Idea: Remove of quest markers and inclusion of detailed journal.

Thoughts ?

 

I absolutely hate quest markers in games and moreso games that were designed around them. They take away idea of exploration and thinking and give you only point to progress story. Thanks to them you do not search for other option doing quest, you do not explore areas beside where leads quest mark.

Considering the titles they're looking to for inspiration, I don't think there's anything to "remove." Though I do hope they make the journal more navigable than is traditional. I'm talking about giving every quest a dedicated page and bookmark, instead of just lumping everything together.

Quest Markers and Minimaps are the worst. They lead to incredibly boring TESlike quests like "Get to some place, kill the monsters, take trophy, come back". It takes much enjoyment out of the game when the quests are designed around questmarkers, so that devs get lazy and don't put a way in to play the quests without, because it would be too obnoxious.

Considering the titles they're looking to for inspiration, I don't think there's anything to "remove." Though I do hope they make the journal more navigable than is traditional. I'm talking about giving every quest a dedicated page and bookmark, instead of just lumping everything together.

 

Well thats true but games like DS3 and Fallout 3 had quest markers.

Yeah page for quest would be cool in my opinion to.

 

Also it would be absolutely amazing if they would include not only facts but also some lore stuff. Meaning something like in Witcher 2.

 

 

I agree a detailed journal will be nice to keep track of stuff.

And the choir enjoyed the sermon.

I'd like something that tells me where each quest giver is as well as the location of my objective. Sometimes I take on multiple quests in the same area, and suddenly I'm like "Wait, where is the person who gave me this quest again?"

 

The option to add notes like "he's next to the blacksmith, you fool!" would be great for this.

I wouldn't mind seeing waypoints if my target is clear anyway. If one of the NPCs is telling me that the evil hound of Lord Douchness is hiding in Ellenwood at the Myr'myd Bar, there is just no reason not to have a waypoint to that location.

Edited October 12, 2012 by Lexx

Quest Markers and Minimaps are the worst. They lead to incredibly boring TESlike quests like "Get to some place, kill the monsters, take trophy, come back". It takes much enjoyment out of the game when the quests are designed around questmarkers, so that devs get lazy and don't put a way in to play the quests without, because it would be too obnoxious.

 

Best part is when TES gives you the option of removing said quest compass... but won't even hint at where your objective is through text in 95% of the quests.

Waypoint to location, yes (like many time in BG2). Getting the actual location on the map? No...

I can live with a map marker pointing towards a quest-related NPC if you had already found him before. I don't want anything pointing towards things I am not supposed to know the location of. A mini map is a big no-no, a BG2 like map (a big map with editable markers) is something that goes better with an RPG like P:E.

Edited October 12, 2012 by True_Spike

I agree; I found Skyrim quite annoying for that reason. All of the quest markers meant that it all of the "find x" quests were pointless and the lack of a detailed journal really bugged me. I would love to see a really detailed journal, or possibly, even a journal that you're meant to update yourself so long as that was made explicit from the start. For example: some NPC wants you to find their missing child who got lost on the way to grandma's house in the southern woodland area. Your journal wouldn't update itself, it would be up to you to enter in all the appropriate information. It could work.

If someone sends you somewhere the directions need to be accurate, and included, accurately, in your journal. If someone tells you specifically what to do in a particular situation, it should be accurately recorded. So some detail should be there.

 

On the other hand, if something is hidden, and a person 'doesn't' know where it is, there obviously should not be a detailed explanation of where it is in your journal.

 

I don't want an arrow pointing me everywhere though. And I don't want little pointers screaming, "Here's that hidden thing!" that somehow no one else found.

I think there can be "quest markers" without a game becoming a TES game. Games have had minimaps since probably longer than you have been playing them. The point is to make them fit within the atmosphere of the game. I definitely do not want to go back to graphing areas by hand to try and figure out the relationships just like I don't want to go back to keeping detailed notes of every encounter and every quest so I can get complete them. Games like the first Wizardry and Bards Tale spring to mind here.

 

Quest markers pointing out a person out of a large crowd of people that are only distinguished by the name "peasant" would be welcome over having to query 100 "peasants" to find out if they are the person you are looking for.

 

However, given the types of games the developers have created (as opposed to using someone else's mold) I don't think that either extreme is likely.

Yeah, as I've played Skyrim I wished, there would be a hardcore mod without marks, minimap, fast travel etc. It would totally change the gameplay, make it more "adventureous", see dark souls. So please no marks.

I think there can be "quest markers" without a game becoming a TES game. Games have had minimaps since probably longer than you have been playing them. The point is to make them fit within the atmosphere of the game. I definitely do not want to go back to graphing areas by hand to try and figure out the relationships just like I don't want to go back to keeping detailed notes of every encounter and every quest so I can get complete them. Games like the first Wizardry and Bards Tale spring to mind here.

 

Quest markers pointing out a person out of a large crowd of people that are only distinguished by the name "peasant" would be welcome over having to query 100 "peasants" to find out if they are the person you are looking for.

 

However, given the types of games the developers have created (as opposed to using someone else's mold) I don't think that either extreme is likely.

 

Pretty much this - if anything, I would favor an option to "hide" quest markers for those players who want a more "natural" experience. Another possible way to handle would be the fashion I have seen other games handle it - a spell of some type that points you in the correct direction (such as an on-screen light trail that is only visible for a view moments), but personally I prefer having proper quest markers that at least get me in the vicinity of an objective.

Games have had minimaps since probably longer than you have been playing them.

 

Back in my day, we had to make our own map using graph paper. AND IT WAS AWESOME.

 

I kid, I kid. Not about the graph paper, though. That really happened. A lot.

 

Granted, in an isometric game there's really no reason to have a mini-map because it'd just show what you can ALREADY SEE. A non-mini map, yes. As for quest markers . . . I don't need em in this type of game, and they look cheesy.

I'd like something that tells me where each quest giver is as well as the location of my objective. Sometimes I take on multiple quests in the same area, and suddenly I'm like "Wait, where is the person who gave me this quest again?"

 

The option to add notes like "he's next to the blacksmith, you fool!" would be great for this.

 

Yes, Journal annotation option would be nice. Especially for those quests that you finish up two months later.

What PsychoBlonde and others've said! And any in-game pointers should not be in the form of question marks or exclamation marks. I've developed an allergy towards them or something. They gimme a rash.

Games have had minimaps since probably longer than you have been playing them.

 

Back in my day, we had to make our own map using graph paper. AND IT WAS AWESOME.

 

I kid, I kid. Not about the graph paper, though. That really happened. A lot.

 

Granted, in an isometric game there's really no reason to have a mini-map because it'd just show what you can ALREADY SEE. A non-mini map, yes. As for quest markers . . . I don't need em in this type of game, and they look cheesy.

control integration is the key to an RTS style minimap.

Edited October 13, 2012 by ogrezilla

The journal.

Hmmm. Yes, my view is this:

 

1-The inferface should be book-like much to the likeness of spellbooks of Baldur's Gate. With the addition of cosmetic bookmarks here and there.

2-The 'Main Page' (on the left) should only contain the Quest Title. And maybe a very, very brief note on what was asked to do.

3-Said 'Main Page' should be sortable for Capters (if the game has chapters, of course) and Location.

4-There should be a way to grasp at a glance if an entry is about a Side Quest, or a Main Quest.

5-Clicking on the Quest Title should open all the detailed descriptions and steps made on the righ page of the book.

6-It goes without saying that there should be a section for completed quests, or an option to hide/show them.

There are ways to stylise quest mapping in interesting ways. Provide annotation of quest destinations on a papyrus style map (thematic implication: created by your character) in the journal, or what have you. I think there are all sorts of opportunities to turn this sort of information into immersive content.

There are ways to stylise quest mapping in interesting ways. Provide annotation of quest destinations on a papyrus style map (thematic implication: created by your character) in the journal, or what have you. I think there are all sorts of opportunities to turn this sort of information into immersive content.

 

Now we're talkin! That would definately be an awesome version of "quest markers". I was always sad when an NPC would point out on your map a quest destination as it meant very little to me because it wasn't visually displayed. I usually thought "I wish he/she would mark it". Getting a quest then having the npc mark where it is on your world map where they'd mark where it should be or circle an area to find whatever it is you are looking for along with some text written in as a distinctive note from the NPC itself would be pretty cool. Getting a quest from a drunk where his note is basically chicken scratch and almost illegible would be a nice touch.

 

Want a clean map again? Just buy a new one from a nearby store.

There are ways to stylise quest mapping in interesting ways. Provide annotation of quest destinations on a papyrus style map (thematic implication: created by your character) in the journal, or what have you. I think there are all sorts of opportunities to turn this sort of information into immersive content.

 

Now we're talkin! That would definately be an awesome version of "quest markers". I was always sad when an NPC would point out on your map a quest destination as it meant very little to me because it wasn't visually displayed. I usually thought "I wish he/she would mark it". Getting a quest then having the npc mark where it is on your world map where they'd mark where it should be or circle an area to find whatever it is you are looking for along with some text written in as a distinctive note from the NPC itself would be pretty cool. Getting a quest from a drunk where his note is basically chicken scratch and almost illegible would be a nice touch.

 

Want a clean map again? Just buy a new one from a nearby store.

 

This right here! I would like a journal and map that updates with a character's understanding of what was said and pointed out. It should also be editable like BG2 so that I can add little 'next to the blacksmith, you fool' notes like someone mentioned earlier. As far as there being traditional quest markers like giant arrows and what not in the game, I think Malcador said it best.

 

And the choir enjoyed the sermon.

There are ways to stylise quest mapping in interesting ways. Provide annotation of quest destinations on a papyrus style map (thematic implication: created by your character) in the journal, or what have you. I think there are all sorts of opportunities to turn this sort of information into immersive content.

 

Now we're talkin! That would definately be an awesome version of "quest markers". I was always sad when an NPC would point out on your map a quest destination as it meant very little to me because it wasn't visually displayed. I usually thought "I wish he/she would mark it". Getting a quest then having the npc mark where it is on your world map where they'd mark where it should be or circle an area to find whatever it is you are looking for along with some text written in as a distinctive note from the NPC itself would be pretty cool. Getting a quest from a drunk where his note is basically chicken scratch and almost illegible would be a nice touch.

 

Want a clean map again? Just buy a new one from a nearby store.

 

This right here! I would like a journal and map that updates with a character's understanding of what was said and pointed out. It should also be editable like BG2 so that I can add little 'next to the blacksmith, you fool' notes like someone mentioned earlier. As far as there being traditional quest markers like giant arrows and what not in the game, I think Malcador said it best.

 

And the choir enjoyed the sermon.

 

I love this idea!