Game mission archetypes, version 0.1

[unspeakablevorn]

Here are some archetypical missions found in video games, along with brief examples.

• Kill
  • Assassinate "Kill the ARM Commander."
  • Annihilate "Clear out the Den of Evil."
• Find
  • Collect
    • Farm "Mine 10,000 minerals."
  • Explore "Scout the base."
  • Discover "Find the missing gear."
    • Solve (usually) "Figure out how to start the elevator"
    • Trek "Get to the flag!"
• Defend "Don

Comments

[bladespark]

Defend has another sub-set "drag around bloody useless npc as part of your group and don't let them die."

[unspeakablevorn]

That's "escort" - though I guess there is a difference between bloody useless and Alyx Vance.

[shadesfox]

"armed" escort versus helpless escort? I'm not sure armed is the correct word, since I want to say that not all useful escort has to be armed. I'm thinking the sort of "escort the princess, who happens to be awesome at healing magic" type thing. That might actually be a third category of escort now that I think about it.

Would Retrieve be a mission, or would it be a series of a Find mission then an Escape mission? Or Find/Collect then Find/Discover/Trek?

[derakon]

Handing a weapon to an escortee also does not make them useful; all too often it just makes them suicidal.

[ellixis]

Well, useless NPC vs. useful NPC, I suppose. There are NPCs who aren't so bad to have around even if you do have to guard them, and then there are NPCs who you really wish you could leave behind for the enemy.