Does an MMO need a story?

I'm eating a whole plate of humble pie at the moment cus I had written the game off. But then I decided to take more note of the story and not play my usual character. So I went Jedi Knight but this time tried to be as evil as I could, And now my character face has changed and I am really appreciating the whole dark side thing. I can't believe to be honest just how different it all feels and the responses from the NPCs and my companion are really cleverly customised to suit the negative and hostile way I am playing. I really kinda feel sad for my character and the companion just puts up with the insults and tries to be as friendly as possible. Some of the end scenes to story quests are really tragic and you just get to hate your character. In the end though you can see where it all is leading and the way I'm gonna get there is fascinating.

So hats off to the creators. I am truly sorry for bashing your game. I have subbed for another three months and I guess I just should have had a bit of faith. It really is a very good game, but I guess like a lot of things its different, and maybe that was my problem and not the games problem. Anyway I better go cus my character will be screaming and yelling wanting to know where I've been. Haven't had this much fun in a real long time.

I never really paid much attention to the story plot in WOW, but then the whole Night Elf in a bikini was something I never really got, which is odd because I typically play shims.

Really though, all the orcs, sword and sorcery backstory was a big bore for me compared to Star Wars.

I would always go back to WOW in between other MMO's , grind out my toons and gear them up in moderate level epics and then bored silly again and unsubscribe. The hamster in the flywheel loot whoring never really interested me and over the years I watch my guild transform from a hardcore PVP guild to a lot of 'loot whore with blinders on' type of players. They're nice guys and all, but the feel and flavor of the guild has radically changed over the years to match the games they played.

Not complaining, but that's how it is now. They are much more story centered than I am. I like to focus on player driven story arcs, which is why SWG fascinated me so much.

No NPC story arc was going to fascinate me as much as the drama between guilds and factions in a sandbox game. It isn't even close. You see, in SWTOR, like most story arc/quest based MMO's I know exactly whats going to happen every time I log in. It's some dailies, some raids and my PVP Bg's dailies and then log off.

Sandbox and non story arc driven games have a different feel. You log onto Vent and they're people yammering about who did what to whom at what city and how were we going to respond to that attack etc. That's all missing from games like WOW and SWTOR. Planets like Ilum are just a big farting farm for valor. PVP is a matter of who gets force yanked into the mob. In WOW its a big yawn when I hear the Night elves are hitting Crossroads again-- and even that is happening less frequently. Mainly this is due to pressure from the PVE crowd who want blissfully uninterrupted questing, even on a PVP server.

So no, I don't believe a story arc is necessary, not when you have had a taste of player driven story arcs-- not in a game where everything is a big grindfest to the next loot item or gearscore. It doesn't matter if Sylvanis is sleeping with the Lich King, or if Darth Baras is the darth du jour you have to kill today. It's all about the loot now, since if you aren't geared properly you won't be allowed in the raid.

Sue me if you don't agree.

Wow perfect post. I didnt play SWG but I did play Ultima Online.

Nothing compares to the storys and the fun that is a sandbox. The gear treadmil model needs to be reworked and revamped. Give us the theme park stuff but also add in everything SWG/UO had and you will have a game that NEVER gets boring. You would NEVER be able to get bored because there would justb e too much for one player to do .

i played SWG myself and while i liked certains things, like houseing, custom class combos and the like. i missed the eason why am i leveling. you can be a farmer and havea house at lvl 1 and never have to fight, or if you wanted max levels and being lazy, be a dancer marcos alot fo move and go watch a moive. haveing a pourpose to why you try to do somethign goes along way, if only a frame work. i had a guild city on tat(pain to ride around some days) crafted some high end armors and weapons with a fencer/smuggler(spliced my weapons to insane levels) i madea persona for him(doing so in SWTOR also while staying my stroy line) but fi no one else aplying with my stroy line it make waht i'm doing mote.

It's hard to feel relevant in a game where your supposed important decisions really are just light and dark points that change the color of your lightsaber without any real or imagined consequence.

Without consequence, there can be no greatness, and no matter how many mobs they throw at you in order for you to feel heroic, in the end, heroism is not defined by issues of a matter of a few days or work.

Even in a game.

I guess we'll ultimately find out in a week or so once numbers filter in. the hilarity is the OP proclaiming victory before the information is out. Methinks the OP had some "uber" statement he made as a "prophecy" early on, and is now attempting in vain hope to act like it "came true" before the real numbers are out in hopes that he can save a shred of that useless thing that most people refer to as an "ego".

I'm not going to say one way or the other, because frankly my personal satisfaction with myself does not rely on looking like I am something I am not. But I for one am remaining with the game. I've been playing MMO's for close to 10 years, been on and off the progression raiding scene at various times in my life...just about seen and done most of it. And I like this game.

I'm glad that the OP can see that this game isn't what he wants. the humor arises that he thinks he can know what I want. you sir need to take a reality check and step back from your virtual fantasy world. sounds like you depend on it a bit too much.

Either that or your simply a troll. I wonder about that...but I'll at least give you the respect of assuming your being honest about yourself.

I base my claims on fact and the facts are as follows. Star Wars is the largest film licence out there and to make an MMO with a £200 million budget (or whatever it was) on it is like the ultimate MMO. It should be thriving with new servers having to be opened on a regular bases, like in err what's that game called...hmm oh yeah WOW. Now three months down the line well over half the playing population have all left the game.

Oh wait are you one of the people that believe the PR BS that is spewed out by EA every month? I guess you are, no wonder your post was so delusional. How about you forget what people are quoting and simply log into a handful of servers on Sunday evening at peak time and see how empty the game has become.

So I restate my case, this game has been a huge failure, it got 1.7 million box sales due to all the hype and the fact that Star Wars is a AAA title, you should know that even if you have a limited education. Loads left during the free month but many more like myself had a 60 day timecard, they expire today, this is why I predicted a mass exodus over the next few days, I will be right.

Who cares, just have fun.

Total disaster ? Exaggerated !

Just go find some people to play nice with.

I actually agree totally that the PvE game is all about loot. It's all about chasing that gear carrot, the primal urge to get the best gear possible. WoW has brainwashed them so badly, that when SW:TOR tries to introduce story into the game, they brush it aside as "kill 15 boars with cutscenes".

Why do they they think cutscenes are a waste of time? Because WoW has conditioned them into thinking that, a quest is nothing more than an xp/gold bag. There doesn't need to be a story. The description on quests are just filler. All you need to know is where to go, what to kill by reading the summary. Little reading required.