Night Goat
The Immovable Autism
Less than half, side quests have a lot more potential to be interesting than the big generic save the world plot.
I think we've touched on something more fundamental to good story design here.Less than half, side quests have a lot more potential to be interesting than the big generic save the world plot.
A recent example where I actually don't think side quests help is TES V: Skyrim. Not merely because they're poorly written, but there are essentially two stories in that game: one of a wandering bandit who kills everything in the direction of the quest compass and steals their treasures; and one of the heroic Dovahkiin on a quest to save the world from an invasion by dragons. You have to intentionally blow off one story to see the other; the side quests and main quest don't complement each other at all. So why even have side quests? Well, because they were told to make an open world game full of side quests like TES IV: Oblivion.A recent example where I actually don't think side quests help is Witcher 3. They're well written and all, but there are essentially two stories in that game: one of a professional monster slayer who wanders the land taking contracts and collecting coin; and one of a father figure trying to save his loved ones in a world gone mad. You have to intentionally blow off one story to see the other; the side quests and main quest don't complement each other at all. So why even have side quests? Well, because they were told to make an open world game full of side quests like Skyrim.
Darklands proves that you can make a good RPG that's 95+% side quests and random encounters you run into while doing side quests. Obviously not every game should try to be like that, but side quests are a good way to hedge against the possibility that the main quest sucks. Even a pants-on-head retarded main quest like the one in Mass Effect 2 can at least be endured if there's enough good side content.
The thing is that the side quests should introduce the player to the world and paint its details, while the main quest should be quite oblivious about the world, beside a gereral thing that should be the motive for the hero's journey. And that is what makes the side quests more interesting than the main quest, because through them you learn the interesting things and characters.I think we've touched on something more fundamental to good story design here.Less than half, side quests have a lot more potential to be interesting than the big generic save the world plot.
to OP: depends. what kind of RPG? grind-based rpgs should have significant end game content outside of the main quest. In fact giving the main quest too much prominence can result in degenerate gameplay like it did for diablo 2.
Heavily story based ones (IE: torment, bg2, pillars) should mostly be focused on the main quest, no more than 50/50 split.
large epic open world rpgs should have lots of content for every power level. a 80/20 or even 90/10 split in favor of side quests is much more appropriate, although you can work more of it into the main quest if the main quest is decentralized (IE: M&M series, where the main quest often was a bunch of unrelated shit eventually leading to the endgame plot) and if you don't have the funds to do it properly no world changing main quests. bethesda is notorious for underdelivering on this front (IE: oblivion "invasion").
Yes you are correct that it is called G.E.C.K in english, but some mistakes on my side are on purpose, besides most of the spelling errors.Darkzone
The G.E.C.K. !!!!
GECK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#triggered
I just want more games like Mount & Blade Warband and Crusader Kings 2 where the story is what you make the story be and the world can go on about it's business without my presence. Complete Player Autonomy. That's the only reason am following Archmage Rises
Your actions are significant in those games, you just don't control the world.I just want more games like Mount & Blade Warband and Crusader Kings 2 where the story is what you make the story be and the world can go on about it's business without my presence. Complete Player Autonomy. That's the only reason am following Archmage Rises
Too much like real life. If you want to feel like your actions are meaningless and insignificant all you need to do is get a job. Cheaper hobby than games, too.