[MUD-Dev] Quests

[Madrona Tree]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Raph Koster" <rkoster at austin.rr.com>
To: <mud-dev at kanga.nu>
Sent: Saturday, April 15, 2000 11:21 AM
Subject: RE: [MUD-Dev] Quests

<snip>

> An ideal mud quest: Some large event occurs damaging enough
> people that it feels like a significant change in the world.
> Quests are offered to players to try to solve this problem.
> Every quest is different. Many of them solve sub-problems
> or other problems, without fixing the situation. Enormous
> sacrifices are required of those who take on the quests. And
> finally, when the problem is solved, the entire world is
> changed. And then that situation never actually occurs again.

... which breeds other problems.

What do you do about the 95% of your audience who did not have a hand in
that particular world-changing event?  They'll feel a little left out of the
loop, especially if the change negatively effects them.  And the next Main
Event - do you allow the 5% who were involved in the previous event entry
into the next one?  Or do you let that same 5% finish the Events over and
over?

Not to mention the 'sour grapes' from 60% of the uninvolved who wanted to be
in the 5% but weren't for some reason or another, who will of course be
convinced that the 5% are somehow favored by the Gods.  Or will you make
space in your Main Event for all 65%+ who want to be involved?

Or am I missing the bigger picture?


> But how to do that? I don't know. I can write ONE. But it
> would take a lot more time to write it than to play it.

Funny you should say that - I just made the same exact comment about my
cooking Sunday dinner - it took 4 hours to cook and 20 minutes to eat.  That
doesn't mean I am unhappy that I did it - or that I think shouldn't have
done it.  I think my dinner companions would say the same... as I think your
audience would appreciate your efforts.


> I can see a way to do them periodically, with a largish staff,
> to a lesser level of complexity.  I don't know how to weave it
> into the fabric of the world.  Anyone?

Quick answer:  develop the NPC AI enough so that they care about certain
things, and want players to fix them when they are broken.  Then have the
Admins screw things up just enough to keep things interesting.  That might
be one way... at least for smallish, non-world-changing quests.  Bigger
events - I'm not so sure about.


Madrona Tree.



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