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 PhillyT wrote:
Biggest issue is the crazy timescale required to get anywhere. In most cases, by the time you arrived at a "mission" it has been over for decades if you are thinking a galaxy spanning adventure.

Which is why it would have to be a setting that is the size of a Sector, at max, and even that could be too big - 200 Million square lightyears is a lot of space for lesser xenos to develop and non-Imperial human factions to gain power, not to mention Chaos Cults and Orks to invade.

 PhillyT wrote:
Biggest issue is the crazy timescale required to get anywhere. In most cases, by the time you arrived at a "mission" it has been over for decades if you are thinking a galaxy spanning adventure.

That never stopped the fluff. I mean, since when are time constraints a problem here? 40k as a whole does well, why should a game be any different?

You could be (selecting at start of game)
- Inquisitor (Xenos works best here)
- Rogue Trader (my favorite pick)
- Ethereal
- Eldar Corsair
- Chaos Overlord
Each has a different ending

The other factions are too limitating to allow playing such an open game (with a very big stretch, a Necron Overlord who still sees other races a variants of Necrons, like a named HQ they already have), or a fun DLC with a Kaptin, just for the kicks of it

As long as whenever you die as the Ethereal your retinue starts shrieking and crying about it.

 Vector Strike wrote:
You could be (selecting at start of game)
- Inquisitor (Xenos works best here)
- Rogue Trader (my favorite pick)
- Ethereal
- Eldar Corsair
- Chaos Overlord
Each has a different ending

The other factions are too limitating to allow playing such an open game (with a very big stretch, a Necron Overlord who still sees other races a variants of Necrons, like a named HQ they already have), or a fun DLC with a Kaptin, just for the kicks of it

WHY HAS THIS GAME NOT BEEN MADE YET

Highmarshall_kharn wrote:
Maybe this idea could also work for orks, where you would build your WAUGHHHHHHH!

Warboss Shepork: Oi! What's all dis den?

Dok Morrdin: I'z finkin' about dat disease I unleashed on dem humies.

WS: Wot disease?

DM: Da one dat makes dem have less humies.

WS: Tell me about dem humies.

DM: 'Ow can any proppa Warboss not know about humies?! Dey's pink and squishe! Right larf to stomp.

WS: Tell me about da disease.

DM: I told ya about it already ya git! It makes dem have less humies! Less humies means we can stomp dem easier and take their loot!

WS: Tell me about da loot.

DM: You're a real grot, aren't ya? Coming into dis part of da hulk all da zoggin' time asking me dumb questions.

WS: Tell me about Grotz.

DM :... *Brandishes Shoota*

WS: I should go.

 Vector Strike wrote:
You could be (selecting at start of game)
- Inquisitor (Xenos works best here)
- Rogue Trader (my favorite pick)
- Ethereal
- Eldar Corsair
- Chaos Overlord
Each has a different ending

The other factions are too limitating to allow playing such an open game (with a very big stretch, a Necron Overlord who still sees other races a variants of Necrons, like a named HQ they already have), or a fun DLC with a Kaptin, just for the kicks of it

Orikan, Trazyn, and Anrakyr would all be willing to work with humans for various purposes.
Maybe Illuminor Szeras as well, but his motivations are all kinds of messed up.

They teamed up with blood angels, so its not so far fetched that they team up with other imperium forces.

It wouldnt really work unless it was just 1 sector of the Imperium. Nobody would interact with any other races.

 TheCustomLime wrote:

Highmarshall_kharn wrote:
Maybe this idea could also work for orks, where you would build your WAUGHHHHHHH!

Warboss Shepork: Oi! What's all dis den?

Dok Morrdin: I'z finkin' about dat disease I unleashed on dem humies.

WS: Wot disease?

DM: Da one dat makes dem have less humies.

WS: Tell me about dem humies.

DM: 'Ow can any proppa Warboss not know about humies?! Dey's pink and squishe! Right larf to stomp.

WS: Tell me about da disease.

DM: I told ya about it already ya git! It makes dem have less humies! Less humies means we can stomp dem easier and take their loot!

WS: Tell me about da loot.

DM: You're a real grot, aren't ya? Coming into dis part of da hulk all da zoggin' time asking me dumb questions.

WS: Tell me about Grotz.

DM :... *Brandishes Shoota*

WS: I should go.

Have an exalt good sir

Xenos allies aren't out of the question - you could ally with Ork Freebooterz, Eldar exiles and Farsight Enclaves.

We should e-mail GW about this. I'm drooling just thinking about it.

I've been fantasizing about a Mass Effect style rpg for 40k for some time now, I think it could really work if handled correctly. I do think the protganist should start out as some nobody navy cadet and gradually become more powerful and influential in the game's world.

Also I want romances. Always wanted to see a romantical Human-Eldar relationship get worked out. Just Do It and I'd buy the game instantly.

 Robbert Ambrose wrote:
Also I want romances. Always wanted to see a romantical Human-Eldar relationship get worked out. Just Do It and I'd buy the game instantly.

Look up Love can Bloom. It has a delightful Human-Eldar relationship.

Aside from fanfiction though I'd much prefer inter-species romance kept out of it. I think in some books Eldar have been described as having an uncanny valley effect on humans which is how I'd like it. In theory attractive but something just seems wrong.

Better yet, read Love Can BLAM!.

 Robbert Ambrose wrote:
I've been fantasizing about a Mass Effect style rpg for 40k for some time now, I think it could really work if handled correctly. I do think the protganist should start out as some nobody navy cadet and gradually become more powerful and influential in the game's world.

Also I want romances. Always wanted to see a romantical Human-Eldar relationship get worked out. Just Do It and I'd buy the game instantly.

I think Inquisitor: Martyr might be exactly what we're talking about in this thread. Not much is known about it, but a 40k ARPG? It had better be like Mass Effect, man.

No, Inquisitor: Martyr is a mobile game that is played like Diablo with guns. It is nothing at all like Mass Effect... or most RPGs in general. There's a thread on it in the Video Game forums:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/656473.page

TheCustomLime wrote:

Highmarshall_kharn wrote:
Maybe this idea could also work for orks, where you would build your WAUGHHHHHHH!

Warboss Shepork: Oi! What's all dis den?

I actually read that fanfic...

 Harriticus wrote:
It wouldnt really work unless it was just 1 sector of the Imperium. Nobody would interact with any other races.

1 sector? You could make an amazing/diverse game on just one hive world if you really wanted too. Maybe a trip to a couple of the local planets/moons/star fortresses. The Imperium is so VAST that it allows for amazing diversity and opportunities in a very small area space wise.

The hive world could be like Armageddon, which has multiple hive cities with different customs/culture/tech level, a jungle that is borderline death world status, namely due to them being infested with orks, and I believe a chaos temple still, miles upon miles of desert with key installations within it.

You really don't need to go 'THAT BIG' to make it big.

If you were a member of the imperium no it would be to much following order and not really making any big decisions, I could see imperium assassins working. Traitors would work well you could go undercover among the local inhabitants of loyal world and sabotage or convert them without getting found out by the inquisition, or the planetary governor. Tau I am sure could work. Orks might work I would assume more for a hack and slash shooter would be better. I really don't see tyranids working. I am going with an undercover agent of the alpha legion would probably make the best mass effect type game.

I would love a Mass Effect style tabletop wargame.

I would applaud both a Mass Effect and/or a Borderlands tabletop wargame and have even thought about and worked on rules for those myself.

But the 40 setting would not work as a background IMO.
Like others reply: no diplomacy, there is only war...
Whe i started the hobby, 1st edition Rogue Trader era, there was a bit of diplomacy and collaboration between alien races. The Inquisitor game (and RolePlayingGame) also had some collaboration. But nothing like Mass Effect.

I do agree with endlesswaltz123 that if you keep it small (and in a star system far far away...) you can do anything, even in 40k setting.
But that would be more like Babylon 5 / Deep Space 9, not like Mass Effect.

The entire Dawn of War game series, in each entry, happens in 1 system at a time.

 Furyou Miko wrote:
A radical Inquisitor or particularly daring Rogue Trader might be able to work with an Eldar Ranger or a rogue Cryptek, if you really wanted' xenos on side. Blood Axe would be a shoe-in for the Bruiser role though. You'd have to do some pretty fast-talking to get a Tau onside though.

What about a disenfranchised Earth Caste or Water Caste. Kind of like the doctor from ME2 that you rescue by defending his run down clinic


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Vector Strike wrote:
You could be (selecting at start of game)
- Inquisitor (Xenos works best here)
- Rogue Trader (my favorite pick)
- Ethereal
- Eldar Corsair
- Chaos Overlord
Each has a different ending

The other factions are too limitating to allow playing such an open game (with a very big stretch, a Necron Overlord who still sees other races a variants of Necrons, like a named HQ they already have), or a fun DLC with a Kaptin, just for the kicks of it

I think this would be too much for 1 game... each being its own game in a series I could see, but a game with totally independent story lines as would be needed would basically package 6 games in 1. No company is gonna do that if you can sell each title for 60 bucks a pop.

Erm... ever heard of The Old Republic? Each class has its own storyline which is affected by the decisions you make throughout leading to a multitude of ending scenarios (e.g. for the Imperial Agent, your choices will affect which faction you're loyal to by the end of the game).

 Sturmtruppen wrote:
Erm... ever heard of The Old Republic? Each class has its own storyline which is affected by the decisions you make throughout leading to a multitude of ending scenarios (e.g. for the Imperial Agent, your choices will affect which faction you're loyal to by the end of the game).

I think a TOR style MMO would fit 40K better than ME. ME is a character driven story that centers on how the player's decisions have major impacts on the galaxy. Not the best fit for a series that focuses on screaming bald men that fight/die on planet x and are quickly forgotten.

True that, the Trooper class is specifically about the life of a red-shirt (albeit an elite one) and the Smuggler is just an average everyman trying to make a living.

Maybe in that respect, here's how a 40k analogue could work:

Knight = Inquisitor
Consular = Librarian
Trooper = Scion
Smuggler = Rogue Trader

Warrior = Chaos Lord
Inquisitor = Sorcerer
Bounty Hunter = Mercenary
Agent = Assassin

 Sturmtruppen wrote:
Erm... ever heard of The Old Republic? Each class has its own storyline which is affected by the decisions you make throughout leading to a multitude of ending scenarios (e.g. for the Imperial Agent, your choices will affect which faction you're loyal to by the end of the game).

FWIW, Old Republic is the product of several of the same people who made Mass Effect, who made Knights of the Old Republic before that. There are a lot of similarities and overlaps.

But only in TOR can you get married, shag, stop an ancient evil, swing the vote of a society of Force-users towards joining the Empire, and get kicked off that planet all in a single day.

I like the Ordos Xenos idea. Also, if you stick to just Imperium humans and Ab-Humans, you'd have the foundations for a pretty diverse cast and story mechanic.

The various factions of the Imperium do not all just get along and agree to help each other all the time. It would take a lot of convincing, conniving, quest-errands etc to get say an Adept of the Mechanicus to help out someone like an administraum adept or IG agent.

 More Dakka wrote:
I like the Ordos Xenos idea. Also, if you stick to just Imperium humans and Ab-Humans, you'd have the foundations for a pretty diverse cast and story mechanic.

The various factions of the Imperium do not all just get along and agree to help each other all the time. It would take a lot of convincing, conniving, quest-errands etc to get say an Adept of the Mechanicus to help out someone like an administraum adept or IG agent.

Still, Imperium-only wouldn't satisfy the xenophiles

 dusara217 wrote:

 More Dakka wrote:
I like the Ordos Xenos idea. Also, if you stick to just Imperium humans and Ab-Humans, you'd have the foundations for a pretty diverse cast and story mechanic.

The various factions of the Imperium do not all just get along and agree to help each other all the time. It would take a lot of convincing, conniving, quest-errands etc to get say an Adept of the Mechanicus to help out someone like an administraum adept or IG agent.

Still, Imperium-only wouldn't satisfy the xenophiles

What's the other options?

Doing poetry and art on a craft world, whilst talking about those lowly humans?

High-Fiving all the happy greater good posi vibes in a tau sect every time you build a new drone?

farting and fighting in an work camp with the occasional battle against a non ork?

The imperium is the only 'real' setting where you will get all the meta decision making and influence. And if you aren't human, then you ain't going to last long or be able to negotiate with many NPC's