Which kind of story tells SotA?

Discussion in 'Quests & Lore' started by Sir Cabirus, Oct 14, 2017.

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  1. Drocis the Devious

    Drocis the Devious Avatar

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    Facts are facts though. If every discussion is going to end up being some kind of metaphysical end-game, then anyone can believe whatever they want to believe and there's not going to be any real discussion or feedback that can help this game. For people that honestly want a greater single player experience, SOTA is not going to have voice overs, cut scenes, or super flashy graphics. The story is going to be told through NPC's and those NPC's are going to have to interact with multiple players.
     
  2. LoneWerewolf

    LoneWerewolf Guest

    Oh just like your "no MMO has a storyline" fact right :D
     
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  3. Drocis the Devious

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    I do understand what you're saying. You're comparing SOTA to games that are not SOTA. Instead of trying to help SOTA become better, you're focused on what it's not. It's not WOW or ESO in many ways more than what you're talking about. Those games are finished, they had much larger budgets, and they also use a lot of technology that SOTA doesn't. The power of hearing different voices being a great example.

    I'm not saying that SOTA has a great story from end to end. But the idea that we're supposed to hold up a crowd funded game in development to finished large publisher games is not exactly realistic.
     
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  4. Myrcello

    Myrcello Avatar

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    Like 5 or more talking with only Baron again.

    If you have the same talent when going out to parties getting dates - i pull my hat in jealousy.

    Smiles
     
  5. Lord_Darkmoon

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    Then I have to ask: Why wasn't such technology considered for SotA during the initial phase or during concept stages? Or why didn't they consider not having player houses in NPC towns so that those towns could have changed?
    What were the toughts of the devs regarding the story? Consider it would have been a closed development and we would get quests like they were a few years ago. Would the devs really have considered those quests great and be competitive to other story-driven games? Do they think the quests are now competitive?

    And of course SotA is compared to other games. It is not the only game on the market. People play many games and some things they like and would see in other games and some things they don't like. Some things SotA has other games have too and maybe they do it better. So why not consider it for SotA, too?
    If SotA wants to offer choices with consequences why not look at how other games do this? Games people really like? Without comparison how do the devs know what people want nowadays?
    If game A offer s a quest with a choice and people love the way it plays out but they don't have fun in game B which offers a similar choice, then we shouldn't compare those two?

    If I eat a burger at restaurant A and B I compare the two and eat the next burger where I thought it tasted better.
     
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2017
  6. LoneWerewolf

    LoneWerewolf Guest

    1.) YOU started the comparison dude, else nobody here would have talked about it.
    2.) People TRY to make it better and give suggestions and say what needs to be done. It is being ignored and the game is being developed in a different direction. Until it is being released people who want the story focused part of the game will keep trying to get it and that is a GOOD thing even if you don't want to see it. It's a problem when they all just give up and stop playing and paying.
    3.) poeple who blindly defend the game no matter what are the biggest problem, because they prevent suggestions form being made and prevent that the devs get into a reasonable discussion with customers, because those people won't allow it.
     
  7. Vyrin

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    This wasn't the point. You claimed he wanted a solo player only game. That's not what he said. That was the point. Besides the fact that the evidence you offered did nothing to counter that, you come back at the end to the axe you grind: there is no difference between what was promised and what SotA became (in reference to those videos). I understand your position on this but that was not the issue I raised. Don't try to wiggle either, because I'm only talking about your response to me. Again Baron, you ended with something that has nothing to do with the point made.

    I wonder if all this is because you're not taking enough time to really consider what people have to say, or you don't care because you have axes to keep grinding. Enough speculation though, I think there's enough evidence to see the futility of trying to discuss things with those who argue unfairly. Certainly no need to say more on that.
     
  8. Drocis the Devious

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    I could then ask why the pvp is not competitive with other pvp games. Why isn't home building module? Why isn't the crafting system more like eve?

    It's not helpful.

    Considering it and comparing it are two different things.

    If people want cut scenes, voice overs, and special technology, that's kind of outside the scope of this game. It's not helpful to compare to those features. We're not going to have that.

    Sure you can do that. And I can compare two types of cars, a 1990 Honda Civic vs a 2017 Maserati. They're both cars so it's fair to compare those right?
     
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  9. Shibby

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    When a company sets out to design a game, they may put in placeholder textures, voices, etc. When it comes to story, not a single other developer puts in a placeholder story. To my understanding, the story is complete and waiting on tuning and side quests.

    What we see now should be it or at least what Portalarium originally planned on being complete and since getting feedback has decided to tune it up and expand.

    How much do we realistically believe that it will change drastically from how it is now? If it does, awesome and I'll be there to try it out once the tokens drop to start the story over.

    As for narratives, all MMOs have a narrative. It's the best ones that are memorable, no matter how it is delivered. The story itself has to be engaging, you cannot expect the player to fill in gaps. It cannot be purely text driven. We live in a world that now thrives on sights and sounds, videos whether using in-game graphics or CGI are the best ways to convey that story. BDF is saying that it's not all about the graphics and cut scenes, and it's really not, but they do help. Yet with those cut scenes and/or CGI you need a compelling story with memorable actions. It's the games that can incorporate all those, that are memorable. Most players love nothing more than pulling through a tough as nails, hair raising, goose bump inducing, and adrenaline pumping encounter to be be met with an awesome video that furthers along the story and gives the player enough time to calm back down before they are asked again to dive into danger.

    Imagine you are sent to slay the orc king. After cutting down all his guards, you enter his throne room. A video pops up showing the orc king raising from his throne and unsheathing his mighty sword, as he does so, he spouts out curses upon you in the time it takes him to reach you. Now the cut scene ends and the fight begins.

    That is much more engaging than walking into the throne room and the orc king is already standing and just waiting for you to get into agro range or a window pops up and you have a conversation with the orc.

    With the video example, you have already created a more memorable encounter for the player.
     
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  10. Sir Cabirus

    Sir Cabirus Avatar

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    I'm not from Munich, I'm from the Stygian Abyss ;) but seriously, you can get my current location from the site notice (Impressum) of my homepage :)

    As I have stated before I have nothing against MMOs - this is also true for a MMO story - as long as the story don't suffer under the influence of the MMO aspect. Or if there is another mode like singleplayer offline and the story in this mode is a true single player offline story. Please don't ask what the differences are - theses aspects are debated in their full range and depth already.
     
  11. Alley Oop

    Alley Oop Bug Hunter Bug Moderator

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    the whole questline of the hidden vale is a placeholder.
     
  12. Lord_Darkmoon

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    And you really think this will matter in the end?

    When SotA is released it will be compared to other games - maybe according to the price range but that will be about it. People will want to know: Should I spend my money on SotA or on another RPG? Which one tells the better story? Which one does have the more interesting quests? Which one offers real choices with consequences? Which one has better PVP etc.
    This is what will matter. No one cares if it has a smaller budget (which is still more than 12 Million dollar and thus more than other games had).
    Even Divinity 2 was compared to Witcher 3 although both had very different budget.

    Also what will be considered is what was said about the game: Choices with consequences were announced - how do they play put? Is it satisfying or not? There is an offline mode, so how does this offline mode play compared to other offline RPGs?
    Is the combat fun? Is PvP fun?
    I don't care what budget Maserati had comared to Honda. If it is not fun driving the car then I won't spend any money on it.
     
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  13. Lord_Darkmoon

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    Wish every questline was a placeholder ;)
     
  14. Drocis the Devious

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    My point is that you can't have it both ways. You can't on the one hand say that you understand the game has always been selective mulitplayer and on the other hand say that it's changed. If he, or you, or other people in this thread are not attempting to have it both ways, please let me know.

    I don't find the method of arguing that someone is arguing unfairly and making claims that are unfounded to be an example of fair arguing. As much as you seem sure that your point of view is correct I disagree with it just as strongly.
     
  15. Drocis the Devious

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    You already spent your money on it. So my point would be perhaps it's better to provide helpful feedback instead of constant comparisons of apples and oranges?

    For example, this OP is about what? Is it about making the game better? Or is it about expressing a dislike for the multiplayer features? Is it about providing feedback that will help improve the game? Or is it about litigating wording from the kickstarter?
     
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  16. Lord_Darkmoon

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    This is why it is so hard being a part of this community.
    Everything we want to post we have to consider twice and more. It is no longer possible to even post an opinion or a joke or a small thought.
    It has become a chore because we have to consider if every word we post is helpful. Maybe we should do some math before, analytics and even some philosophy about it?
    This is why more and more people don't want to post here anymore, get angry and vent on places like Reddit. They are scared away because it is no longer fun posting here. It is work posting here. Work that has to please a small group of hardcore fans and dare you if you don't please them!
     
  17. Vyrin

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    To this point, you can claim what you say you can't. No one denies it was selective multiplayer at the start - some believe there was a change the emphasis on how much single/multi. But no amount of convo that you still don't get it will convince you Baron. And again, you are just trying to take the spotlight off what I challenged initially.

    My claim was based on 2 examples just in this thread. And there are more form the thread on phasing. That's not unfounded. You can disagree - disagreeing doesn't have to be based on truth. I'm confident in the case I made and will wish you well as I don't intend to be baited anymore. I won't see any response you might make here.
     
  18. Lord_Darkmoon

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    It is a reminder of what was said in the past. A reminder of why people gave their money.
    Because of a "random quote" I spent money on this game. Not because Richard Garriott or Tracy Hickman created a game but because of the random quote "basically single-player" and because of "choices with consequences" and because of the "new way to tell a story".
    And suddenly those things are not there and I am supposed to give feedback about how to make those things better that are there. But instead I want to get those things that were said in the "random quotes" which made me give my money for the project.

    So if there is no new way of telling a story in the game there is nothing I can help make better. I can tell that I want what was promised and if it is there then I give feedback.
     
  19. Lord_Darkmoon

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    Here's one last not very helpful comment:

    I don't think that I will provide feedback or opinions anymore. I get the impression that it is not wanted as my hopes for this game differ too much from the visions other, more "influential" members have for this game. This won't get me the game I wanted. It is a losing fight.
    So provide your feedback for the game you want which is made with my money.
    Yes I feel cheated but that's life. So have fun with your SotA. I doubt it will be mine - when the time comes I will judge it like any other game.
     
  20. Ristra

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    I can’t get on board with either perspectives.

    MMORPG storylines are more cut scene driven. Treadmill with video.

    Single player RPGs are very centered on the one character driving everything. No story starts or finishes without the player.

    SotA has the foundation that will allow for the world to have a story no matter the number of players. A living world and those that drive the story are doing so because that’s the way they choose to play. Those that do not play that way will hear/see the story unfold from a distance.

    If someone’s daughter is kidnapped. Should the villian sit there waiting for people to come to the rescue? I don’t think that makes for a great story. MMO or not.

    Blade of the Avatar has it’s role in the story. The quest lines truth, love, and courage have their role. The side quests too. But are those it? We storied out? Sandbox will bring some but I won’t count sandbox as story.

    If we don’t have more story coming in the form of something more dynamic we should all be up in arms.
     
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