Story & Immersion: How important is it?

[Alluvian_Est-Endrati]

With several other MMOs in development (such as SW:TOR) hyping the element of Story so much, I have started wondering what other folk here thought of this element in relation to the 40K MMO project. The 40K Universe has a lot of potential stories to tell of course and a heck of a lot of accumulated lore over the years to draw upon.

Not every MMORPG have done equally well with their attempts to tell a story of course. Some barely scratch the surface, with extremely static worlds and just quest text blurbs to nudge people along. Some (a matter of opinion of course) occasionally go a bit too far and hammer prospective players with their story till they get sick of it. Not all MMO players are looking for a Story or seeking an Immersive experience in their online gaming of course but the crafting of a good story and an immersive experience is seldom a waste of time if done well IMO.

If the 40K MMO is to be a MMORPG and not just a MMOG, I think that the Story and Immersive elements of play would be important ones to consider. A tall order certainly, as inducting new players unfamiliar with the 40K Universe into it via a MMO is something that would take a bit of work. While it may be easier in some respects compared to a novel perhaps, it still does require a solid cohesive vision of sorts to draw upon.

While I do think it fair to expect a certain amount of static Story content in a 40K MMO, I do also think it fair to expect a more dynamic experience from this project as compared to what is currently availiable on the market. Games such as Earthrise, Darkfall and others have started putting more control over the gameworld into the hands of players. MMOs such as SW:TOR will also (hopefully) do well to show that the element of choice and the consequ3ences of them make for a much better experience.

[Watto]

Not all MMO players are looking for a Story or seeking an Immersive experience in their online gaming of course but the crafting of a good story and an immersive experience is seldom a waste of time if done well IMO.

*Nods* Well said Alluvian, i think most gamers would agree that there is nothing more off-putting (Talking about all games in general here, not just 40K), Than a terrible and static in-game storyline/lore. 40K is definitely one of those franchises out there that has some extensive storyline and lore behind it, and i think that needs be harnessed constructively so to appeal not only to newcomers but also to the hardcore 40K/already existent MMORPG fans.

I think the hyping of the story element is definitely something Vigil needs to plan towards. In my mind, the 40K universe certainly doesn't win the award for originality or complexity, and therefore the lore is going to become quite imperative to keep players interested.

I'm not sure what everybody else is thinking, but personally, i would much rather be playing a game that has an excellent storyline and mediocre/poor gameplay than vice versa, but that's just me. I really think it comes down to the individual. Some people will come for the story, Some will come for the krumpin', and some will come for a bit of both. But that's just IMO

[Gluesniffer]

What ever they do I just hope to hell that they don't start ret-conning lore to fit their development needs like so many other MMOs that are built around already existing IP.

[Watto]

In relation to the ret-conning, i suppose they have to find that wonderful balance between making the game seem believable in terms of story, and keeping the fans happy.

If all else fails, they could just work with what 40k already has, but i can't envisage the end result.
Eh.

[Hampu]

I do like stories in the games i play, and hopefully there will be one in this new game. Though it should not be needed to complete the story to play the PvP.