This is a thread created for the discussion of Quest threads, as well as sharing of advice and guidance for aspiring or current QM's. Posters looking for advice on tabletop games should look elsewhere.
Useful links: http://pastebin.com/x6BqaJ7r
This link contains numerous writing guides, general advice, and various quest tools and communities.
https://twitter.com/Eisenstern/lists/quest-runner-directory
This is a directory containing the tweets of most current QM's. While a twitter is by no means mandatory, it is a useful tool for both you and your players. If you are a QM, simply post your Twitter here to have it added to the directory. Spamming your quest twitter with non-quest related tweets may result in its removal from the directory.
IRC Channels:
[The Cabal] #QMC @ Rizon.net (slightly related to quests; enjoys worldbuilding, mechanics and politics)
[Hugbox] #ques/tg/enerals @ Rizon.net (barely related to quests; enjoys Larro quests and anime)
>QM
Can a social justice quest be done well?
>Player
What moral themes would you like storytellers to explore?
>>46701737
>Can a social justice quest be done well?
Parody? Yes.
Serious? Well, it would be amusing in a whole different way. So, yes.
>>46701737
Weak questions to be honest family.
>>46701737
>QM
>Can a social justice quest be done well?
Depends on what you mean by "social justice quest." Technically, any quest where the MC is struggling against a corrupt society can qualify.
In a way, Script Kitten Quest might qualify as a social justice quest. The MC is a strong, independent woman who is a member of a despised and outcast minority fleeing persecution in her home country.
Shameless plug.
>>46700945
Hel
>>46701737
>Can a social justice quest be done well?
A toku quest where you battle aliens that are trying to increase the homeless rate so there are more victims who won't be missed, splitting your time between putting in time as a social worker (getting to know your clients and the streets, raising funds to keep the shelter open with some light management sim) and a warrior of justice (KAMEN HOBO, KICKING ALIENS BACK INTO SPACE)?
Probably wouldn't work.
>>46701911
>Kamen Rider: Special Victims Unit
>>46701764
That's incorrect.
>>46701911
Somebody say HOBO KAMEN?!
>>46702567
To this day I'm sad I didn't use that guy more when players suggested him. Glad he's going to appear in the new King of Fighters Quest.
Involuntary time travel in a quest? Yay or Nay?
>>46702696
Sure. But you better make it good/smart. A lot of things can fuck up when you introduce time travel.
>>46702654
Weasel practically jacks it to those old Street Fighter quests at every opportunity, so it doesn't surprise me that he'd find a way to include him somehow.
>>46702696
You have to be careful and plan it out. Too many things can go wrong if you introduce time-travel to a quest that inherently doesn't seem to need it or support it.
>>46702777
Plus, he keeps trying to force characters nobody likes on the players or make them relevant (Bao, all of his OCs outside of Not!Katja).When is his computer going to get fixed anyway? I want to watch the new MC get her shit kicked in.
>>46701737
>QM question
I came here to laugh at you.
>Player
Eh, if anything, the impact your actions have on others.
>>46702777
>>46702903
I'm enjoying the new one so far, but I'm a pretty big sucker for SNK fighting games so I'm easy to please.
>>46703087
Yeah, it hits that little spot I have for a fighting game quest, but I don't know.I'm wondering if the rest of the players are going to vote to go full murder-hobo and do whatever it takes to join up with Geese Howard when the time comes to complete the 180 from "OG" Kaja.
>>46703208
>Implying you don't want to watch the goose get set loose
>Implying you don't want to watch Not!Katja become the next Billy
> What moral themes would you like storytellers to explore?
Loyalty. What it means to be loyal, to offer or betray one's faith, and how far someone will go to avenge themselves on those they thought they could trust.
So Homeless Mutant Quest is dead, right?
>>46704200
I hope so.
All quests over 100 threads should die.
I'm glad Hive Queen's dead.
I'm glad Homeless Mutant's dead.
I pray for Hellborn and Banished to die nightly.
With good, satisfying ends, sure, I don't care. But I hope they die all the same.
>>46703989
Sibella Quest is exploring this. The players are trying to find a happy medium between allying with the Catholic Church and with Dracula's senpai. So far its working, but apparently the blood (in this setting if a vampire gets your blood they can bypass your mental defenses and mind whammy you) we gave our waifu got into the hands of our enemy (an Atari 2600 themed vampire of all things). And the Catholic Church has put some sort of Brazilian Super-Nun in charge of our Vampire Hunter Cell because we aren't giving them the results they want.
We have two precariously stacked towers of loyalty and its only a matter of time (especially sense the game is still on day 1 of 7) before one or both start to fall.
I'm hoping the QM will be merciful when it happens, especially after the tears from his last Quest.
>>46701737
>QM Question
Would Final Fight or something similar count as a social justice game?
You as mayor personally enact a policy of ending the systematic oppression of your citizens. Your deputies are just as involved in enacting your policy as you are and represent diversity as an Asian ninja and a "neurodiversity" Aryan.
>>46704749
If you follow the games you end up beating transgenders and weeaboos though. And a cripple.
>>46704788
But you also rescue a woman from a lecherous old man cripple. Surely this represents the triumph of woman's lib over a patriarchy on its last legs? That Cody doesn't end up with Jessica confirms her status as a woman who don't need no man.
The triumph of Mayor Haggar rescuing is daughter from the mob represents the reestablishment of a father figure in impoverished neighborhoods.
(I just want to see how much SJW bullshit one can squeeze out of a "punch trannies and rescue the girl" game)
>>46704829Have the MC basically be a Fem-Cody and Jessica be Poison.Problem solved.
>>46704788
>>46704829
I'd be amused by Mad Gear trying to sue Haggar for discrimination. Not only do the trio have to beat up the bad guys on the streets but they have to win the hearts and minds of the people buy proving they aren't problematic Muh Soggy Knees.
Final Fight: Taking it to the Courts.
Could make a fun parody of SJW movements if handled the right way.
Also, here's how you describe Mad Gear members to the press to get the SJWs on your side:
Sodom: Not only is he a straight white male appropriating gay culture through is name, he's appropriating Asian culture as well! Guy had it coming.
The cheap ass cop with the gun (Eddie E I think?): Clearly a crooked cop. Shoots unarmed vigilantes. Extra Lives Matter.
Belgar: It's been awhile sense I played but doesn't he get out of the chair once you hit him? So he's a fake cripple. Super problematic. Also clearly a member of the 1 percent going by his mansion. He's a rich old white male. He was scum before kidnapping a girl.
Rolento: Right wing paramilitary nutjob. Probably MRA or MGTOW. Ex-Tea Bagger, clearly.
Poison, El Gato: Fucking got me there.
Andore Family: Notice how they never let any of their womenfolk fight with them? Clearly sexists.
>>46704855
>Fem Cody
Boner up
>Jessica be Poison
Boner down.
>>46704470
But HQQ didn't even make it to 60 threads. It was cut down before it's time, man.
>>46704470
Why? Do they trigger your autism or something?
>>46704993
Shit, I didn't know that. Never mind. HQQ is cool.
>>46705090
It's about sustainability anon. this is the traditional games board and such if this board was obscenely over saturated with quests, at some point the mods would have to act.
If every quest continues forever and people are making new quests then eventually we have a board with the entire front page covered in quests in the high hundreds and that's not good.
Quests, much like people, need to fucking die after awhile. So new quests may rise from their ashes.
After 100 threads, you should either be in the finale or quite clearly nearing it.
>>46705228
I don't think we have enough QMs worth their salt to worry about that. Most of them die out on the first couple of threads.
We're on an upward TREND of average number of long runners at any given moment, but I'm fairly certain it'll level off well before the point that anyone needs to worry about it.
>>46705228
Oh, this is just that tired old antiquestfag rhetoric.
Losing interest fast.
What are some good versus bad examples of how to handle time travel?
>>46705244
>>46705243
I'm not an antiquestfag.
It's just time for some things to die.
Banished had some fun shitposting. Now die, let new shitposting quests begin.
Hellborn I'm sure has . . . something cool. Now kill it and let that coolness become something new.
New opportunity, new blood, new life for the questing scene.
>>46705273
Hellborn is not even close to being resolved. It's like stopping a book at the 250 page mark when it really needs 600 to conclude satisfactorily. Stop with your autism.
>I'm not an antiquestfag.
Could have fooled me.
>>46705265
what kind of time travel? Concurrent timelines, different time periods, investigating paradoxes?
>>46705273
haven't read any of those, so I wouldn't be able to comment.
>>46705287
I guess, concurrent timelines?
>>46705300
I liked Radiant Historia.
>>46705273
>New opportunity, new blood, new life for the questing scene.
You'd perhaps have a point if old quests were somehow preventing new quests from being run. This is not the case.
>>46705285
So by your logic, 150 or so Hellborn threads is page 250. And we need more than double that!
You need 360 threads to resolve the story?
I'm sorry, but that's on your QM for doing it wrong. This medium is not meant for faffing about for 200 threads. You aren't here to write epics, you're here to tell a story.
Die for doing quests wrong and let a much better quest with a much better QM take its place.
>>46705331
It's a problem when old quests are taking the players from new quests and killing them, as is the case.
>>46705331
Limited audience with limited attention. A prevalence of long running old quests also prevents new readers from feeling like joining in, since they see the best "atmospheres" are stories that have been running for so long.
Die, die, die for REBIRTH!
>>46701737
>>QM
>Can a social justice quest be done well?
Anything can be done well, some are just hard. With a good writer and fun players, it'll be fun
>>46701737
> QM
I am running one where we beat the patriarchy and put them into gulags instead of harassing them with protests.
Anyways, i have evolved to a new level of autism.
https://forum.questionablequesting.com/threads/the-epic-of-kriemhild-gretchen-collaboratively-built-original-system-inspired-by-ckii-euiv-vicii.3364/#post-713681
>>46705544
words cannot express my reaction
>>46705337
>You aren't here to write epics, you're here to tell a story.
Since when epics aren't stories?
>You need 360 threads to resolve the story?
Maybe, maybe not, I don't read the future.
>This medium is not meant for faffing about for 200 threads.
Says who?
>>46705344
Again, do you have anything substantial to prove your points, or is just a case of serious muh feelings/muh opinions?
>>46705635
You made the statement. I refute it. It's up to you to prove me wrong with evidence. The burden of proof lies with you.
Ace Attorney Quest
Yay or Nay?
>>46705702
You made the statement, with nothing to back it up.
>It's a problem when old quests are taking the players from new quests and killing them, as is the case.
The statement that I didn't make but agree with is this one:
>You'd perhaps have a point if old quests were somehow preventing new quests from being run. This is not the case.
And so far, eleven new quests have popped up on sup/tg/'s archive since the beginning of April. So, there are new quests being run.
Jolly good show, faggot.
>>46705858
Good strawman argument. Go back to /b/.
>>46705882
Don't use words if you don't know what they mean, it's really juvenile.
>>46705352
>A prevalence of long running old quests also prevents new readers from feeling like joining in
Oh fuck off, it doesn't. Anyone who actually gives a shit will read the quest regardless of its length and if he uses "it's too long!" as an excuse, then he was never really interested in the first place.
>>46705911
Don't use words if you don't know what they mean, it's really childish.
>>46705911
And here's a great example of an anon losing a pointless argument.
>>46705826
How good are you at complex schemes and wacky sterotypes
>>46706019
I'm good at slightly racist and silly stereotypes.
As for keikaku I honestly can't say.
I can't judge myself without any bias.
But I quite enjoy criminal investigation books, movies and tv series.
As such I've been exposed to a wide variety of them. (good and bad)
So I have reference,
I've promised to run an Bronze Are battle quest last week, and there it is: >>46706031
>>46705968
Anti questfags to the rescue.
>>46706053
As long as it's not as fucking hand holdy as Dual Destinies I might give it a shot
>>46704470
I must admit ending a Quest on Thread 100 would be enormously satisfying on a very base, autistic level.
>>46706205
Oh don't worry, I'm not a kind hearted individual.
(Also I haven't played the non Phoenix Wright games yet, that's something I intend on fixing)
But it'd have to wait until I'm actually ready with the preparations.
If anyone decides to do it instead of me that's fine as well.
Is it even worth making a quest here with the decline in the population of players?
>>46706304
There's a decline?
>>46706304
Anon, I wholeheartedly believe there is no better place to run a quest.
>>46706317
I guess it depends on how you think about it. It's true that we can't support the huge mega-quests we used to have. I guess you could consider that a decline.
>>46706329
>>46706304
Baseless statements: the thread.
>>46706317
Used to be a lot more EU players. Nowadays if you start a quest in EU friendly times, it won't even reach half the amount of players an NA friendly quest has.
That's a pretty obvious decline and it stops most European people from QMing.
>>46706343
What? My statement about mega-quests is true. We just don't have them anymore. But that doesn't have to represent a decline, it may simply be a sign of diversification.
>>46706344
There has never been more EU players. And there are a lot more Icelandic players, who are close to EU timezones. German quest players are also quite active, from what I've seen.
>>46706343
>>46706354
Don't worry. He's just trying to shitpost.
>>46706354
The vagueness of your statements hurt my spleen.
>>46706361
>There has never been more EU Players
Then you haven't been around very long, newfriend.
>>46706376
I voted in the first thread of Ruby Quest, newfriend.
>>46706354
What constitutes a 'mega-quest'?
>>46706384
Proof?
>>46706386
The really big quests we had several years ago back when they were basically the only game in town. We have a lot more QMs now.
>>46706393
Do you have proof that you did?
Your asking that dude for something dumb
You're dumb
>>46706414
>Do you have proof that you did?
I don't have to present proof for something I didn't claim I did, anon. That's not how it works.
>>46706414
>that dude
That was a weak attempt, newfag.
>>46706344
I call bullshit on your baseless claim anon.
I'm a europoor QM and I have both EU and Amerifag players.
Did you consider that maybe you didn't have players 'cause your quest was shit?
>>46706421
Missing the point this hard
What kind of way do you want your proof? An image of a post claiming it was him
You're so fucking retarded
>>46706429
>Implying im someone who gives a shit about trash ass Ruby Quest
>>46706429
>newfag asks the proof that an anonymous player now is an anonymous player back then
>proceeds to call everybody else newfags because he doesn't know how shit works
>thinks posting smug Taiwanese children pictures makes him look intelligent
Did someone kick Chuckles off the Quest Runner Directory? I check it pretty regularly but still keep missing his threads.
>>46706445
>An image of a post claiming it was him
That would be proof enough. The fact that he hasn't posted it and has to samefag and scream "retard" to damage control says a lot.
well, despite of what i said yesterday, we are still up. I will bump it in hopes that my regular players would see it later on.
I really should make a new twitter account for this one, don't I?
>>46689035
>>46689035
>>46706429
this fucking guy
>>46706458
>That would be proof enough.
No, it wouldn't. You really are a retard, you know.
>>46706458
Thats not proof, literally anybody could do that
>>46706470
Go ahead and do it then...
>>46706475
Why would i waste my fucking time?
Literally anybody can go on subtg look at a post and print screen.
>>46706475
>...
How much of a faggot can you be?
>>46706475
>>46706487
>>46706488
>This is you right now
I love the taste of your salt.
>>46706492
>No (You)
Not proof, brah.
>>46706493
pic related
>>46706505
This is getting seriously embarassing.
>>46706493
You for some reason believe its only one person mad, being this oblivious.
>>46706505
A (you) wouldnt be on that even if it was him unless he took a screenshot of it when he posted, which nobody would ever bother doing.
>>46706505
Oh sorry, here is better proof.
>>46706520
First one to call me out on it. Good job. Watch as the others keep replying.
>>46706516
>This is getting seriously embarassing.
Yeah, for you, man. Still waiting for proper proof of your bullshit.
>>46706524
>A (you) wouldnt be on that
It would be if it was proper proof. Alas, it's not.
>>46706525
Post disregarded, You're not even trying anymore.
>>46706537
>Hey guys i was only ACTING retarded
>>46706574
>Watch as the others keep replying.
:^)
>>46706464
my tweethttps://twitter.com/GrimmQM
>>46706620
So, this is the new ploy of antiquestfags? Shitpost stuff they don't like to the ground?
Well, can't say it's all that new on this Laotion picture displaying panel.
>>46706747
>antiquestfags
Nah, I'm just a bored QM.
>>46706747
It's honestly a fuckdumb plan.
We do enough shitposting by ourselves as is.
This nigga didn't even cause any serious bitching and moaning
>>46706755
Could've fooled me.
>>46705228
I will never stop until I get to my end point.
While I acknowledge the validity of your opinion I am obviously not writing for you in my current endeavor so I do not give any fucks about my thread count in any way except for the shirt on my back. The only fuck I give is letting you know about it.
>>46706766
>It's honestly a fuckdumb plan.
Always is. But some people like being angry at things.
PREMISE
Set in the Star Wars universe around the time of the Clone Wars, you play a newly furbished clone designated CT-42/458. You have just left the academy and been put immediately into the command of a mobile siege and assault weapon, the AT-TE, alongside a crew of veterans who may as well be legends among your peers. Unfortunately, those legends are quickly flickering away as your very presence in their crew is representative of the commander they once had having died.
You've precious little practical knowledge beyond your training, and seemingly even less trust from the people you're supposed to be leading through this warzone. To make matters worse, there's more to this war than you were told in academy... To say nothing of the episodes you'renothaving.
When everything around you is going to shit, all you can hope to do is Stay Professional.
REVIEW pt1
Mechanics.
This goes through some changes in the first few threads, as it tries to refine itself. Its first iteration was hilariously tedious, requiring a series of rolls (6-10 sometimes!) of 1d10 per post just for a single tactical vote. I won't touch much on that though, since it's deprecated and we have a more straightforward version going now.
You roll a 1d10 for every person under your command, and then the QM takes the first 3 sets of d10s and arranges them horizontally... Then reads them vertically. The set of numbers there are then used to compare against a DC. Crits are wild in this, so if you roll a 1 and two 9s, you'll succeed... But something bad will still happen. If more numbers pass the DC than fail, then you're golden! Otherwise... Well, let's just say that AT-TE makes no effort to skirt the fact that death is a casualty of war.
No one has plot armor in AT-TE. You are all clones, when you die, any number of your brothers will take your place. The fact that crits are wilds on a d10 is just as brutal as you'd expect. While I personally don't think this would work out well in most quests, the circumstances of Clone Wars in conjunction with this dice resolution system has successfully lent the quest an atmosphere that even makes archive binging the fights of this fairly engaging. It does have some arguably unfortunate side effects on the characters though, but I'll touch on that later.
For non-combat encounters, the usual "most popular vote wins" is your go-to. It's a staple for any kind of collaborative narrative game, and it does its job well.
>>46707247
H-he came back!
REVIEW pt2
Plot.
Star Wars. Clone Wars. Ultimately this is a fanfiction quest, likely riding on the hype of the new movie and/or other Star Wars quests, so the "plot" is kind of... Detached. You're fighting through the Clone Wars very, following their battles as an AT-TE commander.
The unique thing revolves mostly around the perspective of a clone during all of this, and the strange episodes that CT-42/458 isnothaving. There are hints that not all is right in the past of the MC, and they may very well have been the result of an experimental training program or a traitorous instructor. These lapses in personality are all tied very heavily to the phrase "Stay Professional", which starts out as something of a calming mantra to the MC, but later begins to show unsettling signs of being the same sort of verbal conditioning as "Would you kindly".
In that sense, AT-TE takes a pretty interesting angle of narrative progression, in so much as much of the intrigue and interest regarding the story isn't at all about what's going on around the MC, but who the MC really is and what they really are. This isn't something I see often in quests, and even less so done well, so it's been interesting following it.
...Unfortunately, I feel like a lot of things are obligatorily just lost to the reader if they aren't already familiar with Star Wars. It's good that the mystery behind the MC is fascinating, because otherwise the on going plot of the war seems almost like an add-on. While we're only 10 threads into the 'story', it's difficult to really care about how the war is going beyond "I guess we've been deployed for another fight".
REVIEW pt3
Writing.
There are a few weird things to note, but first of all I do want to point out that I noticed Observer would take some of the idle chatter and conjecture of players into account while writing; Often tying them in or including them in the scene's dialogue and considerations. It's a small touch, but I enjoy the extra level of immersion it adds for the reader when their 'thoughts' are being represented beyond just majority votes.
Now that said, there are some... Weird bits. At first I thought it was a singular character quirk, but after rereading some of the threads a few times, I realized that it's oddly difficult to find any sort of conjunction. They show up most often in Carla's writing, but as far as clones go - The MC specifically - They're conspicuously absent. This isn't exactly a good or bad thing, but it was odd enough for me to notice, and from there realize that conjunctions in general seem to be strangely less abundant than normal.
Once I noticed it, I started reading conversations in a much more formal tone, and it's admittedly been a little weird. Typically conjunctions are used to imply familiarity, or a sense of casualness in the speaker/environment. Over time we've all come to kind of kind of find a balance between them where we're comfortable, so when they suddenly vanish like this, it can become subtly jarring - And then a little unnerving if it becomes egregious enough to consciously note. Was this a conscious choice on the QM's side? This kind of speech is also relatively common in people who don't have english as a first language, since they learn to speak and write in a more strict manner, so is that possibly an element?
REVIEW pt4
Writing Cont.
I mentioned earlier that fatality levels of the quest had an effect on the characters, and that effect is basically that they are relatively flat. Because of the nature of quest meaning they can die at any time, many of the characters are characterized by a particular quirk that comes to heavily define their entire dialogue or action preference. This makes SENSE, because when you need to rapidly endear a specific character out of what is effectively a cast of generics, you want to play up their individual traits quickly. It's a good choice, and well executed, but it also leaves the reader kind of hanging when it comes to knowing the cast a little more thoroughly.
This is somewhat where the trade-off begins. The less plot armor someone has, the more dangerous it is to dedicate effort to their backstory, past, and purpose in a story. If they die, then where are you left? Quest line closed? Conversely though, the more plot armor someone has, the less danger people feel in their choices.
A lot of your team in AT-TE are the sort you will get attached to, and worry about, but you do so more in the sense that they are cute pets or favored AI buddies you've managed to keep alive through your campaign. On a personal level, perhaps it's just my personal experience, but I felt very little interest or value in many of them as people. This is what I mean by the characters feeling flat, and while I can see why it's done and am aware of the dangers of adding more depth to their interactions when they could die at any time, I can't help but wonder if there could stand to be a bit more of a middle ground between the lovable generic unit and the "I Get My Own Portrait" characters.
I feel like Joker is a good example of that balance. His guarded behavior is his quirk, but he's had more depth easily implied to him that makes me interested in him as a person. Your driver, as well.
REVIEW pt5
Writing End.
Finally there's the breakdowns that Jinx/CT-42/458 isnothaving. Writing mental breakdowns or episodes from a PC perspective is difficult. You want them to be confusing or disorienting, but at the same time, from a narrative point of view, if they're too disjointed then the words become meaningless. Sometimes you do this really well! For example, when you were outlining the hazy memories of Jinx on the snowy planet and encountering the jedi, that was great. It was vague and confusing, but enough for the players to gain some semblance of meaning from it.
On the other hand, you have moments like the picture above where you seem to slide too far back towards repetitive and meaningless words. The intent there, I believe, was to emphasize the confusion of which directive Jinx should lend priority to - It conveys this, obviously, but in an awkward and bland manner. Most people will see the first line or two repeat, then glaze over the rest of it while scanning for unique lines.
This is where the divide between the confusion experienced by the PC and the way it is presented to the players becomes something of an issue. Generally, when writing, your first inclination here is to try and convey the senses of the PoV character to the reader... But in cases like these, and when unreliable narration comes into play (as I believe it will in the future of this quest), I feel like special attention should be paid to when a departure from conveyance should be had. Think about ways you can abstract the information and confusion, or where blanking your dialogue may be just as effective as repetitive lines.
While you can successfully convey information either way, I feel like your goal should be to have your readers hang onto your words for their meaning, rather than internalize it quickly and then skim the rest.
CLOSING
AT-TE Commander is fun and the QM is handling a very precarious method of writing rather well. Fans of this quest are, I believe, well deserved! ...Unfortunately, and it may just be my lack of experience with the franchise, it is ultimately a fanfiction quest. I am constantly worried that I'm missing a lot of subtle clues or implications that this type of writing generally thrive on because I don't recognize the signs present in the pre-established world and lore. Since I DON'T have that familiarity, I can't say if this worry is well founded or not, but it lurks in the back of my mind often.
I would recommend this quest to people trying to get a better grasp on writing as an unreliable narrator and handling freak outs from the PC point of view. I'd also recommend this to people who enjoy Star Wars, as it is a well executed quest in the vein of that franchise! However, previous knowledge of Star Wars is obviously just "assumed" to be held, so I wouldn't recommend this to anyone not familiar with the series already, or to those who get upset over heavily RNG generated severe consequences.
It makes no effort to deny that it is a brutal affair, or to hide the nature of its unreliable narration. If you are the type to become overly attached, you'll probably have a bad time. If you're looking for deeper, more meaningful character interactions, you likely won't find it here. However, the action is well rounded and all of the NPCs are easy to like and get acquainted with. Whether or not the overarching plot of Jinx's identity and past eventually shapes up to become strong enough to stand on its own is something we'll just have to see about as it unfolds, but for now there's just not enough content there for me to say that it can hold its own without the novelty of a Star Wars logo.
Finally, welcome back from your hiatus, Observer. I'm sure your players are excited to get back into the thick of things and find out for themselves just where this rabbit hole of yours is leading!Stay Professional.
>>46706464
where are you master detective anon, we need you.
I want Nerv Bridge to end so that the QM can run his Guildmaster quest. It had way more potential than a fanfic quest about Evangelion.
Welcome back review anon!
>>46701737
>Can a social justice quest be done well?
Yes. It can. Very well, actually. Imagine playing a middle-class American post-grad who's searching for some *meaning* in her life and decides that going to Mexico to take down the Big Bad Cartels is a great way to *really make a change*...and then gets caught up in as much shit as you'd imagine.
Bonus points if she becomes a cartel drug lord.
>>46707290
Thanks Reviewanon! What Quests are next up on the chopping block, if you don't mind me asking?
Thinking about running a tactical Kaiju Quest. The players have to manage the military and industry of a small island nation afflicted with Kaiju attacks. The goal will be to find a balance between fighting, herding, and moving out of the way of a cast of kaiju. Some might fight for the players under certain circumstances. One or two might be full on 70's Godzilla/Mothra and want to protect players.
A mech or serious weapon to defeat the Kaiju won't be available at the start. The players will have to observe the kaiju and then, if they decide to build one, design it to get the most bang for their buck. A certain type of mech might be able to easily take down one Kaiju but be helpless against another. The players will have to decide which kaiju is truly worthy of having a mech developed to destroy them.
I'm thinking about setting it up on an world with modern plus technology where kaiju have always been a thing. Civilization has just learned to build and flourish in their shadows. The modern world regards them as parts of nature, but a few religions maintain that they are divine (which will make harassing certain kaijus interesting as you'll have to deal with their cult).
For some reason kaiju (I'm thinking about just calling them Gods in the setting-what do you think?) have been acting violent around your island nation. The players have to find out why this is while fending off their attacks.
Questions? Comments? Ideas for Kaiju or Weapons?
>>46707810
Badge and Bullet (hopefully this weekend!)
Initially it was low on the priority list, but I think I saw some implications that the QM might be running a new quest soon, so I figured it would be better to look it over sooner than expected. I'll probably look into Faceless or the trio of spooky scooby doo quests after that. Faceless has caught me interest for a while now, but I'm feeling the urge to revisit Ghoul School memories for some reason.
>>46707616
I hope he doesn't run a shitty management quest. At least there is shit going down in NBS. Also, CAG.
>>46707847
Do you have a list of your total backlog?
>>46707847
>Ghoul School Quests next
Have you read any of it so far? Is it any good? I've head it's got a lot of occult stuff and I like that, but I'm nervy around waifu quests. Is it worth looking at at least?
Is it okay to illustrate a quest with create.swf?
>>46707900
Long:
Novice Heretek
Joker
Tuffle
Snakecatcher
Decent:
Dungeon Life
Lost Island
Faceless
Shinigami Quest/SubShini Quest (Might read both, might only read one, not sure yet)
Short:
Scooby Doo stuff
German Hollow
...
Noah's Park (?)
BioPunk (?)
I don't know if the above two still exist, or if the QM is even still around.
>>46707919
I haven't ready any of them yet, but I suppose you'll have a better idea about them when I do? Unless you want to take the plunge and try your hand at reviewing them before I get there! QMs can always use more feedback constructive feedback, I think.
>>46707973
Jesus, that's a lot of threads.
>>46707296
Thank you very much for reviewing the quest! You've brought up plenty of important points that I did not even realize were a thing, both in the positive and negative, and I am glad you enjoyed the read.
If there's anything you want to directly ask me for clarification, or thoughts on particular scenes/characters, please feel free.
A small noteThe MC's lack of conjunctions is intentional.
>>46707973
Are you doing short quests first?
>>46707831
Could be fun, depends on how the management sim parts are handled.
I miss when Lively made pitches happen.
Do drawfags affect the popularity of a quest?
>>46708150
I was thinking about dividing it up between building and defending phases. During building we're appropriating our funding toward different tactics. During defending we're actually engaging a kaiju with what we bought during the building phase.
The first one or two defenses will be simple. A single kaiju shows up and starts trampling through a city, wat do? Later levels become more complicated. One has two kaiju start on two sides of the country making a beeline toward one another. You have to prevent them from meeting up and fighting. Another involves protecting a baby kaiju from another monster. If its attacked its cries will summon momma, and that's no good for anyone.
If it was all "defend the city" all the time it would get boring as hell.
As for monsters I was thinking about making abiogenesis a thing in this world. Large mountains, pits of lava, deep trenches, giant thunderstorms, those sorts of things just slowly produce monsters overtime. It's just how nature works.
If I'm hurting for anything its monster ideas. I just can't seem to think of something not a ripoff. Any ideas?
>>46706537
>A (you) wouldnt be on that
>It would be if it was proper proof. Alas, it's not.
I really can't tell if this anon is being ironically newfag, or if he's actually this much of a newfag.
>>46708096
That gif is too cute.
I don't have many questions regarding the quest so far, though. I feel like you've done a good job on consistently conveying what was going on, with only the few interface screws leaving me to reread things to try and get what just happened. The bit where Jinx got really angry about the minefield clone squadron comes to mind explicitly, because it was the most emphatic time we really noticed something going on, and it left me backtracking through posts wondering if I had just missed a conversation somewhere.
I also generally like that Jinx is effectively a child. I'm not sure if this was a deliberate choice, but he comes off very naive and immature in an 'innocent' sort of way. IE: His first encounter with a woman, the way he blanked and just went "well... I like holovids", etc.
There are a lot of little touches to his character that contribute to the feeling that he's just slightly off, and I enjoy how you've been content to just let them go on without pointing them out explicitly. One of the hallmarks of doing mystery well is that the QM generally needs to be willing to let little clues, and sometimes entire answers, just go unnoticed. It's a show-not-tell format, where if the players don't notice what's being shown, no one is obligated to tell them, and I'm impressed how well you've pulled it off so far.
I hope this doesn't make your self-conscious about what you are or aren't putting into your writing, though. Given the falters here and there, I feel like you've just got a sort of natural inclination to writing this way and may not be entirely savvy on the technique/practice of it? In which case, please don't get caught up in technicalities trying to do it better. You'll improve as you write, but you're liable to get frustrated trying to remember technical details to content.
Honestly your writing is charming. I'd enjoy seeing it in an OC setting, with a more dedicated cast not so likely to die. Maybe after AT-TE ends?
>>46708130
Things are busy on my end with coursework and such, so I'm leaning towards smaller chunks of reading so I can still make some progress through the list weekly.
Mostly it's just a result of time constraints for me lately.
Also I saw Axi floating around earlier, so I'm definitely still going to read through Novice Heretek. I was worried he would vanish from /tg/ before I had a chance.
>>46708241
Alright, anon, here's a pitch:
The MC is a schoolgirl in a catholic school. And when I say Catholic, I mean very catholic.
Enamoured as she is with the religious life, she aims to become a nun - before she discovers the school's deadly secret: at night, Black Masses are held in the chapel. Worse, she's witness to the summoning of an actual, no-joke devil.
And the summoner is the Head Nun.
The quest is her trying to investigate the school and the occult shit happening there, with occasional aid from her friends in boarding school.
I call itBreaking the Habit Quest.
German Hollow Quest 10 is live
>>46708411
>>46708417
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H4l9RpkwM
>>46708426
I'll be honest, that entire pitch was just a way I could make that pun work.
>>46708417
>that spoiler
you deserve death
>>46708321
In the newest thread (if you read it earlier this week, you may want to pop into the archive again to read the newer updates) we had some discussion about a potential future quest for me to write after AT-TE.
One of them that's sticking out in my mind was the gritty cop/investigator idea, which is an idea that I feel can lend itself rather well to fit within any setting. So whenever this quest finishesor everyone diesI'm feeling maybe something involving that.So, see you next thread?
>>46708455Maybe! Honestly Star Wars is a bit of a turn off for me, but I am curious about how things develop with Jinx, so I'll probably drop through the archives or plop into an open thread from time to time, but I don't think I can follow it consistently.
>>46708266
Some times.
>>46708266
If they did Pandora Quest would be the most popular quest on the board, with the drawfag there who draws at least 1 new picture each thread, if not more.
>>46707919
Long time reader here. I happen to quite like it a lot, but I won't deny that it won't be a quest for everyone. The QM, and its player base for that matter, have had some growing pains, as evidenced by the first part,which started on another board. But its a relatively comfy player base. The occult stuff you seek starts rearing its head around the second quest, but has been steadily heading in that direction ever since. To the point that some people only recommend the first part because it introduced some characters, basic concepts, etc. That will likely be expanded upon in greater detail when revisited, as well as setting itself up with its lore and tone more accurately.
Other than that, it'll depend on how you feel about a more open prompt system, and a different archival process. But the playerbase is usually pretty inviting if you wish to see for yourself.
>>46707973
You're going to want this one ReviewAnon, it'll save you the trouble later.https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/0B32Wff8dg015OVpoTDdfemVGcVE
Canonically it goes Winnie, Phanty, Sibella
And that's all I will say about the quest now.
>>46708266
If it's the QM who's a drawfag, then yes. Otherwise it doesn't make that much of a difference.
>>46708266
One of the things I really enjoyed in PGQ was the chin getting bigger and bigger. Probably favorite part of the quest tbqh
>>46708455
>So whenever this quest finishes or everyone dies
Implying that won't be one and the same no matter what.
>>46707919
They're pretty shit, fampai. The QM tries to dress it all up with CONSPIRACY and HABBENING :DDDD but at the end of the day it's just AM I KAWAII UGUU waifushit in quest form
>>46708755
But tell me anon, where would the narrative tension be then?
>>46708755
Don't you want to find out whether or not he makes it all the way through the Clone Wars, only to be unceremoniously killed off by a single redneck with a laser sword on Hoth?
>>46708861
Okay then. I'll be staying away. Waifushit is not my thing. If the QM is smart he'd drop all the Scooby Doo shit and stick to summoning demons. Demon summoning is fun. Waifus are not.
>>46708940
>AT-AT Commander Quest
>Sir we're nearing the rebel base.
>Roger that Phi, stay on the lookout for any rebel forces.
>Sir, I'm not Phi. No one here is Phi.
>Sudden flashbacks of a body with red hair, screaming as his boot stomps down onto its arm, the snap easily heard.
>Stay Professional
I just dropped Shinigami Quest because i realized there are no actual choices being made in the quest and Mushroom already planned out the entire quest before he started the first quest.
Is this petty or am i justified in dropping it cause of the blatant railroading?
>>46708967
He's from /co/mblr, the whole goddamn quest runs on nostalgic waifu pandering faggotry
>>46708867
Well if you keep up with the damn suprises every update, first the defoliator, then the jamming, then the frigate dropping out of the sky, I'm sure there'll be pleny of narrative tension.
>>46709077
The pieces on the board are beginning their moves, Anon.
>>46709047
>there are no actual choices being made in the quest
What makes you say that?
>>46709047
That depends, is the story entertaining?
>>46709047
I don't really think you're giving yourself enough credit. Like from what I've seen, votes matter tremendously, it's just that it's really hard to determine what results in what.
>>46705562
What is it?
>>46706354
>What? My statement about mega-quests is true. We just don't have them anymore. But that doesn't have to represent a decline, it may simply be a sign of diversification.
Or toxicity.
Or at least a known presence of.
>>46701737
Quick question: Does anything interesting ever happen in Banished? We keep stocking up on spells that we NEVER, EVER USE.
>>46706386
1. It has fifty or more consistent players.
2. It spans over 100 sessions.
3. It has spin-offs and sequels.
Be the BEG, anyone?
>>46709769
>>46709770
With rule 3 only Strike Witches Quest would qualify right?
/wqt/ a mission, rank the major Game of Thrones quests.Karban>Malroy>Harrock>Bordain
>>46709792
PGQ had at least three spoofs.
>>46709838
I can't think of one.
>>46709827
Wait, why is Bordain at the bottom?
So, question for you QMs.
How much planning do you do for your quests and how much is too much?
Is it better to come up with a basic plot skeleton and an idea of how you want to end up, or should you just free-form the whole thing?
Also, do you plan the length of your quests? About how many episodes is the ideal length?
>>46709751
Depends on your definition of interesting. We're about to delve into the ill-understood private realm of a spirit in the midst of a border conflict with a Lovecraftian spirit of the sea.
>>46709915
I come up with about three events that will happen during a thread, and try to get to them in turn. Sometimes the players don't even see one happening, but they always occur. Really it's not very different from any tabletop session. The only difference is you can literally do anything, because there's not even mathematical rules governing the actions in quest form
>>46709827
For me it's Karban>Bordain>Malroy>Harrock
>>46709915
>How much planning do you do for your quests and how much is too much?
It doesn't matter how much you plan. What matters is your willingness to adapt to player choices even when it goes against your plans.
>>46709976
This. I look at Questing as an improv writing exercise. Your players take your characters in strange and novel directions and its up to you to adapt on the fly.
>>46701737
>Can a social justice quest be done well?
Most players I've seen wouldn't allow it
>What moral themes would you like storytellers to explore?
Is it considered lawful good tokill an orc baby?
>>46709866
Pringles Guard Quest
Bloodline Protector Quest
That oneshot that was just PGQ with mechs
>>46709915
I read a lot of Call of Cthulu campaigns as an inspiration for my Quests.
>>46707973
I thought you were also going to review some Akun quest? Or is it just not on the list?
>>46709176
>>46709334
I just feels like, since every single mission is so very isolated, we're only acting on the whims of the QM. If he wants us to fulfill our objective, we will. There are no "smarter" ways to accomplish our task since we only act on the orders of other men. And this makes me feel like all we do is wait around for when the QM wants to wrap up the plot.
>>46709252
It's very well written and the plot is pretty decent, but i don't quest to read a pre-written story.
>>46710624
The Continuing Adventures of Catholic Super Ninja: Digimon+Reboot edition
>>46710674
lolsorandumb!
>>46709882
Bordain is easily the weakest of the GoT quests. Underwhelming threads with the worst schedule, way too easy for the setting the MC should be a reviled monster but is universally loved by everyone barring a few characters that are made to look like idiots. No central conflict even after 3 years. It just isn't a good quest, baffles me that people rate it higher than any of the other GoT quests.
>>46710837
>Rates the Luckiest Man in the Seven Kingdoms as the greatest GoT Quest
>Complains that Bordain has it too easy
>>46706775
>implying you'll make it to 100 threads
You're neither Soma nor the QM of Hellborn. You're some shitty faggot QM with no players.
Put your trip on to prove me wrong faggot.
>>46711334
There is something dearly wrong with your pacing if your quest goes over 100 threads with no end in sight.
>>46709047
The MC isn't in a position of power to make world changing decisions. His decisions change himself and determine what happens during the investigations he is sent on.
>>46711359
I can't speak for Hellborn but in Banished's case there may be 100+ threads but a lot of those threads don't necessarily have an incredible amount of QM posts to read. Like certain parts/arcs in the archive might take someone two days to go through, while another set might take three hours, if that.
Also Soma isn't stellar with anything resembling "main quest" pacing, it's a sideventure quest at its heart. What I think he intended to be the main quest is just happening on its own in the background regardless of the MC's actions. It's an open world rpg and the players often choose what to distract themselves with, and with so many wanting to do so many things the world just keeps expanding with more things to do. It's a vicious cycle.
>>46708417
I'd play in it
>>46711532
It's Sidequest Quest.
Something as trivial as going to a library or picking up some items from a shrine will start a 5 or 10+ adventure.
>>46711581
>5 or 10+ adventure.
5 or 10+ thread adventure.*
>>46711359
>there is something wrong if your novel is 200 pages with no end in sight
Anon, loving short stories doesn't mean everything else has to stop existing.
I thought Promises of Power would be shit, but I'm pleasantly surprised. Even if there is yurismut, it's a solid story.
>>46711618
I think I am biased cause I like QMs that can write fast and get a lot of content out in one thread. Soma and Languid are both pretty slow. Still good, but damn slow.
Though still better than planefag who can only get maybe two updates out before he has to make a whole new thread, though that's partly blamed on how his playerbase won't shut the fuck up for a second, putting the thread in autosage really quickly.
>>46711581
Or going into a mine to get some bandit's gold will unlock a 10,000 level infinity dungeon with corrupted A.I. robots from the fallen roman empire and unleash ancient spirits and dragons into the world while subjecting the MC's soul to sub-universe cthonic void beings to avoid malformed cultists while escaping from said dragon situation results roughly in transportation to a cyberpunk universe where the party mage starts fights with rifle armed thugs because he has magic and hates paying tabs.
I swear to god, if that one motherfucking anon suggests we go back to Longia again I'm gonna get a fucking conniption.
>>46711683
And you've just nailed down when, where and why I dropped that fucking Quest.
>>46711672
>>46711683
See, this is more coherent than shouting at the top of your lungs that every quest over 100 threads should just DIEEEEEE.
>>46711779
Nigga, learn to detect when a poster is just fucking around.
No, not trolling. Not pretending to be retarded.
Fucking around. It's something people do in real life. It's called being a bit silly.
>>46711779
I don't want it to die yet though, I want to get to the jungle at least. AT LEAST.
It was the very first place I wanted to go when the quest started. If we get there, then the quest can die. I'll be satisfied with that sort of ending.
>>46711798
You're on the Internet. Compounded, you're on 4chan.
>>46711829
I have hope for you autistic fucks still.
>>46711845
I'm not autistic. It's just that Poe's law is in full effect here. Because there are people who are going to write the same and just mean it. No joke involved at all.
>>46711819
Jungle never.
Any good Akun quests?
>>46711875
>I'm not autistic.
Sure buddy.
No one is ever going to type
>die, die, die for REBIRTH
on the internet and seriously mean it unless they're a member of a cult.
Like, c'mon now. I know its harder to detect emotions via text but you can get a pretty good handle on it if you have any social skills or intelligence at all.
>>46711885
Newer ones?
Promises of Power.
Or do you want older ones? There's quite a few.
>>46711885
FAD quest.
>>46711943
If you say so buddy. I've seen worse.
>>46708283
Considering your abiogenesis thing, maybe some of the kaiju can be actual elementals, some kaiju are actual radiation monsters born from when nukes were used to kill some of them, one is a walking nuclear fireball, etc.
>>46711670
>I thought Promises of Power would be shit
Why did you think so, when literally everyone who's read it says it's not?
And I mean, there's barely any yurismut there, and what there is is heavily justified by the plot.
>>46712037
>and what there is is heavily justified by the plot.
Don't say that.
Lesbians are never justified by the plot.
if the plot is justified by lesbians all that tells me is that the yuri has infected more than just the main character
>>46712032
>Someone noticing my quest idea.
I feel...so important! Thanks anon!
I do like the idea of giant elementals. But I don't want to overdo it, because it reminds me of those original Godzilla mutants from that one video game. And those sucked.
I'm thinking about a walking thunderstorm at least. Call it Thunderhead or something. It spawns little lightning creatures that fuck up machines and electronics like gremlins.
>>46707781
>>Bonus points if she becomes a cartel drug lord
I love gangsters that hold 'ideals'. Especially when they either hold them too firmly and fuck everything up or don't really have any problem breaking them but still make a big deal out of what an idealist they are.
>>46710044
>That oneshot that was just PGQ with mechs
Well, at least it would be easy to make the protagonist useful
>>46712118
>the plot is justified by lesbians
What. It's vice-versa.
The MC is a lesbian and she indulges in (lesbian) smut only when it is appropriate in the sense of the characters she interacts with and needed to reach her goals.
>>46712362
What a slut.
>>46711885
>quests
>good
>>46712408
What, exactly, do you think a QM is? How is it a creature different from a lesbian slut?
>>46712465
>Every QM is a lesbian slut
It all makes sense now. My eyes are open.
>>46712126
Some of the Godzilla creatures pretty much ran on element themes though. Hedorah is literally a pollution monster, Destoroyah is both a reference and an analogue for a new WMD, and Biollante is a goddamn flower.
There's also how supernatural you want to get with the kaiju. Are they all just physical monsters with abnormal powers, or actually magical like Mothra?
>>46712362
But there's no justification there.
It's literally, here's a story (about what I don't know) and our MC is a lesbian and she fucks women for either fap reasons or because it's gay to like dudes.
That is literally the only reason to make your QMC a lesbian.
>>46712519
>That is literally the only reason to make your QMC a lesbian.
Who needs a reason. Why not make the MC a lesbian? Why not make a male MC gay or straight? Who cares, it's just a story.
>>46712118
Lesbians are always justified
>>46712037
Because I generally don't trust Anon, and the whole yurismut thing had my eyes rolling when it happened. And then the exam happened, and I was hooked.
>>46712561
I'm not inherently hating on what you want to fap to.
I'm just saying, don't try to tell me it is "justified" by the plot.
It's an arbitrary decision that is chosen only for titillation factor.
Gay Male MC is the most patrician sexuality for an MC UNLESS the majority of the fanbase are females of the fujoshi yaoi variety then it becomes the exact same scenario as the lesbians in your standard example.
Straight male MC generally leads to standard waifu I WANT A HAREM shit
Straight female MC is sort of alright, but then people just sort of waifu the MC and that's bad too.
So, gay man with certain fanbase stipulations or genderless robot or maybe a giant bug.
>>46712696
Trying hard to be angry at something?
>>46712696
>then people just sort of waifu the MC
Guilty
>and that's bad too.
Eh not really. Nothing comes of it.
>>46712519
You seem to misunderstand.
It's not the MC being lesbian that is justified by the plot – she is lesbian cause of semi-chargen that happened at the start.
The reasons to fuck people is justified – it's because it will bring her closer to her goals that the MC fucks another character silly (never getting off herself, mind you), not simply for the players to fap.
>>46712696
How about gay robots?
>>46712696
>Gay Male MC is the most patrician sexuality
Only if he's a qt trap with a bug, feminine penis~~~ ;3c
>>46712696
I agree. Having a FMC of either sexuality turns into a shitshow. Even if the character is straight people will still try for som of that hot les action going against the characters personality, and if they're lesbian your quest inevitably ends up centering on whatever makes your readers wee-wees feel goodie.
>>46712769
He's got an insect for a dick?
>>46712696
>genderless robot
>a giant bug
Are you implying neither of this are the epitome of sex?
>>46712765
Lezbots are better
>>46712776
>Even if the character is straight people will still try for som of that hot les action going against the characters personality
The QM has the ultimate say in that, you know.
>>46712761
I don't know man.
That sounds pretty hot. In fact, I'm going to fap to those moments right now.
>>46712776
> Quest has a bisexual female MC
> Literally all of the smut is about a side character and gets written in the QM's spare time instead of being part of the quest proper.
I dunno anon, maybe it's just a you thing?
>>46712822
>implying people won't try to force it anyway.
>>46712788
That works too.
>>46712845
So what?
![[HorribleSubs] Koukaku no Pandora - 11 [720p].mkv_snapshot_23.37_[2016.03.19_11.11.47].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/IqE6Jm4.jpg "[HorribleSubs] Koukaku no Pandora - 11 [720p].mkv_snapshot_23.37_[2016.03.19_11.11.47].jpg")
>>46712820
Excellent taste.
>>46712845
They can try all they want. Fuck them.
>>46712845
I dunno. I look a Hellborn and see people that want to fuck Rowan (for good reason, she's great), but most of the time it's people fucking around and it never goes through and it never will. Everyone seems very happy with Wolfgang,
>>46712869
shits up the quest senpai.
>>46712841
Is this EQ?Maybe you're right, maybe i've just become unable to identify with FMC's. Used to be able to as well, odd.
>>46712841
Oh, yeah, I like Dungeon LIfe Quest too
But seriously, there's also drawn porn of Brianna, Nate and Amy so good job being wrong.
>>46712890
Roleplay, don't self insert. Never self insert.
>>46712890
>shits up the quest senpai.
The QM can just put his foot down, or straight up ignore those write-ins.Or even, include them and make it blow up in the players' face in a spectacular way.
>>46712899
Not by the QM and not relevant to the plot, though. Fuck, the few times anon has had the chance to go full smut they turned it down. Remember the festival?
>>46712899
>I like Dungeon LIfe Quest
Good job showing that your taste is so shit that you don't deserve an opinion.
