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Quests? why the big hype?
Wizardry
Member LegendaryPosts: 19,332
I dont care much at all for quests in any game.There i said it 
I find they add total boredom to a game.They are almost always very long hikes with a party that took you forever to talk 5 other people into doing it with you.Then if you fail,you think those other 5 players even if there your friends want to go through that long hike again?What the designers have done is for the most part make these quests almost mandatory if you plan to succeed in the game.Therefore forcing you through this boredom,no matter how many times you may fail or however long it takes.
For this reason,what usually happens is that players seek the help of higher level players to make the quest a very unskilled simple task,therefore it defeats the purpose set out by the game designers.And what's with this talk i hear of all over the place about storylines?Sure the quests might help add to a storyline,but i dont waste several hours of trying to have FUN...i say FUN by worrying if there is a storyline lol cmon now.I basically want some hack n slash fun with a real well thought out battle system,with also say some crafting to aid in your fun and player building.
For my so called leisure time in the game ,i like to see some real different graphics/textures/models in the game that would make exploring kinda fun.An example of this was a place in FFXi that used a sorta waterspout to spring you up to a higher level an stuff thought that was a neat touch[that sorta thingadds to exploring fun]
I'm sorry but quests are one of the least things i need in a game to have fun,i actually find them to be the opposite.If they want a simple storyline then i'm happy with a highest level boss that you can only hope to beat after you have levelled up enough skills,not necessarily levels.Then by that time you hope the game brings in some new content/beastiary/maps to keep your experience going.More weapons new battle systems all kinds of stuff without having to worry about quests....well you get my drift by now 
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
Comments
People who have to create conspiracy and hate threads to further a cause lacks in intellectual comprehension of diversity.
I have to agree with the original poster. There is potential that one day quests will be interesting enough for me but with what they are currently capable of they are just too bland and boring.
Now I wouldn't mind them at all. In fact I would still run the odd one here and there so I like them as options. I definitely don't want to see them removed from games when people seem to enjoy them so much.
The problem is that game designers lately seem to think that they HAVE to make quests the best way to level and acquire loot in order to discourage camping (at least I assume that is their reason). They are now forcing you to essentially quest if you want to "compete" with those that do them. In many cases this just creates a different kind of camper: the quest camper. Players who after a particular quest mobs that are often in short supply.
I understand their reasoning but they need to find a better balance. Don't "force" people to quest. Perhaps a deteriorating xp system where killing the same type(s) of creature repeatedly slowly returns less and less xp would help reduce camping without forcing people to quest. I'm not against preventing camping but questing is just not fun for me...
Quests for the most part provide a reason to go "hack n' slash" and as well provide an avenue upon which to deliver a storyline(sometimes). Just going out and useing the auto attack button to view new animations and different styles of particle graphics that are triggered by a skill is not a consistantly compelling feature no matter how intricate your fighting system is. All dynamics of gameplay become boring after a few minutes if they are used singularly, but if they are intertwined it creates a reason for there use and makes the player feel they are compelled to adventure through the game mechanics.
Everything essentially needs a reason to exist especially in games, and each element usually depends upon the other to exist.
Your scathing wit and daring insight into the turbulent political crags of the internet are shining beacons of truth and purity for the slight remaining masses of visionless hypocriticial sheep who bleat at the thought of your glory
Your scathing wit and daring insight into the turbulent political crags of the internet are shining beacons of truth and purity for the slight remaining masses of visionless hypocriticial sheep who bleat at the thought of your glory
I guess the one great thing about quests (in any game I've seen) is they are 100% optional. My only complaint about quests is that they are all the same. Maybe a different mob, or item to collect, or another place to go, but in the end they are all the same.
I never really picked up on how lame it could be until World of Warquest Beta, (dont get me wrong, I love the game and will certainly purchase it) The quests they had at that stage of the beta were exactly the same goals with different names and targets. The first character I played I thought it was awesome, the quests pushed you along and made things enjoyable the entire time I was playing, then I started another character, in another starting town of another race and class and couldnt believe that i was being asked to do almost the same thing (Complete X # of quests from trainer, then deliver note to new trainer, along the way meet guy who wants you to bring stuff to the inn). Every since race had exactly that formula, first you do these quests, then you deliver a note, and along that road you find someone at the halfway point with something for the Inn...
I guess I'm ranting, and trust me I really did enjoy WoW... For the most part in my experience a game loses its replay when you atempt to do the same race/class combo twice, but this time it felt like restarting entirely was just a repeat of the same. I can only hope that they, and other developers, dont stick with that trend but I dont think I'll be getting TWO WoW accounts this time around.
-DaemonBarber
Fleet Street, London
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I'd love to have a battle of wits with you, but you appear to be unarmed.
The game i'm working on we're hoping to fix the problem with boring quests. Here are 2 quest methods we have planned:
Triggered NPC Quests - A single event that occurs only ONCE. There will not be an npc who has a problem with something, and then has the exact same problem occurs to him the very next day. This way you can feel proud of yourself that you actually shaped the world. You were the one and only person who had completed this problem. It also brings life to the world and created you to socialize with npc's more often for better opportuinties in these quests.
Open Quests - This is a huge event that gets triggered. For example, a murder in the city, or a dissappearance of someone, would be Open Quests. This means the whole community is able to solve this problem, and even try to work together.
"You are going down in round 3, brown man." - Kiamde
Interesting post.
First of all, I have to say I agree with the general concensus that quest accross different MMORPG have the tendency to be repetitive and can get boring for many types of players.
WoW, in my opinion, has improved the flavor of quests some but this post made me think about possible alternative and here are a couple ... let me know what you think:
- personal quests: the concern about having to find people to team up to complete certain quests is valid. Many like to solo and there could be a way to cater to those players. Implementing solo quests which can only be completed on your own could give an alternative to these players.
- event triggered quests: imagine you don't want to go from NPC to NPC, looking for the next demand to please .. you opt for going in the forest to kill a certain MOB because it might have a drop you are looking for, perhaps some good XP as well. All of a sudden after killing 15 of them you get the attention of a NPC who has something to benifit from your actions. He gives you an insentive to wipe out more of the same and perhaps ask of you to remove a unique of the same race which might be in an instance dungeon. -- All of a sudden, it's not just another mission in your face; you triggered it. Perhaps the psycological reward for completing that task would be greater.
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SWG - droid engineer (retired)
CoH - Electric Lama - Lvl 24 Blaster
WoW Stress Beta - Kame - Lvl 16 Night Elf Hunter (brutally killed)
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SWG - droid engineer (retired)
CoH - Electric Lama - Lvl 26 Blaster(retired)
WoW - Kame - Lvl 60 NE Hunter
Server: Zul'jin
Guild: Crash Test Bunnies
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Played everquest for close to 3 years.
Honestly,if there were no quest i be gone after the first year.Quest and dungeon crawl is what i look for in a mmorpg .
For me, quests make or break the game. I respect your right to feel otherwise, but to me they're essential.
What I want from a MMORPG is a single-player CRPG with thousands of other players sharing the space. I want a strong story and the opportunity to roleplay within it with other players. I do not want a "virtual world." Virtual worlds almost always involve having to have to get a virtual job doing virtual work. Work is not fun. I spend enough time working. Likewise, I do not want simple hack-and-slash. Hack-and-slash is fun for a while, but if you spend a long amount of time in a game, hack-and-slash always becomes repetitive. Even the best battle system becomes a grind after you've killed your 10,000th mongbat. A slick graphics engine is great, but no matter what, it will get old. You will eventually see it alll. Even the coolest particle effect looks drab after you've seen them 10,000 times.
For me, my experiences with WoW's stress test gave me hope that there's a game that will meet my ever raising standards. I have read the complaints about WoW's quests being repetitive, but they didn't strike me that way. I played 8 or the 9 character classes to 10th level, and I found the quests to be interesting, varied and involving. They gave me a reason to sit around killing monsters besides getting to the next level. Ask me again in a year if I feel the same way... I may not. But after a week of playing, I'm comfortable saying that WoW is the closest thing to my perfect MMORPG that I've seen. I honestly can't go back to games where I'm expected to make my own fun - or worse, camp spawns. But then again, I'm a pro-quest person.... your mileage may vary.
Would the game that your currently working on be Wish by chance? This is one game that has gotten me really hyped about what next gen MMOs can become. I really hope it turns out as well as I envision it. BTW.... if it's not Wish, what is it?
Again, another reason I'm sold on WoW. I too highly enjoy quest.
I have a question though. Are the quest timed? I know in AC2 some quest gave you 15 minutes to kill x amount of bats then you have to return for your prize.
Please tell me there's depth in the quest, and not just "Bring this letter to Joe Shmoe and you'll recieve a high five!"
What will he do next?
Doesn't matter to me I think quests are boring so I don't do them
instead of quests given by NPCs players should assign quests, if you are the commander at a base and you need to send supplies to another base, then assign it to another player, that is much more fun I think and more practical, as it serves a purpose that actually changes the game world, that is a good quest
Don't you worry little buddy. You're dealing with a man of honor. However, honor requires a higher percentage of profit
What will he do next?
Again, another reason I'm sold on WoW. I too highly enjoy quest.
I have a question though. Are the quest timed? I know in AC2 some quest gave you 15 minutes to kill x amount of bats then you have to return for your prize.
Please tell me there's depth in the quest, and not just "Bring this letter to Joe Shmoe and you'll recieve a high five!"
As I said, the quests are fairly varied. The quests start out fairly simple, with delivery quests and kill X number of beasties being the most common. As you increase in level, the quests become more comlplicated, often involving more than one type of task during various stages. Some of the quests are particularly interesting. For example, my Troll Shaman went on a vision quest where he had to gather the ingredients for a sacred peyote-like concoction, bring them to a herbalist, and then go find a holy spot to use it in. Once my troll swallowed the concoction, he started seeing spirits. One of the biggger spirits gives the quest reward. I didn't get past 12th level but hopefully the complexity continues to increase as you increase in level. There are a few timed quests. The choice of rewards is usually pretty good, and you get to see what they are before you agree to take the quest.
What will he do next?
I really don't see the point what the originator here says.
RPG games are based on storyline and quests. Infact the reason for leveling in the first place is so that you play the role from chapter to chapter. Otherwords not play chapter one then jump to the final chapter.
I think along the way a lot of people got lost in the RPG genre. Or is it just this new school gamers that started RPGing with Diablo. Most RPG games I have ever played was that you followed a story until it was finished. Which you as the Avatar plays the center role of your character making decisions based on what you like to portray. The leveling system is one way to make sure you follow the story and not miss anything. Otherwise it would be like this. Once upon a time their was this young warrior and then he killed the most powerful and evil dragon in the lands.
As I see it, if you take out the questing you just now turned the game into a tread mill of senseless killing. You have no meaning behind what you do or no valid reason for how you should play. I have a feeling the originator of this post is a PvPer. Think about it, most PvPers don't care for any storyline eventhough they say they still do, which is bull. They just want to kill. It is like a Egosyntric thing. Or maybe even a self-esteem thing as I see it. They may call my type of gaming CAREBEAR, but just that statement alone shows me how STUPID they are. Uhhh, when did a carebear do anything more than a hug? I never saw a carebear kill a orc, goblin, wolves, dragons and etc.. If I am a carebear then I guess I hug dragons, they are mur friends, huh? Shees, carebear is just a word taunt for the PvPers to get us wanting to go play with them. I prefer my type of play style as Hero playing. But as for PvPers, well don't know what else you can call them, they kill just to kill. They can't comprehend indepth storylines, since they get soo bored with reading. Hmm, maybe RPG games need to us more graphical story telling like picturebook they use for Kindergartens? Maybe then they will see the EXCITEMENT in what the HECK is going on in the world they ar playing, SHEES. If you want lack of story and just more I kill you and haha you can't kill me, then why don't you just go play a FPS (first person shooter) game. Oh I forgot then it will be an even battle. No one in the game to be 20 lvls lower than you holding a newbie knife and tattered leathers, while you wield out your Vorpol sword of blood letting wearing your Dragon scale leathers. Killing the N00b in one strike before he/she even portals into the world to get his/her fist glimpse of the gaming environment. While he/she lies lifeless on the ground you put all your effort in typing as fast as you can before they click that respawn button to tell them they suck. Wow, now that is what I call a true player to the genre of RPG. Al I got to say to the likes of you is COWARD, WEAK and very SHALLOW INTELLEGENCE.
RPG's are a game so that we all can Role Play in a Game that is based on a Story we would like to be involved in. If you take out the quests or any other thing that makes us be part of that STORY then you now have just removed the RPG out of the game. All it is then as a Action based game. And I won't dare put in the word ADVENTURE since I am can predict that is also one thing non-questers will be whining about next. Once the story is gone and all there is left is to kill each other senselessly. Then will be the day the complaints come in about how it takes too long to hunt someone down to PK them. I see the land shrinking already. Infact I have already seen whining about that in DnL.
I think all you ppl that don't like they WAY the MMORPG's are need to start looking for the type of game you like and stop saying the game sucks because they do this and that. I can understand if you didn't like the way they handled the questing but to say they need to remove it would be like me going to EA and whining on their boards that Metal of Honor needs to remove the guns and use swords and magic instead. Or telling them that there isn't enough story and took much about going from one point to the next.
If you don't like quests go play a non-RPG or go play RTS or FPS games. RPG's have stories and quests for a reason. If you don't like it then don't play them.
Finally I don't see how quests can be "BORING" They are basically the most diverse part of RPG's that make it not as repetive. I think I would or most RPG fan get bored if all we did all day was kill the same looking thing over and over. That is one of the thousands of reasons why I don't believe PKing belongs in RPG. Killing a human over and over and over and over and over again doesn't seem so scary as standing up to a ugly Orge, a Slime, a tricky goblin and others, not to forget standing up against a Dragon that you know will take up to 5-8 talented players to even battle. Hmm, battling a Black Dragon or a Ego-hardon player that is 20 lvls higher than me that doesn't look any different from I look like (which I see day afater day) except that he has more prety armor than I. Wow, I am really trembling in fear. NOT, However, to be in your shoes I wouldn't see the fun in it. Even if we were around the same level, I still don't see the fun in fighting another player. If I want to go PvP I go play games that are more balanced around that type of play.
*** NOTE: Not all what I say is directed to the originator of this topic. However his views strongly support where my response heads toward. However I suggest to the originator of this topic to go play some WW2 Online or something if he/she doesn't like Quests. However, I think even there they have Missions which are quests in a basic fashion sense.
Anyway, I think if anything should be done with regards to this topic of quests. Quests need to get better so they seem more authentic for each player so they have not only different stories from each other, but a item, weapon, armor and etc than of what others may have. It is fun in a RPG community not only to share stories of grand valor, but to also show off a rare item or etc...Removing quests is NEVER an option in the RPG genre. To me for someone to come on a RPG site and tell them that RPGs suck and are boring because of quests. I take that as an insult. Just as I am sure if I went into the RTS community and told them
Micro Management? Why the big hype?
Do I have to read all that?
A summary for all those who are short for time:
Actually I agree with you completely Tyrgris. Though my opinion of WoW is different then most who have commented, it's evident that there are steps being made towards improving this vital part of our games.
-DaemonBarber
Fleet Street, London
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I'd love to have a battle of wits with you, but you appear to be unarmed.
I myself was beginning to think quests and storylines were over rated because all of the games I have ever played had them. Then came along MapleStory. Which seems to have few quests and no storyline. Granted it's beta but still it showed me that I actually do care about those elements, I can't see myself playing MapleStory for a long time, it's just too simple and any 5 year old could keep up with me playing.
And whoever brought up the AC2 quests... *shiver*... Yeah I know they all aren't like "kill X many monsters" but there's a lot and the AC2 quests in general I found were kind of simple and boring. AC1 on the other hand... awesome quests. I don't think anyone who played AC1 for a decent amount of time can say they thought the quests were boring and meaningless. Sure there are a couple but the major ones like Aerlinthe, Gaerlan, etc. Those are the most fun I had in any game.
Someone said that quests are 100% mandatory. The sad thing is if you want to get into certain zones, areas in many games you need to complete some sort of redundant, boring quest. I can't even tell you how many hours I spent doing key quests in EQ, or bane weapons. I want a game that really does make quests optional and not needed to access 50% of the content in a game.
The biggest failure I have seen in quests is Risk vs. Reward. Or in a lot of cases Time vs. Reward, where a quest is extremely lengthy and unrewarding for the hours spent on it. Fix these problems, toss in some spice and variation, and quests will be the thing to do.
Nail, meet head. I think, though, for the most part MMORPG developers are going to stumble here. With so many people doing the quest, 'Bring me 5 wolf pelts' just seems stuipd.. I mean, the guy must have some kind of fettish to want that many. I think different class and race quests would help a lot here. Take WoW for example.. if I'm a troll, I don't want the exact same quests as an Orc. And the mage should have a different set than the warrior. Granted, their still going to be of the variety 'kill x, bring me x', but at least it would SEEM a little more important if only your race/class can do them.
I dunno, I hate level grinding, so quests at least give me SOME reason to make the water run red with the blood of my enemies