"Plot is Highly Overrated" - Discuss

I think that it completely depends on the type of game you're playing and how much time you have to play. For me, I'm happy to say that games with an epic story to compliment the gameplay is the perfect combination.

But mobile devices(like phones etc) have created a sort of hybrid style of pick-up-and-play games and bigger, expansive, story driven titles(not that any are particularly good in my opinion). I think it's very easy to see and appreciate games that you can drop in and drop out of and don't have much in the way of story. Many multiplayer-centric games are like this also and they definitely have their place.

Equally, you can't really deny the popularity of the really in depth, story driven games either. Mass Effect over Call of Duty any day for me :)
 
I have a problem with the plot when it interferes with the gameplay such as numerous cutscenes where you play for 2 minutes and go into a cutscene, play for another 5 mins and straight into another cutscene.

The latest Tomb Raider was like that and it did my head in.

Fallout 3 and NV are right on the money for me with the mix of plot and gameplay.
 
Sunbed said:
Half-life didn't really have a plot in the traditional sense. I mean, it's not a story that's shoved in your face. All the characters talking to you is just setting the scene. What do people do when the scientists are jabbering on? Run around jumping on things, trying to climb on pipes/crates etc. At least, that's what I did. The great games focus on the game mechanics and lead the character through a series of events. The plot is secondary really.

Another example: Dishonoured - great game. Can't remember the story one bit but I do remember the characters, the scenary, the neo gothic architecture. In essence, the visual stuff.
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In my view it did, maybe not in a traditional sense but as someone mentions above, it was the kind of plot that didn't interfere with gameplay and as you say, people took on board what was being said yet still went around jumping on things, throwing stuff at scientists and whatnot.

It was only after HL2 that the plot became properly interactive and things changed but still didn't get in the way of gameplay.
 
Columbo said:
I have a problem with the plot when it interferes with the gameplay such as numerous cutscenes where you play for 2 minutes and go into a cutscene, play for another 5 mins and straight into another cutscene.
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Actually yeah I agree with this completely! Sorry to say I think that Metal Gear Solid fits this bill also (Though I still really like the games).

I recall an older series of games called Xeno Saga as well and those had such great potential, but felt so much more like an interactive novel than a fully fledged RPG :( Sad times.
 
I hate myself for saying it but Black Ops springs to mind as a decent "historical" story with some interesting characters.

But its not really a game as much as the interactive FPS movie kinda thing, if you haven't played it.
 
Depends entirely on the game.

I like to be engaged by characters, plot and gameplay.
I like the choice to skip cutscenes, but only use it during replays.
I do not like gameplay to interrupt the story if it's something I'm engaged by.
I do not like games that have no engaging story and thus no engaging reason for me to do whatever it is I'm doing.

Older games were often more focussed on the gameplay, because the only way of conveying a story was reading big blocks of text - "I just spent two hours loading this freakin' thing off a cassette. If I wanted to read a book I'd pick one of those up... which I did while waiting for this to load, incidentally!".

These days we have full-on cinematics with major stars voicing characters and it's often worthwhile simply experiencing these scenes. There's also the question of whether the scene imparts useful information, such as objectives and how to complete the game.

I don't want my games to just be endless strings of First Person Shooters. I want as much diversity and variation as possible.
 
I have a requirement in games in order:

Enviroment/level design
Story/plot
Characters
Gameplay
Graphics

If the game is crap with level design and enviroment, I will most likely throw it aside almost instantly, if there is NO storey/plot, like any new COD's, I throw it aside. If I can't remember the main characters name and the reasons he/she is being played then I throw it aside, if the gameplay is a one button mash for combat, ow point and shoot 90% of the time, I throw it aside...

See where I'm going?

To say that plot is useless is just STUPID.
 
oooo max payne!

ok it's 3rd person but still :p think that did it very well, conveying the plot and characters through the comic book style visuals and narration.
 
Most story telling in PC gaming is appalling. Bland, meaningless, boring & tedious. GTA4 cutscenes spring to mind I just skip them nowadays.

The best games have a decent story so you will watch the cutscenes at least once as they advance it & fill in the blanks. Most however are filler to pad the game length out & such a waste of developer resource :rolleyes:
 
mrk said:
Max Payne is also 1st person on PC ;)
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shows how long ago I played it... can't remember xD

just remember the "matrix" level with jackhammer shotguns, the max-fu mod and bullet time jumping into every single room and taking out all the enemies in an undeniably badass fashion :D
 
plot doesn't just mean cutscenes, the reason you are on the level you are, going to the place you're going is a plot. Also it's not surprising that given a 45 minute show, or a 1.5 hour film(on average) in which the ONLY thing you have to do is watch, that you can give a greater run down of the plot than a 5-50hour long game in which you are actively playing a part.... suggesting that research on this suggests people don't care about plot is utterly, I mean utterly retarded.

Not least the comparison to tv/films. How many people watch the utter turd that is Transformers or Expendables with zero plot and how many people dislike those films because they are nothing but explosions and the thinnest excuse for a plot possible.

Tv/film doesn't instantly have a good or bad plot and many people enjoy films without plots and many enjoy films with fantastic complex plots, but again basing the idea on someone actively playing a game for upwards usually of at least 5 hours not being able to recount a plot as accurately as a film that is lets say anything from 1/3rd or 1/20th of the length is stupid.

Things like Mass Effect draw me in SO much more than games with crap stories, and me2/3's significantly weaker stories was one of the reasons I thought each film was significantly worse.

The best games for me combine the best game play and the best story. That isn't to say there is no room for games nor no enjoyment with games without a plot, say Streetfighter or the likes. But my level of involvement in games goes way up and the overall experience of games combining story with gameplay is huge for me at least.
 
I'm a sucker for a good plot based game.
I don't game much anymore but when I do buy a game it has to have a decent story line for me to enjoy.

I am currently working through old RPGs on the PSX and PS2 because I can't find much that interests me on PS3.
 
I'm the opposite to the article a good game plot & Story pull me into the game more that said no matter how good the plot if the gameplay ****s then it's not going to garner my attention my problem with games isn't the gfx gameplay or story at the moment my problem is they're too short and good storys that have taken a nice amount of time to build suddenly get railroaded into an abrupt ending.
 
I don't think I've ever played a game that has a great story but terrible gameplay.
Has anybody got any examples?
 
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