Sidenote:I am a player and am speaking as one on this matter.

First I will say that there are some who like the large plots and such. My personal thoughts on plots as a player, especially the large ones is the idea that if my character finds a way to become involved with it, that is great. Yet if he doesn't, that doesn't really bother me either. The reason: When I RP my focus is on the character and their story. While aware of enough theme to know what I am doing within the MU*, I do not try to know every detail that has ever occurred in the MU* to date for everyplace. I try to get the history I can on the places I do RP my characters being from, but I play from a personal perspective, looking at each character and asking what they would want, not what I want to contribute to the plot as a player (and I do enjoy contributing, when it is ICly appropriate.)

In the end I do think that smaller plots intrigue those like myself a little more. As always, though, it depends what kind of RP one prefers.