[crossfire] Quests with multiple outcomes

[Mark Wedel]

On 03/28/10 06:19 PM, Brendan Lally wrote:
<snip>
>
> quest scorn/PortPass
> title Port Pass
> description
> Acquire a port pass to be allowed into Scorn's docks.
> end_description
> stopstep 20
> restart 0
> step 10
> description
> The guards told me that I could acquire a port pass from the Office for
> Gate Passes. I should try asking there.
> end_description
> end_step
> step 20
> description
> I have purchased a port pass to allow me into Scorn docks
> end_description
> end_step
> step 30
> description
> I have found a port pass that should allow me access to Scorn Docks
> description
> end_step
> step 40
> description
> I have found another way through the gate that leads to Scorn Docks.
> end_description
> end_step
> end_quest
>
> Here then, the 'stopstep' is 20, and the steps 20, 30 and 40 are all
> steps that complete the quest, but in different ways.*

  So just to be clear - in this case, it means that if the player somehow gets 
the quest state to be >20 (stopstep value) that the quest is done?

  Rather than having the stopstep, for each step, would it be possible/better to 
have a keyword there to not that the quest is done?

  What I'm thinking is that for complex quests, there could be several paths, 
and it would seem clearer to me that for one path, maybe steps 20->25 dictate 
one path (with 25 being the finish point) and for another one, steps 30->38. 
For a map developer, it would be easier to have all steps for one path be 
together - better than having to go from step 24 to 40 to note the quest is done.

(as an aside, not related to the system but the example above, I think the quest 
description should more or less match - finding another way to the port area 
doesn't really satisfy the quest description of getting a port pass.  If the 
quest was 'get access to the port area', then that would be fine - and in this 
example, it may be a guard telling the character that they can buy port passes)

>
> The 'quest info' command is altered to show the outcome for
> non-restartable quests, so that, rather than just saying 'this quest is
> complete' it describes how the player chose to complete it so that
> there is something of a 'narrative' that forms around the character
> recording the actions of the player. (there is an assumption here
> that for restartable quests, there will not be an outcome which can
> have a permanent impact if the quest can be repeated)

  As a default, I think only active quests should be shown - otherwise, I could 
forsee a list of 100 completed quests which isn't great.  OTOH, maybe if active 
and completed quests are set apart, wouldn't be so bad.


>
> * Minor style note, I have used numbering 10,20,30,... so that, should a
> quest be made more complex or have more quest updates attached to it,
> there is room to add additional steps without breaking any existing
> scripts, or needing to edit any player files - there are a number of
> similar things I have been thrashing out over the last few days, they
> are mostly on the wiki, and I will cover them in more detail when I
> post on the maps list after the release.

  Yes - leaving gaps is always a good thing for future expansion.