Bioware

So you are asking where the creative writing and originality are in games but then bring up 3 novel series that are typical fantasy? A little contradiction there?

Originally posted by DJJazzy

So you are asking where the creative writing and originality are in games but then bring up 3 novel series that are typical fantasy? A little contradiction there?

No,

You misunderstood the point.

I'm speaking as to the origin of MMORPG creative writting that fuels the games.

I don't expect any MMORPG Developer to sit down, and build a totally original concept built from scratch, it won't happen - borrowin elements from established literature is going to happen, this isn't 1920.

Much so, that being said, 2 of those books are quite old with their first opening books being pressed in the late late 80s, or early 90s, with books still being pressed, and published today within their series.

The Stormlight archive is a brand-new series, if you've read it, you would know that Brandon Sanderson is a creative genius, he created a FULLY original world, there really is little to almost nothing borrowed, everything to his concepts of magic, to weapons, and armor carried by different castes. Even the flora, fauna, and socialogical interactions of the characters are unique. I'm very excited for the next book in the series.

Oh I didn't mean that they were bad novels in any way. I quite like them (well the WoT series went off track I think).

As far as writing in games. Well it is constrained a bit by the medium. So you won't get the quality that you do in a novel. Could there be some more originality? Sure but I believe I read somewhere that there are only a certain amount of story plots that have been written, everything else is just a copy or a variation of those themes.

Originally posted by Divion

In a industry where the creative writing seems to have gone out the door along with originality, one can come to understand where the emphasis, and desire to take already established, and successful IPs and take them to the next level and create an MMO/RPG with them. Of course there are some exceptions to this, but there needs to be some new creative life breathed into the industry.

 

However, it seems when an IP has already been established it comes under much more strict scrutiny when ported to a MMORPG Format. It’s not even the creative writing elements behind the game that comes under fire, it’s usually the entire notion of emersion, people want to feel that visceral feeling the usually accompanies products of certain established IPs.

So maybe what we lack in the MMO/RPG industry isn’t just the game super-structure, but rather an original story structure.

 

Usually a creative writer creates a book series, if the series is considered to be successful and builds a small army of devout followers; Hollywood would usually end up picking up the IP for a movie deal, as it would be a safer investment then writing out a new screen play, with some piggy-backed marketing already in place.

 

So what about those smaller pieces of literature, which Hollywood has neglected (So far?).

What series/piece of High-Fantasy/ScFi/Fiction literature would you like to see turned into an MMORPG?

Personally there are 3 series I would love to see done.

 

The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Fiest

 

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (RIP.) / Brandon Sanderson

 

The Way of Kings / Stormlight Archives (Still in production) By Brandon Sanderson

 

I don't recognize the other two books, but with WOT, I would wait until at least the last book of the series is done.  I suspect that the world will not enter a peaceful golden age when the story is over, and as such it would make a great MMO setting set after the events of the books.

As for my own setting idea, it references a very old book, and is set well after the events of the book:

The City and the Stars, Arthur C. Clark.

As an aspiring writer,

Originally posted by Divion

Originally posted by DJJazzy

So you are asking where the creative writing and originality are in games but then bring up 3 novel series that are typical fantasy? A little contradiction there?

No,

 

You misunderstood the point.

I'm speaking as to the origin of MMORPG creative writting that fuels the games.

I don't expect any MMORPG Developer to sit down, and build a totally original concept built from scratch, it won't happen - borrowin elements from established literature is going to happen, this isn't 1920.

Much so, that being said, 2 of those books are quite old with their first opening books being pressed in the late late 80s, or early 90s, with books still being pressed, and published today within their series.

The Stormlight archive is a brand-new series, if you've read it, you would know that Brandon Sanderson is a creative genius, he created a FULLY original world, there really is little to almost nothing borrowed, everything to his concepts of magic, to weapons, and armor carried by different castes. Even the flora, fauna, and socialogical interactions of the characters are unique. I'm very excited for the next book in the series.

As I've recently learned, there is *nothing* that can be created, that someone with a bone to pick won't accuse of being borrowed, stolen or outright plagiarized from another source.  Everything we come up with is inspired by something, no matter how monumental or innocuous, and all of our "original" creations are simply unique interpretations thereof.  I could list a dozen vastly different stories and there would be elements of all of them, which are reminiscent of some other work by some other author or artist.  It's unavoidable.

The only thing that should ever matter is if a piece of work strikes a chord in you.  How that is achieved should be wholly irrelevant.

Originally posted by JuJutsu

Bioware

Yep. If you want a good involved story for an MMORPG then you're looking for SWTOR.

with The Secret World, the lore-nazi in me declares himself happy...a mix or urban legends, silent hill, lovecraft mythos and conspiracy theories? sounds too good to be true

if I see one more medieval-sword-and-sorcery fantasy game I think I will throw up

Originally posted by reillan

As an aspiring writer,

Not only did your image make me giggle my ass off, but i am also looking to become a creative writer, a reasoning for my posting of this topic.

In the earlier days of the Video Gaming Industry, developers didn't have the graphics, and game play to rely on so they had to rely on superior writing, and storylines, i rememeber the days that i wanted to beat that boss, not becuase of the loot, or even the XP he presents, but becuase i was interested in how his death would affect the storyline.

This is also a reason why i love BioWares' SPRPGs say what you will but KOTOR/DA1\2 had me enthralled, and its shame games these days just don't pull me in via the lore anymore.

Last game to have me excited for lore-inspired raids, or fights was yes.. WoW... sorry... but it WAS OK!

I would like to just see more story-driven games, and less Money Cows with an established IP's Name.

I'm having a hard time understanding this thread myself.  It's like you're arguing that creative writing and originality are gone from MMORPGs, so instead of having companies focus more on originality and putting effort into creating a quality story of their own, they should base their game off of existing novels.

Hollywood will turn anything into a movie.  It's not because it's actually or objectively good, but because it's got brand recognition and when you're risking millions of dollars, it's a safer bet.  You're hoping for a Wheel of Time MMO, we'd be just as likely to get a Starsky and Hutch MMO if someone thought people would buy it. 

All that matters is the execution.  You can have well written source material and end up with a game that's great or terrible.  You can have well known source material and end up with a game that's great or terrible.  You can have terrible source material and you're pretty much guaranteed to have a terrible story, but you still might end up with either great or terrible gameplay.

In my opinion, the lore, the setting, the story all help create that immersive experience, but what really matters is whether the game is fun to play.

Pretty sure devs want to add more good writing, but surveys and data gathered say that nobody reads it. Supply and Demand for dev time, alas. I love a good story, but it has to be told through the game medium. Another reason to look forward to the dynamic system in gw2...

It is much, much harder to write a compelling storyline when players will skip arbitrary parts of it or do things out of order.  It's also much harder when there are various branching options and you need to make the story make sense no matter which branches players take.

That's why most games don't even try.  They'll have some bits and pieces here and there, but never try to make it add up to a coherent whole.

Not all novels, particularily series are suitable for film. A film only lasts for a few hours so you dont get the same bonding. For example in Eragon there is no comming of age progression due to time constraints. One minute the boy is a farmer the next he is riding a dragon and the audience (at least me) isnt carried along. Also some stories have so much you cant reasonably fit it all in. For example in Dune they tried to pack so much in it was more of a rush to get through everything, and because there was no down time, there is no comming of age progression as with Eragon. Lord of the ring is a good example of how to cut out stuff (like Tim Bombadil and the early chases). Game of thrones was interesting because they focussed less on fighting and more on sex (I didnt remember all that humpy pumpy in the book). It suits the modern US tv series that goes for shock reality (ie tits and swearing).

I'd love to see Robin Hobb just because I liked the live ship ideas and it would be something modern CGI could pull off reasonably well without blowing the bank.

Piers Anthony wrote alot of stuff, including Xanth.  Another good one was Split Infinity.  He wrote alot of stuff.  I think one of his stories should be the next new MMORPG.  Battle Circle (another novel he wrote)  would be pretty kewl.  Everyone PvPing in circles to prove they are better.

MMorpgs are getting old, we need new ideas on the whole genre.

Better to just make a sandbox so people can make their own stories - you can't skip or ignore part of your own story.

Something awesome happens every time I log into eve and get into a corp op, better than other styles of plot because you are actually in it.

Well because as great as it would be to wait a year for a content update in a MMORPG to have some great storyline I get the feeling this will not go over very well.

There is reality vs fantasy.

A Skulduggery Pleasant MMO would be simply awesome. Just awesome.

Once you start reading the series, you can't stop. Period.

The medium is the message.

Don't write me a story, show me a world.

So much effort goes into particle physics, but so little goes into the plot-physics.