[3rd] Ye Olde Inn Quest Design Competition 2024

[Markus Darwath]

I would be interested in seeing critiques of the quests, beyond just votes.

[HispaZargon]

Of course...

[Bareheaded Warrior]

Apologies voting is closed now, but I also would welcome any feedback

[Daedalus]

The more the merrier, all are welcome, rules have been revised, get scribing, any questions let me know.

Some of you have cool icons in your signatures, where did you get those from and can anyone make a Gold, Silver, Bronze version of an icon for this comp (maybe featuring a map/parchment, quill - I'll leave the details up to whoever volunteers as my graphical artistic side is somewhat stunted!)

Good luck and may the best entries win...

If you like, I can assign a red, silver, and gold quill to contest winners. (I believe they were created for submissions to the blog, but that's now defunct for several years.)

Too bad I'm late to the party, but I lost track. I only quickly viewed the Quest entries. I most liked lestodante's since his notes were confined to a single half page, as is standard for Quests. Nice stuff in a quick read!

[Bareheaded Warrior]

Good idea and will hopefully raise awareness for the next one!

[Daedalus]

Done. Since you have planned at least one more contest and we have a limited combination of quill icons, I awarded one red quill reward icon to the first-place winners. If a first-place winner should win a second or third time, the icon will be updated to silver and then gold. If the contests continue and a member continues to win, I'll add a second quill and cycle the colors again.

[Bareheaded Warrior]

“Planned” is a strong word, “considering” is perhaps a better one… either way we have it covered for the next few iterations!

[Daedalus]

Considering . . . of course. I guess I may be showing a bit too much enthusiasm for the prospect of more Quest contests. This year's contest is much appreciated!

[HispaZargon]

Are new votes still accepted?

If yes, I could give you my honest opinion about all five quests, but unfortunatelly I did not have time to check them.

This doesn't guarantee the draw will be solved, but I can give my fair vote if you want in a couple of weeks.

I would be interested in seeing critiques of the quests, beyond just votes.

Of course...

As promised, but unfortunately not available 'in a couple weeks', here is my honest analysis to each quest, an the score I would give to each one (from 0 to 10 points).

BUT first of all I would like to aknowledge all the five participants for their great job. It is so clear that all these quests have been created by true fans of HeroQuest, their design level is so high in my opinion.

THEN, because they all are rather good I was forced to perform a so detailed analysis in order to find those slight differences which could help me to decide which have been the best quests according to my super-unfair criteria. Therefore, probably many of my below opinions will not like you if they were too hard, creators, but my only intention about them was trying to organize my feelings about the quests, never hurting any Ye Olde Inn member!!

I have sepparated the analysis in the five categories I think makes a quest better designed than others. Aesthetic and formal topics are also considered because in my opinion they are also important as part of the document quality, but this category only counted 20% of the final score. Of course it has been very easy for me to critizise the work of others because I have not participated in the contest. Zargon is a bad guy, you know...

Well, here I go following the same order as listed in the poll above... a summary is shown at the very end of this post.


"The Monastery of Madness" by Bareheaded Warrior

Story & Plot: 9
Though bit typical HQ, I really like the story of the quest, especially the background of the Mad Alchemist and why is kidnapping people.
Like the plot twist of the alchemist trying to trap the heroes with the Beast and escaping through the secret door.
In the parchment text I think there is a small spoiler because actually nobody knows if the dissappeared people is still alive or not at the beginning of the quest, so I would have better said "find the lost village folk" instead of "save the lost village folk".

Dungeon Design: 9
Although choosing paths is something not too much seen in classic HQ quests, I admit that I like the idea of allowing the Heroes to select which entrance to enter the Monastery.
Like the pit trap in corridor marked A because any hero trapped there will be attacked from both doors in the very first turn of the Evil Wizard.
I see well balanced the difficulty between entering through door A or door B, though the enemies are so different (spiders against regular monsters).
The dungeon map I think is well designed to achieve a dramatic finale with the escape of the alchemist, however maybe should be clarified in the text that the Alchemist "reveals" the Beast room content onto the board when its door is opened by him using the key.
In Quest Note C I missed some note clarifying if the stairway tile counts as 4 squares or just as 1 square (tough I guess the first is the correct). Anyhow how the stairway tile has been used here with the door does not convince me at all, maybe I had just put the locked door without the tile and placed the mark C next to this door.

New Rules: 9
I generally like the rules defined to open locked doors, however looking for accuracy I had avoided mentioning "other types of heroes" than the classic ones since I assume this quest is to be played in classic EU system. It is Ok anyway since the intention of extending to other heroes is good and practical. Maybe just saying from the force brute beginning "use starting BPs-4" for all heroes without mentioning their type had been a more elegant solution because it covers all of them (classic heroes and any others). Additionally, also for accuracy with EU classic edition, the Dwarf in such edition is much more skilled disarming traps than the rest of the heroes with a tool kit (see Swinging Blade Trap rules at AtHO questbook), so maybe I had given to the heroes with tool kit less chance to unlock the door by just rolling 2 dice instead of 3, and keeping 4 dice for the Dwarf.
Potion and Ability of Regeneration rules are so cool and well defined. The same for Fire Flask ones.

New Monster stats: 9
It is true that you did not gave any spell to the alchemist but it is also true that classic UK edition did not use to do it with sorcerers except with just a few, so this decision fits Ok with the classic UK style.
Good idea giving Movement 10 to the Alchemist to ease his escape via door A, however I think giving him the ability of diagonal attack is unnecesary because he already owns the flasks, but Ok. Like a lot also the idea of seeing the Beast trying to attack the alchemist if he is the closest miniature to the Beast!!
I like the special ability given to the Beast
Goblins with spears is also good idea to make the quest more challenging because in EU edition all the regular monsters have just 1 BP.

Fit with Official Lore & Aesthetics: 6
The quest is correctly and clearly presented but I love to see the quests presented in the closest posible format as the original questbooks, and unfortunately it is not. Additionally, Map icons resolution is a bit low and map borders are not seen very well inho.
Good to see the respect to the classic EU edition in the wording, rules and terms used, however some acronyms like "CD" for combat dice I think are not too official so I would try to avoid using them (please correct me if I remember bad).
In the "Backstory" paragraph is mentioned a known Mad Alchemist who was never mentioned before to Zargon player, which looks weird from wording point of view. Then I think better writting "A Mad Alchemist has been getting..."
The story is valid in terms of lore but maybe trying to dominate "the world" is a bit ambitious for just an Alchemist (I would say) apprentice. Perhaps knowing what Morcar thinks about this foe had been also cool, but Ok
The use of a Chaos Sorcerer fanmade icon in the map could be ok, however assuming in the text wording that such symbol should be known by the reader as a sorcerer (in this case the alchemist) is a bit innacurate because it is not an official icon.

AVERAGE SCORE for "The Monastery of Madness": 8.40


"Halls of Illusion" by j_dean80

Story & Plot: 8
Not bad story but I miss some plot during the game. The Heroes must enter into a lair and kill the bad guy, I am not saying don't like the story because it is the same one as 80% of all HQ quests, but I think maybe some spice with more character appearances or an artifact as plot driver had been welcome to make it richer.

Dungeon Design: 9
Very good design of the dungeon. Its design helps to naturally introduce the new rules to the Heroes about the Illusionary Walls. Love to see the mission of the blocked doors suggesting the Heroes that a room exists there and they must find how to enter to it through an alternative way. However maybe I had kept the secret door tile once discovered it is a Illusionary Wall to help the Heroes tracking them in the board, however not enough tiles in the GS box (seven tiles), maybe size of wall of room D should be reduced to just 1 tile or be represented by other icon, or just explained in the quest notes that it is an illusionary wall all of it, after all it is the 'last' room probably to be visited so no further track is needed there anymore.

New Rules: 9
Great rules, however I miss saying that Monsters can pass through illusionary walls, and clarifying if Pass through rock spell works with illusionary walls. Don't see too much the gain of allowing line of sight to the monsters through the blocking rocks. Also monster Movement should be checked in Monster Chart, not only defend dice. Maybe should be clarified that normal doors cannot be opened by ANY method.

New Monsters Stats: 9
The Illusionist knows 6 spells, so I had given to him 6 Mind Points instead of 7 One of the spells should have been able to be cast to other Monsters, maybe Camouflage Illusion? I would also gave a protection of 2 BPs instead 1 to Camouflage Illusion to make it more interesting as a longer protection to the Illusionist, after all it is only guarded by two CWs.

Fit with Official Lore & Aesthetics: 8
Low resolution map icons. Parchment background texture not 100% as the official, I think.
Even it is not 100% accurate nor used in NA system, I accepted the "Champions of the Realm" term because is the same term used by the Dungeon Design Kit book from UK version, so we could consider it official in classic HQ, however I think this term should not apply in classic NA system, specially if you also talk in the same quest about "Emperor", but it is just one of my very rigid opinions, which I have not taken here seriously during this analysis (better "Champions of the Empire", I guess).

AVERAGE SCORE for "Halls of Illusion": 8.60


"Twins of Death" by Lestodante

Story & Plot: 9
I liked the story because it is simple but cool and complete enough for a single quest of this kind. I think a balance between simplicity and plot richness is very important in any good game of HeroQuest.

Dungeon Design: 9
The quest notes identifiers should have been shorted differently. For example Note A should have been given to Note C because Note C looks to be found earlier by the Heroes during the game. Similar comment about rest of the notes.
I think icon mark B should be placed twice next to both locked doors not only in the left one because the corridor one could be found earlier by the heroes. This would help Zargon to understand and explain that such door is locked for some reason when found at the very beginning of the game.
Like the idea of unlocking the doors marked B only if two heroes work together in another room (A) by pushing the books, this will add some drama because forces the sepparation of the party at least for a couple of turns.
Love to see that room marked F has been introduced just to force a hero to pass again through the X square on the right and summon again at least another Death Warrior. The place where these warriors are summoned is very interesting for the game.
I would have given the heroes some reward in room marked D next to the scroll. Maybe just 150 gold coins had been enough for completing the quest.

New Rules: 8
Death Warriors summoning rule I think is sufficiently well explained, although looked a bit incomplete when I started to read them (I did not understand at the very beginning that could appear more than the two Death Warriors mentioned in the parchment and shown in the map, however later is clrified but looked confusing for me in a first reading).
About the spell stealing ability of Andruga I would have better said that she can steal it if the hero is in his line of sight instead of saying if they are in the same room. Imagine the combat continues inside a corridor, for example, instead of the room. Another detail is perhaps should have been better clarified that Andruga can steal and cast the spell in the same turn, which I guess is the intention.
I think there is a mistake in Note E. When the heroes press the books I guess the locked doors are unlocked BUT not opened. Otherwise text written on Note B makes no sense. Additionally I would have clarified in Note E that pressing the books counts as an action.

New Monster stats: 9
Like the special ability of the Death Warriors when attacking and defending, it makes them quite challenging in an easy way.
Andruga stats are Ok and like her simple but effective special ability to steal spells, however I had also given her at least one Chaos Spell card (i.e. Lightning Bolt or Summoning Undead) to ensure that she is able to cast at least one spell during the game because maybe the Heroes do not have any attacking spell when finding her).

Fit with Official Lore & Aesthetics: 9
Generally looks aesthetically like classic american style, however the parchment text should have been divided in 2 columns and Andruga stats should have been showed in a table format like in GS questbook to fit 100%. I know maybe there is not enough space to include the table but perhaps Note B text could be reduced (part of the explanation there about how to unlock the doors repeats the explanation of Note E).
Love to see how the story fits with official lore and terms of classic american edition, like assuming that the only magical heroes are the Wizard and the Elf (instead of Warlock, Druid, etc.).
About the two shadowed squares in room A, I would have better identified them just with "XX" symbols because making them grey is a bit confusing, in a first sight they seem to be printing mistakes.
Note D typo: "beetween"
Note E does not explain that must be used the Chaos Warlock figure to represent Andruga.

AVERAGE SCORE for "Twins of Death": 8.80


"The Night (Un)Life of Laphan" by Markus Darwath

Story & Plot: 9
The story is simple but it becomes really interesting as much the heroes advances through the dungeon. No doubt the clues written in the journal paper adds many inmerssive ideas to the game, however maybe it is too much roleplaying info to be condensed inside a HQ game in my opinion, which requires lots of text lines in the quest notes.
I had automatically killed the lich if the heart is destroyed instead of just avoid its revival... it fits better for me with the story telling. Seeing the lich alive without an alive heart is a bit dissapointing, especially because destroying the heart has been so difficult for the heroes.

Dungeon Design: 6
It is not clear where the heroes start the quest... in Note A room? in the starway? I guess it is in the 'cementery path' but it is not explained anywhere at the beginning of the general quest notes!!
I don't clearly see the point of the door placed inside room A, looks as a rigid concept, maybe could work during the game? Not sure about its added value.
Like the details given to Zargon about how to place the stairway tile onto the board.
I had used one 2x1 rock tile when posible instead of putting together two 1x1 rock tiles. Reducing the number of tiles onto the board always is a good idea to avoid clashes of the different elements. HOWEVER it is Ok, because later the notes suggest to use both 2x1 rock tiles for the grate hinged trap, so Ok.
Note C rules for a Wandering Monster appearance looks me a bit weird. I don't see the need of introducing the drawing card mechanic there, if you want to see the corpse in action, I would just tell it and put it onto the table attacking the first hero who discovered it, as a wandering monster!
Like the idea of the hinged metal grate in room D.
Like the idea of Earlich Phandol revivals until his cursed mortal heart is destroyed. However, maybe a bit complex the revival dice rolls and when they should be done/repeated. The journeal decyphering concept is really interesting, however looks too random the end of the quest. Only rolling a 6 in a red die after other succesfull combat dice roll is looking for too much luck from the Heroes, in my opinion and will make this quest too difficult or -sorry- even boring if he same numbers are rolled again and again. I would simplify a bit all these rules for a more effective quest design.
Sorry but room F supperposing concept of traps I think could not work well during the game. General searching rule allows a hero to find all traps in the room, so not discovering the chest trap in a first search will probably dissapoint the players. Although cool, I dont see added value on this complexity.
The extension of some shadowed areas of the quest map at the cementery path are not correctly limited with rock tiles. If this is intentional, I don't see the need and will probably confuse Zargon player.

New Rules: 7
I see too complex the rules of room A. Not sure if it is the best way to start a game.
Love to see how you have explained the Cultists double-attack rules, especially when both attacks goes to the same Hero and you allow defending against the combination of both attacks. This goes against the official rule described inRogue Heir of Elethorn box, but you are keeping the original intention of the classic HQ (...) so it is perfect for me because otherwise the Cultists would be too overpowered. Moreover we should assume that we only own the Game System box to play this quest, so ok again with the ruling decision even if it is the contrary official.
I think I understood the rules about the life-force draining touch of Earlich Phandol, however they look a bit confusing as written. I guess if Earlich attacks in close combat to a Hero, the combat is solved reducing BPs a asusual (but it is not explained) and if he achieve to cause damage during his turn, Earlich can add a black shield to its defence rolls until his next turn.
Not too confortable about seeing a different official rule about what happens if a Hero reaches 0 MPs, especially regarding the shocked hero can only move if led by another one... it looks cool, but I don't see the need of introducing such change compared with the officials already known by the players.
I see too complex the trap detecting rules described in Note F. Searching rules in HQ already have a lot of flaws, so any decision which could introduce complexity on this matter uses to work bad during the game, so I think we should try to avoid it if posible.
What means "any hero that sees the heart" in Note F? Does it mean any hero in the room or just the one who opened the chest? It is confusing as written.

New Monsters Stats: 9
To be accurate with the official stuff since I love to see all the HQ stuff as part of the same thing/universe, I would have given to the Cultists just 1 BP, but 2 BPs is also Ok anyway.
typo in Earlich Phandol rules: "reduced"
Heart rules (Fear and 5BPs) I think are correct.

Fit with Official Lore & Aesthetics: 6
The map aesthetic corresponds with HQ21, however the parchment and quest notes' look do not fit with HQ edition so could make confusion about which HQ rule system should be followed to play the quest in a first sight.
The use of a Dread Warlock fanmade icon in the map could be ok, however assuming in the text wording that the meaning of such symbol should be known by the reader is a bit innacurate because it is not an official icon.
To effectively warn Zargon, I would have coloured the whole room F with orange color to represent that the whole room is a trap.

AVERAGE SCORE for "The Night (Un)Life of Laphan": 7.40


"Escaping the Cursed Camp" by Sotiris

Story & Plot: 7
Practical and well told story but maybe repeats a too already seen idea (escape of imprisoned heroes).

Dungeon Design: 8
Overall good dungeon design but don’t like too much repeating the spells regain rule from chest B, I like the idea of seeing the Heroes missing the note A a playing without spells. They should had not passed the opportunity of inspecting room A because they could have supposed there to find another cell and then the useful help from other slaves. If they did not noticed it is their fault! So I don’t see good giving them another later chance to get their spells. Moreover, I even see it less credible in room B, a bless from a chest instead from a mysterious character.
Like the idea of awaking the Gargoyle once a hero enters the sorcerer’s corridor, it will give a dramatic scene if the Gargoyle attacks the heroes placed backwards, especially if the East corridor is already blocked by the rock and they have to pass through the alternative way with monsters.
Like the idea of linking the number of sorcerer’s BPs with number of Heroes, but customizing difficulty is something not done in any classic official quest, so I finally have a neutral opinion about this decision.
Don’t see the added value of placing the door behind the sorcerer. I think it could add confusion as written now its notes because it does not go anywhere. I would eliminate it and just place the sorcerer in the board corner.

New Rules: 9
I would have add that the Equipment card should be taken “from the deck”.
Love to see the unarmed rules you defined since it covers any kind of EU hero but at the same time they are probabilistically close to the homebrew classical: roll 1 die, Skull Barbarian, White Shields Elf & Dwarf, Black Shields Wizard.
Maybe should be advised to Evil Wizard in the general rules that board position of dead Monsters should be tracked, although just doing it privately.
Note C, maybe should be said about searchings that “if they are done in the room”. Obvious, I know, but otherwise in a first read it looks like they could be a general rule not only applying room C.
Note C: Maybe should be clarified that the deck must be or must not be shuffled after removing the WM cards. I would shuffle after it.
Rules for mind attacks defend by the heroes is well executed.

New Monsters Stats: 8
Placing a sorcerer in a long corridor gives a great opportunity of seeing ranged attacks during the game which is always a good challenge for Heroes. Why you didn’t allowed the sorcerer to attack from a distance with his mind?
It is true that you did not gave any spell to the sorcerer but it is also true that classic UK edition did not use to do it with sorcerers except with just a few, so this decision fits Ok with the classic UK style.

Fit with Official Lore & Aesthetics: 7
Some quest notes wording do not accurately fit with the original style of classic UK edition. As example Note B text should say something like “The Cupboard contains...” and “The Treasure chest contains…” to fit with classic original UK style.
Used fonts and parchment look do not fit with original ones from classic UK edition, even knowing that they are standards from tool hquestbuilder.com
The use of a Chaos Warlock fanmade icon in the map could be ok, however assuming in the text wording that the meaning of such symbol should be known by the reader is a bit innacurate because it is not an official one.

AVERAGE SCORE for "Escaping the Cursed Camp": 7.80


SUMMARY OF MY PERSONAL SCORING:

Then according to my criteria, the three quests below marked in bold are the ones I had voted in the contest, so... we had have still a tripple draw with 4 votes each of the winners!!

1. HZ score 8.80, "Twins of Death" by Lestodante
2. HZ score 8.60, "Halls of Illusion" by j_dean80
3. HZ score 8.40, "The Monastery of Madness" by Bareheaded Warrior
4. HZ score 7.80, "Escaping the Cursed Camp" by Sotiris
5. HZ score 7.40, "The Night (Un)Life of Laphan" by Markus Darwath

[j_dean80]

From last paragraph in opening parchment to the NA game system quest book:

"Each of you must complete 14 Quests. If you do this, you will be acclaimed as Champions of the Realm and dubbed Imperial Knights."