There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all way to implement narrative design in MMOs. While complex storytelling can be a help in the development of a better experience for players, not every game needs an exhaustive narrative framework to be compelling. Storytelling is fundamentally a way to engage players, and games implement their narration using different approaches. Thus giving developers leeway to choose or combine storytelling methods according to their gamedesign.
As you may have guessed, today we're talking about Storytelling. So, we're going to look at the different types of stories we come across in MMORPGs, although we won't be mentioning how these stories are implemented in the world since that's a topic for another day..
Zone missions
Zone stories are often considered a classic narrative element. It offers players a contextual experience of the different areas. Zone stories can be self-standing, with each zone having its own story. These are about local problems: a coastal area plagued by raiders, a mountainous region with warring tribal populations, or a mystic forest battling an ecological plague. Such storytelling enables players to approach the world not as some form of continuous landscape but rather as a complex interlinking of various cultural and geographical backgrounds.
Main storyline
Many MMORPGs have a main storyline as a narrative mechanism. It provides an end goal for players to immerse themselves in the adventure. A main story can be much more complex than a simple linear story. For example, it can develop dynamically depending on what is happening in the game. The most imaginative main stories will allow players to make meaningful choices with actual consequences.
(From reddit)
Unfortunately, these days, main storylines are often used as filler to allow players to progress their characters until they reach end-game activities without any other actual purpose. Sometimes, it could even be described as an extended tutorial.
Character plots
Character stories can help players' progression not to be too generic. It creates a deeper narrative facet of the player’s personal journey. Among other things, they are typically manifested through class, race, and profession-specific goals. They offer players a unique lens through which they can explore the world, creating a sense of individual identity.
Rhok’delar from the Hunter quest (WoW Vanilla)
Class-specific goals are a particularly strong mechanism for developing character abilities. A rogue may pull off a mission that requires him to sneak up on certain people and then increase his invisibility skill, while a paladin may be on a genocidal crusade, which improves his damage against the undead. Telling a story from the point of view of a profession can also add richness to the experience: a blacksmith might learn ancient crafting secrets, or an alchemist could find great power from forbidden knowledge.
Player-driven lore
A well-designed MMORPG can create compelling narratives through multiple mechanisms: dynamic player interactions, meaningful progression systems, rich world-building, and opportunities for personal expression. Some games do wonderfully with a minimum narrative framing through stronger emphasis on player-created intrigues. Others can have complex storytelling approaches. The key is knowing what kind of community expectations will arise from the world you are building.
Player-driven stories are another potent form of storytelling. By creating systems that support players in meaningful interactions, like conflicts or collaborations, games can create more engaging narratives than any pre-designed story. Specific faction dynamics, territorial conflicts, economic systems, and social structures can all be storytelling mechanics unto themselves. When the player can actually see real agency taken in these systems, then the resulting narratives can be captivating.
The best MMORPGs found that storytelling is less about structuring the player's experience than establishing fluid frameworks through which multiple narrative possibilities can occur. Approaches like these, which respect player agency, provide enough background to push players for exploration and progression.
