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--> Quest ideas competition <--

Discussions of the development process of the game.
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Nut
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--> Quest ideas competition <--

Post by Nut »

Hi folks,

what do you think of a kind of quest ideas competition?

You should invent a plot, add NPCs, describe the surrounding and above all create their dialogues.
All this not in ATCS, but as pure text e.g. in Notepad. Possibly with 'stage directions', similar to the script of a play.
What do you think? In this way, the hurdle is less than if you first have to deal with the installation of the development environment ...

As a suggestion we would name a few locations: e.g.
  • in an abandoned castle on an island,
  • down in the well of the camp on the river (waterway5),
  • Carn Tower,
  • outside the walls of Feygard,
or yet another place.
You could take existing NPCs or add new ones as you see fit.

Please send this manuscript to the development team via PM, that way other players won't get spoiled. We would then choose and realize the quests that we like best.
Believe me, it is nice to see the own quest in the game 8-)
Would you like to? We look forward to your submissions - also as interim results. You will of course receive feedback accordingly.


If you can't really imagine how to do it, here is an example of what Zukero created in 2013 but had never finished. We completed this, adapted and supplemented it here and there, and then published it in Release v0.7.12.
At that time Zukero had created a very successful template that made it easy for us to implement appropriately.
(I hope the scope doesn't scare you off ... of course it can be a size smaller - but you will notice that dialogues grow - faster than you might initially think)


* FUNGI PANIC *

Dialogues
=========
Your meet old man Bogsten in an old farm full of boxes. He uses a cane to stand up. All the furniture is worn out : an old bed and almost broken table and chair. In the few open boxes you can see mushrooms. You start talking to him.

Bogsten : "Oh young boy, you look like someone nice. I don't want you to be injured because of me. I urge you to leave !"
You : "What's going on ?"
Bogsten : "No. I shouldn't be telling you. It's too dangerous. "
You : Choice between "I'm sure I can help", "I'm way stronger than I look" (keep the talk going on) and "Ok. Nevermind." (leave)
Bogsten : "My family has used this place to grow mushrooms for five generations. Our mushrooms are famous from Feygard to Nor City, loved by gourmets and potion makers alike."
Bogsten : "Last month, I went to Nor City to sell an excellent batch and decided to stay a little longer."
Bogsten : "You see, my son is studying across the country to become a Shadow priest and he is currently in the Valanyr temple of Shadow. I had not seen him for so long so I decided to visit him."
Bogsten : "Anyway, when I came back here, I felt something strange happened. I couldn't tell what, but I knew evil was around as soon as I touched the door knob"
You : Choice between "Dealing with evil is my favorite hobby", "Get to the point" (keep going), "I will never help a worshipper of the Shadow !" (leave)
Bogsten : "When I got to my mushrooms' cave, I was attacked by some sort of giant living mushroom. I've been sick since then, to the point where I'm afraid I won't live long. I've since locked all access to my cave to prevent anyone from being hurt."
You : "How can I help ?"
Bogsten : "I know this potion maker [Lodar (for high lvl quest) | in Fallhaven (for low-mid lvl quest)]. Could you go ask him for a cure ? "
You : Choice between "Sure. I'll go there right now. " (quest accepted) and "You fool ! I'm not here to run your errands !" (leave)

--Travel to potion maker--

You : "Old man Bogsten is sick. He was attacked by a giant mushroom. Do you have a cure ?"
Potion Maker (PM) : "That must be a spore infection ! These can be nasty, deadly even. However, to make a cure, I will need a sample of these spores. Can you get some ? Four will do."
You : "Sure. Be right back."
PM : "Hurry up. We may not have much time. "

--Back to Bogsten's--

Bogsten : "Have you gotten the cure ?"
You : "Not yet. PM needs some spore sample to prepare it."
Bogsten : " I'm sorry to have dragged you into this, boy. Take this key. It will open the way to my mushrooms cave. "

-- Received Bogsten's key--

You can now open Bogsten's backyard door. In the backyard, you find a stairway leading underground.

--Removed Bogsten's key--

The mushroom cave is a dark, moist, and smelly place. I looks made of dirt, with rocks here and there, as if it were dug by a giant worm.
In the cave entrance, you see more mushroom boxes. You then encounter the following foes :

-Weak Fungi
-Fungi
-Dangerous Fungi
(Those are giant living mushrooms, they drop the Fungi spore item)
-Lombric ball
(Imagine a ball made of worms)
-Lombric beast
(A worm golem)

--Once the spores collected. Back at PM's--

PM : "Have you found the spores I asked for ?"
You : Choice between "Here they are" (4 spores removed, quest updated) and "No, not yet. " (back to PM non-quest chat)
PM : "I'm glad you brought these quickly. They are some of the deadliest. I will prepare the cure right now."
PM prepares the potion.
PM : "Here. It is ready. Quick, go give it to Bogsten. "
--Bogsten cure received (greenish potion)--

--Back to Bogsten's--

Bogsten : "Have you gotten the cure? "
You : " Here it is."
--Bogsten cure removed--
Bogsten : " Thank you boy. I'm already feeling better. "
Bogsten : " Can I dare to bother you some more ?"
You : Choice between " Of course. Tell me." , "You're getting on my nerves now. What's it all about this time ?" (keep going) and "No way ! You've bored me more than enough !" (leave )
Bogsten : " I feel way better but I can't go back to work. The evil forces still lurks down there."
Bogsten : " I remember my father warned me about this kind of thing before passing away, but I was just a kid and I forgot his advices on how to deal with it."
You : Choice between "Don't worry. I deal with evil every day. Whatever lurks down there, I can handle it.", "How can you forget something that important ! I guess I have no choice but to go. " (keep going) and "Stupid old man. You really think I'm here to clean up your own mess !" (leave ).
Bogsten : " Thank you boy. Good luck. Take this necklace with you. I remember my father told me to take it with me when going down there."
--Received Bogsten's necklace

In the deepest corner of the cave, you meet Zuul'khan. He looks like an old sorcerer with madness in his blood-injected eyes.
Starts talking to you when you attack.
Zuul'khan : "Who dares to bring violence before me ?"
You : "Who are you ?"
Zuul'khan : "I am the great Zuul'khan. Archmancer of the underground. Master of the Fungis and commander to all that crawls. "
You : Choice between "I will save Bogsten from your evil deeds !", "I'll have to thank Bogsten. This sounds like a fun fight." (keep going ) and " Please. I will crawl before you. Don't hurt me. " (leave ).
Zuul'khan : "That fool Bogsten ? He sent you here ? Let me tell you a story then."
Zuul'khan : " More than a century ago, I found the way to command the crawling species of the underground and to bend the Fungi to my will. I choose this place to practice my arts and prepare an army of Fungis."
Zuul'khan : "Not long after, Bogsten's grand-grand-grand-father, Bogmer, decided to petrify me using some ancient magical staff and used the remains of the Fungi he slained to create a yet unkown but powerful species of mushroom. "
Zuul'khan : "I couldn't do anything but watch him abuse the Fungi in this disgusting way."
Zuul'khan : " But his spell was not strong enough to keep me petrified forever, so every 20 years, Bogmer and his descendants came here with that staff to restore the spell's power".
Zuul'khan : "I don't know why, but Bogsten never did so, and I finally regained my former strength. My army of Fungi can now be reformed, and I will start my revenge by slaying Bogsten and all of his family."
Zuul'khan : " Now that you know the whole story, maybe you can help me. Go slain that fool Bogsten and bring me back the staff. I will reward you with a great present no other man could ever offer you."
You : Choice between " I will reward your throat with my sword !", "I will never betray old Bogsten. Prepare to die !" (sides with Bogsten, fight starts) and "That doesn't sound too bad. " (sides with Zuul'khan, chat goes on)
Zuul'khan : " Good. I will wait for your return. "

--If player sided with Zuul'khan, back to Bogsten's--

Bogsten : " Have you found the cause of the evil ?"
You : " Stupid old fool. You are the cause, and I am the solution"
--Player easily kills Bogsten and get Bogmer's staff--

--Back to Zuul'khan with Bogmer's Staff--

Zuul'khan : " Did you bring me the staff ?"
You : Choice between " Yes. Here it is" (path of the underground apprentice) and " I'd rather keep it for me. " (path of the selfish traitor).

--Path of the underground apprentice--
Zuul'khan : " You have well served me. Kneel and you will receive your reward. "
While you're kneeling, Zuul'khan raises Bogmer's staff and starts chanting in an unknown language.
He stops his incantation and touches the tip of your head with the staff.
You feel a strange warmth in your body
Received skill "Underground Apprentice" (Immune to Spore Poisoning )
Zuul'khan : " Thank you. Remember to respect all that crawls." (That's all he'll ever say upon further visits)
--Quest completed. 2000xp

--Path of the selfish traitor--
Zuul'khan : " For the underground !"
You : Choice between " For the Shadow! ", "For Feygard !", and "For Bogden !" (fight begins)
--Tough fight against Zuul'khan--
You see Zuul'khan, deadly wounded, strangely absorbed by the ground. Before his head disappears, he screams "I'll be back !" (pointless reference can be changed :) )
--Quest completed. 2000xp

--If player sided with Bogsten--
--Tough fight against Zuul'khan--

You see Zuul'khan, deadly wounded, strangely absorbed by the ground. Before his head disappears, he screams "I'll be back !" (pointless reference can be changed :) )

--Back to Bogsten--

Bogsten : " Have you finally defeated the evil ?"
You : " Yes, but it may not be definitive. A sorcerer named Zuul'khan was the source of this. He said something about your ancestors petrifying him with an ancient staff."
Bogsten looks at his cane, and a light shines in his eyes.
Bogsten : " I remember now ! This was my father's staff. I had to use it while chanting my family's secret incantation in the cave ! How could I have been so careless ?"
Bogsten : " Thank you boy. I have not much to offer but my gratitude. "
Bogsten : " Take this bag of rare mushrooms. I'm sure PM could come up with a good recipe for you."
You : Choice between " Thank you. I'm glad I could help" and "I defeated a century-old sorcerer and all I get is a few mushrooms. Not even enough for an omelet."
Bogsten : " Thank you for your help boy. " (That's all he'll ever say upon later visits)
--Received bag of Bogsten's mushrooms--

--Back to PM--

PM : " Is Bogsten cured ?"
You : Choice between " Yes/No not yet" (in case of mid-quest visits) and " Yes and he gave me these mushrooms" (keep going)
PM : " These are rare and powerful mushrooms. Bogsten must really be thankful. I can prepare something for you with these"
You : Choice between " Please go ahead", " Maybe this was not a complete waste of time after all" (keep going) and " Maybe later" (leave)
--Removed bag of Bogsten's mushrooms--
PM crushes the mushrooms and prepares some awfully smelling potions.
PM : " Take these. They may help you during your journey"
Received 2 Underground Fighter potions
PM : "You can buy me some more anytime should you need them."
You : " Thank you. "
-- PM now sells Underground Fighter potions (5 in stock) for 145 gold each.
--Quest completed. 2000xp

Quest log
=========
10 I met old man Bogsten in his cabin. He is sick after encoutering a giant mushroom and wants me to go see PM to get a cure.
20 PM needs 4 spore samples to prepare the cure. I should go back to see Bogsten.
30 Bogsten gave me the key to its mushroom cave. I should go there and collect the spore samples. Reward : Bogsten's key
35 I have opened Bogsten's backyard door. Removed : Bogsten's key
40 I have collected the spores. I should go back to see PM.
50 PM Gave me the cure. I can now give it to Bogsten.
60 Bogsten is cured, but he says the evil forces in his cave are preventing him to work. He asked me to check his cave and gave me his necklace. Reward : Bogsten's necklace
70 I met an old sorcerer named Zuul'khan in the cave. He told me Bogsten's family emprisoned him using an ancient pertifying spell, but thanks to Bogsten's laxism, he is now free. He wants me to kill Bogsten and bring him back Bogsten's staff.
80 I've decided to slay Zuul'khan.
90 I've defeated Zuul'khan, but he is not dead. He disappeared into the ground. I should tell Bogsten about what happened.
100 Bogsten now remembers the petrifying spell. He will make sure that Zuul'khan cannot come back. He gave me a bag of mushrooms and told me I should bring them to PM. XP Reward : 2000
110 PM said these were rare mushrooms, and prepared two "Underground Fighter" potions for me. He will sell me some more if I come back. Quest completed. PM now sells UFP
115 Zuul'khan's offer seemed interesting. I have to go kill Bogsten.
125 I killed Bogsten and found his staff. He was using it as a cane !
135 I've decided to keep Bogsten's staff for me, and kill Zuul'khan.
145 I've defeated Zuul'khan, but he is not dead. He disappeared into the ground. Quest completed. XP Reward : 2000
155 I gave Bogsten's staff to Zuul'khan. He rewarded me with permanent immunity to Spore Infection. Quest completed. XP Reward : 2000. Underground Apprentice skill received.
Nut
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Antison
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Re: --> Quest ideas competition <--

Post by Antison »

I would love to be a soundboard for you to bounce ideas off of. Just send me a PM.
"A home without a beagle is just a house"
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rijackson741
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Re: --> Quest ideas competition <--

Post by rijackson741 »

I also agree with this. Coming up with new quest ideas that are more interesting than just yet another "fetch this and bring it to me" quest is not easy. Bear in mind though that what we can implement in practice is limited by the game engine, so if you suggest a good idea we may have to adapt it to what we can actually do.
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Re: --> Quest ideas competition <--

Post by Hero66Destroyer 66 »

When u learn how to swim u fan swim from brimhaven to lake laroth up to remgard opening up the map...
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Re: --> Quest ideas competition <--

Post by Raphi »

Unfortunately, the quest Swimming Lessons does not unlock a whole swimming skill for our charakter, it's more like a one time use skill. Would be quite OP if you were suddenly able to cross lakes and rivers like nothing's there :lol:
Lvl: 68, XP: 5705044, Gold: 104341, RoLS: 1
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Nut
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Re: --> Quest ideas competition <--

Post by Nut »

Imagine you try a swimming course and all you manage is to survive.
You'll never do it voluntarily later ;)
Nut
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