Well, I didn't read through every suggestion, but maybe there could be more complex quest templates that link up one or more templates. e.g. Over on planet [X] a raider camp has stolen some of our [lab|military|village|] equipment. Please go retrieve it and we'll reward you with [Y] items|pixels|etc. So, you go to the camp, get the equipment, but also find they were holding an NPC prisoner. The hostage requests you take him|her back to her home on [Z] planet, and they'll reward you. An outpost requests you go map out [X] system by traveling to all the stars in the system, and taking readings on some of the planets. During your trip, you might get attacked by pirates/raiders/etc. who want to steal the data. Initially they offer you a higher payment, but if you refuse, they try to take it by force. This could result in boarding or a ship to ship battle. An apex lab/installation/town could have a virus outbreak, and you could be called in to resolve the situation, but during the encounter, you might catch a glimpse of the one that caused the outbreak. You are presented with the option of trying to save the lab and letting them escape, or chasing them down to stop them from causing more outbreaks, but sacrificing the lab and its occupants to do so. (which, later, the USCM faction is called in to bomb the lab and cleanse the area) A lab Y requests you collect specimens from other stars/planets within the same system. Upon capturing several monsters, one young monster starts following you. You have the option of keeping it, selling it (for science!) or abandoning it (at which point a bird comes down and carries it off to become dinner) You are called in to put down escaped convicts at a USCM installation. On killing the last prisoner, you might find a note that leads to another objective/template and procs the start of that quest, which could involve delivering the note to his family or husband/wife, or whatever. Or maybe it was a map to a treasure, and you have to beat a pirate to the punch. So, in the random templates, perhaps certain types of template would work well together with other templates, and have a chance of chaining templates together to create more complex quests on the fly. You could have a simple basic template with an objective, and (maybe) a choice. Then you could have slightly more complex templates, and very complex templates which could involve a multi-tier quest to eradicate a problematic faction on a planet. And in some cases perhaps some very long quests could be "special". Maybe involve saving an entire sector from a fleet of penguin space pirates, or eliminating a major faction's presence in another area. Or perhaps a pioneering quest to help to establish a village/colony on an uncharted planet and help them to grow and prosper. Maybe a group of glitch villagers want to be free of their castle overlords. But you have to find clues that lead up to unlocking those "special" quests. They shouldn't just be "given" to you. Finding certain clues during the template based objectives that lead you to talk to certain NPCs that eventually lead to unlocking these larger quests. Perhaps those more complex quests spin off, or tie in to add world/story building to the main storyline....or something like that anyway.
I'm feeling that this game is coming together. Everything sounds awesome, I cannot wait until the update! You guys are really doing awesome.
I think a farm-quest would be good and maybe a cooking-quest . Would make sense, to help/support the locals of a planet with food/raw materials. No need to make it a big amount, something like 10 or 15 should do it.
Can we get a detailed statistics page please? With all these quests, I'd like to see how many planets I discovered, time played, and more etc. It looks like this was not posted the first time i submitted it.
I like quests with a twist. Something like : a little old man gives you a qest to retrieve an orb from a long-abandoned station. He doesn't tell you that the orb is guarded by a military defence robot so you have to fight your way out to survive. You look at the orb (if you survive) and it looks like it is pulsing with power, surely not just an old keepsake, you can : A. return the orb to the little old man and see if he tells you the truth about what it really does, or B. Go out on your own to try to find someone on a planet that can find out more about this mysterious orb. hint - B is the better choice
Survey quests. Go to a planet and circumnavigate it, dealing with temperature, weather etc. Assess a planet for colonisation. Spend X days and nights there - encourages building shelters, using the camping equipment, etc. Combine the above with "bring back mineral samples" and "bring back captured animals/leather" for a proper space exploration feel. Also, "survey a planet for minerals" - mine down to X depth. Even better would be to somehow link these to settlement spawnings. Survey a world, take samples, eliminate dangerous wildlife, and then escort a colony ship and defend the brave colonists as they found a new settlement!
The hardest thing about quests are having too many "kill ten rats". I want discovery quests, I want weapon finding quests, building quests, digging quests, and interaction quests! I wasn't dialogue options so I can feel like I am doing something unique for my character. I would be so excited by a fetch quest where I could bring back item A OR item B and the reward changes based on what I bring back, like a mad scientist building something he then gives to me. Just MHO!
Perhaps a monster exchange quest. Capture X number of monsters and you can exchange them to a monster trader for a creature of your choice that he/she/unknown has in stock, perhaps a higher powered one, or special//unique one. I'm also voting for exploration and discovery quests. My favorite thing to do in Starbound is to explore, see what is around the next corner, collect interesting things, build stuff with them, find lore, seeds, and fun stuff, etc...
Question, will the first planet you be get to, is it going to be the same for everyone (this way you might be able to show off everything, or is it going to be a random planet with a specific biome?
Can you guys make it easier to change the controls? It feels so tedious just to go into the files and do the notepad thing, then go back into the game and play.
There could be an "arena" type of quest area where you are put in a large underground enclosure and a bunch of random, powerful monsters, but the rules of the arena make it so you have to use equipment provided by the arena for each mission. Ex: Talk to the guy, he makes you use a weak pistol to kill several mini-bosses (not at the same time) with limited healing items. Basically, dodge training with a large reward.
Someone just released a mod for this, actually. --- Glad to see actual quests being put into the game, and glad to see people's suggestions aren't just "Bring x to y for reward", and seeing actual challenging quests. Question, though: Will they show up in normal villages and outposts as well?
