RuneScape Forum Archive | Live Developer Q&A

Mod John A

Jagex Moderator Forum Profile Posts by user

Toronto353:

Hi. First of all thanks for some great quest series. The Goblin one is amongst my favourites and it is particularly memorable as it was one of the quest series that I fully completed.

My question to both of you is:

What hints could you give us about future quests that you are working on?

When will the next Penguin quest be released? It is an extremely funny quest series

and to Mod John A

When we will see the release of the next Dwarf quest?

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Right now I'm working on the new dwarf quest. I've fleshed out dwarf history quite a bit while writing it, so you'll learn some more about dwarf history in this quest and then even more in the next, final one.

The next dwarf quest might be released at the end of this year, but it might be next year.

I don't know when the next penguin quest will be.

23-Jul-2010 23:15:09

Mod Ash

Jagex Moderator Forum Profile Posts by user

Kamalister:
"2) when developing, do you have enough freedom to make what you desire, without the restraints of the game engine, or do you think that your creativity is restricted?"

I'm quite happy working within the game engine's limits. Especially as I'm quite experienced at getting what I want out of it.

In Love Story, I wanted Zenevivia to jump from pedestal to pedestal during the battle, and to leap up to the pedestals from the floor. Unfortunately there was no way to make her animate that smoothly, so she ended up teleporting between the pedestals instead. It doesn't actually harm the quest at all. :-)

23-Jul-2010 23:16:18

Mod Ash

Jagex Moderator Forum Profile Posts by user

Weesiwel:
"Mod Ash why didn't you update your forum avatar at same time as WOM was updated? Oh and I'd just like to congratulate you both on writing amazing quests."

Thanks!
I kinda got used to it looking like this.

23-Jul-2010 23:17:42

Mod John A

Jagex Moderator Forum Profile Posts by user

Dart Plegius:

1) Why isn't Al Kharid 'rich', because of the tolls they get?

2) How come the dwarves in the Underground Pass didn't interfere with Iban?

3) Why do dwarves put their mine in Falador open for public? That means less ore for them, so less profit.

4) Do the dwarves get all ore from the mine in Falador to Keldagrim with just 1 mine cart?

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1) Who says they're not rich? Maybe they've got riches hidden away somewhere. Or maybe they waste the money on something.

2) I don't know off the top of my head, sorry.

3) I could try to think of an in-story reason, but ultimately it's because it's a game. If the dwarves didn't let you into the mine then you wouldn't be able to train there. Maybe the dwarves have lots and lots of other mines that they don't let you in, but you don't get to see them.

4) Well, again, we have to break with realism for the sake of the game. We could spend months and months putting together a realistic dwarf ore transport system but it would be better spending the time making fun content for you to play.

23-Jul-2010 23:18:54

Mod John A

Jagex Moderator Forum Profile Posts by user

Kamalister

2) when developing, do you have enough freedom to make what you desire, without the restraints of the game engine, or do you think that your creativity is restricted?

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One of the things I enjoy is working within restrictions. I like the challenge.

23-Jul-2010 23:21:00

Mod John A

Jagex Moderator Forum Profile Posts by user

40 Abyss:

is the next void knight quest planned for the summer this year or the fall

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The plan was always for the whole void knight series to be released this year.

23-Jul-2010 23:21:54

Mod John A

Jagex Moderator Forum Profile Posts by user

Dog Breth7:

Hello im wondering what is you favorite part of making a quest?

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For me, designing the story and writing in the in-game text. I know that different developers like different things, though.

23-Jul-2010 23:22:32

Mod Ash

Jagex Moderator Forum Profile Posts by user

Dog Breth7:
"Hello im wondering what is you favorite part of making a quest?"

The dialogue, especially for a weird or evil character. Zenevivia's chat was great fun, since she's so vitriolic, and Mabel's whinging was enjoyable because I started really hating Mabel while writing it.

Laurazal: "Has writing the Wise Old Man's responses been easy, or has it been occasionally tricky at times? For example, are people saying he should have something to say about Bandos and Seren? (Since he has things to say about all the other gods even if he tries to claim they're false gods)."

It's mostly not too hard. After all, the WOM should know perfectly well - if he's really that wise - that all these other gods exist, and he's just trotting out the official Saradominist line to patronise you. So he can actually be inconsistent with himself if he forgets that he's not meant to tell you about certain things. I think he describes Graardor and Kree'arra as leaders of armies that are subservient to Zilyana's army of Saradominists.

It's mentioned in his biography that he studied the Ancient Magicks pyramid but wouldn't tell anyone what he discovered about it. That may be his usual way of dealing with the other gods; he knows about it, and he knows you probably know about it, but he's not interested in discussing the matter.

Actually, the hard bit is making him sound wise.

23-Jul-2010 23:23:57

Mod Ash

Jagex Moderator Forum Profile Posts by user

turtelmonk: "In the Quest 'The Fremink Trails' the diolog that appears if the player already has rope in thier invetory with the king. and the player says that hes a traveling rope sales man. is this a dig at Players that use quest guides?"

Almost certainly. I do that kind of thing a lot in my quests too.

For example, if you do My Arm's Adventure while already carrying camel dung, My Arm mentions that he'd been wondering why you smelt of dung, and maybe you'd had an accident or something.

23-Jul-2010 23:25:51

Mod John A

Jagex Moderator Forum Profile Posts by user

Laurazal:

Mod John A -- Again, I loved the whole Dorgeshuun series, and I felt the Chosen Commander was a really great way to end it. The storylines were wrapped up nicely, and all in all it felt like I'd reached the conclusion of a 'fantasy game within a fantasy game'. While Zanik has, in my opinion, earned her happy ending and probably shouldn't be a part of any 'serious' quests in the future (just lighthearted ones like One Small Favour and Recipe for Disaster), have you thought of, say, using some of the Dorgeshuun visitors from the train station in the sequel to Forgiveness of a Chaos Dwarf?

Speaking of which, what's it like continuing the dwarf series that someone else started? Personally, I love how you've given more depth to Veldaban. Before that quest, our relations with him were 'all business', but now we've come to know more about his personal feelings about the dwarf command structure and all.

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I was tempted to put some Dorgeshuun goblins into the dwarf quests, maybe even have Zanik make an appearance, but I decided it was better to keep a dwarf quest focused on dwarves.

Continuing a series someone else started has been a bit awkward, especially since Mod Vincent (the original developer) had a quite different approach to things than the approach I like to take.

For example, the first two quests are based on long, totally non-interactive cutscenes which tell the story, alternating with puzzle segments that don't themselves advance the story. I personally like to keep cutscenes short and integrate the story and gameplay more closely.

23-Jul-2010 23:26:57

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