Originally Posted by
StrawberryZebra
Because Stories =/= RPG's. The two are entirely separate. Which is entirely the problem I have with FF 14, the story they're trying to tell and the game they've built are just far too contradictory that they may as well just exist in their own little bubbles.
They've made a rock solid MMORPG, then locked it all away behind a terrible story. The pacing is totally off, the characters are either entirely forgetable or named Mary Sue and there are plot holes so large you could fit an entire country through them. In the words of another FF Protagonist, "This is my story". So why has it been replaced with Alphinaud's Story?
I didn't enjoy playing the Witcher games at all. As much as I loved the world of the Witcher, the gameplay just killed it for me. So I read the books instead - They stand up much better without game play clunking up the story. I'm not against storytelling, but when it comes bundled with a bunch of game mechanics you've got to be really careful with how you tell it.
Have you ever read any of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels? Fantastic books, I highly reccomend them if you haven't. I bring them up because they made several video game spinoffs with Rincewind being the main character of the first two, and an entirely new character as the protagonist of the third noir themed one. Despite being based in one of the most richly detailed fantasy universes, and even having Pratchett's help with some of the diologue, the games themselves ended up being rather mediocre. Discworld, for all of its colourful characters and wonderful places, just works better in novel form. And thats fine. But trying to tell stories of the same style in a video game just ends up with a product that doesn't fully capitalise on such a well fleshed out universe, nor one that truly realises the power of gaming.
What game Dev's should aim to do is tell the story of their world though it's environments and reinforce it through game systems and mechanics. Let me find out about your world and my place in it through play, not exposition dumps. You've got far more tools to work with as a game designer than a storyteller, use them!
Some of the best games in general have gameplay tied to the plot. I know that it's not feasible for every game out there to do it, but having game mechanics that contradict major plot points is a huge no-no from me.
I don't reject the idea of cutscenes in a game altogether. But for too many games it's the main way that they go about telling the story, to the point that it gives the impression it was made by a frustrated film director rather than a developer. They're a tool that should absolutely be used, however they should be used sparingly and only when they're the right tool for the job. We're not still playing games on the PS1 and we don't need a cutscene to introduce new places and people to us anymore, so using them at every opportunity is just poor form.
As for a break from the action goes... I agree, games absolutely should be paced in a way where you get to wind down from the action from time to time. It doesn't have to be a cutscene through, it can be a town to chill out in, letting you explore or hunt down secret areas, a puzzle, mini games etc. Lots of ways to go about it without taking direct control away from the player.
Recent Blue Posts
Dragonflight Season 4 Content Update Notes
Dragonflight Season 4 Content Update Notes
The War Within Alpha - Delves Feature Overview
MMO-Champion
Recent Forum Posts
