1Up - Desert Island Discs

While not especially RPG related, 1Up has a feature titled Desert Island Discs that asks various staffers and game developers to nominate the one game they'd want to have if they were marooned on a desert island (yes, with a computer and power - just go with it). Oblivion, HoMM III and NWN get the nod, while BGII and others are in the "almost but just missed out category". BioWare's Ray Muzyka went with Starcraft:

It's an unusual choice for me in that I'd normally pick a role-playing game. But StarCraft has a strong campaign editor to make new content (including making either combat-oriented or story-based campaigns), plus you can play both the solid single-player campaign and against the A.I., and — here's the trick — you can play on a LAN or WAN (you said no Internet, but didn't mention local or wide area networks…my goal would be to build a WAN — I'd explain how, but that would be telling — connecting other folks similarly dropped onto nearby desert islands by other videogame online sites, who are equally eager to play some competitive multiplayer RTS or try out the campaigns I've created to kill time on the long days where there's nothing else to do but collect coconuts and build rafts.

Hmm…can't decide between PS:T and Gothic II+NotR. Or maybe Ultima VII? Too hard.
More information.

Hmmm…Gothic II + NOTR would be great. Although a D&D game would offer more replayability - Maybe IWD2.

Damn it, it's too hard to choose!

I wouldn't go with Ultima VII since it isn't long enough to be worthwhile for being stranded on a desert island. I would either bring Oblivion or NWN for their mods along with a harddrive full of mods. If I couldn't bring mods then I would either bring PS:T, World of Xeen, or Daggerfall for their long gameplay/replayability.

Maybe I'd bring that Might and Magic Collection set (VI-IX) I bought for some reason; that would chew up about 3000 hours, give or take… That's not to say it would be time well spent.

the rule was one game and I definetly wouldn't pick might and magic VI - IX because they were not very good and if you want to try good might and magic games try 3 and 4/5 aka world of xeen and if you don't mind black and white then 1 and 2 also.

Hmmmm…Just wondering….If the rules said no mods allowed, would you guys still take Oblivion?

Would anyone? I'll go OLD:- U7, both parts!!

Well, I definitely wouldn't. But could there be some who will play the vanilla version happily without any mods?

Sadly, I have never played the Ultima series. Maybe I should give it a try….

Originally Posted by Dr. A
But could there be some who will play the vanilla version happily without any mods?

I've been playing OB since release without any mod installed. I went as far as downloading the Fewer Random Oblivion Gates mod but never installed it. Heh.
But if I were stranded in a desert island —and God willing it may yet happen — I wouldn't take OB, or any other RPG for that matter; I'd go with a strategy game as they offer more replayability. I'd probably go with either Civilisation 4 or Dominions 3.

Don't know if the rule is that you need to bring a "real" game (as in a game with a story) but if you don't, then I'd definitely take a game with infinite replayability like Tetris or maybe a chess game or something like that. RPGs depend too much on a decent story and quests to be fun IMHO and I just don't see myself replaying one of my favorites (not even the Gothics) over and over again so it'd have to be something with more lasting appeal that you can never really master, no matter how hard or long you try.

I'd probaly take my Towers of Darkness CD with me - my (now nearly bi-monthly) ToD replays recently eclipsed my Doom-series replays.
If it absolutely *must* be a game with at least faint allusions to CRPGs, I'd probably take the Puzzle Quest demo with me - the nastiest time-gobbler ever, hands down. If demos aren't allowed, either, I might exchange this for Bejeweled 2.

Just me, a computer, and a videogame? I'd ask for a pistol instead.

Originally Posted by Jaz
I'd probaly take my Towers of Darkness CD with me - my (now nearly bi-monthly) ToD replays recently eclipsed my Doom-series replays.
If it absolutely *must* be a game with at least faint allusions to CRPGs, I'd probably take the Puzzle Quest demo with me - the nastiest time-gobbler ever, hands down. If demos aren't allowed, either, I might exchange this for Bejeweled 2.

Haha, I was a bit nuts on that damn demo too. Extremely addictive and surprisingly deep gameplay considering it's basically a Bejewelled clone. Now if only the full PC version was announced…

No question Morrowind over Oblivion. Oblivion is prettier and sturdier but Morowind is just far more interesting. I would love to take Gothic 2 but the game world was simply too small to keep me busy for years. (Assuming the Desert Isle stay is long term)

Daggerfall might be better than either MW, or Ob!! Much more variety and far better dungeons!!

Originally Posted by abbaon
Just me, a computer, and a videogame? I'd ask for a pistol instead.

Haha! So much for 'suspension of disbelief' … now I'll never be able participate in one of these again …

Originally Posted by Corwin
Daggerfall might be better than either MW, or Ob!! Much more variety and far better dungeons!!

That was sarcasm, right? Because for someone to call the completely retarded randomized dungeons of Daggerfall "better" than something else, well, I'd have to assume that only a substantial intake of narcotics or pharmaceutics or both could lead to a mental state where someone would find these dungeons only just borderline bearable .

Hey, some of us LIKE randomized content. Which is not to say the DF dungeons didn't still suck. Was it werewolves or vampires that I'd be going on a 2 hour-long search for, through all those tedious tunnels and dead ends?

Anyway, I'm changing my answer to JA2, especially if I can bring ver 1.13 and mods like the incredibe Urban Chaos.

Those LONG, TEDIOUS, randomised dungeons would be perfect for a desert island!! Mo, LOOK at the context of the recommendation!!!!

Then I guess Corwin is gonna love Hellgate given the fact that he's a randomisation fan. Random level, quests, skills.

Come to think of it, Hellgate would be a great game for the desert island scenario. Assuming it was released before being stranded, of course.