Quest Writing

[Zakilevo]

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title: King of the Eastern Forest
summary: Woodsman Ralph needs someone to deal with an ogre he found in the eastern forest. The ogre has already claimed two of his co-workers.
intro: >
  The party arrives at the woodsman Ralph's house where Ralph greeted them with open arms.
  He quickly led the party to the place where he first met the ogre. The party could found tracks and traces of the ogre leading back to its cave.
  The party advances to fight the ogre.
challenge:
Entrance:
  intro: >
    Before entering the cave, the party is stopped by a large swamp.
   
success: >
The party quickly crosses the swamp and enters the cave.
failure: >
The party has no way to cross the swamp. Ashamed and frustrated, the party leaves the area and heads back to their town.
Ogre:
  intro: >
    As they reach the end of the cave, they finally encounter the ogre. It is tall and large. Taller than any creature the party has seen so far. Angered by the sight of intruders, the ogre grabs a nearby club and lets out a battlecry.
success: >
Despite its monstrous strength, the ogre was still just a monster. After a fierce battle, the ogre falls against the party's might.
failure: >
After a fierce battle, the ogre is the only one left standing. Even for the heroes, the ogre was too much to handle.
Cave Chamber:
  intro: >
    As they enter deeper into the cave, they find an space big enough even for a giant. It is filled with hostile bats, hungry enough to eat anything they can get.
success: >
As the party draw their weapons, bats swarm them as they fall from the ceiling of the cave. The sound of battle soon dies down, leaving only the party behind. Piles of dead bats are the only thing filling the empty space beside the party.
failure: >
As the party draw their weapons, they are swarmed by the bats. They are quickly overwhelmed, forcing them to leave the area.
Treasures: >
  intro: >
    Behind where the ogre once stood, the party finds a pile of stuff gathered by the ogre. Mostly coming from its slain foes, the party digs through the pile to see if anything is worth any value.
success: >
The party finds bags of gold and gems. They finds many other valuable stuff but they are too much to carry so they grab the most valuable things out of the pile then leaves the area in joy.
failure: >
The pile is mostly made of ogre dungs and broken equipment. There is nothing useful. The disappointed party leaves the area.
result:
tpk: >
   Woodsman Ralph waited outside for days but there was no sign of the party that went in. He still needs someone to defeat the ogre if he were to continue to make a living off of the forest.
failed: >
   Bruised and broken, the party retreats. The king of the cave was too much for them. They barely made to Ralph's house only to see Ralph shut his door before them.
success: >
   With the ogre defeated, the party returns proudly with a bag full of gold and gems to show off to. They drink and celebrate their victory in the town.
great success: >
With the ogre defeated and its treasures in the party's possession, they return proudly and happily with a wagon full of gold, gems and other valuables to show off.



[Zakilevo]

Fixed it up a bit.

[Tom]

Technical comments to that last one:

Fix spacing, please. Check the example I posted. success and failure, for example are on the same level as intro.

[Tom]

I should really write a wizard to create quests, but I don't have time at all.

[Zakilevo]

Okay I think I am just going to avoid doing this. I can't seem to get the spacing right.

I am using Note++ to do this and it is really hard to fix it here.

Hard as in too tedious...

[Zakilevo]

Code Select Expand



title: King of the Eastern Forest
summary: Woodsman Ralph needs someone to deal with an ogre he found in the eastern forest. The ogre has already claimed two of his co-workers.
intro: >
  The party arrives at the woodsman Ralph's house where Ralph greeted them with open arms.
  He quickly led the party to the place where he first met the ogre. The party could found tracks and traces of the ogre leading back to its cave.
  The party advances to fight the ogre.
challenge:
Entrance:
  intro: >
    Before entering the cave, the party is stopped by a large swamp.
   
  success: >
The party quickly crosses the swamp and enters the cave.
  failure: >
The party has no way to cross the swamp. Ashamed and frustrated, the party leaves the area and heads back to their town.
Ogre:
  intro: >
    As they reach the end of the cave, they finally encounter the ogre. It is tall and large. Taller than any creature the party has seen so far. Angered by the sight of intruders, the ogre grabs a nearby club and lets out a battlecry.
  success: >
Despite its monstrous strength, the ogre was still just a monster. After a fierce battle, the ogre falls against the party's might.
  failure: >
After a fierce battle, the ogre is the only one left standing. Even for the heroes, the ogre was too much to handle.
Cave Chamber:
  intro: >
    As they enter deeper into the cave, they find an space big enough even for a giant. It is filled with hostile bats, hungry enough to eat anything they can get.
  success: >
As the party draw their weapons, bats swarm them as they fall from the ceiling of the cave. The sound of battle soon dies down, leaving only the party behind. Piles of dead bats are the only thing filling the empty space beside the party.
  failure: >
As the party draw their weapons, they are swarmed by the bats. They are quickly overwhelmed, forcing them to leave the area.
Treasures: >
  intro: >
    Behind where the ogre once stood, the party finds a pile of stuff gathered by the ogre. Mostly coming from its slain foes, the party digs through the pile to see if anything is worth any value.
  success: >
The party finds bags of gold and gems. They finds many other valuable stuff but they are too much to carry so they grab the most valuable things out of the pile then leaves the area in joy.
  failure: >
The pile is mostly made of ogre dungs and broken equipment. There is nothing useful. The disappointed party leaves the area.
result:
tpk: >
   Woodsman Ralph waited outside for days but there was no sign of the party that went in. He still needs someone to defeat the ogre if he were to continue to make a living off of the forest.
failed: >
   Bruised and broken, the party retreats. The king of the cave was too much for them. They barely made to Ralph's house only to see Ralph shut his door before them.
success: >
   With the ogre defeated, the party returns proudly with a bag full of gold and gems to show off to. They drink and celebrate their victory in the town.
great success: >
With the ogre defeated and its treasures in the party's possession, they return proudly and happily with a wagon full of gold, gems and other valuables to show off.



[Zakilevo]

I tried to line them up a bit better. I don't know if I will be able to do it better than that. I'd like to avoid rewriting the whole thing.

[Zakilevo]

I don't quite understand how progress works.

So if you set the first part of the quest to be progress 3 then they will gain 3 when they complete the first part?

So if they finish let's say 3 parts with 3 progress each, they will reach 9 progress and if there is another part that requires 9 progress, you trigger that part?

[Zakilevo]

Code Select Expand



# Quest: King of the Eastern Forest
# written by Lapallanch

min_level: 5
max_level: 8
challenges:
entrance:
  level:        [5,5]
  progress:    1
  test:        [strength, 25] || [dexterity, 22] || [intelligence, 19]
  success:
   damage:            0
   xp:                350
   gold:                0
  failure:
   group_damage:            8
Cave Chamber:
  level:        [6,6]
  progress:    1
  test:        [damage, 24]
  success:
   damage:            15
   xp:                500
   gold:                80
  failure:
   group_damage:            10
Ogre:
  level:        [7,7]
  progress:    5
  test:        [damage, 30] && [strength, 25] && [toughness, 20] || [damage, 30] && [strength, 20] && [intelligence, 17]
  success:
   xp:                    2000
   gold:                   240
  failure:
   group_damage:        25
   attribute_damage:    [strength, 3] && [toughness, 3] && [dexterity, 3]
Treasures:
  level: [8,8]
  endboss: true
  test: [intelligence, 20]
  success:
   xp: 300
   gold: 560
  failure:
   xp: 150
   gold: 0



[Zakilevo]

I don't quite understand how progress and level work so I just put random numbers for those.

[Tom]

Thanks for working on this so we can streamline everything.

Firstly, spacing in YAML is everything, so it has to be 100% perfect. In your text, now the text lines are off. If you use the > and continue on next line, that line must be indented 2 spaces more than the key line.

Secondly, in the quest thing, you cannot at this time use more than one attribute for a test. It just doesn't work.

Thirdly, you are mixing up character and progress levels, and I'm sorry that I named both of it "level". One is meant to be something like a dungeon level. 5-8 for a quest is very high, no characters at this time are that level.

Progress works like this, yes. In your example, the quest would fail immediately, because there is no challenge with progress 0 (where it starts). And because after "entrance" it won't find another valid challenge - it gains 1 progress for completing "entrance" and it's then looking for a challenge with progress 1. It seems you had the right idea but mixed up the two different levels. If you substract 5 from all of your challenge levels, it might work until "Ogre". Then it adds 5 and looks for a challenge at level 12.


I didn't think it's so difficult. I probably need some much better documentation.

[Zakilevo]

So dungeon levels and character levels are different?

Isn't it something like a lv5 dungeon can be cleared a lv5 party? It is pretty confusing.

I hope this is better.

Code Select Expand


# Quest: King of the Eastern Forest
# written by Lapallanch

min_level: 4
max_level: 6
challenges:
entrance:
  level:        [0,1]
  progress:    1
  test:        [strength, 30]
  success:
   damage:            0
   xp:                350
   gold:                0
  failure:
   group_damage:            8
cave Chamber:
  level:        [1,2]
  progress:    1
  test:        [damage, 24]
  success:
   damage:            15
   xp:                500
   gold:                80
  failure:
   group_damage:            10
ogre:
  level:        [2,3]
  progress:    5
  test:        [damage, 35]
  success:
   xp:                    2000
   gold:                   240
  failure:
   group_damage:        25
   attribute_damage:    [strength, 3]
treasures:
  level: [3,4]
  endboss: true
  test: [intelligence, 20]
  success:
   xp: 300
   gold: 560
  failure:
   xp: 150
   gold: 0


[Zakilevo]

Code Select Expand




title: King of the Eastern Forest

summary: Woodsman Ralph needs someone to deal with an ogre he found in the eastern forest. The ogre has already claimed two of his co-workers.

intro: >
  The party arrives at the woodsman Ralph's house where Ralph greeted them with open arms.
  He quickly led the party to the place where he first met the ogre. The party could found tracks and traces of the ogre leading back to its cave.
  The party advances to fight the ogre.

challenge:
entrance:
  intro: >
    Before entering the cave, the party is stopped by a large swamp.   
  success: >
    The party quickly crosses the swamp and enters the cave.
  failure: >
    The party has no way to cross the swamp. Ashamed and frustrated, the party leaves the area and heads back to their town.
ogre:
  intro: >
    As they reach the end of the cave, they finally encounter the ogre. It is tall and large. Taller than any creature the party has seen so far. Angered by the sight of intruders, the ogre grabs a nearby club and lets out a battlecry.
  success: >
    Despite its monstrous strength, the ogre was still just a monster. After a fierce battle, the ogre falls against the party's might.
  failure: >
    After a fierce battle, the ogre is the only one left standing. Even for the heroes, the ogre was too much to handle.
cave Chamber:
  intro: >
    As they enter deeper into the cave, they find an space big enough even for a giant. It is filled with hostile bats, hungry enough to eat anything they can get.
  success: >
    As the party draw their weapons, bats swarm them as they fall from the ceiling of the cave. The sound of battle soon dies down, leaving only the party behind. Piles of dead bats are the only thing filling the empty space beside the party.
  failure: >
    As the party draw their weapons, they are swarmed by the bats. They are quickly overwhelmed, forcing them to leave the area.
treasures: >
  intro: >
    Behind where the ogre once stood, the party finds a pile of stuff gathered by the ogre. Mostly coming from its slain foes, the party digs through the pile to see if anything is worth any value.
  success: >
    The party finds bags of gold and gems. They finds many other valuable stuff but they are too much to carry so they grab the most valuable things out of the pile then leaves the area in joy.
  failure: >
    The pile is mostly made of ogre dungs and broken equipment. There is nothing useful. The disappointed party leaves the area.
result:
tpk: >
   Woodsman Ralph waited outside for days but there was no sign of the party that went in. He still needs someone to defeat the ogre if he were to continue to make a living off of the forest.
failed: >
   Bruised and broken, the party retreats. The king of the cave was too much for them. They barely made to Ralph's house only to see Ralph shut his door before them.
success: >
   With the ogre defeated, the party returns proudly with a bag full of gold and gems to show off to. They drink and celebrate their victory in the town.
great success: >
   With the ogre defeated and its treasures in the party's possession, they return proudly and happily with a wagon full of gold, gems and other valuables to show off.



Fixed indentations. I think...

[Crayne]

So, I've reworked the story file and including the YAML file for the backend. Some of the values were guesswork, most definitely the one for the trophy. But I'm sure you'll happily edit anything that's amiss. ;)

Code Select Expand


title: The Necromancer's Song
summary: Local priest Father Simeon has sounded the alarm bell as more and more of his crypts seem to be disgorging their occupants.
intro: >
The party meet a shaken Father Simeon at the local tavern, fearful as he is of staying too close to the cemetery next to his small chapel on the outskirts of town. He tells them of strange barely
audible music coming from the forest near to the cemetery, and of the dead who wake and leave their coffins to find its source. They don't seem to be very interested in traditional living dead activities
such as menacing the living, but he can't tolerate the sanctity of the cemetery violated in such a manner. He pleads with the party to find the source of the music and remove it, so that the dead may
rest again.
challenge:
  gates:
    intro: >
    Approaching the cemetery gates, the party is confronted with several living dead attempting to shamble away from their not so final resting places. They ignore the party, intent on shambling past
    towards the woods.
    success: The party correctly assumes they can safely follow from a distance and follow the dead into the forest.
    failure: >
    Attempting to send the living dead back to their graves backfired in the worst manner possible. The dead, putrid though they may be, are victorious.
  forest:
    intro: >
    The forest is dark and foreboding, but then, it always is. In the distance witchfire leaps from stone to stone in some kind of clearing. However, before they get there, they are confronted by a
    tombstone golem. "I smell the stench of life on you," it grumbles and attacks.
    success: >
    The group hastily grabs its weapons and shield, just in time to stop the murderous blows the golem deals. In a war of attrition, they manage to whittle the stone abomination down to a beligerent
    pebble before dispatching it with a final blow.
    failure: With little time to prepare, the group gets hammered by heavy blows. Soon, they find themselves defeated by this stone abomination.
  clearing:
    intro: >
    In the clearing, a hooded figure sits cross-legged, playing a flute made of a dark wood. The assembled dead, hundreds of them by now, stand swaying around the figure. As the party enter the
    clearing, the music stops and the figure pulls back its hood, revealing a gaunt, yet somehow striking feminine face. The woman stands and bows before barking commands in a language that
    makes the party's ears hurt. The dead fix them with their empty stares and advance.
    success: The party manages to wade through the masses of decomposing flesh to confront the figure at the center of it all.
    failure: Overwhelmed by the hordes of living dead, the party's quest ends most abruptly.
  necromancer:
    intro: >
    Her hordes of living dead defeated, the woman stands tall and snarls. Her fingers form complex arcane signs and she starts muttering strange incantations. The party waste no time and attack
    before she can do any damage.
    success: The woman attempts to wreak dark havoc on the party, but to no avail. As the final blow is struck, her dark magic dies with her.
    failure: >
    Too little, too late. As the party attacks, the necromancer unleashes spells that suck the life from her opponents. The party is horrendously defeated, leaving the woman in the woords to her dark
    schemes.
result:
  tpk: Father Simeon waits and waits, not knowing that the woman in the woods has added another few minions to her flock.
  failed: >
  After reporting back to Father Simeon, the party drowns its sorrows in the tavern. It's not long before another party is approached to solve the Father's problem. Perhaps they can succeed where
  this party has failed.
  success: Having subdued the necromancer's apprentice, the party reports back to Father Simeon and receives a token of his appreciation.


Code Select Expand


# Quest: The Necromancer's Song
# written by Ferry Bazelmans <crayne_vamp@hotmail.com>

min_level: 3
max_level: 6
challenges:
gates:
  level: [0,2]
  progress: 2
  test: [Wisdom, 15]
  success:
   damage: 0
   xp: 150
   gold: 0
  failure:
   damage: 15
forest:
  level: [2,4]
  progress: 1
  test: [Damage, 20]
  success:
   damage: 15
   xp: 300
   gold: 0
  failure:
   damage: 30
clearing:
  level: [3,5]
  test:        [Damage, 25]
  success:
   xp:                    100
   gold:                    60
  failure:
   group_damage:        5
   attribute_damage:    [strength, 2]
necromancer:
  level: [5,8]
  endboss:    true
  trophy:    ["The Necromancer's Flute", 3, 1]
  test:        [Magic, 25]
  success:
   xp:                    400
   gold:                   100
  failure:
   group_damage:        10
   attribute_damage:    [Toughness, 4]


[Tom]

So dungeon levels and character levels are different?

Isn't it something like a lv5 dungeon can be cleared a lv5 party? It is pretty confusing.

Yes, QUEST levels relate to CHARACTER levels. Basically, parties will look for dungeons that are within their character level range.


However, CHALLENGE levels have nothing to do with either, they should be called "steps" or "progression" or something. They relate only to the PROGRESS parameter.