Patience and Reward: Immersive Quest Design
Hello from the new issue of GameDev’s Journey! Thank you for those who have subscribed the newsletter since the last issue. I hope you enjoy and find these things useful as much as I do. In today’s issue:
Unveiling the immersive quests of Kingdom Come: Deliverance
GDC talks
Asset bundles, tips, and more
LET’S GO.
Game Design
Immersive Quest Design of Kingdom Come: Deliverance
If you start reading or listening any of Kingdom Come Deliverance’s reviews, you’ll hear one thing: It’s a great game, but it’s not for everyone. While this sentiment can apply to many games, it holds especially true for this particular gem. The game takes you to certain period of history and puts you in the shoes of a villager. Throughout the game you perform mundane tasks, walk around without knowing where to go, do thing without knowing how to. You’ll instantly find yourself lost but also immersed in the game.
While thinking about the quests of my own game, I remembered how much I loved this game’s quests and thought why they were so memorable. Quests in KC:D do not always follow a great storyline. They often involve great amount of walking around, evading bandits, brewing potions and trying to find the person you are looking for. So what makes them truly memorable? I believe there are two key factors at play: First, the game doesn't hold your hand, allowing for independent exploration. Second, the quests take their time, allowing for a slow and immersive experience.
In one of the quests, you join a monastery to find a novice. Your mission is to identify the specific novice while adhering to the strict daily routine of a monk. You wake up early, pray, dine with fellow monks, fulfill your daily tasks, pray again, eat once more, and eventually rest. And repeat this every day. Your daily tasks are not so fun either if you don’t like brewing potions. Additionally, the game doesn’t tell you anything about how to find your target. You must piece together clues on your own, fumbling in the dark, often getting caught in the process. Completing this quest can take hours, with a significant portion of that time spent repeating the same activities. It may be repetitive and even tedious, but it's also incredibly memorable and rewarding. The satisfaction of uncovering a new clue, finally identifying your target, engaging in conversations, discovering secrets, and understanding motivations—all of these elements create an extraordinary experience.
And this is just one example of the slow and protracted quests within the game. In another quest, you embark on a hunting trip with Hans Capon, a young nobleman. But before the actual hunt begins, you spend a considerable amount of time riding horses, setting up camp, engaging in conversation, and preparing for the hunt. Once the hunt starts, you meticulously tread through the wilderness, stealthily searching for rabbits. After several minutes of patient exploration, you finally spot a rabbit, draw your bow, and take a shot. Yet, you miss, and the rabbit escapes. The cycle repeats itself. It's a slow and extended process, but simultaneously gratifying and serene. You can relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and bicker with Hans Capon while hunting.
Rather than following a formulaic design in each quest (like AC series), quests differ from each other and take their time in Kingdom Come: Deliverance. With minimal guidance, you are forced to unravel the mysteries on your own, experiencing failure and triumph along the way. Even the completion of the smallest task feels immensely rewarding. These long and sometimes boring quests become cherished memories, adding depth and richness to the overall experience.
GDC Talks
Here are some of the recent GDC talks I’ve found useful:
No-Budget DIY Marketing for Indie Games: Michelle Lega, Senior Producer at Armor Games, presents an efficient framework for creating a marketing and PR outreach plan that requires just one hour of work per day.
The Golden Rule of Game Promotion: No One Cares About Your Game: Thomas Reisenegger talks about the concept of the "no one cares about your game" mindset, shedding light on how this straightforward marketing philosophy can assist teams in honing your marketing campaign.
10 Key Quest Design Lessons from 'The Witcher 3' and 'Cyberpunk 2077': Pawel Sasko talks about 10 essential and universally applicable quest design lessons, derived from his extensive 17-year experience in the video game industry.
Growing an Internet Cult: 'Cult of the Lamb's' Social Strategy: Join Jared J. Tan, Devolver Digital's Community Strategist, in his captivating talk as he delves into the realm of creating meme-worthy moments and an iconic art style through strategic marketing
Finding Your Voice on TikTok: With expertise and clarity, Grace Curtis reveals the secrets to capturing attention, building trust, and effectively transforming views into successful sales, all accessible through the convenience of your smartphone.
Other
Tools & art treasures for Unity creators from the Unity Asset Store - A bundle containing 28 tools to enhance your game dev journey.
100 Gamedev Tips for New & Aspiring Game Developers
Me
Reading: Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie. Not enjoying it as much as I enjoyed the first book. Hope it picks up the pace soon.
Watching: Back to Aggretsuko after finishing The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Playing: Pathfinder: The Wrath of the Righteous.
Listening:
And that’s it from today’s issue of GameDev’s Journey. I hope you enjoyed it and find it useful. If you did, please like and leave a comment. Let me know your thoughts, suggestions, objections, etc.
But regardless, thank you so much for reading, and have a great game dev journey.
Great post! The Kingdom Come Deliverance experiences sparked some memories, and I’m in a situation where the talk by Michelle Lega was a real gold nugget of information! Thanks, I’m glad I bumped into this!