Quests: Design, Theory, and History in Games and Narratives

by Jeff Howard

This unique take on quests, incorporating literary and digital theory, provides an excellent resource for game developers. Focused on both the theory and practice of the four main aspects of quests (spaces, objects, actors, and challenges) each theoretical section is followed by a practical section that contains exercises using the Neverwinter Nights Aurora Toolset. Howard has created a Syllabus, designed for a college-level course, that instructors can use and modify as desired.

Genres: Game Design, Games, Nonfiction, Design, Writing, Video Games

230 pages, Paperback

First published January 24, 2008

Reviews

[Michael Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quests Design Theory and History in Games and Narratives is a comprehensive book on quests, that is, ``journeys across a symbolic, fantastic landscape in which the protagonist-player collects objects and talks to characters in order to overcome challenges and achieve a meaningful goal''. Jeffrey Howard sets out to define quests, and quest-based games and narratives, at the front line between two sides: on the one hand the narratologists, who see games as stories; on the other the ludologists, who see games as simulations. Thus, the book is heavily laden with (post-)structuralist discourse, and in particular responses to new media theorists like Espen Aarseth and Susana Tosca; these parts are mostly argumentative and overall useless for game design practitioners. On the positive side, quests are clearly defined as a set of four elements, the space (the levels), the characters, the objects, and the challenges (the goals); the book presents extensively both old and new theory about the role of quests in games and narratives, both from academic and industry sources. Also positive, the book includes after each chapter a set of hands-on exercises in which the reader can use the Neverwinter Nights (I & II) authoring tools to develop quests. Overall, a wordy and rather theoretical book--the most difficult to read type of academic book--, but a solid read on quests in games (and narratives) with an excellent list of references.

[JJ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was hoping this text would teach how to think about quest design: identification and analysis of neat mechanics, interactions, goals etc. Instead it gives cursory overviews of a very narrow vision of quest design in only western medieval themed games. There's so much depth that goes into quest/mission/task design that it struck me as odd that the author zeroed in so specifically on only a single type of "quest" game. The entire time I read this text I thought to myself "Why is the author spending so much time on X or Y. None of this tells me how to design better quests."

I've heard of a couple of the academia people and concepts he spends so much time on and even then I was fairly lost when he got into it. If someone didn't even have that cursory knowledge of Game Design Academia they certainly would not understand what the heck this guy is talking about. Much of the book is spent referencing the ludology vs narratology debate which was barely relevant in 2008 when this book was published.

[Francis Wiget ii]

Useful but a bit outdated because computers and software change so bloody quickly.
I can't use the neverwinter nights tools on Windows 8 or Windows 10.