LF Immersive Storyline MMO

Schiznea · December 2010

Hi all,

What I mean by immersive Storyline MMO is a game where you can make moral choices as a player, like you can in many modern single player RPGs. Like the KOTOR games or NWN2, DAO, Fallout 3/NV etc.

I want a game where there are several ways to solve quests, kill or let live, the choice to work for or against, etc etc.

I like playing the evil character so DDO is not the game for me, seeing as you're limited to playing either good or neutral within the lawful/chaotic spectrum.

Am I best off just waiting for SW:TOR, or is there a game out there like it right now?

Graphics aren't *that* important to me but I would like something decent so I can at least justify having a kickass PC xD

Thanks for any advice!

Schiz

hcoelho · December 2010

if you find a MMO like this... please pm me !

the only game that comes to my mind is EVE, but you dont have a character... you "are" a ship =S

Cyrael · December 2010

The only MMO currently out that approaches this is City of Heroes, with their alignment system. This is especially true in Praetoria for the first 20 levels, where most decisions you make have some sort of effect on the dialogue later. Unfortunately, that's pretty much all we have. CoH also has a pretty large RP community, so it's worth looking at.

Originally posted by kuhronusu
if you find a MMO like this... please pm me !

the only game that comes to my mind is EVE, but you dont have a character... you "are" a ship =S

That's simply not true. You have a character, what you don't have is an avatar of a physical person. That will also be changed by the end of 2011.

Sid_Vicious · December 2010

I would definitely recommend Darkfall being your best bet if you want a realistic feeling game that conjures real emotions and can bring you to the edge of your seat with an adrenaline rush like no other game can.

Its the funnest sandbox game around atm imo. 1 character per account so you are held responsible for you actions more so than other games. No instances and no level limits and other people are effected by what you do in the long run so you become known by how you play and the actions you do.

This is the funnest game to fraps and blog a journal for as well. You create your own storyline, and yes . ..., you definitely get to play an evil character if thats your thing! Most immersive MMORPG that I have ever played. The mobs feel so much more realistic to fight than other games and there are not floating exclamation points, names, numbers, and all that jazz that kills immersion. You cannot even tell how powerful people are but you can see what gear they are wearing. Stealth feels real, the dungeons are really cool if you like games like Oblivion (controls are the same pretty much and it feels very similar but much harder).

PVE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dd4TcOdO5A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v92SCVA7qUI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zVb__6N_7A&feature=related

PVP:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQdIipvn55g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOoAnw-J39E

My favorite fan vids:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4f4zkfLcpc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKGAfYpKW2o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG4Kq_Ycckc

RP site:

http://mmorp.org

^^^^^ (try contacting other role-players here?)

RP vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6B5P1vg0us

Check it out here:

http://www.playdarkfall.com

You didn't mention PVP but even if you do not like PVP, Darkfall is still a great game. My GF plays it more than me and doesn't like to PVP much . .. she only dies once a month or week mostly while other times she may die up to once a day. Its easy to avoid PVP if you want to. If you want to blog a RP journal than this is the best game since you create your own story line and things that happen to you do not happen to anyone else in the same way .... also most immersive feel so I really havent seen fan vids of any other game look cooler (environmental sounds coming with surround sound too!! woot!).

Schiznea · December 2010

Alright thanks, I will try the Darkfall 14 day trial

If anyone happens to know any other games similar to modern singleplayer RPGs (except SWTOR which I will be playing anyway) please post here.

Will bump this thread a couple of times if Darkfall doesn't work out, hope no one minds

Thanks again,

Schiz

Sid_Vicious · December 2010

Originally posted by Schiznea
Alright thanks, I will try the Darkfall 14 day trial

If anyone happens to know any other games similar to modern singleplayer RPGs (except SWTOR which I will be playing anyway) please post here.

Will bump this thread a couple of times if Darkfall doesn't work out, hope no one minds

Thanks again,

Schiz

singleplayer RPG eh?

Well since you mentioned SWTOR, I fear that we may have a different definition of an immersive RP MMO.

Perhaps you meant an immersive storyline?

This is what I meant by immersive:

- No floating names, numbers, exclamation points, quest tracker, and other fluff (like cartoony art) that for me is a constant reminder that I am only playing a game.

- Gameplay that feels more realistic with many options racing through my head, just like what would happen in real life. Being able to use ramparts on a castle wall, being able to dodge attacks, having to aim your attacks, having many options race through my head instead of the popular hit TAB, auto-attack, and then press 1,2,3,4.

- Mob AI that is more sofisticated than simply holding aggro on the person who comes too close . ... I prefer mobs to aggro because they saw me or they heard me. I want them to act like they really do not want to die. I want them to try different strategies when trying to kill me.

- I want to feel attached to my character. I want difficult gameplay and to care about dying so that when my character is threatened, I am at the edge of my seat (sometimes heart pounding!). I do not ever get this kind of feeling in safe games where dying only means starting the quest over again. I want to actually lose something if I fail, my goal to be challenging, and to feel a real sense of accomplishment that belongs to me (not like completing some quest that other people have done . .. I want my own quest that nobody else will experience in the same way that I did).

When I think of roleplaying, I think of playing tabletop games in real life and pretending that it is real and controlling an avatar and doing whatever I want with it. I've been playing roleplaying games for almost 30 years and normally want to accomplish something the way that I want to do it, as in . .. more than one way to accomplish something. I do not like playing tabletop games where the DM/GM forces me to do some quest the way he wants me to do it and would rather he just provide a really cool setting with many optional quests that come up as I play so that I can play in character and do everything the way that I want to do it. Many DM/GMs (and MMORPGs) will prepare some quest for me that they get all excited for but when I start to go through it doing it the way that I want to do it, they wont let me and tell me that it is not possible or create situations that stand in my way simply because I want to do it a different way. For example, some quest where I am hired to escort a caravan across some dangerous lands . .. in most games and most GM/DMs would make it so that the quest is going to fail if I do not escort the caravan successfully, but why can't I hire robbers to assist me is taking all of the goods on the way?

This is why I prefer sandbox games (EVE, UO, Darkfall, etc.) over themepark games for roleplaying.

Let me just give an example of what I did last night in what I consider to be currently the best MMORPG:

Everytime that I log into Darkfall my night is completely unpredictable. Last night I logged in to my character at a crafting station and so there I was standing in one of my clan's cities (there are player built cities in Darkfall that can be taken by other players through real-time siege warfare). Almost immediately, my heart jumps, because I can hear the sounds of powerful spells being cast all over the place right outside of our cities walls and it could be a matter of seconds before I have to face who knows how many opponents (if you die in Darkfall, everything that you are carrying can be looted from your corpse by anyone so you can get a surge of adrenaline at times). Obviously enemies were outside fighting my allies and perhaps planning on coming in to do some asset damage or to take the stuff I just crafted! I was carrying a lot of expensive materials on me so was hesitant in rushing outside to see what was going on. Instead, I lined the ramparts of the castle wall to get a better look and saw some people in the distance. I could not make out who they were . .. just some people ending a fight in the distance. I considered shooting a bow at one of the specks in the distance but didn't want to risk hitting friendlies so I start to go out to help but then saw that my friends had won the fight and were heading back in. Apparently my help wasn't needed anyways.

As I am wondering what I should do with my night and was hoping that intruders would try and raid our city or I could find some people to go to a dangerous dungeon with me. I sort through my bank and put away my newly crafted items. The guard tower tells me that my partner in crime had just entered the city so we group up. After noticing that I was almost out of food (food, among other things, are wanted at all times in the game) it became clear that I needed more and couldn't wait. There were a few streams close by and a big lake but my fishing skills are really low since I have only done it a few times while out on a raft or boat. While wondering that the materials are that a fishing boat needs, my friend negotiates a deal with me since I can enchant some staves of his with my crafting skills. He gave me lots of food so it was a great deal (and it raises my crafting skills to do it for him) but I needed some components to enchant the staves that I only knew how to get from skinning a certain mob. I decided to set out to distant and dangerous lands by myself to hopefully get a few of those mobs and back to the bank with their skins safely.

My trip there was uneventful . .. just a few deer passing by that startled the hell out of me when I didn't notice them at first, but nothing besides that. I was using the trade chat channel to try and find someone who would be willing to sell me the mats so that I wouldn't have to get them myself (no auction houses in Darkfall but there are player vendors found at some peoples homes but people usually meet up somewhere and trade in person). Someone started sending me tells offering exactly what I needed. Not knowing the guy, I asked what clan he was in since he mentioned his evil alignment. He would not tell me and refused to meet me at a safer neutral player city. I suspected that he was a spy or trying to rob me or something . ... and now that he knew (and who knows how many of his friends?) what I wanted he could've be heading out to where I was going to try and sneak up for a backstab when I am not suspecting. I decided it was worth the risk and that I would probably be able to beat him anyways so I went anyways.

Once I had the materials gathered that I came for, I wanted to get to the closest bank. I knew of a city north of my location but it was littered with enemies the last time that I had visited it. I decided to take the chance anyways. I rode up to the city and scanned the out-skirts and then sneaked in, keeping to the shadows (nobody can find me by hitting tab or by seeing a floating name/level like in most other games . .. so the stealth factor is really fun). Luckily I saw them before they saw me, 3 enemies that my clan was at war with. Although there was no way for me to tell how powerful they were, I thought that I may be able to take them down and take their stuff . ... but since this is Darkfall (no instances and only 1 character per account) you get to know people pretty well and I guessed from experience, that I would be able to take them down, so long as a certain friend of theirs was not around. My heart pumped as I stealthfully scanned different parts of the city from the shadows. I knew that all they had to do was move their crosshair over my exact location to notice me and immediately would come charging if I was seen. It was a good thing that I waited, because their friend (the one I have a hard time beating) came into view .. . many options raced through my head as they started approaching. I decided that if they found me, I would quickly blind them and ride off on my mount before they came to their senses, but luckily they did not and walked right past me.

I ended up waiting to bank until I was back in the safety of the clan city and crafted some fancy staves for my partner mage. The rest of the night, we explored a little bit and found some very nice new places that I had no idea about before. Oh . .. and I did end up going to a dungeon like I orginally planned and made lots of coin! I also found quite a few mobs that skinned for stuff that I really needed to make myself some better swords. Typically this was a pretty boring night in comparison to most nights but my heart still pounded with excitement a few times during the night and so there you have it . .. I just wanted to give an example how I am not told what to do and have the freedom to do what I want (unless others are there to stop me! lol) and I follow my own questline. I never know what to expect when I log into this game. There have been times where I just logged in to craft a few things a little bit but ended up at the edge of my seat fighting while outnumbered for an hour straight (an hour straight of this fast-paced PVP is quite the rush!) or get involved in some huge siege or naval combat, community or GM event, epic group mob, etc. Its definitely the only MMORPG that I play where I put on my headphones and turn off the lights, create some kind of stealthy mission for myself usually (robbing an enemy clan city is usually awesome fun), and head out.

hehe I am a fast writer obviously .. . and plan to soon share my experiences in a blog: http://trialsofagon.blogspot.com/2010/10/what-are-trials-of-agon.html?zx=eada7bc78b8fb25a

Ugh . ... was going to get started months ago but rebuilding a better machine for I start because it will mostly be frapsed vids.

Thanks for those who actually read my boring story lol

GTwander · December 2010

Face of Mankind might not be the best game ever (hell, I know it's not), but each faction tends to take itself pretty seriously. The cops and military ones do drill, salute, and recognize each other by rank. The drug traffickers and mercenaries acts as such. The corporations consider themselves businessmen. Etc, etc, etc.

It's a real shock to anyone that doesn't like to RP in general, and sometimes its even too much for those that *are* seriously into that stuff. I guess there is a fine line where every individual tends to draw their limits on where it's fine, and the point where it gets annoying.

Might as well try it out though, it's free afterall.

Schiznea · December 2010

Aye I think there's been a slight misunderstanding, what I meant was indeed an immersive storyline, not player fabricated RP.

I seem to lack the imagination to romanticise a story like you do (I thoroughly enjoyed the 1 night in Darkfall story you wrote)

So I pretty much rely on storyline and plot developments.

I like PC-NPC roleplaying, where your roleplaying companion is the game, not another person.

I do like hanging out with people in MMOs but the whole RP thing is not for me.

Sorry for the misunderstanding, I also edited my original post so that people don't misunderstand again

So what I'm basicly looking for is a bioware type game, only an MMO.

I say bioware not because I exclusively like their games, but the stories in those games are just good.

Games like Fallout 1-3/NV, NWN 1/2, Baldur's Gate; where your actions and choices resound throughout the game and make for interesting situations later on.

An example is; You come across someone trying to rip you off, but you catch on to his scheme, and confront him. You can here and now choose to end his life, rip *him* off or just tell him to go away.

If you choose to kill him, people that know him will be upset, and might send someone after you, later on in the game.

It gives you the illusion of control, and I love that in a game.

Being able to play a game two times because you can choose 2 or more sides (factions or w/e) is what makes buying one worth it to me.

I like having alts in MMOs (altaholism :P), and playing the exact same storyline gets pretty boring after the second time.

This is why I mentioned SWTOR, because it will provide something that is, apparantly at the moment, not yet available on the MMO market.

Thanks for taking the time to reccommend a game to me, I really appreciate it

Have a nice day!

Schiz

artemisentr4 · December 2010

Originally posted by Schiznea
Aye I think there's been a slight misunderstanding, what I meant was indeed an immersive storyline, not player fabricated RP.

I seem to lack the imagination to romanticise a story like you do (I thoroughly enjoyed the 1 night in Darkfall story you wrote)

So I pretty much rely on storyline and plot developments.

I like PC-NPC roleplaying, where your roleplaying companion is the game, not another person.

I do like hanging out with people in MMOs but the whole RP thing is not for me.

Sorry for the misunderstanding, I also edited my original post so that people don't misunderstand again

So what I'm basicly looking for is a bioware type game, only an MMO.

I say bioware not because I exclusively like their games, but the stories in those games are just good.

Games like Fallout 1-3/NV, NWN 1/2, Baldur's Gate; where your actions and choices resound throughout the game and make for interesting situations later on.

An example is; You come across someone trying to rip you off, but you catch on to his scheme, and confront him. You can here and now choose to end his life, rip *him* off or just tell him to go away.

If you choose to kill him, people that know him will be upset, and might send someone after you, later on in the game.

It gives you the illusion of control, and I love that in a game.

Being able to play a game two times because you can choose 2 or more sides (factions or w/e) is what makes buying one worth it to me.

I like having alts in MMOs (altaholism :P), and playing the exact same storyline gets pretty boring after the second time.

This is why I mentioned SWTOR, because it will provide something that is, apparantly at the moment, not yet available on the MMO market.

Thanks for taking the time to reccommend a game to me, I really appreciate it

Have a nice day!

Schiz

You are basically stuck with SPG's for the storytelling and choice that you want. For another 6 months or so at least. No MMO has a PvE side like what you want.

I am like you as well. I have a difficult time in a sandbox creating my own story. The main problem is a lack of time, only a couple of hours a night. I played Darkfall for about two months at launch, and came back for a month with the NA server. I enjoyed the AI and combat mechanics. In fact, I would love to see a PvE story based off shoot of Darkfall. The PvP was fun and it did get the adrenaline pumping through your veins. But with the lack of time, I just couldn't do enough to stay relevant. I can't just PvP or grind mobs for PvE in a MMO.

I also tried Mortal Online a bit. They had a better idea with the skill system, but failed in creating much of a game. At least for me. And EVE was never something I enjoyed at all. I couldn't get past the ship is your character thing.

So SW:TOR will be that game with story. I have always wanted a BW MMO or an Oblivion MMO. So this will be the game for me long term. I just hope that the MMO features are as good as the RPG features will be. That we will have to wait for. And I wouldn't ignore GW2. That game looks to be a lot of fun as well. No where near the storytelling of BW, but the action game play with the dynamic world will be a great change up to the "standard" MMO combat.

Sid_Vicious · December 2010

As far as storytelling goes, Vanguard may be worth checking out in the meantime. There are many factions in Vanguard that even monsters have. If you arrive at some of the locations in their big open world, you can start to try and ignore the red mobs and kill all of the yellow/orange NPCs or mobs until you build up enough faction that the monsters will start to like you, and then quests become available from the monsters for leet gear or something. When you hit around level 40, you pretty much have to choose a mob faction to join if you want to do quests instead of camp mobs. There isn't really PVP in this game anymore though. There are quest-chains to do all over on each continent that you can do if you want to so if you get stuck or bored with one, you can go to a new area and take on entire new quest chains. The world is huge. You end up reading your quests a lot more than most games I have noticed because it can be important to. Very important actually . .. but back when I played you didn't know if the quest would end up being bugged. Its been around for a long time though and pretty sure all the quests work, but its finding others that could be a problem. It would be a lot more fun if you had one or two others to start out with you though.

Age of Conan sure has a hell of a lot of stories and movies but you dont choose whether youll be good or evil. Youll have to do the same quests as everyone else. I turned off floating numbers and the circles around the mobs among many other things and got a lot more into it but I didn't like how fast the quests were. I ended up feeling like I just had to follow the glowing things on the quest-tracker because I had to have the things on (I dont like them) otherwise I wouldnt find the NPCs I was looking for and it seemed like most of the time I was on auto-run on my way to some NPC on the minimap. Its a lot funner when you start to do something you want to do. The fatalities are fun to watch. It feels more like playing a cool character on a movie than most games, so maybe thats what you are looking for?

Since I dont like cartoonish games those top two are probably best choices for something to keep you busy doing quests or watching short movies for a few months.

Schiznea · January 2011

Thanks for the continued advice!

I'll check out Vanguard sometime after I finish playing Fallout New Vegas, it sounds fun

I actually remember thinking ''I have to get that game when it comes out'' about Vanguard, a long while ago.

Thanks for taking the time to reccommend a few games to me, it's appreciated

Have a great new year!

~Schiz

grimboj · January 2011

Ignore the lame advice.

The *only* game that has ever really caughty my attention was 'Guild Wars: Prophecy', it has a gripping storyline and the facility to solo or group with a MASSIVE player base. It might only take you 48 hours to complete but for a game you can pick up for $5 I would get it as a quick fix. After that you're out of luck, MMO developers just don't bother.

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