Poll: Story or Gameplay?

[FunkEngine12]

Step into the Tardis with me and allow me to transport you back to the misty realms of the 1980-90's. Back then, there were many good games, but they were very definitely divided into two genres: games that were fun to actually play, and games with brilliant stories. There was very little overlap, unfortunately. In the former, you had games like Metroid and Prince of Persia, which had great gameplay, but little or no story. Then there were adventure games like Grim Fandango and Sam and Max that had brilliant stories and dialouge, but the gameplay was only variations on, "use everything on everything else." Now we have the resourses in the gaming industry to have games that incorporate the best of both these areas, but most companies seem not to realize this. So I leave the question up to you, my fellow gamers: Which is more important for an entertainment game? An engaging story and sympathetic characters, or well-made, solid gameplay?

 

[Capachinola]

GAMEPLAAAAAAAAAAY.

I've got a DVD player, and a bookcase, and its filled with good story. DVD's and Books dont cost 60 bucks each.

Spend the time making the game unique, fun and appealing, don't run out your design time to build the greatest story since books, because I still read books.

 

[SquirrelPants]

It depends on the game, I suppose. In something like Batman Arkham Asylum, or an FPS, I usually prefer gameplay, but if it it something along the lines of Indigo Prophecy, I like the story and it doesn't need extremely good gameplay to be compelling and fun. I vote Gameplay, as most people will, but it honestly depends.

 

[targren]

I like both, but I can play a game with a lame ass story but good gameplay, whereas a game has to have a really PHENOMENAL story to make me tough it out through bad gameplay.

 

[Doge Dominico]

Gamestory....Storyplay...I like them both equally, Cant really stand too good a gameplay but a crap-o-matic storyline and I cant stand a storyline where the gameplay is like pacman being injected with random needles, in fast forward...upside down

 

[effilctar]

Stories go in books.
/thread

Although, I LOVE that once every year game that fits in a perfect story around great gameplay.

 

[LockeDown]

As has been said before, both are very important to the cultivation of a decent playing experience. However, that said, a game that possesses outstanding gameplay with little to no story is far more playable than one with an excellent story continually interrupted by frustrating or broken mechanics.

 

[DrDeath3191]

The answer is gameplay. Obviously, since they are games, that's the most integral part.

 

[Amnestic]

Neither.

It's like asking if I think green or orange is more important to Art.

 

[Pyode]

Well, to me, immersion is the most important attribute of a game and a great story can go a very long way to help. But if the gameplay is bad it can ruin the immersion.

There really is no one answer to this question. There are games that do just fine without a story but there are some games that wouldn't be nearly as popular if it weren't for the story element.

Can anyone honestly say that the gaming landscape would be better, or as good, if we where still playing nothing but games with virtually no story like Pong or Space Invaders?

is this another stupid poll which has an obvious outcome?
*votes gameplay and checks results*
yup...

If there where an option for "Both" I don't think the results would be as one sided.

 

[Internet Kraken]

Neither.

It's like asking if I think green or orange is more important to Art.

Not at all. The most important part of a game is the gameplay. I don't even see how this is debatable. It's what ultimately decides if the game is fun to play. And if the game isn't fun, then you're not going to want to play it.

 

[A random person]

Since they're games, I'd have to say gameplay, though story is also important depending on the genre (i.e not that important in platformers, essential in RPG's, and pretty helpful in some FPS's and fighting games).

 

[Korten12]

can u make a option for both?

 

[kawaiiamethist]

Both are important, but gameplay with always win out - since it's a GAME. Final Fantasy XII gave me a story I could care less about told through characters I cared even less for, yet the gameplay was awesomely good and the world was immersive, so I forgave it.

 

[Yumi_and_Erea]

Search-bar.

It takes like 5 seconds, folks.

 

[Amnestic]

Neither.

It's like asking if I think green or orange is more important to Art.

Not at all. The most important part of a game is the gameplay. I don't even see how this is debatable. It's what ultimately decides if the game is fun to play. And if the game isn't fun, then you're not going to want to play it.

It's debatable because some game's offer more focus on story than gameplay? Pretty sure Heavy Rain is meant to be doing that. I hear The Path does as well though I haven't played it. Perhaps that Flower game I heard of as well.

Then there are some RPGs, which arguably are more about the story than the gameplay as well.

 

[likalaruku]

I guess if I HAVE to pick one over the other, I'm going with story, because when the gameplay sucks, at least a good story will compell me to play to the end, whereas good gameplay with a sucky story usually finds me getting bored halfway through because I don't feel like I have any sort of goal I really need to reach. Same with movies; the special effects & action are meaningless if the script, characters, & plot suck beans through a straw.

 

[Hiphophippo]

I guess if I HAVE to pick one over the other, I'm going with story, because when the gameplay sucks, at least a good story will compell me to play to the end, whereas good gameplay with a sucky story usually finds me getting bored halfway through because I don't feel like I have any sort of goal I really need to reach. Same with movies; the special effects & action are meaningless if the script, characters, & plot suck beans through a straw.

Yea. This.

I'm not against playing an interactive cutscene myself. I just want a good story.

 

[The Anhk24]

I would have to say gameplay. If I'm playing it and I like the story but hate the gameplay, I can just watch the scenes online

 

[likalaruku]

I guess if I HAVE to pick one over the other, I'm going with story, because when the gameplay sucks, at least a good story will compell me to play to the end, whereas good gameplay with a sucky story usually finds me getting bored halfway through because I don't feel like I have any sort of goal I really need to reach. Same with movies; the special effects & action are meaningless if the script, characters, & plot suck beans through a straw.

Yea. This.

I'm not against playing an interactive cutscene myself. I just want a good story.

"Sam & Max" is the first thing thap popped into my mind when you wrote that.