Marko Realmonte
Senior Narrative Designer
Quest Writing Samples
Quest Title: Ansel the Alchemist
Difficulty Level: Easy
Placement: To be used as a quick daily quest, or as a component of a larger side quest.
Concept: This quest is designed to have players learn to pay close attention to the dialog of NPCs. The hints in the narrative can save them.
EXT. LABORATORY
The PLAYER must lockpick the wooden door to gain entrance.
The lab is messy. Papers clutter the desk, chemistry beakers bubble, and boil, and cages filled with scampering rats line the back wall. ANSEL the ALCHEMIST looks up frantically from his work toward the player.
ANSEL
Hello...what the devil are you doing in
here? That door was locked! I require better
security protocols.
PLAYER
-
Sorry, I think I’ve lost my way. (refusing quest)
-
You look like you could use some help…
ANSEL
Well, now that you mention it, my last two
assistants were blown up...ur, had to be
dismissed.
PLAYER
-
Blown up? What kind of work are you doing?
-
How can I help?
ANSEL
-
I’m making a bomb of course, uh, I mean,
doing environmental research.
2. You could help me acquire some vital ingredients.
There’s a list on my desk.
PLAYER picks up the LIST.
Three items must be retrieved from the environment.
-
Fertilizer (bought with gold from a specific merchant)
-
Nitroglycerin (taken from a stash of TNT in an abandoned mine)
-
Dragonweed (found on a mountaintop)
The PLAYER returns to ANSEL’S LAB and gives the alchemist the required items.
ANSEL
You certainly took your sweet time with it!
But these do seem right. Thank you.
ANSEL begins mixing the ingredients into a large, boiling beaker.
ANSEL (CONT'D)
You’d best stand back…
The PLAYER MUST move back at this point...because…
A HUGE EXPLOSION destroys much of the lab, leaving the alchemist's charred corpse on the floor.
Players may now LOOT the alchemist for a small reward.
The FIRE in the lab continues to spread toward the caged rats quickly.
KING RAT (squeaking)
Help! Help!
The PLAYER MUST open the cage and RESCUE the rats before the fire consumes them. If they are successful…
KING RAT (bowing)
Brave Adventurer, thank you for saving us!
Here is the REWARD you deserve.
The RAT bestows the true QUEST REWARD.
END of QUEST.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Quest Title: Bone Dice
Difficulty Level: Easy
Placement: This Quest is the required first step to unlock the Riverboat gambling quest line.
Concept: A fun gambling quest based on rolling dice which will introduce the player to various games of chance within the world.
EXT. SEASIDE DOCK
The QUEST GIVER is JARON, a sailor found near the docks. He whistles to the PLAYER.
JARON
Wanna play a game?
PLAYER
-
I’d love to!
-
Maybe later. (refuses quest)
JARON
Excellent! The only problem is URGO the Troll has stolen my BONE DICE.
Would you mind getting them back for me?
PLAYER
I can try. Where does this URGO live?
A Quest Marker is added to the PLAYER’s MAP indicating the WORLD BOSS, URGO. This BOSS will ALWAYS drop the BONE DICE when defeated.
JARON
I’ve marked his foul lair on your map.
Be careful. He won’t give up my dice without a fight.
PLAYER must kill URGO (alone or with others), loot the BONE DICE, and return to the docks. PLAYER gives DICE to JARON.
JARON
Thanks for returning my DICE! As a reward
I’ll give you 5,000 casino chips if you
can beat me at BONE DICE. High score wins…
But if you roll a #1 at any time, you lose.
Dice Gameplay: PLAYER rolls first. They can continue to roll the dice, accumulating a higher and higher score, stopping whenever they choose. If at any time they roll a #1 on either die the game is over and they lose the game automatically.
PLAYER
-
Continue to roll.
-
STOP at this score.
When the PLAYER is satisfied with their total they STOP.
NPC JARON will randomly ROLL DICE continuously until he either beats the player score or rolls a #1. (dice graphic inserted during play with audio)
If the PLAYER beats JARON, they earn the QUEST REWARD and are given the title: GAMBLER as an achievement. Once this title is attained, the player has access to the Riverboat Casino and the Quests of Chance including PVP gambling against other players.
JARON
-
Congratulations! You are a lucky devil.
You should try gambling on the Riverboat.
2. Ah, you lose. Better luck next time.
If PLAYER loses he may repeat the quest. (killing the BOSS again for another set of DICE)
(note: High Winning Scores and names of top players on the server will be shown to increase the competitive nature of the game, perhaps on a leaderboard poster displayed inside the Riverboat)
Casino chips will be a new in-game currency. Chips can only be redeemed for prizes at a casino or riverboat shop. Rare weapons, furnishings, and gear are exclusive to this currency. Riverboats only appear on prescribed days. (slow attendance times based on the servers)
END of QUEST
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Quest Title: The Poison Pit
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Placement: Daily Quest or part of a larger Side Quest.
Concept: This quest is designed to teach the player the value of using buff potions and to encourage teamwork.
EXT. POISON PIT
Wendy, a young girl, sits outside the pit, crying her eyes out. She's carrying a teddy bear.
WENDY
Help me, please! Won't anyone help me?
PLAYER
What's the matter?
WENDY
My father was bitten by a viper. He's in the village,
near death.
PLAYER
1. I'm no doctor, sorry. (refuses quest)
2. Well, what can I do to help him?
WENDY
I met a witch who promised a cure, but she will
only help my father if I collect three things from
the very pit where he was attacked!
PLAYER
1. Never trust a witch.
2. Sounds incredibly dangerous.
WENDY
1. My father says the same thing.
2. You could get the things for me! You look very brave.
PLAYER
Count me in. What does the witch want us to collect?
WENDY takes a list from her pocket and hands it to the PLAYER. The LIST appears on the PLAYER'S LOG.
WENDY
Let's see...a Perfect Fang...probably from a snake,
a Golden Carapace, which sounds like a spider part,
yuck...and a Glowing Thorn, which is from some
evil plant.
PLAYER
Sounds simple enough.
WENDY
Not so fast, oh brave one. The witch warned me that
these items are rare and precious...and everything down
there can poison you. You might need help...
PLAYER
Do you think I need a partner, say, a healer?
WENDY
You're smarter than you look. It would also help your
chances of getting out of there fast if you had some
extra luck...
PLAYER
There are potions for luck, and also for resisting
poisons...
WENDY
Too bad you can only use one potion at a time. Good luck!
The mechanics of the Pit work best with a team, one to collect the items, the other to maintain constant heals. A LUCK POTION (which can be bought or crafted) will aid the RNG in finding the items by 50%. The duration of the potion is determined by the level of the player. The PIT itself is dangerous because the mobs will swarm, continually poisoning the player with DOT poison. Snakes, spiders, and poisonous plants each do constant damage.
When the Player obtains all 3 items he exits the Pit and gives them to the NPC, Wendy.
WENDY
You did it! I can't believe it. We may still be in time to save
my father! Follow me.
The Player follows the NPC to her small home. The WITCH is huddled over the dying man's bedside. PLAYER watches cutscene. Wendy gives the items to the Witch, she smashes them together with a mortar and pestle, saying a magical incantation, then gives the potion to the bedridden man, who is instantly revived.
FATHER
Wendy, you did it, you've saved my life!
WENDY
It wasn't me, Dad, it was this fearless adventurer.
The man turns toward the PLAYER smiling.
FATHER
Thank you! I owe you my life, I hope you will allow
me to show my gratitude.
The man bestows the PLAYER with the QUEST REWARD.
END of QUEST.
