<!-- MHonArc v2.4.4 --> <!--X-Subject: Quests [was Resets, repops and quests] --> <!--X-From-R13: [ngg Qunggreyrl <ebbgNzcp.qla.zy.bet> --> <!--X-Date: from major.globecomm.net [207.51.48.5] by in3.ibm.net id 864989033.135210-1 Fri May 30 10:43:53 1997 CUT --> <!--X-Message-Id: Pine.LNX.3.96.970530105157.134E-100000#mpc,dyn.ml.org --> <!--X-Content-Type: text/plain --> <!--X-Reference: 339113c2.13078154#192,168.0.1 --> <!--X-Head-End--> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> <html> <head> <title>MUD-Dev message, Quests [was Resets, repops and quests]</title> <!-- meta name="robots" content="noindex,nofollow" --> <link rev="made" href="mailto:root#mpc,dyn.ml.org"> </head> <body background="/backgrounds/paperback.gif" bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000" link="#0000FF" alink="#FF0000" vlink="#006000"> <font size="+4" color="#804040"> <strong><em>MUD-Dev<br>mailing list archive</em></strong> </font> <br> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] <br clear=all><hr> <!--X-Body-Begin--> <!--X-User-Header--> <!--X-User-Header-End--> <!--X-TopPNI--> Date: [ <a href="msg00946.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00948.html">Next</a> ] Thread: [ <a href="msg00942.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00955.html">Next</a> ] Index: [ <A HREF="author.html#00947">Author</A> | <A HREF="#00947">Date</A> | <A HREF="thread.html#00947">Thread</A> ] <!--X-TopPNI-End--> <!--X-MsgBody--> <!--X-Subject-Header-Begin--> <H1>Quests [was Resets, repops and quests]</H1> <HR> <!--X-Subject-Header-End--> <!--X-Head-of-Message--> <UL> <LI><em>To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#null,net">mud-dev#null,net</A></LI> <LI><em>Subject</em>: Quests [was Resets, repops and quests]</LI> <LI><em>From</em>: Matt Chatterley <<A HREF="mailto:root#mpc,dyn.ml.org">root#mpc,dyn.ml.org</A>></LI> <LI><em>Date</em>: Fri, 30 May 1997 11:04:55 +0000 (GMT)</LI> <LI><em>Reply-To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:neddy#itl,net">neddy#itl,net</A></LI> </UL> <!--X-Head-of-Message-End--> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-Begin--> <HR> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-End--> <!--X-Body-of-Message--> <PRE> On Thu, 29 May 1997, Raz wrote: > On Wed, 28 May 1997 23:09:35 PST8PDT, you wrote: > > > It's more work, but how about something more like the > > traditional storytelling quest - find something? If your world is large > > and generated, you can pick somewhere out in the boonies and plant some > > special object. Then, you have to plant rumors, hints, etc. all over the > > place, so that players have some clue as to where to go. > > This sort of thing makes for nicely atmospheric quests, which are > satisfying to complete, *but*, immensely frustrating to *know* you're in > the right place, but someone beat you to the prize. I started a rather large discussion on the topic of 'dynamic' quests, on usenet (I believe r.g.m.lp, although it may have leaked into r.g.m.admin after a while), and I'd like to present some of the more interesting points that I recall here. Note that there are two terms used herein, which have explicit although broad meanings: 'Dynamic quest' used to represent a quest which a character can undergo, that is not necessarily the same as the time the last player did it, involves random features, changes, or is otherwise not 100% linear and reproduceable. 'Static quest' means the typical sort of quest found on LPs (find this, do this), which no matter how complicated it is, is linear, and repeatable by almost exactly the same steps. Encountering monsters in slightly 'random' fights does not count as a random feature. It should also be noted that there are currently lots of 'cheating' issues attached to static quests, but that is not to say people would/couldn't cheat at dynamic quests - it's just that the former appears to be a newer and rarer implementation. I'm not overly interested in cheating issues (if people are determined to cheat, they probably will), at least not at this point, but rather in the 'fun' values of the two types of quest, and associated difficulty to produce. Pros/cons of these types: Static quests are easier to conceptualize, and set up - if by no other virtue, than they need less thought initially. However, they probably need more detail put into them, and some careful planning as to placement of elements. Players are typically used to them, and get the idea right away - mind you, overall themes for them are limited (although truly original ones pop up now and again). Eg of a static quest (albeit a very poor one) is the infamous 'orc slayer' quest from LP 2.4.5 (I think). Typically players are presented with a list of quests to look into in their class hall, along with guidelines as to difficulty, and trot off to investigate (triggering the inital bumf by saying 'quest' to a key NPC). It feels quite artificial, but can also be fun with a lot of thought put into creation. Quests adapted to allow groups of players work nicely as well. Dynamic quests are far harder to visualise and get into initially, although if the elements are assembled properly, they probably fall together easier. The main problem here is picking a standardised method of implementation. Personally I'm considering a scripting language that the mud can interpret via a quest engine - but it would have to be very complex, and very clever. These quests basically have far more potential, can do literally anything (in ideal). I have not yet seem them done, apart from some muds having a wizard actually run quests (via a sort of DM approach). Another big issue surrouding quests is probably 'trigger mechanisms'. The stereotypical trigger is the list in the guild hall, and suchlike as mentioned above. I plan on having NPCs who will hand out quests to appropriate adventurers (and one or two more who will point them to those NPCs if they haven't done the quest/s), soemthing like the roguelike game 'ADOM' does things (and the player will have a list of quests s/he has undertaken available). Actually being-on-a-quest will be a recorded and acted upon state of being. Something else to which I've given little thought is the matter of rewards for quests. Regards, -Matt Chatterley <A HREF="http://user.itl.net/~neddy/index.html">http://user.itl.net/~neddy/index.html</A> "Fishing is complete and utter madness." -Spike Milligan </PRE> <!--X-Body-of-Message-End--> <!--X-MsgBody-End--> <!--X-Follow-Ups--> <HR> <ul compact><li><strong>Follow-Ups</strong>: <ul> <li><strong><A NAME="00961" HREF="msg00961.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Quests [was Resets, repops and quests]</A></strong> <ul compact><li><em>From:</em> Shawn Halpenny <malachai#iname,com></li></ul> <li><strong><A NAME="00955" HREF="msg00955.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Quests [was Resets, repops and quests]</A></strong> <ul compact><li><em>From:</em> Ling <K.L.Lo-94#student,lut.ac.uk></li></ul> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-Follow-Ups-End--> <!--X-References--> <UL><LI><STRONG>References</STRONG>: <UL> <LI><STRONG><A NAME="00942" HREF="msg00942.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Resets, repops and quests</A></STRONG> <UL><LI><EM>From:</EM> Raz <muddyraz#mushroom,demon.co.uk></LI></UL></LI> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-References-End--> <!--X-BotPNI--> <UL> <LI>Prev by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00946.html">Aims [was Alright... IF your gonan do DESIESE...]</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00948.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Spoken Languages & Food [was RP thesis...]</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Prev by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00942.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Resets, repops and quests</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00955.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Quests [was Resets, repops and quests]</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Index(es): <UL> <LI><A HREF="index.html#00947"><STRONG>Date</STRONG></A></LI> <LI><A HREF="thread.html#00947"><STRONG>Thread</STRONG></A></LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> <!--X-BotPNI-End--> <!--X-User-Footer--> <!--X-User-Footer-End--> <ul><li>Thread context: <BLOCKQUOTE><UL> <LI><STRONG>Re: [MUD-Dev] Resets, repops and quests</STRONG>, <EM>(continued)</EM> <ul compact> <LI><strong><A NAME="00943" HREF="msg00943.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Resets, repops and quests</A></strong>, Raz <a href="mailto:muddyraz#mushroom,demon.co.uk">muddyraz#mushroom,demon.co.uk</a>, Fri 30 May 1997, 07:26 GMT </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00945" HREF="msg00945.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Resets, repops and quests</A></strong>, Todd Lair <a href="mailto:tlair#mailzone,com">tlair#mailzone,com</a>, Fri 30 May 1997, 08:55 GMT </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00920" HREF="msg00920.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Resets, repops and quests</A></strong>, Chris Gray <a href="mailto:cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA">cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA</a>, Thu 29 May 1997, 12:54 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00942" HREF="msg00942.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Resets, repops and quests</A></strong>, Raz <a href="mailto:muddyraz#mushroom,demon.co.uk">muddyraz#mushroom,demon.co.uk</a>, Fri 30 May 1997, 07:09 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00947" HREF="msg00947.html">Quests [was Resets, repops and quests]</A></strong>, Matt Chatterley <a href="mailto:root#mpc,dyn.ml.org">root#mpc,dyn.ml.org</a>, Fri 30 May 1997, 17:43 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00955" HREF="msg00955.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Quests [was Resets, repops and quests]</A></strong>, Ling <a href="mailto:K.L.Lo-94#student,lut.ac.uk">K.L.Lo-94#student,lut.ac.uk</a>, Fri 30 May 1997, 23:37 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00991" HREF="msg00991.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Quests [was Resets, repops and quests]</A></strong>, Matt Chatterley <a href="mailto:root#mpc,dyn.ml.org">root#mpc,dyn.ml.org</a>, Sat 31 May 1997, 16:20 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00961" HREF="msg00961.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Quests [was Resets, repops and quests]</A></strong>, Shawn Halpenny <a href="mailto:malachai#iname,com">malachai#iname,com</a>, Sat 31 May 1997, 01:17 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00965" HREF="msg00965.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Resets, repops and quests</A></strong>, Nathan Yospe <a href="mailto:yospe#hawaii,edu">yospe#hawaii,edu</a>, Sat 31 May 1997, 04:33 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </ul> </LI> </UL></BLOCKQUOTE> </ul> <hr> <center> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] </center> <hr> </body> </html>