[MUD-Dev] DESIGN: WoW quests and content

[John Buehler]

Damion Schubert writes:
> logic at jrlogic.dyndns.org wrote:

>> I suppose players that enjoy a "directed" experience will
>> appreciate a quest-oriented game, if that's what you are getting
>> at.  Quests are a great way to say "The fun is over THERE! Go get
>> it! Bring some friends!" They are also useful to teach players
>> how to play the game -- taking a newbie through combat basics,
>> grouping, etc.

> I'd stress that most people want to be directed most of the time.
> They want to know that they're on the right track, and they want
> to have nice, bite-sized tasks that they can chew off in the hour
> that they have to play before bed.  Most people want to be led.

Complete agreement.  Led, but not forced.  And having a choice of
entertaining options available as a player moves along a certain
path is even better.  A branching quest would be a very nice thing.
Have default choices in the branching quest, and those who prefer to
follow along to see what happens and how things work are all set.

I think that games often rely on guilds to accomplish the 'leading'.
Having informal mentors and such.  Asheron's Call even went so far
as to formalize that relationship with their patron/vassal
structure.  In the spirit of 'lead, don't force', I'd say that the
Asheron's Call structure is over the top.  The game should be
offering choices to players, such that they can learn and enjoy the
game solo or with friends.  Game choices should lead players to
encounter each other, but I'm not a believer in forced grouping.
Like weather, let grouping permute the experience instead of being
an on/off switch for access to it.

> Players who don't want to be led should have the option to go 'off
> the rails'.  For example, it's certainly possible to grind for exp
> and crafting ingredients, spend an afternoon PVP raiding, or just
> wander the world exploring the world.  But the quests act as a
> solid baseline activity for players to fallback on, when they
> don't have the time or energy to 'make their own fun'.

Agreed.  There is undoubtedly a spectrum of tastes, from being
nothing more than a spectator all the way to wanting to design an
experience from soup to nuts.  The challenge to designers is to
figure out how to package a spectrum of such experiences so that
those seeking a certain point in the spectrum will recognize the
right experiences for them.  'Pushing the button' to begin a
spectator experience (e.g. being captured by NPCs) wouldn't sit very
well with a designer type, who wants lots of influence.  The
designer type wants to run a lord's estate or be mayor of a town.

JB
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