What I'd really love to see in a Pathfinder digital game

[Karui Kage]

While Pathfinder Online seems to be progressing nicely, I find myself drifting more and more away from MMOs these days. Guild Wars 2 has been the best I've played recently, and it introduced some pretty unique mechanics that I have yet to see other MMOs really match.

That said, what I would really love to see Pathfinder do is a game more like this: Divinity Original Sin.

This is one of the most amazing PC RPGs I've played in years, maybe even a decade. It hearkens back to some of the greats like Baldur's Gate and Planescape Torment, and I would easily rank it up there with those greats. The framework to it, however, is what makes me want more and more for there to be a Pathfinder version.

It has a Class system, Traits (basically Feats) every other level, ability increases, various skills like Perception and Barter. It manages to be turn based without feeling overly complex. It incorporates cooperative play so you and a friend can control multiple characters.

Every time I play it, I keep thinking that it would be *so* great if Paizo ever made a Pathfinder game like this. MMOs are nice, but they don't really capture the feeling of you and a few friends on an epic adventure. You kind of share your heroism with a thousand others in an MMO.

In short: I'd love to see a Pathfinder C-RPG. Turn based, cooperative play, covering one of the adventure paths perhaps. To any of the Paizo staff that enjoyed those older games I mentioned above, I highly encourage you to check out Divinity, and just think about what it would feel like with a Golarion skin and some mechanics changes over it.

[Thazar]

First I want to say thanks. I did not know about that game and it looks cool.

Second I agree that would be a great format for PFRPG! MMO's get too hung up on PvP and Balance and that is not how I play any of our home games in PnP so a non-MMO format is a good thing.

[Gorbacz]

The problem is, as much as we're fond of it and all, Goalrion is just way too small an IP for an AAA+ game to be based upon.

And Paizo likely wouldn't settle for some indie studio doing a PF game in a basement.

So it's bit of Catch 22 here.

[thejeff]

Gorbacz wrote:

The problem is, as much as we're fond of it and all, Goalrion is just way too small an IP for an AAA+ game to be based upon.

And Paizo likely wouldn't settle for some indie studio doing a PF game in a basement.

So it's bit of Catch 22 here.

I don't know. They did the MMO, so obviously something is possible.

And I agree, I'd much prefer a non-MMO RPG. While I'm dreaming, something heavily modable like Neverwinter Nights was back in the day.

[Karui Kage]

Too small? You kidding me? Neverwinter Nights was focused on just a small part of their world, and it did great. Same with Baldur's Gate. I think about a Divinity-style game based in Varisia around Curse of the Crimson Throne, and all of the happy in me lights up like fireworks.

Divinity did a kickstarter to get their game going and did fantastic. Paizo did a kickstarter for their own MMO. I see no reason why they couldn't do a CRPG in the glorious turn-based style of Divinity.

I hadn't honestly thought about it much recently, but D:OS just re-ignited my love for that style of game and made me realize what I really want out of a Pathfinder digital game.

[feytharn]

Gorbacz wrote "To small an IP aka not nearly well known enough for an AAA studio to be interested in the license.

[Hardwool]

Divinity sells like mad (at least according to the steam topsellers), and it had a budget of about 5.5 million dollars.

I myself have zero interest in MMOs, and I fear that PFO will be the last thing to hear about Paizo's plans going video game.

[feytharn]

Yet, if Paizo wants to retain creative control of Golarion, it would require a video game company to work with more input than just the license itself - I guess any AAA company would need a pretty good reason to do so (aka the license brings a very large customer base).

[Earthpig]

The engine to run pathfinder already exists. The TOEE game engine has 3.5 at its core. Not sure where the ownership of that lies though. There used to be a good core of fan development at the circle of eight forums that fixed the bugs and extended the character levels.

[Karui Kage]

feytharn wrote:

Gorbacz wrote "To small an IP aka not nearly well known enough for an AAA studio to be interested in the license.

My point was that they don't necessarily need a AAA company. The group that did D:OS did an amazing job, and I wouldn't consider them one of the bigger AAA companies (most of their funding on Divinity was from Kickstarter).

Earthpig: Oh man, yes. I loved the TOEE game (especially after the giant bug-fixing patch came out). That + Pathfinder also would be a thrill.

[Kthulhu]

From previous discussions, I've taken away that the language in the OGL is very nebulous in regards to usage for computer games. Which is which the Pathfinder MMO doesn't use the Pathfinder RPG system. So its doubtful they would use it for another game, either, even if the were to create another game.

[Kthulhu]

I'd have to assume that the company to make a Golarion game (not a Pathfinder game, for the reasons given in my prior post) would likely be Goblinworks.

[Orthos]

thejeff wrote:

Gorbacz wrote:

The problem is, as much as we're fond of it and all, Goalrion is just way too small an IP for an AAA+ game to be based upon.

And Paizo likely wouldn't settle for some indie studio doing a PF game in a basement.

So it's bit of Catch 22 here.

I don't know. They did the MMO, so obviously something is possible.

And I agree, I'd much prefer a non-MMO RPG. While I'm dreaming, something heavily modable like Neverwinter Nights was back in the day.

This would be my preference. But admittedly I've been looking for something to replace NWN for years. Game companies seem to be shying heavily away from anything that allows players that much freedom of creation these days.

[Oceanshieldwolf]

I would love to play Pathfinder: Offline. Played a lot of NWN and NWN 2 and enjoyed it very much. I have expressed a desire for PF:Offline in the PFO forums - there are others who share this desire also.

[Kthulhu]

I'd prefer a non-RPG Golarion game. Something akin to mesh of the Thief series/Dishonored, Dark Souls (but less unforgiving), Zelda, Darksiders, and other games like that. I'd rather play a single character than a full party.

[Samy]

What would be interesting is if someone did adaptations of modules or adventure paths for the Neverwinter Nights 2 engine. It'd probably have to be unofficial and under the radar though.

[Karui Kage]

As much as I love NWN2, I've always had a preference for the isometric view of other games like Baldur's, and I love the turn-based combat.

Played some more Divinity last night, it's amazing how close the game already is to Pathfinder (at least with combat). Attacks of Opportunity, a take on flanking, prone bonuses, etc. If there were some modding tools for it you'd bet I'd already be on top of some kind of AP adaptation.

[Orthos]

So glad I got that game during the sale. Keep hearing more and more good things about it.

[Karui Kage]

Last night, Katina (girlfriend, in coop) shot an arrow at a zombie and the poison blood in its veins exploded onto me and gave me poison. I wasn't even mad.

An undead caster made a pool of acid, so we smashed a water barrel onto it and washed it off.

She summoned a giant spider next to an exploding enemy, who detonated and took out half the troops.

I WANT GOLARION PLUS THIS SO BAD.

[Seadin]

I think with a little modding it wouldn't be too hard to get a NWN2 server going set somewhere in Golarion. There is a guy who does the modding for multiple servers who seems very interested in the rules set, though I obviously can't speak for him. I personally would jump at the chance to play on a server set somewhere like Korvosa/Sandpoint/River Kingdoms.