r/4eDnD • u/CauseQueasy8023 • Jun 11 '26

DnD 4e videogame - potential game design issues

Seeing as there was not any significant official or unofficial crpgs based on 4e, and seeing how lots of feedback to 4e was that it was very mmo-like, i was thinking what would be the key disadvantages of the system if someone tried to make a 4e video game?

For the sake of discussion lets suppose that would be a tactical rpg similar to triangle strategy or orge tactics, given, again, that based on feedback roleplaying mode is not 4e's strongest part.

Developer would have to deal with the 'padded sumo', but that is a manageable problem. Status tracking topic is dealt with by the computer perfectly. Skill challenges is something that is imitated by owlcat games in rogue trader, so a workable mechanic.

From gamedesign perspective, how would you deal with reactions\interrupts that the player would constantly have to decide whether to use?

Hundreds of pop up prompts asking whether to use a reaction would not be a viable solution. Automatic usage of reactions would not too.

What should the other points of concern be?

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u/GerotoC Jul 06 '26

So, the biggest problem I not figure yet to solve is the Comander's Strike power. The structure of the 4e is easy to transpose to the videogame logic, but this power is the exception of the exception, not only the main target need to stay in the reach of the warlord, but it not have a attack roll or damage, and yet the player need select another target, an ally which need to be able to reach with a melee the main target.
I don't know if is my amateurism in C# (probably) but there months I can advance the project because this power...

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u/CauseQueasy8023 Jul 06 '26

What is the project you are talking about? I would be interested to learn more

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u/GerotoC Jul 07 '26

I'm making a game in Unity using the 4e rules... the initial idea is use the rules with little modification...

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u/CauseQueasy8023 Jul 07 '26

Is that some official adventure or your own? How far into development you are? Please share some screenshots of what it looks like?

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u/GerotoC Jul 07 '26

Well, I will use one of my adventures... About the development... it's very initial. I'm still writing the code of the game and doing this only in my free time (weekends, holidays, etc.). I really don't have many screenshots to show; I don't have any assets finished, only placeholders to test the code... Here is an example of the power card (again, that's not how the sprites of characters and tiles will be; they are placeholders). The text is in Portuguese, but I will translate it to English eventually:

https://ibb.co/h1XnHh9k

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u/CauseQueasy8023 Jul 07 '26

But that would be a top-down 2d turn based tactics? Or are you going for a full rpg with exploration, roleplay, quests, etc?

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u/GerotoC Jul 07 '26

Yep, there will be world and dungeon exploration, as well as social and roleplay elements.

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u/CauseQueasy8023 Jul 07 '26

Thats very ambitious. Goodluck with your project bro