You wanted a story, you got it....a slow...linear....story

Community General Discussion
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I play MMO for the world. Make a great, large open world, make a great MMO. I play single player RPGs for the story. But so many of you over the years complain and want more story. Well now you got it.

The first hour of Shadowlands goes like this:

Talk to this NPC, then turn around and talk to this one, walk sslloowwllyy with this npc over here then talk to them for a cutscene. Kill some mobs then talk to this npc, a cutscene, then talk to this one, walk for a bit, then talk to another npc then a cutscene.

This does not go on for 5 to 10 minutes…
It goes on for almost an hour.

And just when you think it is about to open up once you get to Bastion, nope, walk with this npc, talk, then talk to another.

Here’s a summary of questing in Bastion:

• Clicking and inspiring people, over and over again
• bathing in water multiple times
• walking with and talking with NPCs, making this feel like interactive fiction
• listening to 5 minute speeches by NPCs
• No need for exploration. None.
• How many more times to we have to have self reflection on either our memories or other peoples memories, my goodness?

You know, if you are clever, you can have a story branch off into a couple different directions but the writers weren’t able to do that so you have the most linear story path I’ve ever seen in any game.

This is beyond questing on rails. They manage to one up the linear questing of Cata somehow.

The art and music are great as always.

You know what would be great? An expansion where they drop you into this massive, open wasteland and tell you to head out and explore. Explore a story as you go, not having your hand LITERALLY held.

Disappointed.

115 Likes
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And I’m loving every second of it.

134 Likes
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Yeah I got to bastion did a few quests and logged out. I might play some more this week but im not excited to do it.

31 Likes
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Plus, you basically aren’t even playing the character you’ve loved for so long. You aren’t using your class abilities, the talents you chose. Instead, you’re…talking to an NPC. You’re “inspiring” some downtrodden NPCs. You’re trying to keep a forge lit at optimum heat levels by throwing fuel on the fire and turning on vents. And yes, you’re walking with NPC’s who move very slowly so as to better “tell” you the story as they stroll along. That’s the game. That’s it folks.

37 Likes
5

A well written linear story, is still a great story.

48 Likes
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I’m enjoying it to be honest. The world, lore and story so far have seemed much better than some of the stuff we’ve gotten recently.

If anything its a nice change of pace from having to juggle 3 or so super grindy gimmicky systems.

42 Likes
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It’s been like this for years, why did you expect any different for Shadowlands? :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

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Ugh, I hated this quest. And you have to clean up their mess too. Yeah, not fun.

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It is what it is

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Its so boring and tedious. And dear lord the quest layout is horrendous. Here’s a feeder to talk to this guy…10 yards to my left.

19 Likes
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Hopefully there’ll be a skip option when you bring alts thru.

4 Likes
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It’s been pretty enjoyable so far. I think WoW players are too jump spam to be forced to read for a couple moments here and there.

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Who said it was well written?

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You weren’t joking ay? so you’re the one flagging me down haha. Well if I get someone upset enough to follow me around and flag me down I’m doing it right. Cheers old boy.

1 Like
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I’m getting the impression they’ve gone for more story based questing like in FF14 - but their writing staff isn’t as good and it’s suffering as a result.

Shows that to have a story based style, you actually need to know how to write a compelling story.

24 Likes
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A story is cheaper to make than a large open world. I think this game no longer wants to spend the $ required to make large open worlds.

I actually wouldn’t mind that, it not for the force feeding of the story they are doing. That I hate.

3 Likes
17

All of which is no worse than the usual pick up 10 poops, kill 12 dudes that were minding their own business, drive X animal to the brink of extension.

I’m not a fan of the full on rails experience, but geez guys the dramatics can chill. You’ll be 60 and afk in Oribos in a few days

17 Likes
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actually it is because killing and looting is active play

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Gonna be honest, you all sound like you’re complaining about something that has literally happened in every expansion since Mists of Pandaria. Why complain about it not even twelve hours into this particular expansion?

12 Likes
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It’s more of a development direction that make it like this I think. Their scope of development is hugh. Since it’s a totally new, never before seen, out of this world, massive place. They’ll need a long time to explain it all.

4 Likes