Dynamic quests and allowing people to create their own stories

miahq

If there's anything people hate it's the, "go kill ten of x and save y," or the, "collect 20 of this plant," quests. I don't think I'm alone in that. But why do quests have to be that way when they can just act as the spring board for a greater adventure?

Especially with the guard v criminal coming with the justice system, I'd imagine there will be something similar with the dark brotherhood. These and other mechanisms give you tremendous opportunities to interact with other PC, especially if you make it so it's not as easy as just following a compass to your target.

The example I've always used is, what if say you steal from an npc, but randomly that npc works for someone else and you've inadvertently stolen from them in the process. Maybe it's a powerful politician or underworld figure, the point is first you're met by npc thugs demanding all your stuff because you stole from the wrong person. After you kill them you find a letter of symbol, etc. that can give you a jumping off point to figure out who it is. But at the same time, maybe they hire actual PC assassins or suddenly a large bounty appears on your head for the return of the item (if it's important, maybe it's not and it's just the principle of the thing. ie, know not to steal from me). Now you've got other PC looking for you and a price on your head, with the idea to either figure out who the random npc is behind it, or what the item is to stop it. Assuming you can get the price off your head, it may always be there baring some other "favor" quest, even if you've killed the npc behind it.

The point is by adding a few randomized quest points you get multiple people involved in an adventure that's not just about farming for xp or drops. And stories like that add depth to the game. And it's not something you can just look up a walk through for on the internet.

Especially if you don't have a compass pointing their way for either side. Instead make it so if you pass someone or enter a town and then someone on the guard or assassination quest comes looking with a poster, by talking to NPCs they'll say, "yes I saw them pass through here a day ago I think, they were headed towards the mountains." Or, "I think they may still be around."

That's just an example, but the larger point is by adding quests that aren't so linear you can bring many pc into their own mini-adventures, and it makes the life of the game so much more enjoyable, because even the simplest thing could be the start of something interesting.

The justice system, thieves guild, and dark brotherhood offer so many opportunities in themselves, but even beyond those groups you could create more. How many players would want to see quests like that?

jackleminer55

I would LOVE to see quests like that. For example, EverQuest Next at one of the SOE live events talked about similar things in their game called rallying calls. You should look it up.

miahq

Those kinds of quests to me are how you keep people interested in a game long term, you give them a few ques and a little direction, but everything in preteen becomes unpredictable. You can't just look up a walkthrough, and it makes it feel more like a real world environment.

The justice system, thieves guild, and dark brotherhood especially add a lot of opportunities for these kinds of adventures. And honestly to me, if you're not including quests like these then you're really not using those mechanics to their full potential.

One of a kind, unique or rare items as well are a way to do this, as it pits players agsinst each other as well as their environments... though I realize there are a lot of people who would just sell it for real world cash, and that really ruins the point. But if you made those items lootable or stealable, it just makes things more interesting.

It's especially interesting if you don't tell people or give them a compass! Instead sprinkle in a few books or clues, make them into real in game legends that people can chose to go looking for. Treasure hunts aren't fun if you just give people a giant x for where to dig. And you can also throw people for a loop. Maybe the "great sealed power" people are searching for turns out to be a sealed baddie who starts wrecking the place and reanimating the dead. Suddenly everyone in the PvE zone is thrown into it and have to either find a way to kill him or re-seal him.

There are so many countless things you can do that aren't just the same old linear dungeon crawls that can really bring a game world alive, especially if you introduce more mechanics that encourage small pvp engagements within the wider world, like maybe hunting vampire PCs through the fighters guild. You've just created a conflict between two groups that in turn creates a situation ripe for conflict and stories.