FC's Story Direction very worring

Ragnar Tornquist the man behind hind the book, and the background to the game AO has posted some thoughts the story.
While I must warn this is not the offical FC release as its the only info we have about the story I thought I would post it to get your views


http://www.ragnartornquist.com/thoughts.html

Revising the NPC dialogues and interaction isn't a substitute for a dynamic storyline. The stories told by non-player characters are static, and the player's involvement will mostly entail asking questions, gathering clues, putting together a coherent whole from a multitude of parts, and - in time - go on quests. NPC interaction will not, for the most part, allow any kind of dynamic, changeable, interaction with the storyline. This will be a way for the majority of players to learn about the background and the setting, about what's happened so far, and get hints and predictions - right or wrong - about what the future may hold, hopefully while having fun doing it. NPCs are fun. Not as much fun as other players, of course, but that's a given. The NPCs will represent all sides, all points of view, all the little stories that make up the tapestry of Rubi-Ka.

But the NPCs will not magically grant the players the key to a fully dynamic, fully interactive, living four-year story arc. Again, this is background, it's setting, it's interaction with static characters - game-play meets story, yes, but in a different, and more traditional, way. It's something. It's not everything. It's a piece of the puzzle.

So what else is there? There's the events team, and their tireless dedication to both story- and non-story-related events - both are important, and not every event can be a major turn in Rubi-Ka's history. Sometimes a little goes a long way. Contrary to what some people may think, there's open communication between the "story people" and the "events people" (the definition of a "story person" will change all the time, as all content, in some way or another, touches on story, and thus everyone takes part in communicating the story from our end), coordinated and supervised by the game director, who, in every instance, has the final word on what's good and what's not. The material that I - we - produce, in terms of background story, and future story (in the shape of content like dungeons, quests, new areas, major twists and turns, and NPCs) is distributed to the people who need to read it, and that includes the events team.

There's the expansion pack, which will open up new avenues for the story, with the introduction of both the mysterious Shadowlands and the city of Jobe. These new areas are closely linked with the background and the what-happens-next of the AO storyline, and events - as well as NPC conversations - in the game will lead up to, and drop hints about, the eventual launch.

There's the players' favourite, the ability to hold and control areas and outposts, and thus alter the political landscape of AO (to some degree). The extent of my knowledge on this subject is zilch, zero, so I may be waaay off here. But if/when this feature makes it into the game, that's definitely player-shaped interaction with the setting and the story. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. It's a daunting task, but one I know has been mentioned several times.

News and articles in-game - as opposed to on the website - is also something that's been discussed, and maybe even planned, for the future. I've said it before in the AO forums, and I'll say it again: This would be cool. I think that the official website is an important resource, but it would be doubly nice if all the in-character stories and articles could be published inside the game, using some kind of player-operated device.

I might be over my head here - I often am - but this is basically what we're looking at and thinking of when we utter the infamous word "story". Not just NPCs, not just events, but a whole package of things. When I say that I am working on NPCs, keep in mind that I am not the entirety of the story! I don't own it! Everyone does, to a greater or lesser degree - even you, because you make demands and ask questions and vote with your credit card, and in the end, your approval or disapproval is what shapes AO. So my singular focus on non-player character to player character interaction doesn't mean a complete abandonment of everything else - far from it. There's a big, huge team working on the game - the tentacles - and a squishy head with a lot of eyes and a sizeable brain - the octopus - overseeing all the elements. I'm one tiny tentacle. There are a hundred more!

All right. That's enough about that for the time being. Next post, I'll shun all things AO, and tell you what I ate for lunch. Or talk about a movie. Or how the sun is or isn't shining. Or why grass is green. Or some other nonsensical, self-centred garbage. Show's over, folks! There's nothing to see here! Move along, move along!

Personally I found this from Ragnar was a little disappointing, he was still talking about features such as in game newspaper and capture and holding land as a long way off. Dispite the fact FC talked about these features some months ago. It appears no progress has been made.

In fact there seemed little if any real plans, for the story a lot of what could be but not much on detials of what is going to be. Considering shadowlands is due out in months it does not seem like much thought has gone in shadowlands to deal with the story line at all.


Ragnar the man behind the book, the person who ( I am sure with input from others) molded the world of Rubi-Ka , who I am sure had input into the videos and Radiman v Ross. This same man who wrote the longest story in FC appears to be stuck creating NPC scripts.

It seems rather a waste of his talent, considering the state of the story could he not be better used within the company ? But also he seems just as confused as to who is in charge of the story.

Its alright saying we are all in charge, who its a group effort, but at the end of the day one person has to be at the top. Like the director of a film or a project manger someone needs to control and manage the story.

Given Ragnars past sucess with story telling I find it impossible that he does not have control, instead we get a confused picture of guate, fadinway, ragnar, all ducking the responsablility of the story.

Some needs to get a grip in the FC offices take the story by the bull of the horns so speak. Create a plot, set ideas for events to create sub plots to feed in and distract from the main plot. Give gaute direction in which to add new features, missions, npc's to add to the story.

Of course talk is easy, but FC you need to do something before half your player base disappears before its to late.

I think you may be reading a bit too much in there.

That looks like a response to someone saying 'if you're doing NPCs, the is that all we're getting from the story?'

From what I can see in that post FC have a very solid idea of who is responsible for the story. When he says '...coordinated and supervised by the game director...' that kinda suggets someone with authority to make hard decisions.

Ragnar has already stated in a number of places that his role in Funcom is as Creative Director. That means that he's one of the boardmembers, probably a founding member of the company, and his remit is to oversee the creative vision for all content being generated by Funcom. That's all - Longest Journey, Midgaard, AO, all those tiny java games, the works. That's oversee, not manage or write or direct. Just oversee.

If AO is anything like any other software project, then it will have its own project director, and most probably quite a substantial team of people. There'll be the server team, the content team, the community team (Hi Cz and Cosmik!), the patch team and a bunch of other teams who each have their own heads of department and who in turn answer to the project director.

Now the project director will answer to Ragnar as Ragnar is Creative Director. But if Ragnar is any good at management he won't be in there fine-tuning every aspect of AO - that's why they hire other people :)

However, by the sounds of things Funcom at the moment is 'all hands to AO'. So when the question is asked 'how can I help?' the answer to Ragnar was probably 'we need someone to look over the NPCs' - so Ragnar does. Why is he not making the decisions? Well, I'm willing to bet good money that he doesn't have as good a picture of the state of the entire project as the project director does. It's not his job to have a complete picture of the project and every detail.

Am I defending Ragnar? Yes I am. I'm also defending every software/game team that has ever had to work in a huge and succcessful game. You'd be surprised at the number of people and skillsets required to make this work.

Ragnar probably doesn't know the details of when the 'taking places' or 'in-game newspaper' stuff will be ready. At best he'll know 'next patch' or 'later'

So be careful what you read into this. This is a non-official report made by the guy doing the NPC text. Be careful you don't read it as anything more.

No Mechanita this is "That looks like a response to someone saying 'if you're doing NPCs, the is that all we're getting from the story"

Not what I was saying at all my point is that FC needs someone to be in charge of the storyline, the plot. It would make a lot of sense for this role to be filled by Ragnar given that he after all is an author and a story teller of some note.

I find it impossible to believe that the game dirtector should be in charge of the story line as well as all the other jobs he does. But this does explain why we have had techincal patch after techincal patch and nothing on the storyline.

I was not as point saying that we are only getting NPC's but it strikes me as odd that one of the best PC storytellers is stuck doing NPC while we have had not storyline for a months.

It seems a real waste of his talent, surely his skills would be better used creating the storyline giving reports on the website, create or adding to the background of Rubi-ka. This could then be later translated by someone else to the npc bots which are lying around.

But I am worried because when you have the man behind the story working in NPC's it does leave you to wonder who if anyone is working on the main story. Or perhaps worst does this show that there will be no main story all events and background will be through talking to bots ???

If not then how come the guy who wrote the Rubi-ka story not seem to know. either way you look at it something at fc is just not right is it.

You said:
"So what else is there? There is the events team, and their timelss dedication to both story and non story related events".


You stated that the events team have dedicated timeless hours towards the storyline. Please refresh my and others memories on all these events that took place. I participated in all events since November of last year and I can only remember three story based events. 1. The Dust Brigade in Avalon, 2. The mutants in Newland, and the Slayerdroids in Athens. Oh! yea, the false alarm in Stret West Bank. Sure those got our heart pumping.

Non-Story line events like the Reet race in Borealis, that I attend didnt capture peoples attention much. However, I applaud their efforts but to say timeless suggests that they put a lot of thought into the storyline. This is a little to much to swallow dont you think?

It really surprises me how much power Gaute has over this game. If there is one reason that the planet is so empty, it's Gaute Godager. The fact that he apparently reigns over Ragnar with an iron fist is sad. Ragnar is the reason this game is so appealing to me. Gaute is the reason I'm leaving.

Where'd Tommy Strand go? I have a feeling he was the reason I was so attracted to the 'game' elements of AO in the beginning. Gaute is the reason it is turning into EverQuest.

I have a feeling there are only 8 people left working on this game.

And the ones at the top have seriously messed up 'vision'.

My bad, Kirrana - sorry for the misunderstanding.

The quoted line should read:

Ragnar's post looks like a response to someone asking him: 'if you are doing NPCs, is that all we are getting from the story" and we as subsequent readers and commentators should be careful not to take it out of context.

* * *

Is the project director the person with the story vision?

I have no idea. I don't work at FC and I don't know how they work. I'm assuming someone has the responsibility of being in charge of the story itself, and that person most probably answers to the project director.

As for why that person isn't Ragnar, I can make a good guess at that one: because Ragnar, as Creative Director at Funcom, has had other things to be working on of late (backstory, etc. for Midgaard) and so they'd have assigned someone else that task. Now that Funcom is all-hands-to-AO, Ragnar is once again focusing on AO *but* to then reshuffle who is in charge of the story could cause disruptions to any work in progress. So Ragnar is assigned to a job in which his writing skills can be used to good effect and on short notice.

Of course, this is all purely conjecture. I could be entirely wrong. But I'm willing to bet I'm not.

As for 8 people? Let me assure you that if there were only 8 people working on AO, we'd be seeing a LOT more server downtime than we currently are!

Sorry Mechanita

It seems as if your forced into defending Funcom at times, this can lead to people expecting you have the answers to the questions.

At best like me you can guess, we all wish FC well and try to believe a situation that would explain the problems we have seen.

I have tried my best to find out who runs the story I am sure Fad, Dai and Cosmick are very tired of me asking. But as yet I have never had straight foward answer to this question.

The avoid the subject by talking about the different teams, fads groups, the ark program but not once do they admit who is suppose to be in charge of the story.

This leads me to believe nobody is who ever was doing this role has been re-allocated at best or laid off. This must run true for the events team we used to see, either these people got the can or where moved to other things.

FC said the game would not suffer due to the money problems they as a company was having but its clear this was not the case.

I hate having to speculate on what has happened, what is happing and what the future may bring. But FC give us so little information, they are so bad at communication.

If only they would give us some idea, talk to us about solutions not just pass the blame, or say sorry, or try to explain the situation.

But to listen to the players, to work out solutions, things we could do now. But all we hear is FC does not have enough reasons to do that, all they while them seem to be able to spare enough to work an expansion pack which appears to many so far at odds with the game.

Kirrana, just about every point you've mentioned in this string since posting ragnar's journal site completely contradicts the notion that you've even read it.

You say "Revising the NPC dialogues and interaction isn't a substitute for a dynamic storyline. "

Ragnar says "I might be over my head here - I often am - but this is basically what we're looking at and thinking of when we utter the infamous word "story". Not just NPCs, not just events, but a whole package of things. When I say that I am working on NPCs, keep in mind that I am not the entirety of the story! {far from it.} There's a big, huge team working on the game - the tentacles - and a squishy head with a lot of eyes and a sizeable brain - the octopus - overseeing all the elements. I'm one tiny tentacle. There are a hundred more!"

You say "I have tried my best to find out who runs the story I am sure Fad, Dai and Cosmick are very tired of me asking. But as yet I have never had straight foward answer to this question. This leads me to believe nobody is who ever was doing this role has been re-allocated at best or laid off. This must run true for the events team we used to see, either these people got the can or where moved to other things. "

Ragnar says "Contrary to what some people may think, there's open communication between the "story people" and the "events people" (the definition of a "story person" will change all the time, as all content, in some way or another, touches on story, and thus everyone takes part in communicating the story from our end), coordinated and supervised by the game director, who, in every instance, has the final word on what's good and what's not."

And that's just a couple points. I'm not going to go through everything, but let it rest that you're still complaining about things that have already been answered for you. And no, not every answer is the ultimate shining Knowledge From God that you were hoping for.

It all boils down to a very large team of people working on a very large aspect of the game: the storyline and it's foundation. It can't happen overnight, and in this case it can't be substituted for a crap job. They're not going to release a substandard storyline foundation just because people are getting impatient. They made that mistake with the game itself. They're getting it right this time, and it's a huge project that they're quite dedicated to completing BEFORE you see it.

No, they're not going to tell you the names and social security numbers of every single person working on story and events. And certainly not the director. Yeah, I know, tough break. Lord knows that he must be all broken up about not receiving your hate emails and flames just because a few people are demanding he repeat history by releasing a substandard product before it's ready.

Tarryk

While its nice to hear from you again defending FC, I would like to point out that it is you a player and not FC. That is if as you suggest there is a big team working on the story then why dont they just tell us what they are doing.

Cause for the past 6 months this so called large team has not produced anything. I also question the fact you said they cant do it over night.

Tarryk this game has been out over a year now, the story started last october and was canned without anywords. A large events team which was around has just disappeared.

We the paying customer are just suppose to believe that FC have a large team working on it. Oh come on it would not be the first time FC have lied to us, and mislead us I am sorry but due to the way FC has treated the customers I have just a lot of my trust in them.


Also I dont see what harm FC telling us who is in charge of the story, after all they seem open enough about what other people do in the company.

Also Tarryk I would like you to understand that I dont send hate mail or flame FC. I have a good relationship with the community of AO and get on well with the FC people, well most of them ;).

In truth they understand my point of view, sadly most things in AO get down by people ( customers) putting pressure on FC to do something. To give them feedback to make them understand we are not happy.

I dont have to do this I could just give up and leave but I still think this game is worth fighting for.

They don't tell us things until they are almost sure it will be implemented.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Kirrana
Personally I found this from Ragnar was a little disappointing, he was still talking about features such as in game newspaper and capture and holding land as a long way off. Dispite the fact FC talked about these features some months ago. It appears no progress has been made.

In fact there seemed little if any real plans, for the story a lot of what could be but not much on detials of what is going to be. Considering shadowlands is due out in months it does not seem like much thought has gone in shadowlands to deal with the story line at all.


Ragnar the man behind the book, the person who ( I am sure with input from others) molded the world of Rubi-Ka , who I am sure had input into the videos and Radiman v Ross. This same man who wrote the longest story in FC appears to be stuck creating NPC scripts.

It seems rather a waste of his talent, considering the state of the story could he not be better used within the company ? But also he seems just as confused as to who is in charge of the story.

Its alright saying we are all in charge, who its a group effort, but at the end of the day one person has to be at the top. Like the director of a film or a project manger someone needs to control and manage the story.

Given Ragnars past sucess with story telling I find it impossible that he does not have control, instead we get a confused picture of guate, fadinway, ragnar, all ducking the responsablility of the story.

Some needs to get a grip in the FC offices take the story by the bull of the horns so speak. Create a plot, set ideas for events to create sub plots to feed in and distract from the main plot. Give gaute direction in which to add new features, missions, npc's to add to the story.

Of course talk is easy, but FC you need to do something before half your player base disappears before its to late.

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I think you read too much or too little out of Ragnar's words. Can't decide which, because he said on that page:

Quote:

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I can't speak for Fadinaway, although he's still heading up the events team. I have absolutely nothing to do with events - story or otherwise - and that's A Good Thing, because I'd probably suck at it...

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The way I read Ragnar's site was he's saying that he's responsible for explaining why the heck we're all on Rubi-Ka. Not what we're doing on Rubi-Ka today. He has to explain why Anarchy Hill looks the way it looks. Not why 200 clanners and tekkers massacred each other on Anarchy Hill yesterday.

Myers where have you been ?

They don't tell us things until they are almost sure it will be implemented.

erm what about the following

Storyline on the box
User created missions july 2001
New Appartments Oct 2001
Guild Housing Dec 2001

I could go no but there is a back log of things they where working on from beta that we have still not see in games dispite FC making a number of statements on the subject.

This is not just the odd hints, this was guate the game director tell us what was in the piple line what we would expect to see.

Sadly not one of these items have made it past the talking state. But at least they have talked about the issues around the story seems almost a no go area for FC

Thats what I'm saying, they WERE telling us and since they were inacurate they stopped.

Tarrayk, while its nice that you can try to defend Funcom for this massive failure of a storyline you need to realize that there is nothing here to defend... I said it in my other post "story is dead...delete forum..."... Show me a story. At one time there was one, but there is not one any longer...

You say be patient...How long are we expected to wait? Its been over a year now and we have had 2, perhaps 3 months of story... There is absolutly zero hint that it is comming back anytime soon either...I believe the first set of staff layoffs went the story people(happened about time story went *poof* ) and second set of layoffs now we are going to see fewer real patches and actual game improvements...

This forum used to be full of posts about real story events now all we have are these type of discussions.. (must tell you something)

Funcom have stated that the games story will have a 4 year span... Well we are now over a year into game and if we need to wait now for Shadowlands for the story to start again what does that leave ? 2.5 years of story time (yet they have stated that story wont run in summer months so really thats about 1.5, maybe 2 year of story left)


As far as this article - this is what I read into it... Ragnar is pissed about being "stuck" to work on NPC's which have no real influence on story.... There is some "big" story crew that does nothing except talk to each other and nothing actually gets done...Ragnar is telling us to speak with our credit cards... Ragnar is saying there is no story because game leader (Gaute) has stuck him (and others) in the back and are being kept in the dark with no power to do anything...

The only thing that is BARELY keeping me around is the memories of the fun I, and friends had, when the story was running and the hope that it will start up again...As each day passes however I become more and more doubtful as well as angry...

First off, Crazyhorse, the recent set of layoffs has already been spoken about, by Ragnar on the site that you have apparently not read. They did not fire anyone from the development team.

I say be patient, yes. I don't expect you to wait at all, and Funcom expects nothing and demands nothing from you. I've already explained, time and again, why the story was cut short and why it's taking so long to renew itself. So since you have not once listened to me, I have absolutely zero reason to believe that you'll listen to anything else I say without leaping back to the same tired ranting of yours that we're all so familiar with. So to you, I say no more.

Kirrana - I appreciate your problem. You're mad because we're not being kept up to date on the progress, and because we're not being given what was promised on the box.

I can't even hope to justify or defend those two aspects. I know exactly WHY we aren't being given the storyline as it was promised on the box, but I do not know exactly what work to what degree has gone into the new form that the storyline will take. I am lacking details, but I have the general concept down.

They had a storyline, they realized that it was a drastically wrong approach, and they shut it down to begin work on a new and broader way to tell the story.

At that point, they realized that they had just broken the word-bond of what was printed on the box when they made that move. They started a few quick attempts to let people know what was going on, but quickly realized that they were changing the dynamics of the work being done so often that anything they said to the public would be classifiable as a lie the very next week.

So they took the monk's approach. A vow of silence, wherein they have no mouth in which to insert a foot.

I don't think it's the right way to go. I think it's a bad move, and they should at least learn to generalize the knowledge they give out, but they should still at least give SOMEthing out.

But I'm not going to start bashing the game world of Rubi-Ka just because Funcom hasn't figured out how to properly authoritate public relations on their web site.

THe world is fulfilling to me, and very rich. And when the storyline kicks back in--in it's newly recreated form--it will make the world all the more rich and fulfilling. Therein, I have patience and will see it through.

I'm sorry if you or anyone else who disagrees with me lacks such patience. I don't apologize for Funcom, but I don't think their hearts are in the wrong place either. They'll give us what they promised, that much I'm sure of.

So I'll shake a finger at them for misbehaving. Bad Funcom. Now keep those servers up, I need a nice stroll through Varmint Woods to clear my head.

Jeez sorry for being a bit su****ious when FC says something... When the first set of layoffs happened FC said that AO would not be effected in any way... They said the story would not be effected... Well we all know what happened with that...(just one example of FC lies there are several others)

As for you reasons why the story is stagnant... I guess I would like to know where you are getting your info from... We have received zero feedback as to the storyline and for all I know, and I assume you as well, the story may never return...

I have read you posts and all I read is speculation... What I am saying is FACT... There is no story now and I dont think unless you are an insider there is no way that you know any different...

With no "official" response I/we are stuck with these speculations...(your hopeful speculations and my pessimistic ones)... I am just being a realist when I think that not only is the story gone now but, unfortuantly, the game will be soon as well...

Thanks for reminding me of this site, I had followed it very early on but then stopped for some reason. As miserly as Funcom is with information, any source is very much appreciated.

Scorus