Questing and Storylines in MMORPGs
Something has been eating at me for a while. I’ve played a lot of MMORPGs in my life. I didn’t really get into the genre fully until the release of World of Warcraft, which voraciously devoured two years of my life, as I’m sure it’s done to many other unfortunate souls. That was years ago, and I’ve moved on since. Moved on to the likes of Final Fantasy XI, Tabula Rasa, Hellgate: London, City of Heroes, Champions Online, EVE Online, Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons and Dragons Online, and just about every single pay-to-play MMORPG that’s been released since WoW as well as numerous free to play ones. The pattern was always the same. That inescapable deja vu we all feel when we play a game after having invested so much in WoW. The feeling of “I have been here before.”
Where does that feeling stem from, exactly? A lot of things, but what I believe WoW brought to the genre more than anything else was quests. Fetch quests, kill quests, point-and-click quests. Simple bits of script and code that grease every level of progression like a professional eater uses condiments to lubricate every bite of food being rammed down their overstuffed gullet which cries out “no more, no more!” But, we masochists, we MMORPG players, we continue to torture our minds and wallets, buying new releases, and slamming level after level. The more lubricated every EXP bite is, the better able we are to endure consuming something we know in our hearts is completely bland and not good for us.
Kobold Camp Cleanup Quest in World of Warcraft
So, this is our reality as MMORPG gamers. We are a special breed of glutton, and to continue our gorging, we demand quests. More quests. Better quests. Tastier quests. What makes a better quest? I’m not sure. I can tell you what doesn’t, though: text. Am I the only one who commits the sin of skipping past all quest text and just relying on the mini-map radar to direct me to objectives? Objectives that, to me, have absolutely no basis in reality? I don’t know why I’m going to this X on the map, I just know that after rapid-fire acquisition of quests in the nearby hub, I want to go X and look for a thing that stands out. Perhaps something to kill, or collect. Woe to the quest that demands I open my quest journal for clarification – what an inconvenience! I have levels to gain. Bland, precious EXP to consume! Get out of my way, flavor text! Step aside, storyline! Go to hell, writers paid to squirt this dialogue out daily! I’m a busy woman. Max level won’t reach itself.
I don’t think I’m a powergamer. I could be, really, and just be in denial. I think I’m just jaded. I think I honestly just can’t be brought to care about anything in an MMORPG storyline. What’s the point? Any sense of immersion I might have is completely destroyed by the gold spamming, racial slurring, LFG-ing, lol u-ing, and WTF-ing in general chat. Sorry Peasant in peril #245, I know I’m the “Chosen One”, but so is pwnstick21, roflcow, and Samtard. They are all the Chosen One. Get their help too. Just give me EXP. Save the sob story.
Florensia – Look! The Quest Text Scrolls Down! Who’s Going to Read All of This?
This is very ironic to me, especially, because I have aims to work in the gaming industry as a writer. Whenever I play an MMO, I am spitting on the shoes of every writer employed by that company by skimming quest text. Granted, half a writer’s job is meetings, but still. I feel badly. I feel guilt. But I know I can’t help it, and I’m not alone.
So, my question to you is, do you not give a crap about quest text? Would you rather it just be a simple set of instructions for fetching more EXP? Further, do you normally enjoy storylines and immersion in an RPG, but find attempts at putting either into an MMORPG a complete waste of time? We can only pray for Bioware’s upcoming Knights of the Old Republic MMORPG. Of course, the franchise alone will make it a blockbuster hit, but all that writing, voice-acting… for what? Will they prove me wrong? Will they create an immersive experience that will change my life? Or will roflcow and Samtard ruin it?
9Dragons – Stfu and Give me Experience!
In my frank and honest opinion? All aesthetics, storylines, and attempts at adding detail and vibrance to an MMORPG (at least currently) is just an effort to apply cosmetics and perfume to a horse long, long dead, and sell it to people (including myself) who, in their feverish desire to GAIN LEVELS, pay out almost reflexively in the hopes that this one will be different. What do you think?
By, B. Olivia
February 14, 2010
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Hell yea ,Im just like you , Why shall I give a crap about text ,i just want to get powerful and cool items to be better at pvp and pve but for that i need lvls.
February 14, 2010
#1
yea when i played wow and i used questhelper. it would just tell me exactly where i needed to go and what i needed to do for every quest right on the map. saved so much time. but mainly they need to make quests with the objectives at the bottom so you can you right away what you need to do and just take the 8 seconds to skim the text to find the area and go there. thats all you really need
February 14, 2010
#2
Yeah storylines are only fun to care about in a single player RPG not a MMORPG where…..it doesn’t really feel like you’re affecting anything.
February 15, 2010
#3
And I’m sick of powergamers that just skip through all the story and the meaning. It is really really sad to see people that answer to questions like “Who is Illidan?” answers lik “Oh, that’s the boss in the weird looking dungeon that drops the cool looking blades.” No matter. I really like the quests that are written right. That do not attemp to give you “You are the chosen one!” crap but instead give you a feel to be a part of the world.
February 15, 2010
#4
But, in the reality of World of Warcraft, isn’t that all Illidan is? How can you expect people to care about his “lore” when the only thing that has any value in the game to the players is the loot and the challenge of defeating a boss?
Illidan may have once been, in games past, in stories past, a dynamic character, but now he is a static object that repeats itself over and over again. He has no meaning beyond being a loot piñata anymore. He has gone to where characters go to die: raid boss status.
February 15, 2010
#5
So it is Blizzard’s fault that they have given one of the most epic characters in the serries to the public to face in service for the lore fans, in service of those who care about story, that the general public does not know who Illidan is? Wow! That is some kind of logic! So if you want to make a character that nobody cares about just make it the most vicious and the strongest boss in the game – surely no one will care about why he is there.
You say that you strive to work in the industry as a MMO writer. I have already worked as one for a couple of months. The reason I quit was that my boss was thinking exactly the same way – as long as it does not make any sense we don’t care why the hell the thing is doing there – just make it look cool. I was driven crazy by that kind of attitude. Anyway, good luck finding a job there! Just don’t forget that some players actually care about the story.
To Jet Fusion that has a post below mine – IMO the quests in The Chronices of Spellborn are written in that kind of way – they uncover a story slowly and in the end you know much more about the story of the people and even the story of the world than when you started the quest.
February 16, 2010
#6
I think you misunderstand my point.
My point is essentially that if you’re not going to engage the player properly, don’t bother at all.
The purpose of a writer is to anchor what is otherwise meaningless code into a virtual reality that players can relate to and understand. This editorial was written to pose the question: “Is there any point in attempting to establish a fictional context in an MMORPG?”
Obviously we want to establish some context, but in the end, I feel as though it’s all for naught. It isn’t “Blizzard’s fault” no one cares about Illidan, it’s the fault of the game’s design. No one has any incentive to care about a character in an MMOverse, and getting human beings to behave in certain ways is all about providing incentives. If you want an emotional reaction from a person regarding a character, one must show aspects of that character, in nuance, throughout an established story, that may or may not endear certain people to them. That’s writing!
As for myself, I intend to do nothing less! There are yet a few, proud studios that make their living catering to the single-player RPG niche market. Two big examples would be Bioware and Bethesda, though in my opinion, in terms of writing quality, the latter can’t quite hold a candle to the former.
June 3, 2010
#7
I have to agree and disagree with you on equal terms. I certainly can’t argue that quests intended to level a character are little more than excuses for making players grind, but that is not to say that this this problem is easy to overcome. Unless the player is rewarded for an action (though exp, gold, or entertainment) he or she should not be expected to perform it. In order to accomplish this, however, either the underlying structure of the game has to be radically different from the current norm or much more effort must be put into what most designers currently seem to consider filler – the midgame.
Sadly, no MMORPG I know of does NOT rely on exp as a medium of progress, so that acquiring that exp as fast as possible means ‘winning’ sooner. This means that quest dialogue and story line become irrelevant as players race to the exciting late-game content.
The late game is always emphasized to encourage players to progress and because, eventually, this is all a PC will have to interact with. Yet the beginning is also exciting ; the tutorial opens up new possibilities, rewards are relatively high, and there is no pressure on the PC. The midgame ends up a no-man’s land that players just want to skip. It is too long, too convoluted, not very rewarding, and just an obstacle between the player and the epic endgame.
The question, then, is who is going to make the effort to change this when the current formula seems to work just fine, and hiring fewer writters might actually reduce the budget!
February 15, 2010
#8
My first mmorpg was runescape, i loved the quests but when i moved to wow clones mmorpgs i tough: “what the hell this quests are very stupid and too easy” i really felt they were the same,” kill this kill that kill this and go collect that”
Beause while you are doing a runescape quest you are knowing the story step by step
When you are doing a wow quest you know the story of the quest right from the beginning
The only thing i miss on runescape are the quests, they’ re epic
February 15, 2010
#9
I think they could say the same with less words. In my language it is said “Lo bueno, si es breve, dos veces bueno” that means that if something good is short, is double good. I mean, why every civilian has to tell us his story about his family, the wolves and the tooch pendant is going to do to his wife? I think it could be better if he said “I need ten tooch from wolves, can you take care of it?” and that is all we need!
February 15, 2010
#10
The problem isn’t that people are power gamers and choose to ignore the text, the issue is that quests in mmorpg’s are presented in a very unnatural way. To put it simply; all these games lack innovation.
For example; how natural is it to read a bunch of text cluttered in a box to understand why your doing a quest? The basis for your quest should be all around you and information should be provided in an organic way.
Another problem are the logic gaps. Its obvious that many other people are taking the same quest as you are. And for the quest NPC to act like your the only hero in the universe is just silly.
This is why quests should be revamped under the assumption that theres many people taking them, and more importantly, make sense within the game world. Quest purpose and logic should accommodate the fact that tons of people are doing the same thing and will continue to do so even after an individual player completes it.
Sure you would lose the privilege of being the only ultimate hero capable of defeating 10 boars. But all that meaning is lost once the NPC says the same thing to frodo69. Besides, there should be other ways to establish yourself as a powerful individual within the game world. And with a little innovation, quests could provide this as well.
Other important elements missing are overall goals and FUN. A kill 10 boars quest is fine; however a more obvious and larger goal should be given to the player early on. Having knowledge of a larger objective or goal gives some purpose to the player and adds to the overall fun.
In the end, mmorpg’s need to turn the conventional quest system on its head. Getting context for your quest shouldn’t be a chore, it should be an organic part of the game world itself.
February 16, 2010
#11
Honestly? Only time I read the story is late-game because then the quests get more sparce and naturally more involved. Anything in the middle has me just annoyed.
February 16, 2010
#12
I usually read quest text. Especially if it is about the game’s storyline. I play to enjoy, and part of enjoying is by knowing what the game is about. I played the legend of dragoons in sony playstation before, what actually made me like it so much is not the gameplay but the game storyline – the plot. I also played 9dragons, and I read the quest story (the road to dragon quests only though). I do power level too, but I still take time to read those little story attached to the quest. For me, it is quite entertaining.
February 26, 2010
#13
Quite agree with all of this text. I mean, in a single player RPG you read through each quest quests because the story is revealed bit by bit in each dialogue. Though in a MMORPG, at the beginning there’s a lot of unnecessary information when the NPC’s give you a quest, so you take an habitude of just skipping through it. Then in the end, where the text becomes more serious about the storyline, you juste skip through it just because you’ve been doing so since the beginning.
So my point is, if the main storyline would start right at the beginning, people would already read them, and for side-quest, they should try to make’em fix with ths storyline.
Sorry if I don’t have an exemple, but I hope you all understand what I mean.
March 3, 2010
#14
I don’t know but I thought guildwars has quite a nice storyline, and if you skip through all that the game is not that great actually since the storyline is a big part of playing the game in my opinion…
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I do play some other mmorpg’s including WOW, and if the text isn’t too long(like some 12 page books you sometimes can read about a chars bg) i do read them.
most of the text are quite as they are, but there are also funny ones among them, and in the case of wow a lot of easter eggs names appear wich add some fun to it for me
April 19, 2010
#15
yeah, I played MMO’s since Everquest back in the day, through years of WoW, and started out kind of caring, my Everquest guild was an amazing RP guild, and we RP’d using a good amount of the quest text , and usually ignored all the ‘Samocoptor and U-sucxxorzz” around us, then got into Wow, where noone roleplays, even on a roleplay server, and ended up, not caring so much for most my WoW existence. Now I play EvE online (and am in a steampunk sim in SL, but that doesn’t exactly have ‘quests’), and I read the missions mostly because I just really enjoy the background, and a good portion of the linked quests usually involve some of that. WaR had also been one I read the quest text, but lately some of the game’s general decisions, I haven’t been on as much
July 8, 2010
#16
“Now my fa-” Shut up and give me the money already. If i truly cared i’d have fully read the details in the first place.
August 19, 2010
#17
well the problem is that in nearly every game we all know its ether going to be most likely ” kill this monster X times ‘ or ‘ collect this X times from monster’s ” or ” point A to B ” leading the entire text hollow and useless itself despite we know its effort to give it background, if we actually gotten quests that are solveable in more then 1 way or with more then 1 method (with maybe true diffrent type’s of rewards) that would actually make us ” think ” for a change and might have us actually read whats going on, though im sure most impatience ppl wouldent like to deal with that lol, and i assume thats over 50% of the majority leading to them having there way of continuliously mindless questing, Leading to the same bad innovation when we/other’s want better, A paradox!
December 4, 2010
#18
First of all, I’m sick of all the questing. People think that quests take away the “grind.” But in reality, it’s just a different kind of grind, a very pointless one.
I just want a world where I can exist: Other stuff exists – mobs, animals, dragons, mean, bad bosses – and I’m just roaming around in *their* world. The story of the player is their traveling, and adventuring through this world; their acquisition of items, and their rise in power.
People say that quests give direction. WHY DO I NEED DIRECTION? Please do not hold my hand. I can figure stuff out on my own: Where the best loot is; where the best place to gain xp at a given level is. I want to *adventure* and explore this world, not have the world spoon fed to me.
Most importantly, reaching the level cap should not be the only, blind goal of the individual (or the producers of the game). This perpetuates the fallacy that the journey towards something has no value, that only the destination matters. Ultimately, I believe those “things” that should impel players are their *own* desires to become rich, powerful, skilled – the Invisible Hand of role-playing. To achieve this in the *best*, most exciting, and engaging way, should be the ultimate goal of the player. *You* find out where the best place to gain xp is. *You* find out where the best items drop, and go try to acquire them. *You* find out what the best way and/or the best place to make money is.
Sure, you can still have quests. But questing to level blows. Questing to give you “direction” blows. Holding my hand blows. Leave me in peace, and let me adventure. Don’t pretend, like the start of the editorial stated, that I’m doing anything to change the world around me. All I’m doing is trying to fit into the world around me, rising to power with my peers, or over my peers through skill, knowledge of the game, and general social acuity. Damn, that’s another point.
Games need more social interaction whilst doing something together. It’s the mutual struggle that brings people together, not completing easy objectives; not sitting in a city zone talking in general chat. There’s no reason to even communicate with other people in some games. In WoW, for example, you can find a group while sitting in a city, teleport to that group in a dungeon, complete the dungeon in 45 minutes or less, and then teleport back to the city…What the fuck. This is people’s idea of dungeon hunting? I always knew Blizzard would one day do something like that. It fits in with their trend to make content bullshit easy.
Make games challenging! If you want an example of what I’m looking for, play Everquest 1…back in its glory days. (Ironically, Everquest didn’t have nearly as much questing as today’s games). Make dying something to fear. Make precaution something to be concerned about. Make characters valuable to the individual. To impart value to something, make it difficult, not easy.
December 4, 2010
#19
I think the “adventuring to figure things out” bit is a lot of fun for some people, but it’s not for everyone. People want their games to be generally easy to figure out, just look at the easy to figure out games like World of Warcraft and MapleStory. They’re both enormously successful. I personally think games need to appeal to both crowds. Let people who never played an MMO before jump into the game and have the game guide him while letting people who want to explore and figure things out do it. I 100% agree with you on the social interaction bit. MMOs right now encourage players to solo for the entire game =/.
December 5, 2010
#20
I actually prefer Maplestory’s PvE to WoW’s. =/
PvP is the one thing I have to commend Blizzard on.
January 2, 2011
#21
I play minecraft which if you dont know is a sandbox game
i dont know if this is tyhe right thread but meh.
we are modding in quests to minecraft to bring a new aspect to the game and i turned to the forums for ideas. by the sounds of things people want short succint quest texts but overall a storyline which is beast, makes sense and is in chronological order.
i need help farming ideas for npc quests on our server so if youre awesome please post a reply at Kai_warwick@hotmail.com
and just to relate back to the topic when i play games i prefer when they have complex storylines with lots of plots and twists. but if it doesn’t make sense its crap.
thanks
-Kirakai-