72 réponses à ce sujet

[Wolfman]

BioWare's strongest selling point is storyline, side storylines, and companions' storylines. The excitement of playing/fighting/shooting your way through so much drama in a great big world is....incredible. Having those intimate -vs lifeless- moments with people and places feels fulfilling.

I don't want any fetch quests from BioWare. They are a waste of our time, their time, and resources. Honestly, I feel like I got a little screwed out of my money when a game is brimming with endless fetch quests.

If i want a fetch quest, I'll play what Bethesda has to offer, what with their wooden characters and bland plotlines.

I've heard a few arguments for fetch quests:

1. They give the player "extra credit."

Yeah... A fetch quest or a dozen may help you grind your way up to the next level at a snail's pace. Or we could just get extra experience for main and side story heavy quests. I don't feel like points, numbers, and levels should take precedence over story. The strongest selling point of these games is the story.

2. Fetch quests help the player go explore areas that they may not otherwise explore.

Yeah... But I'd be more apt to explore an area if i knew there was a good side story waiting for me over there vs a couple of minerals and a metal hat. Also, let the player explore whatever they want, when and how they want. You don't have to cover 100% of the map in the first run. Hence, higher replay value.

So......there's my stance on fetch quests in the BioWare realm. I say make them disappear.

[Fixers0]

Yes.

[7thGate]

I would like this, actually.  I mean, you can partially do this in a lot of their games by just ignoring them, which does usually improve the overall game.  It just takes work to figure out what is actually worth doing and what is not.  Making only interesting content would avoid needing to do that work to figure out what is good enough to want to do, which would be pretty cool.

[Wolfman]

I know! And that's totally how I play BW games. I just think of what those fetch quest resources could be used for elsewhere and it makes me think the fetch quests are a drain. We could have a longer main plot, more nuanced companions, a better CC, or more plot-path choices.

[Zekka]

Wait, people argue in favor of fetch quests?

[Cyonan]

The main point of the fetch quest is to act as filler where it would be too expensive to produce nothing but high quality side quests but at the same time you need to fill the area with content.

 

Primarily they're best kept to MMOs where you need thousands of quests in the game. You can sneak in a few here and there in open world games, but too many and your world can start feeling kind of boring to actually go exploring. Inquisition I feel suffered from this, despite some very beautifully crafted environments.

 

What you really seem to mean isn't so much that you don't want fetch quests as much as you don't want filler quests. I will note that it's highly unlikely that not having them would result in more branching paths in the main quest or things like a more advanced CC.

 

They do still need to fill those areas with things to do, so what you get in exchange for no filler quests is a lower amount of higher quality side quests.

 

Personally I think The Witcher 3 stuck a very good balance between the two. It doesn't get away from filler quests entirely, but it at least tries to wrap a lot of them up in a minor story arc that's kind of interesting.

[Hiemoth]

Just to point out, while I am not a huge fan of fetch quests, it is also important to realize that if they removed fetch quests, it is extremely unlikely that any of them would be replaced by actual quests.

[Balsam Beige]

After playing the Witcher 3, I don't think I could go back and play another single player rpg filled with fetch quests like Dai. It would be difficult. W3 has spoiled me. My expectations have changed. But that's just me.

[capn233]

How broad is the definition of fetch quest?

 

Obviously something simple like overhearing someone say they need an artifact, then scanning a planet and bringing it back to give to someone you will never talk to again meets the definition.

What about the more riveting and exciting sort of fetch quest where you decide to go find a book in a forest so that a whiny guy you just met can get together with a gal you just met, neither of whom you will end up talking to again?  See how elaborate it is? Oh wait that was DAO, scratch that.

 

What about using your extensive knowledge of genetic engineering and therapies as a Spectre to counsel a mother to be and her brother-in-law (who is probably the real father, why wasn't this explored?) regarding a dilemma to treat the unborn for a condition.  This was probably the most important mission in all of Mass Effect.  Wait, you didn't actually fetch anything.  Hmmm.

 

Honestly some filler content isn't too bad if it helps flesh out the location a little bit.  They are going to be in the game.  The ME3 "I overheard something and need to scan something" is obviously the worst type though.

[Sylvius the Mad]

Wait, people argue in favor of fetch quests?

I argue in favour of content that isn't explicitly tied to a "story".

But there's no reason why that needs to be fetch quests. In Skyrim, there are endless fetch quests to go kill this bandit or that pirate, or collect some nightshade or nirnroot. But who cares? The caves and mines and monsters are all there anyway. I just wander across the countryside finding things to do. I don’t need a fetch quest to send me there.

The fetch quests are only good in that they give the developers a reason to build that extra content. Without the quests, I'm worried developers would simply leave those areas empty (or worse, build fences to keep you out of them).

So I do indirectly defend fetch quests.

[Wolfman]

How broad is the definition of fetch quest?

Obviously something simple like overhearing someone say they need an artifact, then scanning a planet and bringing it back to give to someone you will never talk to again meets the definition.
What about the more riveting and exciting sort of fetch quest where you decide to go find a book in a forest so that a whiny guy you just met can get together with a gal you just met, neither of whom you will end up talking to again? See how elaborate it is? Oh wait that was DAO, scratch that.

What about using your extensive knowledge of genetic engineering and therapies as a Spectre to counsel a mother to be and her brother-in-law (who is probably the real father, why wasn't this explored?) regarding a dilemma to treat the unborn for a condition. This was probably the most important mission in all of Mass Effect. Wait, you didn't actually fetch anything. Hmmm.

Honestly some filler content isn't too bad if it helps flesh out the location a little bit. They are going to be in the game. The ME3 "I overheard something and need to scan something" is obviously the worst type though.

A fetch quest in the absolute worst sense of the definition.

It goes above and beyond "within the confines of this storyline, we need to get X to proceed to the next chapter" (which is totally acceptable) and is more along the lines of: "Collect so many alien bones" and for each one you get some XP.

Or those fetch quests in which you overhear, "sure wish I had a flute to play! I love the flute..." And you go pick up and deliver a flute, no real interaction. And you get XP.

Or those quests where it's like, "Destroy all the spoiled eggs..." And you search the entire universe for hidden spoiled eggs and have to step on them, leading to no real story. Just a fraction of XP is gained each time.

And anything else akin to that...

[Beerfish]

Fetch quests are okay if they provide a proper pay off to the player, for example, you need to fetch 5 different components from locations to make a unique weapon etc.  The reason there are so many fetch quests is it allows the game maker to control exp granted other than just combat exp and those quest have been in game since who knows when, even some of the great rpgs have had loads of fetch quests.  (I have not purchased Witcher 3 but it is on my list to buy.)

[Wolfman]

Without the quests, I'm worried developers would simply leave those areas empty (or worse, build fences to keep you out of them).
.

I'd personally trade in those areas for a fatter story and more nuanced companions. Being open world isn't as enjoyable if it just means a choice between emptiness or more chores to do.

[AlanC9]

What you really seem to mean isn't so much that you don't want fetch quests as much as you don't want filler quests. I will note that it's highly unlikely that not having them would result in more branching paths in the main quest or things like a more advanced CC.

 

Right. The math just doesn't work. Yank all of the fetch quests from ME3 and you'd free up enough wordcount and dev time to do about one more N7 mission, and that's only if you got another free map from the MP guys.

 

You only get the big savings if you start cutting the areas themselves. Which is a reasonable thing to ask for, but a bit different from just cutting the fetch quests.

[Wolfman]

Fetch quests are okay if they provide a proper pay off to the player, for example, you need to fetch 5 different components from locations to make a unique weapon etc. The reason there are so many fetch quests is it allows the game maker to control exp granted other than just combat exp and those quest have been in game since who knows when, even some of the great rpgs have had loads of fetch quests. (I have not purchased Witcher 3 but it is on my list to buy.)

I'd rather earn the unique weapon from another character.

[Wolfman]

Right. The math just doesn't work. Yank all of the fetch quests from ME3 and you'd free up enough wordcount and dev time to do about one more N7 mission, and that's only if you got another free map from the MP guys.

You only get the big savings if you start cutting the areas themselves. Which is a reasonable thing to ask for, but a bit different from just cutting the fetch quests.

I'd trade in every fetch quest for an additional, more nuanced mission.

[Zekka]

no finding frying pan quests please. I also feel like what you're actually doing from a gameplay standpoint counts as a fetch quests even if given context. If a character told me a backstory about something like finding a dog and I needed to for the quest was to find a dog then it is still a fetch quest.

[Sylvius the Mad]

I'd personally trade in those areas for a fatter story and more nuanced companions. Being open world isn't as enjoyable if it just means a choice between emptiness or more chores to do.

I don’t want them to tell me a story. I want them to give me a complete world in which to play.

[Wolfman]

I don’t want them to tell me a story. I want them to give me a complete world in which to play.

Yeah that's where we differ. With BioWare, I'm not looking for Bethesda 2.0, you know?

I'd hate to see all these companies copycat Bethesda. The story is a huge part of their games. Having "open world" comes with a price, and that price is story and characters.

I really don't think open world is worth its own salt in a BW game unless those worlds are filled with situations that flesh out the stories and people. And since these companies aren't capable of that.... I say who cares about open world?

[AlanC9]

I'd trade in every fetch quest for an additional, more nuanced mission.

My point was that if you made that trade, you wouldn't get another Grissom Academy, you'd get another N7: Fuel Reactors. Doesn't mean that it wouldn't be a worthwhile trade, though.

[Kevinc62]

After playing the Witcher 3, I don't think I could go back and play another single player rpg filled with fetch quests like Dai. It would be difficult. W3 has spoiled me. My expectations have changed. But that's just me.

Is Witcher 3 that good? I haven't played, but everyone here seems to love it.

 

As for fetch quest ( which I understand as collecting crap, with no content, dialogues, cutscenes or relevance to the story) it doesn't bother me, because most of the time I don't do them  . But there are people who DO, especially in open world games, so as long as they're optional and you don't have to do grind, that's fine. Regardless, they're going to put them in MEA, I just hope they aren't half of the game.

[Sylvius the Mad]

Yeah that's where we differ. With BioWare, I'm not looking for Bethesda 2.0, you know?

I don't want Bethesda. I want the BioWare of 10-15 years ago.

Bethesda still forces action combat on us. But BioWare, even in their shooter franchise, let us aim while paused.

BioWare has the best RPG combat in thr business.

[Zekka]

Is Witcher 3 that good? I haven't played, but everyone here seems to love it.

 

As for fetch quest ( which I understand as collecting crap, with no content, dialogues, cutscenes or relevance to the story) it doesn't bother me, because most of the time I don't do them  . But there are people who DO, especially in open world games, so as long as they're optional and you don't have to do grind, that's fine. Regardless, they're going to put them in MEA, I just hope they aren't half of the game.

They never played Gothic 1 & 2 which came out a decade ago so they latch on to The Witcher 3.

[Wolfman]

Witcher 3 is good as far as story and intimate conversations where you can see the other person's face.

I had some other criticisms of it though, but none that I would bring up here.

[NoForgiveness]

Fetch quests were never the problem. The amount of fetch quests is the problem. I mean, both dao and da2 had fetch quest but they were only there as fluff on top. Inquisition's fetch stuff makes up the bulk of the content. It's all fluff and very little meat.