The Video Game RPG Concept Thread

[Mr. Marko]

Alright, folks, I figured now would be a good time to discuss the VG RPG. I know that it held on for a long time, so I think this would be an excellent candidate for one of the first to be revived.

Now, naturally, we should be looking for changes in how the RPG is run, the rules, and the world it is held in. Last time, all the video game characters were sucked into our world, and each character was forced to have a "blackout" story. The fact of whether this was an acceptable backstory or not is up for debate, but for a very long time, the entire RPG seemed to be bogged down by the fact that none of the characters knew WTF was going on, and I believe neither did alot of the RPers involved.

I think that, overall, the RPG was one of the better ones that failed. Another thing that could be considered in something that was suggested a while back of doing more like an Ultimate VG. Take the basic concept of a character, plant him in a world that we create, and go from there. Instead of Mario, the guy who has to say "Lets'a go!" everytime he does something, you get Mario, a depressed plumber from Midtown who suddenly discovers he has pyrokinesis and super strength. Make him more kick ass.

So, those are my few ideas. Take em or leave em. Comments?

 

[Blacklight]

I had an idea that instead of bringing the characters to the real world, we bring them to a new video game world. For example, maybe a lone video game programmer has fulfilled his dream of making the perfect video game with every single video game character he (the players) want, and he does this by taking the characters from their respective universes and put them all together in one game, and the new world the ultimate game takes place in is a combination of every characters home worlds amalgated together (i.e. Hyrule, Mushroom Kingdom, Mobius, Earthrealm, Shadow Moses, etc.) into one planet. This way, when a player portrays a character, they can either tell stories of their character remaining in that character's world and meeting other video games characters who have ventured into their land (i.e. Link can team up with a lost Mario to save Hyrule from an invading Shao Kahn), or the players can have their character venture out into other character's worlds (i.e. Link leaves Hyrule and helps save the Mushroom Kingdom with Mario from Bowser, or again Shao Kahn).

Either that, or maybe we can give each season a 'theme'. The theme being some chosen video game's universe becoming a reason for the seperate universes of each game to all of a sudden come together, and the heroes of each universe come together to find a way to undo the collision of worlds, and re-seperate the universes before each world is destroyed completely from the merge. NufD came up with a perfect example of this route, the theme being Mortal Kombat: Shao Kahn, in his quest to conquer every single realm, has managed to cause the almost all the video game universes to merge with Outworld, and the only way to seperate the universes from Outworld is for the champion of each world to compete and win in the Mortal Kombat tournament, or much simply defeat Shao Kahn himself in Mortal Kombat to release all the worlds from Outworld's grasp. Of course, this would only be if we chose Mortal Kombat as the theme. There are other games to chose from. We could do Mario as a theme, Sonic, Legend of Zelda, Halo, God of War, Metal Gear, any game really to be a theme for a season.

Any thoughts on these approaches?

 

[Blacklight]

Also, one of the problems that led to the demise of the first RPG was lack of players. The only people who really played after UK left was myself and some unreliable n00bs. We need some more experienced players to take part, or else history would repeat itself.

 

[trustyside-kick]

I have to be honest: I didn't like the first Video Game RPG concept. To me, it just didn't click real well. And while I did not favor the idea when it was mentioned you guys wanted to revive it? BL's idea may work. In a way, the RPG would be treated as the game Kingdom Hearts.

I am not saying I wish to play just yet, just throwing in my 2 cents.

 

[Mr. Marko]

Never played Kingdom Hearts. How did that work?

I think if we had some way of merging all the world together, that would be the best way of doing it. I don't know if you'd say a portal in each world, or somehow they combine, or what, but I think that would be the best. Having different themes almost seems like you'd be uprooting the RPG every season, instead of keeping it going in a fluid motion.

 

[Blacklight]

Never played Kingdom Hearts. How did that work?

I think if we had some way of merging all the world together, that would be the best way of doing it. I don't know if you'd say a portal in each world, or somehow they combine, or what, but I think that would be the best. Having different themes almost seems like you'd be uprooting the RPG every season, instead of keeping it going in a fluid motion.

Basically Kingdom Hearts was one of THE most awesome games of all time.

But the way it worked was basically, in the game, the universe was mad up of a bunch of different worlds (all based on Disney movies and Final Fantasy worlds) that were all spread throughout space, and the only way to get to each world was through travel by a Gummi Ship.

My idea is very similar to this concept, except instead of making all the games' worlds separate planets only reachable through interstellar travel, each game's world would be like a 'country', so to speak, all part of the same planet and easier and more accessible for other characters to reach through normal means. Even by walking another character can find themselves stumbling upon another video game's world.

 

[Eddie Brock]

If this does come back, I'm afraid I won't be able to participate - having committed to Star Wars and Gotham already - but I thought I'd throw my two cents in.

BL's idea reminds me of an idea I had for the Television/Multi-Media RPG. (Keep in mind, you would have to tailor this to a Video Game plotline - which BL basically did.) The plot of the first Season would be that some guy - probably named Joe just for the humorous predictability of it - gets a hold of a special remote control. He presses a button, and all of the characters are suddenly transported to Earth. The overarching story of the Season would be that the villains are trying to get the remote because of the power it would provide (Mute. Power Off. Rewind. Get the picture?), and the heroes are trying to get it so that they can all go back to their homes. In the end, the remote is somehow destroyed, and all the characters are forced to adapt to this new world.

A. This gives everyone something to do for the first Season.
B. It actively encourages people to cross paths.
C. It allows for a 'normal' character - Joe - to exist and act as an NPC narrator of sorts. 'Played' by the GMs, Joe would serve as a pacesetter, making sure that the arc didn't lag too heavily.

Basically, it's the same as BL's idea - except that it would take place on Earth.

 

[Mr. Marko]

Hmm...I like the idea. Would a remote control still work if its VG characters though?

 

[Eddie Brock]

Hmm...I like the idea. Would a remote control still work if its VG characters though?

That's why I said it needed to be altered. Perhaps a controller?