MGibster
Legend
I think it's fairly obvious that table top role playing games have had a profound influence on computerized gaming over the last fifty years. The earliest example I can find dates from 1975, where an unlicensed version of Dungeons & Dragons, creatively titled Dungeon, was was created on a DECsystem-10 mainframe server by Don Daglow. I'm not going quibble overly much about the exact definition of role playing game, but generally speaking an RPG seeks to immerse you in a setting, there's a narrative, and character development as you progressively grow more powerful as that narrative advances. I could sit here typing all day and probably not come up with all the computer role playing games (CRPGS) that have been influenced by table top role playing games (TTRPGS), but a few examples would include Ultima (1980), Might and Magic (1986) the Gold Box series of AD&D computer games produced by SSI from 1988-1992, Fallout (1997), and many, many more games.
I've been thinking about this for a while, and once again while playing Cyberpunk 2077 I thought to myself, "What can I learn from this game that might make me a better DM or player?"
Side Quests: These are quests, tasks, jobs, etc., etc. that usually don't have a direct relationship with the main narrative of the game. As a DM, I tend to be somewhat myopic when running the game in that I tend to focus most of my attention on the main plot to the exclusion of most other things. In part, this is because I have players who have a laser like focus and tend to ignore anything that isn't directly related to the main narrative which is too bad because I can't help but think we're all missing out on something. Side quests can be a great way to introduce setting elements in game rather than exposition, an organic way to meet new NPCs (antagonist or allies), to accumulate wealth or experience, and most importantly for the players to have a little fun. I'm thinking I'd like to introduce more side quests to my games for these reasons.
Cyberpunk 2077 has a very simple side quest called "Burning Desire" where you pick an NPC up in your vehicle and drop him off at a ripper doc (clinic). When you arrive to pick up the quest, a man shuffles up to you slowly, hunched over in obvious pain while holding his crotch and begging you to take him to a clinic. On your way to the clinic, you learn the black market Mr. Studd™ cybernetic implant (you figure out where that goes) he had installed is faulty, a known problem with that model, and burst into flame. It's rather humorous, but the mission gives the player a chance to drive around and get to know the city, establishes that cybernetic implants can be anywhere, and reinforces the idea that there's a black market for cyberwear.
So are there any CRPGS you've played that gave you some ideas on how to improve your TTRPGS?
I've been thinking about this for a while, and once again while playing Cyberpunk 2077 I thought to myself, "What can I learn from this game that might make me a better DM or player?"
Side Quests: These are quests, tasks, jobs, etc., etc. that usually don't have a direct relationship with the main narrative of the game. As a DM, I tend to be somewhat myopic when running the game in that I tend to focus most of my attention on the main plot to the exclusion of most other things. In part, this is because I have players who have a laser like focus and tend to ignore anything that isn't directly related to the main narrative which is too bad because I can't help but think we're all missing out on something. Side quests can be a great way to introduce setting elements in game rather than exposition, an organic way to meet new NPCs (antagonist or allies), to accumulate wealth or experience, and most importantly for the players to have a little fun. I'm thinking I'd like to introduce more side quests to my games for these reasons.
Cyberpunk 2077 has a very simple side quest called "Burning Desire" where you pick an NPC up in your vehicle and drop him off at a ripper doc (clinic). When you arrive to pick up the quest, a man shuffles up to you slowly, hunched over in obvious pain while holding his crotch and begging you to take him to a clinic. On your way to the clinic, you learn the black market Mr. Studd™ cybernetic implant (you figure out where that goes) he had installed is faulty, a known problem with that model, and burst into flame. It's rather humorous, but the mission gives the player a chance to drive around and get to know the city, establishes that cybernetic implants can be anywhere, and reinforces the idea that there's a black market for cyberwear.
So are there any CRPGS you've played that gave you some ideas on how to improve your TTRPGS?