Main Quests, Side quests !? Design / Ideas.

Side quests are optional things that happen in the world that you can busy yourself with or not.

I think some should be random, and some should be scripted.

I also think that some scripted side quests should affect the main quest... ie. if you complete the side quest, it will change what you have to interact with later, or possibly modify a main boss fight later.

As always they should give the developers a chance to do some unique things not directly related to the main story... perhaps sub-plots or alternative characters in the POE universe. For this players could get extra chances at bigger loot, and/or it could affect final loot in another portion of that zone.

I like the idea of completing a side quest giving you a status reward of some sort of designator that you finished it. Like a trophy of some sort.

For example, if you took a side quest for killing a big creature that has killed a lot of heroes, you could get a title add or something cosmetic that shows what you did.

Of course keep the big exp and treasure too but adding a trophy rewards you for your work in a way that can be remember by the game as well.

You could then have the game later recognize this trophy and receive other side quests or other things as well.

Just my thoughts.

Side quests could be nice add to the game. Personally i would like to see quests like escorting, protecting people, guarding, maybe puzzle quest. I hate quests like kill 10 xx mobs or drop 5 items from xx mob.
Rewards? Extra informations about game world, balanced exp, items, inventory expanding items or warehouse expanding items, maybe something like bombs, mines to set traps.

personally, i like scripted events a la diablo.

my personal fave was the quest for the inn's sign.

yes, i am he who kills all. now you're going to attack me to take the sign back, rather than making good on your deal. lol.

or garbad the weak, another example of the same thing.

side quests are good, having busy players is always better than grinding players.

if the devs are needing ideas for story, i'd suggest reading some steven erikson, very dark and highly involved fantasy which is in keeping with the themes here.

two bits!

cheers

I came to the conclusion what was missing in D2 was lots of side quests that weren't essential but were a good way to vary the gameplay and make it more interactive.Quests can be a way to get people to explore more of the game world rather than doing the same areas.

I don't know if this is divided into acts like D2 but perhaps some areas in the early acts could have high level areas so that quests are not restricted.You know your level 90 so your restricted to the last act quests if you want to get decent XP.A warning could be given if your a good few levels below recommended or you have to have a key gained later in the game to access those areas.Or the quest triggers the spawning of enemies.

A quest idea:

In an old dungeon crawler called Chocobos Dungeon there was a mechanic where a creature called Doom/Life Keeper would come after you if you stayed in one area too long and kill you in one hit unless you escaped.

In PoE you could have a quest which sets a timer until a unique monster, far enough above your level to be impossible for you to kill, appears and attacks you. You have until the timer runs out to level and gear up as much as you can so that you stand a chance