Redefining MMOs: More than lore, part 2
At the same time EQ was pulling in -- at the time -- record players, a little game known as Asheron's Call was also doing some interesting things. Specifically, the game was one of the first to release constant updates that added and expanded story content. This was definitely a first in the genre and something that hasn't quite been replicated yet, at least not in the same manner.
Building from the outside-in
As technology became less and less of a barrier, detailed environments grew into a powerful vehicle for storytelling. Final Fantasy XI was one of the early games to premeditate zone design based on the game's projected story to the point of thinking ahead for expansions. Additionally, Final Fantasy is a series with a heavy emphasis on attention capturing cut-scenes and Final Fantasy XI was no different. As players progressed through the primary quests, they were treated with in-game cut-scenes that only became more elaborate and cinematic with time.
Another title that came along and changed the way story was presented was World of Warcraft. Nowadays, the narrated intro detailing your chosen races' recent history are fairly commonplace; not so before Blizzard came into the picture. Novelizations, Japanese manga and comic books were also pioneered here, giving players even more places to find story.
A big evolutionary leap in storytelling was the introduction of phasing into World of Warcraft with last year's Wrath of the Lich King expansion. A surprisingly unknown feature prior to the expansion's launch, phasing essentially allowed players to see different versions of an environment than what other players may have seen. This enabled quests that reshaped the world for each player as they moved through the plot. Players weren't -- and really still aren't -- used to their virtual worlds being altered before their very eyes. It was so very potent a tool that there's no doubt Blizzard and other developers will be using and improving it in the future.
Voice acting killed the text-based storyline star
As with all things evolutionary in videogames, it's the technology that enables a better story to be told. Certainly there are more variables such as writing, setting and expertise but tech remains a barrier which developers are constantly having to bypass with time and creativity.
When time and creativity can no longer forge ahead, money becomes an alternative. Such is the case with BioWare and their disgustingly ambitious Star Wars: The Old Republic.
We're about as curious as you can get when it comes to BioWare's MMO here at Massively. Understandably, when they say that each of their classes will feature a fully fleshed out storyline capable of taking a character from level one to max and that every NPC will feature professional voice work, it causes heads to turn so fast they nearly snap off at the neck.
If you were to make a checklist of all the things an MMO would have to do in order for the story to really matter, BioWare appears to be planning on going above and beyond it: a strong and globally recognizable IP, story-focused leveling for each class, the ability to alter the story through your own choices, professional voiced acting for 100% of the game, oodles of lore pre-launch and a storytelling pedigree that nearly no other existing development studio can match.
Could Star Wars: The Old Republic usher in an era of massively multiplayer online co-op story-based games? It certainly could but the real question is, "Would that be such a bad thing?" In a genre where games like All Points Bulletin can exists alongside Free Realms, variety is the least of our worries. In fact, variety is clearly one of this genre's largest strengths.
It's hard to say what SWTOR and the future of storytelling will be, since it's so far into the future. And there's always other contenders to consider as well, especially when Blizzard is involved. One thing is for sure, though. Everyone can appreciate a good or even great story; whether they play MMOs for it or not.
