Romance of the Three Kingdoms

[IDreamofBunnies]

Even though it happens to be one of the oldest novels in the history of literature, I admit to having been introduced to the story by numerous video games.

Anybody like the book, or perhaps the games derived from it such as Dynasty Warriors and Dynasty Tactics series, Kessen 2, and the Romance of the Three Kingdoms strategy game series? I always thought a fantasy RPG based on this setting would be keen.

Share your thoughts on the subject, if a game is born out of the conversation this will be the OOC section.

 

[SamuraiHeroD]

Koei's games are awesome. When I first discovered Dynasty Warriors 3, I was all over it, mostly because all the characters were historical. I even loved Kessen 2, though it wasn't anything like the real story and the battles weren't all that much fun. (I wonder how Kessen 3 is? Supposedly, as these sorts of mostly-unpopular genre games go, it's pretty sweet)

And I own Romance of the Three Kingdoms VII for PS2... I love making wandering characters with low stats but thus the unique skills, and having them go all around the world and learning a bunch of skills, and then joining with an established lord and getting tutored from really good characters. Wish I could find IX, apparently it has Blood Brothers and Marriage options in it.

I can't imagine how an actual online rpg would go if it were like any of these, though. We could mix it up; have it like a Kessen/Dynasty Warriors mix, with vague strategizing and civilization building in between battles by relegating ourselves to different tasks (not as intense as RotK, is what I mean), and then having strategic battles mostly comprised of us, as the heroes, going around owning everyone and doing clever things to win the day, and then from the results of the battles, allowing the storyline to flow in new and interesting ways.

I'd also vote we do original characters, and not in actual China, but in the same style of setting.

Also, we should make up our own Musou.

 

[SamuraiHeroD]

Inspiration Strikes:

Maybe each player, after picking one side, could control multiple characters; one a superior hero and the others sub-officers who would also take place in battle but might not get so directly engaged in the combat. Sort of like the non-playable character officers you beat up all the time in Dynasty Warriors; they're also important characters with personalities, but they're pawns, not rooks, knights, or bishops. That way, it would be possible to set up genuine strategies, like leaving certain characters in ambush or manning the catapults with one officer, and still having fun running around in the heat of the action and getting in magnificent duels with another, more important character.

We should totally go for a similar storyline, though, even if the battles are structured differently. The conflict between Cao Cao and Liu Bei is just too cool.

I wonder... would we have to make maps for battles? Actually, it wouldn't be too tough, really, as long as we could agree on one...


EDIT:
Again, an idea! We could combine the concepts of Kessen 2's abilities, RotK's "ploys", and Dynasty Warriors' Musou special attack. Perhaps, when we create an officer, we create suitable special abilities for them. They'd include, for example, Musou, if your character's going to have one; Kessen's magic spells like Fire Storm, Hail, Lightning, Meteor Shower, what have you, and techniques like Volley, Charge, Rally, and the everyone's-favorite Raid; and certain RotK abilities for the more subtle characters, like Valor, Tunnel, Rumor, Jeer, and so on. That way, we could get characters with a variety of specialties, just like in the games, and we wouldn't have to resort to stat numbers and such things (which tend not to make much sense in an online forum-based game format, I've found).


EDIT x2:
...sorry, this is just the way I am.

If we do things this way, I'd like to control the variant Liu Bei (AKA Somewhat Strategically Inept But Highly Charismatic Good Guy) and some characters on his side.

 

[Jagged]

Hello to you..........Interesting concept you have written. Since I am the only other person running a strategy thread in the online roleplay area I wish you luck and can understand how hard it can be to workout and recruit people. It can be done though and I hope you look over my Village Warrior thread.....it works pretty well now thanks to patient and skilled players. Take a look at the OOC thread of it as well. It will give you a few ideas oh to run a thread like this and feel free to ask advice.

 

[SamuraiHeroD]

Hmm...

You know, if we keep the battles in-depth like I envision, maybe we should make it a one-on-one deal, with two kingdoms instead of three, and multiple players on each side. To make sure everyone's included in every battle.

Alternatively, after looking over the way Jagged's doing his, we could make it more free-form (more RotK style) and less oriented towards the battles a la DW and Kessen, and everyone can have their own province, as was the case for quite a while in the actual Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Either way would sound fun to me. But getting in-depth into roleplaying the battles as I first envisioned (with Musous, etc.) might get a bit sluggish... I'm only just now thinking of that.

 

[Jagged]

On that front the game is a different animal when your bring in logistics to the mix. Hot much rice is produced, how many suits of armor can be made......etc. As to the roleplay pitting players against each other is a good idea. PLayers can take things in a direction they want. Design units they like.....marry keep mistresses (many options for you ladies not mean to be sexist here), practice with your favorite weapon or learn a craft or study.

My advice to the GM is not to play the video game here......use it as a model and customize it from there......like the setting great but don't be afraid to add things that weren't there or remove things that drove you nuts. Writing only enhances so don't let a frame work tie you down. Another kingdom could be filled with Japanese Ogres or could include fantasy technology like blimps and tanks. Three kingdoms at war until Aliens or creatures through a portal invade who use swords as well....? Setting limits is good thing but don't be in a hurry too.....Personally I would like to play in one. My players seem to have a lot of fun.

 

[IDreamofBunnies]

I didn't mean a strategy game so much as a traditional RPG in the RotTK setting. You could play someone running one of the kingdoms but I find the smaller scale aspect more interesting and there are plenty of stories in that arena: the travels of Liu Bei and his sworn brothers, Zhao Yun's service to Gongsun Zan, the many betrayals of Lu Bu, and Cao Cao's discovery of the Bronze Pheasant are just a few examples.

 

[SamuraiHeroD]

...oh.

Well, I'm not sure if anyone is familiar enough with the actual story for that. I'm definately not. And I prefer to invent my own characters, anyway.

 

[Jagged]

The setting can only be a framework....Let the players write their own great saga.

 

[TheScarletBlade]

Speaking of The Romance of Three Kingdoms.I once tried to start a thread about that but no one liked it.I kinda find it funny how everyone is talking about it and I am sitting here,playing the Fifth Dynasty Warriors.Lol

 

[IDreamofBunnies]

DW5 is pretty cool, it's what prompted me to suggest this. Of course I have three and all versions of 4 (Xtreme Legends and Empires in addition to the regular one). I also have Romance of the Three Kingdoms 7-10, Kessen 2, and Dynasty Tactics 2.

 

[SamuraiHeroD]

DW5 is out!? Dude!!

For PS2?

 

[thegibe]

DW5 has been out for a long time, lol. I think they've even got an expansion pack as well. Heck, there's even a DW game for PSP out (too bad it sucks).

 

[TheScarletBlade]

Dynasty warriors five just came out recently.It came out March 30th this year and it is only April Fiveth so it hasnt been a long time.

 

[thegibe]

Really? *checks* Ah, you're right. I must have confused it with 4. There are so damn many!

By the way, it's "fifth" not "fiveth."

 

[TheScarletBlade]

I am so high on cold and flu medicine becuase I am sick I forgot how to spell.

 

[thegibe]

You can get high on that shit? Lend me some!

 

[TheScarletBlade]

I ment high as in messed up.I am not really high,just more outta my frecking mind.I couldnt think stright enough to clap my hands.

 

[SamuraiHeroD]

So I just went out and bought DW5. Wow. It's a far cry from DW3... sheeeeet...

 

[TheScarletBlade]

Five is the best so far.

 

[SamuraiHeroD]

I think they should probably stop with this one, though. They really don't need so many versions of the same exact game.

You'd think they could move their company on to a different type of game.

 

[IDreamofBunnies]

I think they should probably stop with this one, though. They really don't need so many versions of the same exact game.

You'd think they could move their company on to a different type of game.

They do have other games and other settings, Kessen 1 and 3 involve historical Japanese characters. The two Red Sea games are supposed to be like Dynasty Warriors but with guns and monsters with a sci-fi setting. They have other strategy games as well.

However, enough about Koei and its cool games. Is anybody interested in playing an RPG in the RotTK setting? Some people seem hesitant about playing historical characters, I didn't intend to imply that it was the only option, playing fictional characters in the setting would be cool as well, and we could inject some magical elements. Im not sure I like the huge, army-crushing meteor storms and fireball attacks seen in Kessen 2 but some kind of magic would surely fit.

 

[SamuraiHeroD]

Well, first of all, the RotK story already has magical elements. Zhuge Liang, after all, is supposed to have called the wind through prayer, and thus won the major battle of Chi Bi.

And I sincerely doubt we could get anyone to play in a genuine historical setting -- especially when that historical setting is China circa 200 AD. Anyway, we'd have to interact with historical characters, and that might be weird enough, as most of the player base probably would be uneducated about the Romance of the Three Kingdoms (I myself only know what I know from video games and from my suitemate's chinese mother, so my knowledge is sketchy, to say the least).

 

[IDreamofBunnies]

Summoning the wind after praying at an alter in order to set up a more mundane followup tactic is a little different than flying several stories in the air and unleashing an enormous lightshow of fiery destruction down upon thousands of people.

Anyways, the setting doesn't have to be treated with 100% accuracy and you can interact with historical characters as much or as little as you like. I once played a D&D game based in mid 900's AD Europe. Our group's only interaction with historical figures, major or otherwise was a brief conversation with the Premysl Duke Wenceslas I after slaying a necromancer that was raising all the dead in Bohemia.

You can always play a minor officer, unnoticed by history, you don't even have to play an officer under one of the three kingdoms but a warrior, scholar, or even a peasant wandering the Chinese countryside.

 

[SamuraiHeroD]

Beyond this historically-based campaign, do you have any ideas for a possible adventure setting? Like, what would bring all these characters together?