RPGs you'd like to see made into Video Games

[Knight Captain Kerr]

A lot of PnP RPGs have been made into Video Games. They really are prime video game material. There are a tonne of DnD games like Baldur's Gate and Planescape, there is Shadowrun, CD Projekt Red are making Cyberpunk 2077 and how can I not mention the excellent Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines which you should really reinstall and play again.

So my question for the thread is this, what PnP RPG would you like to see made into a video game?

Personally I would love to see an Eclipse Phase game. If you aren't familiar with it Eclipse Phase is a Post-Apocalyptic Transhumanist Space Faring Sci-Fi RPG. People can switch bodies which also basically makes them immortal, they're wirelessly connected with the world around them, they can travel around the solar system, there are numerous socio-political groups and strange aliens along with murderous rouge AIs that drove Transhumans to the edge of extinction. It's just a great setting and I think it could make an awesome game. A new game set in World of Darkness could also be really good. So what about you lot, what PnP RPG would you like to see made into a video game?

 

[DoPo]

Mage! Any Mage - I like both the Ascension and the Awakening - they are both great and both offer a pretty nifty magic system. Sadly, the greatest boon is also the greatest hinderance - I can't really see how a video game can make the Mage's spellcasting system. Since in Mage, you can literally create any magical effect conceivable. Granted, some would require mastery/archmastery, but even the lower level Spheres/Arcana are capable of amazing feats on their own already.

Something more probably is Ninja Burger! - I love me some NB!. Premise of the game - you are a ninja working for a fast food restaurant (the Ninja Burger from the title); goal - you are tasked to deliver delicious food. In 30 minutes or less, or we commit seppuku. Also, Ninja Burger provides AAA service - abnyody, anytime, anywhere. Somebody in a bunker under the white house hungers for a delicious burger? Be right over. An astronaut realized he didn't pack lunch while the launch happens? No problemo - do you want fries with that? And so on. It's a hilarious game with a lot to offer.

 

[Sarah Kerrigan]

I would say Shadowrun but that's already a badass game now, heh. I would also say Cyberpunk, but that's happening too! God this is exciting!

I would love a Shadowrun Game like, say, the Witcher or something like that.

 

[geK0]

Only PnP games I've played are masquerade and DnD (second edition, and pathfinder) and both of those already have multiple games inspired by them.

I think a videogame inspired by Settlers of Catan (I know not PnP but whatever) would be quite interesting. I don't mean just a direct port of the board game onto PC, but an RTS-like game baring Catan's name which has more of a focus on resource gathering, trading and development than on combat. That might sound boring to a lot of people and I can't imagine it becoming all that popular due to a lack of action but I feel like it could potentially gain a dedicated niche audience.

 

[Cerebrawl]

Drakar&Demoner: Trudvang. It's a Swedish RPG based heavily on norse mythology(but the godly pantheon is different). It's got elves, dwarves, giants, goblins, trolls and dragons, but they're norse style, not generic fantasy. The world is also a dark and gritty one. There's even priests who gain more power by blood sacrifice, including human sacrifice, and it's an important part of the culture in the most norse of the countries in the world.

The original Cyberpunk RPG would make a great base for a video game as well.

I'd of course like to see more world of darkness RPGs, not even half of them have a CRPG representation. Aside from aforementioned Mage(which would be hard to implement):

Demon: the Fallen would make for a great RPG, lots of potential for dark world, interesting gameplay and powers, powerful enemies, and tough moral choices with gameplay effect(torment is a pain). Probably my favorite for CRPG conversion because of the excellent setting, morality, and interesting defined powers. Lots of customization options as well, especially if you bring over the optional point buy system for your apocalyptic form.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse has lots of potential as well, for an action RPG with truly evil enemies but also tough moral choices, and epic stories, you've got evil corporate conspiracies, vampires, demonic spirits, and even evil werewolves to deal with. And the umbra brings enormous potential for otherworldly weirdness and strange adventures.

Changeling, Hunter, Wraith, and Mummy would of course also all make interesting games. Though Hunter would perhaps translate best into a computer game. I could see that going very dark souls, with tough supernatural creatures to defeat, while your own character would be relatively frail. Changeling would probably be the hardest to do justice, but also perhaps have the most potential out of that bunch, with fantastical fairyland settings contrasted with dark modern world of world of darkness. Wraith would probably make most sense playing as a Risen, a walking dead(zombie-ish but with superpowers and no diminished brain function, actually a ghost possessing its dead body). Mummy would be the hardest because of the extremely rigid moral code they have to abide by(I seem to remember one level being: not able to witness a wrong commited without righting it).

WH40K universe has some interesting ones too. Dark Heresy for straight up RPG, and Inquisitor, the RPG/boardgame hybrid, which would translate well into a turn based strategy RPG in the vein of Tactics Ogre, Fire Emblem, etc. (Or come to think of it: Like XCOM).

 

[breadsammich]

Ninja Burger is great. I'd kind of like to see "Give Me The Brain" made into a video game. The premise is that you're a zombie working at a fast food restaurant along with your other zombie co-workers. The problem is, that there's only one brain that you all share that gets passed around to the highest bidder so that they can perform "complex" tasks. It's loads of fun.

 

[Madame_Lawliet]

I know it's kinda been done with Dark Corners of the Earth, but I'd reeeeeeeeally like to see a new adaptation of Call of Cthulhu. Not an FPS this time though, I want a psychological horror RPG based in the CoC universe, something like The Witcher meets Silent Hill but with Cthulhu.

I also think Thieves World is a very good and criminally underplayed AD&D setting, you could easily build sort of a stealth RPG around that universe.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Pretty much anything old WoD other than Vampire and Hunter (and only because they already have games). Though granted, Mage would be seriously hard to put together, given how ludicrously expansive it's possible to be (take a hypothetical Green Lantern game where the lantern ring actually works like in the comics; now multiply that by a hundred or so).

In fact, I could totally see an action-oriented Kindred of the East game. It wouldn't necessarily need to follow V:tM Bloodlines' example, either (I'd envision closer to The Witcher or Assassin's Creed in open-world style...or maybe Sleeping Dogs would be a better example). If you set it during a kuei-jin's younger period, you wouldn't even need to put in much about the dharma paths...unless you just made five different potential character arcs your character could go through on dharmic progression. Also, visiting the Yin and/or Yang worlds would be a must.

Changeling, Hunter, Wraith, and Mummy would of course also all make interesting games. Though Hunter would perhaps translate best into a computer game. I could see that going very dark souls, with tough supernatural creatures to defeat, while your own character would be relatively frail. Changeling would probably be the hardest to do justice, but also perhaps have the most potential out of that bunch, with fantastical fairyland settings contrasted with dark modern world of world of darkness. Wraith would probably make most sense playing as a Risen, a walking dead(zombie-ish but with superpowers and no diminished brain function, actually a ghost possessing its dead body). Mummy would be the hardest because of the extremely rigid moral code they have to abide by(I seem to remember one level being: not able to witness a wrong commited without righting it).

They have technically made two Hunter games already, Gauntlet-esque isometric semi-open world beat'em ups. Haven't played the second yet, but the first was decent, though it doesn't really get into the philosophical aspects.

I dunno about playing a Risen. It'd probably be something unique that way, but I think a game where you just play as a normal wraith surviving in the Shadowlands could be interesting (and the Tempest, if we're thinking seriously expansive).

Mummy wouldn't necessarily need to be that strict regarding Balance. At low levels of Balance, it's basically just not causing deliberate harm to innocent people except in self-defense or when upholding Ma'at. If you're playing a young mummy it wouldn't be all that rigid, though it'd definitely be less Grand Theft Auto and more City of Heroes.

 

[Ryan Minns]

Dungeons and Dragons!!!

Yes, I know some games have been inspired and use the mechanics but a TRUE D&D game, thousands of different decisions, thousands of different combinations! Millions of developers required. Trillions of dollars, thousands of years to make. Oh man I'd want that... but can see why a true D&D game will never be

 

[Greg White]

Rogue Trader. You can opt to be a missionary, a mercenary, a privateer, a trader, a diplomat, or a conquistador, all in the name of profit and growing the power of the Imperium of Man. Character classes and advances aplenty, insane amounts of weapons, both melee and ranged, plus starships, tanks, and all the aliens, mutants, and heretics you could want to kill.

There's also Edge of the Empire. While Star Wars 1313 looked like it would fit the bill somewhat, that game has been canned, so I'll have to wait on something better.

 

[Kyrian007]

Deadlands. Deadlands. DEEEAAADDDLLLAANNNNDDD

Well you get the idea. I honestly think it would work and translate better than most. I'm seeing a Fallout 3/NV style of engine working perfectly for it. The mechanics (dice + playing cards) are commonly and easily programmable, although not usually used in concert should be easy enough to adapt. Shooting could work in Fallout style first person, or vats (for those superquickdraw shots or fannin' into separate targets for those with skill enough) and vats is perfect for Hexes, Rituals, and Miracles. You could even program it to take best result or actually play out each hand just like you do in the pnp.

It's simply my favorite pnp setting ever and the game would work SOOOOOOO well as a video game. I like WW games like Mage and Scion, but they would be fairly hard to convert (as open as those systems are.) Ditto with things like FATE 3.0 and Spirit of the Century. Star Wars basically already had one (KotOR was nearly D20 or 3rd ED) so there's nothing new there. Shadowrun and Cthulhu have been done in some form or another (not that they don't need to be done again, they very much do.) So I say Deadlands.

By the way, for those of you who know about or play Deadlands... I own a copy of Lucasarts' "Outlaws" on CD-ROM. The excellent soundtrack to that game is on the CD. I've found that music is kickass "mood music" for a session of Deadlands.

Oh, and we also DO need a good game engine made out of Palladium Games core rules. That one engine could give us RPG's in High Fantasy (Palladium Fantasy,) Modern Action (Ninjas and Superspies, Beyond the Supernatural, and Heroes,) Modern Horror (Nightbane and also BtS,) and Cyberpunk/Space (Rifts.) Plus, that's where we go for a real TMNT RPG.

 

[Anthony Corrigan]

I would love to see another Bloodlines, that was one of the best games I have ever played even with the bugs

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

Rogue Trader. You can opt to be a missionary, a mercenary, a privateer, a trader, a diplomat, or a conquistador, all in the name of profit and growing the power of the Imperium of Man. Character classes and advances aplenty, insane amounts of weapons, both melee and ranged, plus starships, tanks, and all the aliens, mutants, and heretics you could want to kill.

Yeeeees.

That and some of the other 'Specialist Games' GW has tucked in its voluminous IP store such as:

Battlefleet Gothic: while least likely to get an adaption due to it being rather difficult to separate the core game from turns without loosing quite a bit, you can resist mile long cathedral/starship hybrids?

Dark Crusade: Summon Demons! Gain Mutations! Overthrow the Corpse Emperor!

Mordheim: Explore the ruins of a once great city that was destroyed by a meteorite made of pure warpstone, immensely powerful and capable of turning lead into gold it draws treasure hunters and adventurers from around the world. Side effects include but not limited to: mutation, corruption, insanity, worshiping of the dark powers and possession is a crime against Sigmar and will result in execution via burning at the stake.

 

[Azahul]

Most World of Darkness lines would be good, but the nWoD Changeling would easily be the best. A dark fantasy modern world where you play a fantasy creature. I've been running a Changeling game for running on a year now, and there's so much more damned potential to milk from it.

Also Unhallowed Metropolis. A world where there was a zombie apocalypse in 1905, but 200 years on. It's now 2105, with galvanic energy powering a rebuilt Victorian London that still contends with numerous zombie outbreaks. Also vampires, psychics, ghosts, ghouls, alchemical and vat-grown monsters, mad scientists, and reanimated corpses (Frankenstein's monster style), not to mention serial killers and run-of-the-mill criminals all plaguing the upper classes in their estates and the lower classes in their slums alike.

Seriously, I would recommend the Unhallowed Metropolis corebook as reading material for people with no intention of every playing a PnP RPG. It is a beautiful, beautiful thing, with a seriously detailed world and well thought out reasoning for how the world has evolved to the Neo-Victorian state it is in.

 

[Arraxis]

I'm gonna say Exalted. It's got so much lore and world design that you could make a game about almost anything - a game set in the East would be different from one in the West. Although, personally, I'd rather they make a Dragonblooded style game, versus a Solar one. It'd be great to try and politick your way through the Great Houses and try and become the new Scarlet Empress/Emperor.

 

[Cerebrawl]

so you want a game like magicka?
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No. It's a start, but it's still not enough. Also in Mage, creating big obvious effects is a BAD IDEA, it builds up paradox, which for example might turn you into a floor for 200 years. Subtlety is important to mages, someone pointing a gun at you? Mind to make him shoot himself, entropy to make the gun jam or stovepipe, etc. Forces+body might make yourself bulletproof.

Unless you're one of those chaos mages, the completely insane Marauders. Their paradox backlashes happen to other people, and their madness can leak into reality...

Another thing to keep in mind is that Mages are very powerful if they can take their time and use a ritual, far less so when caught unprepared. Magic on the fly is magnitudes weaker than ritual magic.

 

[Eamar]

Most World of Darkness lines would be good, but the nWoD Changeling would easily be the best. A dark fantasy modern world where you play a fantasy creature. I've been running a Changeling game for running on a year now, and there's so much more damned potential to milk from it.

Yes yes yes yes yes. (I approve, can you tell? )

There are not enough words to describe how much I love Changeling.

Of course, I'd be terrified of a bad interpretation because there's huge potential for a video game adaptation to fuck up royally, but a good adaptation would be phenomenal.

 

[DoPo]

so you want a game like magicka?

I know and love Magicka but it cannot come close to Mage, unfortunately. Well, it's closest from anything else, to be honest. I'll post some of the magical effects when I get back home, since they are full of flavour, but for now it's enough to say that anything is possible, not just different types of attacks. You can stuff another dimension in your pockets, turn gold into butter, make a solid lightning (or flame - it's all the same thing as far as the effect is concerned. Any natural force, really), erase somebody from existence The Net style, create jetpacks fuelled by beer, literally download a car, cause a plane to crash in front of you simply be citing statistics about plane crashes, and so on. On the more esoteric side, you can create materials and phenomena which react differently based on different variables - you can have a silk shirt which deflects bullets but is still a silk shirt otherwise, brick that is radioactive on Tuesdays, temperature in the room which is different for each person, and so on. Archmages can do crazy stuff - I mean, so far you can do crazy stuff, archmagick just turns it up to 11 - they can move continents, create entirely new force in the world effective immediately (though likely shortlived), tweak any other force in the world (the gravitation "constant" is merely a variable for them with a default value), teleport in any point in the known universe and beyond, even if the location is warded against teleportation (it requires slightly more effort, though), affect the evolution of species, set off butterfly effect style spells that continue living and acting on their own, step outside time itself, mind read the universal subconsiousness, etc.

These are from the top of my head. Can't think of a game that allows me to do even a quarter of these.