Quest Chain Problems

[Xanthan]

Since returning to the game a couple of weeks ago with a clean quest slate, I've run into some issues with merchant quests.  By these, I mean the ones that used to give "merchant" faction points, or which are given by merchant NPCs.

Basically, the few I've managed to get don't give faction points of any kind anymore, and here's the key part:

Most merchants won't give me quests at all, not even basic "kill some rats for me" ones.  In particular, no merchant in Ojaveda will give me quests.  I've tried Jirosh, Trasok, Brintec, Bjorid, Brado, Vladovic, amongst others.  These all used to have some basic quests of the sort that you'd think wouldn't have a lot of prerequisites.

On a similar note, though it's not for a merchant, Rylour won't give me his quest, though I've done lots of BD guard quests.

Since the decisions you make on quests now matter more than they used to and are better tied to roleplay, I am loath to simply do every quest in the game just for the hope that one might be a non-obvious prerequisite for another.  Nor do I really want to do quests that are not connected to who my character is, or be forced into in-quest actions that go against my character.

[Gilrond]

I wanted to point to a smithing / crafting chain quests problem. Trasok's special axe quest still looks broken, so I'm not sure if it blocks further related quests in the chain.

[citizen]

Me also started with a fresh char especially for the merchant way access to winch with similar results.

[Earowo]

Somtimes you gotta do what you gotta do, just becuase you do a quest your character wouldnt, doesnt mean it has to effect him IC'ly, most quests are ooc anyway, since they are a thing only one person can actually do, yet everyone can do it.

[Sarva]

Remember these days all characters start out in Hydlaa. Thus the basic pattern of the quests is run around do the ones in Hydlaa and then you work your way out to the cities and areas outside of Hydlaa. For merchant's way You generally want to do the quests for merchants in Hydlaa, or the quests that bring you into contact with merchants during the quest and then work your way out.

Two quests needed for the merchants way you have had to start the old fashioned way, click the NPC and in the NPC channel say I need a quest. Both of those quests are in Hydlaa or areas connected to Hydlaa. Both of the quests that you have to start the same way are in the same chain.

Some broken quests that have been broken have recently been fixed, for example you no longer need a GM to complete a quest in the guards way in so the bugs are getting fixed but in some cases it depends on when the fixed quest gets loaded onto the server.

[Ingles]

Somtimes you gotta do what you gotta do, just becuase you do a quest your character wouldnt, doesnt mean it has to effect him IC'ly, most quests are ooc anyway, since they are a thing only one person can actually do, yet everyone can do it.

Not quite right. Factions do affect you, and most quests give them, and obtaining too many of the wrong ones for your character will affect other quests you might need for your character.

Also in the future it could restrict where you may enter.

[novacadian]

... most quests are ooc anyway...

Not to my character. They are carefully chosen for character development or do you do both sides of the chess quest? 

- Nova

[Xanthan]

Thanks for the clarifications, Sarva.  I had no idea that the "old way" of starting quests was still needed sometimes.  This is critical information!

I'd like to say a special "Thank You!" to Sarva and the other GMs for dealing with all of these quest issues so gracefully in-game and out.  I'm sure we are all keeping you very busy right now.

From a game design point of view, I sort of see the point of making the Hydlaa merchant quests be prerequisites now that you've explained the character spawning issue. Maybe. From an in-character Point of View however, it makes no sense.  The Ojaveda merchants are not so closely connected to Hydlaa ones in settings that they would refuse to say a word to someone, or offer them the opportunity to run small errands, until rumour came from Hydlaa that someone was trustworthy.

[citizen]

thank for the tips and clarification.

[Gillis Norone]

Some of my observations:

1. Winch access: 2 of the original 3 ways to get Winch access aren't working due to chaining. --> You need Winch access to get Winch access. 

2. Winch access again: The only working way to get access has magic quests in the chain. This means you need the wand of a certain way. Considering the fact that a character should learn only one of the Magic Ways in the future, shouldn't winch access be independent of the Magic Ways? (At least as long as it is the only way to Winch access?)

3. Cooking chain: The first book you get is Baking. The recipes that look like easy and basic recipes all need apples. You can't peel, core or slice apples though until you get "Working in a Kitchen", which is at/or towards the end of the chain. I think basic books should be available pretty easy, so players can try different trades. When they get hooked, they're willing to put in a lot of effort to get the more advanced books. So please think about a new order in that chain or revise the content of the books.

[Sarva]

Gillis,

Re your #1 above as I pointed out above already that situation has been fixed.

Re your #2 Sorry but none of the winch access chains require you to have a wand from any of the magic circles.  There has been nothing said that in the future characters will be restricted to learning only one of the magic ways.