You dont need the story.

[linayar]

I don't think WoW is a prime example, the story even in the old days was always all over the place (before level up characters (skip potions), or the alternate start). WoW's story was originally less retconned and weirdly anime (and not in the good way), but that's separate from the whole MSQ not important bit of WoW. WoW has always been a bit 'story smory' (OOH FANCY CUTSCENE, and then immediately back into 'story smory').

There is a potential they see story as not important after a bunch of people prove it (that's a big if, but we're assuming under your concern that SE sees that it makes sense not to care), but I doubt SE would do that (I assume they would always keep story as something they put a lot of effort into and bind to game, if some people skip some of that (like via an alternate start), which technically they already can it's just very heavy handed method (potions and or literally skipping scene after scene), then I think "if they want sure, game is still fine for me").

It's fine you think it's a risk but I don't think it's one and I don't think WoW is a good example of that (of an alternate start messing up the story) either since it's delivery has been pretty consistent in terms of "whatever if you do, whatever if you don't" - there wasn't really a sudden change (if anything you might argue they cared a bit more on presentation later with some fancy cutcscenes, even if it's still a bit wildly placed). I also think it's helpful SE sees why you say no, since then they could see "well if we just don't do that (disconnect the importance of story), they'll actually be fine" lol.

It's a slippery slope because the idea here is based on feedback. You say they won't, but once they give up this idea that story quests are what drives content, and therefore content will be locked behind them and you have to do certain quests in order, then you open up to more requests by more incoming players who don't care about story to make it even more optional.

The other side to it is that it can introduce more bugs when you allow more variation. And yes, WoW is a prime example because there are several ways that a player can access an expansion's content, for example, and things could just break if you don't happen to have the right criteria and people sometimes cannot help you because their experiences may not be the same as you.

Why would you use wow as an example. the story of that game HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU. You are just there to do fetch quests to get shiny pixels.

Yes, that's a fine example to use for my point.