User:51mplex/drydock

Quests are one of the defining characteristics of computer role-playing games (further simply RPGs in this article, as the nature of tabletop RPGs is very different). By definition, an RPG relies on them to develop the plot and keep the player entertained. A distinction is usually made between the main quest, whose completion traditionally marks the end of the game, and side quests, which are generally optional and are done for rewards.

The structure of a quest

A quest can be defined as a series of actions that have to be taken to reach an ultimate goal. To be complete and to have sense, a quest must have several basic elements:

Plot

A character (an NPC in computer RPGs) describes and situation and tells what they want you to do. A good plot is essential to maintain the atmosphere and sense of direction in the game. The plot may also include hints on how the quest is supposed to be finished.

Target

What your character is supposed to change in the game world. The most typical example is a fetch quest, in which the player must acquire some item and bring it back.

Chain of prerequisites

What must be done to achieve the quest target. A simple beginners' quest might have no such chain of prerequisites, but to complicate things for the player, most quests have some chain of requirements. For example, on a quest to retrieve a dragon tooth (the target), the player must first level up to some point, accumulate good equipment, find the golden key (a quest item) to get the whistle of sound sleep (another quest item), ask a hermit for directions and only then actually fight the dragon.

Reward

Players won't do quests for nothing, but expect to get some benefits in return, for example an artefact item with special properties or some perk unattainable by conventional means. An exception may be the main quest, which simply ends the game and as such can't supply any other reward than a credits screen.

Quests in roguelikes

Due to the complexity of interesting and involving quests, the vast majority of computer RPGs have them statically defined. This is also the approach of most roguelikes, including all major ones. The traditional ways of compensating for the decreased replayability are: keeping the storyline minimal, procedural terrain generation and random item characteristics, all of which are classified as defining elements of the genre.