There are various elements in a massive multiplayer online game. These elements include the gameplay, the pseudo-financials of the game and the storyline.

Among these three, the storyline is not always appreciated by players. Even the hardcore gamers of real-time strategy MMOs don’t even appreciate the storyline of the game, as they are too engrossed in the sub-elements of the game’s mechanics.

Sadly, the storyline is an important element in any MMO, be it a role-playing game or a real-time strategy title.

First of all, the storyline drives the many events in any MMORTS game. Without a storyline, the game’s scenario writers will not be able to create the starting quests that serve as your tutorial. Of course, the writers could just put in some tasks but that could be confusing for the player.

Try playing a game whose story you don’t understand and you will not want to play it again.

The second reason: the story provides the motivation both for the character and the player. The events that play out in the game are driven by the main plot. The set of events in the game are not random occurrences that the scenario writers have decided to put into the adventure that you enjoy. These happenings in-game are all part of and follow the flow of an overall story.

In other words, the story line determines what happens in the game. While the storyline may not be apparent the more you play the game, it is still a driving force in dictating the quests and missions that you undertake together with your party and/or your guild members.

So, without a story, or at least an overall plot, the scenario writers will not have a basis for creating new quests that you and your fellow players will definitely enjoy.

The main plot of the game also influences the development of downloadable content (DLCs) and other add-ons to the main game. DLCs and add-ons are basically new elements of the game that introduces additional components to the main plot.

They simply expand the storyline; hence, the writers and developers will not be able to conceptualize DLC packages without the basic storyline that forms the background of the game.

Even the game’s character classes and skill set are part of any game’s storyline or plot.

As an MMORTS player, it’s only natural that you get engrossed in enjoying the game’s mechanics that you forget to follow the story. You may be familiar with the game’s character classes and the main characters, but you forget the storyline because you’re too busy enjoying the battles and the missions.

However, bear in mind that the storyline is still central to the game so it’s very important, if not more important than the other elements that make up the MMORTS game. To put it simply: the absence of a storyline will make the game appear as a collection of random events that do not make sense and feel disconnected.