Where can I find this system?

[laeZ1]

After a long binge of animes revolving around Virtual-world MMOs, my D&D friends wanted to make a tabletop system based on an MMO.

In my opinion, it could use normal D&D mechanics, and have the MMO be just a campaign setting.

However, on behalf of my friends (and admittedly, my own curiousity), I wonder if anybody has a link in their pocket to a homebrewed MMO-themed tabletop game, or if any of you fine folks have tried to make one yourselves.

[Grod_The_Giant]

[edition snark] Why not 4e D&D? [/edition snark]

More seriously... what exactly do you mean by "tabletop based on an MMO?" Setting? Mechanics? Instantly-identifiable names and classes?

I think there's a WoW tabletop.

[ngilop]

well maing the MMO just be fluf is rather easy

I know the Warcraft/World of Warcraft did a D20 based thing but really all it was was D&D with renamed spells and feats hardly anything id consider worthy. just slapping new names on things is the epitome of lazy in my opinion.

EQ d20 on the other hand was spectacular! it actually was just teh base d20 system and incoporated all teh nice everquest lore classes, spells and what not into the game. the playerhand book is HUGE though.

On a side note i did sit down and try to make a WoW Warlock version for 3.5 but it took me about a week so anybody that did a whole rework for a MMO has every ounce of my respect.

[DracoDei]

I hate to say this, but 4E has much more of an MMO feel to it than 3.X. Depending on if you want to sacrifice the tactical and creative aspects in that direction. (EDIT: I have been ninja-ed).

Other than that, I would consider making resurrection with minimal penalties easily available at all levels. This might or might not fit the sources you mentioned.

It also depends if it is JUST an MMO, or if there is something deeper going on. Given the sources you mentioned, their probably would be.

Consider having separate stats for the PLAYERS, even if they are in a different system. Social relationships with NPC humans (and AIs above a certain level) would be very important, so consider Exalted or something (not really sure what sort of systems model social relationships well).

They might even need physical stats if the badguys can hack in through the MMO to say... lock the doors of their futuristic houses and try to cook them with the heating system. Or if they have to race to a terminal to help out when something comes up at an unexpected moment. The "./" series wasn't very physical with the real world stuff, but Code Lyoko often was.

A few more details might help, especially for people like me who are more familiar with tabletop stuff than MMOs.

[laeZ1]

[edition snark] Why not 4e D&D? [/edition snark]

Made me lol.

As for what I mean, I think the biggest thing they care about is how to play the gamer (character that decides to play the MMO) as well as the character (Toon made by Character that decides to play the MMO), what stats determine what (the virtual world MMO implies that you're swinging your virtual sword), and if they're going to build a system, what system would be the easiest to mold to fit it. Between all of us, we're experienced in 40k tabletop, D&D 3.5,pathfinder,4th, RIFTS, and OWoD.

[ngilop]

oh well I would say the HERO system would be the best for replicating what the typical MMO character is capable of.

but I guess you could use WoD, becuase isn't that one game whats it called exalted or some such the rules are fo course almost identicle so you could probably use that.

Gurps is a bit too mm low-powered and gritty to faithfully replicate an MMO

D&D and it deritives unoftrunately hav the quadratic wizard/linear fighter problem that does the exact opposite of what an MMO is all about (i.e. class balance)

its been so damn long since Ive played rifts that i just cannot remember teh rules for the life of me, LOL

and well i am on the fence on whether WH 40K can be applied mechanically to a MMO setting rules-wise.

[Greenish]

Consider having separate stats for the PLAYERS, even if they are in a different system.

Use Wuthering Heights for your PPCs, and 4E or Marvel Roleplay for your PCCs.


[Edit]:

D&D and it deritives unoftrunately hav the quadratic wizard/linear fighter problem that does the exact opposite of what an MMO is all about (i.e. class balance)

That's not really true.

[SowZ]

Is this a virtual reality world kind of Cyberpunky style or are you talking Sword Art Online, where the Virtual Reality is a literal MMO with mechanics? If the latter, you could basically use ANY system. One thing is that you could restrict more stuff. Like, ONLY classes that get mounts or animal companions could ever get a mount. You literally could not use items you aren't proficient in. Etc. etc.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Made me lol.

As for what I mean, I think the biggest thing they care about is how to play the gamer (character that decides to play the MMO) as well as the character (Toon made by Character that decides to play the MMO), what stats determine what (the virtual world MMO implies that you're swinging your virtual sword), and if they're going to build a system, what system would be the easiest to mold to fit it. Between all of us, we're experienced in 40k tabletop, D&D 3.5,pathfinder,4th, RIFTS, and OWoD.

Ok, so you want to play a game where your characters are playing an MMO? Yes? A game-within-a-game?

I'd go with something rules-light like FATE for the first level, and something like 4e D&D for the second. Or another system that fits the type of MMO you want it to be.

[DracoDei]

Ok, so you want to play a game where your characters are playing an MMO? Yes? A game-within-a-game?

I'd go with something rules-light like FATE for the first level, and something like 4e D&D for the second. Or another system that fits the type of MMO you want it to be.

FATE is good for social combat, but AFAIK, it doesn't track social relationships well on an individual and long-term basis. Of course, you COULD change that.

[Grod_The_Giant]

FATE is good for social combat, but AFAIK, it doesn't track social relationships well on an individual and long-term basis. Of course, you COULD change that.

Add aspects like "Good Friends with Timmy" or "Stole Johnny's Candy." BOOM, relationship tracking!

[laeZ1]

I've never heard of the FATE or HERO systems before. They seem to be acronyms. What do they stand for, and where can I find them?

I just looked at Wuthering Heights, and I think it's very interesting. I like the idea of an obscure system for the gamer-characters.

Is this a virtual reality world kind of Cyberpunky style or are you talking Sword Art Online, where the Virtual Reality is a literal MMO with mechanics? If the latter, you could basically use ANY system. One thing is that you could restrict more stuff. Like, ONLY classes that get mounts or animal companions could ever get a mount. You literally could not use items you aren't proficient in. Etc. etc.

My friends and I had all simultaneously discovered Sword Art Online, which is what caused us to start the conversation in the first place.

[The Dark Fiddler]

I've never heard of the FATE or HERO systems before. They seem to be acronyms. What do they stand for, and where can I find them?

FATE is a generic system that apparently stands for Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment. A new version will be coming out some time in the brief future (the Kickstarter just recently ended), at which point it will be available on a pay-what-you-want basis. Although the strength of FATE may or may not be, depending on who you ask, the fact that you can derive your own systems from it (it serves as the basis, for example, of the Dresden Files RPG); if you want the base system, however, you can probably get the most recent version from the Evil Hat Productions website.