Quest Events

v4.0

The Quest system can automatically send events to followers who implement IFollowQuests. The QuestEventBoard can automatically send out events as the status changes on Quest and QuestStep objects. Your scripts can utilize the data to drive in game actions and behaviors.

The Blackboard module has similar functionality, where it can send out Events. QuestEvent objects are not entirely the same thing, as they are specifically intended to be used with the Quest system, while the Blackboard events are very flexible and agnostic to how they are used.

One notable difference, the QuestEvent value for status is specific to QuestStep.QuestStepStatus values, while the BlackboardEvent value for status is a string, with the intention that you will populate it as you see fit for your project.

QuestEvents and the Blackboard can be used together.

There could be times where you want to keep track of data with Blackboard, even if the quest that data relates to has not yet been activated.

Quest Event Board

The Quest Event Board is a prefab in the Repositories, and should be added to your scene. Any object that wishes to follow the Quest Event Board should implement IFollowQuests.

QuestEvent Object

The QuestEvent object is sent to followers via the ReceiveQuestEvent method, required with the IFollowQuests interface. The object will have information followers can use to decide whether they care about this event, and if so, what to do.

// Create a QuestEvent -- Generally this is not something you'd do manually!
public static QuestEvent Create(GameQuest gameQuest
        , QuestStep.QuestStepStatus status, QuestStep questStep = null) 
        => new QuestEvent {
                questGameId = gameQuest.GameId(), 
                status = status,
                gameQuest = gameQuest,
                questStep = questStep
};

Quest Game Id

This is the GameId of the GameQuest sending this event.

Status

This is a QuestStep.QuestStepStatus value, which can be Started, InProgress, Succeeded, or Failed.

Started is only the status for one frame. After that, the status is set to InProgress. It will never revert back to the "Started" state, so if you want to do something when a quest starts, such as play an audio clip, listen for:

 status == QuestStep.QuestStepStatus.Started

Game Quest

This is the GameQuest object that is being referenced.

Quest Step

This is the QuestStep object that is being referenced.

If the QuestStep value is null, it means the Quest itself sent the event!

Your followers of QuestEventBoard may be listening for various things. The value of QuestStep will determine which step sent the event or whether the Quest sent the event.

If the value is null, and status == QuestStep.QuestStepStatus.Failed, it means the Quest has failed!

QuestStep.QuestStepStatus.Started will never be sent by a QuestStep.

Example

Your scripts which implement IFollowQuests will need a ReceiveQuestEvent method. What each object cares about is entirely up to you.

// This example is from Puppy.cs in the Party Based RPG demo game

public string questName = "Rescue the Puppy";

public override void ReceiveQuestEvent(QuestEvent questEvent)
{
    base.ReceiveQuestEvent(questEvent); // Does nothing in this context.

    // Check to see if the event is that the quest has started
    if (questEvent.gameQuest.objectName != questName
        || questEvent.status != QuestStep.QuestStepStatus.Started) 
    return;

    SetTimeOfDeath();
    StartCoroutine(CheckForDeath());
}

In the example above, the "Puppy" is listening for a specific quest to start. If a QuestEvent is received and the value of objectName is not the questName the script cares about, nothing happens.

Similarly, it also only cares when the status is "Started", otherwise it will do nothing even if the objectName is correct.

When the objectName and value we are listening for match, and the status is Started, we call two methods.