Sat Sep 29, 2007 7:38 pm
Making Paper & Pen More Viable vs MMORPG's!!!
|
REPLY
QUOTE
TOP
|
|
This would work great for all of Oerth too in my opinion. I am posting it far and wide throughout the planes for discussion. I hope you can find a touch of Greyhawk in it too: I think this is a good place to post it here.
The ultimate DM/PC aphrodisiac!!
DM or PC you have to like this idea.
After my recent foray into MMORPG’s vs Pen & Paper gaming I felt bad for the fact that I had to mention the short comings in Paper & Pen gaming in part due to the speed and depth of immersion (suspension of disbelief) that can be achieved in the MMORPG…..I think I had a good idea here, but you be the judge.
If the speed of seamless presentation of setting information and DM problems are taken into account then you can come up with the truly interactive DM helper.
This premise is based on part to some up coming technological advances that will expand memory storage space into smaller areas, but if they military gets it, some day the rest of us will have access to vast memory space in very small packages.
Let me quantify how this type of interactive paper & pen software and its use in the game are to come about in a rough draft form.
1) Premise 1: The DM uses simple data input (basic numbers random rolls) into a program that takes into account the system (in whatever edition).
2) Premise 2: It would be open ended with a DM being able to input first a setting, and the software presents the image of the setting on a 3d picture on a LCD screen that is part of the software package. It presents all visual data (in a turn based format) that the PC’s would see. During this all other stats would be viewable by the DM including overhead schematics of the battle/encounter.
3) Premise 3: The program would have to be capable of engaging in all 3 major encounter settings, cross country, city, & dungeon settings. Later addition software could offer battle system/birthright options, planescape, spelljammer, aerial, underdark, and other campaigns settings. All settings should reflect data either part of the ongoing setting, but it should offer the DM a chance to alter & add to areas to expand a setting to their likings. You might even have a difficulty level to it for different DM styles.
4) Premise 4: The PC’s have visual input that is similar to the MMORPG setting, but they retain that turn based interactivity that was liked my many Paper & Pen PC’s. (I.E. you can still plan, and devise options). This input is part of a connectable (by USB) LCD screen of varied size (for different pocket books). The images will be as full and interactive as MMORPG’s. They would be more customizable to in individual DM. All voice interactiveness would have to be computer generated in order to allow for this DM choice.
5) Premise 5: All combat & magic choices are part of a MACRO-like feature that allows a DM to click a box to either allow or blank out the option/rule. This would also allow the DM to have an easy print out to show option/house rule variations.
6) Premise 6: PC’s can still be generated by the PC in the old fashion and entered by the DM into the program. The computer processes all numbers, keeps logs about actions, damage, and interactivity, without the DM having to go to the book to look it up all the time. The PC’s can create actual printable pictures of their PC’s or even copy them onto CD or floppy for transport to others games at a later date. (Yes hackers could cheat, but cheaters never win, but they can profit from the hacks if they post them).
7) Premise 7: DM customizability allows for personal random tables to be entered into the game in lieu of the programs. The tables information is set to be tracked like the original randomized settings, but the program uses an interactive software like Cartographer programs on the market in order to deal with encounter issues like monster/creature location at the beginning of the encounter.
8) Premise 8: An AI for all monster encounters based on INT & morale issues that allows the DM to slightly tweak it , once again based on a difficulty level.
9) Premise 9: Customizable magic items, and magic spell affects within basic edition parameters. This means that you should have basic elemental representations that have true psychics behind movements of elemental materials after inception. I know this one would eat up a lot of space in some senses, but it would be worth it if offered as a supplement after a basic customization software was set up.
10) Premise 10: DM stat issues all resolved by the software, with damage (& Location of hit if used) all computed in the software. The software continually updates both DM & PC logs at the bottom of the screen in order to share pertinent information. Maybe not even hit points for the PC but a basic damage rating system that alerts them to damage in silhouette on the PC screen. The DM can manually enter a roll or the computer can roll it for them and tally the details.
11) Premise 11: The DM can devise areas in settings that are able to be entered in basic or full detail in order to add encounters of their own devising in order to reflect further their vision of the game.
12) Premise 12: The individual settings get a software package reflective of issues in the setting in regards to magic or geographic issues. (I.E. defilement for Dark Sun; magic dead areas for Faerun).
13) Premise 13: Internet connectivity that offers the same convenience of the MMORPG setting. You can’t make it over for the game, now you can pop it up on your computer at home.
14) Premise 14: Homebrew with the same options as the pre-generated settings like Faerun & the others. These could be shared later by simple file transfers via the internet.
15) Premise 15: All software should be set up for each edition to appeal to the broadest audience of Paper & Pen gaming. You hate 2nd like 3rd no prob. The 2nd edition is your cup of tea then it is set specifically for that. This is a game of statistics. As a user of Excel I know (and am working on) a variation that allows me to set up a format to convert a 3.?? Monsters stats to 2nd ed. It would be easy to do for each game, although different rule sets would be usable by each. That is why it should be released edition specific.
Well I will of course think up more later and add it to the idea as a whole. I know I don’t want much……just MMORPG interactiveness in Paper & Pen gaming.
You might ask why not just MMORPG…..why because I like the paper & pen aspects, originality, and game system in the setting….I am 2nd ed, but I don’t know if I really like the dumbed down MMORPG settings as well as I like 2nd ed.
So does anyone have any good additions to the premises of such a software???????
Later
|
