The Harry Potter fandom is massive. However, while the story and the characters are wonderful, the thing that seems to draw fans the most is the world itself. We muggles are fascinated by the workings of the Wizarding World and many have the desire to be apart of it, particularly Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In an earlier article, I suggested how just such an experience could be possible in the real world with a Hogwarts Hotel (check it out if you haven’t yet). Now I would like to discuss the same experience but based in the actual Wizarding World. What if you could go to school at Hogwarts, take classes, and explore the castle halls and grounds to your hearts content all the while performing real magic? Let’s discuss a Harry Potter RPG.
RECEIVING YOUR LETTER
This theoretical video game would be set during Harry’s attendance at Hogwarts and the player character would be in the same class year. At the start, players would be given the chance to create their character. There would be a basic aesthetic creation system in the style of Skyrim or Dragon Age, but there would also be questions to set up backstory. For example, is the player character pureblood, half-blood, or muggle born? If they are half-blood or muggle born, do their parents approve, like Hermione’s, or not, like the Dursleys?
Players will also be given the opportunity to give their characters personality traits during character creation. However, they can choose to omit this section entirely and go to Hogwarts as a blank slate. They are also given the chance to declare their character’s financial status. Do they come from a rich family, a poor family, or somewhere in the middle? Though this may seem an unnecessary question, it plays a role in how the game unfolds.
SHOPPING FOR SUPPLIES
Once your character is created, it’s time to buy your books, potion ingredients, and wand. This is where finances become a factor. Players can “buy” better starting gear right at the beginning if they have the money, but that does not guarantee an easier experience. One thing money can’t buy is a better wand. All wands at Olivander’s are the same price though they each have different proficiencies and players only get one wand for the entire game unless of course theirs breaks. While you may have some sway over the wand you get, the wand chooses the wizard. In other words, the personality choices you made at the start of the game would influence the type of wand you get. However, if you decided to be a blank slate, then your wand would be randomly generated.
It is also in Diagon Alley that players can purchase spell books and potion ingredients. Once again, players can buy more powerful spell books and more advanced potion ingredients if they have the funds. However, doing so might prevent special perks from being added to those particular spells and potions compared to a player who learns them naturally later on.
Also during the Diagon Alley portion of the game, players will have the chance to meet other characters. Some will be from the books while others are totally new, specific to the game. The book characters will play some part in the player’s story, but they won’t be as impactful expect for the large-scale events. The game characters, meanwhile, will directly affect the player’s story. During the first trip to Diagon Alley, players have the opportunity to make first impressions with many of the game specific characters. Depending on your choices during character creation as well as your interactions at this stage, the path of certain game characters can change. There is a heavy influence from Telltale here.
SORTING
Once you’ve got your supplies and you’ve met all the people you want to meet, then it’s off to Hogwarts. Upon arrival, the player character will be sorted. Players can simply let their personality dictate where they go or they can ask the Sorting Hat to place them in a specific house. Once sorted, players are given their course schedules and can officially begin their education at Hogwarts.
I SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I AM UP TO NO GOOD
From there, the castle and grounds open up. The game becomes open world and, though there is an overall narrative, it is up to the players to get things done. Like Kingdom Come: Deliverance and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, things happen even when you are not present. Time doesn’t wait for you because, well, you’re not the most important narrative unfolding at Hogwarts during this time. However, your narrative is important to you and you can go about it how you see fit.
There are some things that players can change from the books, but only minor things. For example, player characters can join their house Quidditch team and replace a lesser-known character from the books or they can become a part of the DA in year five. However, your character will be unable to alter the course of major book events during their Hogwarts education. But other than that, you can pretty much do what you like. Want to be a good student? Want to skip all your classes and explore? Want to do a mix? You can do them all! Just remember your actions have consequences. Hogwarts is still a school after all.
THE LONG GAME
Once you start, then you are in it for the long haul. After you are sorted, the game’s timetable takes a Skyrim turn. There are in game days that match a normal calendar but are obviously much shorter. In that time, the game becomes somewhat of a “student simulator,” but there’s magic so it’s far less boring. There is also a lot of exploring and collecting to be done as well.
So would you like to be student at Hogwarts? Is this game too large of an idea to be executed or do we finally have the means? Share your thoughts below!