Paradox Interactive Acquires White Wolf Publishing from CCP Games

[Phibs]

Isn't the best option to make a game based on one and then add the content from other game-lines as expansions/dlc?

Vampire is the easiest system to make a game out of - mechanically. I can't even easily imagine how a Wraith game would work.
I could see Hunter - maayyybe even Werewolf and Demon integrated into a Vampire game.
Still, foisting whole new planes of existence (quite literally), entirely new mechanics into an existing game as more than a gimmick would be pretty hard.

 

[Quaterlife]

Vampire is the easiest system to make a game out of - mechanically. I can't even easily imagine how a Wraith game would work.
I could see Hunter - maayyybe even Werewolf and Demon integrated into a Vampire game.
Still, foisting whole new planes of existence (quite literally), entirely new mechanics into an existing game as more than a gimmick would be pretty hard.

Perhaps, they would probably have to build the game with the basic framework in place and add the new features later down the line.If nothing else I would like to see systems in place for modders to create NPC characters from other game lines.

IE: you can add werewolf characters to your mod in a vampire game even if you cannot necessarily play as them.

 

[theliel]

Isn't the best option to make a game based on one and then add the content from other game-lines as expansions/dlc?

Ehhhhhh...not really.
Especially not for the Classic WoD the paradigm between settings is different enough you'd want a separate game, possibly not a separate engine, but a separate game and set of rules for each game.
Think the difference between Skyrim & Fallout or Mass Effect & Dragon Age or even Boarderlands vs. Witcher.

That being said Masquerade is super fucking popular so you'd lead with the sure thing then release sister games on the strength of the brand later.

 

[Phibs]

Perhaps, they would probably have to build the game with the basic framework in place and add the new features later down the line.If nothing else I would like to see systems in place for modders to create NPC characters from other game lines.

IE: you can add werewolf characters to your mod in a vampire game even if you cannot necessarily play as them.

Yeah, but you need a lot of assets and systems to really depict a werewolf character. Not to mention lore, umbra stuff etc etc.
Dunno man. I just don't see it happening within one game. We'll have to wait and see.

 

[Sian]

yeah, as other have said, while they operate within the same 'verse, the differences in tone, lore, mechanics and to a certain extent even location, would mean that they would be so different that only the core, and perhaps overarching artistic vision could be shared ... very few assets (off the top of the head, basic NPC dolls and texture) would be easily transferable between the two, without being so basic that it might as well be natively part of an engine. Vampire-Hunter is the only set that i could see easily interchange, and thats because they could probably be easily connected where outside of neutral(ish) cityhubs, ones lair is anothers dungeon and reversely, and the quests could easily be set up to be a escalating gambit pileup between the two factions jockeying for control over some item

 

[Eöl]

I on the other hand believe the simplest way to introduce things would be Vampire then Hunter.
You can build on Hunter to add Werewolves, Mages and the like.
Both sides have Infernalist Demon cults so it's not to hard to conceive introducing Demon mechanics that way (I'm thinking clan Baali).
Concerning the shadow world, Orpheus is probably your best bet, perhaps the Hunter could become a ranking Technocrat Mage with "Projection" as an ability.
(I'm not suggesting Skyrim where there are lots of 'things' on the map you can still do and a central plot that carries on regardless, choosing to be a Mage should be a branching path decision completely change your place in the World of Darkness adding new mechanics.)

 

[Tapio]

Werewolf and Mage are probably the more interesting ones, but I think Vampire would sell best.

 

[Quaterlife]

yeah, as other have said, while they operate within the same 'verse, the differences in tone, lore, mechanics and to a certain extent even location, would mean that they would be so different that only the core, and perhaps overarching artistic vision could be shared ... very few assets (off the top of the head, basic NPC dolls and texture) would be easily transferable between the two, without being so basic that it might as well be natively part of an engine. Vampire-Hunter is the only set that i could see easily interchange, and thats because they could probably be easily connected where outside of neutral(ish) cityhubs, ones lair is anothers dungeon and reversely, and the quests could easily be set up to be a escalating gambit pileup between the two factions jockeying for control over some item

Like I said; you don't necessarily have to allow people to play as vampires, werewolves, mages, and demons all in one game, but you should at least have it so modders can create NPC's and antagonists from other games. You don't have to create mechanics for every single aspect of, say Demon, in order to use demons as boss characters in a vampire/hunter game.

 

[Talar]

Classic WoD has a strong connection to real world history. I always liked how they made historical people into vampires and combined real-world history with cainite history. I'm thinking this combined with Paradox roots in a swedish pen & paper RPG company, maybe they are not such a bad fit for this after all?

 

[Quaterlife]

Classic WoD has a strong connection to real world history. I always liked how they made historical people into vampires and combined real-world history with cainite history. I'm thinking this combined with Paradox roots in a swedish pen & paper RPG company, maybe they are not such a bad fit for this after all?

World of Darkness is about telling very personal, character-driven stories, Paradox has not often produced games of that nature. While some strategy game involving the conflict between Carmarilla and Sabbat might be interesting, it's only tie-in material.

PDX will most likely hire someone else to create the "big" games, Obsidian seems like a possible candidate, given their close relationship with PDX (though that bothers me a bit, given the lack of mod support in their more recent titles.) Personally I would like a game that combines the dramatic, cinematic qualities of Bioware titles with the extensive mod support of Bethesda games. My hope is that PDX is thinking along similar lines and will hire a studio capable of delivering.



P.S. Guys; what are the chances that PDX is looking to revive CCP's MMO project?

 

[Sian]

As a MMO, probably hovering around single digit promilles ... using the already created assets and any creative writing and storyboarding seems rather likely.

 

[Carmilla]

P.S. Guys; what are the chances that PDX is looking to revive CCP's MMO project?

At this moment? I'd say nil, but only time will tell.

 

[Quaterlife]

As a MMO, probably hovering around single digit promilles ... using the already created assets and any creative writing and storyboarding seems rather likely.

Was there anything other than that (rather cool) still slides trailer they made, such as early-alpha game images or footage?

 

[Sian]

those are the assets i mentioned

 

[Quaterlife]

those are the assets i mentioned

That wouldn't be so bad, though I didn't like the idea of an MMO the art style did seem perfect for the WoD universe.

 

[Eöl]

I don't really like the idea of an MMORPG (you are our one true hero, next player comes along, now you are our one true hero) either but here's a weird thought, what about a MMORTS? Like Dungeon Keeper/Game of Dwarves/Evil Genius but darker, more realistic and detailed with a serious focus on people management?

 

[Quaterlife]

I don't really like the idea of an MMORPG (you are our one true hero, next player comes along, now you are our one true hero) either but here's a weird thought, what about a MMORTS? Like Dungeon Keeper/Game of Dwarves/Evil Genius but darker, more realistic and detailed with a serious focus on people management?

Perhaps as tie-in of sorts, but I would still like a single-player RPG.

 

[Sandpit]

Vampire is the easiest system to make a game out of - mechanically. I can't even easily imagine how a Wraith game would work.
I could see Hunter - maayyybe even Werewolf and Demon integrated into a Vampire game.
Still, foisting whole new planes of existence (quite literally), entirely new mechanics into an existing game as more than a gimmick would be pretty hard.

Having spent a lot of time modding the original VtM PC game form Activision I can safely say that the entire WW line of games is quite easy to represent and program in regards to actual game mechanics. It uses a simple D10 system that's really easy to represent with an RNG in game.

We integrated the entire line of WW tabletop games into our community. The only thing that really took a few headaches was trying to represent some of the abilities visually. Mechanically they were easy enough though.

We, at one point, did a complete conversion of Activision's game into the actual TT rules, stats, and mechanics. I don't know how popular WW is in regards to the PC gaming world anymore though. I'd play it.

 

[Sandpit]

World of Darkness is about telling very personal, character-driven stories, Paradox has not often produced games of that nature. While some strategy game involving the conflict between Carmarilla and Sabbat might be interesting, it's only tie-in material.

PDX will most likely hire someone else to create the "big" games, Obsidian seems like a possible candidate, given their close relationship with PDX (though that bothers me a bit, given the lack of mod support in their more recent titles.) Personally I would like a game that combines the dramatic, cinematic qualities of Bioware titles with the extensive mod support of Bethesda games. My hope is that PDX is thinking along similar lines and will hire a studio capable of delivering.



P.S. Guys; what are the chances that PDX is looking to revive CCP's MMO project?

True, BUT, imagine a WoD set up like EU and/or CK. You choose a race, a faction, etc. and you go to town trying to keep the peace between other races and factions across the globe as well as keeping the Masquerade.

VtM was essentially a game of politics when you boil it down. It could easily translate to a frame of work like EU or CK in that you create a ruler.

So for example
I choose to take over as the leader of a Caitiff band of independent vamps and then go to town trying to fight the war for the clanless.

I could see it working

 

[Phibs]

Having spent a lot of time modding the original VtM PC game form Activision I can safely say that the entire WW line of games is quite easy to represent and program in regards to actual game mechanics. It uses a simple D10 system that's really easy to represent with an RNG in game.

We integrated the entire line of WW tabletop games into our community. The only thing that really took a few headaches was trying to represent some of the abilities visually. Mechanically they were easy enough though.

We, at one point, did a complete conversion of Activision's game into the actual TT rules, stats, and mechanics. I don't know how popular WW is in regards to the PC gaming world anymore though. I'd play it.

I wasn't talking about tabletop mechanics. Game mechanics. Different thing. And yes a large portion of that is visual representation.
So for instance the original VtM game didn't have what it'd take to depict the experience of a wraith character. Or a werewolf character for that matter.
And when scaling that up to the work necessary for depicting vampires, it's well maybe not exponentially more, but a whole damn lot.