The Chosen One

[Volourn]

Real life does not equal = Fantasy.

 

Anyways, I agree to soeme xtent, the 'Chosen One' story is overused. And, it's almost never used in pnp role-playing. At least I've NEVER seen it used in any pnp campaigns I've played or Dmed.

[Judge Hades]

I did it once for the whole party but it was a mock setup done to the PCs. basically there was a prophecy of some oracle hundreds of years back that heroes shall rise from the dead to save the land. Well some bugger drugged the PCs that made them appear dead and dug shallow graves. When the drug wore off they had to dig themselves out and whenthe graves' keeper saw this she went all the "The Prophecy is to be fulffilled!" crap with the PCs clueless on how they got there or where they were at.

 

It was kind of funny for the Paladin of the group was getting obsessed about not being undead.

[mkreku]

It feels like you're discussing the wrong aspects of "the chosen one" scenarios. The point isn't about if you become a chosen one because of all the great deeds you perform. The point is that being "the chosen one" right from the beginning without ever having to lift a finger for it, is boring.

 

Naturally all games have to revolve around the player and his actions, but I am sure it is possible to create the impression that the quests you're allowed to solve would be solvable by any adventurer with enough skill and not just by "teh One!!", chosen by some oracle a thousand years back.

[Darque]

Teh chozen one is a trite concept.

[Judge Hades]

That is what I would like to aim for when I work on the module. I am finally putting some effort in learning the toolset for NWN 1 in order to prepare for NWN 2. Dialogs are very complex with the number of options. I mean you have the normal dialog, insightful, the dumb dialog, and everything in between.

[Gromnir]

conan > belgarion

 

if you want a tangential Chosen One, and Good v. Evil and that kinda stuff then we is okie dokie with that, but do different.

 

if you need a Chosen One in story/world then maybe make so that the player's actions decide the fate or nature of the Chosen One.

 

*shrug*

 

maybe Gromnir gots too much Nietzsche than is healthy, but in stories we prefers that the Gods or Fates or whatever would just back the hell off and let men decide man's future.

 

HA! Good Fun!

Edited January 27, 2006 by Gromnir

[CoM_Solaufein]

I prefer heros who have greatness thrust upon them and they don't take it willingly or fallen heros.

[Diogo Ribeiro]

That is what I would like to aim for when I work on the module.  I am finally putting some effort in learning the toolset for NWN 1 in order to prepare for NWN 2.  Dialogs are  very complex with the number of options.  I mean you have the normal dialog, insightful, the dumb dialog, and everything in between.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I don't mean to condescend or to give off the impression that I'm trying to tell you what's best for your module development, but if you're going to be providing dialogue which reflects particular statistics like low intelligence or high wisdom, then you should take care that it actually presents different dialogues and dialogue outcomes. The problem I had with Neverwinter Nights' way of dealing with this that a low intelligence character could still solve things and be led trough the game's narrative, and an insightful character could spot motivations a mile away but still do nothing about this. Including 'dumbspeak' or 'smartspeak' just for the sake of it isn't really worth it if all it's going to be is window dressing.

[Judge Hades]

I agree, but right now I am just "messing around" so I can get a feel of the system. When I start to make some serious inroads of the dialog and such I will most likely write it out outside the toolset and have it on paper first. I tend to write better if I first plot it out with pencil and loose leaf or with the use of note cards.

[Gabrielle]

The chosen one. I'm the all important hero who is destined to save the world.

[Calax]

why is there never an RPG where your running along and instead of being teh uber chosen one of doom death and puppies, your instead a measily soldier who's trying to survive and you do a quest of your own that is in support of the chosen ones little quest. so instead of being revan, your a republic crew that's cleaning up after revan's messes or somthing.

 

so basically put a more first person shooter storyline on a rpg.

[Fairplay]

I don't like the polar-opposite NPC rival thing. It might be fun to have a quest/motivation dealing with handling an NPC that is supposed to be the "chosen one".

 

*Kill* "See. I told you he wasn't the chosen one!" *runs from angry mob*

 

or

 

You aid the buffoon in saving his village by accomplishing many tasks and making many sacrifices. Then you bite your tongue while the village rewards the chosen one.

 

or

 

You tell the truth about how it was really you who saved the village. Then get ridiculed by the entire town.

 

Something like that.

[Haitoku]

maybe Gromnir gots too much Nietzsche than is healthy, but in stories we prefers that the Gods or Fates or whatever would just back the hell off and let men decide man's future.

 

I'm with you on that... And the only unhealthy amount of Nietzsche is none.

[moreKOTORplz]

Personally I long for a game where someone in authority identifies your character as "the chosen one" and makes it public knowledge only to then later have it revealed to the player that it's just a hoax to raise hope in the future among the population, and the main character was "chosen" only because it was really convenient at the time...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Jade empire used this format. I don't think it matters because you go through progression, so to say at the start of the game you are the man makes no sense. Either way you are the hero of the game so it doesn't matter

[mr insomniac]

Also the villains shouldn't be waiting around for the PC to act.  I mean if you are a main villain with plans to take over the world are you going to wait for the protagonist to show up to stop you?  Of course not.  Some villains in the CRPGs need to read the Evil Ovelord's handbook and act on those rules.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Timing. The villain's designs begin to come to fruition right around the time the hero begins to throw a wrench in them.

[Cantousent]

Heaven help us from German philosophers. However, I agree that gods should not be the prime movers in stories.

 

Even in something as god-ridden as the best forgotten realms, there is ample room to show the effects of belief without relying on personifying the gods. Let the believers battle it out on earth. Show the motivations and qualities in the believers that move them to worship one god or another. It shouldn't be so easy as saying some fellow worships Bane. The design team should give an account of why the character worships Bane. What was the impetus that drove him to swear allegiance to Bane in the first place? How has he developed his beliefs and how strongy rooted is his belief? Bane himself need not have a voice for the character to express the core tenets of the faith.

 

That's the problem I have with a lot of fantasy. It's too easy for the characters. It's too easy, when you're faced with the burning bush, to believe in God. The rest of us have to work at it. The rest of us are faced with folks who ridicule us for our specific beliefs or for believing at all. Why do designers give the player character the easy path by giving them the truth as ordained by divinity. Make the characters work for it. Don't give them more experience for playing the good guy. make the easiest, most profitable path the middle of the road. You want to be the golden haired savior? It won't be easy. It won't always yield the most reward. In fact, the biggest reward should be that you have followed the path paved by your conscience.

 

I don't want it so cut and dried as God popping out of the ether telling me that I'm destined for greatness. Create a world where gods exist. That's fine. ...But don't give us the easy answers. Make us decide which answer is best and force us to fight like hell to keep to our ideals. That's what I want in a game. I don't want to be chosen. I want to choose.

[Darque]

I choose you, Eldar.

 

Now go forth and save the world!

[Atreides]

I thought that was Steve's job.

[SteveThaiBinh]

I don't want it so cut and dried as God popping out of the ether telling me that I'm destined for greatness.

Lots of fantasy settings stress the imperfection of the Gods, or at least the competition between them, and that's always been an attractive point to me. However, they don't always work it into the story enough. I liked Morrowind's Gods, Vivec and so on, because

they were indeed false gods, not evil really, but stuck with the repercussions of their past blunders. Unfortunately, a neat idea was rather spoiled by having the 'real' God Azura, who made you the Chosen One.

A Pantheon of imperfect Gods is a great opportunity for writers of fantasy games, but how often do they take advantage of it?

I thought that was Steve's job.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nah, my term just finished. It's the time of Gabs the Destroyer now. These things are cyclical, you know.

[Dark_Raven]

The Goddess Dark_Raven, Enemy of Fun, makes a sweeping, grand entrance.

 

 

The Chosen One idea is fine, provided that it is not use often. You can only play so many games and be the "chosen one". Lets try being the reluctant normal person who has greatness thrust upon them even when they don

[Plano Skywalker]

another device for the protagonist is the "unlikely hero"....you play some guy who never finished high school, got kicked out the military, divorced 4 times, etc. but he stumbles across some information that could save the day...and he has to go it alone because nobody would believe him.

[Calax]

another device for the protagonist is the "unlikely hero"....you play some guy who never finished high school, got kicked out the military, divorced 4 times, etc. but he stumbles across some information that could save the day...and he has to go it alone because nobody would believe him.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

or thinks he's a kook

[Diogo Ribeiro]

What if instead of being assumed that the PC did something evil and must now atone, what if the PC is confronted with aspects of him which simply made different decisions? Say the PC somehow has aspects of him, shades, pieces of his being, which have manifested across a gameworld without his knowledge and did many things, but eventually he finds out about this and has a chance to judge them.

[Gabrielle]

Nah, my term just finished.  It's the time of Gabs the Destroyer now.  These things are cyclical, you know.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Coolness. Watch it all burn!

[Darque]

Faster, Gabby, Kill! Kill!