Help talk:Quests

New Format

Just want to move the discussion that seems to have originated on my talk page. :p

First of all, I think it's agreed that this template needs tweaking. IMO here are some minor problems that need to be addressed (like headings for each objective) and some major ones (lack of walkthroughs).

I guess one of the major questions that needs to be addressed: Do we need a full transcript of quest dialogue? I think the answer is yes, down to every last NPC you talk to. My reasoning is that oftentimes a quest changes objectives to something completely different, and we need to let the reader know why. A decent example is Quest:Herbs_and_Simples, although I could've chosen better. I know DancesInTrees was for some sort of simple box just describing the basics, but I think we should make these things as complete as possible.

Secondly, I think we should include something about the quest chain. The Previous and Next buttons on the mini quest box are great, but it's hard to see them, and it's nice to have one-click access to any quest in the line, as well as a visual representation. I stole someone else's idea (not sure whose) for Quest:The Goblins' Source, but I prefer a horizontal representation. Something like this would be perfect IMO. A template would have to be made for it, and I'm not sure how to do it... if it can't be arranged, the form I showed above would work.

Finally (for now), I believe that a walkthrough should be a requirement for a quest; otherwise it should get the stub. Even "The quest is straightforward; just follow the NPC's directions" would work for some quests. The reason is because there are several quests that look very straightforward, but aren't. Examples would include "Quest: Fair Trade with Bree" (now obsolete) and Quest:Well-prepared. Yeah, only one of the quests is up, but for anyone who's done them and remembers them, the objectives were very simple yet near impossible (simple slayer objectives) to complete unless you knew the trick.

Anyway, I might make a few sample user subpages to show you guys what I think an ideal quest page should look like. But I would love to hear feedback. Zyxomma100 12:07, 12 August 2007 (PDT)

Horizontal chain diagrams will only work to 3 or 4 quests deep: consider the epic book lines, or the Amon Raith quests.

I'd love to know the trick for well-prepared - it took long enough before they changed the droppers, I've given up on it since. DancesInTrees 07:29, 15 August 2007 (PDT)