New Dungeons & Dragons Video Game Includes "Dungeon Master Mode"

[StewShearerOld]

New Dungeons & Dragons Video Game Includes "Dungeon Master Mode"


Dungeons & Dragons: Sword Coast Legends will feature a 4-vs-1 Dungeon Master Mode that gives one player a unique tool set to guide, aid or hinder players in their dungeon dives.

There have been <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/goodoldreviews/12248-The-History-of-Dungeons-Dragons-in-Video-Game-Pt-1>a lot of great Dungeons & Dragons video games released <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/goodoldreviews/12287-History-of-D-D-in-Video-Games-Part-2>over the years, all of them devoted in one way or another to recreating some element of what makes the tabletop franchise special. As excellent as some of these adaptations have been however, there's no escaping the sad truth that few have ever come close to replicating the core experience of a bunch of players responding to the whims of a benevolent or cruel dungeon master. If the folks at n-Space have their way however, that may soon be a failure of the past.

Revealed in announcement trailer today, n-Space is currently working on Dungeons & Dragons: Sword Coast Legends, a new <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/pc>PC game featuring a unique "Dungeon Master Mode" aimed at more closely replicating the tabletop RPG experience. Structured similarly to a four-vs-one multiplayer game, it will give one player a set of DM tools that they can use to help guide, hinder and enhance the experience of the other four players as they fight their way through pre-designed or player made scenarios. "Dungeon Master Mode is going to allow players to quickly jump in and play as a real-time DM in a way that has never really been fully realized in a video game," said n-Space president and Dragon Age: Origins director Dan Tudge. "DMs are able to adjust encounters, place, promote, manage and even control monsters, set traps, reward and punish [the] party."

Dungeon Master Mode will require no advanced scripting and will work in real-time using a special DM interface. The game will also come packaged with campaign making tools to give more ambitious DMs the means to create their own custom scenarios. Players interested in taking on the DM with fewer than three human friends will also be able to recruit AI allies to fight alongside them.

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Sword Coast Legends won't just be a multiplayer experience either. Its developers fully intend to deliver a strong single-player campaign rooted in fan favorites like Baldur's Gate. "With Sword Coast Legends we are also continuing the legacy of the Baldur's Gate series," said Tudge. "You will definitely feel the influence in the tactical party-based combat, pause and play and character progression, but it's the rich story and memorable characters where the influence is strongest."

Sword Coast Legends will be based on Dungeons & Dragon Fifth Edition rule set and is expected to release sometime this year.

Source: <a href=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/02/12/new-dungeons-and-dragons-game-sword-coast-legends-coming-in-2015>IGN


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[Chaos Marine]

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Most of the groups I'm in or have played usually five or six players and the GM. It sounds like a bad idea for the DM mode.

 

[BoogieManFL]

Well, I'm looking forward to it and I think it sounds great.

If they could incorporate randomly generated dungeons and the like, that would be even better.

 

[ThatHybridGuy]

as they fight there way

May want to fix that.

 

[SecondPrize]

Looks like they have more faith in this concept than Bioware did in Shadow Realms. Having the IP probably doesn't hurt.

 

[SupahEwok]

Pretty enthusiastic about this. Think 4 players is a little on the low side but in general if I have more friends than that available who are into DnD... well, we just play DnD. This sounds like it could be great for weekends where one or two of us can't make it.

There is a niggling fear in the back of my mind though... the mention of "pre-designed" scenarios smells to me of a microtransaction scheme. Will have to wait to see if its benevolent ($5-$10 for a decent campaign) or evil. (Nickel and dime you for every individual encounter, build sets, $15 for a 2 hour campaign...)

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

Didn't penny arcade already have this idea? I could swear they already had this idea for the Wii U.

I hope this happens. I really hope this actually happens.

 

[Absolutionis]

The bundling of one of the most classic D&D monsters into a more expensive version of the game has me hesitant that this is going to be painfully ridden with DLC everywhere. I'm a fan of Wizards and Digital Extremes, so I'm grateful they advertised the fact that people should wait and see before getting excited.

 

[deleted+75193]

DELETED

 

[Caffiene]

Even on the release of NWN there was an extremely kludgy version that could be done if you knew all the console commands. And several years later the tools came out that almost certainly are as powerful as anything this game comes out with.

+1. That was my first question after reading the article: "So what are the features it has that NWN didnt have?"

That said, it sounds possibly the closest experience to NWN that Ive heard of in a long time. Just a pity it seems to be restricted to exactly 3 or 4 PCs instead of a wider range.

Dungeons & Dragons: Storm Coast Legends will feature [...]

Psst. 'Sword' Coast

 

[Karadalis]

Its no neverwinternights where you could have up to 48 players on a server (or more) and create persistant worlds.

This however does look like an attempt to emulate small group PnP groups.

Sadly the available content seems a bit lackluster compared to earlier DnD games. Only 5 races and 6 classes?

Wich translates to 1 non standard races and 2 non basic classes. (Human, elf, dwarf, halfling and the holy foursome fighter, wizard, cleric and rouge)

Kinda dissapointing in the that sense especialy since much older games even in their basic versions have much more to offer (NWN2 for all its buggy messynes had more or less tripple the classes)

But perhaps if they will put in a creation kid modders could take care of that... but in this day and ages DLC ruled gaming world i kinda doubt they will give the players any powerfull tools.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

I'm really glad people here still remember Neverwinter Nights. I think it was an amazing game just by itself. Both MP AND SP wise. Have no idea why it got so much flak for its base campaign.

 

[StewShearerOld]

Even on the release of NWN there was an extremely kludgy version that could be done if you knew all the console commands. And several years later the tools came out that almost certainly are as powerful as anything this game comes out with.

+1. That was my first question after reading the article: "So what are the features it has that NWN didnt have?"

That said, it sounds possibly the closest experience to NWN that Ive heard of in a long time. Just a pity it seems to be restricted to exactly 3 or 4 PCs instead of a wider range.

Dungeons & Dragons: Storm Coast Legends will feature [...]

Psst. 'Sword' Coast

Dang it! Stinking Dragon Age: Inquisition has me mixing up my coasts... Thanks!

 

[Varis]

I'm mildly enthusiastic about this, if they manage to keep the tools for DM mode simple enough so that you don't have to read a whole encyclopedia worth of commands and nick-nacks to do all the coolest stuff, I could see this being very fun!

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I wanna get this straight:

Revealed in announcement trailer today, n-Space is currently working on Dungeons & Dragons: Sword Coast Legends, a new <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/pc>PC game

"DMs are able to adjust encounters, place, promote, manage and even control monsters, set traps, reward and punish [the] party."

Dungeon Master Mode will require no advanced scripting and will work in real-time using a special DM interface. The game will also come packaged with campaign making tools to give more ambitious DMs the means to create their own custom scenarios.

Its developers fully intend to deliver a strong single-player campaign rooted in fan favorites like Baldur's Gate. "With Sword Coast Legends we are also continuing the legacy of the Baldur's Gate series,"

Sword Coast Legends will be based on Dungeons & Dragon Fifth Edition rule set and is expected to release sometime this year.

A new, party-based, D&D game, exclusive to PC, with real-time DM tools, campaign making tools and a large, single player campaign reminiscent of Baldur's Gate and the like.

There is LITERALLY nothing I don't like above. Every single thing said about this game sounds fantastic. I'll be keeping an eye on this one. I know nothing about D&D after 3.5ed (ie. NWN2) so there'll be some learning but I've been yearning for a D&D CRPG for YEARS, and now one is finally coming and it will not be compromised for consoles.

This is amazing news. Can't wait to see more about this game.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

The bundling of one of the most classic D&D monsters into a more expensive version of the game has me hesitant that this is going to be painfully ridden with DLC everywhere. I'm a fan of Wizards and Digital Extremes, so I'm grateful they advertised the fact that people should wait and see before getting excited.

I just looked and saw what you're talking about. Darn, now that is upsetting.

Making the Beholder and a tileset exclusive to a different edition is pathetic. I have no issue with the soundtrack, in-game bonus items or the other listed items (items that rightly are for keen fans who will enjoy the extras), but to withhold things that make such a tangible difference is out of order. :-\ I'm still glad the game is being made, and made for PC, but it is disappointing that they're cutting it up almost as badly as Evolve, Dishonored or anything from Ubisoft.

I realise they aren't, at least, pre-order bonuses but that is a small mercy. It's content that absolutely should be included in the base game, not as a paid-for extra.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

If you look at the track record of n-Space, it doesn't exactly inspire confidence in this title being any good.

 

[Jburton9]

Well I appreciate the attempt and will patiently wait and see but no preordering though. Too much chicanery as been going for that route heh.

Also hurray for NWN, it was a great series, I keep a look out to see if someone will take a refresh run at it with all the newer tools and tech that is available now.