Back when I wrote for Global Games, they (we?) called it "chrome". Yes, it's flashy and shiny and it draws attention. Yes, it's not essential to the game's immediate function. But it also serves a very practical function as well... corrosion resistance. A really good story line will draw players back, even if the graphics aren't top-notch anymore and the music rendering is a generation behind.
— Halo fan, forum post
Anyway, this all kicks off a story of some kind along the lines of an evil ninja clan unleashing demons upon the Earth and the CIA deciding that one solitary ninja is a much more hopeful prospect than, say, a tactical nuclear strike, but frankly, f*ck you if you want a story; here's your story: demons over there, kill they ass!
— Zero Punctuation review of Ninja Gaiden II.
Some intellectuals struggle with the dichotomy between narrative and interactivity. Game designers are first and foremost creators of enjoyable game environments. They are storytellers only when this secondary activity facilitates the player's intuitive interaction with the game's rules.
— Daniel Cook, "Evolutionary Design".
The year is 2048. In a post apocalyptic galaxy run by giant corporations, you are a cybernetically-enhanced space marine with no memory of his past. Are YOU the chosen one foretold by prophecy? Do YOU have the strength to survive... Tic! Tac! DOOM!!
— Bob Bell summarizes Tic-Tac-Toe in Sam and Max: Bright Side of The Moon
Don't you hate it when good game designers are convinced that they're good writers, too?
— Blog comment, on Fable
Read my lips: Computer games tell stories. That's what they're for.
— Greg Kirkpatrick, Usenet post
When you call I am not gonna push Select 'cause I'm not gonna answer my Codec
Cause I'm out in the war aiming for a high score and I'm not gonna answer my Codec
"Plot" is what the DM does to amuse himself when the players aren't talking.
— DM of the Rings LXII
"What's everybody going to do when Mists of Pandaria comes out?"
"I'm going to ignore every single quest, lore piece, dungeon, take no time to look around, and rush to 90 as fast as I can. Then I will proceed to stand in the middle of the new hub and complain that there's no content."
"^ LOLOLOLOL"
"I mean... I did it in Diablo, Guild Wars 2 and Star Wars: The Old Republic."
—A Conversation from Orgrimmar general chat prior to the release of World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria.
"Heh. People do the same thing [Play the Game, Skip the Story] with Animal Crossing, adjusting the system time to game the system. Then they complain that they're bored."
—A Tweet taken from a conversation about this chat.
"Whenever there's a discussion like this in any MMO, it turns out that most people are indeed not reading the mission briefings."
— kojirohellfire on the forums for Star Trek Online, regarding a question about story justification
Zacharie: The characters are starting to pile up, aren't they?
The Batter: Pardon?
Zacharie: What I'm saying is that the average player doesn't need all these complicated and tedious dialogues. There should be more action and fewer questions.
— OFF
Tycho: Hold on, goddammit. You're skipping all the dialog.
Gabe: Who cares?
Tycho: I care. I care about what's going on in the story.
Gabe: Here's what's going on: that guy's got three heads. I'm going to kill him with ice magic.
— Penny Arcade, "We Were Playing the Second Digital Devil Saga"
Lewis: "Right, Plot Plot Plot Plot Plot Plot Plot Plot; Done."
Johnny: "Ah, you speak the way of the speed-runner."
— BrainScratch Commentaries in their commentary of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Part 7.
There are fragments of plot relayed out of sequence but you do not care because the music and the colours. When the narrative peaks, you say "Good!" and then forget it.
— thecatamites, in the description for Magic Wand
Do you even care about our story? Nibbly scavenger!
You're ignoring all these words, aren't you?
— RunGunJumpGun
"So, you've finally arrived. Few people have entered the lair of King Dragon."
"Here to save Prince Horace, are you? The little worm is not fit to rule."
"I've been waiting for this. The chance to crush you like the insect you are."
"Stop skipping my dialogue. I've got some dope-ass exposition coming up."
"Seriously, stop it. The writers worked very hard on this script."
"MOTHERFUCKER I WILL PUNCH YOUR BALLS OFF"
— King Dragon, ProZD, "RPG boss gets pissed at the player skipping his dialogue"
Rajini: (Telling the history of the training house) "In the year 129 of the Tonbi calendar, humanity was—"
Kukuri: "Who cares about the story!? How do I use it?"
Rajini: "If you skip the story, you won't be emotionally invested."
Kukuri: "Don't care."
— Magical Circle Guru-Guru
"Okay, I'm pretty confused to what's going on, but that's entirely my own doing."
—CallMeKevin playing Final Fantasy XV
"I can't pay attention to story in games. Like I-I'm sure there's one or two people out there who can-can sympathize with me but the moment story comes on in any video game I'm like "Where's the skip button? Where is it?". I can't-I can't pay attention.
—CDawgVA, Trash Taste
"Nothing happens."
(beat)
"Still a good game though."
— The short version of Kingdom Hearts RE:Coded in a nutshell
"If you're trying to keep up with the plot, just don't. You'll enjoy this game much better if you imagine you are a playboy model going on a violent anime-themed LSD trip."
— Worst MMO Ever? - Tera, Josh Strife Hayes
"I would rather blow things up than read the story scroll."
— Stampylongnose playing Skylanders: Trap Team
