I think this is the kind of quest I like too. 😊
What does everyone think are the key elements of these quests that make them great? Dark Entity, why is Hidden Duality the greatest quest made??
This is the type of quest I am trying to create as well.
Here are my thoughts on the key points, I want to know if people agree with them (trying to get feedback so that I can make a quest people will like):
1) Focus is on the progression through the levels, gaining in power as you go, while the enemies increase in difficulty, so as to always be challenging but not ultra-hard/frustrating.
2) It shouldnt be completely linear, instead you should be able to wander reasonably large areas hunting for things, but not so wide of areas that you get lost/stuck or frustrated. I think of one where you always know the next place to go as too streamlined, but something as wide open as the original zelda quests as too open, somewhere in the middle where you explore an area about the size of 1/4 or 1/3 the size of the original overworld map, in which there are a couple levels, and several critical items and some other secrets, before proceeding on to another (clearly deliniated) area, which you cant enter until you finish the tasks of the previous area, to provide some structure / progression.
3) Secrets, level entrances, etc should be reasonably well hidden, but any critical thing (necessary item, level entrance), should have a hint somewhere about how to find it, so that people cant get completely lost. The more riddle-like the hint is the better, it shouldnt be immediately obvious, but anyone who has explored the area to a reasonable extent should be able to figure it out.
Also, I like to in some way tell the player what secret items are hidden in an area, so they know when they have finished exploring it and found everything.
I think that summarizes well what I like: room to explore but some direction as to where to go, well hidden things with hints to find them, and a way to know what things are hidden so I know when I have them all in an area and can go on.
Does that sound good to everyone? Suggestions?