I've seen a lot of posts stating you're doing the same kill quests, or collection/fetch quests you do in WOW or games like it. While this may be partly true, it's also partly false.

It's true because yes there are missions to kill this or fetch that, it's false because that isn't what sets TOR or single-player RPG's apart from WOW or others.

 We do the same thing in Skyrim as an example, or KOTOR/ME. What sets these titles apart is how these missions tie to the story and lore of the game/I.P. itself. They have context to the overall tale that's being presented. They keep you in the story and progress it, you're not removed from the overall experience to deliver some pies for miss Stewart or protect Farmer Browns crops from the rabbits in the area.

Instead you're uncovering plots, disrupting enemy communications, killing key targets, rescuing people, etc.. The context is the key difference between the compelling and the mundane. You're selling the game short or any RPG by stating these types of quests are even remotely similar to the mundane tasks "most" MMO's of the past have had you undertaking.

Killing and retrieving will always be a part of RPG quest design, presentation of these tasks is what sets the good apart from the bad.

I agree

Good post, completely agree with it. Such quests are in every game on the planet, without them there would be no questing.. and so thus it does go back to how they are presented for each game and whether they are meaningful to a story.

Even in GW2 which has dynamic events people will end up killing plenty of X and Y to reach objectives in order to complete the stages. But it is all about presentation and how less mundane and boring it can be made. And i believe that Bioware did a pretty nice job in giving questing a real meaning.

I can say one thing about the questing in this game.

  The way it is presented , I have never become so attached to my character so quickly or so thoroughly in an MMO or any other game so completely!

I found myself carefully checking over my choices, deciding how it may effect myself, or my companion.. I started with I am all about the credits Bounty Hunter, and after a major turn in events storywise, I found myself developing a code for my BH to follow.

I was quite sad towards the end to know my character I had explored and made these choices with was on the slate to be wiped.

ALL quests are get me this take this here kill x or y, its in the presnetation that makes the difference IMO.

Originally posted by wolvie3131

I can say one thing about the questing in this game.

  The way it is presented , I have never become so attached to my character so quickly or so thoroughly in an MMO or any other game so completely!

I found myself carefully checking over my choices, deciding how it may effect myself, or my companion.. I started with I am all about the credits Bounty Hunter, and after a major turn in events storywise, I found myself developing a code for my BH to follow.

I was quite sad towards the end to know my character I had explored and made these choices with was on the slate to be wiped.

ALL quests are get me this take this here kill x or y, its in the presnetation that makes the difference IMO.

 

Funny I know a Wolvy in my guild......

Originally posted by firefly2003

Originally posted by wolvie3131

I can say one thing about the questing in this game.

  The way it is presented , I have never become so attached to my character so quickly or so thoroughly in an MMO or any other game so completely!

I found myself carefully checking over my choices, deciding how it may effect myself, or my companion.. I started with I am all about the credits Bounty Hunter, and after a major turn in events storywise, I found myself developing a code for my BH to follow.

I was quite sad towards the end to know my character I had explored and made these choices with was on the slate to be wiped.

ALL quests are get me this take this here kill x or y, its in the presnetation that makes the difference IMO.

 

Funny I know a Wolvy in my guild......

That doesnt surprise me.

Between the character Wolverine, and the University of Michigan using that as their nickname for many decades, I would expect there to be several forms of "Wolvie" over the internet.

Originally posted by firefly2003

Originally posted by wolvie3131

I can say one thing about the questing in this game.

  The way it is presented , I have never become so attached to my character so quickly or so thoroughly in an MMO or any other game so completely!

I found myself carefully checking over my choices, deciding how it may effect myself, or my companion.. I started with I am all about the credits Bounty Hunter, and after a major turn in events storywise, I found myself developing a code for my BH to follow.

I was quite sad towards the end to know my character I had explored and made these choices with was on the slate to be wiped.

ALL quests are get me this take this here kill x or y, its in the presnetation that makes the difference IMO.

 

Funny I know a Wolvy in my guild......

heh I have had this nickname  username for a very very very long time .I have known a few wolvys but they arent me ;)

OT : not a huge fanboy of SWTOR but what I said above still stands, and my g/f and I both ended up purchasing  a CE after the beta weekend ( I even had problems installing the game running the game and not being able to log onto my BH the last day of beta. most my running problems is I am on a super outdated puter so thats on me not them )

I have played games since pong and many many MMO's *dons Nostalgia glasses* but I still very very much enjoyed the questing in SWTOR and how it made you care about your character and the choices they make.

There is a big difference between finishing a quest and reading text that says "thank you, you saved my life here is a fun reward."

and-

Actually having a conversation with the same character where you can hear how thankful they really are. Hearing emotion through spoken dialogue.

Really does change everything.

Originally posted by BadSpock

There is a big difference between finishing a quest and reading text that says "thank you, you saved my life here is a fun reward."

and-

Actually having a conversation with the same character where you can hear how thankful they really are. Hearing emotion through spoken dialogue.

Really does change everything.

So very true, at least for me..

I think each planet may add even more from my small experience with Balmorra. I completed about 3/4 of the planet during my beta weekend. And every quest was releated to the war effort on the planet. The only quests that had another reason for being there was my class story quest. The one that brought me there in the first place.

I loved the feeling I had as a SI on Balmorra. I felt like a Sith Aprrentice, helping when it was in my own benefit. Being evil by torturing or killing those who had info or stood in the way of my objective. And exploiting the local leader's need of me. A I will do this because I gain type of attitude. While gaining power through my accomplishments.

As you can see, the questing drew me into my character's story. Regardless of the act of killing, collecting, finding, saving, escorting or  activating. It was the objectives and feeling connected to my character that made all the difference.

Originally posted by BadSpock

There is a big difference between finishing a quest and reading text that says "thank you, you saved my life here is a fun reward."

and-

Actually having a conversation with the same character where you can hear how thankful they really are. Hearing emotion through spoken dialogue.

Really does change everything.

And even getting a little side action by flirting during the dialogue.

Originally posted by BadSpock

There is a big difference between finishing a quest and reading text that says "thank you, you saved my life here is a fun reward."

and-

Actually having a conversation with the same character where you can hear how thankful they really are. Hearing emotion through spoken dialogue.

Really does change everything.

Agreed.

I have max acheivements in Fallout 3, and Oblivion on the 360. I am like 7 cheivs short of maxing out New Vegas, and only have 2 of 50 from Skyrim thus far. Red Dead Redemption I only have like 47 of 95 cheivs, but the far majority missing are from MP. In other words, I really get some playtime out of single player sandboxes.

As much fun as I get from these games, not a single one has ever pulled me in like the Mass Effect series. The story gives ME the edge over any other game I have ever played. Seeing as I am 43, and been video gaming since the late70s, it really says something.

People have differing opinions about things. I am thankful that enough individuals support the gaming style I enjoy, and thus I am not relegated to spending my time complaining daily about something that doesnt interest me to begin with.

Really good post, OP. And I agree entirely.

Even pen & paper RPGs of the past can be boiled down to "kill this, fetch that, talk to this person". It is the context, and the delivery that matter.....the story.

Bioware brings this home in SWTOR. I feel like I'm playing a role playing game again, instead of just trying to increase some numbers through mind-numbing grinding.

It's a good point. It's all in the presentation. My only wish was that there were more missions or quests that had multiple ways of completing them. Such as in Deus Ex games, there was more than one way to complete the objective.

Originally posted by DJJazzy

It's a good point. It's all in the presentation. My only wish was that there were more missions or quests that had multiple ways of completing them. Such as in Deus Ex games, there was more than one way to complete the objective.

I do agree here there could have been more choices involved and a few different paths to take. What I'd really like to see is a quest line to fall completely to the darkside, or be redeemed to the light.

Great Post OP. I agree that the presentation of these quests and the context (world, IP, etc) makes them so much more fun than the wall of text quests. It's about assigning meaning to what you are doing.

I read the posts where others are impatient about the story, or simply don't care about it at all, and I can't help but feel that they are wasting their time playing SWTOR. Sure there are other things to do, but being story-incapable in this game strips you of the ability to enjoy the game to it's fullest. It's like someone without a sense of smell doing wine tasting, then telling everyone else the wine sucks. It would be a valid opinion, but there's a serious subjective flaw in the information.