Here we are at the conclusion of my post series on computer RPG journal design. I will admit, I am a usability freak. The one thing that will wind me up faster than anything on earth is software design that isn’t based around the user. This website makes my skin crawl.

Please, cRPG designers, think about the journal early in your game design. Unless your game has all the complexity of Doom 3, a journal can make or break your game. Here is your cut-out-and-keep checklist of things to consider:

General Points:

1. Hired genre-appropriate writer?
2. Logged all known quests?
3. Category: Trailheads
4. Category: Quests in progress
5. Category: Quests completed
6. Category: Quests on the backburner
7. Category: Quests’ area

Quest-specific points:

1. Logged all details given in dialogue?
2. Logged information source?
3. Logged information source location? (if known)
4. Logged promised reward? (if known)
5. Logged what player has already done?
6. Logged where player should go next? (if known)
7. Logged known map locations?
8. Logged visited vs. unexplored areas?
9. Logged acquisition of unique quest object?
10. Logged loss/discard and location of unique quest object?

Click on each item to get the detailed explanations. Do you think I’ve missed anything? Do you disagree? Let me know.

[HRODC website found through Experts Exchange]

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