Does an MMO need a story?

Sadly today/tomorrow is going to be a very dark time in the life of SWTOR as a huge amount of subs will be due, these are the people who got into the game just before launch.

We are three months down the road and it's fair to say it's been a total disaster for Bioware and EA. The more experienced gamers like myself predicted this back in December with uncanny accuracy http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=89529 but am not here to gloat.

I just think that this whole game is a great example of what a well oiled PR machine is capable of doing. Now that the game has been played and reviewed it's clear that the PR hype was a load of rubbish as usual.

So why has it failed then?

I get a shivver when I think of how amazing this game could have been if the voice and story telling budget had been spent on actual gameplay. It's the story that has killed this game as an MMO, it just cost too much of the budget. That money could have funded so much more MMOness to the game such as LFG tools, more warzones, better planets, no server instancing, more flashpoints, guild banks, beter space combat, smooth gameplay without ability delays, the list could go on and on.

I played WOW for 6 years and have no idea who any of the NPC characters are except that I know Thrall is leader of the Orcs and some woman is leader of Undercity, that is all I know. You see in a good MMO you can make your own stories up if you are provided with the tools, WOW gave me the tools: A thriving world, great world pvp (I could attack anywhere with my guild and have a chance), it had cross server pvp, LFG tools, excellent crafting...it had IMMERSION!

My first ever computer game adventure was called twin kingdom valley, it was a basic text adventure, then I got lords of Midnight and played it for years It had no moving graphics at all but the gameplay was amazing, games back then had to have good gameplay. I think game designers now focus far to much on story, gloss and other asthetics and forget about having fun. Hopefully this games failure will be the kick up the arse the gaming industry needs.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One mans trash is another man's treasure.

I have to admit the voice acting sucked me in the first 2-3 times through each zone.

I don't know if the VO was worth all the money they spent but it did have it's appeal.

However this game does suffer from 1000s of people playing their single player KotOR together syndrome.

IMO the lack of MMO'ishness is why so many MMOs are failing lately. That and people have lost faith in the industry period because of drastic changes to the games after they have released.

MMO players in order to invest themselves for years in the way that they did DAoC, EQ, UO, AC, etc must have stability. They must have some assurance that the game they like will remain the game they like. Too often we see games completely revamp everything from crafting to PvsP/etc and this kind of instability and drastic change causes people to leave whether they agree with the changes or not.

I find the opposite, WoW has 0 immersion and is just stuffed animals running around to me.

The kind of immersion you're talking about I've only found in sandboxes like, *dont hit me* ORIGINAL SWG and while I've never played it, EVE.

edited for clarity on SWG :P

I miss SWG. Can I wear my rose tinted glasses now?

The reality, OP, is that you have no idea what an MMO is. I am sure you and your WoWbuddies have conquered every last raid you could get your hands on, but that doesn't make you an authority on MMOs...it just makes you another shortsighted consumer with an opinion.

SWTOR actually has provided so much more than recent MMOs have in terms of ACTUALLY being an MMO...but you guys wouldn't realize it because you have been busy playing a VERY small part of the MMO experience and calling in the whole. That and pretending you were the next Alexander the Great every time you beat a raid.

I am pretty sure everyone who thinks like you could leave this game permanently and it would still make money for Bioware and EA. Unfortunately I am sure we will be subjected to many, many more posts by self informed "pros" like yourself, who believe their fishbowl view of gaming is the only valid perspective.

^^^ nice

Isn't that the truth, buggy, broken and beyond repair but still an amazing game.

I hate running round Tatooine sometimes in ToR as i can't help wishing i could scan for Aluminium or go check on my wind farm

And I'm going to challenge you... you claim much more than recent MMOs have in terms of actually being an MMO.
So which part of TOR is more MMO than any MMO currently on the market? You're examples should stand you well if that's the case.... but we all know there are none, because this really is a SPG with tacted on MMO elements, and poorly done at that.

very true they went overboard with the voiceacting, most of it just was not needed, but to say that the game is "total disaster" because of it is just silly, nevermind how the world will end tomorrow or today, give me break if the game is so bad why are you still here? very sad i would rather be playing a game i enjoyed than spending time bashing a game i didnt.
Kids today what are you going to do, notice i said kid not gamer