The thing about these quests is the current implementation of them. None of them are bad if designed well, where the objectives come naturally with the story the quest is hopefully trying to tell. You mention GW2 and ESO as being different but are they really? Just because they don't have a score of x of x on the side doesn't mean the x of x isn't there, or escorts for that matter. Also, the BEST kill X of X quests I've found are the ones like in WoW and Rift where you have to man a cannon or giant robot and go kill 100 attacking enemies. They are fast and fun. Especially the bombard quests in WoW BC. I could have a blast just doing quests like that half the time it takes to level.
I'd like to see a MMORPG actually give you a quest without the instructions.
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Example:
The Quest: "The Goblins are planning an attack on the village. Stop them."
That's everything you have. Now you can seek out the Goblin village and kill all the Goblins. Or you ask around town where the Goblin village even is. Or you ask around town what their plans are. Or you steal their plans.
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But the playerbases make something like that impossible, because 1 month after release there's a database where you can look everything up. Then you install an addon that tells you what to do. Because so many MMORPG players aren't enjoying the game. They're just addicted and want to get the chores done as quick as possible.
Most of these complaints seem to stem from A) a lack of desire by the player for immersion in a living, breathing virtual world, and a lack of desire by developers to provide quality immersion.
To the player: If all you want to be is marauding orc where you slaughter everything you encounter without need of any campaign's "excuse" for violence, then yes all of the above items detract from that mission. If you want to be part of a "living" virtual world, though, then you have to accept NPCs who are not skilled warriors. You, as the skilled PC, have to provide the muscle for their own NPC interests. You have to collect the hard-to-get-items, and you have to escort them through dangerous territories. You are the skilled adventurer, not them.
To the developer: Stop with the constant running back and forth. Let the player go adventure and collect anything/everything she desires for as long as she wants to adventure, then come back to the city and sell everything off. If an NPC collects skins from the overpopulated rats (or metal from weapons, or rare herbs, or cloth), then let them always collect that stuff and reward the player for bringing it at any time. Note the collector's location on a map, then let the player decide whether to use that NPC resource at their convenience. No need to make a special quest out of it. Sure, the rewards can fluctuate with how much of the stuff the NPC already has in stock. Save the quests for "unlock" features, not simple resource gathering. Also, encourage players to keep participating in the local economy, perhaps by rewarding players for using the same NPC vendor by giving them loyalty points and unlocking new resource opportunities ("Hey, I don't usually mention it, but you seem to be pretty skilled at acquiring these things for me, and I've heard stories of...")
To you, sir, I ask "What is immersion? Is that some sort of super-fast way of levelling?"
/sarcasm
Honestly, I don't think the majority of people actually want to play MMOs any more. All I hear about are complaints about how long such and such game takes, and how repetitive it is, and how grindy it is. It's spoiled games. RE: Immersion, when players, literally, complain that they can't bypass cut scenes, quest text/speech, etc., what would be my motivation, as a developer, to develop deep content? There isn't! It results in uninspired content. In gamers' defence, though, there are PLENTY of generic games out there these days that they can speed through. I sometimes thing that choice is actually a bad thing in this way.
That list pretty much covers all the worst quests, but it seems to cover most the possible quest types. It would be good to get some variety in the quests though.
In Fallen Earth, there were many "Collect X Item" quests, but they were all crafting items, and the quests could be completed by buying the items from other players or from vendors as well. Having quest collection items be things that normally drop could be an interesting way to do things.
In WoW, they are dressing the Kill Quests up a little. You kill things near something else to charge them up or something similar. There are plenty of straight up "Kill X of Y" quests though.
Crafting quests seem to be lacking, as well as quests for a particular class or build. It doesn't have to be to the degree that SWToR did it, but some pseudo-personalized quests might be nice to see, even if they fall in the group of "Collect X" or "KIll X or Y" quests.
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
even worst quest is when you have to collect x of spider legs, we all know spiders are 8 legged so why when you do these quest they only drop one at a time...
It's funny, the questing mentioned is pretty much what questing is in even the most successful themepark MMO's. I see it mentioned that the way some games implement these quests are what make them enjoyable and I agree. If implemented poorly and not woven into the game in an enjoyable way, they can feel meaningless and boring. However to say these 5 quest types are the worst, when they damn near cover all of the bases of what MMORPG questing is, that's hilarious to me.
Well thanks to this article, it looks like I will have to give up playing all my MMO's , and somehow learn to play Minecraft.
Thanks a lot MMORPG.com
True, This tread where players hate questing in mmo's is funny to me. Why bother playing mmo's in the first place. The only one on that list i hate are the escort quest. The only time i like an escort quest was in champions online. The npc's would pull out weapons and fight with you. And had enough health to stay alive.
Amazingly except for the jumping puzzles Archeage seems filled with all of these bad quest varieties.
Agreed. Archeage's questing is pretty generic and awful, but that isn't the point of a sandbox MMO like that. The crafting, farming, and pvp elements are the real draw, and they have done it quite successfully.
I don't mind the warehouse dude saying he has a problem with rats in the warehouse or the sewer dude saying there's a problem with skaven in the sewers or the tailor dude saying he needs wolf pelts - because they are all telling the story of the world itself - it's having to kill an exact number and then it's done and gone.
Instead make it so the warehouse/sewer/tailor dude say "i'll give you x for each rat tail/skaven necklace/wolf pelt you bring me" then you could kill 3 or 7 or 22 or however many you felt like until you got bored and then maybe come back and do some more another day.
Without at least one specific one on that list, MMOs would not exist at all. If you take all 5 away you would not have MMOs period and in turn not have MMORPG.com
"... what are some of your least favorite types of MMO quests?"
Originally posted by kulhat
Worst quest is a bugged quest!! :P
This
"Alternatively, which games do you think have some of the best quest to offer?" TSW's quest mechanic is great. Also FC, AoC has some fun ones too (love the theology dispute in Tarantia)
Best quests as in writing, I'd say LotRO has my favourite ones. Narmeleth's story is still leaving me speechless after ever time I play it through...
Comments
Well thanks to this article, it looks like I will have to give up playing all my MMO's , and somehow learn to play Minecraft.
Thanks a lot MMORPG.com
FFA Nonconsentual Full Loot PvP ...You know you want it!!
I'd like to see a MMORPG actually give you a quest without the instructions.
-----
Example:
The Quest: "The Goblins are planning an attack on the village. Stop them."
That's everything you have. Now you can seek out the Goblin village and kill all the Goblins. Or you ask around town where the Goblin village even is. Or you ask around town what their plans are. Or you steal their plans.
-----
But the playerbases make something like that impossible, because 1 month after release there's a database where you can look everything up. Then you install an addon that tells you what to do. Because so many MMORPG players aren't enjoying the game. They're just addicted and want to get the chores done as quick as possible.
To you, sir, I ask "What is immersion? Is that some sort of super-fast way of levelling?"
/sarcasm
Honestly, I don't think the majority of people actually want to play MMOs any more. All I hear about are complaints about how long such and such game takes, and how repetitive it is, and how grindy it is. It's spoiled games. RE: Immersion, when players, literally, complain that they can't bypass cut scenes, quest text/speech, etc., what would be my motivation, as a developer, to develop deep content? There isn't! It results in uninspired content. In gamers' defence, though, there are PLENTY of generic games out there these days that they can speed through. I sometimes thing that choice is actually a bad thing in this way.
Crazkanuk
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Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
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I agree with this list!
That list pretty much covers all the worst quests, but it seems to cover most the possible quest types. It would be good to get some variety in the quests though.
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
Sandbox means open world, non-linear gaming PERIOD!
Subscription Gaming, especially MMO gaming is a Cash grab bigger then the most P2W cash shop!
Bring Back Exploration and lengthy progression times. RPG's have always been about the Journey not the destination!!!
omitted the worst quest
DAILIES
EQ2 fan sites
That should have been number 1
It's the worst thing devs have ever tried to pass off as content ...ever.
True, This tread where players hate questing in mmo's is funny to me. Why bother playing mmo's in the first place. The only one on that list i hate are the escort quest. The only time i like an escort quest was in champions online. The npc's would pull out weapons and fight with you. And had enough health to stay alive.
To play Devil's Advocate: Dailies are a replacement for killing mob after mob to get your faction up. Which would you prefer?
Raquelis in various games
Played: Everything
Playing: Nioh 2, Civ6
Wants: The World
Anticipating: Everquest Next Crowfall, Pantheon, Elden Ring
Man it's good to see MMORPG really stepping up the quality of their content here.
move over Loltaku, MMORPG is on the rise!
Agreed. Archeage's questing is pretty generic and awful, but that isn't the point of a sandbox MMO like that. The crafting, farming, and pvp elements are the real draw, and they have done it quite successfully.
I hate quests that say kill x number of y.
I don't mind the warehouse dude saying he has a problem with rats in the warehouse or the sewer dude saying there's a problem with skaven in the sewers or the tailor dude saying he needs wolf pelts - because they are all telling the story of the world itself - it's having to kill an exact number and then it's done and gone.
Instead make it so the warehouse/sewer/tailor dude say "i'll give you x for each rat tail/skaven necklace/wolf pelt you bring me" then you could kill 3 or 7 or 22 or however many you felt like until you got bored and then maybe come back and do some more another day.
Without at least one specific one on that list, MMOs would not exist at all. If you take all 5 away you would not have MMOs period and in turn not have MMORPG.com
MMOs MUST have one or more of any 5 on that list.
"My Fantasy is having two men at once...
One Cooking and One Cleaning!"
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"A good man can make you feel sexy,
strong and able to take on the whole world...
oh sorry...that's wine...wine does that..."
Elder Scrolls Online.
This
"Alternatively, which games do you think have some of the best quest to offer?" TSW's quest mechanic is great. Also FC, AoC has some fun ones too (love the theology dispute in Tarantia)
Best quests as in writing, I'd say LotRO has my favourite ones. Narmeleth's story is still leaving me speechless after ever time I play it through...