For a game that's all about story, there are an awful lot of silly bits in there.

I invariably end up killing an entire battalion of enemy troops and thinking, "You know, that wasn't so tough. Any one of those level 50 battle droids back at the base could have waltzed over here, shot the place up and killed the boss without so much as a dent. Why'd they have to send me?"

And once in a while I almost think they should send you into some impossible mission just to make a point. As it is, everything is just comes so easily: "And now I shall send you to your inevitable death by having you get the holocron from the pyramid, a feat which nobody has managed to do in 1000 years of trying! Mu-hu-hu-hu-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah!!!! ... oh, you're back already? Got the holocron? Just had to shoot some lightning at it? Huh. Well now I shall send you into this base to kill this guy that is totally unkillable for he has killed so many people that you shall never acc... oh, back already? Killed him, did you? And his 50 troops? Huh. Welp. Guess that's about it here then. Next planet!"

I once had a mission that was clearly impossible and thought, "Oh, this is neat! A mission that's clearly impossible! I wonder what twist the story may take now?" But it turned out they had just, for whatever reason, let me pick up a mission 10 levels over my level and I wasn't paying any attention.

Basically it's hard not to roleplay a cocky bastard considering I am apparently more powerful than everyone in the galaxy, because I never get any tasks that I can't ultimately complete. It's almost as if the entire universe was laid out with me conquering it in mind. I think I can count on one hand the number of times I have died trying to accomplish something, and those times were usually when I got really reckless because it was so easy up til then.

The only real exception to this seems to be PvP.

I do occasionally fail to win the Civil War or to stop the Republic from getting through the Voidstar.

Everything else is pretty much a given, though. I mean really, after the 10th time they tried to kill my Bounty Hunter, you'd think they'd just come to realize that I can't be killed. At least, not permanently.

Feels a bit silly, is all I'm saying.

(Also, how did so many other people complete the Great Hunt? I saw their titles! Clearly I won the Great Hunt. And they only do them like once a year or something so there's no way all those other people were there. I would have noticed. And had to kill them. I think they are cheating. I was at the big meeting with Mandalore and I didn't see any of them there!

Also, you Republic people really need to sort out your Most Wanted list. I am the Most Wanted person. I don't know why all these other people are wearing that same title when it was clearly me that was the Most Wanted. Is there some sort of tie, or something? How can there be dozens of "Most Wanted" people? I think it's very sloppy and speaks of poor communication on the Republic side as clearly they have no idea who is really Most Wanted.)

Yes, your points do make sense, but from a playable perspective - a lot of those things are difficult or impossible or just not fun to have in-game.

For example, putting a mission in the game that cant be completed to show the player that he cant do everything. SOme player might understand the underlying idea of it, but the majority of players would most likely be annoyed. There is no point to having a mission like that in a game like this because it does not really add anything important - it does not add any kind of fun to the players experience.

And the part of having the same kind of titles and a lot of people being the most wanted in the universe. Yes, it is weird - but it is the result of having put in class-unique single player experiences in a MMO. I have no problem with the titles because I love that they have been able to create a system that allow for a different experience if you choose another class. The titles like "Most wanted" could be removed, but that would almost neglect the single-player experience due to not giving cool titles.

If you look at the game from a role players perspective - things do not make sense. But if you look at it from a casual/hardcore non-roleplaying player point of view, most of it does not matter cause it adds context and provides us with fun.

The game is very good for not being ran by a face to face GM. But even in table top games, you don't want to kill the hero at his first run in, or constantly give him shoddy gear and expect him to take on Vader at every other meeting and survive unscathed. You as a player character are supposed to stand out amongst the elite of the elite because simply put, you are supposed to be no run of the mill farm boy but a hero/villain in the making that will have a great tale to be told. If ya want a challenge, don't do the side quests, just go straight for the main quest only as side quests are normally put in as a way to get you up in level to face bigger challenges. When ya can solo (or with your companion) a champion that is say 3-5 lvls above you, then start thinking the game is too easy for you and move on to something challenging (I'd actually love to run you through my Order 66 campaign lol).

As for titles, its a online game with thousands of people, and everyone that earns a title deserves the recognition for it (I am gonna assume someone else beat you to Most Wanted anyhow, but for giggles ya can take it as I told my players for one game set during the Battle of Naboo, they weren't in the screen shot). But putting in a title on/off section for other players could be beneficial for someone that wants to be seen as the only Most Wanted I suppose.

Trooper DPS. Assault spec. I might just suck, but...

Very challenging. I can barely kill strongs if at all w/o a companion, which the game currently refuses to give me due to a glitch. Fun stuff.

By this logic, no MMO is good for Roleplay.

/thread

If the extent of your idea of the aspect of roleplaying is limited to the missions that you accept, then you are not seeing the whole picture.

MMO's can make for wonderful backdrops when people come together and bring their avatar to life via emotes, conversations and character to character interactions, in the truest sense of the word (roleplay). That is what is usually implied in the acronym of mmoRPG.

Suspension of disbelief, or at least a selective dose of it, is your best friend if you want to get into a role when playing a game like this.

Here's how I like to think of it:

I should roleplay. I should pretend that the game universe is "real" and act accordingly.

My character should not have to roleplay. He's in the universe and should simply take events at face value.

If I have to suspend disbelief, that's fine and normal.

If MY CHARACTER has to suspend disbelief, then we are going one level too deep and the only reason that happens is that it's not a very good story.

For example:

Your character shoots lightning from his hands. I have to suspend my disbelief about this in order to roleplay. No problem. My character does not have to suspend his disbelief -- to him it makes perfect sense that you are shooting lightning from your hands.

My character has just won The Great Hunt, an exclusive Bounty Hunter tournament for which there is only one winner. Upon completing it, he notices that, somehow, there are a couple hundred other people who also won The Great Hunt. That's bad because now you're asking MY CHARACTER to engage in a suspension of disbelief.

That's just bad story design.

The bottom line problem is that we are all made out to be unique heroes in SWTOR. Why am I some super-special ultra-unique no-one-like-me-at-all Bounty Hunter in the story line? Can't I just be "a pretty good Bounty Hunter"? Lots of people can be pretty-good bounty hunters but when you make it out that each of us is the #1 best in the galaxy, you set up a story that's going to be full of holes.

Bioware wrote the story without considering that it was going to be multiplayer.

Consequently, it makes no sense when viewed from a multiplayer angle.

i understand your point and agree, but if you fail, generally you would die, as the star wars universe would dictate. i mean, i've basically killed EVERYBODY to ever cross me...............I dont think killing off the player would be a good market strategy

but, on the sith inquisitor storyline there are some instances where your ideas do somewhat get represented:

Here's how I like to think of it:

 

I should roleplay. I should pretend that the game universe is "real" and act accordingly.

 

My character should not have to roleplay. He's in the universe and should simply take events at face value.

 

If I have to suspend disbelief, that's fine and normal.

 

If MY CHARACTER has to suspend disbelief, then we are going one level too deep and the only reason that happens is that it's not a very good story.

 

 

 

For example:

Your character shoots lightning from his hands. I have to suspend my disbelief about this in order to roleplay. No problem. My character does not have to suspend his disbelief -- to him it makes perfect sense that you are shooting lightning from your hands.

 

My character has just won The Great Hunt, an exclusive Bounty Hunter tournament for which there is only one winner. Upon completing it, he notices that, somehow, there are a couple hundred other people who also won The Great Hunt. That's bad because now you're asking MY CHARACTER to engage in a suspension of disbelief.

 

 

That's just bad story design.

 

 

 

The bottom line problem is that we are all made out to be unique heroes in SWTOR. Why am I some super-special ultra-unique no-one-like-me-at-all Bounty Hunter in the story line? Can't I just be "a pretty good Bounty Hunter"? Lots of people can be pretty-good bounty hunters but when you make it out that each of us is the #1 best in the galaxy, you set up a story that's going to be full of holes.

 

Bioware wrote the story without considering that it was going to be multiplayer.

 

Consequently, it makes no sense when viewed from a multiplayer angle.

You're nitpicking. Any game with titles for major achievements is the same as this, and I never saw anyone whine like this about RP in WoW.

Like the above person said, suspension of disbelief, and some sacrifices of lore/canon for gameplays sake are the norm in MMORPGs. In every MMORPG you're built up to be some great hero who slays massive threats to the entire world, and yet there will always be hundreds of others that have done exactly the same as you.

It's exactly the same as having to ignore the fact that the boss you just killed has already been killed thousands of times. If you want a truly unique and un-watered down RP experience, I suggest getting a pen and paper group together. Otherwise, stop being a tool.

We aren't saying your character has to suspend their belief that every third BH they run into is Republic's Most Wanted or Champion of the Great Hunt, there are easy IC ways around this.

"You are insane."

"Are you sure you weren't just scammed into a lesser competition?"

"I am a Great Hunt enthusiast, and I have NEVER heard of you."

"Yeah right."

It will kind of help people get the picture too, it's one thing to say, "I am the head of an elite squad within the Republic, we specialize in behind-closed-doors operations." and "I am Captain of Havoc Squad."

We aren't saying your character has to suspend their belief that every third BH they run into is Republic's Most Wanted or Champion of the Great Hunt, there are easy IC ways around this.

 

"You are insane."

 

"Are you sure you weren't just scammed into a lesser competition?"

 

"I am a Great Hunt enthusiast, and I have NEVER heard of you."

 

"Yeah right."

 

It will kind of help people get the picture too, it's one thing to say, "I am the head of an elite squad within the Republic, we specialize in behind-closed-doors operations." and "I am Captain of Havoc Squad."

That would require too much imagination and "work" on the part of the OP, though. =( Everything needs to be 100% unique for everyone all the time or else it's a terrible RP experience!

/sarcasm

That would require too much imagination and "work" on the part of the OP, though. =( Everything needs to be 100% unique for everyone all the time or else it's a terrible RP experience!

 

/sarcasm

Let's be civil here. All he was doing was posting his observations, while I find his reasoning... Flimsy at best, let's at least try to be respectful and not throw insults.

Let's be civil here. All he was doing was posting his observations, while I find his reasoning... Flimsy at best, let's at least try to be respectful and not throw insults.

It's just a little irritating to see thought processes better left in the General forums seeping into the Roleplay forums.

"This game is terrible for X tiny reason!"

My character has just won The Great Hunt, an exclusive Bounty Hunter tournament for which there is only one winner. Upon completing it, he notices that, somehow, there are a couple hundred other people who also won The Great Hunt. That's bad because now you're asking MY CHARACTER to engage in a suspension of disbelief.

Until and unless you actually engage any of those couple hundred other people in IC conversation and discuss their history and accomplishments -- at which point, Guildrum's suggestions a few posts upthread will be tremendously helpful for you -- your character's belief isn't being suspended at all. Titles are a metagame construct -- information that you, the player, have access to but your character does not (unless he's Deadpool).

If you're so concerned with maintaining immersion in the game universe, might I recommend disabling display of character names? That way your view of the world will be closer to the way the character sees it... no "Firstname Lastname Champion of the Great Hunt," just another guy in some Mando-looking armour.

Until and unless you actually engage any of those couple hundred other people in IC conversation and discuss their history and accomplishments -- at which point, Guildrum's suggestions a few posts upthread will be tremendously helpful for you -- your character's belief isn't being suspended at all. Titles are a metagame construct -- information that you, the player, have access to but your character does not (unless he's Deadpool).

 

If you're so concerned with maintaining immersion in the game universe, might I recommend disabling display of character names? That way your view of the world will be closer to the way the character sees it... no "Firstname Lastname Champion of the Great Hunt," just another guy in some Mando-looking armour.

This, a thousand times.

That's bad because now you're asking MY CHARACTER to engage in a suspension of disbelief.

 

 

That's just bad story design.

Maybe, but it is excellent game design. These things are balancing acts, perhaps you want to play a game where you are the only person who gets to experience the Great Hunt win. It's great for you... not so great for every other person playing.

The bottom line problem is that we are all made out to be unique heroes in SWTOR. Why am I some super-special ultra-unique no-one-like-me-at-all Bounty Hunter in the story line? Can't I just be "a pretty good Bounty Hunter"?

Because being "pretty good" at something is fine for real-life. In a game, I want to be a hero. Especially when the fundamental difference between me and the next guy boils down to time and box purchase date.

Bioware wrote the story without considering that it was going to be multiplayer.

 

Consequently, it makes no sense when viewed from a multiplayer angle.

Yup they did, they made an MMO with a story focused player experience which is focused on your character.

Like they said they would do. About a million times. People want to be Luke or Han. People can settle for being Wedge, maybe even Commander Cody.

Very few want to be stormtrooper 57 for long

If you want RP, then work around it. Take the story for what it is, a great theme park.

Don't roleplay your character as the character in Bioware's story. Problem solved. My trooper do not lead Havoc Squad and certainly did not romance Dorne. Take the story for what it is - a nice foundation to build your RP upon, nothing more.

Exactly.

The Bioware story is a very cool solo adventure game, which I think is a wierd addition to a mmo but it does make levelling more fun. I wish it worked better with groups and encouraged grouping more but it beats farming.

I don't consider the Bioware story an "RPG". You aren't creating your story in the plotline, you are following someone else's. That's fine, and that's what "kids these days" consider an RPG, but I just think it's more like an interactive movie than a role playing game.

You're probably new to role play, but I'll bite. This is assuming you're, y'know, on an rp server and having trouble with your character. In any case...

The character you're playing as during quest is different than the one you role play as. As you do OOC quests, you're "The Bounty Hunter" in your own world. Let's say your character was named Hutta. You completed the Great Hunt as "The Bounty Hunter", not Hutta. As you actually act IC, you're Hutta.

You talk to your pal Korriban ICly, plan a raid to capture a Jedi named Tython. As you and Korriban go out and capture Tython, this is done as Hutta. "The Bounty Hunter" had no role in this.

Hope that made sense.

Don't roleplay your character as the character in Bioware's story. Problem solved. My trooper do not lead Havoc Squad and certainly did not romance Dorne. Take the story for what it is - a nice foundation to build your RP upon, nothing more.

^ This

My Sorceror isn't the slave pupil of Zash, who collected the Artifacts of Tulak Hord and so on and so forth. He's a relatively powerful, snarky Lord of the Sith who enjoys Sith Alchemy and frying minions occasionally.

If you remove RP from game mechanics and look at questing as out of character, then no, it's not an RP friendly game. I know many of us accept that it will be long time before we find a game that's as RP friendly as SWG was, but many other games are more RP friendly than this.

In fact, I try not to think about it too much, because it's very disappointing to have so many emotes that don't have animations, other animations that should be removed from the game, and no interaction with the environment such as sitting on chairs.

I won't start on chat bubbles, I just hope that BW get those in game as soon as they can.

It really is a missed trick, because so many of us want to RP our own sagas within an SW environment.