Quest Structures

2006/04/25

I can imagine four main types of quests in a roleplaying game:

• quests with multiple solutions keyed to each of the main playstyles
• quests that require skills from a particular playstyle
• quests that require skills from multiple playstyles (i.e., require a group)
• quests that aren't keyed to character abilities but can be solved by any player

Would something like this really be so hard to implement? If you're a developer who already has a quest system for a roleplaying game, why would you make every quest about killing something when you so obviously don't have to? Why not offer a balanced mix of quest types so that the game world is inclusive?

On top of that structure I'd suggest offering three levels of quest:

• the mission: a simple/local/quick task not obviously related to any other task
• the adventure: a moderate/regional/session set of missions that exposes part of a larger storyline
• the saga: a difficult/global/multi-session set of adventures that reveals a key storyline

Combining the four types of quest with the three levels of quest could provide structure for thousands of hours of entertainment for all the major playstyles. A good saga designer could produce quests that allow different playstyles to support and even enhance each other, making everyone's play experience more satisfying.

So why treat combat like it's something special? It's not; it's just one piece of a puzzle -- leave out the other pieces, and the picture's not complete.