Repeatable Quests / Boss Farming

[BigToastie]

So, I want to know peoples opinions as a whole on optional repeatable quests for a start.


lets go off the basis the quest has just reason to be repeated (keep collecting x y or x) - every day you can take a quest to cull x amount of goblins or whatever


How do you feel about these type of quests being in a game?


In my instance you can do these quests once a day (in game time) the rewards can vary from day to day. I am not using these as fillers as they are optional and limited to one per game day.


Also I have implemented my first Optional Sub boss, how do you guys, again feel about being able to farm a sub bosses (for items etc.)?


Again its only an option but it can drop "a better then the area item." - these bosses aren't tank and spank, they have abilities and functions depending on factors in the battle.

 

[bgillisp]

Depends on how it is done. I didn't mind Boss Farming in Eterian Odyssey 2 where the bosses were easy take downs with the proper party set up. However, I hated it in Eterian Odyssey 3 when the bosses became these long winded puzzles that took me longer to take down than read War and Peace, even with a majorly overleveled party.

 

[BigToastie]

Have a valid point, repeated bosses shouldnt be too difficult, my current one isn't difficult its not just an auto attack till you beat it.


being above level you will destroy him though.


It's like most things, I guess, it just needs to be implemented properly  also thank you for your input on various posts i have recently put up, you've been really useful!

 

[Wavelength]

I think it largely depends on the type of game - being able to repeat a quest or "grind" a miniboss means something much different in a MMORPG like World of Warcraft, a traditional RPG like Final Fantasy, a more freeform and cyclical RPG like Dark Cloud, a western RPG like Elder Scrolls, a time simulation like Recettear, or a strategy game like Civilization.  The reward systems need to be made with the target "engagement" for your game in mind - in other words, what do you think gives your player the highest amount of enjoyment in your game and how are you going to design your quests and rewards around encouraging your player to engage in those activities that truly are enjoyable to them?


In a vacuum, I think it's great to have the ability to repeat things that I've done because I found them really enjoyable, and if I can be rewarded for doing so that makes it feel even better!  (Sometimes I'll just go back to a previous save to engage in some segment of the game or activity that I really liked, but if I can do so on my "current" save file then it feels less frivolous and far more rewarding.)  However, something I've noticed - in MMOs in particular - is that having repeatable rewards for repeatable quests often leads players to "grind" that quest in ways that feel less and less fun each time you do it, to the point where after a few repeats players are solely doing the quest for the reward.  That's not good design.  In a truly great MMO game, the journey should be every bit as cool as the destination.

 

[Burns]

I think repeatable quests doesn't sound that good for an RPG to me, I rather open up a new menu with boss list that you unlock after you defeat a new boss that you can use to fight them again with different level of difficulty.

 

[BigToastie]

@Wavelength This makes a lot of sense, no point making something repeatable, if by default its not fun to do after the first time you've done it. I am just spit balling here in terms of ideas before i implement them, as I am heavily working on story line and mapping before I decide on other various aspects of my game.


@Burns Thanks for the input, is there a reason why? also I may have to look into that idea as I would really like it!, the concept of creating a boss book, that you can replay with increasing difficulty would be really interesting. I would need to scope out if there is a script already out there or commission one of course, but hope you dont mind me taking this idea :3

 

[Burns]

@Burns Thanks for the input, is there a reason why? also I may have to look into that idea as I would really like it!, the concept of creating a boss book, that you can replay with increasing difficulty would be really interesting. I would need to scope out if there is a script already out there or commission one of course, but hope you dont mind me taking this idea :3

Because I'm playing an RPG which is mostly for the adventure and storyline, having to do repeatable things would feel like a chore?


Inputing a secret reward into repeatable quests sounds more fun to me. "Repeat X quest 5 times then you reward the player with a secret skill/item."


Maybe even an arena with progressing where you have to fight all the bosses you met in the game with some scores to share with other players over the world, then you will have a reason to be doing it which beating the record of something!


I don't mind. maybe even share a solution incase you find a way to implement it if you can. 

 

[Valryia]

Why do players farm bosses? Because they want to get that phat loot. Or Exp or whatever currency you implemented.


Personally, i would give the player an option to increase the farmable bosses individual difficulty to increase the above mentioned rewards or probabilitys to get them.

 

[BigToastie]

Why do players farm bosses? Because they want to get that phat loot. Or Exp or whatever currency you implemented.


Personally, i would give the player an option to increase the farmable bosses individual difficulty to increase the above mentioned rewards or probabilitys to get them.

 Couldn't agree more. I am still seeing if a system can be created where you have the boss battle log and can do this, and if there is a function to increase difficulty, after beating a boss x times you can get an item that allows this i suppose.


Just need the right script first, putting it out to comission to see what it would cost me to be honest.


EditEdit: I am possibly going to make this less of an in menu option (but have the function available) but rather have specific areas that let you refight previous bosses (Via the same script, hopefully), this way you can't go to the first town inn that charges you 10 gold and sit there and farm each boss forever


It can be done by switches, variables, and condtional branches but it will be very ugly in game (in terms of BOSS SNAKE  Option appears > MAKE BOSS SNAKE HARDER) Boss SNAKE (HARDER VERSION) 

 

[Valryia]

@BigToastie I give you a small example on how to implement extra difficulty modes with some style.


A inactive (at first) Securityrobot inside a (enemy or friendly) factory. The player can choose to switch the energy stations on to increase the "available power" (aka HP). Or he could find/make parts to give the robot more attack power.


The rewards could be gotten through other means, too. The scientist who made the robot could give you rewards for "testing" his creation. Maybe, as a final reward, get the Robot as a party member?

 

[Pierman Walter]

Story wise, there are a lot of repeatable bosses in games where their presence doesn't make any sense. If I killed a giant dragon that was terrorizing a village, and I come back to the village later to see how safe and prosperous the village has become, but there is still a giant dragon nearby, it always feels really strange.