Computer games need to change the rules if they are based on PnP rules.
A good example was the Realms of Arcadia trilogy, which was elected as best computer RPG 1991, 1993 and 1995.
They used exactly the PnP rules with all classes, spells and skills.
The games were good, BUT:
- 80% of spells and skills were useless, some examples:
You could spend points in the riding skill but you could never ride anything in the game. You could cast "purify food and water" but there was no bad food in the game. You could cast rainbow bridge ( a spells that creates a bridge that allows you to cross obstacles, such as rivers ) but it had no effect because the map was as it is.
You used only a few spells or skills often. Some spells and skills are extremely situational. You can learn the spell "banish ghosts" and it is useful in exactly one situation in the whole trilogy. When you open a specific chest which is guarded by a ghost you can get great items if you have the spell or its game over if you don´t.
- Part 1 and 2 of the trilogy are almost impossible to finish without a guide.
In part 1 you have to find a treasure map that shows the location of an artifact that helps you to end an orc invasion. Parts of this map are scattered all over the world. There is a tiny chance that a merchant appears randomly in a tavern and sells it for a high prize. He does not proc or you do not have enough money when he does, too bad. There is a tiny chance to get it from a sailor who shows up randomly in a harbor. One piece has a person and when you meet him you have 2 options " I am looking for the treasure." or " The lord of this country has asked us to find the treasure." The first option gets you the map piece, the second one not because this guy does not like his lord. And so on.
Yes, the game used exactly the PnP RAW. But in a PnP session when you need an items to continue the story and the source material says you have a 5% chance to get it from a sailor in the harbor but you have been in 100 harbors already without success the GM can just say that the sailor is in the next harbor without rolling a dice or find another way to let you get the item so that your story can continue.
- In a tavern in the starting town comes a visitor and tells you a wall of text about a ghost ship. This wall of text includes several names. 20 hours or so later you have a random chance to encounter the ghost ship. If you want to get off the ship you have to enter one of those names. I hope you have written down who was the brother of the previous owner of the ship ( or something similar ) or else you are trapped there forever.
Personally I consider a computer game just as what it is: a computer game.
The game has the rules it has. I do not care if those rules are based on PnP rules or not. If they are based on PnP I do not care if they are 100% the exact PnP rules or not.
I care about that I enjoy playing the game and the rules should make sense in the context of this specific computer game.
Personally I am happy that they went from the DOS system to DnD because I dislike inflating numbers and completely random items.
But I do not mind if they make changes compared to the PnP rules, because PnP and computer are different kinds of games.
@ OP:
The devs have confirmed they they had to make changes in some things compared to PnP because the PnP stuff was not fun or it is impossible to implement it properly with the time, money and technology they have.
I am happy that they do. I have written above what happens if they don´t.
If you really hate those changes that much then don´t buy the game
Prof. Dr. Dr. Mad S. Tist
World leading expert of artificial stupidity.
Because there are too many people who work on artificial intelligence already
