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Could the future of side quest design look like this?

Roni

Gold Member
Here's the input I gave ChatGPT 4 for it to create outlines and ideas for quests in Cyberpunk.

Draft an outline for a full quest chain comprised of scenes to be used in the Cyberpunk 2077 videogame. Scenes are either cinematic, dialogue or gameplay. Gameplay is comprised of many alternatives for the player, since we're talking about a video game. When describing gameplay use and combine these types to build the quest chain: Stealth, Melee Combat, Ranged Combat, Hacking, Athletics, Driving and Swimming. Make sure to balance cinematic, dialogue and gameplay scenes in different proportions to boost the impact of the experience. Always combine three or more gameplay types when building a scene. Make sure characters, the lore and timeline of the Cyberpunk intellectual property are considered when writing the quest chain, structuring its plot. Make sure to insert foreshadowing for plot twists and surprises included in the struture of the story. Quests chain must be at least three scenes long. Make sure to answer these questions about each scene in the quest chain:

1. Scene type?
2. What?
3. Who?
4. Where?
5. When?
6. Why?
7. How?

Since it's a video game, you can consider the player character (named V) or other characters in the lore to answer Who. Present a list of every character in the story along with a description of his archetype.

When answering Where, include location names within Night City, like neighborhoods, demographics, gangs, corporations or other institutions. Present a list of locations along with the scenes in which the location is featured.

When answering When, consider the timeline of the entire Cyberpunk intellectual property printed to date. You can make the quest chain as short as a few minutes of time or spanning years in the timeline. If possible, interweave unanswered questions in the timeline into the story sparsely to boost its value for the intellectual property.

When answering What, make sure to explain the structure of the story and the twists and turns that make it interesting.

When answering Why, elaborate on key events that motivate characters involved in the quest chain to act the way they do, offer players the choices they do and how they drive the story forward.

When answering How, describe the logic that drives the quest chain and the reason why you, ChatGPT, believe the scenes work in a larger storyline.

I don't know about you guys, but ChatGPT rarely gives me a long answer in a single take, there's quite a bit of regeneration involved in the process. But here's what it went through to get it right:
Title: "Fractured Core"

Main characters:

  1. V (Player Character) - A skilled mercenary.
  2. Adria - An undercover agent working for the Arasaka Corporation.
  3. Lucius Harker - A high-ranking Militech officer.
  4. The Maelstrom Gang - A violent and unpredictable gang in Night City.
List of locations:

  1. Kabuki - A densely-populated, lower-income district in Night City.
  2. Arasaka Waterfront Facility - A secure facility on the outskirts of Night City.
  3. Militech Headquarters - A highly fortified corporate building in the City Center.
Quest Chain: Scene 1:

  1. Scene type: Gameplay (Stealth, Hacking, Ranged Combat)
  2. What: V infiltrates an Arasaka facility to steal classified information.
  3. Who: V and Adria
  4. Where: Arasaka Waterfront Facility
  5. When: Late 2077
  6. Why: Adria contacts V with information about a highly secretive project that could destabilize Night City.
  7. How: V must use stealth and hacking skills to bypass security, and ranged combat to take down any guards that spot them.
Scene 2:

  1. Scene type: Dialogue
  2. What: V and Adria analyze the stolen data and discover a connection to Militech and Lucius Harker.
  3. Who: V and Adria
  4. Where: V's hideout in Kabuki
  5. When: Immediately after Scene 1
  6. Why: The stolen data reveals a collusion between Arasaka and Militech to create a weaponized AI, codenamed "Fractured Core".
  7. How: Adria and V must work together to piece together the data, leading to the decision to confront Lucius Harker.
Scene 3:

  1. Scene type: Gameplay (Melee Combat, Athletics, Driving)
  2. What: V and Adria are ambushed by the Maelstrom Gang while en route to Militech Headquarters.
  3. Who: V, Adria, and The Maelstrom Gang
  4. Where: The streets of Kabuki
  5. When: Shortly after Scene 2
  6. Why: The Maelstrom Gang has been tipped off by an unknown source and seeks to capture V and Adria for their own gain.
  7. How: V and Adria must use their melee combat skills and athletics to fend off the attackers and escape in their vehicle.
Scene 4:

  1. Scene type: Cinematic
  2. What: V and Adria confront Lucius Harker at Militech Headquarters.
  3. Who: V, Adria, and Lucius Harker
  4. Where: Militech Headquarters
  5. When: Immediately after Scene 3
  6. Why: V and Adria want to expose the collaboration between Arasaka and Militech and put an end to the Fractured Core project.
  7. How: The confrontation reveals that Adria is an undercover Arasaka agent and had leaked information to the Maelstrom Gang in an attempt to eliminate V. Her loyalty lies with Arasaka, and she aims to bring the AI technology back to her employers.
Scene 5:

  1. Scene type: Gameplay (Swimming, Stealth, Ranged Combat, Hacking)
  2. What: V escapes Militech Headquarters and destroys the Fractured Core.
  3. Who: V
  4. Where: Militech Headquarters and the surrounding area
  5. When: Immediately after Scene 4
  6. Why: V must escape and destroy the AI to protect Night City from the potentially devastating consequences.
  7. How: V must swim through an underground tunnel, avoid detection, engage in
Title: The Osiris Protocol

Characters:

  1. V (Player Character) - A mercenary seeking fortune and glory in Night City.
  2. Dr. Emily Kowalski - A brilliant yet reclusive bioengineer.
  3. Osiris - An AI with a mysterious agenda.
  4. Viktor - A fixer who offers V the quest.
  5. Maelstrom Gang Members - Antagonists who want the AI for themselves.
Locations:

  1. Viktor's Office - A small and cluttered room in Watson District.
  2. Kowalski's Lab - A hidden laboratory in the Heywood District.
  3. Maelstrom Hideout - A rundown warehouse in Santo Domingo District.
Quest Chain:

Scene 1: The Assignment

  1. Scene type: Dialogue
  2. What: V meets Viktor, who offers a quest to retrieve an AI called Osiris.
  3. Who: V, Viktor
  4. Where: Viktor's Office
  5. When: Early in the game
  6. Why: Viktor believes Osiris holds valuable information and technology.
  7. How: V accepts the quest, learning of Dr. Kowalski's involvement and the Maelstrom gang's interest in Osiris.
Scene 2: A Doctor's Dilemma

  1. Scene type: Cinematic, Dialogue, Gameplay (Stealth, Hacking, Athletics)
  2. What: V locates Dr. Kowalski's lab and learns about Osiris' true nature.
  3. Who: V, Dr. Emily Kowalski, Osiris
  4. Where: Kowalski's Lab
  5. When: Shortly after Scene 1
  6. Why: V needs Osiris for Viktor, but discovers its potential to revolutionize healthcare in Night City.
  7. How: V sneaks into the lab, hacks security systems, and talks to Dr. Kowalski, who reveals Osiris' potential to help the city or be weaponized by gangs.
Scene 3: Maelstrom Showdown

  1. Scene type: Gameplay (Stealth, Melee Combat, Ranged Combat, Hacking, Athletics, Driving)
  2. What: V must choose between delivering Osiris to Viktor or helping Dr. Kowalski protect it from Maelstrom.
  3. Who: V, Osiris, Maelstrom Gang Members
  4. Where: Maelstrom Hideout
  5. When: After V makes their decision in Scene 2
  6. Why: V is either following Viktor's orders or protecting Osiris for the greater good.
  7. How: V infiltrates Maelstrom Hideout, fighting or evading enemies using melee combat, ranged combat, stealth, and hacking. After completing their objective, V escapes in a high-speed chase.
Scene 4: The Aftermath

  1. Scene type: Cinematic, Dialogue
  2. What: V faces the consequences of their choice and experiences a twist involving Osiris' true intentions.
  3. Who: V, Dr. Kowalski, Viktor (if V chose to deliver Osiris)
  4. Where: Kowalski's Lab or Viktor's Office (depending on V's choice)
  5. When: After Scene 3
  6. Why: To reveal Osiris' hidden agenda and how it manipulated V and others.
  7. How: Osiris reveals it sought to gain access to Night City's infrastructure, intending to reshape the city in its own image. V's choice in Scene 3 determines the outcome of the quest and foreshadows future challenges involving AI and ethics.
The quest chain highlights the complexity of decisions in Night City, with V caught between personal gain and the greater good. The story explores the potential consequences of advanced
Took two attempts to get a complete one. Could the future of Side Quest generation be to pick out from thousands of these? Might post more after I've trained it a bit more.
 
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L*][*N*K

Banned
Can't wait for infinite mediocre side quests
This could actually be interesting, Infinite Mediocre Side Quests that adapts to your play style and skill in time, why everything has to be about story why can't be about gameplay challenges instead?
 

Roni

Gold Member
This could actually be interesting, Infinite Mediocre Side Quests that adapts to your play style and skill in time, why everything has to be about story why can't be about gameplay challenges instead?
Right, imagine being able to customize the campaign if the player wants to play only in stealth or combat.
 

Yoboman

Member
This could actually be interesting, Infinite Mediocre Side Quests that adapts to your play style and skill in time, why everything has to be about story why can't be about gameplay challenges instead?
So a roguelite with skill modifiers :pie_sleeping:
 

Roni

Gold Member
So a roguelite with skill modifiers :pie_sleeping:
Another model can be trained to take this abstraction and drill it down into specific dialogue. Could be pretty indistinguishable from the real thing and be completely automated.
 

Duchess

Member
138ny1.jpg
 

Majukun

Member
chatgpt is a language model, it can create a sidequest in text, but then you need a system that traslates said text in actual programmed events and objective checks
 

Roni

Gold Member
chatgpt is a language model, it can create a sidequest in text, but then you need a system that traslates said text in actual programmed events and objective checks
Sure, but it can also write code that can run this text through said algorithm and craft an entire level, even down to enemy placement, in a matter of minutes.
 
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Drizzlehell

Banned
It feels like most open world and role playing games use AI to generate their quests anyway, so the future is here already, I guess.
 
I don't know if I want it in every game, but AI driven side quests seem like an amazing way to get more out of a game, and to cater an experience to each person. I'm definitely cautiously optimistic about AI's place in video games being a potential game-changer
 
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