Creating Quests - The Theory

Creating Quests - The Theory Quests can add an extra level of gameplay to your game. Here we'll show you the theory behind creating quests and what you should be considering to ensure that your quests are varied and interesting. Share this Tutorial →

Introduction:

We've all been there. Playing a fantastic RPG and eventually getting a little bored either due to the need for grinding or just a slowish plot and we start looking for added extras, little things we can do to gain additional experience or items or even learn a little more about the game world. These little things are known collectively as quests and, despite their rather epic reputation can vary wildly from a simple task that takes 5 minutes to a vast collection of events that make up a large chunk of your game. Every game has quests, whether you realise it or not and you might be interested in creating some for your game. Here's a little information that has always helped me when creating quests for projects I've worked on.

Types of Quest:

Generally speaking, there are three major categories of quest. Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Quests.

Primary Quests:

If you've checked out my tutorial on Plot Concept Development then you'll most likely know that the plot of any RPG is defined by a chain of events and the reactions of your characters to those events. These events can be considered quests and, because their outcome weighs more heavily on the overall plot I like to consider them 'Primary Quests.' These quests are often long and set by important characters in the game with the objective of plot progression.

Key attributes of a Primary Quest:

• You do not have a choice regarding participation, the plot dictates that you must take part. (Note: opting not to take part in a primary quest is considered here a form of participation because your non-involvement will have ramifications for the wider game plot. Think: Mass Effect & Dragon Age)
• Tasks are normally set by a character of relative importance in relation to the plot.
• Tasks are not short on average, they may be at the beginning but these quests become more epic as time goes on...and as their importance increases.
• There is often no direct reward for these quests other than plot progression.

Secondary Quests:

These quests will be some of the most common when searching for additional activities to undertake in your game. While the plot is not directly dependant on the completion of these quests, the choices made in this quest can have some impact on the change of the plot. For example, opting to undertake a side-quest will give you an enhanced weapon that provides an extra cut-scene at the end of the game, you get the idea. These quests often have to be sought out by the player instead of them making themselves known like primary quests and, unlike primary quests these often carry a direct reward for their completion. This is mostly down to the fact that, for the hero to realistically consider deviating from his expected course of action (the plot) one really has to provide some sort of incentive to do so. In other words, for our hero to act, there needs to be a reward in place. The types of quest you can undertake are truly vast and possibly limitless. Some interesting points to think of might be:

1. Consider how secondary quests would impact either the plot, or the player's experience on the game. Sometimes, learning more about the character's or the world around them is incentive enough to get your player off the beaten track and into some uncharted water.
2. Be realistic with your rewards. If you're going to offer a super-powerful sword, then the player is going to really have to work for it. Make them deserve it! Especially if possession of this sword is going to make the rest of the game significantly easier. You're sacrificing the playability of the rest of your game for the sake of a single quest...make it count.
3. Think about why your player is checking out the quests. If they loved the game so much and they want more of the same then work to enhance their knowledge of the world. If they are finding the game a little linear and would like a break then give them something a little different, maybe a new feature or a little minigame...why do you think Squaresoft (now SquareEnix) religiously include Chocobos in the Final Fantasy Series? Important point, if you think players are getting bored when they look for side-quests, don't think of it as an insult, they must respect the game a fair amount if they're willing to stick with it and not switch to playing Call of Duty right?

This tutorial will not tell you what types of quest to create as there's no point. Ultimately that choice is yours and, as time goes on I'll work on showing you how to create and customise different types of quest. Important things to remember about secondary quests are.

• Completion of these quests will not drastically change the course of the game but may alter it to increase the customisation and replay value of the game.
• Often, a direct reward must be offered for the quest to be undertaken. Be realistic with the type of reward on offer.
• Anyone can offer a side-quest but consider the personality of your character. If your character is a goody-two-shoes then helping out a criminal organisation for example would be disingenuous. The main rules of the main plot still exist in the world of side-quests, if you want your hero to act out of character, then justify why he is doing it.
• Anything can be considered a side-quest. Consider the function of these quests to decide what type of activity to opt for, are you giving the player a break or enhancing the plot and their experience?

Tertiary (Passive Quests):

As the name would suggest, Tertiary quests do not take place in the same way that Primary or Secondary quests do. Their existence can go somewhat un-noticed in many cases. These quests do not require the normal playing of the game to stop and often work in tandem with the main plot. A common example of a standard Passive Tertiary quest may be the collection of items scattered throughout the game world. These quests often carry relatively small rewards for each minor milestone completed (for example 10 gold for each item collected) but a massive reward for those that manage to complete the quest. More often than not, these quests are made more difficult by the fact that they require on thing that some, more impatient players are not big fans of...exploration. If you think the setting of your game is fantastic and you really want your players to explore every inch of the beautiful maps you've created then consider a passive quest. Make sure to keep reminding them that this quest exists though as the passive nature of tertiary quests means that a sort of 'out of sight, out of mind' idea can form. One way of doing this would be allowing the player to collect their rewards at every town, for example with a specific travelling character or simply in inns and shops. These quests require little effort outside of exploration to complete, and demanding the player make long journeys to collect rewards of get more information is not in keeping with this idea. Always remember:

• Tertiary quests take place in the background of the game. They will have little to no impact on any aspect of the plot and normally act to build a background story to the game or to the characters (Jecht spheres in FFX for example).
• The rewards for these quests need not be huge but overall completion of the quest should carry some significant reward.
• Make it easy to keep up  to date with the quest to constantly remind the player that this quest exists and that it is an easy source of moderate income or new items.
• Plan these quests out in advance. Retro-fitting them to the game on completion can often make the quest seem alien to the rest of the game. Of course, if this is the desired effect then feel free!

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