Gameplay vs Story

Do you want a good story with your gameplay, but the gameplay suffering. Or vice versa. And for which genre's?

ideally, a video games would have neither "suffer." Gameplay should always take precedent before story in a game though. 

I do like both and then they help each other out.

I do find myself hating the moral pick that are getting added to more stories of games. It is mainly in RPG and the reason for this is that they are reduce the role playing through the game play for a pick your own adventure and pretending to be the character.

Gameplay is better than story because ideally gameplay allows the player to create his own story. 

Example: The actual story in Skyrim sucks. The back story I gave my Argonian and the way I controlled him in the world was pretty awesome.

I need both.

Gameplay is better than story because ideally gameplay allows the player to create his own story. 

Example: The actual story in Skyrim sucks. The back story I gave my Argonian and the way I controlled him in the world was pretty awesome.

IndianaPwns39

That's a nice way to put it. I would give story a little more importance though. Deadly Premonition had clunky controls and gameplay, but the story and characters were off the chart. I called it a masterpiece, just for its story-sake. Same with the Bioshock franchise. I remember and cherish it for its setting and stroy, despite the average gameplay to be honest.

I would like the game to be strong in both areas.

As long as I'm having fun I don't care.

...but since in order to really have fun you have to good gameplay then I'll go for gameplay over story any day.

Story is extraneous. A game can have an amazing story, but it isn't vital. Gameplay is 100% vital; bad gameplay, bad game, period.

A good game can have a bad story, a good game absolutely cannot have bad gameplay. Story is like graphics, music, that sort of thing; it can make a good game great, but can't make a bad game good.

If I want a compelling narrative I'll read a novel or watch a film.

I game specifically for interactivity and the ability to forge my own tale using the actions and mechanics afforded to me by the malleability of the gaming construct.

That isn't to state that games cannot enjoy a good story but generally speaking most games employ narratives that are derivative and redundant, utilizing tired tropes and clichés while vainly attempting to emulate film and literature.  

There has been a smattering of games that spin a legitimately good yarn, specifically The Witcher 2 (based on a series of Polish novels) and the Legacy of Kain franchise. I also believe that games offer the unique ability to tell stories in a wholly divergent and dissimilar fashion than other mediums which is why developers need to focus on exploiting the strengths and uniqueness of their medium rather than trying to copy film and television.

In the most well made games, the story is great without sacrificing gameplay.  Perfect example is Majora's Mask.  Incredible story/ atmosphere, told through natural gameplay progression.

Although, in an RPG, I'd rather have a stronger plot than unique gameplay (although, again, ideally there'd be both, like with Radiant Historia) because I can dig old school turn based battles.

It's all about the gameplay first and foremost. If I don't like it, I'm not playing the game. Story is just a bonus.

This is how it is for me

-Good gameplay+good story= good game

-Good gameplay+bad story= good game

-Bad gameplay+good story= bad game

-Bad gameplay+bad story= bad game

A good story is just a bonus. A good game never needs it.

Both perfectly intertwined is what makes for a truly outstanding game. Just have to Think about "The Witcher" which I'm playing again now and I think it does it perfectly.

Gameplay

Every single person saying story over gameplay needs to be legally barred from participating in video games ever again.

You think nobody could be that stupid and then bam.

If I want a good story then I will read a book or watch a movie. Dispite that many believe game can not tell many stories better than book or movies.

Every single person saying story over gameplay needs to be legally barred from participating in video games ever again.

You think nobody could be that stupid and then bam.

Big_Red_Button

Different people indulge in various forms of entertainment for different reasons. I really don't get all the hate for people who like their games to have good stories. Unless they believe that every single game should sacrifice gameplay over story (which they shouldn't). Or throw around overexaggerated and childish insults like you just did.

[QUOTE="IndianaPwns39"]

Gameplay is better than story because ideally gameplay allows the player to create his own story. 

Example: The actual story in Skyrim sucks. The back story I gave my Argonian and the way I controlled him in the world was pretty awesome.

EvilSelf

That's a nice way to put it. I would give story a little more importance though. Deadly Premonition had clunky controls and gameplay, but the story and characters were off the chart. I called it a masterpiece, just for its story-sake. Same with the Bioshock franchise. I remember and cherish it for its setting and stroy, despite the average gameplay to be honest.

Definitely. There are some games with fantastic stories and average gameplay that I still love. If I had to choose however, I'd take gameplay. 

I appreciate variety.

Every single person saying story over gameplay needs to be legally barred from participating in video games ever again.

You think nobody could be that stupid and then bam.

Big_Red_Button

Despite agreeing with you that gameplay trumps story, your pseudo-hardcore shtick has become incredibly tiresome.

I respect ideologies even when they are not my own but militant extremism is dull and rarely yields much in the way of intelligent discourse.

So pretty please, calm thyself.

[QUOTE="Big_Red_Button"]

Every single person saying story over gameplay needs to be legally barred from participating in video games ever again.

You think nobody could be that stupid and then bam.

Grammaton-Cleric

Despite agreeing with you that gameplay trumps story, your pseudo-hardcore shtick has become incredibly tiresome.

I respect ideologies even when they are not my own but militant extremism is dull and rarely yields much in the way of intelligent discourse.

So pretty please, calm thyself.

But anon, I am calm.

Your pseudo-intellectual passive aggressive attempt to sound reasonable and intelligent is betrayed by your lack of passion or heart.

And you're ugly.

Every single person saying story over gameplay needs to be legally barred from participating in video games ever again.

You think nobody could be that stupid and then bam.

Big_Red_Button

Every single person saying story over gameplay needs to be legally barred from participating in video games ever again.

You think nobody could be that stupid and then bam.

Big_Red_Button

Funny coming from a guy with an MGS avatar. (At least I believe it is)

[QUOTE="Grammaton-Cleric"]

[QUOTE="Big_Red_Button"]

Every single person saying story over gameplay needs to be legally barred from participating in video games ever again.

You think nobody could be that stupid and then bam.

Big_Red_Button

Despite agreeing with you that gameplay trumps story, your pseudo-hardcore shtick has become incredibly tiresome.

I respect ideologies even when they are not my own but militant extremism is dull and rarely yields much in the way of intelligent discourse.

So pretty please, calm thyself.

But anon, I am calm.

Your pseudo-intellectual passive aggressive attempt to sound reasonable and intelligent is betrayed by your lack of passion or heart.

And you're ugly.

Being called a pseudo-intellectual by somebody clearly fumbling over his thesaurus while trying to infuse his banal prose with as many college words as he can muster is gleefully ironic, though I appreciate the effort all the same.

I'm also rather pleased that you opted not to take the civil way out because I am going to enjoy shredding the excrement you call prose and argumentation into so much confetti.

I just trashed your pitiful DMC critique in another thread and I also took a rather eloquent dump on that infantile Bioshock diatribe you penned earlier so feel free to rebut, assuming you actually have something to contribute beyond the adolescent posturing of a hardcore-poser elitist.

[QUOTE="Big_Red_Button"]

[QUOTE="Grammaton-Cleric"]

Despite agreeing with you that gameplay trumps story, your pseudo-hardcore shtick has become incredibly tiresome.

I respect ideologies even when they are not my own but militant extremism is dull and rarely yields much in the way of intelligent discourse.

So pretty please, calm thyself.

Grammaton-Cleric

But anon, I am calm.

Your pseudo-intellectual passive aggressive attempt to sound reasonable and intelligent is betrayed by your lack of passion or heart.

And you're ugly.

Being called a pseudo-intellectual by somebody clearly fumbling over his thesaurus while trying to infuse his banal prose with as many college words as he can muster is gleefully ironic, though I appreciate the effort all the same.

I'm also rather pleased that you opted not to take the civil way out because I am going to enjoy shredding the excrement you call prose and argumentation into so much confetti.

I just trashed your pitiful DMC critique in another thread and I also took a rather eloquent dump on that infantile Bioshock diatribe you penned earlier so feel free to rebut, assuming you actually have something to contribute beyond the adolescent posturing of a hardcore-poser elitist.

I love it when you talk dirty...

[QUOTE="Grammaton-Cleric"]

[QUOTE="Big_Red_Button"]

But anon, I am calm.

Your pseudo-intellectual passive aggressive attempt to sound reasonable and intelligent is betrayed by your lack of passion or heart.

And you're ugly.

contracts420

Being called a pseudo-intellectual by somebody clearly fumbling over his thesaurus while trying to infuse his banal prose with as many college words as he can muster is gleefully ironic, though I appreciate the effort all the same.

I'm also rather pleased that you opted not to take the civil way out because I am going to enjoy shredding the excrement you call prose and argumentation into so much confetti.

I just trashed your pitiful DMC critique in another thread and I also took a rather eloquent dump on that infantile Bioshock diatribe you penned earlier so feel free to rebut, assuming you actually have something to contribute beyond the adolescent posturing of a hardcore-poser elitist.

I love it when you talk dirty...

I'm both flattered and creeped out. :P

Mostly flattered. ;)

I do not believe that a game can be a game if it have limited amount of game play.

Story. I have played games that have been saved by the story, but few games that havent......

However; let me throw out the word "mechanics" when talking about a game. Mechanics are what I need in a game to enjoy. Good old solid mechanics 

Story. I have played games that have been saved by the story, but few games that havent......

However; let me throw out the word "mechanics" when talking about a game. Mechanics are what I need in a game to enjoy. Good old solid mechanics

GamerNerdTalk

Don't mechanics fall under gameplay? I say they do without question. In fact, I'd say gameplay and "mechanics" are interchangeable

Story takes precedence for RPG's for me, gameplay for every other genre.

[QUOTE="GamerNerdTalk"]

Story. I have played games that have been saved by the story, but few games that havent......

However; let me throw out the word "mechanics" when talking about a game. Mechanics are what I need in a game to enjoy. Good old solid mechanics

Pikminmaniac

Don't mechanics fall under gameplay? I say they do without question. In fact, I'd say gameplay and "mechanics" are interchangeable

that is true i would like a good story in RPG gamesThe_Last_Ride

I hate turn based RPG gameplay. I cannot stand it, and quit said games pretty quicky if they don't do something else to make up for it. With that said, I've beaten both Chrono Trigger and Earthbound without the slightest complaint because their story and personality overcame it. Ok, Chrono Trigger got a few complaints, but that can happen when bosses kill your party in one move on occasion.

I prefer both but if I had to choose one, it would be gameplay. Dragon's Dogma for example, has a horrible story with snooze fest NPC's but the solid gameplay keeps me hooked. On the other hand games like Assassin's Creed 1, which had a good story but horrible gameplay was a chore for me to complete.

[QUOTE="The_Last_Ride that is true i would like a good story in RPG gamesGreatExarch

I hate turn based RPG gameplay. I cannot stand it, and quit said games pretty quicky if they don't do something else to make up for it. With that said, I've beaten both Chrono Trigger and Earthbound without the slightest complaint because their story and personality overcame it. Ok, Chrono Trigger got a few complaints, but that can happen when bosses kill your party in one move on occasion.

I love turn base RPG and many times find it much better than the ATB base combat like in Skyrim.

well the best games usually have both. good story and gameplay. i think the mass effect series is a perfect example of this. although these days i think story has become way more important judging by the fact that the walking dead won game of the year and it's barely a game.

I'd say I can enjoy games with good gameplay and near to no story, like Mario games or racers, or games with a good story but lesser gameplay.  Of course, if the gameplay's broken, I won't put up with it, no matter how good the story.

I feel that a game can be really good without the need for a story, so if a story is added, it better be either nonintrusive, or good.  Actually, I prefer games with little need for a story.  Mario, Ikaruga, PN.03, arcade racers, ...