[quote=Yog Sothoth]
that's just it, people don't have enough time for heavy character driven rps, we have to work, go to school or take care kids. Real life is more important than telling stories with other people over the internet, which is why story driven rps make it more accessible for players with busy schedules. Also what grabs players is the concept and where you plan on going with the roleplay which is a form of the plot-line development. from my experiances, the most successful rps I have been a part of have always been the ones that have a definite plot direction and work all of the characters into it. Characters are fun to create, but without a goal in mind when it comes to the rp's story then you're basically stuck with a cool character that has nothing to do. Most roleplayers need direction which is where the GM and his co-GMs come in to help guide the story along. a lot of roleplays that I have been a part of that failed was because the story didn't go anywhere and the players had nothing to do. So if you're going to run a roleplay then please set some goals and have your storyline planned out otherwise it will most likely die.
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Your last line would be better phrased as, "I think it is important to make sure there are set goals and have your storyline planned out." Your current phrasing rubs me the wrong way.

There aren't absolutes in this.

A lot of it depends on the level that the roleplaying is being done at. Character driven roleplays can operate much better in free than in casual or advanced because the expectation is different. However, that isn't to say that you need to absolutely have a storyline in order to make it work in the higher levels, as there is a distinction between having a storyline and having a purpose. I've ran Natrelmon many successful times without a real storyline, but created challenges for the players.