No clue whatsoever about the Warhammer 40k lore

[Nightserg]

Do I need to know anything about the lore to enjoy the story? Couldnt find other topics that people might have asked so I'm really curious about this. I primarily play games for the story, well not all the time but Mechanicus seems like it has some really cool lore/story going for it besides everything else.

[Karl Power]

I didn't know too much either. However the game, for once, portrays only a small aspect of this world - the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Necrons - and it does that so excellently that you will be drwan right into the 40k universe without prior knowledge required. There is some specialist vocabulary which I don't know either - "noosphere" for instance - but the narrative is so well presented that these words, even if you don't fully understand them, only increase the fascinating mystique the Adeptus Mechanicus is shrouded in. Moreover, the game really hammers home the essence of the entire warhammer 40k world: It is a bizarre mixture of science fiction and abysmal, doctrinary superstition, a dark and fundamentally anti-humanist dystopia. If you don't know much about the warhammer universe before playing this - you will afterwards.

For me, this is by far the best 40k game ever and that is not only, but to a large part thanks to the excellent presentation of the story and the bizarre, mysterious, monastic, mechanical setting. I love this game and if you play games for their stories then this is a good candidate for you - not a perfect one: There is no deep novel-like story like in an adventure RPG, but there is enough lore and excellently written dialogue between interesting, bizarre (though somewhat static and predictable) characters to satisfy you. The immersion is fantastic.

[gwackmung]

Karl..noosphere is basicly wireless data transfer method but mechanicus guys can see it as streams of code flowing through the air. its cool.

Cockatrice..if you like games for the story then you just stumbled into the Mt everest of game lore with 40k, I've read at least 100+ 40k books and loved every one of them, check out Black Librarys selection. there are a couple of books all about the mechanicus in the Horus Heresy series that you would deffinately enjoy and would add a TUN of background info to increase your enjoyment of this awesome game.
but to actually answer your question ,no you don't have to know about 40k to enjoy the game ,i think they did a pretty dam nice job in representing the Mechanicus and Necrons in an engaging way. My advice would be to play through it and enjoy it for what it is , then read a few 40k mechanicus books and play through again and you will have a whole different appreciation for the story and characters.

[Herodotus]

Buy a few of the Black Library books on the Space Marines, Mechanicus etc. You'll find yourself immersed in worlds not unlike our own, but taken to the extreme. I started just playing W40K video games in the '90's and it was only two years ago that I started with White Dwarf and then the novels.
Do yourself a favour - read a few of the novels. If in doubt, just buy the "Dawn Of War" novels to get you started (you can get them on EBay quite cheaply) or, as I do go to the Book Depository online - good prices, free delivery.
I don't and have never played the TT, but I enjoy reading about the models etc. in White Dwarf and enjoy the hobby through video games and novels.

Knowing the Lore just increases your enjoyment of the game (you don't need it, though), and will open you up to plenty of other games that have garnered good reviews - I have them all now.

EDIT: Read about the Mechanicus and the Necrontyr by looking up the Warhammer Wiki online. You'll get to know a lot about them just by reading a page on each.

[Nightserg]

Thanks for the advices, I spent a few hours while at work reading and watching the lore about all factions and their history not just the Mechanicus and I really enjoyed it. I'm going to buy the game and afterwards will see what else.

[Jackundor]

Originally posted by The Cockatrice:

Thanks for the advices, I spent a few hours while at work reading and watching the lore about all factions and their history not just the Mechanicus and I really enjoyed it. I'm going to buy the game and afterwards will see what else.

maybe you should try the "40k for Newcomers" series by 40k Theories on youtube