Quest (role-playing game)
{{Short description|Tabletop role-playing game}}
{{italic title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox game
| name = Quest
| image = Quest_RPG_cover.jpg
| designer = T.C. Sottek
| illustrator = Marianna Learmonth, Celia Lowenthal, Grim Wilkins
| publisher = The Adventure Guild
| date = 2019
| genre = tabletop role-playing game, fantasy
| website = {{URL|adventure.game/}}
}}
Quest is a rules-light, fantasy tabletop role-playing game designed to welcome beginners to the hobby.{{Cite web |last=Meehan |first=Alex |date=24 May 2022 |title=Beginner tabletop RPG Quest is now available to play for free |url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/quest/news/quest-rpg-free |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=Dicebreaker |language=en}} It was created in 2019 by T.C. Sottek, executive editor at The Verge.{{Cite web |date=25 April 2024 |title=T.C. Sottek Profile and Activity |url=https://www.theverge.com/authors/tc-sottek |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=The Verge |language=en}} It was published by Sottek's indie publishing company, the Adventure Guild, after a Kickstarter campaign raised $153,614.{{Cite web |last=Marks |first=Aaron |date=15 July 2020 |title=Quest Review |url=https://cannibalhalflinggaming.com/2020/07/15/quest-review/ |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=Cannibal Halfling Gaming |language=en}} Quest was nominated for the 2020 ENnie Awards in four categories.{{Cite web |title=2020 Nominees and Winners – ENNIE Awards |url=https://ennie-awards.com/portfolio-item/2020-nominees-and-winners/ |access-date=3 November 2024 |language=en-US}} Since 2022, the digital edition of Quest has been available for free. Other creators are allowed to make and sell products based on Quest.{{Cite web |title=Resources |url=https://www.adventure.game/resources/ |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=www.adventure.game}}
Gameplay
Quest uses a quick character creation system based on answering simple, Mad Libs-style questions.{{Cite web |last=Colleran |first=Meaghan |date=17 July 2020 |title=RPG Spotlight: Quest, The Roleplaying Game For Everyone |url=https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2020/07/rpg-spotlight-quest-the-roleplaying-game-for-everyone.html |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=Bell of Lost Souls |language=en}} Players roll a single 20-sided die to address challenges. The gamemaster is called the Guide.
Publication history
Quest was first published in 2019. In response to the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, the Adventure Guild announced that physical copies of the core rulebook could be ordered by libraries, public schools, and counsellors free of charge.{{Cite web |last=Meehan |first=Alex |date=13 July 2020 |title=Beginner-friendly RPG Quest is now available to schools, libraries and counsellors for free |url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/quest/news/quest-rpg-free-for-educators |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=Dicebreaker |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Elderkin |first=Beth |date=21 July 2020 |title=Steven Universe Rocks Out and Hello Neighbor Does Hidden Identity in the Latest Gaming News |url=https://gizmodo.com/steven-universe-rocks-out-and-hello-neighbor-does-hidde-1844341078 |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=Gizmodo |language=en-US}} Later that year, an audio tutorial was released.{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Chase |date=4 December 2020 |title=Quest RPG's narrated rulebook melds tutorial, actual play and scripted audio drama |url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/quest/news/quest-rpg-audio-tutorial |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=Dicebreaker |language=en}} In 2021, the expansions Fantastic Characters and Wondrous Treasures were released after a Kickstarter campaign raised $53,473.{{Cite web |last=Meehan |first=Alex |date=26 January 2021 |title=Quest's first expansion adds a character book, bestiary and treasure book to the RPG |url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/quest/news/quest-rpg-expansion-revealed |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=Dicebreaker |language=en}} In 2022, the digital edition of Quest became available for free download.
Third-party creators are permitted to make and sell products based on Quest using the game's Community Creators Resource, which was published under a Creative Commons license.
Reception
Quest was nominated for the 2020 ENnie Awards in four categories: "Product of the Year," "Best Family Game / Product," "Best Layout and Design," and "Best Writing."
Several actual play podcasts and web series have used Quest as their game system.{{Cite web |title=Quest: the Soaring City (No Initiative) |url=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGue7r0138oPaaTUC0dyADHZQUmE-O5mX |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=YouTube |language=en}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNxtRv-W7sY&list=PLclOxIwGubGrFikf7O7p7StoT_EggGAW6&index=2 |title=Planes of Providence – Episode 1: "Welcome to Agni" (Quest RPG) |date=1 September 2020 |last=Heroes Without Limits |access-date=3 November 2024 |via=YouTube}} The Asians Represent show on One Shot Podcast Network switched their "Dungeons & Da Asians" campaign system from Dungeons & Dragons to Quest in July 2020.{{Cite web |date=6 July 2022 |title=Agatha Cheng – The One Shot Podcast Network |url=https://oneshotpodcast.com/tag/agatha-cheng/ |access-date=3 November 2024 |language=en-US}}
Beth Elderkin for Gizmodo praised Quest's decision to make the core rulebook available to schools during the COVID-19 lockdowns, writing, "It’s a welcoming, positive, and (dare I say) educational roleplaying game, and seems like a great way to bring educators and students together during a difficult time."
Several reviewers noted that Quest was beginner-friendly. Charlie Hall for Polygon wrote that Quest "has been custom-made for people who are new to these sorts of games."{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Charlie |date=30 June 2020 |title=2020's best tabletop RPGs (so far), as chosen by fans |url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/6/30/21308168/2020s-best-tabletop-rpgs-chosen-by-fans |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}} Meaghan Colleran for Bell of Lost Souls called Quest "easy to jump into, easy to learn, easy to play and easy to GM. It’s a perfect game for kids or beginners."
Aaron Marks for Cannibal Halfling Games called Quest's "layout and document design" "superior" to that of typical role-playing games. However, he dismissed one of Sottek's early design goals – to "overtake D&D" – writing, "I can say Quest isn’t going to upend any existing hierarchy [...] That said, one need not start any revolutions to be successful."