39 replies to this topic

[Orithan]

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd you just had to do that, didn't you?

No offense, but you shouldn't call people out like that, but yes, me and poke already covered that you'd get banned if you make another account...

I didn't really intenend to offend you like that. It would have been evident if he dug far enough in the forums.

Back to the topic at hand, I believe that this is a great idea, and I have a few tips to offer.

1. Work on difficulty curves. Jamming level 1 with Deathknights is just plain stupid.
2. Do not have millions of dead-ends scattered all over the overworld. It frustrates players.
3. Give some general direction on where to go in the overworld. Just leaving them to grab the sworld and just expect them to go straight to level 1, or forcing them down a narrow path to level 1 is a common problem that plauges even some of the best quests.
4. Do NOT spout random thingmajgs from the internet in random places, especially memes. It literatly trolls people.

Edited by Orin XD, 10 March 2012 - 05:41 AM.

[Shane]

I didn't really intenend to offend you like that. It would have been evident if he dug far enough in the forums.

Well the truth is it kinda did offended me, but I guess it's kinda my fault for being sensitive. But yes, that is proof.

I know what you mean, Shane. I've only seen certain areas done, not the entire game itself. I've thought about it from time to time, but most of the 3D games have game mechanics that would require a ton of scripting to implement all elements of the game into ZC.

I'm starting to think how much praise would one get if someone did made it... on ZC!

Edited by Shane, 10 March 2012 - 03:32 AM.

[LikeLike on fire]

Its not easy making a quest of any decent quality. If you're new to quest making then you should ask yourself the following question: Am I willing to give up my time and sweat?

If no, not then I advise you not to start - you'll most likely end up demoralized and regretting that you invested your precious time on a wild goose chase.

If yes, then quest building can be one of the most rewarding, intriguing and pleasant experiences ever. Most other games out there you are stuck as the player - but ZC allows you to control the destiny of your own game. Make the game exactly how you want - and don't be influenced by what anyone else thinks or wants. Its your quest and you may do as you please.

One other point I should mention. Some people pretend that they are willing and happy to help on the surface and in public, but in private when push comes to shove they'll often look the other way and pretend that you don't exist. No one will help you. Not really. Not truly. Not when they have to give up their precious time. No player will help you test your quest when they have countless other quests to play which are better. No script writer will help you write scripts without asking for "comissions" or "compensation" or think of you as someone who they can ask for favours later. No other designer will fix screens, help with design or help you fix errors - let alone give you passwords to their own quests which are so crucial. You're on your own - better you hear this now than have to find out the hard way later.

The best you'll get are pre-written tutorials (which I must admit have been outstanding) and the odd short reply of advice on the forums which can sometimes be of dubious and misleading quality. So if your answer is still yes - then please write your quest and I look forward to playing it.

People can criticize my post all they want - but I speak from first hand experience having just made a quest and I speak the truth.

I could always try to draw an avatar for payment, I guess.

[*]Do NOT spout random thingmajgs from the internet in random places, especially memes. It literatly trolls people.
[/list]

is it tripple trolling if someone makes a quest based on memes?

That would be an interesting experiment, but unfortunately alternate accounts aren't allowed because they could be used for ban evasions and whatnot.

"hire" a friend, they sign up. you ghost write for them.
do it "by proxy" or would that be "the same thing as you making another account"?

Edited by LikeLike on fire, 10 March 2012 - 07:03 AM.

[cavthena]

Ouch this thread hurts. I help people (with scripting, because my artistic talent is next to none) I never expect anything in return... hell I personally don't care if I'm in the credits or not. To me I get practice and they get what they asked for.

At the same time however, it pisses me off that some people think that simply because someone is making a quest and signed up here entitles them to have people help them all the time or even do there work for them... Sorry but it doesn't.

If you do want that kind of support then maybe form a team with a few people. That's what I did and it works like a charm

[Old-Skool]

Hey guys, this thread was intended as a resource for new people. I'd appreciate it if you kept it that way.

There is a bit of supplemental information I would like to offer to newbies: You need not get involved in the community to start working on quests. Not by a longshot (ha ha haha). Seriously though, on more than one occasion, a new member has joined us with not only a great understanding of Zquest, but a completed quest of their own to show off! This is what I look forward to the most.

[James24]

Shane, to get around that small problem all you'd have to do is either 1) delete all cookies from your computer and 2) change your IP address. I've heard from a very reliable source that there's no way for anyone to verify your ID if you do that. Or you can simply go to your friend's house and signup there if it makes you feel safer - just don't let it slip that its really you. Is the real reason you don't want to do this because deep down you know that I'm right?

King Aquamentus, believe me I am all for helping newcomers and I support and I whole-heartedly support what you are trying to do. The new people aren't going to get help unless these painful issues that I bring up are addressed by the ZC community. You can't give help all by yourself. To do what your asking requires that all the pros out there to change the way they behave and I know that that is very difficult if not near impossible.

I'd help new people week in and week out if I could be guaranteed two things: 1) they won't just quit on a whim coz they don't want to work anymore and 2) they'd actually be grateful for the help - and give some visible token of appreciation. But from what I've observed as real behaviour that doesn't happen - and, sadly, that influences me to not help in future.

As a new person I felt the discrimination first hand and I would have given up if it weren't for my love of challenge quests. I persisted despite people saying "we'd help you if you had the history or track record of work", asking for "commissions" or "compensation", turning a blind eye and ignoring any requests for help. Getting no responses to my forum posts. In the end, you guys cause new people to quit.

I wish you all the best with your efforts - but looking into my crystal ball I see only failure unless you can address what I've brought up.

[Shane]

Is the real reason you don't want to do this because deep down you know that I'm right?

No, that is not in any way, shape or form, pretending to be a new guy is completely wrong, it's against the rules, I don't want to relive the past, as you can see it's already bad as is and regardless how many methods you can think of. And you know the fact that what you are saying is basically against PZC's rules.

Regardless what you believe PureZC was always there for me when I needed help. But I'm guessing it's our fault that you can't teach yourself the basics and/or looking at tutorials or learn how to script.

Edited by Shane, 11 March 2012 - 12:02 AM.

[LikeLike on fire]

i don't know. people like me come with inane questions like "can I have more guys? I don't think there are enough, I want to import more guys"

and "I can have a moving npc right? that walks around"

and "i followed the directions in the videos, but my cave is messed up because the invisable border so you can't walk up, turned into a warp, but if i go to it , I will never go back to the over world. more often than not, I do because that is where you grab the sword, so it is hard to avoid. I used the screen at the bottom for crying out loud"


I guess that is what James is going on about.

People with a bad case of the Derps, who are attention whores.

[Reese_Kaine]

One of the things that always bugged me was how much harder it is to learn when the newer versions of Zquest don't match the date of when the tutorials were made.

For example: I was doing a series of videos onTwitch.tv, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first game by playing the FDS game, then the Satallaview remake, then finishing it off with an introduction to ZC. Just one problem: I'm behind the times on how things are done in zquest.

For example: The first screen, I'm trying to set up a screen 80 thingy where you go into the cave. Unfortunately, the guy I set to give me the stick (L1-sword) is appearing on the starting screen with the text, the cave leads to a grey screen 80 with the item in the corner, the room is full of bats, and the player appears from the top of the screen. I set the starting position and the warp tile A to where I come back up, and it registers as Warp Tile D, so what am I missing?

Edited by Reese_Kaine, 23 March 2012 - 04:14 AM.

[LikeLike on fire]

One of the things that always bugged me was how much harder it is to learn when the newer versions of Zquest don't match the date of when the tutorials were made.

For example: I was doing a series of videos onTwitch.tv, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first game by playing the FDS game, then the Satallaview remake, then finishing it off with an introduction to ZC. Just one problem: I'm behind the times on how things are done in zquest.

For example: The first screen, I'm trying to set up a screen 80 thingy where you go into the cave. Unfortunately, the guy I set to give me the stick (L1-sword) is appearing on the starting screen with the text, the cave leads to a grey screen 80 with the item in the corner, the room is full of bats, and the player appears from the top of the screen. I set the starting position and the warp tile A to where I come back up, and it registers as Warp Tile D, so what am I missing?

I know. There are some good videos on YT, but if they are not using the one I was, it gets difficult.

[Lightwulf]

For example: The first screen, I'm trying to set up a screen 80 thingy where you go into the cave. Unfortunately, the guy I set to give me the stick (L1-sword) is appearing on the starting screen with the text, the cave leads to a grey screen 80 with the item in the corner, the room is full of bats, and the player appears from the top of the screen. I set the starting position and the warp tile A to where I come back up, and it registers as Warp Tile D, so what am I missing?

Hey, Reese_Kaine,

It sounds like your problem is with the DMap settings for the DMap on which you enter the cave. Make sure that DMap is "Overworld" type, because it sounds like it's set to "Dungeon" right now.

If the item still appears in the corner, use the blue square ("item placer" thing; sorry I don't know the official name of it) to place the item in the middle of the room. You don't set the item in screen 80, though; just the position of the item used by the "Special Item" room type.

[James24]

Yeah...its not easy to learn ZQuest. All I can suggest to the newer people is to 1) study quests that have already been made - say example 1st or 2nd quests and see how it was done. 2) Build your quest slowly and test out every screen before moving on to something else. If there's a problem, then you need to fix it before moving on. Personally, I never watched any videos regarding ZQuest, I just learnt by reverse-engineering great quests. The thing is that you can do that for any quest and never have to worry about wrong versions. 2.5 can upgrade any lower quest and is backwards compatible with all other 2.5 versions.

[LikeLike on fire]

Yeah...its not easy to learn ZQuest. All I can suggest to the newer people is to 1) study quests that have already been made - say example 1st or 2nd quests and see how it was done. 2) Build your quest slowly and test out every screen before moving on to something else. If there's a problem, then you need to fix it before moving on. Personally, I never watched any videos regarding ZQuest, I just learnt by reverse-engineering great quests. The thing is that you can do that for any quest and never have to worry about wrong versions. 2.5 can upgrade any lower quest and is backwards compatible with all other 2.5 versions.

how many are left with no password? open it up, poke around. Like when medical students work on cadavers.

[Old-Skool]

Zquest is only difficult to learn, in the same sense that Super Mario Bros. is difficult to complete: You'll be too busy enjoying that difficulty to really think about it. There are a lot of steps, yes, but once you learn them, you're pretty good. This is a primary reason why I heavily recommend you always start off with a classic style LoZ quest.

Edited by King Aquamentus, 12 April 2012 - 07:31 AM.

[James24]

Well, there are some quests which you can get the password from by completing the quest. See Russ's Light of the Heavens or Somewhere in Between. But if you don't know what you're doing, poking around won't get you anywhere anyways... Tropicana Island by Tox Von doesn't have a password. And as for my own quest, I'd be willing to give the password away to someone who has completed it without cheating.

Perhaps this might be easier for you if you're learning the basics. BS 3rd NP