# I'm just not seeing Sword Coast Legends as a game running tool.



## Corpsetaker (Jul 13, 2015)

When I look at Sword Coast Legends all I see is a Diablo III type of game that I could have a few hours of fun sitting in front of the TV with the PS4 but that's about it. I would have preferred more of a Fantasy Grounds type of thing that I could use on the console. Even then the game doesn't look all that exciting to me. Maybe it's because I've stepped back a lot from console gaming and focused more on the table top game. 

I just don't see the excitement.


----------



## Leatherhead (Jul 13, 2015)

I didn't think anyone on this forum owned a current generation console as anything other than a distraction box for their kids. 

Even as a "Diablo 3 Clone"* the thing that everyone is really interested in is the asymmetric DM mode. The major hang ups that people seem to have with it are the lack of custom maps, and that "Threat" prevents the DM from dishing out the TPKs like a fry cook cranks out burgers at McDonald's. And I know that the Devs know about those hang ups, so maybe they will do something about them. 

I imagine if they address those concerns (or at least let people mod it) then people will be investing hundreds of hours into the game.

But if you have your heart set on a Fantasy Grounds type Program, just get it, or Roll20, they don't need powerful new computers to use.

*:That's surreal, due to old edition wars, considering D3 is just D2 with a WoW skeleton, and that TotSC plays similar to DA:O on the other side of the screen.


----------



## Corpsetaker (Jul 13, 2015)

Leatherhead said:


> I didn't think anyone on this forum owned a current generation console as anything other than a distraction box for their kids.




Funny enough, I have more fun playing my old playstation 1 than my PS4.


----------



## Morrus (Jul 13, 2015)

It's for running a game of SCL. It's not designed to replace your actual D&D game.


----------



## Zaran (Jul 13, 2015)

I wish they would focus on the story first though.  I'm really uninterested in making dungeon crawl scenarios for my players.  I'm more interested in if they can put out a game that rivals Balder's Gate.


----------



## Parmandur (Jul 13, 2015)

It's not a virtual tabletop, it's a video game; albeit one with apparently a robust asymmetrical multiplayer mode that is riffing off of tabletop gaming.

We have no particular evidence that they aren't focusing on story in making the game: just that marketing is favoring the multiplayer mode.


----------



## ehenning (Jul 13, 2015)

The main issue is the limited world building capabilities. But isn't that something they could add later, ala WOW expansions?

This isn't tabletop D&D. It isn't supposed to be. It isn't NWN world building. Not supposed to be that either. It's new and different. I don't know of another game that rewards the DM for the players interacting with the world they built. Did I miss something? Normally, I build a world and the players act in it. Done. End of story. Here, I get rewarded when players play my world well. I like that.


----------



## Zaruthustran (Jul 14, 2015)

I never wanted SCL to be a virtual tabletop/I don't think SCL is trying to be a virtual tabletop. It is, as you say, a Diablo-style (or more accurately, a Gauntlet-style) action videogame with RPG elements, flavored with D&D terms and spell names.

I'm excited to give it a try. But man... I really want a turn-based game that actually and accurately 100% replicates the rules in the 5E PHB.

Closest thing I've found to D&D-as-it's-played-at-a-real-table is Banner Saga. Turn-based combat, with role-playing-based (as in, making choices based on your understanding of the motivations and values of the character whose role you're playing) strategic/story decisions.

That game is so great.


----------



## Quickleaf (Jul 18, 2015)

Morrus said:


> It's for running a game of SCL. It's not designed to replace your actual D&D game.



To be fair, Tim Schwalk the design director said: _"Our primary goal is to create a game that captures the fun of playing tabletop D&D with friends and a Dungeon Master."_
Citation: http://www.rpgwatch.com/articles/sword-coast-legends-community-interview-321.html



Corpsetaker said:


> When I look at Sword Coast Legends all I see is a Diablo III type of game that I could have a few hours of fun sitting in front of the TV with the PS4 but that's about it. I would have preferred more of a Fantasy Grounds type of thing that I could use on the console. Even then the game doesn't look all that exciting to me. Maybe it's because I've stepped back a lot from console gaming and focused more on the table top game.
> 
> I just don't see the excitement.



The game was nominated best RPG of this year's E3 by many groups like IGN. It sounds like they have yet to publicly reveal critical features (e.g. dungeon sharing, quest chains), which may be part of the reason why so many folks online seem to be underwhelmed by the game.

Like others, I'm waiting to see the game's ability to support *campaign* creation as opposed to *dungeon* creation. After the recent livestream with Ash and Tim, it sounds like they are responding to community feedback (particularly about tile-by-tile map creation).

The impression I got from that livestream was that they very much DO want the game to be close to the tabletop gaming experience. We will see!


----------



## RedSiegfried (Sep 25, 2015)

Quickleaf said:


> To be fair, Tim Schwalk the design director said: _"Our primary goal is to create a game that captures the fun of playing tabletop D&D with friends and a Dungeon Master."_
> Citation: http://www.rpgwatch.com/articles/sword-coast-legends-community-interview-321.html




Unfortunately for Tim,  Bioware beat them to that about fifteen years ago, and did it better.  

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000B8K7RC/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

Just sayin.  

Sure, it's not D&D 5.0, but neither is Sword Coast Legends.


----------



## Tyranthraxus (Sep 30, 2015)

That was 15 years ago? There are 16 -17 year olds that have never played that nor ever will! Time erases all gamer memories


----------



## Mergon (Oct 13, 2015)

Parmandur said:


> It's not a virtual tabletop, it's a video game; albeit one with apparently a robust asymmetrical multiplayer mode that is riffing off of tabletop gaming.
> 
> We have no particular evidence that they aren't focusing on story in making the game: just that marketing is favoring the multiplayer mode.




I agree, but it could have been used as a virtual tabltop if they'd just stuck closer to the actual 5e rule set. As it is, in my opinion, the only similarities to D&D 5e are the names of stuff.


----------



## CaptainGemini (Oct 19, 2015)

I have to agree that I don't see it as a game running tool. I see it as a video game.

For making it fun and a video game, they lost that race when Baldur's Gate came out, and that one stuck pretty close to the ruleset of the era. But, that was also 2E. And Neverwinter Nights did 3E well. This... kinda isn't how I envisioned 5E going. Not when they have a different company, the one doing the updates of Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale, that could have done it better.


----------



## darjr (Oct 19, 2015)

I think I'll save my money for gog. I still have hopes for this game but just another diablo clone with DND IP isn't what I want.


----------



## psimon85 (Oct 20, 2015)

Zaruthustran said:


> I never wanted SCL to be a virtual tabletop/I don't think SCL is trying to be a virtual tabletop. It is, as you say, a Diablo-style (or more accurately, a Gauntlet-style) action videogame with RPG elements, flavored with D&D terms and spell names.
> 
> I'm excited to give it a try. But man... I really want a turn-based game that actually and accurately 100% replicates the rules in the 5E PHB.
> 
> ...



Try divinity original sin. It isn't d&d based but it is very RPG,  and the combat is turn based with some very good features.


----------



## theSim (Oct 25, 2015)

Divinity: Original Sin is just awesome and as promising as the trailers looked I really hoped SCL would capture a similar rpg feeling and add a creative DMing part on top. Alas, my hopes have been crushed.


----------



## Jester David (Oct 28, 2015)

Quickleaf said:


> The game was nominated best RPG of this year's E3 by many groups like IGN. It sounds like they have yet to publicly reveal critical features (e.g. dungeon sharing, quest chains), which may be part of the reason why so many folks online seem to be underwhelmed by the game.



How many did it win? 
Looking at the list of IGN nominations (http://ca.ign.com/articles/2015/06/16/igns-best-of-e3-2015-awards), it looks like the nomination criteria is pretty slight. Like maybe being at 3E


----------



## Quickleaf (Oct 29, 2015)

Jester Canuck said:


> How many did it win?
> Looking at the list of IGN nominations (http://ca.ign.com/articles/2015/06/16/igns-best-of-e3-2015-awards), it looks like the nomination criteria is pretty slight. Like maybe being at 3E




Yep. That was the same conclusion I reached!

A real shame SCL turned out like it did. I wisely elected not to purchase, and after reading a lot of reviews I'm glad I didn't. As much as I'm sorry to say, NSpace absolutely deserves all the harsh reviews. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a piece of crap, but it certain doesn't add anything to the D&D that I know and love.

Will it do anything for the D&D brand? I have no clue.


----------

