I was particularly struck by the comment about MMOs and wonder how this will impact DDO?
Warner Brothers has a contract. So WotC can't impact DDO in any way that is not in the contract, and from the moves WB/Turbine has made I'm willing to bet WotC has almost zero say, if any.
Problem with WotC has pretty much always been with the limitations and inference of hasbro. Hasbro interactive closing and licensing rights being sold to atari during the boom really screwed the pooch as far as video/online gaming is concerned..............................................................................................................................................
id honestly like to see some single/small group games that play like baulder's gate/divinity original sin set in wizards universes
I was particularly struck by the comment about MMOs and wonder how this will impact DDO?
I doubt it will much. D&D is known to all gamers and already have 2 MMOs (Neverwinter and DDO) and almost all MMOs are to some degrees loosely based on it as well. There are room for more.
Also, DDO is set in Eberon (with a little bit put in Forgotten realms added later). I don't see anyone ever making another MMO in that setting, it was a rather terrible mistake to not use another world but they wanted it back at DDOs launch in hopes it would make the setting more popular. It did not work.
For a new D&D game I think there only are 2 likely settings: Forgotten realms and Dragonlance. While Dragonlance isn't as popular as it once was (there have actually been more then a few DL computer games, Heroes of the Lance and Champions of Krynn are 2 of the ones I played myself way back) it still have many fans and there are a load of rather good books in the setting.
Forgotten realms is likelier though, it is probably the most popular RPG world ever. That could affect Neverwinters license though, but I think it is more probable that they use another part of the realms as settings, NW is set in the northern Swordscoast so setting it around the Sea of fallen stars (westgate, Cormyr, Sembia among others) would be the popular choice, most FR campaigns usually are about either of those 2 areas and so is the books.
There are a few other campaigns worlds that is possible but unlikely, I think Ravenloft at least could be a slight possibility, it's steampunk/horror setting would work well for a MMO.
Personally do I think Dragonlance would be the best setting for a new MMO, it is different enough to be interesting. A new FR MMO would be very like most other MMOs since almost all fantasy MMOs have borrowed a lot from it.
Considering the D&D products have not been getting quality treatment from licensees in the last several years, it is not like they can do any worse.....
The last "not completely terrible" D&D title was probably DDO and that was 10 years ago and even that game was severely limited.
If it keeps other companies from shitting on the IP, it can only be a good thing...
They have not been kind to their own products either, Forgotten realms 4.0 totally destroyed the charm of the setting. I have to admit that I havn't had the heart to look on the 5th edition stuff though, they could possibly made things better.
But I agree, the fun factor of D&D based games have gone downwards for a long while. I have some hopes for the new Planescape game though.
I was particularly struck by the comment about MMOs and wonder how this will impact DDO?
Indeed. It certainly could going forward.
However maybe Wizards plan to release D&D "not on line".
Characters slots on-line (paid unlocks);
Modules on-line (unlocked with cash or maybe in-game gold) with voiced text but no graphics and "decision points" at which players used their phones or tablets to select spells, positions, actions.
Lots of "dice rolling". Branching options in the module.
The voice of the GM reveals the results. Will poor Teddy be resurrected or abandoned? No resurrection spell available? Would you like the gods to intervene - for a small donation of course.
We run a 5th Edition campaign using Fantasy Grounds and the licensed D&D content hooked up to a 40 inch TV lying on a table. The DM uses Fantasy Grounds as a campaign manager and to display the maps and creatures, track damage on creatures, etc. We use miniatures on top of the creatures and our characters for some extra coolness. Players sit around the table using characters sheets and dice. We also stream it using Skype so one of our out of town players can join us. It's a fun mix of technology and old school pen and paper.
Of course there are tons of fully online games that people run/join using Fantasy Grounds.
It would be cool to see a system developed by WotC specifically for running D&D games though.
Comments
Warner Brothers has a contract. So WotC can't impact DDO in any way that is not in the contract, and from the moves WB/Turbine has made I'm willing to bet WotC has almost zero say, if any.
MTGO had all of that(with a few exceptions) you missed the boat by a couple years.
Also, DDO is set in Eberon (with a little bit put in Forgotten realms added later). I don't see anyone ever making another MMO in that setting, it was a rather terrible mistake to not use another world but they wanted it back at DDOs launch in hopes it would make the setting more popular. It did not work.
For a new D&D game I think there only are 2 likely settings: Forgotten realms and Dragonlance. While Dragonlance isn't as popular as it once was (there have actually been more then a few DL computer games, Heroes of the Lance and Champions of Krynn are 2 of the ones I played myself way back) it still have many fans and there are a load of rather good books in the setting.
Forgotten realms is likelier though, it is probably the most popular RPG world ever. That could affect Neverwinters license though, but I think it is more probable that they use another part of the realms as settings, NW is set in the northern Swordscoast so setting it around the Sea of fallen stars (westgate, Cormyr, Sembia among others) would be the popular choice, most FR campaigns usually are about either of those 2 areas and so is the books.
There are a few other campaigns worlds that is possible but unlikely, I think Ravenloft at least could be a slight possibility, it's steampunk/horror setting would work well for a MMO.
Personally do I think Dragonlance would be the best setting for a new MMO, it is different enough to be interesting. A new FR MMO would be very like most other MMOs since almost all fantasy MMOs have borrowed a lot from it.
But I agree, the fun factor of D&D based games have gone downwards for a long while. I have some hopes for the new Planescape game though.
We run a 5th Edition campaign using Fantasy Grounds and the licensed D&D content hooked up to a 40 inch TV lying on a table. The DM uses Fantasy Grounds as a campaign manager and to display the maps and creatures, track damage on creatures, etc. We use miniatures on top of the creatures and our characters for some extra coolness. Players sit around the table using characters sheets and dice. We also stream it using Skype so one of our out of town players can join us. It's a fun mix of technology and old school pen and paper.
Of course there are tons of fully online games that people run/join using Fantasy Grounds.
It would be cool to see a system developed by WotC specifically for running D&D games though.