"I haven't played Dungeons and Dragons in a while. However, I do miss the immersive adventures that I used to have while rolling the dice. It almost seemed... real."
Presenting the latest WormLine™ series theme and amusement park. DnD 4D™. In DnD 4D, entrants choose their race (Elf, Dwarf, Human, Halfling, etc.), character class (Fighter, Rogue, Wizard, Barbarian, Druid, etc.), and equipment in the entry hub. They are then given the appropriate garb and equipment for their choices (pointy elf ears, wizard beards, swords, armor, etc.) and put into an adventuring party with members of all classes. Visitors are urged to come in groups, as to make this process faster. After this setup, the groups of wayward heroes are set loose on the massive, multibillion-dollar park facility.
Tens of acres large, this park has forests, mountains, deserts, lakes, jungles, and plains. Villages and cities dot the lands, and seaports line the artificial "coast". Mysterious caves and dungeons emerge out of dark hillsides. The wilderness is filled with treasure... and monsters. To confront these monsters, visitors must use the innovative Bluetooth combat system.
In the entry hub, members of each character class are given unique abilities, contained in their weapons. A wizard's staff allows them to cast spells to damage opponents, and these spells sometimes set off pyrotechnic displays in the environment. Fighters have swords that can hit opponents, and rogues have bows that can shoot invisible, simulated "arrows" towards foes. Druids can manipulate nature in the form of animatronic animals and plants. Etc. etc.
During combat, as players cast spells and shoot arrows, they can aim with lasers towards their opponents, much like laser tag. Counters at the base of each weapon show how many remaining health points a player has after being hit. Hits can optionally be signaled by electric shocks in the visitors' costumes. When a player is killed, they are prompted to either leave the park immediately or pay again and continue on.
Groups can either be soldiers of fortune, traveling the lands for treasure and gold, or, in the corner of a smoky tavern, they can talk to an old, old man (an actor, as all villagers and foes are), and learn of the dark master Zefron. Then they can journey to Zefron's enemy-infested lair and confront him in mortal combat. Of course, many such missions are provided for groups to take on. Players are also welcome to buy additional and better equipment from vendors in villages and cities using real- world cash. ATMs, rustically decorated, are present in many dark city alleyways, so players can replenish their coffers.
If two groups meet each other, they may band together and travel as one. Or, they can barter with each other for goods. As an alternative, the two groups may simply battle to the death.
After several days of traveling and staying in inns and taverns, the players' time runs out, and they must leave. If someone chooses, they can continue playing indefinitely for a fee. Many have been known to spend months on end in this fantasy universe.-- DrWorm, Aug 26 2009 Where are we??? http://en.wikipedia...Dragons_(TV_series) [RayfordSteele, Aug 26 2009] Westworld http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WestworldExcellent [8th of 7, Aug 26 2009] You just had to ask http://www.style.org/unladenswallow/The airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow [Bad Jim, Aug 26 2009] you would really enjoy "Dream Park" and sequels by Larry Niven.-- FlyingToaster, Aug 26 2009 DrWorm, have your ever heard of "LARP"? I'm certainly no expert in this field, but try googling that series of letters and see whether you think the existing real-world implementations of that are similar in essence to your idea here.-- zen_tom, Aug 26 2009 Sounds like Westworld meets LOTR. [-]-- coprocephalous, Aug 26 2009 [zen_tom]: I have indeed heard of LARP; LARPing (Live Action Role Play) is quite different from what I have proposed here. In a LARP, players have to keep track of health/etc., but in this park, computers do it for you. Also, unlike in a LARP, this park is an environment designed for the express purpose of roleplaying. In many ways, this is LARP on steroids.-- DrWorm, Aug 26 2009 Be sure and have enough security and parking for the throngs of evangelical protestors and missionaries at the front gates.
Does it have a mysterious roller coaster ride that goes into a cave and falls apart while tumbling towards a spiraling light?
Can a mysterious short little white-haired man holographically appear in tense situations?-- RayfordSteele, Aug 26 2009 "An African swallow, or a European swallow ?"-- 8th of 7, Aug 26 2009 Ah, now I understand those references.
[coprocephalous]: What's wrong with that?-- DrWorm, Aug 26 2009 Can I bring my Rascal™? Part of the appeal of DnD was the whole sedentary thing. Plus the cartoons of elf babes in revealing armor.-- bungston, Aug 26 2009 See link on unladen swallow question. Also, in case you were wondering, coconuts float. That's how they propagate. They get washed out to sea and land on foreign shores, so it's not altogether impossible that one should be found on a beach in Mercia.-- Bad Jim, Aug 26 2009 [bung], there'll be plenty of scantily clad elves, trust me.-- DrWorm, Aug 26 2009 Maybe I should bun this for the sanctioned chance to go out and beat shit out of a bunch of geeky types.
"but my staff of +3 thunderwank just smote you"
"oh did it?" *whack*
"ow. that's not fair!!"
*whack whack stab*
Methinks you'll need lots of security to keep it all within the rules.-- Custardguts, Aug 27 2009 <hesitantly raises hands>
Errrr .... do you have a vacancy for the Chief Baddie ?-- 8th of 7, Aug 27 2009 //so it's not altogether impossible that one should be found on a beach in Mercia.//But Mercia is landlocked. //[coprocephalous]: What's wrong with that?// Well, it's not the bit with Yul Brynner. //Maybe I should bun this for the sanctioned chance to go out and beat shit out of a bunch of geeky types// Nice spin, [custardguts] - never thought of it that way.-- coprocephalous, Aug 27 2009 You just described every single Rennaisance Faire/Festival I've ever seen.-- JohnnyB11, Aug 27 2009 [JohnnyB11], really? That's some rennaisance faire, to incorporate all that technology. Where is it, pray tell?-- DrWorm, Aug 27 2009 WTCTTISITVGWIBNIIWR-- Laughs Last, Aug 27 2009 ...needs an animatronic, foam bubber, bloodpack filled dragon...or two.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Aug 27 2009 I keep reading DnD as "do not disturb," that code you press on a 'phone to keep it from ringing...-- csea, Aug 28 2009 If this whole land is populated by actors, it is going to be expensive. Maybe a large business could be coopted for the purpose, so the residents can be doing useful work (for example, elf babe could run a drill press, old old man could answer phones, Zefron could lead conference calls) but break away and take up their roles when the paying adventures blundered into the vicinity.-- bungston, Aug 28 2009 //Mercia is landlocked//
The map on wikipedia shows a small bit of coastline for 6th century Mercia. Probably no more than half a mile but it is there.-- Bad Jim, Aug 28 2009 Zefron? *raises eyebrows* That reminds me of someone, some actor guy... was in High Musical School or something...
I like it, and I've bunned it, but it's a little... small, for my tastes. I want an Archipelago, where I can act out every fiction environment man has invented! I want... Fictionworld!
Shameless plug.-- Selky, Jan 11 2010 [Selky] , I realized the similarity to Zac Efron's name after I posted the idea. I didn't think anyone would notice it... But there you go! Congratulations! (By the way, I like the archipelago concept but it strays a bit *too* far into the realm of fantasy...)-- DrWorm, Jan 12 2010 <True Story> While wheeling our way back to base camp, after fighting our way out of a vicious little ambush, a friend of mine (whom was also DMing a campaign during our down-time) came over the radio with the following message:
"All D&D players, award yourselves 2000 experience points." <TS/>-- MikeD, Jan 13 2010 It would be nice if you got magical treasure as well, but just having your charactor in one piece is immensely satisfying.-- normzone, Jan 13 2010 Note to [custardguts] a surprising number of D&D geeks are also martial artists, SCA stick jocks, or the like. Quite a few I know are also ex-military. Just because there is a media portrayed stereotype, I wouldn't bet on the beatings going all one way.-- MechE, Jan 13 2010 [Normzone], you aint lyin! I didn't lose a single hp. But, good god, you should see the dmg points a 240B machine gun does on medium sized opponents!-- MikeD, Jan 13 2010 [MechE] I'm not suprised about the SCA bit, but I didn't know about martial arts. Stands to reason, though, that some people who play would also be martial artists and/or ex-military.
Same with WoW, I guess, except that DnD doesn't melt your eyes when you play it for a long time.
////so it's not altogether impossible that one should be found on a beach in Mercia.// But Mercia is landlocked.//// But lakes can have beaches.-- Selky, Jan 14 2010 Mercia is not reknowned for its lakes.-- pocmloc, Jan 14 2010 This was done by some chaps at our University 20 years ago. As the Goths/chemists of the campus we were often seen hanging out down by a cave near the lake lighting fires (very easily) and hanging out. Meanwhile, the armour (or plastic) plated Orcs and the like would be running around like lunatics. They were very easy to creep up on (its the black, you know!) and were surprised to hear that I hadn't knocked them for (-3) with my bottle of Jack as I was "Not actually playing your game". The funniest thing was when there was a car accident (on fire) on the main road just behind said lake and about a dozen Orcs, Goths, Wizards and assorted Elves jumped over a hedge and onto the road to offer assistance. Wish I had me camera!-- gnomethang, Jan 14 2010 How about combining this with a TV show following the people who think they're beta testing it?
I'd do away with the computer controlled 'health', though. Indeed, faux magic is difficult to conceal and destroys the realism for most people (we don't want just LARPers playing it). Subsidise the farmers and tavern keepers that work there, of course, but don't pay all their wages - the players have to as well.
Another benefit you'd have - you're protecting several acres (at least) of forest, so you should get the support of the forestry commision and various eco groups. Especially since you have an excuse to reintroduce wolves and boars...
The weapons will be lightweight and blunt, of course... although people will have to still sign a disclaimer saying that 'RL Entertainment industries takes no responsibility for any serious injusry or death sustained in the game. Your statatuary rights are not affected."-- Selky, Jan 15 2010 random, halfbakery