I read all of them. Lore is hugely important to the point where I will completely ignore the game if it has some weak poorly thought out and paperthin backstory to it as it ceases to be a "virtual world" (in may day this is what MMOs were designed to be) and more or less a soulless and boring grind fest. Obviously if the quest text is dull or trite I'll just skim it, every quest of a few thousand can't be a novel, but I'll at least make the effort to look it over so I'm not "that guy" who's asking stupid shit and complaining about a quest in the zone channel because he decided reading is too hard.
It isn't because reading is too hard, it is because they are exhausted with the questing. It is work! Your doing a task list! It doesn't matter who it is, they will get exhausted over a long period of time. If they are lost in the zone then they don't have the mods running to show them where it is either, if WoW that is. The time you spend running all over the god damn world, you could be leveling and fighting and having fun that way instead of running all the time. That is why I hate quests.
I have always prefered to play a bit freely in my MMOs, I do like quests but I dont like the endless chain of quests that many MMOs have developed. I enjoy having some time needing to figuer out what to do next as opposed to being told what to do next. Having said that some MMOs with seemingly endless quest manage to leave some to the imagination but ya if your talking about say WoW I read the major ones but spam most of the minor ones. Do I miss out some lore? I'm sure I do. I do however find it more inguaging to find my own way from start to end game.
Exactly! It is the fact that the trend started by Blizzard is a way to provide people a way to level without grouping, but I would rather have good exp with each fight then a lot of exp from the quest. That pretty much makes the logical sense that it is better to just quest then fight. I would rather have an option to fight or quest, but like in Warhammer Online where you can camp something for a public quest and fight as long as you want too and progress that way without running all over the place. The problem with WoW is that is started out great when people where there to group with for instances, but it is hard to find people when you need them now unless you are 80. It just shows that WoW has an expiration and when you have played all classes and got tired of them all, then most of the game is experienced and people want something new. It seems like they would have to come out with another MMO and do it all over again from level 1.
I read all of them. If I don't like the quest I don't do it. But I won't go out on a quest unless I know what I'm doing and why.
Even if you have done the quest before on an alt? You can't tell me that you have skipped a few quests and got so comfortable with just knowing where to go that you don't want to waste time reading the quest. Gotta level faster right?
I read everything the first time, once I've played through an area once & I then go through it on an alt I just skip through, mostly as I remember a lot about what to do from the first playthrough.
I like the lore & flavour the text adds, but then I'm oldskool EQ era, if you weren't reading the text carefully in older games like that you had exactly zero chance of knowing what to do next, modern games make people less inclined to read, but that's not necessarily the gamer's fault.
I think though that storytelling is important, just that with the more FPS type crowd that has moved into the MMO genre that storytelling is better served by the actual gameplay itself telling the story rather than feeding players line after line of text when they want the immediacy of interactive entertainment.
If they want to read, they'll pick up a book, if they want passive they can watch a movie, gaming is interactive & the interacting is what they want to be doing.....that's how I see story driven content being delivered, through the actual interactions.
I read everything the first time, once I've played through an area once & I then go through it on an alt I just skip through, mostly as I remember a lot about what to do from the first playthrough. I like the lore & flavour the text adds, but then I'm oldskool EQ era, if you weren't reading the text carefully in older games like that you had exactly zero chance of knowing what to do next, modern games make people less inclined to read, but that's not necessarily the gamer's fault. I think though that storytelling is important, just that with the more FPS type crowd that has moved into the MMO genre that storytelling is better served by the actual gameplay itself telling the story rather than feeding players line after line of text when they want the immediacy of interactive entertainment. If they want to read, they'll pick up a book, if they want passive they can watch a movie, gaming is interactive & the interacting is what they want to be doing.....that's how I see story driven content being delivered, through the actual interactions.
Great point! Players would rather be interacting instead of passive! That is why I hate Bioware's games lately with the exception of Dragon Age, it was innovative, but I don't care for the movie in a game.
Great point! Players would rather be interacting instead of passive! That is why I hate Bioware's games lately with the exception of Dragon Age, it was innovative, but I don't care for the movie in a game.
ME and Jade Empire are far more innovative than Dragon Age, and even if you could argue "presentation", at least ME has the mocap tied to the VO. DA has characters running the same animation scripts over and over... like the "walk off to the side and return for some reason". Maybe it's innovative in how much time they saved, as it did make for a fuller game perhaps - but I feel I'm stretching it.
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Great point! Players would rather be interacting instead of passive! That is why I hate Bioware's games lately with the exception of Dragon Age, it was innovative, but I don't care for the movie in a game.
ME and Jade Empire are far more innovative than Dragon Age, and even if you could argue "presentation", at least ME has the mocap tied to the VO. DA has characters running the same animation scripts over and over... like the "walk off to the side and return for some reason". Maybe it's innovative in how much time they saved, as it did make for a fuller game perhaps - but I feel I'm stretching it.
Dragon Age is innovative because it lets you play all roles of the characters like Balder's Gate instead of having to role one character at a time. It is cool to be able to switch roles while in game and pause to get the tactics right.
I love performing quests in Ryzom. It is one of the better things that I do on the game. I dislike grinding without purpose so I can earn dappers and even manage to earn faction points while I am completing missions.
Depends on the game. If it says the type of quests, will show me exactly what to do and where to go or kill x number, i won't read. If it won't tell me or the quest name is funny, I will read it just to see whats up.
Dragon Age is innovative because it lets you play all roles of the characters like Balder's Gate instead of having to role one character at a time. It is cool to be able to switch roles while in game and pause to get the tactics right.
So did KotoR (and NWN); because it's the same game engine. So I'd have to say that game innovated all over DA's face, and then some.
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In WoW style games, none. If the game is going to give me a summary after the fact, show me on a map where to go, show me when I have a creature selected if it is part of the quest, etc, then why bother reading? I can run through a town click every guy with a mark above his head, hit accept until my quest log is full and then run to each spot on the map and complete the quest. Then the game tells me where to go to turn in the quest, I never have to read/think/do anything.
On game's like Asheron's Call, where there is no "this npc has a quest marker" doesn't automatically fill out a quest journal, doesn't give me a summary, and doesn't show me where to go; I read those quests. I read every line of it because there might be important information.
The simple truth is the more a game will do for you, the more you will let it do. The more "convenience" it has, the larger the disconnect between you and the game.
If you're in a world and have to figure it all out on your own you pay attention, you read everything, you think about things, you even remember stuff which then in turn might become useful in the future. You also hang onto all the odd little items you come across because they might somehow tie into some other quest.
Easy mode = boring and disconnected. That's why I can't stay with any modern MMOs more then 3 weeks before I'm completely bored and can't stand it anymore, but I can play a game that's over 10 years old and have a blast.
On game's like Asheron's Call, where there is no "this npc has a quest marker" doesn't automatically fill out a quest journal, doesn't give me a summary, and doesn't show me where to go; I read those quests. I read every line of it because there might be important information.
The simple truth is the more a game will do for you, the more you will let it do. The more "convenience" it has, the larger the disconnect between you and the game.
/Standing_Ovation
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Great point! Players would rather be interacting instead of passive! That is why I hate Bioware's games lately with the exception of Dragon Age, it was innovative, but I don't care for the movie in a game.
ME and Jade Empire are far more innovative than Dragon Age, and even if you could argue "presentation", at least ME has the mocap tied to the VO. DA has characters running the same animation scripts over and over... like the "walk off to the side and return for some reason". Maybe it's innovative in how much time they saved, as it did make for a fuller game perhaps - but I feel I'm stretching it.
Dragon Age is innovative because it lets you play all roles of the characters like Balder's Gate instead of having to role one character at a time. It is cool to be able to switch roles while in game and pause to get the tactics right.
How is it innovative if its already been done like 10 years ago? Don't get me wrong I love the Idea, I've enjoyed it with KOTOR and ME as well.
I agree what SnarlingWolf I miss the days of NPC's not having a giant ! or whatever over the top of their heads. It was like an adventure I never knew when I was going to get the next quest in FFXI. I really don't mind talking to every NPC in a city to find quests.
After reading these replies we know why SW:TOR will be fully voice acted.
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Quests are only the means to reacg the end. I play mmo´s mostly for combat and abit for socializing. I don´t need to know why i´m supposed to bring the archmage his slippers I just do it
All statements I make is from my point of view unless stated otherwise.
I skim quests. If it seems to say nothing more than "teach 10 random pesky goblin kids a lesson for putting flaming poo bags on my door step" then I don't care much for the details. I'm just not interesting the million various on the kill X number of these with zero importance other than the setting which I can readily see just by looking around and never changes.
Forever looking for employment. Life is rather dull without it.
I read all of them. If I don't like the quest I don't do it. But I won't go out on a quest unless I know what I'm doing and why.
Even if you have done the quest before on an alt? You can't tell me that you have skipped a few quests and got so comfortable with just knowing where to go that you don't want to waste time reading the quest. Gotta level faster right?
Good point and this is how i work it.
Well, let me preface this by saying in general I'm not good with alts and never get them very high. I'm pretty much a one character guy. However, given that, if I am trying two classes out or if I've deluded myself into thinking that I will have an alt and I'm doing them within a day of each other then "no" I will not re-read the quest text unless I forgot something or the quest isn't fresh in my mind.
However, if I am doing the quests a bit after, let's say about 2 weeks then "yes" I will read the quest text again.
I don't consider reading a waste of time and part of the experience is to have the voice of the quest giver in my head. It adds the flavor of the npc's character (such as they are) and puts into context the world I'm in. I suppose for lack of a better explanation I might say I pretend to role play as I try to immerse myself in the world as much as possible. I DON'T role play but I do enjoy the idea of being immersed in the game world and experiencing the world and quests as an interactive book of sorts.
I would ask players who don't read quest text if they ever read books several times. My guess is that they might not.
I actually do read books over and over so it isn't out of character for me to immerse myself in the quests and the world by re-reading quest text.
but if I've done the quest an hour before or even a day and it's fresh in my mind on another character then I have no need to re-read it.
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I read ALL quests the first time I do them. On alts....I RARELY do, unless I just don't remember what it is I'm supposed to be doing or getting or whatever.
I just think it's a part of old skool gaming that needs to be updated in the right way, if you have a quest that demands the player have an understanding of the lore then build in libraries or books that they can read in-game or not, give them the choice but make it feel more like a part of THAT world & less a part of THIS one.
To give an example, you walk into an area & see a crystal ball & a gypsy you ask what she is doing & she says she is looking to the past for clues, you sit down & zoom in on the ball & see some lore played out on it about something relevant to the game....now you just delivered a cut scene, but you made it part of THAT world, keeping the immersion & tying it into the lore of the game in a more natural way.
Now personally I like the text of quests if they are well written, but not everyone appreciates reams of text, lore & history & quest info can be delivered by other means, or even familiar means but in a new way.
I just think it's a part of old skool gaming that needs to be updated in the right way, if you have a quest that demands the player have an understanding of the lore then build in libraries or books that they can read in-game or not, give them the choice but make it feel more like a part of THAT world & less a part of THIS one. To give an example, you walk into an area & see a crystal ball & a gypsy you ask what she is doing & she says she is looking to the past for clues, you sit down & zoom in on the ball & see some lore played out on it about something relevant to the game....now you just delivered a cut scene, but you made it part of THAT world, keeping the immersion & tying it into the lore of the game in a more natural way. Now personally I like the text of quests if they are well written, but not everyone appreciates reams of text, lore & history & quest info can be delivered by other means, or even familiar means but in a new way.
I like that and agree with it.
In theater (and I suppose elsewhere as well) it's called showing the action not telling the action.
If something major happens it is far better for the audience and the play if it is shown as opposed to talked about.
Or even better, in the same vein, it's like the start of a play having too much exposition. Audience will fall asleep if people are standing around talking about the past. so instead it's worked into the play in a way that the info is conveyed to the audience, the character's characterization is revealed and the action moves forward.
Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb."
Dragon Age is innovative because it lets you play all roles of the characters like Balder's Gate instead of having to role one character at a time. It is cool to be able to switch roles while in game and pause to get the tactics right.
Going offtopic, but indeed you could control other characters in Baldur's Gate, level them up in any way you wished, control their movement, their actions, their casting etc. You've gotta make up another thing in which DA is innovative.
I've played a good deal of quest based MMO's and I have noticed that the more I play, the less I wind up actually reading the quest descriptions. I've got to that point where I realize that every quest will boil down to something like "Kill 10 X" or "Transport X to Y" and I just don't care about the fluff attached to it anymore...yeah it's funny sometimes, but for the most part quest descriptions just get in the way for me. So how many quest descriptions do you read? I'm interested to see if I'm the exception, or the rule for the community regarding reading quest descriptions.
Very interesting poll, I didn't imagine so many players would read the quest.
But I'd like to suggest the OP making more options for the values above 10% and below 90% - their intervals are so big that they, statistically, do not have interpretative value.
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It isn't because reading is too hard, it is because they are exhausted with the questing. It is work! Your doing a task list! It doesn't matter who it is, they will get exhausted over a long period of time. If they are lost in the zone then they don't have the mods running to show them where it is either, if WoW that is. The time you spend running all over the god damn world, you could be leveling and fighting and having fun that way instead of running all the time. That is why I hate quests.
I read all of them.
If I don't like the quest I don't do it.
But I won't go out on a quest unless I know what I'm doing and why.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
Exactly! It is the fact that the trend started by Blizzard is a way to provide people a way to level without grouping, but I would rather have good exp with each fight then a lot of exp from the quest. That pretty much makes the logical sense that it is better to just quest then fight. I would rather have an option to fight or quest, but like in Warhammer Online where you can camp something for a public quest and fight as long as you want too and progress that way without running all over the place. The problem with WoW is that is started out great when people where there to group with for instances, but it is hard to find people when you need them now unless you are 80. It just shows that WoW has an expiration and when you have played all classes and got tired of them all, then most of the game is experienced and people want something new. It seems like they would have to come out with another MMO and do it all over again from level 1.
Even if you have done the quest before on an alt? You can't tell me that you have skipped a few quests and got so comfortable with just knowing where to go that you don't want to waste time reading the quest. Gotta level faster right?
the only thing i read is the accept button
I don't even read that, I have a macro for it that auto accepts all quests.
I read everything the first time, once I've played through an area once & I then go through it on an alt I just skip through, mostly as I remember a lot about what to do from the first playthrough.
I like the lore & flavour the text adds, but then I'm oldskool EQ era, if you weren't reading the text carefully in older games like that you had exactly zero chance of knowing what to do next, modern games make people less inclined to read, but that's not necessarily the gamer's fault.
I think though that storytelling is important, just that with the more FPS type crowd that has moved into the MMO genre that storytelling is better served by the actual gameplay itself telling the story rather than feeding players line after line of text when they want the immediacy of interactive entertainment.
If they want to read, they'll pick up a book, if they want passive they can watch a movie, gaming is interactive & the interacting is what they want to be doing.....that's how I see story driven content being delivered, through the actual interactions.
Great point! Players would rather be interacting instead of passive! That is why I hate Bioware's games lately with the exception of Dragon Age, it was innovative, but I don't care for the movie in a game.
ME and Jade Empire are far more innovative than Dragon Age, and even if you could argue "presentation", at least ME has the mocap tied to the VO. DA has characters running the same animation scripts over and over... like the "walk off to the side and return for some reason". Maybe it's innovative in how much time they saved, as it did make for a fuller game perhaps - but I feel I'm stretching it.
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Now Playing: Skyrim, Wurm Online, Tropico 4
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ME and Jade Empire are far more innovative than Dragon Age, and even if you could argue "presentation", at least ME has the mocap tied to the VO. DA has characters running the same animation scripts over and over... like the "walk off to the side and return for some reason". Maybe it's innovative in how much time they saved, as it did make for a fuller game perhaps - but I feel I'm stretching it.
Dragon Age is innovative because it lets you play all roles of the characters like Balder's Gate instead of having to role one character at a time. It is cool to be able to switch roles while in game and pause to get the tactics right.
I love performing quests in Ryzom. It is one of the better things that I do on the game. I dislike grinding without purpose so I can earn dappers and even manage to earn faction points while I am completing missions.
www.ryzom.com
Depends on the game. If it says the type of quests, will show me exactly what to do and where to go or kill x number, i won't read. If it won't tell me or the quest name is funny, I will read it just to see whats up.
So did KotoR (and NWN); because it's the same game engine. So I'd have to say that game innovated all over DA's face, and then some.
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In WoW style games, none. If the game is going to give me a summary after the fact, show me on a map where to go, show me when I have a creature selected if it is part of the quest, etc, then why bother reading? I can run through a town click every guy with a mark above his head, hit accept until my quest log is full and then run to each spot on the map and complete the quest. Then the game tells me where to go to turn in the quest, I never have to read/think/do anything.
On game's like Asheron's Call, where there is no "this npc has a quest marker" doesn't automatically fill out a quest journal, doesn't give me a summary, and doesn't show me where to go; I read those quests. I read every line of it because there might be important information.
The simple truth is the more a game will do for you, the more you will let it do. The more "convenience" it has, the larger the disconnect between you and the game.
If you're in a world and have to figure it all out on your own you pay attention, you read everything, you think about things, you even remember stuff which then in turn might become useful in the future. You also hang onto all the odd little items you come across because they might somehow tie into some other quest.
Easy mode = boring and disconnected. That's why I can't stay with any modern MMOs more then 3 weeks before I'm completely bored and can't stand it anymore, but I can play a game that's over 10 years old and have a blast.
/Standing_Ovation
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Now Playing: Skyrim, Wurm Online, Tropico 4
Waiting On: GW2, TSW, Archeage, The Rapture
ME and Jade Empire are far more innovative than Dragon Age, and even if you could argue "presentation", at least ME has the mocap tied to the VO. DA has characters running the same animation scripts over and over... like the "walk off to the side and return for some reason". Maybe it's innovative in how much time they saved, as it did make for a fuller game perhaps - but I feel I'm stretching it.
Dragon Age is innovative because it lets you play all roles of the characters like Balder's Gate instead of having to role one character at a time. It is cool to be able to switch roles while in game and pause to get the tactics right.
How is it innovative if its already been done like 10 years ago? Don't get me wrong I love the Idea, I've enjoyed it with KOTOR and ME as well.
I agree what SnarlingWolf I miss the days of NPC's not having a giant ! or whatever over the top of their heads. It was like an adventure I never knew when I was going to get the next quest in FFXI. I really don't mind talking to every NPC in a city to find quests.
After reading these replies we know why SW:TOR will be fully voice acted.
--John Ruskin
Quests are only the means to reacg the end. I play mmo´s mostly for combat and abit for socializing. I don´t need to know why i´m supposed to bring the archmage his slippers I just do it
All statements I make is from my point of view unless stated otherwise.
I skim quests. If it seems to say nothing more than "teach 10 random pesky goblin kids a lesson for putting flaming poo bags on my door step" then I don't care much for the details. I'm just not interesting the million various on the kill X number of these with zero importance other than the setting which I can readily see just by looking around and never changes.
Forever looking for employment. Life is rather dull without it.
Even if you have done the quest before on an alt? You can't tell me that you have skipped a few quests and got so comfortable with just knowing where to go that you don't want to waste time reading the quest. Gotta level faster right?
Good point and this is how i work it.
Well, let me preface this by saying in general I'm not good with alts and never get them very high. I'm pretty much a one character guy. However, given that, if I am trying two classes out or if I've deluded myself into thinking that I will have an alt and I'm doing them within a day of each other then "no" I will not re-read the quest text unless I forgot something or the quest isn't fresh in my mind.
However, if I am doing the quests a bit after, let's say about 2 weeks then "yes" I will read the quest text again.
I don't consider reading a waste of time and part of the experience is to have the voice of the quest giver in my head. It adds the flavor of the npc's character (such as they are) and puts into context the world I'm in. I suppose for lack of a better explanation I might say I pretend to role play as I try to immerse myself in the world as much as possible. I DON'T role play but I do enjoy the idea of being immersed in the game world and experiencing the world and quests as an interactive book of sorts.
I would ask players who don't read quest text if they ever read books several times. My guess is that they might not.
I actually do read books over and over so it isn't out of character for me to immerse myself in the quests and the world by re-reading quest text.
but if I've done the quest an hour before or even a day and it's fresh in my mind on another character then I have no need to re-read it.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
I read ALL quests the first time I do them. On alts....I RARELY do, unless I just don't remember what it is I'm supposed to be doing or getting or whatever.
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I just think it's a part of old skool gaming that needs to be updated in the right way, if you have a quest that demands the player have an understanding of the lore then build in libraries or books that they can read in-game or not, give them the choice but make it feel more like a part of THAT world & less a part of THIS one.
To give an example, you walk into an area & see a crystal ball & a gypsy you ask what she is doing & she says she is looking to the past for clues, you sit down & zoom in on the ball & see some lore played out on it about something relevant to the game....now you just delivered a cut scene, but you made it part of THAT world, keeping the immersion & tying it into the lore of the game in a more natural way.
Now personally I like the text of quests if they are well written, but not everyone appreciates reams of text, lore & history & quest info can be delivered by other means, or even familiar means but in a new way.
I like that and agree with it.
In theater (and I suppose elsewhere as well) it's called showing the action not telling the action.
If something major happens it is far better for the audience and the play if it is shown as opposed to talked about.
Or even better, in the same vein, it's like the start of a play having too much exposition. Audience will fall asleep if people are standing around talking about the past. so instead it's worked into the play in a way that the info is conveyed to the audience, the character's characterization is revealed and the action moves forward.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
Going offtopic, but indeed you could control other characters in Baldur's Gate, level them up in any way you wished, control their movement, their actions, their casting etc. You've gotta make up another thing in which DA is innovative.
REALITY CHECK
Very interesting poll, I didn't imagine so many players would read the quest.
But I'd like to suggest the OP making more options for the values above 10% and below 90% - their intervals are so big that they, statistically, do not have interpretative value.