2.0 World-Story and Style of Quests

[Shurrikhan]

What would you like to see implemented?

Please keep tangents like "WoW quest-grinds" for forums on that topic specifically unless someone has honestly asked them here.

Instead, just consider this as if your ideal methodology for making either/both world story and/or quests is definitely possible. It would however help if you mention what that methodology is...

For the record, by "World-story" I mean two things:
- Overarching plot occurring to the physical world
- Overarching feel or themes within the setting - much less "physical"



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--My two gil--

For quests, I'd like to see...
Edit -- (All this in addition to the core story quests of 2.0, not replacing them. Basically, where I'd like to aim auxiliary questing, rather than the more trifling side-quests often seen currently.)
1. Relatively humorous, moderately memorable quests (in general feeling if not to specifically to that quest) getting us from one setting to another without usually having us run straight back, i.e. more exploratory or journey-progressing stories.
2. More freeform quests based on NPC relationships, tied with the ability to talk with NPCs more often, trigger or no trigger, over linkshells.
3. And from that, guilds actually acting like guilds, even if primarily NPC-run, instead of a sparse amount of quests and little memorability in their NPCs.

Example of (3):

We have a Marauder's guild ship where the self-appointed bouncer has a definitive catch phrase, the kind but practical lalafell could probably kick your ass several times over, two guys on deck who won't stop dueling, a lounge full of knowledgeable complainers, and a badass captain. I think most RPGs would consider this composition enough of a starting point for quite a bit of fun. Add in the ability to progress in sort of "generations" of players alongside the NPCs -- top duelers, dungeon runners, and your sort of talent/seniority ranking -- and there becomes a lot you can do with this stuff.

Culinarians' guild? Have the lower members make the starting recipes for your larger ones. Wax moral dilemmas of monster food with the young Hyur cook at the counter only to be sent out to gather said food yourself. Favors for NPCs with rewards in relationships. Notes and requests left for other guild members on the bulletin board. Etc, etc.

You can even take all that one step further while simultaneously fixing the economy.

Companies like the Seventy-Seven Caravans of Ul'duh can contract out the gathering of items (on commission) that drop to low supply (and therefore higher price, usually). Each company would have their own niches in the market. In Caravans' case, probably lower level rarer items, rarer drop foods, tools, and low level weapons. Guilds, more obviously, take care of their own, and market just their respective guild niches. Whereas Caravans would try to maximize their profits (within reasonable limits / while retaining high likelihood of their items being purchased), the Guilds would try to keep their item prices level. That said, all this still requires that goods keep coming in. No piece of the market can become entirely insular, nor will other classes ever become useless to whatever class you're leveling.

I won't say all this economic movement can be done on a bot's programming--I don't know even one bit of FFXIV's coding in that subject--but the concept takes little more than just that.

In question to the purposes of players in this revised economy, I ask that you just think it through. The answers will probably be obvious. For instance, nothing can entirely remove the ability of players to monopolize items except for other players -- since only players gather items. Syndicates can still be made, prices still extorted. It's just a bit harder given that many players will likely take the ease of selling at "guild price", instead of being as focused on the mins and maxes of the market.

World-story:
1. The idea that everything at root is composed of elements, but these elements, a generality often hated by those vying for extreme power, are more than just sources of power or "critical mixture" so to speak.
2. That the composition of world and partly self is becoming more in the hands of humans (such as in the holding of the primals).
3. All the little intricacies in between control and the path of a character, and being a leaf in the wind, so to speak.

More on edit, especially an example of (3)... again... when I get back.


...what's the command line to hide portions within a "Spoiler" box?