Challenge for fun: Design a side-quest that doesn't involve grinding.

[Own]

Most every sidequest in RPGs involve "Fetch me this item drop", or "Slay # mobs". SoG has a fair number that don't abide this rule, which I like. So, that said, what are some sidequests that could work within SoG without grinding, and possibly minimal new mechanics - mostly taking advantage of existing mechanics?

Some examples: A while back I thought about one that involved 10 crystals shielding each other, with the first one shielding a souped up Brawler Bot, all in a small space. A chain reaction of shields to pop in order while dodging the souped up bot.

Another was pushing the water puzzle blocks in such a way as to trap fish when switching to Summer, but that one probably required a bit too much newer code.

After having smacked the Season Temple orbs around, though:

Secret of Season Temple

A fairy in Santa Fae informs you that there's supposedly a hidden room within Season Temple that only opens when the temple is in a specific state of 'harmony'. One fae from each season in the village is entrusted with a piece of the combination, but are forbidden from sharing with each other. You, however, are not a fae and may convince them to share what they know.

Speak with a Winter Fae, they say they think # rooms in the temple have to be Winter. Same with Autumn and Summer. A Spring Fae says that # rooms normally have to be Spring, but if the temple isn't currently reacting with Spring, divide that number between all other seasons.

Essentially you get three numbers like a safe combination and have to go around Season Temple, hitting orbs, counting and mapping out rooms to get a specific total of rooms being Summer, Winter and Autumn, which ultimately unlocks a door somewhere. Maybe holding a cure to thaw the permafrosted Fae.

I'd enjoy a puzzle like that. Especially if it had a combination that required you do a fair amount of looping around and backtracking in a specific order to set up.

What about you guys? Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Tylerthedragon]

Sidequest ideas? Me likey.

I think I have one that I just came up with:

Fortress of the Past

The quest starts as a report of the building in the sky having a strange malfunction. As the only one who can access it at this time, you are tasked with investigating the area.

Entering the Fortress and going into the room where you have beaten GUN-D4M previously, you will find a strange portal that is different from the ones in the teleportation plate. The ring is green instead of blue and the area inside seems to be malfunctioning.

Entering the portal takes you to a fortress that is almost constructed. The area is filled with mechanics of a futuristic time period building robots, and you enter as a faded character in a black and white area. You begin to learn the truth of the story of the characters mentioned in the scriptures of the Flying Fortress and find out what really is happening (unless this is a major plotpoint, if the story is a major plotpoint then replace it with how the building was constructed). As the world begins to fade out in white, you see a hooded figure that is grey, with a long beard. Similar to the hooded figure found in Pumpkin Woods (except a lighter robe and a grey beard seen coming out). He asks what you are doing here, as he didn't expect anybody but him to be able to come here since the building started to fly.

You will initiate a fight with the hooded figure (still in the white area). He will have access to many ranged magic attacks including Fire, Ice, Air and Earth similar to the players own magic spells and will teleport around the map similar to Phaseman, but more often and in random places. If the player is close to his teleport, he will swing a two-handed sword as fast as a one-handed sword, which will do increased damage.

After being defeated, the hooded man will teleport away from the player, mentioning they may cross paths again. The player can then leave the area after picking up the loot, as the portal closes and the fortress returns back to normal.

The reward could be a hood similar to the hooded figure and maybe a robe costume (since the boss is similar to the player's sprite, there would only be a few small animations to add for it to work) which would be purely cosmetic.

Edit: I know costumes probably won't happen but we could make it so this is a reoccuring enemy in many sidequests so the sprites being redone will be gone to good use.