No fetch quests

[Catharsis]

Just playing through Mass Effect 3 again and the worst part about the game was the poorly implemented fetch quests, fetch quests are boring but they shouldn't be annoying on top of that. I think PE should just avoid them altogether.

[Ieo]

You can't discount them altogether. There are only so many feasible quest designs in a CRPG. It's entirely possible to create interesting, layered, multi-chain quests with twists and/or interesting background story and differing consequences, but which still fall under the "fetch quest" umbrella.

[Joukehainen]

Well my initial reaction is to agree, but maybe I should frame it this way: if we're going to have fetch quests, they should be embedded in a deeper story. Not the generic MMO-style BRING ME FIVE HEADS GOOD JOB NOW GO BACK AND BRING ME FIVE TAILS etc.

 

I mean, if we think about fetching the Bronze Sphere for Pharod in PS:T. That was technically a "fetch and carry" quest, but it led us into the catacombs, the Drowned Nations, where we uncovered new NPCs, new areas, and new elements to our story. It was highly creative and it wasn't just a tomb full of mobs that you fight through, get the sphere at the end, and then fight the respawns to get out - like oh, say, most modern games <.<

 

And of course, given that this is Obsidian and they are well aware that an RPG needs more than selecting one of three similar dialogue options, methinks they won't be giving us fetch and carries that are simple "chores."

[Badmojo]

Fetch quests are used as time sinks, if the fetch quests are interesting that feel like it actually serves a purpose they are fine, but getting a lot of:

 

- get 5 radishes

- get a key at the lowest dungeon around to open this wooden chest that nobody thought to bash open

- get 7 dragon skulls

- get this part, now this part, now this part to make this machine that does x thing

- kill 15 rats, bugs, etc

- etc

 

And you are ready to punch the developers. Yea, those are the bane of RPG's

[Cultist]

Fetch quest then and now is ok...but not when entire game is built upon them, like ME3 or DA2.

[ComMcNeil]

I can not remember that any IE games had such mundane fetch quests, so I dont think they will start now with implementing them

[harpoon]

Just playing through Mass Effect 3 again

 

Why would you subject yourself to that?

[AgentOrange]

I can not remember that any IE games had such mundane fetch quests, so I dont think they will start now with implementing them

 

BG1 and BG 2 - the game the most people seem to want PE to be like - had a number of them.

 

Planescape: Torment parodied the fetch quest with stuff like the Pandora's Box quest, and the Rat Catcher, so I don't think Obsidian will be filling this game with them, or if they do have fetch quests they will somehow make it interesting.

[The Coffee God]

I can not remember that any IE games had such mundane fetch quests, so I dont think they will start now with implementing them

Yeah, all of the BG fetch quests that I can think of were along the lines of :

"Steal this item and bring it back"

"Kill this person, bring an item back"

"Go find this person that went missing and bring them or an item of theirs back"

 

At their core they sound rather mundane, but there was always a story behind them.

[Sensuki]

well in The Witcher the fetch quests were well-implemented, they were contracts. An Alchemist needs 5 vials of ghoul blood for X experiment, obviously can't get it himself etc etc

 

Gotta earn money somehow ;P

[Lisylis]

I feel like when Obsidian does fetch quests (the most recent example I can think of is the DLC Old World Blues, which honestly had a ton) they implement them in a way that doesn't feel like you are literally going to smash a bunch of mobs, get an item, then slog back to the point of origin.

[kenup]

Just playing through Mass Effect 3 again

That's worse than Fetch quests.

 

Fetch quests can't be ignored all together though as Ieo said. There are good fetch quests, that are not just "go take x item and bring them to y". There can be many twists in between, or at the end, or you can be the one making the twist. They can be a test from someone, or unlike ME3's sidequests give something really good character and world insight instead of adding numbers that nobody knows what they mean.

Edited October 22, 2012 by kenup

[ValarMorghulis]

i'm not worried about fetch quests being a prevelant occurance in PE at all. OE knows they want to make an RPG that harkens back to the old IE games. This primarily means better combat tactics compared to modern day RPGs AS WELL AS avoiding lackluster writing and uncreative feth quests everywhere you turn.

 

As stated above... the older IE game's "fetch quests" weren't called fetch quests back then because they had a story behind them and didn't entail killing # of creatures just to level up.

Edited October 22, 2012 by ValarMorghulis

[Kionter]

I don't mind fetch quest when there is a reason and something to get at the end.

 

IE go find different parts for a magic sword that I can use

Or get 7 magic balls to summon a dragon

 

As long as it's not overdone

[Catharsis]

Just playing through Mass Effect 3 again

 

Why would you subject yourself to that?

 

I'm playing through the game one last time before I finish off some of the the Icewind Dale games and Baldur's Gate games. I guess I'm just not as spiteful as some people.

[Catharsis]

You can't discount them altogether. There are only so many feasible quest designs in a CRPG. It's entirely possible to create interesting, layered, multi-chain quests with twists and/or interesting background story and differing consequences, but which still fall under the "fetch quest" umbrella.

 

If you're doing something other than fetching then I wouldn't call it a fetch quest.

[Catharsis]

Well my initial reaction is to agree, but maybe I should frame it this way: if we're going to have fetch quests, they should be embedded in a deeper story. Not the generic MMO-style BRING ME FIVE HEADS GOOD JOB NOW GO BACK AND BRING ME FIVE TAILS etc.

 

I mean, if we think about fetching the Bronze Sphere for Pharod in PS:T. That was technically a "fetch and carry" quest, but it led us into the catacombs, the Drowned Nations, where we uncovered new NPCs, new areas, and new elements to our story. It was highly creative and it wasn't just a tomb full of mobs that you fight through, get the sphere at the end, and then fight the respawns to get out - like oh, say, most modern games <.<

 

And of course, given that this is Obsidian and they are well aware that an RPG needs more than selecting one of three similar dialogue options, methinks they won't be giving us fetch and carries that are simple "chores."

 

That was a main quest, it moved the plot along.

[Catharsis]

well in The Witcher the fetch quests were well-implemented, they were contracts. An Alchemist needs 5 vials of ghoul blood for X experiment, obviously can't get it himself etc etc

 

Gotta earn money somehow ;P

 

It was well explained but that doesn't make it any less boring.

[Catharsis]

Just playing through Mass Effect 3

That's worse than Fetch quests.

 

Fetch quests can't be ignored all together though as Ieo said. There are good fetch quests, that are not just "go take x item and bring them to y". There can be many twists in between, or at the end, or you can be the one making the twist. They can be a test from someone, or unlike ME3's sidequests give something really good character and world insight instead of adding numbers that nobody knows what they mean.

 

I don't care if you don't like it. This thread is not about ME3, it's about fetch quests.

 

Yes some quests that ressemble fetch quests can be fun. Occasionally a fetch quest might be useful for illustrating a point or making a joke. But a fetch quest on it's own is never fun which is what I was getting at.

[Catharsis]

i'm not worried about fetch quests being a prevelant occurance in PE at all. OE knows they want to make an RPG that harkens back to the old IE games. This primarily means better combat tactics compared to modern day RPGs AS WELL AS avoiding lackluster writing and uncreative feth quests everywhere you turn.

 

As stated above... the older IE game's "fetch quests" weren't called fetch quests back then because they had a story behind them and didn't entail killing # of creatures just to level up.

 

Better safe than sorry.

[Catharsis]

I don't mind fetch quest when there is a reason and something to get at the end.

 

IE go find different parts for a magic sword that I can use

Or get 7 magic balls to summon a dragon

 

As long as it's not overdone

 

But you don't enjoy them which is the point. You could easily get that equipment any other way, such as adventuring. Ask yourself "Would I rather wander around looking for x item or would I rather kill something?", nobody likes fetch quests but some people do them because they feel they have to.

[Jarmo]

Just playing through Mass Effect 3 again and the worst part about the game was the poorly implemented fetch quests, fetch quests are boring but they shouldn't be annoying on top of that. I think PE should just avoid them altogether.

 

Well now. I could agree as far as to avoid poorly implemented stuff altogether.

As long as it stays within games internal logic and the plot, pretty much anything can be made to work.

 

No busywork just to pass the time, no "I happen to know the missing key is at the bottom of this dungeon, because it makes sense"

 

There was this NWN module The Tangled Web, with a real kick as cool "could you go clear my basement of whatever critters, rats or stuff, is down there".

Wouldn't have thought that particular quest would have had any legs left, but there you go. Highly recommendable the module.

[Sensuki]

well in The Witcher the fetch quests were well-implemented, they were contracts. An Alchemist needs 5 vials of ghoul blood for X experiment, obviously can't get it himself etc etc

 

Gotta earn money somehow ;P

 

It was well explained but that doesn't make it any less boring.

 

Well if you think about it.

 

With the contracts there weren't actually many times where you actually had to go out of your way to get the items. They were within the paths of doing other quests. The only one I remember that was specifically out of the way was when the Nymph asked you to get a wolf pelt for her to prove your manliness.

 

The other ones was stuff I got along the way doing other stuff.

 

There were a few like 'A Most Uncommon Wine' and ones like that which were fetch quests though. I don't mind that they're there as long as there isn't too many of them. They've already expressed pretty much exactly that. They're fine as long as there's a balance.

[Jarmo]

Oh, and one more thing, remembered it about the wine.

 

If there are these "find me 20 bottles of the old wine" quests, which I wouldn't really care for anyway,

then in the name of all the dead gods make the quest giver accept the 14 bottles I've found instead

of going "nah, I want 20 bottles! Count them, 20, not 10, not 14. Go back and find me all 20 bottles."

[Catharsis]

well in The Witcher the fetch quests were well-implemented, they were contracts. An Alchemist needs 5 vials of ghoul blood for X experiment, obviously can't get it himself etc etc

 

Gotta earn money somehow ;P

 

It was well explained but that doesn't make it any less boring.

 

Well if you think about it.

 

With the contracts there weren't actually many times where you actually had to go out of your way to get the items. They were within the paths of doing other quests. The only one I remember that was specifically out of the way was when the Nymph asked you to get a wolf pelt for her to prove your manliness.

 

The other ones was stuff I got along the way doing other stuff.

 

There were a few like 'A Most Uncommon Wine' and ones like that which were fetch quests though. I don't mind that they're there as long as there isn't too many of them. They've already expressed pretty much exactly that. They're fine as long as there's a balance.

 

But you didn't enjoy, I keep saying it in this thread and I keep saying it because it's true and many of you keep ignoring it, fetch quests are boring, you "don't mind them" but you don't enjoy them, the fact that you don't hate them is not an arguement to keep them in just like a bug not ruining the game is not a excuse to keep it in the game. The difference is that fetch quests actually require coding