Need suggestions on introducing a friend to RPG's for the PC

[norseamd]

mass effect
fallout
elderscrolls

 

[Elcs]

This might be a bit of an 'out-there' suggestion but I'd suggest Dungeons & Dragons Online.

It's alright from an RPG standpoint, combines the basic mechanics with some more in-depth stuff and gives a mild education in D&D rules which form the basis of the epic greats of the genre such a Baldur's Gate.

There's a diverse number of races and classes to choose from, many different ways to play and it offers solo play with co-op/chat functions to help with understanding or certain bits n bobs.

I often play MMO's as a single player game with a chat/social function where I can have a bit of a chinwag and obtain advice when I need clarification or feel like an idiot. Partying up with strangers or playing with friends is always an option, not a necessity

Biggest pro... is that it is free to play so costs nothing to dip the toes in and immerse one's self into it.

 

[norseamd]

This might be a bit of an 'out-there' suggestion but I'd suggest Dungeons & Dragons Online.

just started it

like it more than neverwinter but still somewhat simple

not exceptionally bad so if he wants to play it might work

 

[Red Hawk]

Do you see the problem?

Skyrim has crafting, but it's not required.

Skyrim, Dragon Age Origins, or Mass Effect are my favorites and what I would recommend as a starting point for RPGs.

 

[Martimus]

did you like the first one? since i played the game when it was released the ui is perfectly manageable for me. the only problem for me is the resolution which the larger resolution of the 2nd game would at least be nicer to have. the only mod i am using right now is the unfinished business mod. so maybe i will look at the widescreen mod. but even the standard resolution of the bg2 would be very usable.

The first game was OK. Once I got to Baldurs Gate, the game picked up, but it was really slow to that point. The second game however is great.

The EE edition works much better than the GoG version I first started on the game (BG1, I never got to BG2 on GoG, because I never finished the first one). The adjustable widescreen on the enhanced edition just works, and most of the other little issues I had with the GoG version of the game were fixed. The game itself hasn't changed (much, they did add some extra characters and quests), but the ability to play the game without a bunch of mods made it worth it to me to buy the Enhanced Edition. (I have bought both games on GoG, and now have bought both EE versions.)

I do own Planescape Torment (also from GoG), although I haven't gotten out of the morgue yet. Suffice it to say, I am not very far yet. Maybe I will give that game a go after I finish BG2.

 

[The_AC]

Deus Ex: Human Revolution, especially if he'll like one that's more like an FPS.
Star Wars: KotOR wouldn't be bad

 

[s44]

Mass Effect 2. 1 is much more fiddly.

 

[Red Hawk]

Mass Effect 2. 1 is much more fiddly.

The nature of Mass Effect's story is such that you really don't want to just skip 1 and start with 2, though.

 

[angminas]

I loved Titan Quest.

 

[devhda]

Duke Nukem anybody yet?

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

diablo 3 or one of the other free hack n slash games.

marvel heroes?
maybe guild wars 2?

I'm more into multiplayer games so that's why I went with those titles. ME or Dragon Age Origins seem cool for single player.

maybe something like costume quest if he likes paper mario.

 

[ratjacket]

The Temple of Elemental Evil

maybe get him to try a MOBA like LoL

 

[slpnshot]

The nature of Mass Effect's story is such that you really don't want to just skip 1 and start with 2, though.

Well it's preferable to start from the beginning, but I didn't feel that I lost out on anything by starting from 2. If 2->3 was anything like 1->2 none of the big decisions made any lasting impact on the sequels.

I honestly didn't mind 3's ending as much as my gripe in not keeping any of my A team members in the 3rd game... All that effort to keep my team alive and the majority only appear as cameos...

 

[norseamd]

I honestly didn't mind 3's ending as much as my gripe in not keeping any of my A team members in the 3rd game... All that effort to keep my team alive and the majority only appear as cameos...

the original mass effect you have to lose one of your team members and the dilogue does not always match up. even going by the same dilogue except some use powers you do not have any chance to save another team member if you do not use the power choices. naturally since fail checks often mean that there is a worse reaction so i picked a non power word choice that matched the power choices and poof the guy is instantly gone. one of the few times i reloaded in that game just because of how poorly it was made and how much that poor shit just pissed me off. also dissapointed to learn that wrex (or whatever his name is) is not one of your team members in the sequal. ya he is somewhat cliche but i still like him. much more than ashley (who brought me nothing and was annoying especially considering i was already a full soldier)

 

[DigDog]

Temple Of Elemental Evil, and mods. hehehe. no, just kidding. Too unforgiving.
Neverwinter Nights and a whole bunch of free adventure modules. that should do.

 

[ratjacket]

fallout 2 and arcanum

were boss aswell

 

[Red Hawk]

Well it's preferable to start from the beginning, but I didn't feel that I lost out on anything by starting from 2. If 2->3 was anything like 1->2 none of the big decisions made any lasting impact on the sequels.

I honestly didn't mind 3's ending as much as my gripe in not keeping any of my A team members in the 3rd game... All that effort to keep my team alive and the majority only appear as cameos...

Well, as someone who played the trilogy start to finish, I can say that you did miss out. In particular, you never met Wrex.

 

[DigDog]

Mass Effect is it?

Wrex was a great character. ME1 was so much better than the other two .. but that's a given. Simply because ME1's appeal came from it being a snapshot of time, with a hero fighting a battle that cannot be won.

Twisting the story so that the battle *can* be won just makes it lose the characteristic which made it a great story.

Really, it's like a film where the hero defeats the evil undead lord, but he's left alone vs a huge mound of zombies, closing in, and he's got his last two shotgun shells and his chainsaw is almost out of gas.

Great ending, but you know he's gonna get it. BUT, since it's over, we can pretend he doesn't.
but he does.

 

[Sulaco]

The first game was OK. Once I got to Baldurs Gate, the game picked up, but it was really slow to that point. The second game however is great.

The EE edition works much better than the GoG version I first started on the game (BG1, I never got to BG2 on GoG, because I never finished the first one). The adjustable widescreen on the enhanced edition just works, and most of the other little issues I had with the GoG version of the game were fixed. The game itself hasn't changed (much, they did add some extra characters and quests), but the ability to play the game without a bunch of mods made it worth it to me to buy the Enhanced Edition. (I have bought both games on GoG, and now have bought both EE versions.)

I do own Planescape Torment (also from GoG), although I haven't gotten out of the morgue yet. Suffice it to say, I am not very far yet. Maybe I will give that game a go after I finish BG2.

I'm starting on Baldur's Gate EE right now. I'm maybe an hour and a half in, at Friendly Arm, and I'm not at all put off by the seriously dated graphics or UI. I just want a great story with great characters to get lost in for a few dozen hours.

That being said, I don't want to get 15 hours or more in and realize it's not really going anywhere, or that I would have enjoyed BGII that much more.
Would you say playing through BG1 is worth it? Or is BG2 such a vastly superior game that everyone should jump directly to that?

 

[norseamd]

I'm starting on Baldur's Gate EE right now. I'm maybe an hour and a half in, at Friendly Arm, and I'm not at all put off by the seriously dated graphics or UI. I just want a great story with great characters to get lost in for a few dozen hours. That being said, I don't want to get 15 hours or more in and realize it's not really going anywhere, or that I would have enjoyed BGII that much more. Would you say playing through BG1 is worth it? Or is BG2 such a vastly superior game that everyone should jump directly to that?

yes

much of the story of bg2 will make more sense if you play the first game

 

[s44]

ME1 was so much better than the other two

No it wasn't.

Simply because ME1's appeal came from it being a snapshot of time, with a hero fighting a battle that cannot be won.

So was 2. And 3.

In fact, if you want to be generous, you can say that the ridiculous contortions of 3's ending were signs of its inability to square this circle. But I won't be generous, because what the hell was Kai Leng doing in the damn game before that?

But 2 was the better game. It also had the best Wrex bits.

I just want a great story with great characters to get lost in for a few dozen hours.

BG1 is longer than that.

It's also more fun with the BG1NPC mod, but it's plenty of fun standalone... and the expansion dungeon is the best crawl in the series. Sort of a bummer if you don't have a relatively standard "good guy" playthrough to set up BG2 though.

 

[norseamd]

BG1 is longer than that. It's also more fun with the BG1NPC mod, but it's plenty of fun standalone... and the expansion dungeon is the best crawl in the series. Sort of a bummer if you don't have a relatively standard "good guy" playthrough to set up BG2 though.

bg1 and bg2 are both long games. both can be more than 100 hours if you want

both are very good

 

[celtekk]

Planescape: Torment or Baldurs Gate 1/2.

2 of the greatest RPGs of all time.

 

[DigDog]

nah.
nah.
nah.

really i cant stand these dissection posts. if you have an opinion you can just type it out. you like cerberus and all that stuff? fine. but that is a different story, it's not a continuation of ME1.

me1 ENDS at the end of the game. it ends because you are supposed to feel elated for Sheppard's strong will, but you don't really want to see her getting shredded to bits by the reapers - which is obviously how the world of me1 ends.

in the alternate reality of me2 and me3, they wrote a whole bunch of different stories, best described as "based on me1".
ofc you can feel free to eat it all up.
The proteans aren't gone. there's actually one of them alive.
The reapers aren't all powerful, they are actually kinda meh.
There *is* a reason why the reapers do what they do, and we'll even explain it to you (Yo Dawg, etc.)
Midicholrians are the force, not some mys.. oh wait. sorry i got confused.

Just like chekov's gun, you put it on the mantlepiece, you have to use it.
And in reverse, if you did not use it, then it never was a gun.
You don't go back and shoot that gun in the second book, because doing that would imply that the first book got things wrong.

 

[waggy]

Do you see the problem?

bwhahahahahah i see you never really played skyrim.

bg1 and bg2 are both long games. both can be more than 100 hours if you want

both are very good

yeah. BG1 and 2 were good games. i really enjoyed playing them.