[MUD-Dev] MMO Quest: Why they're still lousy

[Jon Mayo]

Michael Hartman wrote:
> Sporky McBeard wrote:
>> "Michael Hartman" <michael at thresholdrpg.com> wrote:
>>> Sporky McBeard wrote:

> I don't think removing one of the most important parts of quests
> (the story) or throwing the baby out with the bathwater (removing
> quests entirely) are really thinking outside the box. That's more
> like lighting the box on fire.

Often what happens is that a system ends up with mostly one kind of
players or mostly another kind.

You can cater to either one, or if possible, both. I know plenty of
people who play RPGs to pump stats, kill things and explore new
areas. Other people are extremely interested in character
development, in-game politics(my personal favorite), romantic
relationships, and background on the history of the game world.

Not that final fantasy series is the best example of a good story
when it comes to fetch-and-carry quests, but it does have some story
and it is an extremely popular and well recognized game. (There are
others that are much better, such as Lunar, but not so well known).

If you want to point to tabletop RPGs. There are people who play
AD&D like it was robotech or warhammar, and it's just about making
the biggest baddest guy on the block. (we call these munchkin
campaigns). There are others who tend to have a longer lasting
interested in table top roleplaying, who try to craft creative
backgrounds and quests and stories.

A virtual world can be combat and leveling oriented, or it can lean
towards storytelling and possibly player creativity. Both can add
drama to the experience, and I'd probably argue that one is no good
without the other.

Besides if you put the player on a treadmill, at least tell an
interesting story along the ways. (perhaps a different story
depending on class, race, alignment or home). Quests, if they are
interesting can give a player time to "live" in a virtual world, and
form some kind of bond with their character.

If you look at text-based MUDs there are lots of MUDs out there
where people log on to hack'n'slash. And many MUDs out there cater
exclusively to this. But there is a community of MUDs which label
themselves RPI (role play intensive). They actively discourage power
leveling. Not reading and understanding some of the basic quests and
text said by NPCs can make it difficult for you to act in a way that
allows you to "fit" into the world. Also there is a lot to be said
about the entertainment you can get when you participate in
clan/house politics. Hire assassins against other players is the
simplest thing you can do. Often it's more fun to frame them and
break up marriages, get them exiled, etc.

So yes, people do read the story. You and the people you normally
play with may not though. Of course even I don't read the story when
the story just sucks. Perhaps that is what you are arguing, that no
story at all is better than a bad story? I could probably agree
there.

ps - I tend to play mostly with women. which might explain why I get
exposed to lots of non-combat forms of roleplaying.
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