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shadowwraith

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The importance of well written quests

MMO's, especially this game, should have a diverse and well written script of quests to complete, wouldn't you agree? Although more and more, I see lots of people simply powerlevelling their characters in different games to get to the "end-game" for PvP, bragging rights, or whatever. How do you feel about this?

08/11/05 15:57

Electro

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Re: The importance of well written quests

I think it is sad when players forego good game content for the sake of powerleveling their characters. There is no prize for making it to the top level of a game. The prize is the enjoyment of the journey you took to get there. I definitely view good storylines as essential to the overall quality of the game.

08/22/05 09:11

shadowwraith

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Re: The importance of well written quests

I'd have to agree. Games that the quests didn't impress me, like L2, I quickly lost interest in. But games like FFXI and WoW that have a great deal of quests, both fun and in-depth, tend to give me many more months of enjoyment. True, that the attraction of an RPG is the character development, but I always saw completeing quests as part of that.

08/25/05 08:59

Salmar_Swiftarrow

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Re: The importance of well written quests

When is the game going to take place? Is it going to take place during the time of the books? It would be cool to fight in all of the big battles like at Helm's Deep and Gondor.

===Salmar Swiftarrow===lvl 20 R/Mo===
===Salmar Swiftblade===lvl 20 W/Mo===
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===The Noob Warrior===lvl 1 W/Me(in droks =D)===
"j00 R 4 n00b!!! 1 4M z0 c0o1!!!!"
Yes, I am a mentally challenged Guild Wars playing monkey!!!! Want to fight about it?

08/25/05 18:37

Aims

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Re: The importance of well written quests

In City of Heroes you get two new character archetypes to play once you get to level 50, so that game does give you a reason to powerlevel. I wanted to play those characters since I set eyes on them. I've never got there because I'm an altoholic and love making new characters. However the lag of the game turned people away, and now with few friends playing it any more I have become bored with it. I am fed up doing the same quests. I make healers and other characters that really need to be played in teams, and enjoy that more anyway. It's not so easy finding a good team with no friends playing, so I never get very far into the game, even when I want to.

World of Warcraft is a great game, you get so much more xp from doing quests than just killing that the quickest way to level up is do the quests. The quests are well written and quite varied too, so I enjoy reading and doing them. I've never progressed in a game so quickly. The different races and character types have their own unique plot to a certain extent too, so when I play another character I am not doing the same thing I just did with my other character. I hope Lord Of the Rings will be like this.

I would like to se some sort of random quest giving. I find it kinda takes from being a hero that everyone else is doing the same thing. For example I had to kill a level 11 elite beast called Hogger - and there were swarms of heroes all loking to kill hogger too, so after helping kill him 3 times I eventually got the loot. The game kinda loses a lot from it when you proudly defeat the dire beast and you're bearly done with your manly posing when he respawns behind you for some revenge. So if there were random quests, they'd be much more unique and you wouldn't just be beating the trodden path so much.

08/29/05 05:08

Aims

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Re: The importance of well written quests

I heard that in Saga of ryzom you can be adventuring with your level 9 party in an area not so far from town and over the next hill is a giant army marching on town. My boyfriend was playing the game with a few friends and they got to the top of a hill and there was this huge invasion force marching on the town. They bolted back to town as they were all 3 times higher than them in level. I hear that sometimes you'd get shouts from other players of invasions coming in different areas, and all heroes in the area woul flock to the spot to take on the invasion force together.

True or not it would be totally smart if there was something like that. I would love to get to the top on a hill and look down and discover that the forces of Mordor or whatever and bearing down on me. It would be so cool. I may have to run lke the coward I am, but it would be smart to know that there are armies that march accross the land, and can conquer towns if they are not defended by the players.

Would be get to play on the side of evil? Or are we all going to be good guys?

08/29/05 05:14

Meldarion

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Re: The importance of well written quests

"Here's what I would like to see." Meldarion says as he steps up onto the soap box. "I would love to see quests that are a cross breed between EQI and GW in that stepping into the quest creates a separate instance so that the spawn site isn't constantly being camped, but make some quests big enough to bring more than just 6 or 8 or 10 players... the more the merrier I always say. I feel that limiting an instance to only a few players at a time stunts the ability for a guild to bond correctly. But these are quests better suited for later in the game.

However, I suppose that earlier quests would have to be solo-able or tailored for small groups. I think I know what I mean" =/

By the way... if you haven't perused Turbines LotRO site, then have a look see:Info on Quest Arcs

***THIS POST HAS BEEN EDITED***

Lord Meldarion, son of Beinion
Mith Tur, GCoA

“I do not love the bright sword for it's sharpness, nor the arrow for it's swiftness,
nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend” -J.R.R. Tolkien

08/30/05 15:29

Salmar_Swiftarrow

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Re: The importance of well written quests

I'm still wondering when the game will take place.

09/16/05 10:20

Meldarion

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Re: The importance of well written quests

The game will be taking place during the War of the Ring right about the time that Frodo is leaving the Shire for Bree. The Dev's have discussed the possiblility of actually meeting characters from the LotR books with the exception of those in the Fellowship.

Lord Meldarion, son of Beinion
Mith Tur, GCoA

“I do not love the bright sword for it's sharpness, nor the arrow for it's swiftness,
nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend” -J.R.R. Tolkien

09/16/05 18:42

Salmar_Swiftarrow

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Re: The importance of well written quests

that would be pretty cool, just like in star wars galaxies you can meet darth vader, luke skywalker and the emperor.

09/16/05 22:46

Fledge

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Re: The importance of well written quests

The only real problem I see with running the story in the time of Frodo, is the drawn out length. If you are stuck in the time it takes for Frodo to get from A to B for months on end...it could get old.

If the story would happen to be progressive (As you roleplay, Frodo makes his way to Mordor and actually destroys The Ring) then that would be a little improvement. But of course, what of afterword? Do we take Tolkien's work and make it our own in long, stretched out stories? I must admit, few people have the writing and imaginitive skills that it would take to finish out a LOTR story.

Either way, the game seems doomed infinetely.

***THIS POST HAS BEEN EDITED***

10/19/05 17:42

Salmar_Swiftarrow

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Re: The importance of well written quests

If you think that, then dont get the game, and stop posting here.

Dont reply to this we dont want you here.

10/21/05 15:24

Fledge

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Re: The importance of well written quests

I was merely stating what I predict it to be... no need to be negative.

10/23/05 13:03

Meldarion

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Re: The importance of well written quests

I think I have done my homework pretty well. To my finite understanding, here is how I am assuming that things are going to go down. Our characters in game are going to have nothing to do with the quest to destroy the One Ring. Therefore it is not important as to what they (the Fellowship of the Ring) are doing at any given point. I think that if we will have any knowledge of the quest to destroy the ring (character wise) then it would have to be just rumor.
This game is not going to be for those who have plans of helping the fellowship on their journey, so let's not worry about how things are going to go down in that aspect. The game has been designed to give RP'ers and Tolkien fans a rich environment in which to live and adventure that is based on Tolkien's Middle Earth on or about the time that Frodo is beginning his quest.
Even though the quest to destroy the One Ring is the central aspect of the trilogy, Tolkien still gives us enough of a glimpse into his world of fantasy known as Middle Earth to wonder. There are so many different things to see and do, that I believe the One Ring may become almost a secondary thought to those who are playing. I myself am a HUGE Tolkien fan and I am looking forward to getting into the game so that I may immerse myself inside of the world that Tolkien created, even if it has been re created by someone else. That's just my 2cents worth. Take it or leave it.

Lord Meldarion, son of Beinion
Mith Tur, GCoA

“I do not love the bright sword for it's sharpness, nor the arrow for it's swiftness,
nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend” -J.R.R. Tolkien

10/24/05 01:04

Fledge

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Re: The importance of well written quests

I'll take what you say, but I am still seeing a stretched out line of events.

10/24/05 13:34

blackphoenix

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Re: The importance of well written quests

Well, back on topic, that is one of the things I love about Guild Wars. You can start off PvP from day one, without ever needing to play the PvE part of the game. Sure, you don't get all the skills there are in the game, but you can earn faction points by playing PvP which will allow you to unlock skills and items even if PvP is all you care about.

There is also so point to power leveling as the limit is lvl20 and Arena Net has done such a good job of balancing gameplay with story progression and quests that trying to reach the highest level in one area of the game just seems pointless.

So, yes, I agree that diverse and well written quests could almost make or break a game. However, quests will never be the deciding factor of a good game.

10/24/05 14:05

Meldarion

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Re: The importance of well written quests

QUOTE

However, quests will never be the deciding factor of a good game.

I am assuming that this is just your opinion and not fact. Give me an intriguing story line over straight up PvP any day and I'm happy. But that's just me.

Lord Meldarion, son of Beinion
Mith Tur, GCoA

“I do not love the bright sword for it's sharpness, nor the arrow for it's swiftness,
nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend” -J.R.R. Tolkien

10/24/05 17:40

blackphoenix

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Re: The importance of well written quests

Yes, I would have to say that is my opinion.

I guess I would be more of a bounty hunter type as I rarely read all the story to quests in the games I play. What I do read is just enough to know where I need to go and what I need to do. But that's just me. :-)

10/25/05 07:10

Salmar_Swiftarrow

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Re: The importance of well written quests

Here's what I gather. The first part of the game will be in Eriador and possibly the ruins of Angmar (Witch Kings old kingdom). The plot up until the first expansion will probably be learning about Angmar and defeating some left over monsters and such (the shadow of angmar). A shadow usually means something left behind. Thats just my 2 cents.

***THIS POST HAS BEEN EDITED***

10/27/05 16:07

arturus

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RE: The importance of well written quests

no offense or anything but ur all IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!
has nobody heard of the 4th book tolkien was working on when he died and that their is a reason all the orcs are still alive at the end???????
the orcs come back with the soul of feanor (silmarilion)
who reforges the one ring wiv a bit extra but not only that but sauron as his allpowerful form calls his master!!!!!!!! from the dead yes sauron has a master yea scary thought i know but its true and the 4th book is set on the rolling seas with all the old heros returning even legolas gimli aragorn frodo even bilbo returning after the light of the elves has de corrupted his heart wierd thought but that is only the 4th book which ends wiv them arriving in bagend and the 5th starting wiv anover big battle naturally king of gondor dies son takes over but of course he is corrupted before he even touvhes it he dies arwen is lost in grief bladey bladey bla but they dont get uber master over the maia (saurons race is the maia) and he calls his minions and ungoliant to him

so basically middle earth is doomed

12/29/05 14:30

Meldarion

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RE: The importance of well written quests

Begging your pardon from this "idiot" as you so delicately put it, but I've been a Tolkien freak for some 25 years and never heard of a fourth book in the series, aside from silly rumors about some kind of mysterious manuscript. The whole thing has "hoax" written all over it. It's a moot point anyway, seeing as Turbine only has the rights to four books: The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and Return of the King. Even if there were a fourth book to the "trilogy", Turbine didn't get the rights to it. Don't expect to get anything beyond the defeat of Sauron at the end of the Third Age.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go hang out with my "idiot" friends. =)

Lord Meldarion, son of Beinion
Mith Tur, GCoA

“I do not love the bright sword for it's sharpness, nor the arrow for it's swiftness,
nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend” -J.R.R. Tolkien

12/29/05 15:32

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Joined: 12/31/1969
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RE: The importance of well written quests

What about The Silmarillion or The Unfinished Tales?

Haven't read them, but I do know they exist...

*shrugs*

12/30/05 09:16

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RE: The importance of well written quests

What about The Silmarillion or The Unfinished Tales?

Haven't read them, but I do know they exist...

*shrugs*

12/30/05 09:17

Meldarion

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RE: The importance of well written quests

I have read them both... neither are part of the "trilogy" though. The only reason "The Hobbit" was thrown in there, when the rights were purchased is because it is considered the prelude to the "Rings" books. Hence, the reason we won't see anything from the other books in the game. At least not at this point. I'm hoping though =)

12/30/05 09:40

DayvW

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RE: The importance of well written quests

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Silmarillion

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12/30/05 09:40

arturus

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RE: The importance of well written quests

well think of this meldarion ok

if it was never published u dont have to have the rights to it u can just explain to people who come snooping that u needed to carry on the story line because no gd mmorpg that finishes is gd agree so far ok

well so we can touch up on these finer points of the "fourth book" make it better and add stuff create a story line

the game is shadows of angmar for crying out loud revive the witch king

DO YOU SERIOUSLY THINK THAT TOLKIEN WOULD STOP THERE HE WAS WELL ON JIS WAY TO A MIL FROM IT WHEN HE DIED AND COULD HAVE GONE FURTHER OK

the witch king can have suddenly beeen revived when someone who was burying corpes on pellinor fields ripped off the ring from his finger only this time as a gd guy extra character idea to make u want to bother to kill sauron

12/31/05 12:04

Meldarion

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RE: The importance of well written quests

QUOTE

That's not necessarily true in regards to rights. If he did write a 4th book, yet was never published, the Tolkien Estate still has ownership of it and the characters portrayed in it. Anyone who's been around for any amount of time knows that the Tolkien Estate doesn't take the using of it's property very lightly. They own the rights to all the people and place names. That's why Dungeons and Dragons couldn't use "Hobbit" like they wanted when the game first came out in the '70s, so they changed "Hobbit" to "Halfling" to avoid a lawsuit that was being threatened by the Estate. Also, the art rock band Marillion called themselves Silmarillion when they first got together. Tolkien Estate got wind of it and threatened litigation, if they didn't change their name. To avoid being sued, they dropped "Sil" from their name. Then there was the case of a local rock band in Denver, Colorado, in the late '80s who were calling themselves "Minas Tirith". Even though they were not going to make much money on the name in the foreseeable future, the Tolkien Estate gave them a "cease and desist" order, causing them to change their name to "Auktober" to avoid a civil suit. So, although your idea sounds easy, it's not. :(

QUOTE

well so we can touch up on these finer points of the "fourth book" make it better and add stuff create a story line

the game is shadows of angmar for crying out loud revive the witch king

That actually sounds like a good idea, would it not be for the legal examples given above.

I will agree that the thought of the LotRO game having an eventual end really sucks, but I think that if the game is going well, that they will be able to add onto the story line in different ways. Some of your ideas sound interesting enough to be looked at. In the long run, just as you said that Tolkien would not have stopped trying to make money (although I do believe he wasn't in it for the money, but that's just an opinion) I think Turbine will seek ways to extend the story line if it is lucritive enough.

Lord Meldarion, son of Beinion
Mith Tur, GCoA

“I do not love the bright sword for it's sharpness, nor the arrow for it's swiftness,
nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend” -J.R.R. Tolkien

12/31/05 14:10

arturus

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RE: The importance of well written quests

ok fine ur very clever and been a tolkien freak longer than i have been alive but fine u win thx for the name meldarion

01/01/06 10:20

thejeni

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RE: The importance of well written quests

QUOTE

Anyone who's been around for any amount of time knows that the Tolkien Estate doesn't take the using of it's property very lightly. They own the rights to all the people and place names. That's why Dungeons and Dragons couldn't use "Hobbit" like they wanted when the game first came out in the '70s, so they changed "Hobbit" to "Halfling" to avoid a lawsuit that was being threatened by the Estate. Also, the art rock band Marillion called themselves Silmarillion when they first got together. Tolkien Estate got wind of it and threatened litigation, if they didn't change their name. To avoid being sued, they dropped "Sil" from their name. Then there was the case of a local rock band in Denver, Colorado, in the late '80s who were calling themselves "Minas Tirith". Even though they were not going to make much money on the name in the foreseeable future, the Tolkien Estate gave them a "cease and desist" order, causing them to change their name to "Auktober" to avoid a civil suit.

Wow! I had no idea the Tolkien Estate was so harsh. It seems kinda strange they wouldn't allow others to use any names from the books. Or are they willing as long as you ask permission first?

Siggy created by DeathFetish.

01/01/06 17:57

Meldarion

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RE: The importance of well written quests

QUOTE

Wow! I had no idea the Tolkien Estate was so harsh. It seems kinda strange they wouldn't allow others to use any names from the books. Or are they willing as long as you ask permission first?

I think that, in the past, they just wanted to be careful about who they attached their name to. It could very well be that they felt a little burned over the animated movies which didn't do very well back in the day. Whatever the reasons, they've obviously loosened up their grip quite a bit as of late. The cinematic trilogy did so well, that they started looking at other tie ins, which MOST are based on the movies and not the books. Whatever the case may be, it seems to me that the Tolkien Estate has found another generation of fans that are hooked on the LotR brand. The Tolkien Estate looks to make a TON of money from future book sales and royalty dues.

CHA CHING!

I do think that you made a valid point though. If you're not going to ask permission to use the matierial, then you probably shouldn't even bother.

Lord Meldarion, son of Beinion
Mith Tur, GCoA

“I do not love the bright sword for it's sharpness, nor the arrow for it's swiftness,
nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend” -J.R.R. Tolkien

01/02/06 01:03

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