Video gamey

[Mista Collins]

I don't think 3e is video gamey at all. Granted D&D is a game, and we are suppose to enjoy games. If a group pf people enjoy describing what happens in a video-gamey fashion, great! But I do want to comment on a D&D game I haven't heard mentioned yet.

Planescape: Torment is probably my favorite game. It has great roleplaying aspects, your class is based on what you do as quests, and the story line is one of the best in any game I have played. But that was done using 2e rules.

You have a RTS game coming out soon and a D&D MMORPG game coming out.

 

[howandwhy99]

diaglo "who still says Zork is the ultimate D&D videogame" Ooi

Funny. I would have thought you a much bigger fan of electronic chess.

 

[the Jester]

I'll agree that the ToEE video game does a much better job of capturing the rules of 3e than NWN. Though I totally love Neverwinter, I have to say- it only captures half the game for me. :\

 

[JoeBlank]

Another vote for the ToEE game. It captures 3.5 rules, and uses turn-based combat. Other video games do not feel at all like D&D to me, but ToEE certainly does.

In fact, I'm playing ToEE with my sons, and they each got to create their own characters, and they get to play them. Because it is turn-based, they get to decide the actions their character takes in combat. And we make group decisions when out of combat. A great way for kids to learn the game. I try to explain in D&D terms what is going on, and they both have played the pen and paper game so they understand and can relate back to that.

 

[lukelightning]

The problem with making a videogame version of D&D is the magic system. Spells in a videogame have to be very specifically defined, mostly of the zap, buff, and shield variety, with some summons and other utility spells. D&D illusion magic just won't work...it's too open ended. And forget about "alter self" or other disguise type effects.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Personally I liked NWN. Of all the games it's the closest to the D&D experience without being around the table. But not when you play the one player format.

Once you play it Online, it has more of the feel. You interact with other players in town, form groups, make enemies, roleplay to your hearts content if you want to.

(unfortunately roleplaying a Drow got me banned from one site...It was MY cave! Instead of the victims I chased out hireing a higherlevel group to come hunt me down they go whine to the DM. No sense of creativity for some people I tell ye.) The lesson: only play good/neutral aligned drow.

I love NWN, for the very reason that there's no game that captures the essence of D&D better than that: You play with a couple of other people, interact with them, have fun, and do quests.

Other games, as fun as they are, are either more like a mix between Pokemon and Command and Conquer - You don't play a character, you control a group of several characters, which you also train - or they involve massive raids and monthly payments. Whenever my World of Warcraft-impaired fellow party members speak of their playing, where they have to spend half an hour managing and briefing the whole clan who stands where, attacks what, heals whom, enspells what, etc. in order to succeed on this quest or that instant, I think: "That sounds like bloody work, and I have to give them money each month? Should be the other way around!"

 

[ThirdWizard]

Hoards of the Underdark is sooo much better than the origional NWN. And, I liked the origional NWN, I have very fond memories of playing with my guildmates (now disbanded - RIP Ladies of Neverwinter ). NWN is a great success because of its online play and its ability to have a DM affect the world.

BG was, of course, a good game, but Planescape: Torment for me wins the best D&D game of all time. KOTOR is also an amazing game, based of the d20 system. I've never played TOEE, but I've heard it was good, too.

I can't think of a bad D&D game, actually. Even KOTOR 2 while not great, was a decent game, I think.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Planescape: Torment is probably my favorite game.

Mine as well.

NWN had a great fan module for it that was based on Keep on the Borderlands. It's a little hard core and meant for a group rather than solo play, but I highly reccomend the download if you can find it.

 

[reveal]

NWN had a great fan module for it that was based on Keep on the Borderlands. It's a little hard core and meant for a group rather than solo play, but I highly reccomend the download if you can find it.

Group play is always better than solo play.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

I can't think of a bad D&D game, actually. Even KOTOR 2 while not great, was a decent game, I think.

There is Pools of Radiance 2: Ruins of Myth Drannor, also called Poor2: Ruins of 3rd Edition, and of course Icewind Dale 2, with its overbearing claim of "using D&D 3 rules".