Quest Mode: Guide to Formats, Worlds, and everything
Posted: 07 Jan 2013, 08:48
In the past couple of betas, the Quest mode has undergone some moderate changes. Since I'm responsible for many of them, I guess I'm in the best position to explain what they are and how they work. The in-game documentation is a bit sparse and not necessarily up to date.
In this first instalment in my Quest mode documentation series, I'll try to demystify Quest 'Formats' and 'Worlds' and how they affect your game, including, e.g., your booster rewards. Please feel free to ask questions!
Quest Mode Guide Part 1: Formats, Worlds, and Boosters
Format
All MtG players should be familiar enough with the concept of 'Format': we have Standard Format, Vintage, Modern and so on. Basically it is an environment that restricts the allowed cards to certain sets and possibly even more specifically disallows or restricts the use of individual cards. In the Quest mode, the concept is fairly analogous (technically) but a bit more flexible.
When you start a new quest, there are three ways you use formats to customize your Quest game. The relevant choices are:
1) Starting Pool
This is used to restrict the pool of cards you start your Quest with. The cards you can later buy or be awarded with are not affected by this choice. Your options are:
Unrestricted: Your starting pool cards are randomly drawn from the full Forge card database.
Sanctioned format: You can select a sanctioned format (Extended, Legacy, Modern, Standard, or Vintage), and your starting pool cards are randomly drawn from the pool of cards that are legal in the selected format.
Custom format: Allows you to choose specific sets with the Define custom format button. Your starting pool cards are randomly drawn from the pool of cards that are included in these sets.
Event or starter deck: You may choose a preconstructed deck from the list. You get all cards in that preconstructed deck, and they are also automatically added to your deck so you are ready to play immediately.
My draft deck: Allows you to import your playdeck from an earlier Draft mode game and use that deck as your starting deck, and you can start playing right away.
My sealed deck: Like above, allows you to import your deck from an earlier Sealed mode game and use that deck as your starting deck. You can start playing right away.
(NOTE: If you are starting the game in a World that defines a format, the format of that World will be automatically used for your starting card pool and the above selection will be disabled.)
2) Prized Cards
Here you can limit the sets that are used to determine the cards you can win as rewards or buy from the Spell Shop. The default, always used in earlier versions of Forge, is Unrestricted, meaning that you can find any card that is implemented in Forge. Your options are:
Same as starting pool: Use the same restrictions as in the Starting Pool choice.
Unrestricted: No restrictions. You can buy or be rewarded with all implemented cards.
Sanctioned format: Similar to the starting pool option. Choose a sanctioned format, and that format will be used to restrict the cards you find during your Quest.
Custom format: Similar to the starting pool option. Use the button to define a custom format, and that format will be used to restrict the cards you find during your Quest.
3) Allow unlock of additional editions
Unless you picked the option "Unrestricted" for your "Prized Cards" choice (or picked "Unrestricted" for your starting card pool, and then picked "Same as starting pool" for prized cards, obviously enough, since that has the same outcome), Forge will enforce a format during the Quest game you are about to start. This format could be called the persisting format. At some stage, you might find that you are bored with your format and want to add new sets to it during your quest. Or maybe that was your intention from the beginning: start with a very limited selection of sets, and gradually enable more sets.
This checkbox will enable you to 'unlock' new sets during your quest. The requirements are:
- You need to win a certain number of duels to be entitled to unlock a new set.
- You also need to pay credits. The different sets are priced differently, according to their real booster prices. This means that most sets will cost a moderate amount of credits to unlock, while Unlimited can cost around 250k credits...and you don't even want to know the price for Alpha or Beta!
When you are eligible to unlock one or more new sets, an "Unlock Sets" button will appear next to the Spell Store button. When you successfully unlock a set, you will receive a free tournament pack (or 3 boosters, if the set does not have tournament packs) to get you started with that set.
Notes on unlocking
- The selection of unlockable sets tends to tilted towards the sets that are historically close to the ones currently in your Quest
- The number of choices displayed (when unlocking sets) will solely depend your number of won duels.
World
Now you might ask: just what exactly is the point in limiting my selection of cards when my quest opponents are playing Vintage first-turn-kill decks with those sick P9/Urza's/Affinity/whatever cards? Well, maybe for the challenge...but seriously, the question is a good one. And Quest Worlds are the answer.
Quest Worlds are one step further from the Quest Format concept. Instead of just limiting the cards you find, they also include different selections of duel and challenge opponents whose decks have been doctored to conform to a specific format. At its simplest, a World is simply a collection of alternate duels and challenges. However, a World can also define a format of its own, and if it does, that format overrides whatever format you are normally playing with.
Currently there is exactly one alternate World in Forge: Shandalar. It is there mostly for 'PoC' (Proof of Concept) purposes, it does not even include the icons for the Quest opponents (due to copyright reasons). But it is entirely playable and can be used to demonstrate how Quest Worlds work.
To enter Shandalar, you need to click the 'Travel' button (near the Spell Store button) and choose 'Shandalar' as your destination. Or simply start a new Quest and choose Shandalar as your 'Starting world'.
It is recommendable that you complete your current challenges before you 'Travel' to a different world. Challenges are world-specific, and the game will forget your current challenges when you travel to a different location. (You will be given a warning, if you are at a risk of doing this.)
While in a World that defines a format (e.g., Shandalar), that format overrides all other formats - or the lack of one. The Shandalar World format includes Unlimited, Arabian Nights, Antiquities, Revised, Legends, The Dark, and Fourth Edition (plus bans a couple insignificant cards that aren't supported by Forge anyway). This means that as long as you are in Shandalar, you can only win or buy boosters and cards that adhere to this format. Also, you will see that your opponents also use such cards - at least mostly. There might be a surprise or two, though! While it is generally a good idea to keep the opponent decks more or less compliant with the World format, Shandalar is a fantasy world and not exactly a DCI tournament...
Note that the effects of travelling on the Spell Shop selection are not immediate - you need to win (or lose) at least one duel before the Spell Shop inventory is updated to conform to the Quest World format.
Also note that the "Prized Cards" format you defined at the start of your Quest is not lost when you travel to a World that overrides your defined format (nor are your unlocked sets, if any) - you just need to travel back to a World that has no format of its own to get that back.
The 'Unlock Sets' button will also be disabled (hidden) as long as you are in a World that enforces its own format.
Boosters
There are two basic types of booster rewards: generic boosters and set-specific boosters. The type that you get is determined by whether you are currently playing with a persistent format (either defined at the beginning of your Quest or stipulated by the current World).
Generic boosters
If you are not playing with a persistent format, i.e., you did not specify one when you started your Quest and your current Quest World is not enforcing one, you will get generic boosters as your rewards.
Generic boosters are drawn from the full selected cardpool, and the Booster Pack Ratios you set in your Quest Preferences will determine how many commons, uncommons and rares are included in them.
When you win a generic booster, you get to choose which format you wish to use to determine the cardpool for the booster.
Set-specific boosters
If a persistent format is currently being enforced (either selected in the "Prized Cards" selection at the beginning of your Quest, or by the Quest World), your booster rewards will behave differently. Instead of generic boosters, you get actual set-specific boosters for the sets that are legal in the enforced format, and your Booster Pack Ratios will be ignored.
Typically, when you win a duel or challenge, you can choose between two boosters that are legal for your format. For certain milestone achievements like every ten wins, you get more options to choose from.
In the Easy Quest mode, you also get boosters for lost duels and challenges. However, in this case, you cannot choose the set for your booster: the game simply picks a random set that is legal in your current format and gives you that booster.
Questions and answers
Why don't the Booster Pack Ratios I set in Quest Preferences work?
You are playing a Quest with a persisting format (either defined when you started the Quest or defined by the current World). In this case, the format setting overrides your Preferences and produces boosters that are valid for your selected format.
What happens when I unlock a set that cannot produce boosters (e.g., Media Promo)?
The set will be unlocked but you will not get the free bonus cards for unlocking it. You will not be able to receive boosters from that set as rewards either. The only way to acquire those cards will be finding and buying them from the Spell Shop (or a lucky ante from an opponent, if you are playing for ante).
I can 'Travel' to 'Main World' even though I didn't start the Quest in any other world, why?
If you started your quest in a version of Forge that did not have the Worlds code, your current World definition is 'none'. The current versions define a specific 'Main World', which is in fact the same thing for all other purposes except that the game will forget your uncompleted challenges if you 'Travel' there.
I just want to play my specified custom format against Shandalar (or some other world) opponents, how to do that?
The best way is to add a world definition that includes the duels/challenges directory specification without a format specification. Part 2 of this guide will contain details on that.
Coming next, in part 2: The World Builder's Guide to Quest Worlds. I will be using the 'Jamuraa' World I'm currently working on as an example to illustrate how you can build your custom Quest Worlds (to share with us, I hope... ).
Direct links to the other parts of the guide:
Quest Mode Guide Part 2: The World Builder's Guide to Quest Worlds viewtopic.php?f=26&t=9258#p107236
Quest Mode Guide Part 3: Challenge Rewards viewtopic.php?f=26&t=9258&start=15#p108828
In this first instalment in my Quest mode documentation series, I'll try to demystify Quest 'Formats' and 'Worlds' and how they affect your game, including, e.g., your booster rewards. Please feel free to ask questions!
Quest Mode Guide Part 1: Formats, Worlds, and Boosters
Format
All MtG players should be familiar enough with the concept of 'Format': we have Standard Format, Vintage, Modern and so on. Basically it is an environment that restricts the allowed cards to certain sets and possibly even more specifically disallows or restricts the use of individual cards. In the Quest mode, the concept is fairly analogous (technically) but a bit more flexible.
When you start a new quest, there are three ways you use formats to customize your Quest game. The relevant choices are:
1) Starting Pool
This is used to restrict the pool of cards you start your Quest with. The cards you can later buy or be awarded with are not affected by this choice. Your options are:
Unrestricted: Your starting pool cards are randomly drawn from the full Forge card database.
Sanctioned format: You can select a sanctioned format (Extended, Legacy, Modern, Standard, or Vintage), and your starting pool cards are randomly drawn from the pool of cards that are legal in the selected format.
Custom format: Allows you to choose specific sets with the Define custom format button. Your starting pool cards are randomly drawn from the pool of cards that are included in these sets.
Event or starter deck: You may choose a preconstructed deck from the list. You get all cards in that preconstructed deck, and they are also automatically added to your deck so you are ready to play immediately.
My draft deck: Allows you to import your playdeck from an earlier Draft mode game and use that deck as your starting deck, and you can start playing right away.
My sealed deck: Like above, allows you to import your deck from an earlier Sealed mode game and use that deck as your starting deck. You can start playing right away.
(NOTE: If you are starting the game in a World that defines a format, the format of that World will be automatically used for your starting card pool and the above selection will be disabled.)
2) Prized Cards
Here you can limit the sets that are used to determine the cards you can win as rewards or buy from the Spell Shop. The default, always used in earlier versions of Forge, is Unrestricted, meaning that you can find any card that is implemented in Forge. Your options are:
Same as starting pool: Use the same restrictions as in the Starting Pool choice.
Unrestricted: No restrictions. You can buy or be rewarded with all implemented cards.
Sanctioned format: Similar to the starting pool option. Choose a sanctioned format, and that format will be used to restrict the cards you find during your Quest.
Custom format: Similar to the starting pool option. Use the button to define a custom format, and that format will be used to restrict the cards you find during your Quest.
3) Allow unlock of additional editions
Unless you picked the option "Unrestricted" for your "Prized Cards" choice (or picked "Unrestricted" for your starting card pool, and then picked "Same as starting pool" for prized cards, obviously enough, since that has the same outcome), Forge will enforce a format during the Quest game you are about to start. This format could be called the persisting format. At some stage, you might find that you are bored with your format and want to add new sets to it during your quest. Or maybe that was your intention from the beginning: start with a very limited selection of sets, and gradually enable more sets.
This checkbox will enable you to 'unlock' new sets during your quest. The requirements are:
- You need to win a certain number of duels to be entitled to unlock a new set.
- You also need to pay credits. The different sets are priced differently, according to their real booster prices. This means that most sets will cost a moderate amount of credits to unlock, while Unlimited can cost around 250k credits...and you don't even want to know the price for Alpha or Beta!
When you are eligible to unlock one or more new sets, an "Unlock Sets" button will appear next to the Spell Store button. When you successfully unlock a set, you will receive a free tournament pack (or 3 boosters, if the set does not have tournament packs) to get you started with that set.
Notes on unlocking
- The selection of unlockable sets tends to tilted towards the sets that are historically close to the ones currently in your Quest
- The number of choices displayed (when unlocking sets) will solely depend your number of won duels.
World
Now you might ask: just what exactly is the point in limiting my selection of cards when my quest opponents are playing Vintage first-turn-kill decks with those sick P9/Urza's/Affinity/whatever cards? Well, maybe for the challenge...but seriously, the question is a good one. And Quest Worlds are the answer.
Quest Worlds are one step further from the Quest Format concept. Instead of just limiting the cards you find, they also include different selections of duel and challenge opponents whose decks have been doctored to conform to a specific format. At its simplest, a World is simply a collection of alternate duels and challenges. However, a World can also define a format of its own, and if it does, that format overrides whatever format you are normally playing with.
Currently there is exactly one alternate World in Forge: Shandalar. It is there mostly for 'PoC' (Proof of Concept) purposes, it does not even include the icons for the Quest opponents (due to copyright reasons). But it is entirely playable and can be used to demonstrate how Quest Worlds work.
To enter Shandalar, you need to click the 'Travel' button (near the Spell Store button) and choose 'Shandalar' as your destination. Or simply start a new Quest and choose Shandalar as your 'Starting world'.
It is recommendable that you complete your current challenges before you 'Travel' to a different world. Challenges are world-specific, and the game will forget your current challenges when you travel to a different location. (You will be given a warning, if you are at a risk of doing this.)
While in a World that defines a format (e.g., Shandalar), that format overrides all other formats - or the lack of one. The Shandalar World format includes Unlimited, Arabian Nights, Antiquities, Revised, Legends, The Dark, and Fourth Edition (plus bans a couple insignificant cards that aren't supported by Forge anyway). This means that as long as you are in Shandalar, you can only win or buy boosters and cards that adhere to this format. Also, you will see that your opponents also use such cards - at least mostly. There might be a surprise or two, though! While it is generally a good idea to keep the opponent decks more or less compliant with the World format, Shandalar is a fantasy world and not exactly a DCI tournament...
Note that the effects of travelling on the Spell Shop selection are not immediate - you need to win (or lose) at least one duel before the Spell Shop inventory is updated to conform to the Quest World format.
Also note that the "Prized Cards" format you defined at the start of your Quest is not lost when you travel to a World that overrides your defined format (nor are your unlocked sets, if any) - you just need to travel back to a World that has no format of its own to get that back.
The 'Unlock Sets' button will also be disabled (hidden) as long as you are in a World that enforces its own format.
Boosters
There are two basic types of booster rewards: generic boosters and set-specific boosters. The type that you get is determined by whether you are currently playing with a persistent format (either defined at the beginning of your Quest or stipulated by the current World).
Generic boosters
If you are not playing with a persistent format, i.e., you did not specify one when you started your Quest and your current Quest World is not enforcing one, you will get generic boosters as your rewards.
Generic boosters are drawn from the full selected cardpool, and the Booster Pack Ratios you set in your Quest Preferences will determine how many commons, uncommons and rares are included in them.
When you win a generic booster, you get to choose which format you wish to use to determine the cardpool for the booster.
Set-specific boosters
If a persistent format is currently being enforced (either selected in the "Prized Cards" selection at the beginning of your Quest, or by the Quest World), your booster rewards will behave differently. Instead of generic boosters, you get actual set-specific boosters for the sets that are legal in the enforced format, and your Booster Pack Ratios will be ignored.
Typically, when you win a duel or challenge, you can choose between two boosters that are legal for your format. For certain milestone achievements like every ten wins, you get more options to choose from.
In the Easy Quest mode, you also get boosters for lost duels and challenges. However, in this case, you cannot choose the set for your booster: the game simply picks a random set that is legal in your current format and gives you that booster.
Questions and answers
Why don't the Booster Pack Ratios I set in Quest Preferences work?
You are playing a Quest with a persisting format (either defined when you started the Quest or defined by the current World). In this case, the format setting overrides your Preferences and produces boosters that are valid for your selected format.
What happens when I unlock a set that cannot produce boosters (e.g., Media Promo)?
The set will be unlocked but you will not get the free bonus cards for unlocking it. You will not be able to receive boosters from that set as rewards either. The only way to acquire those cards will be finding and buying them from the Spell Shop (or a lucky ante from an opponent, if you are playing for ante).
I can 'Travel' to 'Main World' even though I didn't start the Quest in any other world, why?
If you started your quest in a version of Forge that did not have the Worlds code, your current World definition is 'none'. The current versions define a specific 'Main World', which is in fact the same thing for all other purposes except that the game will forget your uncompleted challenges if you 'Travel' there.
I just want to play my specified custom format against Shandalar (or some other world) opponents, how to do that?
The best way is to add a world definition that includes the duels/challenges directory specification without a format specification. Part 2 of this guide will contain details on that.
Coming next, in part 2: The World Builder's Guide to Quest Worlds. I will be using the 'Jamuraa' World I'm currently working on as an example to illustrate how you can build your custom Quest Worlds (to share with us, I hope... ).
Direct links to the other parts of the guide:
Quest Mode Guide Part 2: The World Builder's Guide to Quest Worlds viewtopic.php?f=26&t=9258#p107236
Quest Mode Guide Part 3: Challenge Rewards viewtopic.php?f=26&t=9258&start=15#p108828