Should story be necessary in a MMORPG?

As a RPG (role-playing game) fan, the two things that I always loved from the genre was their stories and exploring their worlds. It wasn't about how great their combat mechanics were or what loot dropped. Not to say I don't like those aspects, but how well written and well executed the games's story was the selling point for myself and RPGs.

I have played several different MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) over the years and have been enthralled by many. While I have spent numerous hours in front of the computer screen playing these titles I would still consider myself a casual MMORPG gamer. I have never once played "end-game" material in one of those type of games and while many would argue that's the crux of the game, I would disagree.

A player spends countless number of hours preparing a character and getting him or her to that final level for its "end game" content. It's within this time that the game needs to try really hard to snare the player or otherwise to get from level one to level 'x' is going to be long and tedious.

This is where MMORPGs always lose me. I absolutely abhor the hot-keyed, level grinding, almost turn-based combat mechanics. So it's usually left to the exploration and PVP (player vs. player) elements to hold my attention. Unfortunately, most of the time this always goes back to needing to level up to progress further or perform any better.

Story is something that drives the game for me. It's the element that makes me endure the rooted combat and its endless level grind. I want to find out how my character is affected, what challenges he or she will face next, and overall what the results and lasting impact was.

However, with long walls of quest text to read and typical missions such as fetch quests for 'x' amount of items or kill so-and-so or 'x' amount of monsters, it leaves a lot to be desired. Also, I don't want to see something that my character worked hard to acheve all to be undone because the building I was sent to plan explosives on suddenly respawned a few minutes after I just blew it up.

Luckily, I feel that MMORPGs are finally heading in the right direction. New games such as Star Wars: The Old Republic add in a much stronger story pillar that was much needed in past titles in the genre. Firefall and Guild Wars 2 also produce new ways of storytelling through dynamic events that happen around the player which add new story elements to shape your characters own story. In subsequent articles I want to examine each of the story elements used in those games, but for now I just left with the posed question: Should story be necessary in a MMORPG?

Is the Linearity of The Walking Dead Necessary?

The Walking Dead is not quite a game, but, at the same time, not a movie either. Albeit this confused identity, it still is a rich experience that tells an emotional and thrilling story. Although, it does make me wonder whether or not a well told story has to be told in the extremely linear fashion of The Walking Dead.

The basic premise of the title is based on the successful comic and television series. I've never read nor watched the series, but I still found this game very enjoyable. It is broken into five different episodes with each one progressing the story of the man, Lee Everett. About to be taken to prison when the police car driving him there gets into an accident. From that moment on, he learns that the dead have risen and he needs to do what he can to survive. Over the course of the five episodes, Lee meets several other people, like him, who are just trying to stay alive.

Stop looking at me in the rearview mirror and keep your eyes on the road!

It was through these other characters that I felt this game come to life. With the ongoing zombie threat, other hostile survivors, and minimal supplies it tends to raise tensions amongst Lee and his companions. Each of these characters have their own backstory and help the plot move in some way. You start to care for each of these characters, or on the flip side wish they'd die so you didn't have to deal with them anymore.

Nothing is going to happen to you, Clementine. I promise.

However, much of the time spent exploring this world, crafted by Telltale Games, and learning about the characters seemed to be more through watching the "game" rather than playing it. Most of the gameplay revolves around clicking on things and the occasional quick-time event. The core of the game and what makes it hard is the decisions that have to be made especially when you have to think fast.

Even the dialogue and choices you make seem to be quite rigid. In the long run of things, the outcome of the game is still the same no matter what you decided to do to get there. Point A leads to Point B with a few twists and turns in the road that ultimately don't change anything.

It's then that I feel this game probably good have been just as effective in telling its great story as a short animated series. A Kotaku writer, Kirk Hamilton, had said, in his reflection ("Yes, Your Choices In The Walking Dead Mattered") of the game, that it was more about the decisions Lee had to make in order to get to where he was. There wasn't any major change to the story, but it did craft Lee in a manner of the player's intent.

I guess with that being said, I can see that side of the coin. It's not what I expected, but I can certainly respect the decision of the developers if that's what they had intended. With a second season in the works, I feel I am now better prepared for what to expect from Telltale Games.