Depends. I never completely skip it because it may contain useful information. If it's just a wall of text then I may be more likely to skim it. If it's shorter paragraphs then I will read it thoroughly. I think 'wordy' dialogue is better left in other places like in-game books or other game systems where the expectation is there is a lot of text.
Kilsin said:Community Debate - Do you read quest text or scroll/click through as fast as possible to power through it? #MMORPG #CommunityMatters
This one made me think because I've done both in games. I prefer to read and take my time with the quest, but if i feel "rushed" to complete an area and this quest is just quest 15 of the 25 in my quest journal that I need to complete a random task I'll probably just skip to the end.
IMO:
If I'm rewarded for reading it and remembering it, I'll read it and remember it.
If I'm not, I won't.
Ultimately, the UI and how PCs interact with NPCs is what drives this behavior.
If there's only one actual choice in the quest/interaction UI, and/or the choice has no consequence, then some, many, most, or all players will just click through to get the flag set on their char to proceed with the trivial task.
Personally, I find exactly zero value in voice-overs, as I typically play with no sound, given how repetitive it becomes after a few minutes, and I can always read faster than someone can speak.
Of course, this can all be done better, but it presumes a radically different approach to PC-NPC interactions, and a distinction between tasks, jobs, quests, and fulfilling NPC needs or wants. There's also the matter of faction, fame, renown, or similar mechanics that can have an incredibly meaningful impact on PC-NPC interactions, but rarely do. Changing one phrase of flavor text is not meaningful impact.
If the actions of my character, group, or guild have temporary yet persistent & meaningful impact to the world in which we're participating, it will drive a different emergent behavior.
However, it requires a design goal of a living world, rather than simply a combat loop simulator.
Kilsin said:Community Debate - Do you read quest text or scroll/click through as fast as possible to power through it? #MMORPG #CommunityMatters
Rarely, especially if there is a quest journal that records all the important parts. Blustery and long winded ramblings by the NPC hold little interest especially when you find out that the NPC could have just said "go here and get me X of this thing."
As other said already, it depends a bit:
Is the quest text accessible again, meaning will there be a quest journal (or even better, a journal for the dialog with the NPC)?
Does the quest text contain vital information that is not repeated anywhere else (like "quest objectives" summary / checklist)?
Also, a random thought about clicking through NPC dialog:
If an NPC at some point has multiple "paths" that conversation can follow, it would be great if the dialog system makes sure that you can get back to the other topics after going through one.
Example: NPC says "I can tell you about the [village], the [history] of this place, and give you [hunting] information for the area."
Now if I follow through on the first topic, it would be nice if at the end I have options "Ask about history" and "Ask about hunting", without having to "close" the dialog and having to start from the total beginning again.
If its just the same quest for everyone anyway i dont read it.
If there could be some added benefit reading it i would.
Like a hint to an extra reward if done differently.
But i dont think there are games that have such a intruiging quest system yet.
And since its always just meaningless fluff it gets pretty boring reading thru it after 30 years of gaming.
dorotea said:I find the thought of not reading the text almost incomprehensible. At least the first time one gets the quest. How can I know what I am supposed to do, where I am supposed to go and what to look out for if I do not even bother to read the instructions?
If the quest text is important to efficiently completing the quest, then yes I agree. But like many others said, if there is no incentive, then I'm probably only going to read the last line "collect X", or "go find Y in secret cave".
The key for me is to hide clues within narrative. For example, the quest ultimately might call for you to recover a stolen necklace of significant value that they have evidence on a Ratkin stealing. Within the text they might explain how there are five different tribes of Ratkin in the area, but they don't know which tribe sent in the thief. They think that maybe a Ratkin stole it to possibly resale on the caravan market on another continent. Then they might explain how they modeled their necklace from the shaman Ratkin ritual staff. They might suggest you visit the "hermit who lives on the hill" to the east, if you want more information on Ratkin in the area. etc. etc.
People who only read "recover stolen necklace from Ratkin" and run off, will probably be killing and clearing the wrong Ratkin for days. Folks who skim through and only see part of the clue may still be sent off course as well. Turns out one of the five camps has it, the hermit knows which tribe would value such a necklace and where they hide their valuables, and you don't need to kill any Ratkin at all, but only enter a certain Ratkin tent and grab it.
Personally I wouldn't mind if some quests require some detective work and critical thinking to figure out what to do or at least how to complete it more efficiently.
Make the quest text comprehensive, as well as pointing out the key bits, so that either: 1. if one clicks through, they miss important or usefull information or 2. they can complete the basic requirements if they click through but miss the greater reward, or PoI, or lead/hint to perception hint area/NPC.
In other words, were someone to use a third party site to see what the quest was about, they would soon find they would be getting the same info had they spent the same amount of time in game and living the quest instead of spending twice as long to get the info outside of game, to then get the same info inside of game.
Even if its something useful but not crucial in a later encounter, like a quest for something and you get what you think is flavor text that reads "and while cooking for the nobles, be sure to pass the dutchie on the left hand side"
And in a later encounter- even much later or in a different zone maybe unrelated to get to an area you can go right which is a fight but if you pass on the left? its still a fight but not as bad, like a area effect is missing because one did that quest and rembered and sees that the boss is a dutchess stirring a huge smoking cauldron.
I start every game reading every line of quest text. I hope for entertaining stories, and I especially hope that they might contain 'clues' to useful game info that is UN-related to that particular quest. Tidbits of info that don't appear necessary to the quest, and therefore might be worth noting for future reference. I REALLY hope that we see some of this in Pantheon.
Like many others, if I don't find anything useful or even find the quest stories interesting on their own merits, then over time I slowly give up on reading completely and just skim for the necessary details of the quest.
It depends on the game and if the quest text contains interesting lore or if it's just superficial text. It also depends on if I am alone or if I am with a group of people, I don't like to hold people up for longer than necessary.
Personally, I enjoy quest text that contains story and lore aspects because it enhances my experience, improves my connection to the world, and increases my attachment to the game. I think that any quest, even a basic go kill X amount quest, can be written in a way to where it engages players with the world. I'm not really a fan of the overuse of superficial quest text. I feel like games which default to this approach are wasting opportunities to keep players engaged.
Sarim said:As others said already, it depends a bit:
Is the quest text accessible again, meaning will there be a quest journal (or even better, a journal for the dialog with the NPC)?
Does the quest text contain vital information that is not repeated anywhere else (like the "quest objectives" summary/checklist)?
Also, random thought about clicking through NPC dialog:
If an NPC at some point has multiple "paths" that conversation can follow, it would be great if the dialog system makes sure that you can get back to the other topics after going through one.
Example: NPC says "I can tell you about the [village], the [history] of this place, and give you [hunting] information for the area."
Now if I follow through on the first topic, it would be nice if at the end I have options "Ask about history" and "Ask about hunting", without having to "close" the dialog and having to start from the total beginning again.
I used to. When quests were rare and intersting both on the plot side and the reward, and went rare.
Themepark MMo's made me skip and avoid all reading of quests because, let's be honest, there is absolutely no preciousness both in frequency and quality. It's just bland stories of peasants whacking each other for crap and it's just not interesting, and cannot lead to anything of quality.
I used to read quests on EQ, even to jump from questline to questline on allakhazam just to learn stories about characters and such, but these days are long gone.
Almost never. Even when a game punishes me for not reading, I still rarely read it. I am more likely to find a guide online than read a quests text in game.
I do fine my own behaver interesting though and not exactly sure why I do what I do. Some guesses though might be:
Kilsin said:Community Debate - Do you read quest text or scroll/click through as fast as possible to power through it? #MMORPG #CommunityMatters
I rush it too often. I tell myself with every new game that I will take my time and pay attention, because I know if I feel more immersed, I will enjoy it more, but find myself speed-reading and missing stuff.
I am only partly to blame, though. The game itself needs to be engaging enough that I *want* to take in every detail.
The game needs to make the quest text *meaningful* and *important* so that there are vital clues and information in there.
The quest text needs to not just be lore and flavour (though that is great, of course), but have *function* and in-game *meaning* and use.
We should feel that we are taking in vital clues to solve a puzzle more than we are wading through flowery waffle in the way the next fight.
Wow, I never thought I'd be the outlier on this, but I usually read it, and maybe more than once, every time.
I'm not talking about repetitive quests, the "kill 5 rats" stuff. But I haven't seen ANY repetitive quests in PRotF except the one where you get pelts to the Tailor for Shaman armor.
Most of the info I've seen, even the long text dialogs in the Fortress, gave you significant quest details, as Kass said, making them effectively clues to sending you on the right path to complete the next step in the quest. So there are player efficiencies there.
But I mainly read them for the stories...the Lore...that fleshes out the world, and enhances the gaming experience. It is immersive, and happily slows down the otherwise frantic, frenetic pace of constant grouping and killing. Lore/quest reading becomes "Significant Downtime" in a way, and one that I think is important (for me) to participate in.