Poll: Requiring Food and Water in RPGs

[Rune_74]

Funny one of the things that made realms of arkania stand out for me(remember that game?) was the realistic approach to survival ei requiring blankets cookware and stuff or you got diseases....which I think made the game more sim like....which added another layer to it. This very well could be a very interesting thing to add to game 2....imagine needing a tinderbox and blankets for camp...buy a tent and woah even better...

Would be willing to hash something out for this if you are interested.

[Rollor]

imagine needing a tinderbox and blankets for camp...buy a tent and woah even better...

yay we would get some the sims wildlife edition woohuu

[gragnak]

Yes I remember the Star Trail serie...
When travlling in the wildernes your boots could break and you started to get damage.
So I had to bring with me two or three pairs of boots and sandals EACH for my characters.
But it was really funny.

I hope we can find the same old good spirit.

[BasiliskWrangler]

You know, I don't think Rune_74's idea is all that bad. From the good ol' days of PnP D&D, half the fun seemed to be the hour before the adventure begins where the party is buying supplies and prepping for what is about to happen.

I doubt we'd go that deep for Book II, but still, role-playing really is just Sims in a fantasy/medieval environment, right? Take away the character micromanagement and you really just have an adventure game with role-playing elements.

[Gallifrey]

Yeah, I think it's a great idea. Even going so far as to just apply some Survival skill bonuses if the character has survival gear in inventory.

Now however, the downside is that while in PnP it was often fun prepping for the adventure, I think it was fun because of the interaction with the other players and DM(s). Doing it solo as a matter of course in a game might get a bit boring after a while.

Now, if you had a party that verbally interacted with you, each other and the shopkeeper (and perhaps the shop itself should on party member be a thief!), that could be really fun. The way NPCs carried on in BG2 is one of the hallmarks of that game, so something like that would be great.

[Rune_74]

You don't need to go that deep...but please make it that you do have to wear shoes and have blankets for sleeping etc...it just makes the game feel more then a combat simulator...

No I don't want your boots breaking every thirty feet;) but having to make sure your team is ready to go somewhere is classic, and something newer generations of rpg's have left due to making their game more "accessable". It seems that newer games have less options then the older ones.

A tinderbox for fire does not seem crazy to me.
A tent to avoid bad weather when camping...not so hard either...don't have a tent random chance of getting sick.
same with blankets...

Now imagine if you will going toa cold location like snowy mountains and not wearing furs...if you were playing pnp dnd your DM would play with you. Dress for the weather ...another not so hard thing to do., if not random chance of getting sick...

Just these few things would be awesome...the possibilities for storeylines and just general fun is cool.

Also, with the food and drink...have a bar system when you go into a store you can fill up the bar for a set price...no need to worry about food types which makes it simple and easy to use...and does not make you have to think all that much aboutit other then buying it.

Hehhe get me on a roll about this stuff:P

[Gothmog]

I also like the idea of a "basic survival outfitting" when going to certain locations. Like torches and some foodrations for dungeons.
The game "Dungeon-Master" uses a quite good system for water and food needs i think.

[Riverstone]

In the long run it does start to become an annoyance when you simply need to keep the character fed so that they don't die (I'm thinking pet feeding in WoW). Definately adds a bit more fun when food or water has magical or healing properties.

What I'd really like to see if the dining process become less frequent and more ritualized. Say for example you're on the road for three days straight and it is assumed that you snack on rations, but once a week maybe you require a good cooked meal, a relaxing nights rest at an inn and the company of a well rounded, warm.. book.. or something, in order to stave off a degeneration in general stats equating to fatigue and loss of gumption. This would not necessarily have to be undertaken, but your character 'feels a lot better' when you do take the time, and this is reflected in better performance.

[Gothmog]

I would like to see the program-code for "feels a lot better"!

[BasiliskWrangler]

Code: Select all

Function Feels_Better()
    Player_Dinner = PRIME_RIB + ALE
    Player_Location = SABRINAS_TAVERN_OF_PLEASURE
End Function

[Gothmog]

My Gosh..... this BasiliskWrangler guy makes programming looking so easy!




So.... any glues about "Sabrinas Tavern Of Pleasure" he?

[Rune_74]

I'm not into the whole specail meal, more just having to make sure you have food for so many days. I reallyw ould liek to see furs clothing, and other survival equipment required is all:)

[GSV3MiaC]

I voted for 'not' but I could live with it either way, as long as it is well done. Ditto the need to sleep (I recall this was a major PITA in the original 'gold box' games, where finding somewhere safe to kip was more trouble than killing the average dragon).

As many people have said if we get too realistic the whole game degenerates into 'find a tree to take a leak behind' and 'where can i get my boots mended', whereas most of us are there to explore, meet cool creatures, and KILL THEM. Just kidding, you know we are all really there for the loot and the naked ladies. 8>.

[Gothmog]

The difficulty here lies in the right mix and balance of these things. But there is always the danger to pack too much of this in a game. The gamer must decide: A RPG or a DeerHunterWild-Life-Survival-Sim Game!

[Gallifrey]

The gamer must decide: A RPG or a DeerHunterWild-Life-Survival-Sim Game!

How about both in one?