Plot/questing is linear/uniform - will this change before launch?

[skrelk]

So, I was expecting a sandbox/exploration game that allows the player to forge their own path (i.e. the description of the game). So, it was disappointing to get into the game and first be dumped into a "the witches wiped your memory and also your a prodigy" plot. But upon getting off the island, I'm met by an apparition that starts me on a "Your a demon hunter! Hunt the world-destroying demon" quest.

So, is this linearity/uniformity "everyone is the hero" thing gonna stick through launch, or is it an alpha placeholder?

[Karamasha]

I must say I'm kinda disappointed of this Character story stuff too, in my head my character is not a demon hunter nor does he have family on the outside.
He's here and he doesn't care!

[BetaNotus]

Honestly, I've never quite felt that plot-line had much of an impact on my character choices or viewpoint. Everything I've learned about my character has for the most part been told to me by shady characters I probably shouldn't trust. I view the prodigy (there were/are enough of them to open a school) and demon hunter (considering the world's backstory this doesn't seem uncommon) parts as, if true, not really "everyone is a hero" at all. I feel more like I may have just been a disposable tool for the Council, if anything.

[skrelk]

I must say I'm kinda disappointed of this Character story stuff too, in my head my character is not a demon hunter nor does he have family on the outside.
He's here and he doesn't care!

It's very disappointing. Probably to try to get a refund from Steam

[Karamasha]

It's very disappointing. Probably to try to get a refund from Steam

besides the ridiculous character story it's a solid game tho

[Citan]

So there's hundreds of quests and tons of NPCs with their own things going on. There will be lots of player choices like druidism, vampirism, plenty more, that will alter your character's story. In short, you can go do whatever you want.

Yes, there's the beginning of a "main story" quest. I'm not sure if you're pissed because you want LESS story quests ("please take out these quests because they offend me") or MORE ("please add 1000000 unique story quests and only let each player do one"). Either way, that's not happening. Yes, there will be a "main story" quest. It has branches and choices and it differs by race, but it does exist. If you hate it, you won't be pressured into doing it. There are no major skills locked to it or whatever. Like everything else in the game, doing the storyline is a choice.

For the record, I'm REALLY not moved by the argument that "everybody can't be the chosen one." Players aren't "chosen ones" here. But you have a shared history (you went to the same school for a while). Of course you have a shared history. What else would even make sense? You obviously aren't average townsfolk, or even average adventurers. You're fireball-throwing master swordsmen with pet bears for fuck's sake, you tower over the NPCs with your prowess and you can literally kill thousands of enemies without dying. You're badasses, and you have a badass history, and while the game won't define all of that, you deserve for the game to at least TRY to pay off on a little bit of your history, not just stick its head in the sand and go "I guess I don't know where all these thousands of immortal lightning wizards came from. Something in the water I guess lol." That's stupid. So I'll do the best I can. And if you don't like it, it's fine, you can skip all of it.

Anyway, if the very existence of those quests is a deal breaker for you, and you've played less than two hours on Steam, you can get a refund and I encourage you to do so.

[Karamasha]

"I guess I don't know where all these thousands of immortal lightning wizards came from. Something in the water I guess lol."

I'm gonna stick with this for my character, thank you :)

[Madmatx]

This plot is ridiculous! They should have designed 1000's of unique storylines so that each and every person could have their own hand-tailored quests...

(sarcasm doesn't always read so I'll point out that this is sarcasm)

[Mikhaila]

It's very disappointing. Probably to try to get a refund from Steam

You can totally ignore that story and move on. It's a little quest to get people doing things and running places. Part of "teach you the game". Can totally be skipped and you go your merry way. Quest doesn't go far, but does teach you some stuff and lead you to the starting dungeons.

Part of me just understand your attitude. What would have made you happy? Should the developers put in an option: "Please let me skip the tutorial, i promise not to ask questions, be lost in the game, or complain about missing content." :)

I thought the island was great. You start up several skills. I forget exact list, but I think : alchemy, psychology, sword, unarmed, teleport. You get some basic gear, go through a dungeon, maybe two if you head to the spider caves. A good start for a character.

[Quanzhigao]

I think the game would be far better off if you start as a novice. No backstory other than what you want to give your character. As long as the main questline isn't mandatory to complete it's fine though.

[Mikhaila]

I really don't see how this can bother anyone. It's a quest. If you don't like it, don't read a lot into it. If they hadn't done this and just said "shipwrecked on an island" the rest of the game is exactly the same.

[Tagamogi]

I don't know if this month-old thread really needs reviving but since I like plot discusssions and never got to add my overly verbose two councils worth:

The amnesia background works really well for me. I am not an rp player as such, but I like the feeling that my character fits into the world which is pretty difficult to envision when I'm just starting a game and I don't actually know anything about the world yet. So, amnesia puts me and my character on an even footing, and I get to ask totally dumb questions about how the world works that a non-amnesiac character should already know the answers to.

Now that I know a bit more about the world, I still get to blame anything out of character on the missing memories. For example, I'm playing a rakshasa who is presumably from Rahu but without my memories to tell me why those first generation rakshasa are supposed to be so wonderful, I think they are overrated and Rahu is a very bizarre city. I like my emotions and my tail, and Rita can call me fluffy anytime she likes...

Also, I don't feel the background story defines my character. All I know for certain is that I attended this school for some time - not why or what I thought about it or what my goals were. I certainly don't believe anything Yurra told me, and even if the demon hunter story is accurate, does it really matter if my memories of it are gone and they are not ever going to come back?

I never thought about the prodigy aspect - I figured everyone in the world could do everything if they only tried. Most people just are too busy with other stuff, like setting up dates or gossiping in town or becoming a master cheesemaker. The main unique thing my character has is the lack of a permanent death which is going to have an interesting explanation one of these days. I'm also really curious how the background story for the other races is going to be handled...

Tl; dr: What BetaNotus said earlier.