Legend of Five Rings video game announced

[t209]

After a year when I made this thread (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?647534-Why-no-Legend-of-Five-Rings-videogame&highlight=Legend+of+Five+Rings), they finally announced first attempt at making Legend of Five Rings videogame. It isn't much but kind of disappointed that it took them that long to get a game.
Still, maybe baby steps instead of Crusader Kings 2, Emperor of the Fading Suns, or Grand Strategy game.
https://www.legendofthefiverings.com/survive-the-shadowlands-in-this-upcoming-roguelite-autobattler

[Zombimode]

Autobattler?

Lost pretty much any interest after that.
What is this, Raid: Shadowland Legends?

[t209]

Autobattler?

Lost pretty much any interest after that.
What is this, Raid: Shadowland Legends?
Yeah, first one being that didn’t help.
Heck, Darkest Dungeon or X-Com would have been impressive.

[Psyren]

Autobattler?

Lost pretty much any interest after that.
What is this, Raid: Shadowland Legends?

This matches my reaction as well.

It reminds me of how Paizo thought people would get excited about a real-time Pathfinder MMO; when they didn't, they said "fine, we'll make an isometric party-based CRPG instead" and gave us Kingmaker, then were surprised when it sold like gangbusters. Make the video game like the tabletop one, it's not hard!

[t209]

This matches my reaction as well.

It reminds me of how Paizo thought people would get excited about a real-time Pathfinder MMO; when they didn't, they said "fine, we'll make an isometric party-based CRPG instead" and gave us Kingmaker, then were surprised when it sold like gangbusters. Make the video game like the tabletop one, it's not hard!
Similarly, on the other hand, I also wonder about the lack of CRPG on L5R and even Kara-Tur (more so in SSI and Baldur's Gate era, even the latter used base-2E rules). Part of me wonder if their insistence on Honor and "bizarre exotic eastern etiquette" (currently scrutinized recently, even if I disagree with those mechanics) made is hard to adapt (especially looting from corpses and even buying from merchants; two major features in CRPG but "dishonorable" in L5R) without giving up that authenticity (at least what game designer assumed it to be).
Other than that, other ideas are computer card game, dialogue sim focused on court intrigue, or Crusader Kings style game.

[Rynjin]

This matches my reaction as well.

It reminds me of how Paizo thought people would get excited about a real-time Pathfinder MMO; when they didn't, they said "fine, we'll make an isometric party-based CRPG instead" and gave us Kingmaker, then were surprised when it sold like gangbusters. Make the video game like the tabletop one, it's not hard!

TBF I would have played the **** out of a Pathfinder MMO in the same style as Dungeons and Dragons Online.

[Psyren]

TBF I would have played the **** out of a Pathfinder MMO in the same style as Dungeons and Dragons Online.

To be clear, I'm not saying the concept had no merits - but being not only a Kickstarter MMO, but one being attempted by a completely unproven studio, the outcome was abundantly clear to me even back then.

Not to mention the raft of people, myself included, who were repeatedly asking the "why not just start with a Golarion Neverwinter Nights??" question, which seemingly fell on deaf ears, until Owlcat was engaged several years later.


Similarly, on the other hand, I also wonder about the lack of CRPG on L5R and even Kara-Tur (more so in SSI and Baldur's Gate era, even the latter used base-2E rules). Part of me wonder if their insistence on Honor and "bizarre exotic eastern etiquette" (currently scrutinized recently, even if I disagree with those mechanics) made is hard to adapt (especially looting from corpses and even buying from merchants; two major features in CRPG but "dishonorable" in L5R) without giving up that authenticity (at least what game designer assumed it to be).
Other than that, mostly card game adaptation for computer, dialogue sim focused on court intrigue, or Crusader Kings style game.

I'm honestly glad they didn't attempt Kara-Tur/Rokugan back then, it would have likely been rife with stereotypes and cliches that would have aged like milk. And even later on when we started to be more conscious of such things, Jade Empire not doing well commercially was likely a splash of cold water too.

[Dragonus45]

I saw this and got so excited, and then I read the details and it sucks. But anything that reminds people the setting is out there and gives me hope I'll take.


Similarly, on the other hand, I also wonder about the lack of CRPG on L5R and even Kara-Tur (more so in SSI and Baldur's Gate era, even the latter used base-2E rules). Part of me wonder if their insistence on Honor and "bizarre exotic eastern etiquette" (currently scrutinized recently, even if I disagree with those mechanics) made is hard to adapt (especially looting from corpses and even buying from merchants; two major features in CRPG but "dishonorable" in L5R) without giving up that authenticity (at least what game designer assumed it to be).
Other than that, other ideas are computer card game, dialogue sim focused on court intrigue, or Crusader Kings style game.

L5R would be a very different beast to make a CRPG style game of make it feel proper to what the RPG should feel like when played. Which should be very RP heavy and character focused. I imagine something like a less meta and wild Disco Elysium perhaps? If it just feels like just another dungeon crawler type thing I feel like the great setting would be wasted.

[t209]

I saw this and got so excited, and then I read the details and it sucks. But anything that reminds people the setting is out there and gives me hope I'll take.



L5R would be a very different beast to make a CRPG style game of make it feel proper to what the RPG should feel like when played. Which should be very RP heavy and character focused. I imagine something like a less meta and wild Disco Elysium perhaps? If it just feels like just another dungeon crawler type thing I feel like the great setting would be wasted.
I am thinking like that but won’t get more audience.


I'm honestly glad they didn't attempt Kara-Tur/Rokugan back then, it would have likely been rife with stereotypes and cliches that would have aged like milk. And even later on when we started to be more conscious of such things, Jade Empire not doing well commercially was likely a splash of cold water too.
I would see that, but they did have one in Baldur’s Gate and Raveloft. Strangely first one used base 2E rules, and latter look like ninja but have cleric class. So either OA was already out of print or mechanics would be too clunky for mechanics of those games.

[LudicSavant]

After a year when I made this thread (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?647534-Why-no-Legend-of-Five-Rings-videogame&highlight=Legend+of+Five+Rings), they finally announced first attempt at making Legend of Five Rings videogame. It isn't much but kind of disappointed that it took them that long to get a game.
Still, maybe baby steps instead of Crusader Kings 2, Emperor of the Fading Suns, or Grand Strategy game.
https://www.legendofthefiverings.com/survive-the-shadowlands-in-this-upcoming-roguelite-autobattler

Had me at Legend of the Five Rings, then lost me at Autobattler. :smallfrown:

I want a Legend of the Five Rings game with intense tea ceremony action, or I don't want a Legend of the Five Rings game at all! Reeeeee! :smalltongue:


L5R would be a very different beast to make a CRPG style game of make it feel proper to what the RPG should feel like when played. Which should be very RP heavy and character focused. I imagine something like a less meta and wild Disco Elysium perhaps? If it just feels like just another dungeon crawler type thing I feel like the great setting would be wasted.

Disco Elysium with tea and scorpions, I would buy that.

[Psyren]

A Disco Elysium-style L5R or Paranoia game sounds like it would be an instant best-seller!

[Eldan]

And you can still carry your sword everywhere, but 90% of the time, it's an instant game over if you use it, just like in Disco Elysium!

[t209]

And you can still carry your sword everywhere, but 90% of the time, it's an instant game over if you use it, just like in Disco Elysium!
Was it a nod to Disco Elysium or the way L5R rpg built would make katana fighting difficult (like Honor system, or deadly combat scenario).

[Eldan]

Bit of both. There's a handful of cases in the game where you can pull your gun on someone. And several of them end in instant game overs, of the "Cop has nervous breakdown and shoots child" or "Alcoholic cop commits suicide" variety. Similarly, there would be situations in a Five Rings game where pulling your katana on the wrong person would so thoroughly dishonour you, the game would be effectively over.

[Dragonus45]

Yea the social context of knowing when to use violence is a big deal for Samurai and I would love to have a mechanic like that. Perhaps have clan sensitive context to it too, so that a veru drunk Crab can wave his sword around after dinner and kind of walk it off with a couple good checks because the Rokugani already tend to let minor faux pas go when the people involved are drunk and Crabs are just like that sometimes and everyone learns to just let it go sometimes.

[t209]

Yea the social context of knowing when to use violence is a big deal for Samurai and I would love to have a mechanic like that. Perhaps have clan sensitive context to it too, so that a veru drunk Crab can wave his sword around after dinner and kind of walk it off with a couple good checks because the Rokugani already tend to let minor faux pas go when the people involved are drunk and Crabs are just like that sometimes and everyone learns to just let it go sometimes.


Bit of both. There's a handful of cases in the game where you can pull your gun on someone. And several of them end in instant game overs, of the "Cop has nervous breakdown and shoots child" or "Alcoholic cop commits suicide" variety. Similarly, there would be situations in a Five Rings game where pulling your katana on the wrong person would so thoroughly dishonour you, the game would be effectively over.

And now seeing that I am now seeing why people have an issue with this along with OA in terms of gameplay (especially the latter getting the honor score to zero is "game over", not even the idea of renegades or ronins...plus its Bushido-inspired rule is expected to be followed by unruly Barbarian, outlaw Yakuza, deceptive Ninja, vagrant Wu-Jen, and Monks--be it Shaolin or "I am just martial artists and that term is just for mechanic purpose only")...AND maybe not sure how DM or players can agree in case they're "new player friendly" (at least not dumb enough to draw a blade at noble for kicks).
L5R kinda works since it's narrative based from start, but not that it would be new player-friendly (or new DM for that matter) mostly need to know BOTH the game lore and Bushido (or at least workable in TTRPG).
Now that I think about it, I am seeing why they are going for low-handing fruit due to these even if they could try X-Com or Emperor of the Fading Suns (especially the political intrigue, like trying to get Emperor from extra funds for Carpenter Wall but Crane got uppity that festivals have to be cancelled from fund diversion or Lions are too stuck up about honor despite being military clan...even they kicked out an Akodo branch for doing things like ambush and deception warfare).