Should the final version have a story line?

[Homie]

I understand that this game is not going to be a linear rpg, however I was wondering if you guys think an optional plot or story line would be good.

I was thinking of something similar to morrowind, where there are triggered events and special quests, but you could play for hours and hours and not do any of these quests, and the game would still be great.

If quests and plots are added to the game, I would like to see them be triggered by your actions. That way, you won't have the opportunity to do the same quests every save you play. I wouldn't want to get the same quests and the same events happening every time I play, or the game would quickly lose it's replay value.

I think the most important thing if quests are added, is to find a way for these quests not to lose their replay value.

So vote and stuff.....

 

[jknemesis]

I answered "mini quests", but honestly, I think a combination of both having small quests and having a larger story would be nice. It would be even cooler if the smaller quests somehow tied into the main storyline in unexpected ways down the road. I started envisioning this game with a sort of GTA San Andreas - like feel. It would be cool to be able to do mini-quests, follow the main storyline, purchase / build property, or just go roam the countryside and wreak havoc in small villages. However, this all depends on how much work the developers are willing to put in. Also, of course, I don't mean M&B should follow the GTA san andreas model literally. Just something to draw influence from, perhaps?

I've done lots of storyline development work for independent films and stuff, so if Armagan needs more manpower, I'd love to work for free (or for brownie points; I just LOVE brownie points).

 

[Stonewall382]

Maybe select modders (selected by Armagan/Ipek) could release new story patches every few days/weeks whatever, to give the game more longevity. Of course, Armagan and Co. could do this, and have the modders work in conjuction, but we'd rather he work on M&B instead, right?

Btw--This should probably go in the suggestions forum, but only because of my post.

 

[Crazy Eyes]

I think Morrowind had an actual PLOT, its just that no one gave a rat's ass and totally forgot. Whatever, that game could have owned even more if it weren't for the faulty combat.

 

[graphia]

I think Morrowind had an actual PLOT, its just that no one gave a rat's ass and totally forgot. Whatever, that game could have owned even more if it weren't for the faulty combat.

If the Morrowind team had Armagan doing the combat and horse-riding system it would have been the ultimate be-all-and-end-all of games, ever.


EDIT: Just thought of this...the obvious main quest would be to advance the cause of whichever side you join. It wouldn't necessarily have to be completely linear, but I'd say there's plenty of scope there.

 

[Ingolifs]

I agree with the miniquests idea. Both player made and computer generated.

There could be a little module which allows you to design your own missions and quests.

 

[DaLagga]

I'd just like to see a very strong main story, with plenty of chances to deviate and delay the story while you go and do whatever you wish. Kind of how it was in Freelancer, except with complete freedom during those breaks.

 

[Khalid ibn Walid]

I voted "no", but now have second thoughts.

IMO, any long-term plans should be up to the player to formulate, although I think there could be an underlying schema with multiple "platforms" to help the player along (multiple career lines). So perhaps I should have chosen option 2.

But I am not sure if that is what is meant by"mini-plots" or "triggered events". Can someone give a precise example of what they have in mind? (without reference to another game -- I know none of those.)

 

[Ingolifs]

For example, getting both marnid and borcha into your party are little mini-quests, albeit somewhat uninteresting ones.

 

[graphia]

Khalid: A typical mini-quest is the "FedEx" quest - "Go to Suno and find the scroll of everlasting chicken broth, bring it back to me for 200 gold". Or you could have something like you have to go to a town and find out what happened to someone, a bunch of plot twists happen and you end up fighting for your life - the triggered event would be you saying something or seeing someone where they shouldn't be, and the rest of the plot would develop from there. That sort of thing, where you have to do a sequence of events but it's not entirely related to the main story.

 

[svart]

I'd like to see no linear plot or subplots added in the game, but rather focus on the dynamic quests and the effect on a dynamic world.

It's interesting some people prefere linear games and some prefere non-linear.
I would like to hear why some of you like linear games over non-linear games (and vice versa), because that's the core of this poll (for example a one level skirmish game like civilization is a non-linear strategy game, where a mission based game would be a linear strategy game)

I prefere non linear games, with dynamic gameplay quests and world, because among other things they offer more replayability for me.
I think the main touch on non-linearity, isn't from the quests but rather the gameplay and world - for example play a bandit that raids caravans for a living, and slowly becomes a target for manhunters and even military - without having to take a single quest. or another example play a peaceful merchant and actually gain xp from trade runs, quests are more of a faction thing to me.
also a dynamic world is just as important - things that contribute to a dynamic (non-linear) world can be a dynamic economy (ala uncharted waters 2 or port royale, where your trading and other's trading would effect the economy of each town), dynamic factions like escape velocity (where each faction has a changable reputation with other factions, and they can even slowly conquer each other) and civilization (each game starts the same yet in one game the world will be controlled by an evil dictator against an ally of smaller nations, and another could be a completly peacful game).

 

[Karnaugh]

Having a plot, linear or non-linear, will most likely make the final game easier to sell. Hence, I think M&B should have one. However, what would be more important for the actual game experience is to improve the world. The combat is great as it is. I'm sure it could be improved, most notably on the strategy side, but what I would really like to have improved is a feeling of being there. Now almost everything feels like a placeholder. It says on the TW front page that men go to war simply because they know no other way. Give us a reason (or several).

 

[Archonsod]

I would rather see a plot similar to Sid Meier's Pirates!

For example, you have the over-arching storyline (the war in this case) which you can affect should you so choose (advance the power of whichever faction you choose to join).
Something similar to Pirates, but a little more freedom would be to keep the personal type plots, i.e. specific NPC's who you need to kill \ capture\meet. These would have their own specific maps, and would wander the map in the same way you do. You don't have to do these missions, but doing so would advance the personal storyline.
Another nice addition would be some form of fame\honour\reknown system, but this is getting into the realm of suggestion forum type stuff..

 

[Khalid ibn Walid]

Oh, I see. OK, I'd still vote "No".

I truly disliked the cartoonish "plot" of Pirates! It made it quite unbearable.

I like Svart's idea a lot better, where you design your own career and, at most, the game "responds" to it, you gain/suffer the consequences. If you act like a bandit, you get treated like a bandit, etc.

I definitely do NOT want an overarching plot. I definitely do NOT want to know what the Swadians/Caladrians are fighting about. That would so kill the game -- and all mods in particular.

 

[Blade]

I would definitelly like a main quest/Story line, but also many smaller quests like the merchant stuff or the barons asking for things.

And in the end it should stay open so one can keep fighting and fighting, without having the feeling of having "finished" the game!

 

[Dynamite_cow]

2 options: Yes or no. Fixed storylines are good, but I like creating my very own characters with their very own stories. So the master of that caravan is the guy who killed my father? Then I'll kill him.

Oh yes, I'm strange.

 

[Luthius]

I voted for a developed story but in reality i wanted a mix between that and mini quests. IMO there should be a main story ( a big sort the land out and bring eventual stability sort of thing ) but getting there is a very deverse path with numerous little things. Which side you join, should you choose to? I like the idea that there are story evolving elements which can be completed in your own time. I hate being tied to story elements which mean that you can't do what you want to (like final fantasy X and XI). If a major part of advancing the story is only available after x many war parties have been destroyed for instance it would be good. i.e. you have to play the normal free roaming game and build up your army and fight big battles in order to get another story element. If the story is advanced by little events, such as a capture of a nobleman then it wouldn't be too good (this is alright in small doses of as a part of a mini quest).

What i'm really trying to say is that you should have to do lots of normal M&B stuff, with specific targets and maybe a few mini quests in order for the next stage of the story to be revealed.

 

[Gilrain]

Triggered events and plots, then you have the choice to do what you want. If you want to 'complete' the game you can, if you enjoy playing it, you can do what you want. The best of both worlds.

 

[jknemesis]

Wouldn't it be wonderful, however, to have something completely different than simple linear storyline plots or little dinky mini-quests?

What if the actions you took somehow impacted events all around you? What if the gameworld was completely flexible, and you could raze towns, build your own, build castles, become nobility, make knights, engage in wars, and the computer factions reacted realistically to every miniscule change and mini-strategem you implemented?

I think that would be fantastic, but it would require not only an incredibly flexible game engine, but an incredible strategically minded AI.

 

[Beelzebub]

There should be a main story but it should be different depending on who you work for (vaegers, swabians, brigands, khergits, dark hunters, count of zendar, etc).