Why do people care so much about storylines?

[Mcradden]

if you know me, you know I like JRPGs a LOT, and you know that I like my stories to be set-in-stone

however what I dont get is why people care so so much about storylines in games. I hear so many complaints about characters being annoying, or voice acting being bad, but I never notice any of that stuff. Its a lot less common that people complain about the actual gameplay of these games. It seems to me as though people have lost grasp of what a "game" is... its about the challenges, the skill requirements, the decisions, the rewards, the punishments etc. But I always hear people complain about "emo characters" and stuff... like for example, people say that Cloud is "emo", can't say i've ever noticed, and even if i did then what difference does it make?

you PLAY GAMES for the GAMEPLAY.

I've heard people say that people play JRPGs for the storylines cause their gameplay is limited. To me this was a huge "wtf?" moment, cause I always played JRPGs for their expansive gameplay elements and not their stories.

I just dont get it

Because sometimes you're getting into the game and are totally immersed in the atmosphere when suddenly cue cutscene and you're treated to awkward voice acting and over the top characters. It breaks the atmosphere and ruins the moment. Plus is embarrasing if anyone else is watching...

Saying that though if it's truly awful (hello FFXIII) then sit back and enjoy taking the mick out of it. Unspoken undertones between Hope and Snow anyone?

 

[Knight Templar]

you PLAY GAMES for the GAMEPLAY.

It seems that is why you play games, do not assume that is a universal fact or that gameplay should allways be held higher than plot.

Both Gameplay and Story are important, to ignore one puts half the game to waste.

 

[SLy AsymMetrY]

I've always thought of storylines as a means of connecting the player to the gameplay. For me, they are like a 'reason for being' giving me context and a motivation for playing.

 

[WaywardHaymaker]

I play games to have fun, and part of having fun is an engaging story. That's why I like movies, TV and books. They all tell stories, and so do games. But, I think games do it the best for me because of the sheer size of the role I, as the player, am allowed to take. Second is books, because I can picture what's going on the way I want it to look, and movies and TV basically spell everything out for you, but that can be engaging, too.

Plus, games are best when served with incentive to continue playing.

 

[Fappy]

you PLAY GAMES for the GAMEPLAY.

You can't tell people why they chose to do what they want to do. This is a false statement.

I personally play video games for a number of reasons, one of the most important of which is, yes, game play, however I rarely buy a new release unless it has an engaging and well constructed story. As an imaginative human being and a writer, I get an enormous amount of enjoyment out of compelling fiction, no matter the medium, and video games just happens to be one of my favorites.

Of course 80% of my video game collection (if not more) doesn't have much story past jump here and kill this (keep in mind most of those games were made in the 80's and 90's), but the games I love the most are those with great stories... Honestly the RPG genre is one of the only genres I will buy full priced games in anymore.

 

[Nazulu]

You will find that nobody wants to spend hours talking about gameplay, but story? I have known people who talk for hours and hours discussing a good story.

That's not the slightest bit true. You will find millions of forums for specific games discussing strategy's and what not.

Also all these movie to game comparisons don't really fit together well. You'll probably sound more accurate saying if the movie didn't have a good story.

Yes they discuss strategy which i suppose relates to gameplay but is a totally different thing, they dont talk about the gameplay itself which is what i was getting at.

The book comparison works perfectly thank you very much but i will admit the movie one is a bit loose. Saying the movie didn't have a good story wouldn't solve that at though.

No, strategy to improve your game play has everything to do with game play, nothing else but game play. One of my favourite games is Melee and I discuss with other fans on another forum how to win and what's best to use in what situation, we have a ball.

I don't think I said anything about books but you would have to say "if the story wasn't that good?" for a similiar comparison. Also the second paragraph wasn't really aimed at you but thanks for replying anyway.

 

[John Doe123]

Storyline adds to gameplay.

 

[Kiriona]

Well, here's my opinion on why story is important. To me, playing a game is like reading a book. I LOVE a good story, and I love getting immersed into a game to where I can't stop. Final Fantasy X was a good example, and so was Kingdom Hearts, and my favorite game trilogy ever, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. However, game play is also a big factor in this, since crappy gameplay can turn me off of a game real quick. So the two have to flow together. It's hard to get lost in what's happening when you can't get the controls to work properly.

But honestly, people play games for different reasons. Some just like to run around blowing the hell out of everything, and others like to be told a story. It varies from person to person.

 

[Kouen]

Game play is half of the experience with the exception of a few games (and even they have a basic storyline too) The story is the other half.

Lame story and Decent game play would make a game average (Unless its said Exceptions like Serious Sam Style) and same on the reverse.

 

[Tharwen]

Films and Games are becoming more and more similar. If you don't see a film for its storyline, what do you see it for?

 

[Mr. Gency]

I don't know why, but if a game has a story I have to know and understand it, however if a game doesn't have one I won't give two damns.

 

[Z(ombie)fan]

look at it this way: jrpgs give you lots of character customization and depth THAT WAY.

but only a good FEW are non-linear enough let you "role-play" WHAT-SO-EVER(plus, you are going to a mental hospital if you keep saying they have going gameplay

plus there japanese, and the japanese HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY ARE DOING. i NEVER buy non-european/aussie/american games.

now into storylines in general, numerous games have been INFINITELY improved by plot.

look at time fcuk. if you pay attention to the plot THAT IS THE SCARIEST GAME EVER MADE.
you are almost literally forced to explore the concepts presented in your head. it has, in numerous levels, made me unsure if i wanted to continue, afraid of what massive mindfuckery the ending would impose on me.

good games have good gameplay. good games have interesting* plot. excellent cames have good BOTH.

*by interesting i mean "makes me want to know what happens next" or in some cases "boring shit earlier in the game comes back WITH A VENGEANCE and then the game makes we want to know what happens next"

 

[Velocity Eleven]

but only a good FEW are non-linear enough let you "role-play" WHAT-SO-EVER

thats the way i like it... by a hell of a lot... I mean, if the game has multiple possible storylines then how am I supposed to figure out which one is both best and canon? I can't... all it means is that i have to play the game multiple times just to see the whole story. And splitting it means I have no coordination on how to define the state of perfection. I hate permanent punishments

Films and Games are becoming more and more similar. If you don't see a film for its storyline, what do you see it for?

I do see films for their storyline, and I see games for their gameplay

if they are becoming the same then i ask you this: you have more storylines in games, but where is the gameplay in films?

 

[Z(ombie)fan]

but only a good FEW are non-linear enough let you "role-play" WHAT-SO-EVER

thats the way i like it... by a hell of a lot... I mean, if the game has multiple possible storylines then how am I supposed to figure out which one is both best and canon?

*facepalm* im not referiing to branching paths you doof! im refering to making the the character YOU.

survival crisis z is an RPG done right imo.

-you can do whatever you want, continue the plot or fuck around.

-and by fuck around i mean "loot houses" or "torture people" or *long list of useful but less entertaining shit*

-"meh" protagonist. EASIEST to make YOU

-one plot. i HATE braching paths.

-factions. take a guess.

- no multiplayer. personal plus.

note how roleplaying by no means = branching paths.

also, if there isnt a sequal, and branches are canon

 

[PhunkyPhazon]

The only time I really care about stories is during RPG's. It's perfectly great if it's an action game and it still has a good story, but gameplay still comes first for me.

 

[Velocity Eleven]

*facepalm* im not referiing to branching paths you doof! im refering to making the the character YOU

I dont like that either

 

[sheogoraththemad]

I believe games are the new storytellers, because there can be so much more depths in games instead of books.

I don't mean to feed the bears here, but there's almost no way that's true.

well in video games YOU are who sees all the things trough the eyes of someone, that and the story told by example through cut scenes and that is what gives a game a more epic and depth in story, in my eyes.
PS. I don't want to say books are boring, I like to read a good book.

 

[JuryNelson]

I believe games are the new storytellers, because there can be so much more depths in games instead of books.

I don't mean to feed the bears here, but there's almost no way that's true.

well in video games YOU are who sees all the things trough the eyes of someone, that and the story told by example through cut scenes and that is what gives a game a more epic and depth in story, in my eyes.
PS. I don't want to say books are boring, I like to read a good book.

well, yeah, but that kind of player-agency-as-story-driver is only very rarely done, and then VERY rarely done effectively (I'm lookin' at you BioShock). And it also doesn't translate to depth.

Like I said, though. Don't want to hijack the thread. I'll try to be brief and easily disagreed with: The games with some of the best stories might as well have been movies. Interactivity ≠ Depth. I like my games to have a good story, but if I trusted videogames as my True Source for Good Plot, I'd be fucked.

 

[JuryNelson]

but only a good FEW are non-linear enough let you "role-play" WHAT-SO-EVER

thats the way i like it... by a hell of a lot... I mean, if the game has multiple possible storylines then how am I supposed to figure out which one is both best and canon?

*facepalm* im not referiing to branching paths you doof! im refering to making the the character YOU.

survival crisis z is an RPG done right imo.

-you can do whatever you want, continue the plot or fuck around.

-and by fuck around i mean "loot houses" or "torture people" or *long list of useful but less entertaining shit*

-"meh" protagonist. EASIEST to make YOU

-one plot. i HATE braching paths.

-factions. take a guess.

- no multiplayer. personal plus.

note how roleplaying by no means = branching paths.

also, if there isnt a sequal, and branches are canon

The problem with the model you're describing is that it demands a lot of work from the player. Which is to say, you're praising a game for a story that you yourself have written. This cannot be done.

It strikes me as lazy when a game like, say, Oblivion purports to have a sweeping story that the player can customize, when in reality it has One Epic World Saving story, and then just a bunch of STUFF for you to do. Not to say that's bad, I LOVE doing stuff, and I love , but I wouldn't say that Oblivion is anything more or less than an amazing character creator. A Role Playing Game, and not a story-driven one.

But I don't play video games to look at myself in the mirror, thank you very much. I have a pretty boring life which is part of the reason I play videogames.

I had to fill in QUITE a few of the blanks in inFAMOUS before I could really get behind the story. But I'm not going to tell Sucker Punch they're awesome for letting me build a unique experience. I'm going to tell them they're awesome for having a super fun next-gen platforming game. I'm also going to tell them they're awesome for developing the Sly Cooper games, but that's another thread.

 

[targren]

You don't play JRPGs for the gameplay.

"Square...Square...Square...Square...Square...Square...Square...Square..." for 42 hours.