Will the emphasis on story and dialogue help or hurt SWTOR?

[Teriz]

As to not break NDA, let's just discuss Bioware's previous sci-fi RPG efforts: KotoR and the Mass Effect series.

Those games had branching dialogue, much like SWTOR does, so I'm sure everyone has experienced this system before and know mainly what to expect from it. That being the case, do you feel that such a feature is a help or hindrance to a MMO, and do you feel that this strong story focus in SWTOR sets it apart from other MMOs?

In my opinion, I could imagine that some players may be pushed into a single player experience because of such a strong story element AND the ability to use companions. In WoW for example, the story always seemed more in the background. Your main goal in WoW was to get max level to participate in Raids and PVP to get loot. It appears that SWTOR's focus isn't so much the destination, but the journey. Almost like your character is in a movie, and your story has a beginning, middle, and an end.

Its going to be interesting to see how the MMO crowd handles that aspect, and how Bioware balances everything out as some guilds push for end-game content, while other players sit back and sniff the roses.

[godmodeon]

As to not break NDA, let's just discuss Bioware's previous sci-fi RPG efforts: KotoR and the Mass Effect series.

Those games had branching dialogue, much like SWTOR does, so I'm sure everyone has experienced this system before and know mainly what to expect from it. That being the case, do you feel that such a feature is a help or hindrance to a MMO, and do you feel that this strong story focus in SWTOR sets it apart from other MMOs?

In my opinion, I could imagine that some players may be pushed into a single player experience because of such a strong story element AND the ability to use companions. In WoW for example, the story always seemed more in the background. Your main goal in WoW was to get max level to participate in Raids and PVP to get loot. It appears that SWTOR's focus isn't so much the destination, but the journey. Almost like your character is in a movie, and your story has a beginning, middle, and an end.

Its going to be interesting to see how the MMO crowd handles that aspect, and how Bioware balances everything out as some guilds push for end-game content, while other players sit back and sniff the roses.

One of my favorite things during Flashpoints and group quest conversations is the rolling on conversation involvement (am I calling it accurately?), but I can certainly see the WoW crowds getting annoyed at the tediousness of pressing the space bar and ignoring dialogue so they can powerlevel their characters. It's really a tossup. I really enjoy the story and stuff, and it feels really immersive when I'm playing, but I can tell there's already going to be people who are like "ugh, shut up and give me the quest already."

It definitely sets itself apart from other MMOs. I guess we will have to brace ourselves and see

[ptwonline]

Short term: help. It's immersive and you can really get into your character. Relatively menial quests now appear to have some actual purpose, and you get feedback that is visible and gratifying even if the tangible rewards (money, items) is no better than what you get in other games.

Long term: hurt. Content of this level of quality is not going to be producible at the rate/quantities required to keep MMO players satisfied and paying for monthly. People hooked by story will run out of story and be bored. Caveat: a change in subscription model to paid expansions instead of monthly sub fees would change that, though it would likely mean that SWTOR would be people's "other" MMO and not their main one.

[Mandible]

Some would like it and others would hate it. Personally I´d prefer it for now since it helps alot to live into the world your playing - so you actually play the game instead of being on the computer doing things.

[DaGhostDS]

but I can tell there's already going to be people who are like "ugh, shut up and give me the quest already."

Im gonna say it right now, its not the game for them, they wont get to max level.

Long term: hurt. Content of this level of quality is not going to be producible at the rate/quantities required to keep MMO players satisfied and paying for monthly. People hooked by story will run out of story and be bored. Caveat: a change in subscription model to paid expansions instead of monthly sub fees would change that, though it would likely mean that SWTOR would be people's "other" MMO and not their main one.

You think that because wow content is sub-par compared to the money they acquire each month, their goddamn team are so small.. and they sometime use those team that you pay each month to do stuff they sell on their online store. -_-

Bioware is actually already working on the next patch and expansion right now.

[Argroth]

Im gonna say it right now, its not the game for them, they wont get to max level.

You think that because wow content is sub-par compared to the money they acquire each month, their goddamn team are so small.. and they sometime use those team that you pay each month to do stuff they sell on their online store. -_-

Bioware is actually already working on the next patch and expansion right now.

agree with all of this.

Bioware may (I havn't seen the future yet) actually put some work into their content compared to Blizzard.

Blizzard is in it purely for the money and it shows with every cheap reskin, uninspired expansion and Petstore junk they pump out constantly. The most they think about is the next boss fight and thats it, while ignoring everything else and wasting potential since they can divert effort to grabbing more money with a petstore/Real money Auction house.

Bioware actually seems to have quality in mind when they make thier product. They don't just focus on making the quickest and laziest buck. I think that may actually pay off for them in the short AND long run.

[DaGhostDS]

Bioware actually seems to have quality in mind when they make their product. They don't just focus on making the quickest and laziest buck. I think that may actually pay off for them in the short AND long run.

That shows since the game would already be released since October 2010 to February 2011, their original released date.

[Deleted]

I can tell there's already going to be people who are like "ugh, shut up and give me the quest already."

and these will be the same people who 2 seconds after getting the quest will be asking in general chat where to go and what to do to complete it since they cba to listen to or read quest dialog/text...

[DaGhostDS]

and these will be the same people who 2 seconds after getting the quest will be asking in general chat where to go and what to do to complete it since they cba to listen to or read quest dialog/text...

Personally after enjoying talking to an npc to get my quest in the beta, im never going back to reading quest in an mmo. :/

[Skippy88]

I think both.

1st Playthrough - Awesome

2nd/3rd Playthrough -Okay

4+ Playthrough - Let's get this conversation over with @*$%

[Deleted]

Tbh, for my taste it's just too much. Every single quest has a VO, which is fun and engaging at the start, but I caught myself tabbing out more and more the higher I got during cutscenes. After a while it really gets tedious.
They want you feel that every quest is important etc, but if everything is important nothing is. I'd prefer they struck a balance, where the core storyline quests got a VO and side quests are just that: Click, accept, kill/gather, turn in.
Guess there is always the space bar.
Half my friends playing Beta love the full VO-stlye, half of them hate it. Remains to be seen how they fare dishing out content that needs to have VO for every single thing.

[philefluxx]

It is my opinion that this feature is what will split the MMORPG fanbase. Some people, myself included, are really looking forward to much more than race to endgame grind out the currency, rinse repeat. But some people really enjoy that structure and I think they will get annoyed with SWTOR.

But I cant be more happy about it. Playing games like FO3 and KoToR have always made me want to play a game with that much depth, but be an MMO. I have a hard time playing singe player games for longer than a couple weeks as I feel like the world just isnt changing enough.

[Jaronicity]

I think both.

1st Playthrough - Awesome

2nd/3rd Playthrough -Okay

4+ Playthrough - Let's get this conversation over with @*$%

That's only going to happen with shared quests unless you're playing the same class over again.

---------- Post added 2011-11-16 at 06:52 AM ----------

Personally after enjoying talking to an npc to get my quest in the beta, im never going back to reading quest in an mmo. :/

I agree. I'd rather feel engaged and take an active role in the quest distribution process, forge my character to how I want, and then go do stuff.

---------- Post added 2011-11-16 at 06:53 AM ----------

Honestly, I would much rather see standalone single player Star Wars RPG rather than this mmo hybrid. The way mmos works is greatly limiting RPG possibilities int terms of actuall gameplay. I also heard a lot of complains about game controls - lag, delay... This can't happen in single player game.

Can tell you I've never had a problem with any of that that wasn't because of my own shoddy internet connection. I live in Australia. Also, it's a beta. Sometimes things lag. Controls are fine.

[Haal]

I think it will help SWTOR. It will actually make questing fun, knowing that your decisions could change the way the NPCs and your companions react towards you. I am a person who only leveled one character because I hated leveling in wow. It was a grind and was not fun at all. With this game, I can see myself enjoying the leveling process and not rushing to get to max level like in other games. I do believe there will be some people who will not like this and skip all the cut scenes because the rush to reach endgame.

[Deleted]

I think it'll be great for story telling It'll definitely get on peoples nerves aswel though.

[Dalagrath]

For those who love the dialogue and story: Enjoy!

For those who hate them: Spacebar is your friend, now move on.

[Redgoon23]

I think that it could really suck in Flashpoints. It's pretty interesting the first couple times you run it, but when you have to sit through it over and over again, it gets really annoying. It will be like Culling of Stratholme all over again. And you know how much people loved the dialogue in CoS.

[Argroth]

Honestly, I would much rather see standalone single player Star Wars RPG rather than this mmo hybrid. The way mmos works is greatly limiting RPG possibilities int terms of actuall gameplay. I also heard a lot of complains about game controls - lag, delay... This can't happen in single player game.

That would be nice but Biowares not gonna back out now and just like Warcraft did, I don't expect much in terms of single player games in the series for awhile.

Bioware/single player fans will just have to hope the best they can expect from an mmo and hope Bioware dosn't fold and make it just as mindless as all the other grindy mmos out there.

The people whose nerves are rattled by talking should of picked one of the several/many mmos out there that are better suited for them, instead of coming to the one that actually wants to be/will be different.

[agnarr]

I think it's going to be frustrating for the people that come from games that, the game "starts" at max level.

This game starts at level one.

If it's hard for them to wrap their heads around that concept, they will not like it. And that's fine. Some people will try it and prefer WoW, more power to them.

But for me personally, I've been missing immersion since I quit EQ. With this game, immersion is back and it's better than it's ever been, imho.

[Saidaa]

A lot of people are playing ToR for the story/lore (myself included)
I think the VO really bring the game to a new level, its not just a "click, accept, grind. repeat" like wow.