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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Jan 2007 : 03:01:11
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I know we can point out a lot of elements of video games, especially CRPGs and especially MMORPGs that we might not be thrilled that have managed to creep into our beloved pen and paper games, but recently, playing some of these things, it occurred to me that perhaps there are a few positives from these things that might be a good idea to adopt.
Occaisional Updates
When new expansions come out for games, existing characters often get a revamp. I'm not just talking about the updates and their effects on PCs, but rather important NPCs that are suppose to be the pinnacle of acheivement often get bumped up in power when the level cap for games go up.
This rises out of the idea that certain NPCs exist as a concept . . . in other words, a given wizard is suppose to be the most powerful wizard of the North, so when PCs started getting close to his level, his level should be adjusted. Why? Not to punish the PCs, but because the concept of the character is that they are suppose to be beyond other characters in achievement.
If a PC DOES become a "big fish" its because its part of the campaign, and part of the ongoing story between the DM and the player, not because the rules happen to say that after fighting X number of monsters you should be as powerful as NPC Y.
Of course, Ed dealt with this long ago, when he used to point out, for example, that Khelben should be adjusted to ten levels higher than the PCs so that he always came across as just a bit beyond their abilities.
Quests, quests, everywhere
No matter where you go, there is a quest that can start. They don't all need to be long, epic adventuers, but if someone goes off in a given direction, there should be something for them to do, it should have at least a bit of challenge to it, and it should make the PCs feel like they didn't completely waste their time when they went in this direction.
Obviously, the Realms are suppose to be a living, moving campaign, and this kind of thing is definately what the Realms is already about, but its certainly something to keep in mind when coming up with where the adventurers live and adventure in.
I was just thinking about this since so often we hear about how video games have screwed up our hobby, perhaps it would behoove us to think about the positive lessons that we can come up with from video games and think about what they do right as well as what they do wrong.
Oh, and one good thing about MMORPGs . . . people start at low level, play their characters, and get connected to them because they have played them from first level. I see a lot of people starting out at higher level "because its no fun" but yet, surviving low levels seem to really let someone feel like they accomplished something.
Don't get me wrong, I think that a lot of headaches may have come out these games, and I think that a lot of people get the wrong idea about what roleplaying is from the overuse of the title, but nothing is all good or all bad . . .
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2007 : 17:32:15
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| I think also that roleplaying in online games like NWN helps get people more comfortable roleplaying in PNP (my younger brother wasn't much for RPing before, but from doing it online in NWN, he got more used to thinking like his character and now he RPs much more). |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Kaladorm
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1176 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2007 : 23:16:34
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| I need to stop hanging around on these forums. Last night I dream I was in bed with two female sages from candlekeep and the pope discussing this topic |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2007 : 23:59:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Kaladorm
I need to stop hanging around on these forums. Last night I dream I was in bed with two female sages from candlekeep and the pope discussing this topic
hahahaah! |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31777 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2007 : 00:09:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Kaladorm
I need to stop hanging around on these forums. Last night I dream I was in bed with two female sages from candlekeep and the pope discussing this topic
Was there Calishite Dancing Girls also? 
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Reefy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
892 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2007 : 22:01:05
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quote:
Originally posted by Kaladorm
I need to stop hanging around on these forums. Last night I dream I was in bed with two female sages from candlekeep and the pope discussing this topic
THO, Wooly and Ed? Make up your own mind who took on which role.  |
Life is either daring adventure or nothing. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36805 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jan 2007 : 03:24:29
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quote:
Originally posted by Reefy
quote:
Originally posted by Kaladorm
I need to stop hanging around on these forums. Last night I dream I was in bed with two female sages from candlekeep and the pope discussing this topic
THO, Wooly and Ed? Make up your own mind who took on which role.
I assure you I am not a female! |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Mace Hammerhand
Great Reader
Germany
2296 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jan 2007 : 22:11:01
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quote:
Originally posted by Kaladorm
I need to stop hanging around on these forums. Last night I dream I was in bed with two female sages from candlekeep and the pope discussing this topic
Mate, I know I am crazy...but you.... |
Mace's not so gentle gamer's journal My rants were harmless compared to this, beware! |
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LucianBarasu
Fellaren-Krae Co-ordinator
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 20:10:55
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My question to you, whether it in bad taste (no pun intended) was....
you were in bed with two female sages...AND the pope...
and just talking?????
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Lucian "The Bringer" Barasu
Fellaren Krae Project Co-Ordinator
"Why do you cry?"
"He is Conan, Cimmerian. He won't cry... So I cry for him."
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Victor_ograygor
Master of Realmslore
Denmark
1075 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 20:19:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Reefy
quote:
Originally posted by Kaladorm
I need to stop hanging around on these forums. Last night I dream I was in bed with two female sages from candlekeep and the pope discussing this topic
THO, Wooly and Ed? Make up your own mind who took on which role.
I assure you I am not a female!
I have my dough’s about that.
What man would chose a sweat space hamster as his avatar. 
Truly I hade a dream about this forum : I said something realy bad I and was kicked out of Candlekeep for good.
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Victor Ograygor The Assassin and Candel keeps cellar master
Everything I need to know about life I learned from killing smart people.
Links related to Forgotten Realms
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9571
Adventuring / Mercenary Companies / Orders / The chosen from official sources
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11047
Priests in Forgotten Realms.
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9609&whichpage=1 |
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WalkerNinja
Senior Scribe
USA
575 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 20:46:28
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Here's something that SHOULD be learned from video games:
We should always try to make our games seem as real as possible. Games achieve this by improving their graphics. DM's should do this by broadening their vocabulary and working on their speaking/presentation skills. |
*** A Forgotten Realms Addict since 1990 ***
Treasures of the Past, a Second Edition Play-by-Post game for and by Candlekeep Sages--http://www.rpol.net/game.cgi?gi=52011 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 06:26:57
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I agree, My three sons and I play WoW, and we have three seperate accounts. We all enjoy playing the characters at low levels better because it is much more challenging (fun). Once I get a charater up to thirty it's almost like a job - Do this, hand in quest, get new quest, go here, do that, hand in quest, etc... The repetition just kills it for me at higher levs. There is that at the lower levels, but between the challenge and the shorter quests it just seems like you accomplish so much more.
Haven't played at all in three weeks, thats why I'm back to RPing now.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Kaladorm
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1176 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 13:47:30
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The beauty of D&D is you and your friends are completely in charge of your own world. In MMORPGS no matter how much roleplaying you want to do, you're still class x at level y and (aside from some minor differences and looks) you're the same as another class x level y person in terms of what you can do in the game.
D&D lets you make rolls and attempt anything you can imagine. In WoW you can't, having run out of arrows trying to hit that levitating wizard, engineer a makeshift lasso to try and bring him down. In Everquest you can't dig a hole in the snow and bury yourself in it in the hope that the dragon won't be able to see your heat signature (yes I have done that lol. And got eaten).
However in some cases I think mmorpgs have the upper hand. Immersion is one. Sure the realms is thriving, we all know it's a living breathing world, with commoners and people who are, for the most part, worthless in as far as the characters story/quest is concerned (please do not take this the wrong way hehe), yet in the mmorpg world you see other people running around going about their business. Nothing better for simulating other people than other people  . True a lot of them can only talk without using vowels and may be running around naked, but it's people nonetheless.
hehe, I consider myself a bit of an mmorpg veteran so I like to poke fun at it  , try not to take offense if anyone plays still. By the way, does anyone remember the classic 'I need to get to burned woods' scenario? |
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Positive Things We Can Pick Up From Video Games
