Tim Cain, co-creator of the Fallout series and a veteran of the RPG world, recently shared his perspective on the variety of quests that shape role-playing games. According to Cain, quests can be broadly categorized into nine distinct types, each bringing its own flavor and challenge to a game’s design. But he also points out the trade-offs developers face. More quests of one kind inevitably come at the expense of variety elsewhere, and since game development time is limited, pumping out more quests can lead to a rise in bugs and technical issues.
This balance between quantity and quality isn’t new to RPGs, but hearing it from someone who helped craft one of the genre’s most iconic titles shines a light on how much thought goes into every line of code and narrative beat. Building a vast, diverse world full of engaging tasks requires tough decisions, especially when you know that stretching resources too thin can undermine the entire experience. Cain’s reminder is a practical insight into why certain games feel rich and polished, while others struggle under the weight of their own ambition.
Source: pcgamer.com
