Poll: Side Missions

[Summerstorm]

Some side-mission are cool. But i find that my enjoyment of side-quests is only possible if the main storyline is not so DAMN urgent. It just breaks the immersion:

"OH MY GAWD... You are the last hope of humanity.. NAY all life in the universe. You HAVE to stop the evil anti-life-lord DESTRUCTOR in five days or the unlife will abort us all FROM TIME itself"

"Yeah, k... but first i will help those two lovers come together, get my old pal Rexnor his old family-sword, will gather 25 units of candy for the orphans and will breed the ULTIMATE chocobo and win a race with him"

Something seems wrong with that?... it should. Just give me some time for the side-quests if you want me to have fun with them, games.

 

[caprisun]

Yea, if done right they can make a good game into a great game

 

[DustyDrB]

Yea, if done right they can make a good game into a great game

Majora's Mask
The Anju and Kafei sidequest was as memorable as the main game (its also a great primer on age-reversion induced statutory rape).

 

[DragonsAteMyMarbles]

I like fun ones, which have cool rewards. Generic ones are fun when there is a decent reward or variety.

Award for most annoying side mission? "OH NOEZ, MY BAWWWOOOOONNNN" *twitch*

That always got me. How many bloody helium balloon sellers are there in New York?!

OT: I usually don't mind them, as long as they're not tedious fetch-quests (stupid bloody Deep Mushrooms). However, my only complaint about Mass Effect 2 is that the sidequests are an absolute arse to find. Especially if you're a fanatical planet-miner like myself.

 

[Shurikens and Lightning]

Bethesda can make some good side missions.

 

[insectoid]

Some are good, some are bad. I'll play them if there is incentive, not if they're tacked on as padding, with little effort made to make them interesting.

 

[Byrn Stuff]

I like it when there's some sort of reason for the mission; it either advances the plot or helps develop my character. There needs to be some logical reason to leave the path and going running along the countryside. I especially like it when there's a pay-off beyond the usual money/XP. Earning unique items, abilities, etc. help explain the motivation.

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

I tend to love side missions (Side quests in some games)
I usually do them before most of the story

 

[Darwins_Folly]

I found some of the side missions in Mass Effect 2 to be less rewarding then they should be. There was not much incentive to complete the N7 missions. They were fun I suppose, but tracking them down just for a bit of money or experience wasn't worth it.

 

[Sirtwitchy]

Sometimes I like side missions more than the main story...

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

I do them, but don't expect me to look for them unless I need any money or XP.

 

[Samcanuck]

I enjoy side quests...if I enjoy the game. I'm the kind of person who likes getting all the best game swag in a rpg...unless its from dlc, then I'll usually do without.

On that note though, I will purchase the odd DLC for Dragon age, but you get something really good out of that downloaded content. A new Character or place to store your gear, damn well worth my time and money. But games like Fallout 3 and borderlands, I don't see the point since everything you need is in game. What would I need a crappy hammer for (in assasins creed 2 for 50 bloody feathers), or a handful of created storyline for that sake alone like in borderlands, if I can get all that just by playing through the games main story line?
NOW, if the reward was great, Such as instantly giving you 100 points into a skill in fallout 3, I would buy the dlc sidequest (but not assasnins creed 2...why would you need more than the best ingame sword?).

The sidequests that are in the game follow the same lines. Unless I dont know what I'm getting at the end, or am still in awe of the game, or the reward it gives is just too good to pass up...I won't do a side quest (say if I replay fallout 3 or play a game I barely want to beat).

But whats the alternative to sandbox? Full linear....no thanks.