Quests: Design, Theory, and History in Games and Narratives, 2nd Edition

enter Cover Half Title Title Copyright Contents A Note on the Second Edition of Quests Preface The Audiences of This Book This Book’s Structure Four Techniques for Making Better Quests Part I: Introduction Chapter 1 Definitions, Theories, and Histories of Quests Quests as a Bridge between Games and Narratives Literary Definitions of Quests Moving Past the Ludology and Narratology Debate Quests, Games, and Interpretation The History and Theory of Quest Narratives Campbell, the Hero’s Journey, and Quests Northrop Frye W. H. Auden Vladimir Propp Narrative Structures Become Activities in Games The History of Quest Games Tabletop Role-Playing Games: Dungeons and Dragons Text-Based Interactive Fictions: Adventure and Zork Graphical Adventure Games: King’s Quest Action-Adventure Games: Adventure (Atari 2600) and The Legend of Zelda Computer Role-Playing Games Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games Indie Quests Enacted Meaning, Meaningful Action A Spectrum of Quests Three Types of Meaning in Quests Meaning as Initiation Meaning as Narrative Thematic Meaning Designing Meaningful Action The Virtue System in Ultima IV Correspondences in Morrowind and Eternal Darkness Allegory and Avatars Chapter 2 Beginning Quest Design A Sample Exercise and Design Document: Sir Gawain’s Quest Sir Gawain Design Document A. Constructing the Spaces of the Quest through Level Design B. Setting the Stages of the Quest through Journal Updates C. Making the Objects through Quest Items D. Designing the Challenges of the Quest through Scripting Introduction to Quest Design Exercises Game Engines, Middleware, Construction Sets, and Level Editors Tutorial 1.1: Install Unity, Install Fungus, and Build a Flowchart Part II: Quest Spaces Chapter 3 The Spaces of the Quest Technique One for Making Better Quests: Design Labyrinthine, Dream-Like, and Surreal Spaces Goal-Oriented Spaces Tiered and Leveled Spaces Outward Movement Quest Hubs, Strands, and Initiatory Space Dungeons and Labyrinths Allegorical Spaces Dream Spaces Spaces and Avatars Chapter 4 Level Design Tutorial 2.1: (Spaces of the Quest/Level Design): Building a Quest Space with a Modular Kit Tutorial 2.2: Mini-Map and Compass Exercise 2.1: Building the Green Knight’s Castle Exercise 2.2: Designing an Allegorical Core Exercise 2.3: Constructing Quest Hubs Exercise 2.4: Building the Quest Spaces for a Dragon Battle Part III: Quest Actors Chapter 5 The Characters of the Quest Technique Two for Making Better Quests: Develop Iconic Characters Who Motivate Quests and Offer Choices for Their Outcome Quest Characters and Archetypes (Jungian and Post-Jungian) Propp’s Dramatis Personae Quest Characters and Tarot Encounters and Dialogue Chapter 6 NPC Creation and Dialogue Trees Tutorial 3.1: Creating a Custom Character Exercise 3.2: Writing Quest Dialogue Part IV: Quest Objects Chapter 7 The Objects of the Quest Technique Three for Making Better Quests: Construct Symbolic Objects that Reveal Portions of a Fragmented Story Symbolic Quest Items Objects in the Souls Games The Tattoos in Planescape: Torment Quest Objects in Invisible Sun Propp and the Absent Object Hitchcock and the McGuffin Object-Oriented Programming and the Lore of Quest Items The Rod of Many Parts Conclusion Chapter 8 Designing Quest Items Tutorial 4.1: Object Creation Tutorial Approach One: Reskinning a Pickup Object Approach Two: Creating an Object in the Inventory System Exercise 4.1: Lady Bertilak’s Girdle Exercise 4.2: Multiple Quest Objects Exercise 4.3: The Bed of Marvels Importing Custom Items Modeling Custom Items Exercise 4.4: Designing Your Own Objects Part V: Quest Challenges Chapter 9 The Challenges of the Quest and Quest Systems Technique Four for Making Better Quests: Script Challenges that Allow Players to Enact Meaning within the Framework of the Game’s Rules Quest Flow, Quest Systems, and Scripting Fetch Quests Combat and Kill Quests Escort Quests and Dungeon Crawls Quest Systems Main Quests and Side Quests Quest UI and Quest Journal Systems Quest Systems, Interlacing, and the Grail Saga Scripting Ambiguity and Individual Interpretations Chapter 10 Scripting Outlining Sir Gawain’s Quests to Prepare for Scripting Them as Gameplay Quest Challenges Scripting and Quest Systems Functions Scripting Quests Tutorial 5.1: (Challenges of the Quest/Scripting) Creating a Quest Flowchart Scripting Kill Quests Tutorial 5.2: Scripting a Kill Quest Tutorial 5.3: Creating and Calling Additional Flowcharts to Build Quest Chains Scripts Attached to Spaces Scripting Triggers Scripting Portals Tutorial 5.4: Creating a Portal in Unity Scripts Attached to NPCs Scripting Alignment and Faction Scripts Attached to Objects Puzzles and Interpretation in Quests Scripting a Puzzle Exercise 5.1: Scripting Gawain’s Pentagram Puzzles Exercise 5.2: Scripting Five Kill Quests for Sir Gawain Exercise 5.3: Scripting Sir Gawain’s Trials with Lady Bertilak Part VI: Quests and Pedagogy Chapter 11 Changes in Quest Pedagogy Quest Design Workshop Step One: Framing Step Two: Overall Quest Flow Step Three: Quest Spaces Step Four: Quest Characters Step Five: Quest Objects Step Six: Consolidation 2004 Comparison Exercise: Adapting The Crying of Lot 49 as a Quest Prototypes Strategies for Creative Quest Design Conclusion: The Future(s) of Quest Design Appendix One: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Books I and II Appendix Two: The Faerie Queen, Book One, Cantos XI and XII Canto XI Works Cited Index