Nice article. I've been wondering the same thing since the Cataclysm expansion came out for World of Warcraft. Everything I loved about the game was improved: the old storylines were updated, the entire world was remade to allow flight, a new profession was added, and the end-game contained much the same as the last expansion.
But within a month, I was bored silly of most of it. While it was nice to be reminded of how awesome I was as a grunt, every expansion made me feel like I was the best of the best. Unlike your FFXI example, I never felt like I was part of a group, but a hero through and through... and it got a little boring. And the updated questlines were cool, but all of them eventually made you the savior of the zone, and held your hand to bring you each step of the way. It was like riding down a road in a car and having a parade at the end just because you drove that far. Yay? Not to mention how much of a sense of exploration it killed - there was no need to explore since you're led to every quest and important location.
I still can't answer the question myself. I find the story important, but I also find exploration important. Others find PvP important, or loot, or professions. Perhaps we all just miss the nostalgia of playing a game for the first time and getting lost in the world. The longer I play MMOs, the more I fear that might be it.
Making an MMORPG: Story and Premise
Senior Staff Writer Chris "Pwyff" Tom decided to go in-depth with what he thinks makes for the perfect MMORPG. This time around he's focusing on what makes for a good MMO premise and storyline.
I remember talking with David Gaider, a lead writer at BioWare, about storylines in MMORPGs, and he made a very good point in saying that players want to feel that they are the center of the universe when playing a video game, but in an MMO world with hundreds of thousands of people, you simply can't do that.
Interestingly, I've always felt that MMORPGs with the most successful stories and premises were always the ones that married the massively multiplayer aspect of their game with their overarching story. Having a strong story is what allows us to connect and identify with our in-game character and, while it remains to be seen if TSW can deliver on its narrative vision, one MMO that's already succeeded is Final Fantasy XI (FFXI). In FFXI, your character starts as a low-ranking drudge in society, and your missions reflect as such. With no prophecies guiding your way, FFXI's storyline is all about making your mark on society and rising in the ranks. You eventually brush shoulders with more important figures as you progress in your missions, but all the time you are part of a greater group-your fellow citizens-and you are told to band together to keep your country safe.
Generally speaking, where FFXI succeeds is in creating a story that my character rose through and took part in, but didn't always need to be the centerpiece. I suppose I should say that my character became important because I felt he was important, and not because the game was constantly pushing it in my face. There have been a number of MMORPGs out there that have tried this and succeeded to various degrees, but I don't believe I've ever met a former FFXI player who didn't occasionally reminisce fondly about his character.
To be honest, a basic story like FFXI's, where the player is caught up in political intrigue and power shuffling as he or she rises in society, is something that can work very well in almost any MMO setting. In the sci-fi genre, EVE Online is there with a similar concept of characters having faction loyalties, but obviously the overall genre isn't nearly as saturated. I don't know if anyone is familiar with the Armored Core video game series developed by From Software, but there's a basic MMO story structure in there that I think more MMORPGs should look towards: you're a mercenary who gets contracted by some of the top corporate conglomerates to perform a variety of missions that get more difficult as you become a more well-known pilot. Ultimately, I guess I'm just hoping for more games that focus their story on community rather than my lone hero. Sometimes it's possible to feel lonely in an MMORPG.
Next time, I'll talk about combat and game mechanics!
Christopher "Pwyff" Tom, Senior Staff Writer.