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Real-world games that should be adapted into RPG activities/mini-games

For discussing role-playing video games, you know, the ones with combat.
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J1M
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Real-world games that should be adapted into RPG activities/mini-games

Post by J1M »

A number of RPGs include activities that are a game inside the game. Usually this is a secondary form of progression, with game pieces being something that can be found and collected.

Popular examples: KOTOR (Pazaak), Witcher 3 (Gwent), Final Fantasy series (various card games)

Part of the reason Pazaak works well is that it is an adaptation of Blackjack, a well-known game from the real-world. What are other games you'd like to see simplified/themed/expanded on with progression mechanics as a diversion in an RPG?

I think Yahtzee is a high potential example. The die faces could be swapped out for thematic elements, players could collect dice with varied faces and distributions, the scoring rows could vary between taverns, special abilities could affect the rolls of yourself or your opponent, and so on.

Aside: I find it particularly strange that MMOs haven't done this. It would clearly extend play time and therefore subscriptions if Hearthstone or Pazaak were a part of WoW and SWOTOR.

:dice:
Last edited by J1M on June 14th, 2026, 22:48, edited 1 time in total.
Yahtzee
Result: 14
5d6 = 14 (3,1,6,2,2)
Rolled 1d6 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 1d6
Result: 17
1d6 = 5
1d6 = 2
1d6 = 1
1d6 = 4
1d6 = 5
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Val the Moofia Boss
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Post by Val the Moofia Boss »

J1M wrote: ↑ June 14th, 2026, 22:46
I find it particularly strange that MMOs haven't done this.
FF14 lets you walk up to NPCs in the towns and zones and play Triple Triad with them. There is Chocobo Racing on three instanced race tracks. And there is an auto-chess minigame utilizing your collected pets/minions. There is also Mahjong, which is somewhat popular (apparently in Japan there is a sizeable amount of the playerbase who only log on to play Mahjong in FF14).
Last edited by Val the Moofia Boss on June 14th, 2026, 22:51, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by J1M »

Val the Moofia Boss wrote: ↑ June 14th, 2026, 22:50
J1M wrote: ↑ June 14th, 2026, 22:46
I find it particularly strange that MMOs haven't done this.
FF14 lets you walk up to NPCs in the towns and zones and play Triple Triad with them. There is Chocobo Racing on three instanced race tracks. And there is an auto-chess minigame utilizing your collected pets/minions. There is also Mahjong, which is somewhat popular (apparently in Japan there is a sizeable amount of the playerbase who only log on to play Mahjong in FF14).
Can you gamble in-game currency on FFXIV Mahjong?
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Post by Val the Moofia Boss »

Generally my issue with card games is that - aside from Hearthstone and Shadowverse levels of production values in the art and animations - they generally are not great to look at, and you have to do a lot of homework studying the rules and the card text and building a deck before you get to the actual gameplay part where you then have to hone your skill of the in-match application part.


Personally I would like to see more pool added (as in poking balls with a stick). It is much more stimulating to look at than most card games unless they have Hearthstone levels of production quality invested into them, and does not require memorizing a lot of rules.

Image


Honkai Star Rail introduced a unique redressed version of pool with Seal Slammers.
Image

J1M wrote: ↑ June 14th, 2026, 22:53
Val the Moofia Boss wrote: ↑ June 14th, 2026, 22:50
J1M wrote: ↑ June 14th, 2026, 22:46
I find it particularly strange that MMOs haven't done this.
FF14 lets you walk up to NPCs in the towns and zones and play Triple Triad with them. There is Chocobo Racing on three instanced race tracks. And there is an auto-chess minigame utilizing your collected pets/minions. There is also Mahjong, which is somewhat popular (apparently in Japan there is a sizeable amount of the playerbase who only log on to play Mahjong in FF14).
Can you gamble in-game currency on FFXIV Mahjong?
No. It is completely disconnected from the Manderville Gold Saucer Points and gil. The only rewards for Mahjong is getting a high rank and thus an adventurer plate decoration.
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Post by Rienen »

Really, any minigame/activity that involves even a tiny amount of skill or brain power is fine with me. I've had enough of dolled-up RNG, dice-roll simulators where your only actual involvement is how much you're betting. Minus points for ones with slow, unskippable animations, as well.

As far as suggestions go, variations of chess are usually fine with me. As are any reimagined versions of actual real-world sports. Although I understand why that isn't really feasible, given their complexity. And stupidly, I've always thought a funny easter egg, of sorts, would be for a dev making a Warhammer RPG game to put the tabletop version as a mini-game. But alas, I'm guessing GW wouldn't allow that.
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Post by asf »

all minigames are ********
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Post by enisey »

Does FFX's Blitzball count as a real-world game? It's basically underwater soccer. I'm not a huge fan of sports except MMA, but it's cool to see what they would look like in fantasy settings with special abilities.
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Post by J1M »

enisey wrote: ↑ June 15th, 2026, 13:56
Does FFX's Blitzball count as a real-world game? It's basically underwater soccer. I'm not a huge fan of sports except MMA, but it's cool to see what they would look like in fantasy settings with special abilities.
I think the source game was more likely water polo, but yes, that would be on topic.
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Post by DemoGraph »

J1M wrote: ↑ June 14th, 2026, 22:46
Popular examples: KOTOR (Pazaak), Witcher 3 (Gwent), Final Fantasy series (various card games)
I played this one more than M&M proper.
https://arcomage.github.io/
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Post by methoxetamine »

NFL football except not developed by braindead *******
asf wrote:
weeb
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Post by Kolgrim »

I'd love to see smear the ***** implemented into an RPG.