One-Day Quests

[Rastor]

yes, but correcting, implementing and testing your interjections took me about the same time... 

Not bad considering that I don't even own the games that I was coding for .

Ya do not know what ya missing!

I do have BG1, but I have not had it installed on my computer for several years. I just don't have time for gaming anymore so I don't keep the things on my hard drive. I've never had TotSC.

[BigRob]

I'd be up for it, but at present, my coding skills are comparable to those of a drugged baboon.

[khayman]

Then you`d most likely be able to teach me a trick or two.

[SimDing0]

The bulk of Quest Pack development happened in a select few days. One-Day Quest shouldn't be too difficult, but likely more awkward than One-Day NPC given that you've got definite goals rather than an open-ended task.

[Galactygon]

One-Day Quest shouldn't be too difficult, but likely more awkward than One-Day NPC given that you've got definite goals rather than an open-ended task.

And what are those goals versus the One-Day NPCs? Both have to be equally-well developed, although bad writing stands out on NPCs a little more (I am not saying bad writing is easy to hide in quests; simply the fact that you may more easily derive the audience's attention via encounters and stuff).

 

-Galactygon

[Meira]

Yes, but with a NPC it easier to finish and add things later without the missing things being obvious in the firs release.. With quest you basically have to do the whole quest from beginning to the end or it will make no sense. We all dislike all those lose ends that were left to the original game, don't we?

[Galactygon]

You have a good point there, Meira.

 

-Galactygon

[Domi]

I agree with Meira; also, writing for a Quest usually takes a long time, especialy if an author espires a three-way solution (as opposite to "go there, do not know where and bring that do not know what" or "kill them all and let the gods guess why")

[MrEnnigma]

Yes, but with a NPC it easier to finish and add things later without the missing things being obvious in the firs release.. With quest you basically have to do the whole quest from beginning to the end or it will make no sense. We all dislike all those lose ends that were left to the original game, don't we?

Amen! Would just like to thank UB for tying some of those loose ends up.

I agree with Meira; also, writing for a Quest usually takes a long time, especialy if an author espires a three-way solution (as opposite to "go there, do not know where and bring that do not know what" or "kill them all and let the gods guess why")

True but it doesn't have to be anything complex. Simple 'hack and slash' or 'go there get this' would suffice. It can always be expanded later.

[SimDing0]

I agree with Meira; also, writing for a Quest usually takes a long time, especialy if an author espires a three-way solution (as opposite to "go there, do not know where and bring that do not know what" or "kill them all and let the gods guess why")

I disagree. I think there are a lot of misconceptions about quest development as opposed to other types of project. Some of the more minor quests in Quest Pack, such as the Besamen encounter, are actually Iron Modder entries fairly close to their original state. That's four hours work with a usable product.

 

I'll also note that the Thieves' component of QP, which is probably one of the more ridiculous multiple-outcome things around, only took a few days serious development. The difficulty isn't in writing, but simply keeping track of what they hell's going on at any point in your quest. It takes some adaption beyond NPCs or other types of modding, because there's as much thought required on the technical side as the writing side, which isn't really the case with NPCs.

 

And yes, Meira's spot on. You have to be a bit more prepared to finish what you're doing. However, you get a usable quest result far more quickly than you get a usable NPC result... because really, I wouldn't promote the One-Day NPCs as particuarly usable in many people's games beyond providing interest value.

[Eagleheart]

For one day quests contests, how about this.. Set aside a area for the quest to take place. Such as the slums or even a brand new unpopulated area. The challenge could be to determine the most impressive use of the area (or areas. I think ppl could come up with some creative ideas pretty quickly.