Why do people care so much about storylines?

[Ironic Pirate]

To use an analogy, (gotta fill the quota) some people like movies where it's all about the action, or the comedy, or things like that. Others like movies where it's about the characters, and emotions and have meaning. I like both, but not really at the same time because then it tends to be not as good at either.

This trend carries over to gaming pretty much the same.

 

[Velocity Eleven]

To use an analogy, (gotta fill the quota) some people like movies where it's all about the action, or the comedy, or things like that. Others like movies where it's about the characters, and emotions and have meaning. I like both, but not really at the same time because then it tends to be not as good at either.

This trend carries over to gaming pretty much the same.

I think when it comes to films and TV programmes and such then the storyline is important, because it's the main feature of the medium

 

[Meggiepants]

Well, gameplay may be the sole reasob why you play through games, but not everybody plays games the same way. I for one, rarely play games for merely gameplay. Otherwise I think puzzle games like Tetris and Peggle would take up a lot more of my gameplaying time then they do now.

I could not play an RPG that was just a mechanism for leveling and finding loot. I am particularly unwilling to play RPGs for the gameplay alone. Gameplay can certainly help if the leveling system is unique and interesting, but after about 15 hours of playing the same game, I've mastered that gameplay. There is going to have to be something else to draw me through to the finish.

If you are genuinely interested in why different people play games, you might want to check out the excellent book A Theory of Fun for Game Design by Raph Koster. It is a quick read that you might find interesting.

 

[RidleyValiant]

I play most games for the story alone as opposed to the gameplay. Mass Effect 1 was an okay game, the shooter and exploration elements in the first one were generally average, but the story was epic, and it was the story that made me play through the game 6 times.

Some people will enjoy stories, and enjoy being a part of them and shaping the way they progress by their own actions, it's not for everyone, but then neither is your approach, opinions differ from person to person. Still if you're going to question everyones opinion that differs from your own you'll spend a bloody long time doing it, but I do hope you find it enjoyable while you do.

 

[Dexiro]

Some stories are about story, some are about gameplay.

It never hurts to have a good story - and with most game mechanics becoming as common as they are the story can become the driving factor.

Although i think game design is a factor that a lot of people ignore and is a lot more important.
You can have 2 games with the same mechanics, but what matters is which is designed better. That should be considered before you bring the story into it.

 

[Velocity Eleven]

Well, gameplay may be the sole reasob why you play through games, but not everybody plays games the same way. I for one, rarely play games for merely gameplay. Otherwise I think puzzle games like Tetris and Peggle would take up a lot more of my gameplaying time then they do now.

I could not play an RPG that was just a mechanism for leveling and finding loot. I am particularly unwilling to play RPGs for the gameplay alone. Gameplay can certainly help if the leveling system is unique and interesting, but after about 15 hours of playing the same game, I've mastered that gameplay. There is going to have to be something else to draw me through to the finish.

If you are genuinely interested in why different people play games, you might want to check out the excellent book A Theory of Fun for Game Design by Raph Koster. It is a quick read that you might find interesting.

I will look that up when i have the time... I remember reading something by him before and liking it... I referenced it for one of my assignments

 

[irishstormtrooper]

Even if people don't care about stories, annoying characters and bad voice acting are still a detriment to the game's quality. Most of the games that I have played do not have skippable cutscenes, and they are almost always too short to do something else, but long enough to have bad voice acting and/or annoying characters become grating. Plot may not matter, but the game is doing something wrong if characters just get on your nerves.

 

[Jandau]

*snip*

Why do you assume that liking gameplay and liking story is mutually exclusive? Did it ever occur to you that people might like both? OF COURSE gameplay is important. If it's crap, then no amount of story can make the game good. However, good gameplay can be enhanced by a good story by providing more depth and deeper immersion, as well as an overall richer experience.

Next, did it ever occur to you that people might like different things than you do? Maybe you couldn't care less about the story, but you can't honestly expect everyone to be the same as you?

 

[Velocity Eleven]

I play most games for the story alone as opposed to the gameplay. Mass Effect 1 was an okay game, the shooter and exploration elements in the first one were generally average, but the story was epic, and it was the story that made me play through the game 6 times.

Some people will enjoy stories, and enjoy being a part of them and shaping the way they progress by their own actions, it's not for everyone, but then neither is your approach, opinions differ from person to person. Still if you're going to question everyones opinion that differs from your own you'll spend a bloody long time doing it, but I do hope you find it enjoyable while you do.

questioning oppinions is good, I wouldn't mind other people questioning mine... asking questions and discussing is how we find answers

 

[Velocity Eleven]

*snip*

Why do you assume that liking gameplay and liking story is mutually exclusive? Did it ever occur to you that people might like both? OF COURSE gameplay is important. If it's crap, then no amount of story can make the game good. However, good gameplay can be enhanced by a good story by providing more depth and deeper immersion, as well as an overall richer experience.

Next, did it ever occur to you that people might like different things than you do? Maybe you couldn't care less about the story, but you can't honestly expect everyone to be the same as you?

I dont expect everyone to be like me, that would be silly... I'm just confused as to why storyline is as made as important as it is

A good story keeps me playing, keeps my attention.

They mix up location and make the player question characters.

you PLAY GAMES for the GAMEPLAY.

Then you sir are lacking a full gaming expierence and havecome across as quite arrogant.

a "full gaming experience" is subjective

Even if people don't care about stories, annoying characters and bad voice acting are still a detriment to the game's quality. Most of the games that I have played do not have skippable cutscenes, and they are almost always too short to do something else, but long enough to have bad voice acting and/or annoying characters become grating. Plot may not matter, but the game is doing something wrong if characters just get on your nerves.

I understand how unskippable cutscenes are annoying, I agree there... I also think unpausable cutscenes are worse

also, I want to make this clear that its not that i dislike stories at all... I never skip cutscenes unless Ive seen them before, I do enjoy story, but it's just the reason as to why they are put so high on a pedestal that I do not understand (in the context of games)

 

[Valeran]

Games are a lot more than just gameplay these days, they're an experience. Even the best game can be partially ruined when the storyline is bad, or the music is awful, it's an entire experience meant to immerse you into the entire game.

Some games have amazing stories, while certainly never better than gameplay, it does make a good game better. It's like graphics, no one will deny gameplay>graphics, but no one wants to play a game with terrible graphics.

 

[Velocity Eleven]

Games are a lot more than just gameplay these days, they're an experience. Even the best game can be partially ruined when the storyline is bad, or the music is awful, it's an entire experience meant to immerse you into the entire game.

Some games have amazing stories, while certainly never better than gameplay, it does make a good game better. It's like graphics, no one will deny gameplay>graphics, but no one wants to play a game with terrible graphics.

i agree with that

 

[tzimize]

YOU play games for the gameplay.

For me, a game has to have DAMN good gameplay to have a crappy story. Bayonetta is a good example, and even with its STELLAR gameplay the story and cheesyness is enough to make me want to shoot myself in the face instead of playing.

Tetris doesnt have much of a story, but its gameplay is probably one of the most famous things in the world.

It is possible to make games to cater to a lot of different audiences. If I'm gonna play a single player game it better tell a good story or I'll lose interest pretty fast.

 

[Wounded Melody]

Gameplay is most important for non-rpgs. Back in the day all you really had WAS gameplay (ie Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, etc)

 

[Muffinthraka]

you PLAY GAMES for the GAMEPLAY.

Arguing that you play games for the gaemplay is like arguing you watch films for the visuals, or read books for the words. It represents the format, the way we do it, not necessarily why. You also have to realise the difference between plot, story and narrative, in simplistic games like pong or pacman the characters are simplistic so there is no question of motive. But when games involve people we begin to ask questions about their existance. Of course in multiplayer we are happier to accept the basic plot but then it is us that creates the story.

Plot: What
Story: Why
Narrative: How

Would you be willing to play a game about an androgynous thing that does stuff to other androgynous things for... we don't know.

 

[Jaranja]

Storylines make games interesting and give motivation to play through.

Kinda like a carrot dangling in front of you!.

Its weird how difficult it is in putting gameplay mechanics into another form of media to give it substance in terms of discussion value, like with films, lets take Die Hard 4.0... you don't watch it for its engrossing story but rather to watch Bruce Willis "Kill a Copta with a car". Now lets take Shawshank Redemption, I'm dismayed to say there isn't a single copta death in that film but the story more than makes up for it.

So what I'm saying is storyline isn't always important providing there are good gameplay mechanics/HeliCopta deaths to make up for the hollow insipid ness of it all.

I can't play a game that has a bad story. Bad gameplay doesn't get boring quite as quickly as a bad storyline.

 

[Velocity Eleven]

YOU play games for the gameplay.

For me, a game has to have DAMN good gameplay to have a crappy story. Bayonetta is a good example, and even with its STELLAR gameplay the story and cheesyness is enough to make me want to shoot myself in the face instead of playing.

Tetris doesnt have much of a story, but its gameplay is probably one of the most famous things in the world.

It is possible to make games to cater to a lot of different audiences. If I'm gonna play a single player game it better tell a good story or I'll lose interest pretty fast.

I agree that good sstories are better than bad stories, I think if a game is going to have a story then its better for it to be good than bad. I agree with what you said about graphics aswell, gameplay > graphics but its still better for the graphics to be good than bad

Gameplay is most important for non-rpgs. Back in the day all you really had WAS gameplay (ie Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, etc)

for me its the most important with RPGs aswell

 

[Angerwing]

I guess it all comes down to opinion? How hard is it to figure out that people like a story? Shit.

I've played pretty much every single genre in depth, and gameplay mechanics no longer surprise or challenge me. If I want to play Mindless Shooter 1137561387, why not just play Mindless Shooter 82526572? I mean, they're both mindless shooters with the same gameplay.

So I play for the story, where there's differentiation between games.

Seriously, this is like asking why Transformers 2 isn't considered better than Citizen Kane.

well i generally dont like shooters, which is why i dont play them

Out of all the things you could've said, you mentions me picking the wrong genre... Jesus. Point missed. I understand that you enjoy the gameplay elements in video games. This isn't a groundbreaking stance. You're on a video game forum. But my point is that gameplay elements don't change that much over time. Yes, you get small innovations, but for the most part, video games are set into clearly defined genres with their own conventions and whatnot. What sets games apart is their story mostly.