used for monster tokens.

I definitely want to steal Dragon Age's take on Dwarves; it's one of the few dwarf interpretations that I like. I'd also probably nab DA's "moral choices" plots involving the Pleasure Demons; I liked those. And I liked the use of a saint's ashes in DA, not to mention corrupting it via blood.

There are a few monsters I've statted up from video games (headcrabs, and these teleporty bastards from Ninja Gaiden, etc).

I also wouldn't mind stealing a character or two from Mortal Kombat.

WoW's lore is very rich, and I'm sure there's stuff to mine from it.

Never used anything from a computer game but i did use magic the gathering cards once. I just randomly pulled cards from a huge stack and what was in the picture i put into the game.

M:tG art is boss. I have also heard some of the M:tG settings would make really great D&D settings, particularly Zendikar.

 

[Viking Bastard]

I lifted Planescape: Torment's Maze whole into a Planescape game.

 

[SnowleopardVK]

I've used gyms and other such places from Pokemon games. They make good puzzle rooms.

...But now I feel kind of silly compared to the people who use stuff like Fallout.

 

[Glade Riven]

Sort of. I learned dungeon design from playing too many Zelda games. A metroid-style dungeon, though, would be awsome yet extremely complicated to make.

Maybe someday.