“Totally not an !” or Quest Markers must go

Discussion in 'Quests & Lore' started by Leinad Laurelwreath, Feb 22, 2017.

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  1. Numa

    Numa Avatar

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    I think a bulletin board where both NPC and players can post quests would be wonderful - bounties too once the virtue system is ironed out. The latter doesn't have to be exclusively about PvP btw. Killing NPC guards or even animals in a town should have dire consequences.

    Btw, I saw one of Lum's immortal cats in action yesterday. A bandit killed a cat by accident trying to get to me and I was so surprised when the cat resurrected and started clawing at the bad guy. The bandit didn't stand a chance :)
     
  2. Roycestein Kaelstrom

    Roycestein Kaelstrom Avatar

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    I like it when you put a personal touch to it.
     
  3. Net

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    Speaking of quests and bulletin boards...

    For me the most troublesome part of the game is finding NPCs with emotes. Unless I read release notes there is no way of knowing which NPC and where can teach me some emote. I do not need anything complex, but if there were quests connected to people who happen to have emotes or they were mentioned in dialogue (Jack in prison cell got sick and is sneezing lately, maybe you would like to get healing herbs for him) or in boards (Innkeeper at Firelotus Tavern is awesome juggler and every eveening he amuses his customers while juggling three bottles)....

    Something that woulld draw player attention to those NPCs and emotes in a natural way instead of searching release notes/wiki or just clicking ever word in every dialogue...
     
  4. Hornpipe

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    A placeholder then ? Ok

    *drops the bow*

    NPC could also whisper at us when using the new "Hey come see me" emote.
     
  5. Lord_Darkmoon

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    This is really great to hear and reassuring.
    It is neccessary to have the players notice those NPCs that are important for the plot and I am glad to read that you prefer a more elegant and immersive solution.
    Even better and more immersive would be situational behavior. A mother or a child crying, an NPC leaning against a wall out of breath asking for help, an NPC collapsing in front of the player, another one running towards the player initiating a dialogue, two NPC arguing and drawing weapons...

    It is sad and unfortunately very restricting that due to the multiplayer nature some things cannot work out. For example a thief running out of a shop and the baker yelling for help and we have to chase the thief through the streets. Or that we can witness the murder of someone right in front of us. Such situations would make quests really obvious and also much more exciting and immersive.
     
  6. Lord British

    Lord British Lord British SOTA Developer

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    @Hornpipe Excellent suggestion, we could add if needed!
     
  7. Lord British

    Lord British Lord British SOTA Developer

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    @Lord_Darkmoon Yes, we likely must restrict it to "overloading their fidget behavior" on YOUR client, so that everyone doesn't see the same thing, even if they have already done that one.
     
  8. Earl Atogrim von Draken

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    Something like that is possible?
    Let's talk about the phasing of scenes again :cool:
     
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  9. Leinad Laurelwreath

    Leinad Laurelwreath Avatar

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    We could have saved some pain including this sentence in the release notes, Richard! Thanks for your relieving answer ;)
     
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  10. Lord British

    Lord British Lord British SOTA Developer

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    True. Hindsight 20/20!
     
  11. Vladamir Begemot

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    @Lord British

    So since we're past the fight and on to the waving, please be careful with that as well. (Oh, the fine line you must walk.)

    Here's the basic problem;

    Blue glow is outside of world immersion and thus can be applied across the board to any NPC that I should be interested in. It does break the moment to moment realism vibe, but breaks it at a meta level.

    Waving is inside the world and should only be happening if the NPC is actively looking for help. An NPC that I have to drag the info out of, after waving at me to come over, now breaks the immersion on that particular NPC.

    This could potentially happen repeatedly, with many NPC's, and that damage stacks. It makes the world feel far more fake because it is reoccurring jarring reinforcement throughout the entire game.

    To paraphrase one of the earliest scenes in Westworld

    Don't talk to the ones who walk right up to you, it's a come on for new guests.

    Even the highest budget RPG's right now have a lot of immersion breaking elements to them. Good luck! I hope you can redesign the way RPG's work, and in the meantime keep young and old players alike happy. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.
     
  12. Bowen Bloodgood

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    There is nothing mentioned about quest markers showing you where to go. Which is what Skyrim does. This very optional feature only shows you which NPCs have quests to START.. which Skyrim does not. There is no comparison to be made here. And since this feature does NOT show you where to go there's no incentive for devs to get lazy and not write in directions.. which is only an assumption that they would do to begin with.
     
  13. Alexander

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    I second this. Whenever I go through a story, I enjoy the process of investigation and inquiry which ultimately leads me to discoveries and revelations within the game. I hope that an equitable solution is found which will keep all parties happy.
     
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  14. Vladamir Begemot

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    I think it also shows NPC's that have the next step. I imagine Cudgel was a big motivator as he was the hardest guy to find for the longest time, even though he was sitting right there. Lots of immersion breaking posts about "Where the heck is Cudgel" on the net.

    Which shouldn't be solved by waving, actually. He doesn't know you are coming. In his case it would be solved by a well labeled "Office," as that's what it says in the quest log. Not sure how he looks now, but he may be unique enough that the problem is already over.
     
  15. yarnevk

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    Additionally, as long as you are on a quest for a character, they will appear as a Point of Interest on your compass.

    That is an issue of grammer interpretation, does 'they' refer to the 'quest' or the 'character'. If it is the 'character' then you are pointed back to where you have been, if it is the 'quest' then you are pointed to where to go, even if the quest is as simple as go talk to another character. So my point is still valid.

    RG clarified the blue glow is a client placeholder for the originally intended 'come here' emotes so we can now hold him to that emote promise.

    However the release instructions are unclear about the use of the compass so we need further clarification that there are no compass markers that can substitute for quest writers giving directions, that it is indeed only pointing back to quest givers you already talked to.
     
  16. Myrcello

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    How about using something more believable to the setting of the world.
    But releasing you of the pain to make a wave to me system.

    Every Quest Giver has a Sash on?
    After resolving the Quest the Quest Giver has no Sash anymore visible?

    Or every Quest Giver has a Scroll on his belt.
    I mean in history that is what they provided.
    As soon as he has no mission no more scroll visible.
    Some may hold a scroll in the hand. Some have them in a Poket.
    A scroll to give you a deal or mission?
    After finishing and no more quest - no scroll visible on a npc

    It is still a sort if question mark, but using clothing or a medieval item.

    Or to much work?
     
    Last edited: Feb 23, 2017
  17. Bubonic

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    Ok, well, that's good enough for me. Thanks!
     
  18. Lord Andernut

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    I don't mind some sort of cue that says "Hey, you talked to me about the first ten times you came through this town and I had nothing useful to say - but now my brother has gone missing and you will never know because it happened last week!"

    I don't know how subtle the blue glow is (how subtle can it really be?) BUT drawing our attention to someone who wants to talk to us is different from giving us an arrow to follow to every objective in a quest a la skyrim.
     
  19. yobtar

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    I too think a cool idea would be if you are close to an NPC that has a quest you got some sort of whisper in your chat log.
    Another idea could be something to the effect where it says. "As you walk by the Inn shop you notice the Barmaid weeping" in yellow text or something in the chat log or on the screen similar to the Starter Quest tips.
    Could even make it random similar to how in tabletop D&D the GM asks you to roll a perception check to see if you character notices something. SO then it would always occur for everyone and would maybe feel a little organic.
     
  20. yarnevk

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    I imagine emotes vs. scrolls vs. sashes are the same client side amount of work, although I like the idea. I also like the /whisper chat idea, although that may become annoying depending how often they repeat.

    It does require the tutorial to make it clear what the quest giver indicator is, since the point of immersion is something that you do not notice unless you are looking out for it.
     
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