Re: CF: Re: Preventing players from repeating quests

[Mark Wedel <mwedel@scruznet.com>]

David Andrew Michael Noelle wrote:
=
>     That's the type of solution I'd prefer.  There are already limits on how
> much equipment can be used simultaneously (one per object type, two for
> rings) and how much can be carried around to be switched for each different
> situation, but there appears to be a consensus that more restrictions are in
> order.
>     I like the idea of artifacts having "races" or "religions" that make
> some combinations work particularly well together and others cause varying
> degrees of incompatability.  This fits well with the object "alignments" I
> suggested a while back, which would cause objects to have different
> attributes depending on the race and/or religion of their user.  I believe
> that was filed under "wait for the 0.96 objects."

 As a note, one balancing factor that can be added is to make equipping/non
equipping take some real time.

 Taking off the plate armor and putting on some mithril armor is going to take
some serious tick - certainly more than 2 ticks.  Maybe not a tremendous amount
of real time (for example, 40 ticks = 5 seconds which isn't that long as a
player to wait), but long enough you probably don't want to expose yourself for
in the middle of combat.


>     I don't like the idea of actually *preventing* a quest from being
> attempted again after it's been solved.  For one thing, what if your
> high-level character dies once, loses 10-20 levels, and is no longer capable
> of completing any of the quests he hasn't already finished?  If you can't go
> back and work your way back up to where you died, non-permanent death
> becomes automatic retirement.

 I agree with that.  A player should be able to repeat the quest, but perhaps
not get the final reward.

 However, I have also stated that with the exception of rings and power
crystals, getting the final reward multiple times probably does not help as you
can only use one weapon at a time, one shield, etc.

 The other possiblity on this is to add some form of timestamp for when the
player last completed the quest.  So if he did it last night, he might not be
able to do it again immediately, but if he waits a few days, then he could.

 This also has the advantage that the player can help some friends complete the
quest, but might have to put some condition like 'sure - I'll tag along for that
quest, but we need to wait a few days before I can do it again.  How about this
quest in the meantime'.

 As a note, not every map in the world will be a 'quest' map.  You will still
have random dungeons which a player can hit as many times as he wants, and for
that matter there may be non random dungeons which are not deamed up to 'quest'
quality, and a player could choose to repeat those.


>     Linking quests in terms of requiring them to be attempted in order is
> fine, but once a quest has been completed, it's boring to have to complete
> that quest and EVERY quest leading up to it, EACH time you want to attempt
> the next one.  Example: the temple in Brest with the nine keys to nine
> "Hells" ranging from kobolds to Jessy.
>     I suggest that linked quests should be implemented by MARKs or some
> other re-usable "key", and current linked quests should be modified to be
> consistent with that implementation.  That way, a player who needs to try
> Jessy's Castle (for example) repeatedly in order to complete it, must
> complete Dol-Guldur and Khazad/Moria at least once, but wouldn't be required
> to start over from the beginning of the whole series in order to re-try the
> last part.

 I think this depends on the quest, and why they are linked.

 For example, if things are set up so you do this quest, bring the item back to
so and so, and he then gives the key for the next part, I don't have a problem
with having to do that in order - so and so still wants the item before you can
do the next part.

 However, I don't think quests should necessarily be structured to much on each
other.  There could be some things, like notebooks with information that make
doing the next quest easier if you haven't done it before, but you could choose
to ignore the first part and not have that information (the notebook could have
something like 

'I used to work for Magnus before he exiled me to this dungeon.  I know my days
are limited here, but hopefully someone will take revenge for me.  For this
person, I give this hint - Magnus is dreadfully afraid of lightning'

 So the person who finds that notebook knows 'aha - get out the lightning
spells'.  Magnus can still be hit by other stuff, but someone with that tip can
have an easier time.

 Or the book could detail such things as traps on the next map, secret doors,
etc.
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