(03-12-2014, 12:41 PM)Magellan Wrote:That's probably where we're different.  I played a lot of console RPGs, but my developmental roleplaying experience comes from tabletop and open forum gaming where we had to make our own stories and, often, our own game worlds.  Game stories disappoint me so frequently that I thought the problem was me; I just had RPed with people who told better stories than game developers.  I especially don't like when developers make me feel like I'm acting the part in someone else's movie... not naming any names capcom....(03-12-2014, 12:33 PM)Ignacius Wrote:(03-12-2014, 12:16 PM)Magellan Wrote:(03-11-2014, 03:02 PM)CalebAgron Wrote: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
This game really set the bar for all future MMORPG's when it comes to questing and stories. Let's face it, regardless of how "expensive" voice acting can be, after SWTOR there is NO and I mean NO reason why we should have to read quest shit again...ever. I don't buy into it being "expensive" especially since I know voice actors don't have 1 voice. I mean yea SWTOR hired some famous people and that shit of course would get expensive, but I'm sure you can hire much more affordable voice actors. The multiple choice replies your character could give and the absolutely FLAWLESS stories they did for each class made leveling in this game beyond a joy, it has no equal in this department period.
Could not agree with this more. Half the reason I could not get into ffxiv's story at all was the amount of reading required. I love to read, but when you're forced to read paragraph after paragraph of mundane story and tedious questing, it just gets old. Giving npcs voice breathes life into even the most basic of quests,, and adds character, flavor, and depth.
From an rper's perspective, having meaningful dialogue options (such as light and dark side) is an absolute dream, cuz its like having your own personal canon going on while you play through the game.
I wish more games would focus more of their attentions on making the actual playthrough of the game fun and exciting, rather than focusing so heavily on endgame.
I have to say I disagree with this, personally. Â I really don't mind reading quest text (then again, when you're in architecture, you read a LOT). Â If development resources are limited and the choices are between adding cutscenes and spoken dialogue or adding improved gameplay elements, I'd go with the latter. Â As an RPer, I've found that I know a good dozen or so roleplayers who write more interesting stories for RP than the actual developers.
Story is tantamount to my enjoyment of a game. I know people have different 'lists' for the top things they look for in a game, and I completely respect that but personally, if I'm going to invest a hefty chunk of time in a game, it will be because the story keeps driving me forward and I want to find out more. On a whole, mmo's fall well short in spinning compelling narratives.
I agree in most cases rpers come up with better stories than the devs, and that's part of the problem for me! :p I guess coming from a console rpg background where it was all about story, I just expect a little more from main storylines.
Still, a game can't have a completely crap story, I'll grant you. Â That was one of EVE's problems. Â It seems like CCP was well aware of how shit they were at storytelling and decided to outsource pretty much all the game's meaning to the player base. Â That doesn't work either.
I will say that I'd prefer a dynamic and dangerous world with a mediocre story to a mediocre world with a dynamic and dangerous story. Â Mostly, it's because I can make dynamic and dangerous stories; I've been doing that since I was twelve. Â But I'm crap at coding and I need developers to make games for me to play.