I play video games, as I'm sure a lot of people on this board do. In terms of how I define myself as a "gamer", I'd say the balance is probably tipped towards the video game side over the pen and paper side -- although FFG has helped balance that out in the past year or so.

As a GM, I do derive a lot of inspiration for my plots, setpieces, and action from video games. I know many people here are big fans of BioWare, and I put myself in that group with gusto: the Mass Effect series really "popped" for me, in terms of its focus on the underbelly of society: the station Omega, from Mass Effect 2, is a master-class of effective and efficient world-building, and it continues to inform how I see life in an Edge of the Empire setting. The class system, the racism, the economic exploitation, the colonialism, the entertainment, the daily stresses of life during wartime, and the persistence of history in the lives of the present: these have been immeasurably useful for me as a GM.

But I'm also a big fan of sandboxes, and was an avid EVE Online player for five years: that game really shaped my idea about how big space was, and how a lone pilot might handle his/herself amidst vast interstellar empires. As a PC, I still think about my life as a trader, pirate, and freedom fighter -- and this really informs my identities when designing characters in any RPG. The game's freedom to choose any activity -- from industrialist to miner to capital ship pilot to scientist/explorer -- really taught me a lot about what I enjoy, as a gamer. And while those things are varied, I discovered (despite being wretched at math) that I like the life of the itinerant, vagabond entrepreneur, who's not afraid to illegally run some ammunition and parts to the liberationist forces he secretly supports. A little bit of this "character" has seeped into every PC I've designed since I started playing EVE.

I'm curious about peoples' major video game inspirations -- when either designing/running a campaign, or building a character. Not really looking for a list of "favourite" video games in general, but rather those that grab your attention when you approach any new Star Wars RPG game.

Video game influences?

The red barrels explode. Always.

There's an underworld in every setting and they're typically the most interesting fun characters.

DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION, hands down, is my biggest recent inspiration.

- Every side quest is really about relationships.

- Combat should look/feel "cool" every second.

- Base building and crafting are deep and drive further questing.

- Every NPC is damaged by the galactic/Thedas civil war.

If Skyrim has told me anything, only hire, like, five voice actors.

If Skyrim has told me anything, only hire, like, five voice actors.

I used to be a smuggler like you. Then I took a blasterr bolt to the knee.

You -- you're krayt dragonborn.

Okay, these were bad, and I feel bad, but I'm still going to click submit post.

I re-use a lot of the artwork, locations and NPCs from Borderlands and Deus Ex . Crimson Lance is a private military group that works for David Sarif who is a main villain supported by Ben Saxon.

There's an underworld in every setting and they're typically the most interesting fun characters.

I think that idea may have predated videogames by just a little bit.

I haven't done it with SW yet, but I have used things like Announcement/Job boards for DnD and Pathfinder Campaigns. Along with passing out slips of paper with rumors on them that can lead to a quest or a needed item for the current adventure.

Announcement/Job Board actually being a printed set of fliers. That the players can look through and select. Most of them being a 1-Off / 1 Session Adventure. I use this as a break from the main story and can include a few ideas that will become hooks for characters in the next section.

As for the slips of paper with rumors. It is something I learned from a GM who would give us Clues/Hints, False Leads, Possible Adventures, and just crazy stories that are passed around. He related it to talking to NPC's in video games and party member conversations when you are just walking around (example: Dragon Age).

There's an underworld in every setting and they're typically the most interesting fun characters.

I think that idea may have predated videogames by just a little bit.

Yes but I couldn't press buttons and make a TV or book character do what I wanted.