Whats your story hooks

[greenskin]

Every time we start a story of any kinda be it a book or a game it need a hook to keep the audience intrested.

When it comes to  CRPGs the most commen hook is: "you need to save the world from X",however there are more down to earth kinda of hooks that actully push me to pursue the plot rather then saving the world for the sake of saving the world,such as:family,friends,lovers,patriotism,revange,greed and such.

 

What is your hook that keeps you following the story?

And what kind of hooks you would like to see?

[Ieo]

The official hook: http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/60221-update-3-game-basics-your-party-your-characters-and-races/

 

The player witnesses an extraordinary and horrific supernatural event that thrusts them into a unique and difficult circumstance. Burdened with the consequences of this event, the player has to investigate what has happened in order to free themselves from the restless forces that follow and haunt them wherever they go.

[Pshaw]

The story hook is important to my interest in the main story. Still a game doesn't strictly need that to be entertaining. I'd rather the hook that keeps me playing be that the game play is just fun. There are plenty of games with bad stories and fun game play that I'll replay and many games with great stories that I just can't get through again because the game play is too dull.

[Cryticus]

Neverwinter night 2 had plot arguably even more generic then Baldurs gate , yet for me it is one of most fun cRpg to play, what is really important in story is it's execution then any hooks and twist, you can have awesome generic and predictable story that you will greatly enjoy and you can have story with twists that you never saw coming ,and still be absolutly bored, and interested in it.

And besides every story follows monomyth of hero's journey

[Azarkon]

The official hook: http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/60221-update-3-game-basics-your-party-your-characters-and-races/

 

 

 

The player witnesses an extraordinary and horrific supernatural event that thrusts them into a unique and difficult circumstance. Burdened with the consequences of this event, the player has to investigate what has happened in order to free themselves from the restless forces that follow and haunt them wherever they go.

 

First impression: hey isn't this is the MoTB story hook

 

Second impression: wait, isn't this The Black Hound story hook

 

Thinking further: waitaminute, isn't this the story hook for every Obsidian game ever?

 

KOTOR 2: survive attack by Darth Sidious, has to bear the burden of being an exile Jedi and a 'wound in the force'

 

Alpha Protocol: survive betrayal by the organization you work for, has to bear the burden of being a 'rogue agent'

 

NWN 2: survive having a sword shard being implanted in your chest, has to bear the burden of being the shardbearer

 

MOTB: survive having the shard being ripped out of your chest, has to bear the burden of being a spirit eater

 

New Vegas: survive betrayal by the organization that hired you, has to bear the burden of being ... Okay, so this one's different.

 

Edited February 14, 2013 by Azarkon

[moridin84]

The best stories tend to be more personal then just "save the world". NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer had a much better story than NWN2 for example.

 

Don't get be wrong, I actually like NWN2 (once you get to Neverwinter anyway) but that's more because of the characters than the story.

Edited February 14, 2013 by moridin84

[TRX850]

So often we're part of stories where NPCs or other characters reveal their true colours in Act 3 and betray you.  How about a story that gently seduces your lead character into turning on their own faction? And not in a simple good or evil way, but a complex morally-ambiguous situation (like war, for example) where loyalties can change based on new information and circumstance.

[Faerunner]

 

The official hook: http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/60221-update-3-game-basics-your-party-your-characters-and-races/

 

 

 

The player witnesses an extraordinary and horrific supernatural event that thrusts them into a unique and difficult circumstance. Burdened with the consequences of this event, the player has to investigate what has happened in order to free themselves from the restless forces that follow and haunt them wherever they go.

 

First impression: hey isn't this is the MoTB story hook

 

Second impression: wait, isn't this The Black Hound story hook

 

Thinking further: waitaminute, isn't this the story hook for every Obsidian game ever?

 

I agree so much with the first line, it was my first thought on reading the hook too.

 

You made a great observation about the other games though. I've only played NWN2 and MotB, but now you've mentioned it they had the same core idea, but they still managed to be different and enjoyable despite this. Probably the same with most of their games. If what you say is true though, the basic hook is no indication of the game's plot because the details and characters are going to be what makes P:E shine. Since Obsidian has made many great and enjoyable games in the past, I have faith in this project.

[LadyCrimson]

I tend to notice/get wrapped up into character side stories a lot more than the "main plot." Most of the time I couldn't even tell you what the main plot of a game was, but I will be able to tell you what a fave character's backstory, side quests, and story arcs are. So for me the hooks are well written characters/companions that fall into my personal area of interest.

 

...of course, some of this could be because so many main plots in games (and books, and movies) are overly familiar to me by now that they're kind of like background noise.