Ravenloft : Strahd Possession
Ravenloft : Stone Prophet
Both of which are excellent games by SSI. I can think of several recent game engines that would be perfect for a Ravenloft game:
1) Doom III engine: dynamic lighting baby!! huge character models (realistic and creepy as hell), the environments are very detailed...
2) Thief Deadly Shadows/Deus Ex Invisible War engine: I think both uses the unreal engine but I'm not sure. The settings in Thief while playing the game reminds me of Ravenloft. The only issue I had was with how small the size of each level (especially in Deus Ex).
3) Unreal Engine 3: Although this engine hasn't been released yet, from the various videos of the engine in action, it looks jaw-droppingly gorgeous.
4) Half-Life 2 engine: The details look stunning. The physics in the game is super. I can't wait to see ghouls/zombies being hacked/slashed and see the rag doll physics in action.
5) Far-Cry engine: OMG...this game is incredible. It handles large open areas quite well. The water effect is awesome. The foliages look convincingly real. I can see the town of Barovia surrounded with trees and bushes where wolves and other creatures of the night waiting for their next victim to pass by.
Engines that I don't think would be appropriate:
1) Morrowind engine: Although I enjoy the game very much, I think the engine is a bit dated for today's games and compared to the new 3D engines. The ability to add zones to the engine world makes it the most modable in recent memory.
2) Tribes engine: Gwah...the details from what I've seen aren't there. We want a lush detail for Ravenloft.
3) Gothic II engine: This game is pretty nice. I enjoyed playing it. Again, the world is large but is not as detailed as I would like a Ravenloft game to be.
Here's what I think would be the perfect ravenloft game:
- rag doll physics
- dynamic lighting
- huge world (all domains of dread!! with little to no load time; with vast landscapes; minimal dungeon crawling)
- darklords (the lot of them!!! Stradh a must, Harkon Lukas, Azalin, Sir Tristan Hiregaard, Victor Mordenheim)
- characters from children of the night, Van Richten's guides, and the many great Ravenloft novels (Jander Sunstar, Lord Soth, Larissa Snowmane, Alexi Shadowborn).
- ridable mounts (horses, carriages, etc.) to explore the great world.
- vistani (it wouldn't be a Ravenloft game without them)
- open-ended storyline (mainly based on which domain you're currently in and it doesn't have to deal with the domain's darklord either).
- no freaken level/xp cap (I can't stand it when games impose caps)
- monsters from the ravenloft monstrous compendium (yeah baby!)
- character kits from ravenloft (or ravenloft themed)
- able to become a werewolf/vampire/zombie and still be in control (this will add to the replayability of the game -- imagine hunting villagers!).
- able to become a darklord (imagine ruling your own domain of dread).
- expandable/extendable world (like morrowind)
- player character changing based on action (in appearance as well)
- own homes/ships/properties (like daggerfall/morrowind)
I think I got everything. This would be one hell of a game (probably takes like 600 developers in 5 years to make).
What do you guys think?
Does that count?
A game like that would make Ravenloft known outside US and England as Forgotten Realms are...
Of course, the game should be a REALLY good game, but I don't think anyone would be interested in risking money on a unsure businness... Just to say here in Italy the 25th Edition (the publisher that has all the D&D, FR, Vampire, Werewolf and other WW products) is not willing to translate and publish it for fear it will not receive a warm welcome.
Do you think many people would be eager to spend money on a setting lacking the "Another +39 planar destroyer greatsword? Ill just pack it up with the others" feeling Forgotten Realms have? ;)
In fact, many people play Forgotten Realms in Italy because they know almost no other setting! Sad thing, if you ask me.
