We’re breaking out the Daily Grind questions offered up by some of our Kickstarter donors today with one by Kharl, who wanted to talk about story. “Does story matter in an MMO,” he wants to know, “and how should it be part of the experience?” Kharl is a big fan of worms, you see, and he brought a whole can of them to this party!
I think story is important, but I don’t necessarily think it needs to be a pre-packaged, one-size-fits-all, you-are-the-chosen-one story that actually structures the game. Some of my favorite stories from MMOs were those made up by other players either inside the game or even outside of it on a fan forum. On the other hand, I have true affection for specific stories told in City of Heroes and classic Guild Wars, so I know that storytelling is a thing that MMOs can do and can do well. I just think it tends to work better when it’s not force-fed.
What do you think? Does story matter in MMORPGs?
Every morning, the Massively Overpowered writers team up with mascot Mo to ask MMORPG players pointed questions about the massively multiplayer online roleplaying genre. Grab a mug of your preferred beverage and take a stab at answering the question posed in today’s Daily Grind!
