How Important is Story?

[Ryan_Cope]

Hey

I was just wondering what everyone's opinion is on how important story is in a video game?

Do you think that games are just about the gameplay and as long as that's good it doesn't matter what the story's like?

Or

Do you think that story is just as integral as the gameplay?


Some people think that if you want a story go to the cinema and watch a film or read a book, but I think that gaming is a different medium that offers another way to tell stories, an interactive way, and I think that's extremely important in advancing the mode of storytelling.

Games like Mass Effect and Dragon Age are deeply engrossed in story. Ok so they're RPGs and that's what they do, but the Call of Duty series always has in depth stories and the Halo franchise has created a whole universe and mythology around it. Both the RPGs and FPSs gameplay mechanics are two very different ways of telling the stories but both achieve it well, so does it really matter what genre of game it is? I think it's more important what the story is like. And there are some game stories that are even better than some of the crap that is written or comes out in the cinemas.

Thoughts?

[j2000_nr]

Good question to raise mate.

For me the story is as important as the gameplay. If a game has a good story but bad gameplay then I would be more likely to forgive it then the other way round. I want a game to totally immerse me in it, so that I can feel like the character that I am playing is actually me, hence the importance of a well crafted story

[Ryan_Cope]

I'm the same, gameplay is great, but the story has to immerse me, as you say. If you feel like you are the character then you can feel attached to the story, the world and the characters.

Of course there are some games that are just fun to play and there isn't much of a story. Crackdown 2 for example has a good idea of a story, but it's only a background setting and nothing more. Yet it's still a fun game to play. It doesn't make it any less of a good game.

So I guess I'm also questioning what makes a game a game really? Are video games just for entertainment and fun like they were originally made for? Or are they becoming a new medium of story telling?

My answer is that they are both.

[j2000_nr]

Almost by definition a game is a way of telling a story, not all of them are indepth but in every game you play something happens (obviously ignore tetris type games etc...)

I think that it is an evolution of the game itself that is now becoming more than just pong, it is becoming a medium to tell a story.

So yeah, I agree with you

[Ryan_Cope]

[Ryan_Cope]

I think you've got a good point here. Especially with what your saying about Bioshock and just looking at the environment to tell part of the story. I think something like Call of Duty though, especially modern warefare 1 + 2 haave brilliant stories. The gameplay is very important for those sort of realistic FPS' but the story is also important in making that a good game too. Do you think that the story makes it a good game or that it's an added bonus ontop of excellent gameplay. I prefer the later as my answer. What's your take?

[Ryan_Cope]

Yea, I get what you mean about the military style games not having as much imagination as say, Bioshock, Mass Effect, Dragon Age or KOTOR etc.

And I also agree that Japanese games trying to adopt a more American style lets them down. But I guess that's because they're trying to draw in a wider fan base. But I do think that there are many of them that retain their originality and mythology. Take the recent Nier for example. It didnt do too well, but I really enjoyed it. It wasn't as epic as say the Final Fantasy, but it was a very unique game. It took the normal JRPG style but added a lot of different gameplay styles to it, as well as a confusing and original story. It feels very organic in its Japanese game making nature.

So there are still some Japanese games that don't aim to Americanise themselves.

[Ryan_Cope]

Nah, I did the first one, but never had the time to do all the others. I had to give it back to the person I had borrowed it from. I read about all the different ones though. I started the second playthrough, which was more about Kinae, read a few things then found myself back at the bit with the door and was like: "ah man, I'm not doing all this again" lol.

But I did read about it and thought it was pretty cool that the more you played it the more the story unravelled.

I was the same at first with the twins, I was confused and like, wtf! Then it all fell together and it was really quite sad in the end. Just the sort of way it had all turned out. Don't get me wrong, it was bril and original, but jus sad as well, but at the same time, it was a nice ending if you get me?

[Ryan_Cope]

I didnt mean that it being a sad ending was a bad thing. I thought it was, without sounding like a complete pussy, sweet. lol. It was very different to a happy ending, which is usaually the norm.

And yea, I guess starting back at the door again wasnt that far back, it was just the way I was feeling at the time that it "seemed" too long for me lol. Yeah, it is a shame I didn't play it again. I wanted to but, as I said, I ran out of time. Maybe one day I'll get it again and try to finish it.

I definitely think that developers should be more open minded and creative. They needed to go out on a limb and try something different like they did with Nier. Not all developers, but ya know, a few more need to take some leaps of faith.

[Ginga]

Story isn't that important for me, as long as it's a quality game, with maybe a cracking Multiplayer I'll be happy.

[Ryan_Cope]

I like a good multiplayer mode, especially if it includes a co-op story mode, but I'm not that fussed when it comes to multiplayer too much. But game developers put a lot of time and effort into focusing and shaping the game around multiplayer aspects. Obviously, because the multiplayer side extends the games replayability ande sells more because people want to play with each other.

[Ryan_Cope]

lol, cheers

Nah, have not played Ico, heard of it though. Pm away!
True enough, originality doesn't tend to do very well sales wise. :/
Nah, I haven't played any of the Yakuza series. Would give it a try but don't have a PS3

The previous games being turned into mini movies for the 3rd reminds me of Shenmue, was originally on the dreamcast, but they brought the second out on the xbox, but it had a movie version of the first game. (I never understand why they bring out the second game in a successful series on a different system - for example, Mass Effect 1 + 2 are on 360, but since ME2 did so well, it's being brought to the ps3. Why not bring both 1 + 2 to the ps3. It kinda defies the point of playing "The trilogy")

But I digest. Shenmue was an awsome game that brought so much cool gameplay, rpg-ish elements and it was, imo, a better simulation of life than say, Heavy Rain. The things you could do were immense sometimes. And you would follow leads but sometimes if you missed a chance to meet someone or lost in a battle, instead of restarting at a checkpoint, you had to find another way to deal with it, (sometimes). But that was a Japanese video game at its peak. It's just a shame they never got to finish the story.

[Ryan_Cope]

lol, no worries and yes Shenmue is awsome!!

I love the attention to detail that the japanese put in their games. Like the menu thing. It's the same way in Shenmue that you had to work everyday to get money, and do it in the must repetitive ways, quicker the better, cause you get a bonus. Or buying things from shops or the capsule toys that did nothing, but were great to have. Those sort of little things really make a game unique and special. American RPGs should take heed and try to add these little things. It makes the game soo much more engrossive.

[ClownTrousers]

Engrossive. Heh.

[Ryan_Cope]

Sorry, was rushing that last one and didnt think - Meant engrossing