So, how strong is the story/lore in this game?

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zeto wrote:

Perhaps for me, the last time I really got to sit down with the game, the interaction between the world, the NPCs, and myself, wasn't really there. I felt 'talked at' rather than 'integrated into' an ongoing issue or situation in that world.

Probably because you are talked at during almost every NPC conversation. The player is almost a silent protagonist; every NPC "dialogue" is really a monologue by the NPC in question and anything the player might have said is entirely implied.

The bandit leaders are slightly different, but the choice is still a meta-choice (fight/help) rather than an in-character choice "I will help you!/Prepare to die, scum!"

Doing it this way massively reduces the amount of voice-acting required, since we don't have to record every characters interaction with every NPC dialogue option, though it is much less engaging. Maybe one day?

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Raycheetah wrote:

the quest prompt "Talk to Nessa back in town" (when you first reach the Cavern of Woe) would sound better if "town" was replaced with "camp."

That hovel ain't no town. =^[.]^=

You're right. There are in fact several instances where both the Shore and Forest Encampments are referred to as "towns" despite the fact they really aren't. This is mostly in the quest log text. I've fixed these up and they will probably be pushed into 0.9.10.

I don't know if letting everyone contribute on the NPC dialogues would be productive... it's all very subjective stuff anyway and since you guys aren't privy to all the backstory, plot etc. it could become confusing. Too many cooks without ingredients, perhaps.

Of course if you do spot any spelling or grammar mistakes, or feel strongly that something is poorly worded, go ahead and post in the Spelling/Grammar bug thread.

For what it's worth, there's a lot more lore and plot coming in Open Beta. Act 3 will be there, of course, and with it will come a bunch of additions to the first two acts to get the main storyline rolling in Act 1.

Currently there are only a few hints of it in-game.

Those are excellent points.

I do wonder about how to keep so much text up-to-date with changes, though.