A big story with few player choices. You have to hit specific points or do specific actions to move the story forward. However, the things you do in between frequently don't make sense in the context of the story. (e.g. how do you explain the several hours wandering around doing side-quests after an NPC has tasked you with something super-urgent sounding?)
Or, a sparse story with more player choice because it requires the player to fill in the gaps in the story with their own actions and narrative.
The next problem with developing a complex story is repetition. Take the classic hero story. In an MMO context, that typically means *everyone* is The Chosen One, and experiences story in terms of being The One. This frequently doesn't make any sense.
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asenathwaite
(no subject)
Date: 2009-09-22 02:04 am (UTC)You either get...
A big story with few player choices. You have to hit specific points or do specific actions to move the story forward. However, the things you do in between frequently don't make sense in the context of the story. (e.g. how do you explain the several hours wandering around doing side-quests after an NPC has tasked you with something super-urgent sounding?)
Or, a sparse story with more player choice because it requires the player to fill in the gaps in the story with their own actions and narrative.
The next problem with developing a complex story is repetition. Take the classic hero story. In an MMO context, that typically means *everyone* is The Chosen One, and experiences story in terms of being The One. This frequently doesn't make any sense.