Home Gaming Games don’t need plots according to game devs

Games don’t need plots according to game devs

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Denny Crane Dafuq

In quite a surprising presentation at GDC two lead developers have stated that games actually don’t really need plots as no one cares about the plot in a game.

According to a report on IGN both Tom Abernathy from Riot Games and Microsoft’s Richard Rouse III gave a wide-ranging presentation on the story arc and characters in a game entitled “Death to the Three Act-Structure”

According to extensive research it has been found that gamers rarely remember or care about the plot in games. What really resonates with them are the characters and it is more important to focus on your character development than the actual plot of a game.

According to the research people are easily able to explain the plot of their favourite movies or TV series however when it comes to games people are less able to. Not to mention only around a third of people who buy games manage to finish them.

Now I believe this is one of those BS studies that is studying correlation and not cause. The problem is not that people are not focusing on the plot but rather that people are getting bored of the story and not completing the game. This is why they remember the character more than the plot.

I can remember all the stories of the games I’ve finished and the stories are excellent and are why I completed the games. However games like Titanfall which has all its focus on characters and little on story end up making the campaign tedious.

So while I’ve never made a game myself and I respect these two developers I can’t help but disagree with them.

But more importantly how do you feel about this?

Last Updated: March 18, 2014

177 Comments

  1. Jedi JJ

    March 18, 2014 at 11:05

    Please everyone. Let’s not get creative here! No one wants something creative.

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      March 18, 2014 at 11:11

      Yes, it’s not cost-effective.

      Reply

    • Kensei Seraph

      March 18, 2014 at 11:11

      Lol

      Reply

  2. Captain Hobbit Popper

    March 18, 2014 at 11:06

    .. O_o .. I think its better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

    Reply

  3. CypherGate

    March 18, 2014 at 11:06

    Not all games really need some in depth plot and story. Look at Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+. Amazing game (when competing) or what about games like Tetris? Or pinball. They dont really need plots, but on one hand i love a game with a great plot and story line. Mass Effect anyone!?!?!?!

    Reply

    • Kensei Seraph

      March 18, 2014 at 11:11

      True, but those focused solely on game play, something that seems to be a bit lacking in some games along with plot.

      Reply

      • CypherGate

        March 18, 2014 at 11:14

        These days the formula is Graphics 90% + Gameplay 5% + Story 5%. There are a lot of games that has no real balance when it comes to these three things.

        Reply

        • Kensei Seraph

          March 18, 2014 at 11:17

          The formula is a little off.
          Graphics 80% + Gameplay 3,5% + Story 1,5% + Animal AI 7,5% + Boob Physics 7,5%.

          I’m just glad that there are some dev’s who don’t follow the formula.

          Reply

          • CypherGate

            March 18, 2014 at 11:18

            Lol ok thats a better formula and that makes better sense. Thumbs up to ya

          • Admiral Chief of comments

            March 18, 2014 at 11:30

            Aye, hit the nail on the head there

  4. Hammersteyn

    March 18, 2014 at 11:08

    • RinceIsIngwer

      March 18, 2014 at 11:18

      Hey Leo, you win an Oscar this year? 😉

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        March 18, 2014 at 11:19

        LOL!!!!!

        Reply

      • Acornbread

        March 18, 2014 at 11:24

        That’s cold. 😛

        Reply

        • RinceIsIngwer

          March 18, 2014 at 11:26

          Heheheh 😉

          Reply

  5. HvR

    March 18, 2014 at 11:09

    What do expect from a guy called Richard Rouse III, his family couldn’t even bother to come up with a new name for three generations.

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      March 18, 2014 at 11:11

      lol!

      Reply

    • RinceIsIngwer

      March 18, 2014 at 11:18

      HAHAHAH!

      Reply

    • Admiral Chief of comments

      March 18, 2014 at 11:29

      This gets my vote for comment of the week!

      Reply

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      March 18, 2014 at 11:49

      That creativity! 😛

      Reply

  6. Kromas

    March 18, 2014 at 11:09

    Gamers don’t care about plot because there are no games with a plot. The exception to the rules are TLOU (won many game of the year stuff I wonder why),Bioshock Infinite (also loads of awards) and Mass Effect (shall we bring up the whole ending thing?).

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      March 18, 2014 at 11:10

      The plot thickens…

      Reply

  7. Kensei Seraph

    March 18, 2014 at 11:09

    The header so perfectly summaries how I feel that I’m reposting it.
    http://imageslgmr.lazygamer.netdna-cdn.com/2014/03/DennyCraneDafuq.jpg

    Personally I like a good plot, one that is hard to predict.
    If it’s simple and I can say to myself “Oh that’s what’s going to happen next. Well I was right.” then I’m almost guaranteed to lose interest.

    Reply

  8. VampyreSquirrel

    March 18, 2014 at 11:10

    If the story sucks, and the game gets boring, goes on the shelf or in the box, until such time that I trade it in or sell it.

    The plot and story is very important to me, explains why I’ve only finished so many games.

    Reply

    • HvR

      March 18, 2014 at 11:11

      Plot will even let me overlook bad controls, bugs or generic gameplay.

      Latest good example is Spec Ops The Line.

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        March 18, 2014 at 11:11

        Very good game that!

        Reply

        • Axon1988

          March 18, 2014 at 11:12

          Or S.t.a.l.k.e.r trilogy. Buggy games, but that atmosphere, unique setting and pretty good story made up for it all.

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            March 18, 2014 at 11:17

            On my list. Really it is!

          • Admiral Chief of comments

            March 18, 2014 at 11:29

            SHUNNNNNNNNNED I SAY

            You MUST jam those games!

          • Axon1988

            March 18, 2014 at 11:33

            Like yesterday! Actually, talking about yesterday, I was going through the lost alpha test forum. Looked at some more pics and wow that mod is now looking awesome! So EXCITE

          • Admiral Chief of comments

            March 18, 2014 at 11:29

            You said it dude!

      • VampyreSquirrel

        March 18, 2014 at 11:12

        Agreed.

        Reply

      • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

        March 18, 2014 at 11:14

        Amen sir!

        Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        March 18, 2014 at 11:26

        +1 bajilliongajillionmillion upvotes.

        Reply

      • Admiral Chief of comments

        March 18, 2014 at 11:29

        Well put, even the “consolified gameplay” (yes, thats a term) made me overlook the brilliance of that story!

        Reply

        • HvR

          March 18, 2014 at 11:38

          I played it on PS3 and even on console the controls were off.

          I wish they can develop few Tom Clancy games the same way.

          Reply

    • Kensei Seraph

      March 18, 2014 at 11:13

      Agreed.
      Although I usually keep it so that I can continue playing if I get bored enough.

      Reply

      • VampyreSquirrel

        March 18, 2014 at 11:32

        Playing a boring game when bored? Noooo ways I can do that.

        Reply

        • Kensei Seraph

          March 18, 2014 at 11:39

          Hey it’s inspiration to find something more interesting to do.
          Like dwarf bread.

          Reply

    • Kromas

      March 18, 2014 at 11:15

      Also the reason I can never finish a porno. The plot is too weak and the acting is horrible. 😛

      Reply

      • HvR

        March 18, 2014 at 11:15

        Yet the character development is upstanding.

        Reply

        • Kromas

          March 18, 2014 at 11:16

          Indeed.

          Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        March 18, 2014 at 11:16

        I tend to finish before the end……no wait!

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief of comments

          March 18, 2014 at 11:17

          HAHA, busted

          Reply

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            March 18, 2014 at 11:25

            a nut?

          • Admiral Chief of comments

            March 18, 2014 at 11:28

            Explain that to Rince, he thinks bust a nut means something about thinking or something

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            March 18, 2014 at 11:30

            “Well, when a boy & a porn movie fall in love…”

          • Admiral Chief of comments

            March 18, 2014 at 11:30

            XD

      • HvR

        March 18, 2014 at 11:19

        On a serious note it is actually worrying how the gaming industry is gravitating towards to porn industry recipe.

        Instant gratification, generic copy and paste recipes for games and pay-as-you-consume.

        Reply

        • Kromas

          March 18, 2014 at 11:25

          Where all the plumbers are the same. 😛

          Reply

          • VampyreSquirrel

            March 18, 2014 at 11:32

            Mario and Luigi aren’t the same!

          • RinceIsIngwer

            March 18, 2014 at 11:38

            But! Other than the colour! 0-O Brainplosion!

          • VampyreSquirrel

            March 18, 2014 at 11:52

            That’s the old Mario and Luigi… new and improved ones look different…

            http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140221224337/nintendo/en/images/f/f4/The_Mario_Bros..jpeg

          • RinceIsIngwer

            March 18, 2014 at 11:57

            You are correct of course, they DO look different 0-O

        • Aussious

          March 18, 2014 at 21:30

          Lol sad but true pornos used to have storylines once upon a time… If Titanfall is a taste of things to come then I’ m afraid I won’t be gaming long.

          Reply

    • TiMsTeR

      March 18, 2014 at 12:17

      THE BOX OF SHAME!

      Reply

  9. Alien Emperor Trevor

    March 18, 2014 at 11:10

    You can’t have interesting characters without putting them in a story. A character bio is not enough.

    It also depends on the type of game. I’d get rather annoyed if my RPG didn’t have a story, I don’t give a crap that Loadout doesn’t have one.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      March 18, 2014 at 11:11

      I get the feeling they want to kill of SP so they can COD everything to death.

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        March 18, 2014 at 11:25

        That wouldn’t surprise me, a lot of publishers are trying to push everything online.

        Reply

      • Willem Swanepoel

        March 18, 2014 at 11:29

        They realised that the youth is getting stupid and can be entertained by stupid pointless games like CoD.

        Activision made billions doing this with CoD. Why not abusing it to make more money ?!

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          March 18, 2014 at 11:34

          Started a while back with the absence of point and click games.

          Reply

    • Aussious

      March 18, 2014 at 21:31

      Precisely how can you have characters without a premise?

      Reply

  10. Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

    March 18, 2014 at 11:11

    Now that’s pure and unadulterated bullshit. As Gavin pointed out, correlation does not indicate causation. Plot is integral in character development. You can’t develop a character in isolation or in a vacuum. You need to have something that ties it all together, and that’s why a good narrative works so well. Last of Us is a perfect example of this. It uses a fairly simple storyline to facilitate character development, and at the end, you either identify with the characters or you shed a tear at how stunning it all was.

    But if this is MIcrosoft’s attempt to shove always-online brogamer games down our throats, then here’s a hearty Fuck you to them.

    Reply

    • iAmWeasel

      March 18, 2014 at 11:28

      I don’t think it’s BS at all. I can barely think of a single game where the story stuck with me enough to remember it to this day. On the other hand movies are the complete opposite. For me to a consider a game good, I have to enjoy playing it. Understanding or following the story is often secondary. There have been countless games that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed without paying much attention at all to the story.

      Reply

      • Willem Swanepoel

        March 18, 2014 at 11:32

        I know a few people that does not even watch cut scenes in games. They just play the game…but to say Gamers do not care is Bullshit.

        Reply

        • iAmWeasel

          March 18, 2014 at 11:36

          If there’s an interesting story then it can add good value to a game.. I’m not disputing this. But the fact remains that games do not need a strong story for them to be good – which I believe is the point the devs were trying to make. Take Gears of War for example. I’ve recently started playing it for the first time, and the story is the drabbest most uninteresting crap I’ve ever witnessed… yet it scored 94 on metacritic – this score suggests that game critics thought it was one of the best games ever made.

          Reply

          • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

            March 18, 2014 at 11:43

            The first Gears of War actually had a pretty coherent narrative, from Marcus being re-enlisted and trying to understand his father’s involvement in the war. You also knew who the main antagonist was – Good ol’ General Raam.

            Where they did lose the plot though was from Gears of War 2 onwards, with 3 being the weakest narratively. Although Judgement is apparently really crap, but I didn’t bother to get it.

          • iAmWeasel

            March 18, 2014 at 12:01

            Gears of War 2 and 3 also scored 90+ regardless of being worse in that aspect. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I think if you revisit Gears 1 now you might find the story a lot less interesting. Its pretty thin in my view.

      • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

        March 18, 2014 at 11:40

        Sounds like a case of different genres, different gamers.

        I’ve always been an RTS and RPG gamer, so for me the story is extremely important. I generally don’t care too much for graphics, but it is a bonus when you have a stunning engine to showcase your fantasy world.

        For modern shooters however, the story doesn’t matter. Take Battlefield 3, to this day, I haven’t bothered to finish the campaign, and I doubt I ever will. Why? Because the story is absolutely crap.

        There’s no character development, except for run down corridor, pew pew, open door, run down corridor pew pew…

        Battlefield 4 had a better plot, and I actually wanted to finish the game. The same was true for Call of Duty Black Ops I, I actually wanted to see how it ends. Killzone 2 and 3 also had a pretty decent storyline, and I loved how the world was imagined. Shadow Fall as well, although I still think the focus should have been on Maya Visari, and the plight of the Helghast. There was a much better story to be told.

        Fellow RPG gamers will tell you that yes, they play for the story and the characters, FPS gamers on the other hand probably don’t care beyond the next explosion or something something America… something something terrorist cell….

        Reply

        • HvR

          March 18, 2014 at 11:45

          BF3 not so spoiler you stop the main terrorist guy during a QTE fight just before they get a chance to detonate the A-bomb in the American city.

          Reply

          • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

            March 18, 2014 at 11:48

            So essentially… “something something… ‘murica… something something Tom Clancy… something something terrorist cell… something something… Putin…something something…. Nuclear bomb”

          • HvR

            March 18, 2014 at 11:56

            Yes except they went with Russian actually good in this one

          • RinceIsIngwer

            March 18, 2014 at 11:59

            That’s blockbuster material there son…

        • iAmWeasel

          March 18, 2014 at 11:53

          I don’t think it’s a genre thing. I’ve played and enjoyed just about every genre including RPGs such as Diablo 1 & 2, Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, the Witcher, all sorts. Honestly I couldn’t tell you now what happened in any of those game’s stories. Yes I paid attention to the story, and it added some interest to the game, but the actual gameplay and objectives and challenges within the game are what kept me interested. I played a ton of Skyrim because I got a kick out of leveling up and becoming stronger.. not because I found it interesting to hear about some random artifact which I needed to locate in a cave somewhere. I believe if you look at it carefully you will find that most games, including ones considered good, have very weak and basic narratives that would not pass if it weren’t incorporated into a game.

          Reply

    • Aussious

      March 18, 2014 at 21:46

      En ek stem saam! The Last of Us sales numbers recently just came out and the game did 6M, so undoubtedly there’s still a huge sector of gamers that want that sort of experience. Personally I get little or no satisfaction from competing against strangers online for hours for imaginary trophies but thats just me. story and gaming go hand to hand when it comes to the experience for me, heck I remember how hard I used to game back in the TV game days before CG FMV’s just for bits of story told using one still and moving text…

      Reply

  11. UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy

    March 18, 2014 at 11:13

    To be honest online games like BF and COD really don’t need a storyline. Buy it and go frag some noobs.

    SP games however need a proper and good quality story line.

    Reply

    • Axon1988

      March 18, 2014 at 11:31

      Unless it’s Just Cause 2…

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief of comments

        March 18, 2014 at 11:33

        Hey, the story there was kinda ok-ish, dat crazy gameplay though!!!

        Reply

  12. Admiral Chief of comments

    March 18, 2014 at 11:16

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      March 18, 2014 at 11:27

      Hahaha I couldn’t have said it better! This single animated gif just sums up my position on this… perfectly!

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief of comments

        March 18, 2014 at 11:28

        🙂

        Reply

  13. Acornbread

    March 18, 2014 at 11:16

    “The problem is not that people are not focusing on the plot but rather
    that people are getting bored of the story and not completing the game.”

    Exactly. Rihanna Pratchett recently pointed out that game writing tends to get tacked on at an advanced stage of a project and the quality of the story inevitably suffers. What’s needed is for story and character development to be integrated as early as possible, to have writers collaborate with the devs instead of just being hired to ‘add some story.’

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      March 18, 2014 at 11:20

      And that’s why she’s one of my favourite people in gaming, because she talks sense.

      Reply

      • Sk3tz0

        March 18, 2014 at 11:21

        That because her dad made her AWESOME!!!

        Reply

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          March 18, 2014 at 11:22

          Nah dude, she’s awesome all by herself. That’s just an added bonus.

          Reply

  14. Admiral Chief of comments

    March 18, 2014 at 11:17

    Good story is WAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY more important to me

    Reply

  15. derp

    March 18, 2014 at 11:18

    What if I told you that story, gameplay and graphics are all important elements?

    Reply

    • Kensei Seraph

      March 18, 2014 at 11:20

      They’d say “You’re part of the unwashed, uneducated masses who don’t know what you want from a game let alone how to make one of those games.”
      I’m paraphrasing of course since the PR department will make it more pretty.

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        March 18, 2014 at 11:56

        “We don’t want to tell gamers a story, we want to have a dialogue with them.”

        Reply

  16. RinceIsIngwer

    March 18, 2014 at 11:20

    Have to disagree. One of the biggest games last gen was TLOU because of both characters and plot. To me you need both in order to have both actually work. Great character and shitty plot, not going to have much logical time to investigate the character. Look at Mass Effect!

    Reply

    • derp

      March 18, 2014 at 11:26

      >2012+2
      >Still cannot understand the plot of Mass Effect

      Reply

      • Kromas

        March 18, 2014 at 11:28

        Aliens invade earth and steal all the chicks. It is up to you to beat them cause you have no gum left…. oh wait.That’s Duke Nukem.

        Reply

    • Rags

      March 18, 2014 at 11:26

      That said, Mass Effect had very strong characters. They where perhaps more developed than the plot. But that’s debatable. IMO they struck the perfect balance between gameplay, plot and character development.

      Reply

    • Willem Swanepoel

      March 18, 2014 at 11:26

      Hmm, not sure if you are dissing Mass Effect or praising it for having a good plot and character development 😉

      Reply

      • RinceIsIngwer

        March 18, 2014 at 11:30

        Haha. No, I was using it as an example of a perfect balance between strong plot and characters. And… TAAAALI!

        Reply

        • Willem Swanepoel

          March 18, 2014 at 11:41

          Mass Effect story is still sitting with me and I have finished the game when ME3 released.

          Another one is Witcher series (using Witcher 2 as an example)

          Reply

          • RinceIsIngwer

            March 18, 2014 at 11:44

            Witcher 2 stole my soul. Now have an A2 canvas print of it on my wall. AWESOME.

          • Rags

            March 18, 2014 at 11:45

          • RinceIsIngwer

            March 18, 2014 at 11:53

            Oh hell… Bye bye money…

          • Guest

            March 18, 2014 at 14:13

            Speaking of the Bioware Store, have any of you in SA bought anything from it?
            I wanted to buy a few things but was hesitant because I’m not sure how reliable their shipping is and if I’ll get charged an arm and a leg at customs.
            Also, if you have, how long was the delivery time?

          • Rags

            March 18, 2014 at 16:00

            I have about 12 lithographs from Bioware store. I’ve had no problem with shipping thus far, and by looking at the forums postnet is much better than the local us deliveries(leaving lithographs in the snow). Customs are expensive. Can’t remember the exact figure but its around 35% iirc and payable when collecting at the post office.

            Even had some of my lithographs shipped to hollywoodposterframes.com for framing and then sent to me without issue 🙂 American customer service is unmatched.

            And the one above, I have the LE version incoming. Already paid for R800 something randelas :<

          • Guest

            March 18, 2014 at 17:13

            Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

            Now what to buy…
            I wanted an N7 hoodie and a coffee mug and an N7 tank top for the gf and some lithographs and…damn you Rags 😉

  17. Sk3tz0

    March 18, 2014 at 11:20

    Depends on the game really.. Multiplayers like CoD, Battlefield, they like porn they dont need plots.because every1 cares more for the Multiplayer.. But games like Last of Us, Stick of truth, GTA 5.. they need plots..

    Reply

    • derp

      March 18, 2014 at 11:23

      +1 for the epic comparison.

      Reply

    • Willem Swanepoel

      March 18, 2014 at 11:23

      I have seen porn movies with good plots. It can be done 😉

      Reply

      • Weanerdog

        March 18, 2014 at 11:30

        Can you name them, research will have to be done.

        Reply

        • Willem Swanepoel

          March 18, 2014 at 11:43

          It is called Pirates 😉

          Reply

          • Weanerdog

            March 18, 2014 at 18:37

            Movies normally refers to more than one, but I remember an interesting story about that movie as they were planning on doing a screening at a university in the states because they claimed that due to the fact that it contained an actual story (I reserve judgement on “good” or not till I have seen it) that it could be screened as it therefore should be classed as an art movie and not pure porn. The powers that be were having none of it and it was pulled a couple of days before screening.

          • Willem Swanepoel

            March 19, 2014 at 17:55

            Google the others you lazy shit 🙂

          • Weanerdog

            March 19, 2014 at 20:31

            😛

      • Rags

        March 18, 2014 at 11:30

        Name one! 😀

        Reply

        • Willem Swanepoel

          March 18, 2014 at 11:41

          Pirates

          Reply

          • Rags

            March 18, 2014 at 11:44

            Ah, yes.

  18. Willem Swanepoel

    March 18, 2014 at 11:20

    They should stop using Americans as test subjects … The rest of the world is completely different!!!!

    Reply

    • Kensei Seraph

      March 18, 2014 at 11:21

      That Nationist! True but still Nationist.

      Reply

      • VampyreSquirrel

        March 18, 2014 at 11:40

        That’s not Nationist… it’s just showing that… ok it’s Nationist against Nationists

        Reply

    • Jedi JJ

      March 18, 2014 at 11:27

      Don’t be silly. Everyone knows there are no other countries outside the US

      Reply

  19. Ultimo_Cleric N7

    March 18, 2014 at 11:22

    Dumbest thing I have ever heard of in my life…….Probably the ONLY reason I remember or enjoy games is for the plot. Yes, there are some games that are Multiplayer and dont need one. Granted. But honestly if you look at the top games of the last 10 years, MOST of them will be plot driven.
    Those okes are on drugs.

    Reply

  20. Jaded_Reprobate

    March 18, 2014 at 11:22

    What is the point of a game without a plot? if a story wasn’t being told… i don’t see how the game could progress in anyway…

    Reply

  21. Unavengedavo(aka. Bilbo)

    March 18, 2014 at 11:23

    Thomas was Alone

    (still need to get this though)

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief of comments

      March 18, 2014 at 11:33

      Dude, dude, DUUUUUUUDE, so damn good.

      Really, get into it!

      Reply

  22. Labey-Kun

    March 18, 2014 at 11:27

    Who are these “test subjects” they use to get their study results because I would love to know. The perfect game that had a awesome plot and didn’t require multiplayer was the Mass Effect Trilogy I think the Multiplayer in Mass Effect 3 was just a bonus to say thanks and to keep the franchise alive long as possible.

    Reply

    • derp

      March 18, 2014 at 11:29

      A kindred spirit 😛

      Reply

  23. Rags

    March 18, 2014 at 11:29

    Like you said, it depends on the genre. Some games just don’t need it and forcing a plot on those who don’t is not a good idea.

    Reply

  24. Weanerdog

    March 18, 2014 at 11:33

    Make games with weak plot, ask people if the plot was the most memorable part of the game. Conclude that plot does not matter.

    Reply

    • RinceIsIngwer

      March 18, 2014 at 11:36

      Agreed.

      Reply

  25. Willem Swanepoel

    March 18, 2014 at 11:37

    To be honest, I used to care about gameplay and graphics and all that fancy stuff a lot more when I was younger. I was actually focused in competitive gaming.

    Now I am more about character development, story and the other jazzz.

    The thing is.

    Id rather have an AWESOME game (fun mechanics, awesome gameplay etc.) with no plot than a shit game with crappy gameplay with an awesome interesting plot.

    Good example is The Witcher 1.

    The Witcher 1 got a very good plot, character development and story but the gameplay is shit and it is frustrating to play the game and it is very hard to keep moving forward, only reason why I am going through the pain is to get my save game I want for Witcher 2 ….

    Reply

    • RinceIsIngwer

      March 18, 2014 at 11:40

      Witcher 2 for the win!

      Reply

      • Willem Swanepoel

        March 18, 2014 at 11:45

        Actually, I have proven myself wrong.

        It is possible to finish a game with shit gameplay when you have a good story… DOH

        Reply

  26. JJNutter

    March 18, 2014 at 11:41

    Pew Pew Bang Bang
    Boooom
    Ka Pow

    See how interesting that was without any plot to it :/

    Reply

    • Jedi JJ

      March 18, 2014 at 11:42

      Please. More.
      I’m riveted.

      Reply

    • Kensei Seraph

      March 18, 2014 at 11:42

      Obviously not enough graphics.

      Reply

      • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

        March 18, 2014 at 12:12

        Need more Bay-splosions!

        Reply

    • ToshZA

      March 18, 2014 at 12:19

      You missed introducing the guy doing all that. His name is Arnie, he’s as dumb as a brick but wants to pew pew pew anything that moves and most things that don’t.

      FUN!!!!!!!!!!

      Reply

  27. Jackie

    March 18, 2014 at 11:43

    Utter BS!

    Reply

  28. El Capitan del Blade

    March 18, 2014 at 11:44

    Personally I can forgive less than Stellar mechanics and Gameplay if the Story and Atmosphere Of the game sucks me in… Example, looking back (and recently attempting a replay) System Shock 2 was very clunky. But the story and atmosphere are what drive me to completion. I wouldn’t have Ever finished The Witcher 1, if the story was lacking.

    Command and Conquer 4. The Mechanics were terrible, And the Story was weak, never finished it…

    Convoluted Mess Aside. A Good Story is the most important aspect for me.

    Final Example: Spec Ops the Line. Mechanically, gameplay wise, It’s a cover based shooter, like every other action game and it’s brother. But the Story, the way it made me Feel. That kept me awake, playing until 4 A.M…

    Reply

  29. TiMsTeR

    March 18, 2014 at 11:45

    WTF! The plot is incredibly important you stupid F*%ks! I mean imagine so many games with no plot.
    Farcry 3: Lets kills people and animals and have sex with tribal girl at the end.
    GTAV: Kill people, ride over people,steal cars for no reason at all.
    Maxpayne 3: you protect important people for no reason, and kill men in miliary gear see a guy burnt alive for no reason and pop painkillers like smarties for no reason, oh and you can make the world slow down for no reason…

    Reply

    • El Capitan del Blade

      March 18, 2014 at 11:48

      Loved the Neo-noir, David Fincher-esque take in Max Payne 3…

      Reply

    • Jedi JJ

      March 18, 2014 at 11:48

      FarCry 3’s saving grace was Vaas. Though the gameplay was great fun.

      Reply

      • HvR

        March 18, 2014 at 11:55

        Vaas definitely stole the show but I liked their use of music during certain parts, the first missions were you save you friends, burn the drug fields, the stranded tanker.

        Big criticisms was the lack of backstory in the hidden letters and the unused settings on the first island, like some of the temples, that big cross on the hill.

        Reply

        • Jedi JJ

          March 18, 2014 at 12:14

          Quite true. I wondered sometimes whether I’d missed something.

          Reply

        • TiMsTeR

          March 18, 2014 at 12:16

          It felt like they got lazy after awhile and thought “Shit what happens next?? fill it up with missions shooting bad guys and stuff”

          Reply

          • HvR

            March 18, 2014 at 12:28

            They probably hired Beavis and Butthead mentioned in the article as consultants half way through development.

    • HvR

      March 18, 2014 at 11:48

      And when does Far Cry 3 stop being fun, when you go to the 2nd island and the generic plot-line kicks in.

      Reply

      • Jedi JJ

        March 18, 2014 at 11:49

        Agreed!

        Reply

      • TiMsTeR

        March 18, 2014 at 12:12

        Exactly!

        Reply

  30. Umar Praise The Golden Sun

    March 18, 2014 at 11:49

    I can’t disagree wholeheartedly you know. When I look back at TLOU, Joel and Ellie stick out more in my mind than the overall plot.

    Reply

  31. SheHulkNigri

    March 18, 2014 at 11:50

    If I want an engaging story, awesome plot etc I read a book, watch a movie or a TV show. If I want to bash the heads in of bad guys, blast alien invaders to kingdom come or fight a war, I play games.

    Reply

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      March 18, 2014 at 11:52

      Why not combine all? Games can have an engaging story with an amazing plot, with extremely well-realized characters, AND bring the violence to mind-melting awesome levels… That’s what makes it such an interesting platform.

      It can do what movies can’t. BOOKS> GAMES > MOVIES > TV!

      Reply

      • HvR

        March 18, 2014 at 11:58

        Only hope is 2K it seems, the only place where creativity and big money meet.

        Reply

      • SheHulkNigri

        March 18, 2014 at 12:03

        With all due love and respect in the world, it can’t. Not for me, at least.

        Reply

  32. Rock789

    March 18, 2014 at 12:01

    Bollocks! Sheer and utter bollocks! No one remembers the plot in most games because most games have utter rubbish plots! The most memorable games are the ones with the most memorable plots (I still remember quite vividly the plot of “Riven” and how it ended (multiple endings, by the way) as I thought it was brilliant. Same goes for games like “Blade Runner” and, more recently, “Deus Ex: Human Revolution” and “Mass Effect” – the entire saga, not only 3, before all the ME3 ending haters emerge).

    And the first person to point to a Battlefield / COD game and say “that’s a great plot” will be shot in the ass!

    Reply

    • RinceIsIngwer

      March 18, 2014 at 12:23

      And Metro:Last Bite!

      Reply

    • SheHulkNigri

      March 18, 2014 at 12:25

      Hey, I thought the Russians invading the US plot of MW2 was quite nice.

      Reply

      • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

        March 18, 2014 at 12:31

        I’d like a game where America invades Russia, and you’re a lone Russian plumber who has to fight off the dirty American invaders. Damnit Putin… invest in the local Russian games industry!

        Reply

        • SheHulkNigri

          March 18, 2014 at 15:11

          Play Freedom Fighters then. Just imagine all the Russian speaking people are Americans being funny.

          The game is set in an alternate history where the Soviet Union has invaded and occupied New York City. The player takes the role of Christopher Stone, a plumber-turned American Resistance movement leader fighting against the invaders.

          Reply

          • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

            March 18, 2014 at 20:10

            Freedom Fighters was an awesome game. I still have it lol.

      • Rock789

        March 18, 2014 at 12:55

        **takes aim** 🙂

        Nah, that’s cool. To each their own. But COD is built on the Hollywood / Baysplosion action principal – most of the plot and characters are forgettable. Great action game, but VERY limited when it comes to story. You mostly remember the famous actor who did the voice of the character, not the character itself. Yes, there are exceptions to the COD formula… But they are rare.

        Reply

  33. Brenz

    March 18, 2014 at 12:13

    Dumbest statement of the year thus far.
    I have stopped a number of games due to poor plot and bad developing story.

    Reply

  34. DrKiller

    March 18, 2014 at 12:17

    I think this guy lost the plot…

    Reply

  35. Xcalibersa

    March 18, 2014 at 12:21

    Plot 1: Save world
    Plot 2: Save something
    Plot 3: Run

    Reply

  36. Gobz

    March 18, 2014 at 12:26

    To be fair here, I’m one of those who couldn’t give two shits about story…Unpopular opinion and all but you know, that’s why I read my books and that’s why I watch movies…but, I appreciate that there are many people who do like a good story in their games so all I ask is for the love of god let me skip cinematics or at least have more gameplay than story.

    Reply

  37. Brady miaau

    March 18, 2014 at 12:30

    I love good stories in games, feels like an interactive book, a “choose your own adventure”, go to page 35 if you want to cross the bridge, or page 92 if you continue up the river

    That said, I enhance the stories in my head based on the game and the world, so I get TWICE the joy out of a good story.

    Reply

  38. iAmWeasel

    March 18, 2014 at 12:33

    You guys are all assuming that you share the same enthusiasm for games vs the greater majority of gamers who don’t. Lets not forget that the Wii is the biggest selling console of all time. How many mind blowing stories are on offer on the Wii? Anyone?

    Reply

  39. Alex Hicks

    March 18, 2014 at 12:46

    All those comments below talking about great games that had a crap plot … have you wondered about how much better the game would have been had there been a proper plot? Imagine playing Far Cry 3; with a character’s whose story actually made sense, was engaging and interesting. Suddenly whats-his-name becomes as important as Vaas; and the game goes from a feeling at the end of “well, that was awesome fun” to “why the hell does it have to end?”

    The study is fundamentally flawed. To get a more useful result (and the following scenario is nigh on impossible) they should have created test cases of very similar gameplay mechanics, built a proper story; a weak story and no story and tested the reactions to the games with different groups of subjects exposed to different combinations of each of the 3 games.

    Of course you can’t do that, but if you could ….

    Reply

  40. Craig "Crios" Boonzaier

    March 18, 2014 at 12:49

    My main reason for buying games is because of a good story, plot and lore. I do the same for movies, series and books. It’s one of the main reasons I love the Diablo series, is beacuse the lore and canon are so damn good. Then again I own the latest COD, so my opinion can be somewhat flawed.

    Reply

    • Tauriq Moosa

      March 18, 2014 at 13:02

      Just as you watch one film for the action, and another for the story, characters, etc., so it is with games. We want different things – not just as individual people but also from games themselves. They need not be uniform in their intention and I, personally, would hate it if all games focused on the same things to the same degree.

      Reply

  41. Tauriq Moosa

    March 18, 2014 at 12:50

    I would need to know what is meant by “plot”: for example, there wasnt much plot in GONE HOME, but it’s memorable and beautiful. Ditto for GTA. Of course, plots in general can all be simplified to saying they don’t really matter but that could be me being unnecessarily mean. Anyway, it depends.

    Reply

  42. flushtwice

    March 18, 2014 at 13:01

    I’d say it’s too early for an April Fool’s joke… but, a brilliant discussion starter none the less.

    Reply

  43. JHN

    March 18, 2014 at 13:07

    Looks like MS just making excuses for making kak games. Plot is the only reason i keep going in a game.

    Reply

  44. WhiteRock

    March 18, 2014 at 13:14

    I think we need more Call of Duty clones for their character development and…uuh…uhmm…damn – I seem to have lost the plot…

    Reply

  45. FoxOneZA

    March 18, 2014 at 13:45

    Richard Rouse III? Did he just pop out from the Animus?

    Reply

  46. Devourer of Small Bunnies

    March 18, 2014 at 15:16

    WTAF.

    Reply

  47. Aussious

    March 18, 2014 at 18:32

    Personally its mostly frustrating gameplay that has had me quit a game before completion.

    Reply

  48. Tester

    March 18, 2014 at 20:14

    No, games don’t NEED plots.

    Reply

  49. Aussious

    March 18, 2014 at 22:01

    Its funny because I remember back in the day when multiplayer was me and 4 friends passing the controller around while we made our way through Metal Gear Solid or Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. I still recon its the best way to finish games and still appreciate the story without ever really getting bored, stuck or just frustrated because you don’t like solving puzzles give it to your friend, hate all the rail shooter parts hand the controller to your brother… It worked and everyone got to enjoy the narrative aswell. This can expand this idea online where perhaps you and a group of your friends online can sit and enjoy clocking a game together instead of having us play the same recycled deathmatch or horde mode over and over again…

    Reply

  50. Garrus Vakarian

    March 19, 2014 at 03:12

    This is why games get worse year after year. Devs are so lazy that they are prepared to write off one of the key factors to a good game.

    Reply

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