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Question for those of you who have actually made a full quest


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#1 Colin

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Posted 08 June 2017 - 01:07 PM

I've been hanging around either active or lurking around this community for like 11 years now. I probably haven't really used ZC/ZQ regularly though for like, 6 years though and even when I did use it, I never completed anything. So I have a few questions for those of you who have completed a full quest project:

  1. How many hours on average per week would you say you spend on a given project?
  2. What's the general spread of your time spent on a project? Like, how much time is spent designing screens, writing scripts, planning dungeons, play-testing etc?
  3. Do you have a specific goal you try to hit when you open up ZQ?
  4. When building an area, do you take it one screen at a time, or do you generally outline the whole area first and fill in the details later?

I think that's all I've got for now. I think I might want to get back into trying to make a quest.


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#2 cavthena

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Posted 08 June 2017 - 01:29 PM

I haven't finished one yet but I do have a WIP and can put some input to your questions.

1. ZC is a hobby and as such I don't ever aim to work on it for X number of hours per week. Typically I only work on my project if I'm feeling it and as such sometimes I can spend upwards of 40 hours one week and 0 hours the next.

2. Most time is spent coding or focusing on design. I take quality as the most importance. Often I find myself going back to an area I've completed to tweak or ever completely overhaul it.

3. I set long term goals. These goals can be a week or even months away from completion. Again this to ensure quality. If I set daily goals then I might feel rushed to get it finished, possibly resulting in subpar quality.

4. For Overworld screens I'll do one pass to place landmarks, like buildings and rivers. Then I'll fill in ground and details screen by screen.

#3 Eddy

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Posted 08 June 2017 - 01:33 PM

1. This varies quite a lot for me, but in the past it used to be a good 35 hours or so a week since I had so much free time. Nowadays though, it's usually around 5-10 hours on some weeks.

 

2. About 99% of my time spend on a project is designing the actual quest and play-testing parts of it. So pretty much just making overworld design, dungeons, cutscenes and story etc. The other 1% is usually a day or so right at the end of the project where I play the whole quest from beginning to end. I usually don't plan anything and kinda just make whatever pops into mind. I do have vague plans, but I don't plan things out on paper or on a notepad file or anything like that. My quests are usually just the result of winging stuff.

 

3. Most of the time, not really. I just open ZQuest and just try to make whatever I can. Sometimes I do have particular goals like "Today I'm gonna finish Level 3" or "Today I'm gonna get more overworld stuff done", but generally I just do whatever.

 

4. I make screens one at a time, so I don't have a full layout in mind (unless if they're dungeons then I have a map layout). I have a rather odd way of designing a quest which is creating the quest as you play it. So like, if the story tells you to go from one area to another area, I will only create the path towards it, and leave the surrounding screens out until the end of the quest, or if I need those screens to be filled to go to a different area. So usually the map in the ZQuest editor will look like lines going everywhere, rather than completed sections. Only at the end of the quest, I go back to empty screens and start filling them up.



#4 TheRock

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Posted 08 June 2017 - 01:52 PM

1. I would say I spend like 5-20 hours a week on a project. Although there are times when I don't spend really anytime on it for like a month.

 

2. I spend most of the times designing the screens and figuring out how I want the layout to be. The dungeons take a bit of time figuring out how I want it to play out.

 

3. Get out of my comfort zone in my dungeon design. 

 

4. I like to make things as a whole. Try to make every screen flow very well. I will also try to do something special for some screens too.


Edited by TheRock, 08 June 2017 - 01:52 PM.


#5 Russ

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Posted 08 June 2017 - 02:22 PM

How many hours on average per week would you say you spend on a given project?

It really depends. Some weeks, I don't touch ZQuest. Then sometimes, I work for almost twenty-four hours straight. It really just depends on how am I'm feeling.

What's the general spread of your time spent on a project? Like, how much time is spent designing screens, writing scripts, planning dungeons, play-testing etc?

Again, the answer depends. If I'm working in DoR, for example, I spend a lion's share of the time designing screens (which is partially why I haven't used DoR much recently). For projects like Yuurei Randomizer, I spend nearly all my time scripting.

Do you have a specific goal you try to hit when you open up ZQ?

Nope. I just open and build while I've got the inspiration. Sometimes, when I'm getting near the end of an area, I'll push through so I can have it done, but usually I just work til I'm bored of working.

When building an area, do you take it one screen at a time, or do you generally outline the whole area first and fill in the details later?

Generally speaking, I outline an area in my head (and occasionally on paper) so that I have a sense for how it will flow, but design screens one at a time, finishing one before moving on to the next. I know a lot of people end to draw broad shapes of the area and fill in details later, but I tend not to do this. The exception is when I'm working with LttP mountains, since it's so easy to work yourself into corners with them if you don't plan out their flow ahead of time.
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#6 Binx

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Posted 08 June 2017 - 03:02 PM

I've been hanging around either active or lurking around this community for like 11 years now. I probably haven't really used ZC/ZQ regularly though for like, 6 years though and even when I did use it, I never completed anything. So I have a few questions for those of you who have completed a full quest project:
Never completed a project, but I can give some input about those specific questions


  • How many hours on average per week would you say you spend on a given project?
    It depends, some weeks I'll spend upwards of 80 hours, some weeks less than 10
  • What's the general spread of your time spent on a project? Like, how much time is spent designing screens, writing scripts, planning dungeons, play-testing etc?
    Also depends, if it's very script-heavy I spend the bulk of my time on scripts, otherwise the bulk of time is spent on tile editing and map design.
  • Do you have a specific goal you try to hit when you open up ZQ?
    Depends on the day. Most times, it's just oing what I can, but if I have a specific goal in mind, then I tend to work on that one thing until it works, before I'll close up for the day.
  • When building an area, do you take it one screen at a time, or do you generally outline the whole area first and fill in the details later?
    If it's an overworld, I'll have a vague mental outline, then do it screen-by-screen; if it's a dungeon, I lay the groundwork first, then fill it in.
I think that's all I've got for now. I think I might want to get back into trying to make a quest.

Answers in the quote.

#7 Saffith

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Posted 08 June 2017 - 03:17 PM

How many hours on average per week would you say you spend on a given project?

Usually none, sometimes a lot. On average, maybe 0.1? I'm not a steady worker.
 

What's the general spread of your time spent on a project? Like, how much time is spent designing screens, writing scripts, planning dungeons, play-testing etc?

Planning and map design take much more time than anything else. Even the simplest dungeons will likely take several iterations. Everything else goes pretty quickly when I know what I'm working toward.
Playtesting is pretty variable. As a percentage of total time, it's probably fairly small, but I think I've played every level in T8O so far at least twenty times. But then, I'll play them just for fun. If I wouldn't, they're not good enough.
 

Do you have a specific goal you try to hit when you open up ZQ?

Not unless it's something that will only take a few minutes.
 

When building an area, do you take it one screen at a time, or do you generally outline the whole area first and fill in the details later?

Outlines first. Details mean commitment. If I play through an area and decide things need to be changed, that's easier to do if I haven't already spent time making it look nice.

#8 Obderhode

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Posted 08 June 2017 - 04:04 PM

1. Not a lot usually! Probably about 20-30 hours, or 0. Although I LOVE playing my creation, so when it is a "release" ready state, I can play on ZC for a long time.

 

2. I guess designing screens - but I do a lot of script work, pre-planning and play testing.

 

3. Usually! I try to accomplish something major - either design the whole dungeon (like no scripting/enemies, but have it all setup and layered) or code a boss.etc.

 

4. The whole area. For all dungeons I do extensive pre-planning - several sheets of paper/know where doors/keys are, know the major gimmick.etc. Then I build the whole thing in the editor so that it all connects and makes sense. As far as the overworld goes, its like "one segment" at a time, but I also plan it out way in advance too. I want to make sure that people who look/remember to come back, have reasons to explore.


Edited by Obderhode, 08 June 2017 - 04:04 PM.


#9 thepsynergist

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Posted 08 June 2017 - 04:31 PM

While I don't use Zelda Classic like I used to back in the day, I do have 2 completed RPG Maker games under my belt.  Pokemon Pyrite, and Will of Alchemy.  I'm also working on another game atm, but I don't know when it'll be finished.  However, it's basically a Golden Sun-esque game based on the book I wrote in high school.

 

-How many hours on average per week would you say you spend on a given project?
 
Pokemon Pyrite took me 8 years to make, and Will of Alchemy took me 5 years to make.  That being said, I'd usually spend at least 10 hours a week on it, sometimes more, depending on how much freetime I had.
 
-What's the general spread of your time spent on a project? Like, how much time is spent designing screens, writing scripts, planning dungeons, play-testing etc?
 
Believe it or not, I work on music before I even start a game.  I feel that music can tell just as much of a story as the game itself.  It helps me figure out the game's mood/feel.  That being said, mapping is my weakest point, and it takes me a while to be satisfied with what a game's screen looks like.  Scripts, thankfully for RPG Maker, are pretty copy-paste, with edits to fit the game.  Dungeons are fun to make, and for Will of Alchemy, basing them off a central item you'd obtain in the dungeon was fun to do.  Playtesting took the longest, because usually, I'd be the only one to be able to test it fully, since a lot of people I know didn't want to play it all the way, or were too busy.
 
-Do you have a specific goal you try to hit when you open up ZQ?
 
I usually just wing it, but since my games are usually written before I start making the game, it helps with daily goals.  For example, "I'll design the town today, and do all the events for it tomorrow".
 
-When building an area, do you take it one screen at a time, or do you generally outline the whole area first and fill in the details later?
 
I feel outlining the entire area helps me figure out what the end result will be better than just starting in the middle and working my way outward.


#10 Tabletpillow

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Posted 08 June 2017 - 04:52 PM

 

  1. How many hours on average per week would you say you spend on a given project?
  2. What's the general spread of your time spent on a project? Like, how much time is spent designing screens, writing scripts, planning dungeons, play-testing etc?
  3. Do you have a specific goal you try to hit when you open up ZQ?
  4. When building an area, do you take it one screen at a time, or do you generally outline the whole area first and fill in the details later?

 

1. I'm very inconsistent with my time. For the past five months I spent the total time of about a couple minutes on quest making. Now that summer is here I can do more work. I'm trying to aim at least six hours of quest making per week this season, since I have nothing better to do.

 

2.  Most of the time spent is screen designing, especially puzzles. Puzzles are extremely hard to make since they require a lot of thought into it, and when I try to make a puzzle, there's always that chance of the player finding an easier way to get around it. I play test a lot, more than you can think.

 

3. Not really, I just do what I feel like I want to do for the day. There's only one long term goal I have, and that's finishing the quest.  

 

4. This may sound awkward, but I don't plan out specific things really. The only thing I plan out is the story and general idea of the dungeon, which all comes from my head. I do not write anything on paper. I design screens on the fly, but I do take some consideration on the flow and try to spread things out for a bit. 



#11 Anthus

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Posted 08 June 2017 - 05:46 PM

1. Never finished anything beyond a mini-quest or two, but it depends. I'd say on average, if I'm using ZC, I spend about 10-20 hours a week.

2. Hmm, probably screen designing, followed by play testing, and writing dialogue take the longest for me.

3. Usually, yes. Like finish an area, or boss, or test/ fix a certain area.

4. I've tried it both ways. For me, I like to have a general idea of what I'm trying to do, but I don't always draw detailed maps. Most planning is done in a word file with ideas, dialogue, item lists, and other stuff like that.

#12 Shane

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Posted 08 June 2017 - 06:42 PM

  1. How many hours on average per week would you say you spend on a given project?
  2. What's the general spread of your time spent on a project? Like, how much time is spent designing screens, writing scripts, planning dungeons, play-testing etc?
  3. Do you have a specific goal you try to hit when you open up ZQ?
  4. When building an area, do you take it one screen at a time, or do you generally outline the whole area first and fill in the details later?

1. It varies. Though for my finished quest since I had only 2 weeks to complete it and I had holidays I worked on this quest nonstop with the help of someone else.

2. Designing the framework of screens and maps is top priority. Everything else comes after.

3. I just try to get as much done as possible.

4. I do outline then add in gameplay and then details afterwards. Screen by screen feels slower and usually not as well connected as making the entire map (an exception would be planning it out on paper of course).



#13 Lüt

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Posted 08 June 2017 - 08:48 PM

How many hours on average per week would you say you spend on a given project?

In regard to Quest 1, I generally worked full days for 2 months to build it, plus a few more weeks to do things like music and get help with a little programming. It took that amount of time because it was the first time I ever used ZQuest, so it starts with the very first screen I ever made and follows my learning process from there. Now, I could probably make a quest like that in a week, plus a little extra time for testing, but I'm not interested in doing another quest in that style, so that won't happen because my head's in a totally different place when it comes to design these days.

 

To be clear, I was unemployed during that process - I had just graduated from college that summer, about 2 years ago now, so that was kind of my full-time job for 2 months.

 

In regard to Quest 2... well, it was for a 24-hour contest, so, that was one long 24-hour stretch :P Per contest rules, we were allowed to assemble resources before the building process began, so that took maybe another 4-6 hours to organize my tiles so that I could make my quest combos from scratch in an optimal manner. Then I made my 36-hour update for the official database release a few weeks later, so that was an additional 12 hours.

 

These days I'm mostly working on a tileset, though I have to design test rooms to be sure I have the necessary tiles for all the overly-complicated stuff I want to do, so I jump back and forth between tile work and design work. I started it over a year ago, probably Feb or Mar 2016, and it's continuously taken longer than expected. When that happens, I begin to lag because I feel like it'll never get done, so some days I'll dabble for an hour or two, some days I'll do totally different stuff, and other days I'll get carried away and work a full 16 hours.

 

So I guess I'd say an average week is equivalent to an average full-time job.

 

That'll probably change soon though. Too many other things need to be taken care of.

What's the general spread of your time spent on a project? Like, how much time is spent designing screens, writing scripts, planning dungeons, play-testing etc?

When I did the quests, it was pretty much screen design and testing. I'd guess that 80%+ of the time was building the screens and maybe 20%- of the time was play-testing it.

 

I spent a lot of time play-testing the first one, because again, it was my first time using the program, so I was paranoid about getting everything just right. I didn't do much planning other than copy/pasting dungeon room templates into overall dungeon shapes and setting up the doors as I went, if you call that planning. I only ever sketched a few things on paper, things that I needed to keep organized, like the multi-entrance dungeon, the freeform dungeon, and the 7-floor dungeon with 20-some stairways.

 

Quest 2 I generally sketched the areas while making it, because I didn't have time to dabble in general ideas, so I crapped out really quick sketches and hurried to make them in the game.

Do you have a specific goal you try to hit when you open up ZQ?

Not really. Just do as much as I can, as fast as I can.

When building an area, do you take it one screen at a time, or do you generally outline the whole area first and fill in the details later?

As above, my first dungeons were cutting+pasting the room template into a general shape and setting up the doorways as I went, except for the freeform one. I wish I had known about aliases for that one.

 

I can't stand to do square rooms anymore, so yeah, a lot more pre-planning was necessary when I did the 24/36-hour quest because I don't use templates. And when I do rooms using my newest stuff from those tiles I've been making, it takes a very detailed plan and a lot of trial and error to get a decent room done, so those are definitely done room-by-room because the end shape of one room determines where the next rooms begin. I can't say I'm making a quest at this point, but since I built so many test screens in the process of making sure I had enough tiles for all these different situations, I've basically got enough screens designed for 2 fully functional dungeons and then some.

 

Overworld and caves are much easier to simply throw some stuff down and work it a little bit until it looks natural. I can design that stuff exponentially faster than dungeons, and with little to no planning either, so I generally take that screen-by-screen as well, but in a much different way, treating the entire map more like one big screen regardless of the way ZC/ZQ divides the screens.



#14 Evan20000

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Posted 14 June 2017 - 08:06 AM

I've been hanging around either active or lurking around this community for like 11 years now. I probably haven't really used ZC/ZQ regularly though for like, 6 years though and even when I did use it, I never completed anything. So I have a few questions for those of you who have completed a full quest project:


  • How many hours on average per week would you say you spend on a given project?
  • What's the general spread of your time spent on a project? Like, how much time is spent designing screens, writing scripts, planning dungeons, play-testing etc?
  • Do you have a specific goal you try to hit when you open up ZQ?
  • When building an area, do you take it one screen at a time, or do you generally outline the whole area first and fill in the details later?
I think that's all I've got for now. I think I might want to get back into trying to make a quest.

1. Depends entirely on my motivation-level. Sometimes I completely no-life the project, other times months pass without any progress.
2. I've never actually sat down to map out the distribution of time on a project, but generally I improve each area as much as I possibly can until I'm hammered by the diminishing returns of time put in to improvement made. I think playtesting is something that most questmakers brush off though, only allocating 2 weeks or so at the end of development. While that final 2 week period is important, by that point you should have done enough internal and closed beta testing that the build you send out to the testers should be a release candidate.
3. I find the concept of a goal to be counter-productive as it will lead you to rush to meet it, even if the quality of the areas you're working on suffer for it.
4. When designing dungeons, I generally place completely empty rooms in the shape of the eventual dungeon map and then design it on a screen-by-screen basis. That said, if you don't have good spatial reasoning skills, this approach may not work for you. Overworlds are significantly simpler as there's not as much inter-weaved paths you need to worry about.

One thing I strongly recommend new questmakers do is make the first 3 or so areas of their quests, and try and identify what parts were the most fun and capitalize on that. If there were parts you didn't enjoy, obviously you want to try and fix that, but you get a lot more mileage overall playing to your strengths than trying to compensate for your weaknesses.
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