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Post by mikeweeks2346 on Mar 15, 2017 5:35:32 GMT
Given the recent banter regarding GRW, and with the upcoming new ME game (given what happened for the ending of ME3), I got to wondering the following:
Just how important is the story line in a game for those cruising this forum?
For me, not all that important compared to the other aspects of what a game should include. Now, some games have more story content to deal with, i.e. Skyrim, Fallout 4, and the like. So it's possible to really dig deep into the role playing roles and play more of the game for its story content. Other games, such as the Far Cry series - it doesn't mean much to me what the story happens to be, outside of some possible in-game decisions. For example, in FC4, who's mission(s) do you choose? I always went with the one's which had the game-play elements I most enjoy. So didn't care what that meant as far as the story-line was concerned.
How many times on forums have we come across a poster's comment that a game was great because of the story, of was sh*t because of the story. Well, for me, the bottom line is that a game's story really has little to no impact on whether I like a game, or not. Doesn't mean however one can't have some fun commenting on what is the story line for a game ....  |
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Post by Steve64b on Mar 15, 2017 9:47:39 GMT
For me it's more about the story-telling than the story line itself. In playing a game, I want to be surprised, entertained, awed, and generally enjoy myself. In RPG-like games with lots of lore, I tend to skip the boring/narrative bits, especially when presented with on-screen texts. I didn't care much for the story in DooM, I want to enjoy myself butchering loads of demons. I like to be rewarded for playing/exploring, i.e. finding secret passages with cool stuff, or seeing an easter egg when you go off the path. The story it had however, especially the ending, did not press the right buttons for me, it could have been so much more.
In God of War, I am initially driven by mayhem, blood and gore. But, the theme, visual presentation, great story and storytelling lift it up beyond a regular action-adventure. However, the game is as lineair as it can get.
In Far Cry, the visual exotic scenery, along with the 'open world' and 'choose your weapon, approach and tactic' made for nice replayability. The addition of a map editor even prolongs that, though I kinda miss being able to 'script' original rewards, quests and events beyond placing a specific weapon somewhere. It gets a bit repetitive, doesn't surprise anymore.
In The Witcher 3, the 'alive open world', visual effects and originality in quest storylines really comes together to make a great game. I somewhat more like the dialog in this game compared to the likes of Guild Wars/Skyrim/Fallouts. Unfortunately, the gameplay/controls could have been better, but that's about the only thing they could have improved on.
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Post by JRavens on Mar 15, 2017 16:22:13 GMT
I probably fall more along the lines of what Steve wrote (without writing "me too" lol)
I really want to enjoy the story, but the games I enjoy are open world games (go figure) so I guess mechanics DOES have a huge impact... since most of the time in that genre you are not actually "playing the story" as you would in a linear game or an RPG.
A good example I guess is FC3. I REALLY became intrigued by that story. It has a great setup of ordinary people trapped by evil forces and you have to be that one that finds the right tools and abilities to save the others. I was also fascinated by the bizarre characters and I think the story did a good job of stringing me along. To it's credit the gameplay was interesting enough that it slowed my progress on the story and I really didn't want to finish it too quickly. I rushed to the second island and then longed to go back to the jungles so it did stretch out for a while during my first ever run through (and I was, like so many, deeply unsatisfied with the ending and non-resolution of so many things... Far Cry 3 is basically LOST the TV show for me - wonderful mystique and visuals, but TERRIBLE resolution)
Metal Gear Solid though was the opposite - a bizarre story that I had a hard time getting invested in, but mechanically a GREAT open world game with some of the best stealth and AI I had ever played. So I spent most of my time not bothering to advance the storyline until I had too...
Why can't I have BOTH LOL?
Kidding aside a great story ALMOST trumps good play mechanics. Almost. I guess if I HAD to make a choice I would rather have a great game with a mediocre story than a great story I struggle to get through due to bad design and play.
Steve makes a good point about DOOM. It's held in very high regard, but the story is fairly lacking (and certainly nothing innovative - hey some idiots open a portal to hell and now demons are pouring through. Mars? Check! Demons? Check! Lots of weapons and explosions of gore? Check! You will end up in hell? Check! Ok we got ourselves a Doom game!)
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Post by mikeweeks2346 on Mar 16, 2017 17:52:13 GMT
Very interesting point Steve brought up; how the story is told is a major factor. Hadn't considered that aspect too much in playing a game. Perhaps it might be due to the fact that I don't really play a lot of games, but play a few games a lot.
I still fire up FC2 for example and have another go at it with different priorities and tactics. And of course Ziggy's FC3 is one I can fire up and just play for a few enjoyable hours just for it's game play - Lisa and the others can just sit tight enjoying Vaas' hospitality ... Have even returned to Skyrim in order to simply try different character builds on the hardest difficulty setting - just to see how the game plays.
Great points mentioned. Thanks.
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Post by flanker1six on Mar 17, 2017 16:42:30 GMT
Story and mechanics are equally important for me. Those, and modding, and modder support............................miss any one, and it's a **** game to a large degree. Never get a good rating from me. I am continuously amazed at how much time and effort seems to be spent on level/world design, and GFX; compared to the story. Most are badly flawed from internal logic holes that are largely self inflicted by the Dev Teams adherence (or perhaps addiction) to gaming cliches that should have died long ago. Health packs, ammo packs, pick ups, XP/resource/whatever gathering, blah ,blah, blah.
Not that those elements should never be used; it's that they're so often misapplied with in specific games/types seemingly because it's a game and those elements are somehow required. Maybe it's more money driven.................."we need this stuff, because that's what sells". Then again, some of this stuff is self inflicted by us..............the gamers/gaming community. When the Dev/Publisher serves up a **** sandwich and most of the community says mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm (via sales volume).................guess what's up for supper? In fairness; some of the Devs can be nudged e.g. the evolving and gradual improvement of some of the Ubi game series.
And................... a lot of this is likely just me. Many people like the familiarity, comfort (physical and emotional) and reassurance of stability. My Dad did the same job for 44 years prior to retiring; turned down all offers to promote or advance, and I've seen plenty more like him since. I'm not criticizing him, or them.....................but am cognizant their outlooks were wwwwaaayyyy different from mine, based on widely divergent priorities. There's has to be a large element of that in gaming too; on both the production and consumption sides. People are people after all.
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