Story Problems with Opening Cinematic

There has already been some discussion about the opening cinematic I know. However, I want to focus on the story aspects of the cinematic and whether it fits as a coherent part of the game.

First, the idea that "your avatar is you" which the cinematic promotes, has been undermined by the possibility of having at least 3 characters per account. It can't really work to say that these will be just three different aspects of your life, since you could have different alignments (whether ingame or not), virtues, etc. Remember I'm talking about trying to form a coherent story here, not whether it's good to have multiple characters. To some this may be a "suspend disbelief" moment, but the cinematic at least shouldn't make the "your avatar is you" idea the centerpiece.

Second, since I am shown in the cinematic as a white male of a certain age, what happens when I choose to play a darker skinned character or a female? I think opening cinematics that show you before character creation will always have that dissonance, it can be dealt with effectively in other ways.

Third, there has been a general discussion in the forum that we would all enter the world in unique ways. Is this not true anymore and are we all victims of "delving too deeply?"

Fourth, if that is true, it seems unlikely that so many people who will be avatars in the new world would stumble upon remote and hidden things on the net. If so many people follow the same path in stumbling upon these things, then they're pretty much common knowledge. Other games start in the world of the game itself and don't have this story issue to solve. If 10,000 people know a secret it's not much of a secret.

Fifth, there is nothing in the cinematic that necessarily lends itself to a specific world we will enter. It could be almost anything, maybe a civilization like Planet of the Apes.

Sixth, since the focus of the game has shifted toward MMO, why is there no mention of encountering others? For all people know the cinematic could be for a solo RPG.

Seventh, beyond just saying you get pulled into a new world there is no story in this cinematic. The story of New Brittania is hinted at in the most general ways. There is nothing to say whether this new world is something I want to be a part of (or find a way out of as soon as possible), what my purpose or even just situation is in being there. Most good cinematic I've seen give you some basis on which to embark upon the actual story of the game itself. Am I a hero? Am I just an accidental tourist? Am I the foretold destroyer of the world? We would be better set to embark upon the story if we know this.

I know cinematics are not the main point, nor is one even needed at all. However, I would just hope that the story/lore of the game itself is being thought through better than what this cinematic represents. Certain suspend disbelief moments can be expected, but there are far too many here. In certain ways if we are going to have a cinematic, it needs to set the game up well. I fear right now it has too many disconnects, and will best be forgotten in favor of what actually happens in game.

I think this quote from the cinematic sums it up perfectly:"all unclear on issues of time and space and place"

 

Your right about the gender race thing, they could have showed multiple people in a this could be you moment, even so I liked the video. Nice tie in with old Ulima's, A lot of the best fantasy books start in our world and move to a magical kingdom, It's the escape part I always loved, Magic kingdom for sale Sold!

 

Do you know what magic kingdom they're selling based on the cinematic? Honestly, we can say very little based on the cinematic alone.

 

Magic kingdom for sale Sold!, That's a book by Terry Brooks!
What is an Avatar?

 

I know I was following your analogy. Even Ben Holiday knew the kingdom was called Landover. There's no sense of place in the cinematic. Not even New Brittania. You can't sell people on a game saying you're getting an escape from here but not tell them into what. Who would sign up for that kind of escape?

 

Well, that's kind of the point. The player is given glimpses of what await him/her through Stephen's amazing artwork, so the player would be intrigued Would you prefer Bill Johnson to say something like this, in an ominous voice:

"You have been chosen to save the realm of New Britannia from a grave danger which threatens it inhabitants. Avatar, prepare to face your destiny!"

Sounds pretty cheesy (and clichéd) if you ask me...

...and hey, who wouldn't want to escape their boring life here on Earth to live out their childhood fantasy If a lunar rift suddenly appeared in my room (not too fond of being sucked into the computer monitor, like in TRON), I'd jump through it without hesitation...

 

I think the writing needs to be improved there a little.... there ARE better ways to say things. And my point is how would you know that the lunar rift would take you to your childhood fantasy? What if it's a world of undending pain and suffering which had the same details.... The reality behind that is people have to be enticed a little into the world. The only two bits of information I know that distinguish this world are the cataclysm and dark magic. Everything else is generic. Is that enough? Try to pretend you had never heard of Ultima. Even knowing Ultima these two details aren't enough to assure me that the world and story are Ultima-esque.

Find another cinematic that reveals so little of the world you will be playing in. If someone can find another with less information on the game it represents please post it.