We need an official storyteller!

I realise it would be good for all of us to take a litlle time to calm down after the news we just learned, but I also realise that we can't stop wondering what's coming next for MxO.

I, for one, want to stress: I think this game needs an official storyteller. The "storyteller tools" would be nice, a Fanimatrix is not a bad idea either, LESIG is nice, but all of this is secondary. We need a primary official storyline, handled not by the players, but by a SOE-hired person.

To me it seems the only way to really keep the story going and not turning into something low-leveled and chaotic. Now that the king is dead we need a new one. I hope SOE realises that and will take care of this issue as fast as possible.  

In the Development Roundtable forum, there is already a discussion about that.

Mindsweep wrote:

In the Development Roundtable forum, there is already a discussion about that.

No there's not. There's a discussion about storyteller tools, not an official storyteller that would take over in place of Rarebit.

Archangel wrote:

Mindsweep wrote:

In the Development Roundtable forum, there is already a discussion about that.

No there's not. There's a discussion about storyteller tools, not an official storyteller that would take over in place of Rarebit.

Well that would be Walrus then...even if it's a tool or not I don't think it's going to happen't, as the story for the rest of year has already been posted by Rarebit.

Mindsweep wrote:

Archangel wrote:

Mindsweep wrote:

In the Development Roundtable forum, there is already a discussion about that.

No there's not. There's a discussion about storyteller tools, not an official storyteller that would take over in place of Rarebit.

Well that would be Walrus then...even if it's a tool or not I don't think it's going to happen't, as the story for the rest of year has already been posted by Rarebit.

Oh, neither do I, in fact. Over the years I've learned that we in MxO do not get replacements.

If we did get a new captain at the helm the story would most likely take a new direction, it may possibly even start afresh but I doubt it will be quite as good as the original. Any new story teller would have to have passion for the story and in depth knowledge of the characters and orgs etc..

Well with Walrus and Virrago as the captains of this ship, it could sail anyway.

I believe you guys are thinking this through to much.

If SOE would really allow MxO to proverbially sink, then they would have a lot of insane fanboys (and girls) on their hands. Me included.

So I don't think they can afford, for their names sake, to just kill us off like that, even if unintentional.

Laters

Croesis wrote:

If we did get a new captain at the helm the story would most likely take a new direction, it may possibly even start afresh but I doubt it will be quite as good as the original. Any new story teller would have to have passion for the story and in depth knowledge of the characters and orgs etc..

Honestly, I would accept any of the three options we have now: putting the Rare's story in place even though we already know the basic lines, a new direction, or even a fresh start (even though the last option I don't like too much and I hope it won't happen). But we need a devoted man (or woman) - even if I hardly imagine someone as devoted as Rare.

Not to mention that a few more months without a storyline that we now seem almost sure to get is a blow to MxO and it's playerbase anyway.

The only option I can't accept is no official story at all.

Mindsweep wrote:

Well with Walrus and Virrago as the captains of this ship, it could sail anyway.

I think we all appreciate Virrago with what he does for us as a community, but unfortunately he's not a game Dev although he does contribute to the smooth running of this ship. Walrus on the other hand would be ideal but he has other commitments so he'll not be a full time MxO dev.

So while yes I agree with Walrus and Virrago here MxO would still be seaworthy (>.< naughtical terms!) it won't quite be the ship we're used to any more. During the Monolith days it was a cruiseliner (albeit a new cruiseliner with a lot of income but quite a lot needing to be seen to) then with SOE it was a ferry (steady, sure, hardy and maintained) but with the loss of the captain, this crew could well end up manning a fishing boat.

Dear SOE,

Hire Phrack.

Regards,
Vesuveus

Yeah I dunno. We really can't tell whats going to happen yet. I think if worse comes to worse maybe the Lesig guys get to gether look at the story and try and plan thier own events. However if the story falls on the players, to many people are going to try and twist the story and mess things up. I can see it becomeing a mess if fully left upto the players.

Jedi44 wrote:

Yeah I dunno. We really can't tell whats going to happen yet. I think if worse comes to worse maybe the Lesig guys get to gether look at the story and try and plan thier own events. However if the story falls on the players, to many people are going to try and twist the story and mess things up. I can see it becomeing a mess if fully left upto the players.

Indeed, Operative.

Vesuveus wrote:

Dear SOE,

Hire Phrack.

Regards,
Vesuveus, Tsusai

*Phrack endorsement here*

Although I don't think we should give him all the power. I've seen him wielding full power, and to be honest, the possibility of him doing something bad in an irate state is ugly.

Fondo wrote:

I believe you guys are thinking this through to much.

If SOE would really allow MxO to proverbially sink, then they would have a lot of insane fanboys (and girls) on their hands. Me included.

So I don't think they can afford, for their names sake, to just kill us off like that, even if unintentional.

Laters

I'm pretty sure that SOE doesn't really care too much about their name among MMORPG players, given the holocaust that was the NGE in SWG.

Vesuveus wrote:

Dear SOE,

Hire Phrack.

Regards,
Vesuveus

Darn, ya beat me to it

Bayamos wrote:

The story's done. Anything here on out is just fan fiction that players are going to disagree about. Because it's not "official," and because event-creating capacities on players' ends are nowhere near those of admin powers, the majority of players will simply no longer care. How many people still interact with LESIG now that they're no longer official? Many, many less. Who follows A:B and that player godmodding Novalis / Ishtar thing? A tiny fraction of the player base.

There's a tiny chance that someone will be instated to fill Rarebit's position, but as I think Yas said last night, SOE wouldn't send their best and brightest to MXO. Planetside's deeeead, and got Brewko as a developer. That's not a dig against Brewko, who is cool. But he had no design experience that I know of, and that's what I think we will get if anything at all. Someone who doesn't know the story, tools, or community, and if they make anything it'll make you miss pew pew lazars.

While I can clearly see the strong points in what you say, I hope we'll get something better.

LtCmdr_Tsusai wrote:

Vesuveus wrote:

Dear SOE,

Hire Phrack.

Regards,
Vesuveus, Tsusai

DO IT.

/phormalcurtsey

Bayamos wrote:

There's a tiny chance that someone will be instated to fill Rarebit's position, but as I think Yas said last night, SOE wouldn't send their best and brightest to MXO. Planetside's deeeead, and got Brewko as a developer. That's not a dig against Brewko, who is cool. But he had no design experience that I know of, and that's what I think we will get if anything at all. Someone who doesn't know the story, tools, or community, and if they make anything it'll make you miss pew pew lazars.

...

I have seen the future, and it is Brewko becoming our main Dev. oh god

Don’t give away your freedom and equality 'fore the first taste.
http://forums.station.sony.com/mxo/...772#36300526648

The Official story needs to recreate or restablish the sceanrio that existed at the end of Revolutions (or one very like it) as it created the setting for the PERFECT MMO. At that point the focus of the story was on the Matrix itself (its the only place we can go so it HAS to take centre stage) its the one thing we ALL had a vested interest in, the truce made sense of many of the contrivances enforced by the mmo-gameworld - in that environment working, resting and playing were all credible reasons for a redpill to jack in, exactly analogous to the real world situation of the mmo, equally the characters in place had a presence and purpose that even casual players could get a kick out of meeting them.

MxO needs an official, credible and cohesive storyline even more than it needs an official storyteller, because with the right fuel and the right parameters everything that goes on and everthing that is done by everybody can then be made important and can feel like you have stepped into 'The Matrix'.

Phrack wrote:

It is not some mythic adventure that should be vampire/werewolf-laden, nor is it a comic book to be filled with people who have pew pew laser abilities.  Likewise, there is nothing Matrixy about an entourage of wireframe men (and women, I suppose) who have android bodies in the real and have been an uber secret of the Machines since...  well...  presumably, ever.

I'm all for temporary side-stories...  it's a big city, there should be tons going on at all times, especially considering the number of bluepills that have awakened over the years.  But to move forward with the story, side-stories need to be resolved, and that's all the Oligarchs should have been.

The story of the Matrix is about the human/machine war.  That is all it's about, and that should be the focus of the story.  The best turn the story ever took (post-SOE) was when the Truce broke, at the start of Chapter 8.

To be honest, the Oligarch storyline was one of the most interesting ones for me in this game (contrarily, for example, to the Unlimit storyline, which was sorta lame in my opinion).

And I wouldn't say that the story must be exclusively focused on the war - after all, there are such aspects as humans living inside a simulated reality, inside an illusion, you can base a lot of stories on this too. A good story would be a story that makes you understand this universe better and deeper, and that's what the Oligarch storyline did.

The war was only one of the key elements even in the Matrix Trilogy, and I can't say I can imagine an eclusively war-based storyline not getting repetitive in a very short period of time. Focus the story on the war would mean abandon all the creative approach MxO needs. We have to explore, to learn things, not just having some war-time activities like fighting, spying, getting info about the enemies etc. 

Chapter 8 was actually where logic and continuity was sacrificed and any influence and continuity with the original trilogy was lost.

The Matrix online is a persistent MMO with unavoidable restrainst that the story has to work withing or lose any conviction or resonance. We are forced to go to plan, to go play, to idlly discuss and to act inside the matrix. Given the changes that had to be made to accomadate its game roots it is unequivably the worse possible environment to play out a war scenario...its not that the storyline wasnt good or right it was simply that this place has no credible way to realize a war and further that the presence of war destroyed the credibility of our regular gathering online. Equally a war is a conflict on a scale that diminishes the influence of individuals, unless you are lucky enough to wield god like, world changing powers, ie unless you happen to BE the on, a war simply means you are insignificant. The story and the game setting are set in direct contradiciton by the state of war.

The truce actually made the Matrix important, not for what it is but for the way it then became the logical place to plan for the future; stories should have revolved arouond powerbroking, a cold war, intrigue, espionage, future real world development, alternate power sources, joint ventures, trust, envy, anxiety, impatience, control, faith all these were relevent in the context of a truce and all become irrelvenet as the sides fragment into a war.

Revolutions, love it or loathe it, presented an answer, an alternative to an endless and redundant war, one that permitted a new environment where the influence of an individual, ie a player, could actually have a role to play, in  a future that actually had direction and hope....thats where we need to be placed again, to recover the sensation that we can, however minutely, actually make a difference, and that as players we have worth.

deimoslvov wrote:

Phrack wrote:

It is not some mythic adventure that should be vampire/werewolf-laden, nor is it a comic book to be filled with people who have pew pew laser abilities. Likewise, there is nothing Matrixy about an entourage of wireframe men (and women, I suppose) who have android bodies in the real and have been an uber secret of the Machines since... well... presumably, ever.

I'm all for temporary side-stories... it's a big city, there should be tons going on at all times, especially considering the number of bluepills that have awakened over the years. But to move forward with the story, side-stories need to be resolved, and that's all the Oligarchs should have been.

The story of the Matrix is about the human/machine war. That is all it's about, and that should be the focus of the story. The best turn the story ever took (post-SOE) was when the Truce broke, at the start of Chapter 8.

To be honest, the Oligarch storyline was one of the most interesting ones for me in this game (contrarily, for example, to the Unlimit storyline, which was sorta lame in my opinion).

And I wouldn't say that the story must be exclusively focused on the war - after all, there are such aspects as humans living inside a simulated reality, inside an illusion, you can base a lot of stories on this too. A good story would be a story that makes you understand this universe better and deeper, and that's what the Oligarch storyline did.

The war was only one of the key elements even in the Matrix Trilogy, and I can't say I can imagine an eclusively war-based storyline not getting repetitive in a very short period of time. Focus the story on the war would mean abandon all the creative approach MxO needs. We have to explore, to learn things, not just having some war-time activities like fighting, spying, getting info about the enemies etc.

I agree here and would like to add that when talking about Oligarchs and such that there was also gameplay aspect associated that I respect Rarebit for putting out there.  That would be content for level 50 players which included world bosses such as D Wright and the Override construct.  We needed content for max level players and it seems more realistic to me that a level 100 boss would be something different from what we've seen before.  He understood that through quests that had meaning, gameplay would be extended for those of us at max level.  I understand some of the points regarding the path of the storyline, but I just want the actual gaming aspect of this not to be forgotten either.  But as for now, I would hope SOE provides us with some sort of "official" story, even if they change it in to something different. By the way, the story as it would have played out seemed to be epic.  The Gold Hallways would have been something to see.

Fen wrote:

If the story does fall into the hands of the players, expect about five different 'event groups' carrying on Rarebit's 'awesome' vision of the story which all conflict with each other and place their own factions on the golden pedastal.  No thanks.  There are very, very, very few players that I would ever trust with the Matrix story.

Same opinion here.

Fen wrote:

Camo pants are very important to the future of the Matrix.

Where did Fen go?  I can't see him?  *dang* camo pants.

The issue is not where the story could have or should have gone, its a case of delivering a story that works on the canvas that is an mmo. Books, films and games are three different mediums, the manner in which the story is told depends on the tools you have to tell it, if the story goes to a place you cannot follow you lose interest, if it delivers a punch and you see no consequence or effect it destroys involvement, if it offers an inevitable and unavoidable conclusion you're not encouraged to make any contribution.

The story as taken forward has to work in the confines of the gameworld we have, it has to deliver an experience that is enetrtaining, involving and challenging and for that the aspirations, the aims and objectives have to be of a scale and nature that the player can appreciate and considers important. It cannot be all out war, simply because that can never be realised or even simulated here.... massive events like the breakdown of the truce, the destruction of zion, the abuse of Cryptos, and the presence of the oligarchy may offer interest but the game engine comepletely fails to deliver any consequence or resonance, they are effectively irrelevent to the player, they change nothing and go nowhere and never will.

The truce functions firstly to reduce the scale of the problem which brings it closer to the player. It creates excuses and reasons which directly emulate the manner in which players interact inside the matrix, it delvers a credible environment over which other stories of intrigue and terrorism can be played. smaller conflicts with smaller objectives that the player can feel important in involving themselves. If you dont have the truce then there needs to be some other valid story mechanism that emulates these effects but this also has to be in sympathy with the original trilogy or we have discontinuity and it ceases to be the matrix and just becomes city online....something considerably short of its proper potential.

As Fen says we do need a storyteller that actually enjoys the matrix, but we also need one that knows how to make the player feel that what is going on around them actually matters to them, that offers choices that have both consequence and reward. Its not just a story to sit us down and read at us, we need to be a part of it, our character need to feel its effects and have an investment in its future.

cloudwolf wrote:

Fen wrote:

If the story does fall into the hands of the players, expect about five different 'event groups' carrying on Rarebit's 'awesome' vision of the story which all conflict with each other and place their own factions on the golden pedastal.  No thanks.  There are very, very, very few players that I would ever trust with the Matrix story.

At this point I very much see the canonical story as over. I don't expect them to hire anyone new to carry it on, especially given the level of detail and experience Rare was putting into the job. It'd just be too hard to follow up on. Not to mention there must be some sort of legality and red tape getting to have creative control over an IP like this.

No, the official story is over. Give the players, everyone, not just a select few, the power to make their own stories in the context of the game, not of the story.

I will disagree with that until it becomes obvious that SOE actually will not hire a new storyteller/dev person. I think we have too much of apocalyptic visions here, but that's how the public usually reacts - with panic and disbelief. That was true for the economic meldown in the Real, and that is true for MxO now.

But remember - you create reality by what you say. 

(Psst...  the economy's still melting down.)

Here's my take on this 'storyteller' business.

#1 - the official story is finished. Rarebit has posted everything he had written, therefore there is no need to act out what wasn't implemented in-game. Why would you want to continue something you already know how it goes?

#2 - the idea of the official Matrix story being written by a player is not a good idea; it would end up a fastidious, exclusive mess. Players can write stories that are generally upheld by a majority of players, but that don't make it canon, nosirree. Rarebit had his vision of the Matrix story. Paul had his. Phrack has his. Deimos has yet another. ALL of those visions are just "so-and-so presents:the Matrix". The only thing that will ever be truly considered canon is what comes out of the Wachowski's direction in the various media that their version of the Matrix story has been told.

#3 - the story of the Matrix has nothing to do with war, or peace, or control. The Matrix itself is just a setting for the story. The real story of the Matrix was about the people; Neo, Trinity, Morpheus, the Oracle, the Merv. It wasn't about fighting for freedom, or maintaining control, the story was about how the people reacted to the situation they were faced with. The war and the Real and the Matrix, those are all just backdrops for the drama between these people. No successful story has ever been written about the scenery.

#4 - it has been proved over the last year that the war is unsustainable in this media. People can't really die, bombs can't really explode, the setting can't really change. What are you going to do the first time a player decides to grief the RP by reconstructing after their "jack has been pulled"? Nothing except whine about this being why we can't have nice things. A truce between the orgs is the only viable, playable situation for this MMO.

#5 - speaking of things not really changing, there is no way to make the kinds of changes in-game that have been described here, without making the game open-source. For example, "reduced to rubble" is a phrase I saw thrown out there; and how would you go about doing that? Is there a structure, or textures, in-game that exists for a bombed-out Metacortex building? Or Sobra Shores Church? Do rubble structures or textures exist that would be convincing enough for story immersion? I think the problem here is that not enough people understand how these game mechanics work. They also don't credit the devs with having already thought of and discarding this as not possible. New coding would have to be added, which means open-source, which means forget it jack, cause it ain't gonna happen. There is no way in hell the Matrix franchise will ever be open-source.

#6 - there is also no way they will ever give control of the likenesses of the main actors from the movies away to players. Or dev tools such as NPC quest givers and meatwad abilities. There's just too much risk of abuse. 

On the other hand, in the absence of an official storyline, well. . .beggars can't be choosers. So, if it turns out that Rarebit is not being replaced, or his replacement assumes more of a "caretaker" role, then I think all bets are off.

Maybe a forum could be set-up where everyone is anonymous and anyone can have access to develop the story. The story can be developed and implemented using what meager tools we have, and a great deal of suspension of disbelief will have to transpire. That would be better than nothing, I suppose.

But I gotta tell ya, I really despise those who would seek more fame through this...opportunity...crisis...or whatever you want to call it. If you're not willing to step aside and let others do it, and help and encourage them in their pursuit, you're not the right man for the job.

Let the art, not a gilded label of "official," speak for itself.

Something that is poorly conceived and poorly executed can be rubberstamped as official.

I hereby run for Official Storyteller!

First thing on my Agenda. The Legend of Neo's Infamous Teh On3 Heart Boxers.

Second thing, Anyone Rping a vampire is now susceptible to Sunny Delight due to it's ability to harness its flavor from the power of the sun.

Villemar_MxO wrote:

Indeed, Operative.

Stealing my lines, I see...

I, for one, welcome our new camo pants A:B overlords.

Sykin wrote:

Villemar_MxO wrote:

Indeed, Operative.

Stealing my lines, I see...

I, for one, welcome our new camo pants A:B overlords.

Does that make those of us that remain Oligarchs?

- Timecode