I'll quote the recent posts to this topic into this thread for a better focus.
Thread: New Cinematic (in abstract reaction to some rather basic statements, post unanswered)
zeroone5069:
"Another issue, I see how some people are totally excited about the story moving into the "Matrixy" direction (quote signs because the definition of that term is arguable and because I find the word silly) by introducing organization tension.
Except the fact that everyone knows this isn't anything totally new and there was enough (playable) organization tension in the past, involving Zion and Machines, aswell as the Merovingian and the two splinter organizations, why does everybody think this is what the story should be about instead of global threats, and even more, why exactly this is "Matrixy"?
Was there "org tension" in the movies? Not exactly. The Machines were the ultimate bad guys, the humanity/Zion the protagonists. Tension inside of Zion only consisted of individual traitors and small authority/jealousy conflicts.
Was there a common threat? Yes: Smith. He threatened the Matrix and the Real, and that's why the enemies - humanity and the Machines - united. Because of a common threat.
The "tension" only affected the Exiles in the Matrix - the Merovingian and some "renegade" programs with their own interests. But that's thematized in MxO even more, and Exiles aren't playable. So that's besides the point.
So if it weren't the movies, were it maybe the game previews that inspired you to play this game and also to believe it would be all about "org tension"? Well yes, they said that now with the Truce, people would split up in organizations, and there would be a sort of Cold War with fluctuating tensions, distrust, and naturally, alliances (maybe they haven't said that particularly, but it was obvious).
And they also talked about global crisises affecting the entire Matrix. The one in the movies was the Smith infection. Several followed in MxO.
Then, if we ignore the aspect of playable or unplayable organizations - Unlimit and the Sleewalkers were actually an extreme example of "org tension". A pity they weren't playable, but from an objective point of view, they weren't "just" global threats.
I mean, come on -- a mix of org tension and global dangers is what was expected from this storyline from the start on. So suggesting."
Thread: Ask the Devs an MxO question
WGAnubis:
I noticed that for the merv crits we are dealing with the element family. Does that mean the main story line is now moving away from the unite against a common foe motra thats been a part of the storyline for so long now?
zeroone5069:
Just the way I see the things: I'd classify the Elements plot under Exile rebellions or, less particular, just the "city's Exiles with their own plots".
Unite against a common foe and org tension don't have much to do with that, I guess. And I still don't get what people have against this concept of a common foe, and how people fail to see all the org and Exile struggles that have been in the story since the beginning.
WGAnubis:
For the Assassin it was acceptable but then when Anome came along it was more of a "didnt I just see this?"
zeroone5069:
So what, that's the next common threat. You can't just have one, can you? There might be (intended) similarities or parallels between Anome and the Assassin, but I assure you, they aren't the same.
2.3 dealed to a third about real tension between Zion and the Machines concerning Zion's recruitment tactics. Now, the Machines want into Zion's mainframe; hmm, haven't I just seen something like that?
The Assassin was only a "common enemy" for the duration of the final event. Shortly before the Merovingian turned against him (think because he became uncontrolable, I'll read his letters and the DN1 announcements again some time), he was actually allied to him and protected him. There wasn't just a tension between his organizations and the rest, there was an open hostility.
After he died, this hostility arised again, and was kept for the entire chapter 3 and 4.
You know, this is why I'm annoyed by the constant complaining about the common foe concept. First because I don't see anything wrong with it, secondly because it's been considerably balanced with the "opposite", the inter-organization tension all the time.
PBlade:
Erm...?
Inter Organizational tensions increasing can be done numerous ways, through the recruitment idea, or through the Zion Mainframe issue. Either way, you have no idea what the outcome will be, Zion may do it and things will go horribly wrong, or the Machines won't get access and inter-org tensions will hit an all-time high.
Common Enemy storylines are far too predictable. You know what'll end up happening: He'll die 'cos we all banded together to defeat him. And to add a further point of nostalgia, Anome uses the exact same powers as The Assassin: Admitteldy.
zeroone5069:
The "hmm, haven't I just seen that" part was sarcasm. Looking past the parallels between Anome and Assassin (which I had already mentioned and acknolwedged), there are still significant differences between the both plots.
So, in my eyes, saying "haven't I just see that with the Assassin?" is comparable to "haven't I just seen this sort of Machine-Zion-org-tension-jabberwocky back then?". Of course, that's not the way I think.
By the way, I don't remember Anome or any Unlimit actually announcing the usage exactly the Assassin's powers (except that Seral's paranoia was based on that, which is a heavy hint but maybe not enough for an evidence). If I'm not mistaken, the connection between the two is one of the unresolved questions so far.
You're right about the predictability, although I think that rather has to do with the way this concept is released. I could say the same about the org tension plots: at the end, it all somehow all goes well, and the next subchapter deals with another plot again.
Before the latest patch, I could've imagined so much more for the end of the Unlimit. I won't necessarily bash the way it "ended", but this doesn't have to be the only way "common foes" can be dealt with.
WGAnubis:
The perdictability is the single most major problem with common foe plots and perhaps even a slap to the face for players. You know whats going to happen, nothing you can do or think or try will change the outcome (admittedly, the outcome is scripted for everything, but the trick is to present the illusion that you have impact, common foe plots dont present that).
Im not saying that the assassin and anome storylines were the same in content, im saying the outcome was along with several major themes. Here we have two independant org bad guys who want to destory the matrix, rule the matrix, overthrow the established orgs, etc. and both have super system powers that put agents to shame, and lets not forget both badguys tried or managed to take a major character out of the picture. Basicly what im saying that that its been formulac:
- bad guy introduced in some form
- bad guy makes his move making him known (both attacking and or killing someone from the movies)
- bad guy reveals god like powers
- bad guy has period of terrorizing the matrix (Corrupt spawns, unlimit spawns, character attacking redpills)
- bad guy plan revealed (Destruction of matrix or atleast redpill population, both bad for players)
- orgs called to band togeather (zion=we must save the blue pills, Machines= our energy source is at risk, merv= the matrix is our home)
- bad guy killed
What I would like to see, and hopefully this is happening as we speak, is say two orgs go head to head while the third org is busy in the wood work setting up something for themselves manipulating the situation in their favor and so forth. I can understand that the common bad guy set up is realitivly easy for entertaining the gamers in mass, but come on. I could go on and on, but to sum it up the current system is just rehashing the same story but with diffrent characters and backdrops.