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General: The Daily Quest: Does Story Matter?
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
MMOs are based on their older sibling, the RPG. As a result, all contain lore that explains the universe, the background, even the reasons why we as players are even present in the world. Development teams hire legion writers to fill out the story behind the games we play but, in the end, does it matter to most players?
Almost any MMO site you visit has a special section devoted to game lore complete with class background stories, the 'history' of the world up to the point in time when the player interacts with it, a pantheon of gods that pull the puppet strings and much more.
Lore is further expanded in the games through quest dialog, observation points, items discovered to lend more detail to the stories already known, NPCs that literally in some cases, walk us through the world.
Then there are the officially licensed novels that breathe more life into some of our favorite characters or the events that fill our worlds. World of Warcraft alone has many novels, comic series, manga books, a magazine and even a movie being made about it. Warcraft has so much extra lore that an entire new series is being published later this year (see Warcraft Chronicles) to bring never-yet-heard tales and 'history' from the universe to the public eye.
In short, the creation of lore and story is a massive undertaking for any studio contemplating creating an MMORPG. But...does it matter? Do most players jet through the story via the spacebar or quickly accepting a quest, for instance, without bothering to read the dialog?
So today's quest is to tell us: Does story matter to you? Let us know in the comments!
Comments
XP matters. Rewards matter.
Story stopped mattering around the turn of the century.
Take the Magic: The Gathering 'What Color Are You?' Quiz.
Yeah it matters but they need to do a better job of integrating it into the game so it doesn't make you stop playing to read something.
I like the way D3 does it: you pick up a background story fragment and it's narrated to you with voice over while you continue playing without interrupting the flow.
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only time i was EVER interested in story-THE SECRET WORLD.
not in mmo's.
For me story matters quite a bit.
If I don't like the setting I will not even try the game.
Yes. If there's no reason for me to be doing your quests, then I eventually won't do them and probably will go elsewhere.
For a PvE focused game (e.g. themepark MMOs), story, and most vitally setting, is 100% vital for success. "The objective" needs to be something people can understand and relate to. "Defeat pixels" doesn't sound too enticing.
For a PvP focused game, I would say story is largely irrelevant, as people are far more focused on social interaction (be it at the tip of a dagger).
For me, a long-term game without a story is worthless, as I play games as a form of entertainment similar to movies and books. I like to experience a story with friends and other people because it is cooler that way imo, but I still need that good setting. Of course the MAJOR difference is when we move to PvP competitive games, like shooters or MOBAs, where I honestly could not care less what's going around...I just want to look cool and smash faces!
no..
Companies spend so much money and energy on cut scenes and storyline and leave the gameplay, mechanics and longevity completely out.
Story should be Ambient, background to what you are doing in the world. MMOS are about shared experience and organic events through the games systems and social interaction.
Not a forced script shoved down the players throat.
The best memories:
Taking a keep from a rival guild.
Duel tourneys with friends.
Driving your ship on Land, F'in around.
Finally clearing that dungeon that gave you so much trouble.
Finding a great EXP camp with friends.
The force story lines are not memorable, and they create games that are solo and empty.
The way mmo's were: Community, Exploration, Character Development, Conquest.
The way mmo's are now : Cut-Scenes,Cut-Scenes, solo Questing, Cut-Scenes...
www.CeaselessGuild.com
Precisely the reason story doesn't matter to me.I can read a book or watch movies/anime to get a good story.
The game should be the story.
Cutscenes and forced dialogs are why the ESC key was invented.
Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.
Benjamin Franklin
For mmoRPG is matters. For those who shorten it to mmo, I don't think it does.
Roleplaying since 1974.
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Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
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LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you playing an MMORPG?"
First PC Game: Pool of Radiance July 10th, 1990. First MMO: Everquest April 23, 1999
I am getting used to them in today's MMO's.
But personaly story matters when I am playing a linear singleplayer game. but when playing a RPG I want to get involved within the game world where the story is the backdrop. The lore is there to know for who/what or why I am fighting.
Just like real life I am free to pursuit my own wishes regardless the history of my country.
To me there was time I thought MMORPG's would evolve into being about a player chooses a race/class/species is then dropped into a world full of it's own history/lore but with the freedom to explore what ever path they want to take.
So Story in a MMORPG isn't really important to me. Pulling me into it's worlds with the right tools to be able to create my own story is far more important to me. Unfortunaly only Star Wars Galaxies has been able to pull this off for me.
Not anymore.
Quite ironic when you take into consideration that modern batch of MMORPGs (Rift, Swtor, GW2, TESO and more) did put more emphasis on story, but at the same time changes to overall game design and change to target audience both made story, lore and game world to matter less.
The game's stories and lore provide the foundation upon which further stories are developed. How can you tell the tale of defeating the evil Overlord if the game does not provide the Overlord and his place in the story.
Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.
Benjamin Franklin