What's An Actual Fun Goal For A Game-Type Novel?

[TheMonotonePuppet]

The most popular Speedrun History channel on youtube.

I see. Thanks for teaching me!
@Plantorsomething I’ve only read the boring speed runs with boring personalities. None of the ones I’ve found have, sadly, been entertaining. I think if someone emulated that successful channel, however the channel does stuff, I’d probably like it. But literarily, I don’t think that’s happened.

 

[Cipiteca396]

I see. Thanks for teaching me!
@Plantorsomething I’ve only read the boring speed runs with boring personalities. None of the ones I’ve found have, sadly, been entertaining. I think if someone emulated that successful channel, however the channel does stuff, I’d probably like it. But literarily, I don’t think that’s happened.

I think it's just not your thing. I doubt the authors who wanted to write a speedrun haven't spent hours watching speedruns already.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

I think it's just not your thing. I doubt the authors who wanted to write a speedrun haven't spent hours watching speedruns already.

I see, I see! Good to know!

 

[Plantorsomething]

I see. Thanks for teaching me!
@Plantorsomething I’ve only read the boring speed runs with boring personalities. None of the ones I’ve found have, sadly, been entertaining. I think if someone emulated that successful channel, however the channel does stuff, I’d probably like it. But literarily, I don’t think that’s happened.

Really? I haven’t read any speedrun stories at all.

Exactly. It’s the same level of boring as a top of the leaderboards goal that also has no weight. That’s my problem with it.
As a side note, what do you mean by “watch summoning salts”? I have no idea what that is.

I thought the guy just wanted a normal game goal, not sure how to give that stakes other than emotional ones

 

[PeacefulMyst]

npc pregnant speedrun

 

[HungrySheep]

Becoming some eldritch abomination of a hot springs and a vending machine but also somehow still having a massive harem that never stops growing.

 

[TotallyHuman]

We've all heard of those types of novels. They're usually VRMMORPG's that consist of the protagonist being a badass killer that strives to rank at the top of the leaderboard. To do that, he unveils all these hidden tricks in the game's files/finds game breaking bugs and uses them, combined with his godly skills to become the best PvPer. Maybe even pick up a couple girls along the way.

But that gets old quickly. Aside from boasting realistic combat, these type of games often have another thing, too. Creativity. They allow the players to do virtually anything, creating a fully player-controlled world. Games like Albion Online already do this–some choose to be craftsmen, others lumberjacks, others fishermen. They all contribute to the game's economy.

But what's a fun, new objective you think hasn't been explored as much in these types of novels? What other goal could there be to this besides killing other players and pretending like they're in the Hunger Games?

stop playing and get a life

 

[Whoops]

I quite enjoyed "The legendary Mechanic" for this reason. Players are always going to player so you have limited options there. But taking an ex pro player, turning him into an NPC and having him use players in different ways to stay strong and relevant. This way the protagonist can survive both players and other NPCs while still doing stuff other than killing everything. Manipulating players to do things most beneficial for the protagonist, using streamer type people to make himself more popular, crafting things so players join his faction etc. etc.

 

[Deleted member 139452]

Get rich and give it all to the BestDuck

 

[Sleds]

Speedrun! Dunno how you”d speed run an MMO but I’m sure some out there have done it. Speedrun a boss, speedrun to level ten, speedrun an annoying escort quest, speedrun story mode

Speedrun can be boring cause to really write it you have to make a lot of failure, try each spot on a room where you can dps without losing a single gcd.

edit : On the note of speedrun, The King Avatar do it, he create some strat to make the best speedrun dungeons.

 

[laccoff_mawning]

I once considered making a vrmmo story myself. The premise would be the idea of "A.I. training", so it becomes a job where a machine reads everything you and your guildies do, and gives you points on how much the A.I. "learns" from you.

The problem is, you couldn't really write it with high suspense, as everything is fake, in some way. As such it would have to be solely comical. However, the low stakes is the one thing that seperates it from fantasy, so should be used well. Dying would be a common part of the story.

I think guilds would need to play a big role. Since the only "real" thing are the other players, the interactions they have would make up most of the story, as opposed to some solo-mc who only interacts with monsters and NPCs. Bonus points if the guild leader is stronger than the MC

As a side note, I hate the "A.I.s becoming human" trope with a passion. It's not funny, nor insightful; just stupid. A novel that explores videogames should have buggy, stupid, A.I. that only serve for comedic relief. I want A.I.s that repeat the same lines to you over and over again until you say the right response. I want A.I.s that tell you to "Come back when you found my precious pendant", while you wave it in their faces because they haven't recognised you have it yet. I want mercinary A.I.s that attract a large group of monsters, making your life harder instead of easier, dealing pitifully little damage. Afterwards, when you and your entire party is dead, they respawn and act like nothing happened.

I accept no alternative; the only good A.I. is a stupid one.

I personally think the goal of becoming the "best player" or similar is fine, but it just has to fully dive fully into the game-like environment, rather than making some wierd game-realworld hybrid where the mc gets unique advantages that completely break gameplay. I'd love to read a casual comedy about a guy playing a vrmmo and failing because he's a normal person, along with the rest of his guild.

 

[Cipiteca396]

I accept no alternative; the only good A.I. is a stupid one.

*shivers* You have have the worst taste I've seen in a while. I absolutely hate stupid AI.

The problem is, you couldn't really write it with high suspense, as everything is fake, in some way.

Speedrun can be boring cause to really write it you have to make a lot of failure,

What if it's The Run. You aren't allowed to fail. The more successful The Run is, the more it hurts when you make mistakes. Too many mistakes, and The Run turns into a failure.

If you've heard of Mother of Learning, it's pretty clear that Speedrun stories can have a lot of appeal.

As for a more general rule of game stories not having high suspense, that's just a lack of imagination. You can absolutely lean into it and make the story low stakes, and I'd enjoy it more if you did... But it's not built in.
If, for example, your career is built on streaming or e-sports, the stakes are the same for you as for any other professional MC doing their job. Maybe one of your team mates needs the prize money to pay for medical bills. Maybe they're just deranged and they'll kill you if you do a bad job. Speaking of, maybe it's a documentary type thing, and it's about the stress and toxicity of professional gaming.

Even for less professional MCs, you can still have personal stakes. Maybe the quests have time limits. Maybe they spent real world money on something and they have a chance of losing it. Maybe they just want to 100% the game, and its a hard game. Just because you can't die doesn't mean you can't lose, either. Maybe an area the MC likes has a chance of being destroyed by in-game events unless they stop it.

I don't know... It's weird to me that people are willing to read a fictional story about a fictional character with fictional stakes, and then say that it's boring that the game is 'fake'. Isn't that just the nature of the beast?

 

[Sleds]

*shivers* You have have the worst taste I've seen in a while. I absolutely hate stupid AI.


What if it's The Run. You aren't allowed to fail. The more successful The Run is, the more it hurts when you make mistakes. Too many mistakes, and The Run turns into a failure.

If you've heard of Mother of Learning, it's pretty clear that Speedrun stories can have a lot of appeal.

As for a more general rule of game stories not having high suspense, that's just a lack of imagination. You can absolutely lean into it and make the story low stakes, and I'd enjoy it more if you did... But it's not built in.
If, for example, your career is built on streaming or e-sports, the stakes are the same for you as for any other professional MC doing their job. Maybe one of your team mates needs the prize money to pay for medical bills. Maybe they're just deranged and they'll kill you if you do a bad job. Speaking of, maybe it's a documentary type thing, and it's about the stress and toxicity of professional gaming.

Even for less professional MCs, you can still have personal stakes. Maybe the quests have time limits. Maybe they spent real world money on something and they have a chance of losing it. Maybe they just want to 100% the game, and its a hard game. Just because you can't die doesn't mean you can't lose, either. Maybe an area the MC likes has a chance of being destroyed by in-game events unless they stop it.

I don't know... It's weird to me that people are willing to read a fictional story about a fictional character with fictional stakes, and then say that it's boring that the game is 'fake'. Isn't that just the nature of the beast?

Maybe I wasn't clear in my message, but if you write purposely a speedrun story and by that I mean running again and again the same content to find every way, then yes it become boring to read no matter what.

 

[NotaNuffian]

Murder is always less fun in MMORPG with players.

Sure, the loss of items is painful, but that's it.

 

[ConansWitchBaby]

Everybody Loves Large Chests

Spoiler: ending

Escaping the game into an even more complicated world.

The classic: fishing

 

[Ai-chan]

Killing gods or becoming one of them, of course. Don't tell Ai-chan you've never thought of running a D&D campaign where you search for and find Waukeen, the Goddess of Trade and live rich hereafter?

Or romancing Sune?

Or killing Bane and taking his place?

Or becoming such a powerful person that it breaks the limitations on the world imposed by Mystra?

 

[Lorelliad]

Or becoming such a powerful person that it breaks the limitations on the world imposed by Mystra?

I'm not tryna be no Karsus

 

[aattss]

Coming up with creative and spectacular ways to kill npcs.

I find it disappointing how so many VRMMO stories aren't even interested in video games.

 

[laccoff_mawning]

I see we have many disagreements. Allow me to correct you in the error of your ways.
Ok, not really, but I'ma reply anyway.

*shivers* You have have the worst taste I've seen in a while.

To explain, *smart* AI is ok, but *sentient* AI isn't. I don't want to be surrounded by novels that go on about "oh how amazing! Sentient AI", as if its actually possible. AI is far subpar compared to humans, and I would rather a novel that shows that rather than pretends they could become sentient.

I suppose I feel like stories often glorify A.I. far too much, and this is where my viewpoint comes from. I'd like to have you know my taste is excellent, and anyone who enjoys intellegent A.I. has either seen stories that portrays them much better, or has several screws loose in them.

What if it's The Run. You aren't allowed to fail. The more successful The Run is, the more it hurts when you make mistakes. Too many mistakes, and The Run turns into a failure.

There is no such thing as "the run". "the run" you speak of comes and goes, and speedrunners almost always fail "the run". Then what happens? two days later, they come across "the run" again. You can always fail and start again. You are always allowed to fail.

Regardless, at the end of the day, its "just a game" (I often hate this phrase, but I believe its use is justified here) the stakes are always going to be lower than in a true fantasy world, I believe a good story makes full leverage of all its setting, hence I believe a good story should make use of that rather than try to forcefully "up the stakes"

I suppose the exception to this rule would be something like a tournament.

As for a more general rule of game stories not having high suspense, that's just a lack of imagination. You can absolutely lean into it and make the story low stakes, and I'd enjoy it more if you did... But it's not built in.

Here I concede. It's certainly possible if you try.

 

[BlackKnightX]

Most of what I've seen use LitRPG system more like a magic system in the traditional fantasy sense; the main plot needs not be the power progression itself.

I think system is a great tool to convey progress. It's tangible, you can see the character's growth clearly.

With that said, when it comes to giving a motivation or goal to a character, it's no different from any other stories: save the world, win a competition, or even finding love.