Quest Systems
What is a Quest
The meanings of quest games emerge from strategic actions
Salen and Zimmerman: Menignful play = primary goal of game design. It REquires feedback from a system.
Autora Toolste - the Neverwinter Nights toolset.
Quests are a combination of narrative-focused and rules focused methods
Structure of a Quest
A quest is a journey across a symbolic, fantastic landscape in which a protagonist or player collects objects and talks to characters in over to overcome challenges and achieve a meaningful goal
Quest Systems
Open World Games Offer:
Freedom
Player Choices
Ability to approach any problem from multiple angles
Verb -> Action
Trigger -> Action
Condition -> Action
Query -> Action
Cause -> Effect
Quest Narrative - stories about quests
Components of Quests
Spaces - Level Design
Objects - quest item creation
Actors - NPC and Dialogue
Challenges - Event-based programming or scripting
Careers using Quest Systems
Quest Designer
World Builder
3rd Part Solution
Quest system using PixelCrushers’ asset ‘Quest Machine’
Learning Resources
Books
Quests - Design, Theory, and History in Games and Narratives by Jeff Howard
The odyssey, Parzival, the quest of the holy grail, the faerie queen
References
Espen Aarseth, Susan Tosca, Joseph Campbell and Northrop Frye
Building Non-Linear Narratives in Horizon: Zero Dawn
Level Design Workshop: Balancing Action and RPG in Horizon Zero Dawn Quests