Story vs Choice and Justice

Valerien · July 2014

The more I play through the Veteran content the more disappointing the story becomes. Its a sad point that none of the choices you make in the game have any effect on how the game world (through the story and dialogue views you).

A case in point I am unfortunate to have contracted Vamprisim (as a nightblade its almost mandatory) and yet people will tell me how much they hate Vampires, how they would never trust them and never work with them. Oh but in the same breath ask me a Vampire for help. At the same time I have had options to say things like 'Your a Vampire, all Vampires are Evil I must kill you.' Really that doesn't seem like something a Vampire would say. The examples of this are almost countless, and makes me wonder why Vampires and Werewolves were made such a large part of the DC story when they are player choices.

Then there is the options available in the quests themselves, as I travel the land grinding through quests for Vet XP I am on the one hand a might assassin capable of killing demons and the like but should anyone ask me for help my only options are 'I would love to help you.... or Goodbye. One grants a quest worth some xp the other then requires me to go off and grind for hours to get some xp. All this time and effort spent on creating an amazing look world and play your way with a choice of skills and weapons and armour. Only when it comes to talking to NPCs you are in fact some sort of saint that helps people without question. And even when you complete what they asked/hired you to do keep helping them as they stand and watch you work.

And then the few choices you do get to make are often ignored anyway. There is a quest chain involving person two of the most annoying NPCs in any game ever Stibbons and Lady Laurent I have

Kill Stibbons and allowed a Ghost to take over his body
Turned the useless scum into a Goblin
Helped his replacement get the supplies

And yet there he still is as a statue I have to turn back and the two of them are unaware of how much I loath them. Which you can't blame them as the only option I have when speaking to this stuck up *** for the 4th time is how can I help.

Which shows just how little impact any of the choice in that quest chain or pretty much any quest chain you wish to mention have. For the most part there is only one option that of Yes I would love to help you save that kitten from a tree or whatever else. Don't even mention pay or payment or reward or anything I just love to help. And when there are choices it doesn't really mater cause if you do see the person again it will be ignored anyway.

And then when the Justice System is brought in its going to take us from a nice guy door mat who helps everyone to a biopolar nut job. People that have done nothing to me I can hunt and kill, merchants that sell me gear I can rob. The streets will no doubt run red with blood at the request of the dark brotherhood. But when it comes to interacting with NPCs once again I'm just happy to help. I don't even question why I have to keep sticking my neck out and saving towns and people for a couple of gold and maybe a piece of green gear.

The justice system will once again allow for expanding the philosophy of play how you want. Only none of this is taken over to the story experience where your personality is one up from boot lick scurying from one person to the next asking how you can help. And even if they talk to you like your scum or a traitor and have to prove yourself before they will even have you save the day you bend over backwards.

There needs to be a greater emphasis on offering a story thats more compelling and more self motivated. As it stands the game mechanics allow for so much choice while the story is the most bland uninspired experience going. The story should be driving the adventure and the experience not mindless dialogue that really makes no difference and you can be asked to kill a powerful mage or rescue a kitten and the option will always be the same I'd love to help for no reason other than I travel the land looking for people to help. But you wouldn't like me when I'm angry then I can go and kill scores of peasants but don't worry I still love to help.

ErilAq · July 2014

In the case of Vampires and Werewolves, if people refused to talk to you or give you quests because of your affliction, it would ruin the fun of the game. As to your oppinions of other vampires/WW, they could have in fact been done better, but I tend to RP them as from a rival family/pack, and helping the mortal just helps me in the long run ( a means to an end sort of deal) Saving towns is one of the annoying things honestly, there's a fine line between being a hero and then saving every town along the way.

I *hope* that down the line they make Vet zones more world pvp oriented, even if you can't actually kill another player ( flagged players would be optimal in my mind but i understand some may be totally against it), at least let us ransack and burn other alliance's towns, supplies, etc. It would tie in well with the moral system, and give us more of a tie with our alliance. I want to go on the offensive, be way more in the "grey" moral spectrum instead of constantly fighting to save towns from the other guys' attack. Make the Alliance War come to life, not just a constant defensive battle over and over again.

SootyTX · July 2014

100% agreed. Although I know people love to hate SWTOR (for whatever reasons I still don't understand) ESO should have taken several pages from Bioware's book on how to create an interactive hero story. No dialogue choices, apparently random changes in the PC's personality, complete disregard for things like vampirism or race.

Playing an Imperial through the latter stages of the DC story was hilariously ridiculous, from being told similar "I hate Imperials! Won't you help me?!" to having to wear a disguise that made me look EXACTLY the same as I did in my regular gear. I know that last is a game mechanic but it pretty much was the icing on the cake of how little thought had gone into the PC-to-NPC interactions that weren't simply firing fire bolts at them. Basically an entire zone that completely destroyed any sense of immersion and connection.

Halorin · July 2014

I hope the justice system sets the framework for a system where different factions can find you in their favor or out of it based on certain actions. It's hard to enable true meaningful change in quest lines where thousands of players go through them, but I think if you can suspend some disbelief you are faced with some interesting moral choices during some quest progressions.

I'd like to see some generalized dynamic quests that can influence your standing with different factions to unlock certain questlines, and I think that players who become werewolves or vampires should have some drawbacks in how the world sees them.

To me, that sort of consequence adds to the fun and does not ruin it. It adds immersion.

KariTR · July 2014

Haha, Stibbons and Lady Laurent are probably my two favourite recurring NPCs in the whole game. Your actions show how much you despise them; the fact they don't get it is just further proof of how self-centred they are.

Today I walked past a guard in an earlier zone (more convenient crafting stations) and got berated for my actions in a later zone! I had to think for a moment what event she was referring to but was totally awed by the fact she knew of my escapades, good or bad. News travels.

Without spoilers, I also had three pieces of evidence that I took to a certain king. From his reaction to my first piece of news, my character was able to decline to continue the conversation (or I could have kept blabbing). I would definitely like more of this type of option, but it is there.