Better story lines GW2 or SWToR?

[Valeron]

The personal expectations I had for Guild Wars 2 and The Old Republic at launch were completely the reverse. Yet I lost interest midway through Guild Wars 2's personal story. DEVOURED The Old Republic class stories late, late into the night.

Think that goes a long way to differentiating the quality of writing between the two games for me.

The class stories were the only reason why I played SWTOR. If GW2 never had any of the racial stories (although I actually preferred the stories there until they converged) it might even be a better experience.

[Drakhar]

TOR's gameplay was so disgustingly bad that I couldn't even get into the story, but from the first 20 levels or so that I did see, it was completely subpar for being essentially their main selling point. Honestly seemed like a rather significant step back from KOTOR in this regard.

GW2 depended entirely on race and personal story choices for me (level 1-30). Some were fun and unique, others were boring and repetitive. What was really disappointing was pretty much every quest that happened after those initial levels. Everyone ends up with the same boring, uninspired story with objectives that make you want to beat your head against the wall. New personal story quest! Fight off waves of undead! Success! New personal story quest! Fight off waves of undead! Success! New personal story quest! Fight off waves of undead! Success! Now choose between 2 story options: 1) Fight off waves of undead, OR 2) fight off waves of undead. It really seems like they threw the whole thing together in a few days and put no thought into it whatsoever. And dear God, the writing/voice acting... *shudder*

Which is better? Neither, they both kinda suck. But lesson learned: don't expect a good "story mode" in an MMORPG ever.

[Valeron]

well yeah, mmo mechanics get in the way of a good story that is true. In my opinion, mmos should just build some fantastic lore and background and then just let the players play in it. But that may be my preference for sandbox games and elements coming out there.

[RoninaThorstone]

well yeah, mmo mechanics get in the way of a good story that is true.

I wish swtor's combat was more like mass effect 3's multiplayer combat.

That would have been nice.

[Fencers]

well yeah, mmo mechanics get in the way of a good story that is true. In my opinion, mmos should just build some fantastic lore and background and then just let the players play in it. But that may be my preference for sandbox games and elements coming out there.

That's fine for the overall world and fiction- EQ style, basically. Though I think there is a place for a directed story in an MMO too. Presentation is often the problem. Guild Wars 1 did it quite well with the missions structure in that one could play the "story" almost without interruption or divergence.

SWTOR and Age of Conan did it pretty well too with what was essentially instancing. The quality of those directed stories is of course open to debate. As gameplay devices I think it can work.

The problem of GW2's PS wasn't that I had to walk to the little green star to get my open instance. It was more that I huge breaks in the story, presentation & production was poor and writing bland where not laughable. And so on.

Don't get me wrong here, I am not saying Age of Conan's Destiny was penned by Willy Shakes.

Like other genres, MMOs are iterative. Just haveing complete voice acting for story segments in TOR, TSW and GW2 and MOP are big strides from where MMO storytelling was back when we had to /Hail Irak Altil.

[Valeron]

Some good points there Fencers. There can be room for both types of mmos. While I enjoy those theme parks games, where the stories can be used to a satisfying degree, I'm of the opinion that the mmorpg genre is really made for a sandbox gameplay, where the players provide the stories and the direction of where the world goes. The world provides the lore and backdrop, the players provide the action. I suppose I'm just lamenting on the lack of sandbox mmos.

[Fencers]

Heh. There are sandbox games. People just don't support them. What people say they want is often in opposition to what they will buy.

Or they use the crutch of, "Well this sandbox MMO is nice but the combat/graphics/camera/art style/whatever sucks! Can't/won't play now!"

Gotta support games as philosophy as much as entertainment.

[Shiny212]

SWOTR storylines are much, much better. Better written, cooler setting, did I say better written? Well it is; alot. Plus, the choices you're given are MUCH more interesting and has a greater effect than in GW2. GW2 story is pretty lackluster honestly, feels very generic and weak most of the time.

[Crashdummy]

SWTOR, by far.

Stoties were actually one of the few good things about SWTOR. In general, they were great.

GW2 has a crappy story to be honest, and some lame story fights.

[Valeron]

SWOTR storylines are much, much better. Better written, cooler setting, did I say better written? Well it is; alot. Plus, the choices you're given are MUCH more interesting and has a greater effect than in GW2. GW2 story is pretty lackluster honestly, feels very generic and weak most of the time.

While I like SWTOR's stories, I don't particularly see any choices that have a real effect. In fact I'd argue that the choices you make in the GW2 story have a greater effect on your game (at least early on) than SWTOR does.

[philefluxx]

SWTOR hands down. But in the defense of GW2, personal story wasn't top priority like it was with Star Wars.

[Kashii]

SWTOR will probably be the yardstick for personal storytelling in MMO's for some time to come. By far the most engaging leveling experience I have had in an MMO. The fact that end game didn't hold up makes me sad.
GW2 is certainly miles ahead of WoW in terms of leveling....but it gets the Silver Medal against SWTOR's Gold...hands down.

[Deleted]

SWTOR as story by light years. Even if its not very MMO like. But at least you have choices instead of "stand there and wait for person to talk"

Heres basically my thoughts about GW2 storyline (some spoilers from start):

Having played humans for while - I'm wildly disappointed..by their storyline.
Does other races have this "problem"? I havent really had change to do other races past intro so i cant really comment on those.
Tho my friend took me into some charr story stuff and it seemed way more intresting on both story and mechanics (stealthy "dont get near aggro range" and some war conspiracy or something..seemed much more intresting than naive goodie-good human with snore politics)

This is first time in ANY mmo I've played when I literally want to punch my own character for being so stupidly naive.
I dont get it. Cant I have any choice here? Cant it be so black and white?
It seems way too black and white with hardly any depth and choppy stories.

Heres examples (dont have to read if you have done some of the human storyline).
My first char was human necromancer. I picked ferocity, thinking shes evil or brutish.
Raised on streets, missing sister and so forth..would make her tough girl who is uses ferocity, right?

-In the intro shes already going "I must save villagers, I must help those who cant help themselves ^__^" - first "ugh" at start of the game.
-Later on my character has to go snitching to guard general about my friend being "in wrong hoods". So my in the streets raised person who has 2 best friends in thief-guild goes to guards saying that shes worried that they get in trouble ó_o
-After saving my friends I had to make choice, either save "lots of innocent people!" or "my best friend, who was annoyingly naive and appeared 3 times total for few sentences". What kinda choice is that?! Didnt really feel attached to my friend so might as well save "hundreds of people".
-Dont wanna do every single annoying part but after that the story is all over the place anyway, storylines you picked at start are not attached anyway and ends in cliffhangers. Full of boring politics, naive goodie good stuff or just "well I didn't see that one coming! /rolleyes"

After that I tried noble storyline, and it made nobles as "money throwing charity workers, helping the poor! Being rich is duty! Thief charity worker, how cool is that". After few quests I gave up and went just sPvP fully ;s

Heres what my friend had, hes comments on the story part:
-"say you dont happen to know about bunch of other thiefs (that your friend works with) might be robbing something from someone soon?"
"Yes sir they plan to rob the pharmacy right this night!"
What in the world? You are meant to be thief, not get your friend in jail.
And what happened before that too even. In thiefs HIDEOUT
Talking with my BEST THIEFING FRIEND: "wish you well man"
"you too bro"
walk outside of said HIDEOUT and a guard was waiting for me
"General wants to talk to you"
"RIGTH AWAY I MUST DO GOOD"

Needless to say my friend, and I quote, instantly deleted hes human thief and made another race for it.

How important is the main story anyway, dont really feel like doing it after this :V
I might be spoiled little bit by swtor but I didnt expect it to have similiar story-elements into it. But good heavens I say, this is just..