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SymPhoenix
2013-04-29, 10:18 PM
I know that's sort of a weird title, but I'm blanking on any other better ones. I'm rereading a book called Ready Player One (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/ReadyPlayerOne?from=Main.ReadyPlayerOne), and as you can read, it involves a virtual reality game that the whole world participates in, to escape the ****ty RL world.

It's a concept that kind of intrigues me. Does anyone know any systems that would run this sort of concept well? Shadowrun has been recommended to me, but I've also heard that it's kind of needlessly complicated. Any recommendations, Playgrounders?

Susano-wo
2013-04-29, 11:33 PM
I know that's sort of a weird title, but I'm blanking on any other better ones. I'm rereading a book called Ready Player One (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/ReadyPlayerOne?from=Main.ReadyPlayerOne), and as you can read, it involves a virtual reality game that the whole world participates in, to escape the ****ty RL world.

It's a concept that kind of intrigues me. Does anyone know any systems that would run this sort of concept well? Shadowrun has been recommended to me, but I've also heard that it's kind of needlessly complicated. Any recommendations, Playgrounders?

4E dnd /Endtroll :smallamused:

Seriously, though any RPG that is good at the Genre of MMO you are talking about (sci-fi, fantasy, etc)would be good, with modifications perhaps fro things like inventory not taking up real space on the character

Elvenoutrider
2013-04-29, 11:52 PM
if your not going for a system specifically built for this type of thing, gurps is the go to choice. can be used to great effect for just about any setting

The Dark Fiddler
2013-04-30, 05:18 PM
Honestly, just as there is tons of variance between different RPG systems, there's tons of variance between different games, MMOs included. This means that, as long as you frame the game correctly, pretty much every system will work as long as you have it representing a game that it matches with in tone.

There are a few exceptions there, I will grant that. Don't Rest Your Head would probably make an awful MMO, being based so much on being the players vs. the Mad City, and with a very definite final end to your character. Same with Dread, and maybe some more narrative systems.

D&D 3.5? Just look at Dungeons and Dragons online.

Mutants and Masterminds? Didn't they have a superhero MMO until just recently?

World of Darkness? Please, each splatbook is practically its own expansion.

Paranoia? Have you ever heard of the game Space Station 13?


If you're looking for a generic system that can tackle a variety of tones, though, I'd look at GURPS, Mutants and Masterminds, or Fate (in order of most-to-least fiddly with numbers, though I'll admit GURPS's position is based on hearsay). If you have a specific type of MMO in mind (e.g. high medieval adventure, awesome modern day stuff, undercover cops, space opera, slice-of-life glorified chatroom), you'll have to tell us before we can advise you on a system.

rorikdude12
2013-04-30, 05:59 PM
I liked Ready Player one.

That said, it could only really translate well to tabletop with a very nit-picky system. Try GURPS. Sorry to recommend it, but it could work well in this case.

SymPhoenix
2013-04-30, 09:21 PM
To clarify, the glorified chatroom wouldn't be a bad 'beginning'..something to escape the real world, but perhaps not inherently dangerous. Maybe there's a developing combat system that people can adapt their avatars to.

Hylas
2013-05-01, 05:38 PM
I've played around with the idea of having an RPG's setting being inside an MMORPG. Unfortunately my regular gaming friends don't play MMOs and vice versa.

I would recommend 3.5/Pathfinder/d20. They have just the right level of crunch, customization, and min/maxing to feel like a video game, but are still playable as a tabletop RPG. d20 also gives you the options of "changing classes" or other things you might want to do, as well as a clear "max level" that you can set.

There are some things you have to take into consideration for your video game adaptation. Being an online game, there's a good chance you'll run into player characters as adversaries, so you might have to bar some common spells and abilities for your RPG. Things like mind control, brainwashing, and mind reading just don't really work with the fluff of the setting at all (unless people being able to hack other people's brains is something that's possible in your VR MMORPG, but even then it's not really something a 1st level wizard should be able to do).

Speaking of mind control, there was an issue I came across with regarding social skills and socially-based characters. You can say "oh, the skills represent how well the player can interact with others using his avatar" but then there's the question of why they don't have as much combat capability as someone of similar level. This is why I shied away from using GURPS, because the problem is amplified there. If you can solve that problem then you're golden.