*Your* RPG

[dragon wench]

A couple of threads in "RPG Discussion" on the originality (or lack thereof) in RPGs set me to thinking about the sort of RPG I would design if I had all kinds of resources and tech ability at my disposal.

While similar ideas have likely been implemented... I figure it might be interesting to create an RPG series that actually takes place in the modern ("real") world..
Here are bits of my idea. I haven't really thought it through yet (as will be obvious ), these are just fragments of what I might do if I could.

The player character would be a detective. At start there would be choices on gender, appearance, the ability to specialise in weaponry or puzzle solving. Basically, it would be a bit like PS:T. If the PC had high attributes in Intelligence/Wisdom/Charisma they would be better at any quests/tasks etc. requiring the need to solve puzzles follow a trail, interview witnesses etc. Further, such picks would present different dialogue options. But, they'd still be able to handle a weapon, just not with a significant degree of skill. The reverse would apply if the player were to select majors in weaponry.

Introductory Game (story)
*A series of art thefts.
*Intricate puzzles to solve and trails to pursue
*Shadowy organised crime ring.....
*Travel across the globe, start in New York... a trip to Spain.. leads to? And so on..
*Party-based. While a large selection of party members would be available (in different professions/corners of the globe), no more than 2 could accompany the PC at any given time. More than that seems too unrealistic.
*Dialogue and Interaction intense.
*Conversations would occur on diverse topics, ranging from the crimes themselves to discussions of the artistic merits of the pieces stolen
*Each joinable NPC would have their own "personality," story and background that may, or may not, connect to the main plot.

This would be an interconnected series wherein the player would have the option to import their character from game to game. Indeed, it would make far more sense to do so.
While the graphics would be decent (just to bring out some of the exotic locales, or in the case of the first game, art pieces), they would not be the focus of the game. Instead I would concentrate on story, plot, dialogue, puzzles, NPC interactions etc.

EDIT(s)
*The option for the player character to become corrupt
*Choices like the above would influence the arc of the story and (eventually) NPC reactions towards you
*Non static world, the game universe would exist independant of the player character and thus not always require his/her intervention in order for an event to occur




This may be a complete bomb, of course, but as I said, I have not fully thought it through

So, if you had the choice, what type of an RPG would you design?

[Lady Dragonfly]

Are we talking about Da Vinci Code?

[dragon wench]

Are we talking about Da Vinci Code?

*shudders* Oh God no... :speech:
I have not seen the movie or read the book, but I can assure you, this would be far more intelligent than that thing, and I had no intention of introducing P2, Opus Dei or similar organisations into it

I'm just interested in art, that's all

[Fiberfar]

So, if you had the choice, what type of an RPG would you design?

Any kind of RPG as long as there was no good DROW with two scimitars and a first name ending with 'zzt'.

[Lady Dragonfly]

*shudders* Oh God no... :speech:
I have not seen the movie or read the book, but I can assure you, this would be far more intelligent than that thing, and I had no intention of introducing P2, Opus Dei or similar organisations into it

I'm just interested in art, that's all

The movie was terrible (don't watch) but the book was pretty entertaining.
The Angels and Demons is good as well. If you like intense detective stories with multiple art references, Dan Brown is your guy. And it is more intelligent than you may think.
The only people who make a big stand (and stink) against these books are religious fanatics and jealous writers. :laugh: But who cares what they say? It is just a well-written, amusing fiction you might enjoy in an airplane (that is where I read it myself). Helps to tolerate turbulence better.

[The Z]

Angels and Demons blew Da Vinci Code out of the water IMO.

As far as my RPG, I'd love something either in the Forgotten Realms, or in the Fallout universe with a huge focus on story and NPC interaction and conversations (along the lines of PS:T). Multiple ways to advance through the game and a handful of different endings would cap it off for me.

[beornica]

Hahahaha how about The Harem Tent as an RPG, DW?

I miss the old turn based rpgs, like the original FF's, and yes, they've made a few turn based ones recently... LOTR is one I recall... but I would want one with WAY more open endedness in it, like a perfect mix between Elder Scrolls and Final Fantasy. Something with a million and one random little quests, with different characters that may or may not decide to travel with you...
And just for myself, I can't handle rpg's that aren't... fantasy. I have to have the swords and armor and magic and and and... just cause I do. RPGs in modern day and future just unnerve me. So there ya go, that's what I'd want. Though like I said, I'd want the ULTIMATE in quests, nice things to steal, magic and lovely graphics. Watch, I'll bet all you computer people will read this and say "uhhh, there's um.... plenty of that..." BUT NOT FOR MAC!!!

[Robnark]

ooh, choices. however I do have a particular idea buzzing round my head at the moment.

the setting is indeterminate future, post-apocalyptic chic, you get the idea. you start off in your own little bunker and the goal is to create a god through whatever means at your disposal - machinery, body parts, renowned or worshipped artifacts, converting potential enemies by propaganda, violence or force of personality - and use its powers to help you - commanding an army in your holy war, setting it loose to fight alongside you, or binding yourself to it to dramatically increase your abilities.

The point of the whole exercise is to take control of the ruins of a city from two fronts - the surface and the undercity.

you start with your own bunker on the surface and you must either accumulate the followers and the hardware to face down your enemies, build alliances with other factions (and even other aspiring gods), or become so powerful and feared that noone dares attack your little outpost. or, of course, just go out and try and kill everyone. the undercity, on the other hand, is a glorified dungeon crawl (think system shock: the roguelike) but with all manner of hidden caches of equipment, tools and artifacts, and a wide variety of randomised tasks and special events and opponents. these levels will be a great source of experience, equipment and information for your character, remarkable items for god-building, not to mention items and enemies that may influence the way the surface factions interact with you.

the main impetus behind exploring these further will be your shiny new god. as it grows and gains power and its own identity, it will become increasingly demanding regarding your actions - the way you, as the builder, construct it and act in the game will influence how it wants you to behave and the tasks it wants you to do. the closer your connection to the god, the more powerful you are, but wheras a cult leader can influence his followers through his own personality (and may even turn against the new god before the end of the game and take sole charge of the new religion), the character that becomes an avatar of a god can be dramatically penalised for disobeying the patron deity.

the main idea is to allow competely different approaches to the game, even the specific tasks in the undercity. to defeat a particularly nasty monster, for example, one person might despatch spies to locate information and particular weapons and even use henchmen to do the dirty work. another might find the information and use it to create their own more powerful weapons to fight it. one might use a particular affinity their god has towards the enemy to control it. and one might just pray *really* hard and then attack it with guns and bombs and knives and things.

the only problem is that I keep thinking of ways to improve stuff. oh well, I'd still buy it.

[dragon wench]

Hahahaha how about The Harem Tent as an RPG, DW?

Do you have any idea just how worrying that would be?

Although... now that you mention it.. the concept does have a certain... potency..

@Lady Dragonfly,
okay, I confess, I have read a very small bit of the Da Vinci Code. But, I have to be honest, I didn't make it beyond the first chapter. In part, I guess because it felt like a blatant ripoff from books like The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, and also because I didn't care for the prose at all. I'm seriously anal about things like this...

On topic though, some good ideas here so far, keep em coming!
Hmm.... who knows maybe someday we'll all form a company called "Game Banshee RPG Studios."
Yes, yes, I know... "Dream on," right?

[Lady Dragonfly]

@Lady Dragonfly,
okay, I confess, I have read a very small bit of the Da Vinci Code. But, I have to be honest, I didn't make it beyond the first chapter. In part, I guess because it felt like a blatant ripoff from books like The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail. and also because I didn't care for the prose at all. I'm seriously anal about things like this...

:laugh: Airplanes can make you more forgiving, trust me. Besides, I don't believe in Holy Grails anyway.

P.S. Three Musketeers beats Dan Brown big time though. :laugh:

Edit: Sorry, it is off topic.

[beornica]

Hmm.... who knows maybe someday we'll all form a company called "Game Banshee RPG Studios."
Yes, yes, I know... "Dream on," right?

Awwww!!! It would be just like our excellent Morrowind mod crew, only a thousand times more fun!!! ::misses the modding days at Gamebanshee::

[dragon wench]

@LD,
no worries, it's not as though I put "no spam" anywhere Though, I do sense a good title for a new thread, something to the effect of "The Trash you have Endured while Flying." (feel free if you are inclined, I've done enough damage lately )


You are right though... I know I've read some serious pulp while aboard a plane. I think it's sort of a "captive audience."


@Boernica,
You and me both *nostalgic sniff* It also reminds me of the DF's halycon era...

Seriously though, it's too bad something like that couldn't happen, we have tons of creative and technical talent here at GB.

[Mr_Snow]

I'd have the setting during the crusades

Epic battles, lots of groups/companies to be a part of and the line between good/bad is definately blurred

[Chimaera182]

Hrm. I've often devised games in my head, ideal games which I feel would be perfect (although they're often too complex for even me to want to handle, let alone could computers probably even 5 years in the future be able to handle adequately), but never an RPG. I'm much bigger on strategy games.

I do kind of like Mr_Snow's Crusades idea, though. An RPG set during the Crusades (which one? )might be interesting, if it was done properly.

Funny, I do recall once fantasizing about some kind of RPG game I would like, but I can't remember what. Probably something silly, like a Star Trek RPG. Hm... a Klingon RPG. I dunno, though; with a Klingon RPG you'd have to expect a ton of hack-and-slash, although at least in that game you would likely be viewed as a better Klingon for killing rather than talking (which is different than what you get in games like Fable or Knights of the Old Republic, where killing people is considered "bad"). Actually, that alone would be a welcome change. Or something like... you're taking control of a murderer who's about to begin his serial spree, and you have to stalk people as well as interact with others (like if you befriend your potential victims to some point, like a trust-meter, so you're more likely to be invited into their homes for some private time, perfect for killing them). Ooh, that would be a fun game. :devil:

[wing]

that would be a great game. if only my parents werent so anti-violent and would let me get it if it came out... and it could have stuff like, if you mess up, its not the end of the world. its just you have to be way more careful because they have pictures of you up everywhere, or that if you actually get caught you have to break out of jail. would it be something with lots of guns, or a more stealthy, sneak-up-behind-them-and-slit-their-throat type thing?

[DesR85]

would it be something with lots of guns, or a more stealthy, sneak-up-behind-them-and-slit-their-throat type thing?

That would make the game like a stealth-based action game like Hitman or the Splinter Cell series. If they follow Hitman's style, I would have so much fun knocking people unconscious and wearing their clothes to prevent detection. If I ever see that in any RPG, that would be so cool indeed.

As for an RPG I have yet to see an RPG set in World War 2. Wouldn't mind playing an RPG in that setting, if it's good. Imagine going through the D-Day landings as a soldier a-la RPG style or maybe play from the perspective of a paratrooper when you were paradropped behind enemy lines. Enemies and allies will use cover-and-fire tactics that no RPG has ever tried before. Don't expect anything open-ended as you follow the real events portrayed in World War 2. And yes, you get to ride on top of a tank too, if you want.

Anyway, that idea of mine will give any RPG developer a heart attack. Imagine playing that kind of game either turn-based or real-time. Very hard to simulate if you ask me. :laugh: I'll most likely leave that to the FPS developers (Infinity Ward, 2015, Treyarch Studios, Gearbox Software to name a few) as they know how to develop World War 2 games.

[Cartell]

I'm kinda obsessed with RPGs, and my job is incredibly boring, so all I do during work is think about Rpgs I would make. (No I'm am not a loser, my mother loves me.):laugh: Anyway. I love Mages in all RPGs so i think it would be cool to have a just mage RPG.
Backround on the world. The world is united under the rule a single King. The king however is not the real power, the real power is the Council of Mages. The council is ruled by a different member of the Council for four years, until his reign as chancellor is up, and then another member is elected.(much like the way the Galatic council works in the starwars galaxy, At least pre empire )

The player, starts out as the son of a peasent. It is discovered that he has above intelligence, and would be a good addition to the realm of mages. After character creation, it would be much like Morrowinds with different mage orriented skills, You would be admitted as an apprentice. For several missions you would do the lowly biddings of your master, until you are able to become a full mage. After that, it becomes uber open ended. You can then play to become a "sucessful" mage. What is sucess, that is up to the player. Sucess could be measured in several ways. Raise many apprentices of your own. Start a rebellion and led the peseant to freedom, become Chancellor of the mages council, And of course, pull a Palpitine and take over the world, or not for you good characters. Other ways to be sucessful focus on dark magics and become an evil overlord, maybe a necromancer? and any other numerous things. There would plentiful shops, cities and open country side to roam. Any other ideas on how this could the be the best RPG for mage lovers everywhere are appreciated.

[LordAce]

I am certainly not creative enough to do this, but wanted to praise Cartell and DesR85. Both of your ideas are awesome, good job.

[Cartell]

Heres, anothe RPG to come out of the pit of thought that is my job.

This one is an MMORPG. It takes place in a fantasy world qwhich is ruled by a king. However a new world, named Gaiaterra is recently discovered. The "New World" is still covered with indgious creatures and forests, but it can be settled. The economy would be completly player based. (like SWG before it the badness) The new world would canstantly be becomeing better as more people "move" to Gaiaterra, and build villages, cities towns. This would mean each server of the game would be different as the cities, towns villages, etc. would not be built in the same places. The cities could have governments set up, all through player discions and this mean that each city could be ruled differently. Everything from houses, to weapons would be created by the players. Complete individaulness. Quests would also be made by players. Example. One players become strong and takes over a city by force. Four people start a party, and go from city to city recruiting other players in their quest to go help fight the evil king. In the end it is the minions of the evil king:devil: , VS the party of valiant warriors , whose party now numbers 67. It would need polishing but think of the potential.

[LordAce]

Cartell, that would actually be an awesome game. It would be complete chaos in the beginning, but I think it would come together pretty fast. So, when are you gonna start looking for investors?