Additional IPF/TR Route Alternatives to Quests

[Pixel]

As I was looking through the rocket and IPF mission lists, I realized that there's a lot more ways of earning tails and participating in Rocket shenanigans than there is IPF. Given that there's already some IPF versions of quests, and TR versions of quests...I was curious if anyone had any neutral route/TR quests that seem like they could be adapted to have an IPF mission that mirrored it.

The reason I mention this was due to the Toegpi egg quest. There's stealing and IPF involvement, but it's a neutral quest. With a couple of tweaks, it seems like something that could be given more nuance and more opportunity for both factions to earn prestige/merit in their own faction. 

Such as:
Instead of stopping the thief...YOU ARE the thief hired on by the rare pokemon collector...TR is just double crossing him. When he finds out you aren't giving up the egg, he challenges you to try to stop you. And that's enough time for the police to catch up to battle/you can try to talk your way out of it. 

And if you are IPF, instead of being a helpful passerby, you ARE the one answering the call of duty. Maybe instead of IPF battling you/escorting you back to the old couple, the TR gets involved, thinking you're alone and weak now after a couple battles. OR, maybe he has back up guards. And your back up arrives after the battles are over. 


I know there is nothing stopping folks in either faction from playing out the neutral route, but it seems like maybe one or two quests could get some color, and the factions could get some bolstering with alternative rewards. Sure, it would be two or three copies of the same quests with different rewards, but it would possibly incentive more players to participate in crime and justice play if there were more alternate routes to quests?

I'm just curious if anyone has any other quests they've looked at and wondered if there was a way to flavor it/tweak it slightly to pad the IPF/TR quest boards. Esp since all the IPF quests seem focused in the early, early game. Or if there was any interest at all in this sort of thing. lol. 

(Or maybe I'm just bringing up an old topic and just haven't noticed. lol. Enjoy my lunch time ramble.)

[Lamont]

IPF is very new comparative to TR. Basically all the old members were in TR so focused on that development. IPF wasn't even joinable until relatively recently. It needs quests for sure (though reminder IPF can gain Merit anywhere technically ;D Even outside of quests).

If anyone wants to come up with the public & staff guides to propose feel free! We always want more faction stuff just need help making it. Reminder that the more 'complete' the proposal the easier it is to review & faster it can be live.

[Pixel]

This is kinda the idea I was thinking. Very minor tweaks that allow for some roleplay opportunities.

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All in a Day's Work — IPF Route

Requirements:
Reached Goldenrod City
Be a member of IPF

Location:
Route 34: Day Care

Background:

Beneath Goldenrod City stretches the long and straightforward, Route 34. Not only is it the connection between the exit to Ilex Forest and the grand metropolis of Goldenrod but it is also home to an elderly couple, who run a local Day Care service. Very well known around the area, the couple are well respected and appreciated, taking in both trained Pokemon and wild, injured Pokemon who may need their support and care. The veterans are Pokemon experts who have connections to the famous Mr Pokemon and even the regions very own Professor Elm. However, something seems to be amiss. One of their Pokemon Eggs have been stolen! They aren't as young as they used to be, thus they are unable to chase after the crook themselves. Plus, they need to keep an extra eye on the Pokemon they are looking after, incase the thief decides to come back. So they do the one thing they can and call the police for help!

Quest Walkthrough:
You have arrived at Goldenrod and are traveling up Route 34 when you receive the alert. The elderly couple at the local 'Pokemon Day Care' have reported a theft of one of their eggs and need help stopping the culprit before he gets away! There is a call asking if anyone in the area was close enough to respond, and you happen to be nearby. After confirming you're on the case, you decide to do some investigating. 

Option one
You go to the Day Care to interview the couple about what happened. No doubt they'll be able to tell you more about the thief. With permission, you will even be able to investigate the daycare for clues. You will find signs of a professional breaking-and-entering job and suspicious footprints...

Option two
You're one for actions over words, and going back to interview the couple could waste precious time, so you take on the hunt right away! Maybe some people along the way have seen something? 


Eventually, your investigation will lead you deeper down route 34. And then you will see someone acting oddly, lurking behind a tree. When you approach, they will try to convince you that everything is just fine and if asked, they know nothing about the stolen egg. Of course, that is a lie, and when called out on it, the thief will challenge you to a battle.

As soon as you defeat the thief and about to claim the stolen Pokemon Egg back, yet another figure steps out from the shadows. A very upper class feel to him, the rich man introduces himself as a collector. He states that he has attempted to by the rare egg from the Day Care couple before but they refused to sell. Infuriated at the decline, he decided to hire a thief, who had also now failed him. Perhaps you could be convinced to...look past this little incident? He would pay you, fine officer, for the egg. All you have to do is look the other way. If rejected, he'll decide to take matters into his own hands, the man challenges you to a battle.

(If you accept his bribe, you will receive $820 and not have to battle him. He will, however, get spooked by the sound of more approaching officers and try to run off, accidentally leaving the egg behind.)

Upon defeating the rich man, both he and the thief try to flee and leave the Pokemon Egg behind. You can let them escape for now, confident your back up will be here soon to catch them. Or pursue them for arrest. Regardless of which you choose to do, you get the egg back and hear the sound of two officers approaching. You flash your badge, assuring them you're one of them and explaining what happened. 

However, if you let the thieves escape, you're left holding the evidence of a crime and will have a difficult time pleading your innocence. And if you did successfully capture the criminals responsible, the Collector will try to claim you were planning to steal the egg for yourself and even accepted a bribe from him! You're just a dirty double-crosser.

You can choose to let them escort you back to the daycare to sort out what happened or stand your ground to plead your case.


Option 1: Surrender and allow arrest.


You give yourself in, despite doing nothing wrong and the egg is removed from your possession whilst you are marched back to the Day Care. Upon arrival, the kind couple are able to vouch for you immediately, explaining that you are not the thief and instead help rescue the stolen egg. Apologising profusely, the IPF members exit the Day Care to search for the true thieves (or by taking the real thieves to the station). Thanking you for your help, the couple show their gratitude by allowing you to keep the Pokemon Egg.

Option 2: Stand your ground and fight them.


You are not going to give yourself in for a crime you didn't commit but because you are resisting, they are able to use force. Together, the two IPF Officers challenge you to a Double Pokemon Battle.

Upon their defeat, the two are still very much suspicious of you but are willing to listen to your side of the story more. Either way, you are led back to the Day Care, where the couple are able to vouch for your side of the story. Offering an item on top of their apologies, the IPF officers leave to find the true culprit behind this theft (or to escort the arrested thieves to the station). To thank you for your help, the couple offer you to take the Pokemon Egg with you.

Reward: Work Up

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Rewards:
+ Merit for roleplay decisions 
- Merit for roleplay decisions (like taking bribes)
+ Togepi Egg

[Tiki]

Happiness quest idea

Ipf:
Both hunter Travis and coordinator rod already have officer parts in them 🤷‍♂️

Team rocket:
Travis hunter have pups that could be “sold to” team rocket for points but the mother pup was injured so the team rocket could leave it with Travis to get caught by officer and sneak away?

No input on rod for this one

(Yeah we’re separating the mother and children houndour)



they could be rewarded retroactively based on like "profile background check" or like "performance review" idk. maybe "interview sammy and officer jenny" idk

[Lamont]

Just a reminder to keep separate quests in separate threads, or only work on 1 at a time, so it doesn't become a mess trying to respond & review to each one later <3


Focusing on Pixel's initial draft above... This seems an easy fluff adjustment :3
I don't think the initial 'option 1 & option 2' for whether or not to talk to the couple directly need to be separated like that since they change nothing. But! Keeping in a simplified version of the text would be a great reminder that RP-wise officers gain potential benefits by playing into their division can reap rewards. IE: SRT would potentially earn bonus merit for hopping straight into the action versus a detective would earn bonus for the other.


But if no one else has any other concerns or comments about it I'd be happy to get it live for the IPF. Would just add specific Merit bonuses similar to how the Dig-in quest does :3
(and switch the template stuff to use the updated version I just did for the base quest. Soon to come, move updates when confirmed in Staff)

[Pixel]

Yep! That was the idea. Make some minor tweaks to fluff (or possibly enemies depending on the quest line) to adapt it for the faction. I'm sure some will end up way more involved for certain factions, while other will be description changes and RP changes to better adapt play for the players vs maybe feeling boxed into playing the neutral route.

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All in a Day's Work — Rocket Route

Requirements:
Reached Goldenrod City
Be a member of Team Rocket

Location:
Route 34: Day Care

Background:

Beneath Goldenrod City stretches the long and straightforward, Route 34. Not only is it the connection between the exit to Ilex Forest and the grand metropolis of Goldenrod but it is also home to an elderly couple, who run a local Day Care service. Very well known around the area, the couple are well respected and appreciated, taking in both trained Pokemon and wild, injured Pokemon who may need their support and care. The veterans are Pokemon experts who have connections to the famous Mr Pokemon and even the regions very own Professor Elm. Your job is to steal a mysterious egg and determine its worth to Team Rocket. 

Quest Walkthrough:
You have been hired to steal an egg from the Old Couple by a Pokemon Collector, as you are undercover as just some ordinary thief. He has given you details on when and where to strike, but it's up to you to get inside and to steal that egg without being caught or worse, getting arrested! The Collector has no idea that you plan to double cross him and to take the egg yourself at the behest of Team Rocket. All you need to do is get in and get out. Easy for a career criminal like yourself, no? You will lose reputation points if you harm the Old Couple or draw unnecessary attention to yourself.

However, things go a little...sideways.

Once you get inside, you discover the egg is gone and there is someone CLIMBING OUT OF THE WINDOW! Another thief has beaten you there! Unwilling to let this job go south, you pursue this petty burglar up route 34. When you catch up to him, he tries to throw you off his trail by challenging you to a battle!

Once defeated, you can chase him off or threaten him (bur serious harm or injury will result reflect negatively on you). However, as you get that egg away from him, the Collector approaches you and thanks you for a job well done. He will offer to pay you and take the egg. 

Option One:
You take the money and run, leaving the egg behind. You hear IPF hot on your heels. Apparently the Old Couple called the cops!

+ No Slowpoke Tails
- Prestige
+ No Togepi Egg
+ 1x Nugget

Option Two:
You were given a job and it's time to reveal that you're here to double cross the man that thought he hired you for this job. You battle the Collector when he tries to stop you from running off with the egg.

Once defeated, IPF will run up to you both. The Collector will pin all the blame on you, and you'll need to think fast on how to get out of this situation. You can't run. And it's clear that they won't believe you aren't the thief right now. 


Option 1: Surrender and allow arrest.

You can talk your way out of this. There's not a problem here officer. You explain that you saw the thief climb out the window and pursued him and then were challenged by the Collector for the egg afterwards. The officers escort you to the Daycare couple and will a little sweet talking, the old couple believe your story of heroics and reward your efforts by allowing you to keep the egg.

It's not the prettiest job you ever finished, but you get out without going to jail and no one the wiser that Team Rocket was involved... 

+ Prestige 
+ Slowpoke Tail or Togepi Egg

Option 2: Stand your ground and fight them.

You reveal yourself as a member of Team Rocket and refuse to go down without a fight! That Collector was just an obstacle and these IPF officers don't know who they're messing with. This egg was yours!

Upon defeating the officers, they are forced to flee the scene to get back up, dropping a TM they were carrying as they do. While that wasn't exactly to plan, no doubt you'll be even more infamous now! Time to report back that the job was done.

+ Prestige depending on actions
+ Work Up
+ Togepi Egg or Slowpoke Tail(s)

[Lamont]

Just noting that the 2 proposed 'All in a Days Work' quests above were made live! <3

[Pixel]

Thoughts on Happiness Quest — IPF Edition

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Don't want to post too many spoilers, so mostly just hashing out some general premise ideas here for thoughts and feelings.

Happiness — Main quest
The core of this is saving Jimmy from three houndour and getting the bell, a baby pokemon and the happiness system unlocked. It's the only mandatory part of this neutral quest. 

Happiness — Bonus quest
Optional content that unlocks luxury balls and some nice money, items and exp for early game if pursued. This is also where the meat of the 'dark' side of the plot lives. 

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How to flavor Happiness for an IPF quest line that works as an alternate method of approaching the happiness system and might be appealing to pursue instead of the neutral route? I would suggest making the WHOLE quest mandatory, including the bonus routes. At least for the best ending! The main quest would be relatively unchanged except for the approach.

.
Something nefarious is afoot in Cherrygrove. There's rumors floating around about pokemon abuse and even poaching, but so far, all investigations have come up empty handed, as if they're chasing a trail of smoke. You're here as part of Cherrygrove's effort to increase their police presence and hopefully quash the criminal element that is potentially stirring in the underbelly of this quaint little town. It's been a relatively quiet day thus far, at least, until you hear screaming. A young boy is in trouble! It is your duty to protect the public and little Jimmy's in peril and only you can save him! You gather up your pokémon and get on over to fight off the dastardly Houndour pack that has him surrounded.

This quest is designed to integrate the Happiness system. An overview of it can be found here.

To battle the Houndour, you may use one of Jimmy's pokémon to help you if necessary; it will be at level 10. The Houndour will also be Level 10. With three Houndour there, it's advisable that you enter the battle with at least two pokémon in your party.
NOTE: This WILL take the form of a Triple Battle.

If you save him, Jimmy will reward you with whatever he can give you at such short notice for saving his life.
Once you win the battle, you will also be able to gain Happiness on all of your pokémon. They will receive the Happiness they gained in this battle, too. If you lose the battle, your pokémon will have gained no happiness and you will have to restart the battle all over again.

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You are an officer of the law. It is your duty to investigate this matter further! Reporting this incident and walking away is just not an option. Something inside of you is telling you that you need to go now before the trail goes cold. 

[Completing the quest this far will only unlock the standard happiness rewards, to receive any IPF credits/rewards, one must pursue the fleeing houndour and investigate all three routes]


(Not sure if I can really detail any quest stuff here without going into major spoiler territory)

But you as an officer will investigate the routes, helping people and representing the force where applicable and arresting crooks where needed. As you delve deeper, you stumble upon some of the players in the dark underbelly that brought you here. There are moments where the crooks may try to bribe you to look past their misdeeds and you must choose between the money and justice. Your life may even be endangered if the crooks feel cornered and threatened! Represent the force well for merit.

Maybe even add an additional encounter after all three routes are completed to differ it from the main quest? You are poking your nose into dangerous business. And dangerous people often don't like that.

[Tiki]

Sammy is a journalist so after Rod is arrested, he might lead you to another case he had a lead on but can’t access it poke in as a journalist?

The farmer could lead a shady merchant that sells herbs or berries in a misleading marketing way you know? (Misrepresentation of products)

Hunter Travis could lead to a group of hunters hunting Pokémon (think Jesse James saying good bye to koffing and ekans episode)

Maybe his clothing or tattoo had some mark that leads to a clue to a bud or something

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A team rocket version could be like reducing competition idk

[Pixel]

I like the idea of the farmer innocently shocked at the idea of something he thought was good for his pokemon turned out to be mislabeled. And questioning/battling the merchant leads to more clues.

And that after everything you gathered from all the routes, you stumble upon a ringleader sorts. Someone who profits off of practices that result in the mistreatment of pokemon. Maybe he can even escape. Maybe not. But he's pulling all kinds of strings.

[Tiki]

Personally that’s a long winded ring leader but could just be someone doing multiple scams at once

[Pixel]

TBF ring leaders organize. Their various pawns act.

[Tiki]

keep on forgetting to reply to this

the salesman to the farmer could use the clerk/ salaryman sprite and have a Pokemon with Run Away ability and an ice type
(something something freezing assets and then run away with your scam)
or fire type (something burning your savings for a scam)

I'm thinking Doduo/Dunsparce (but level 12 with Glare)/ Aipom/ Patrat as candidate
(something grabbing the purchaser's attention)

ice type candidate since Sneasel's been used: Cyogonal, Swinub
Fire type candidate: Flareon, Litleo (Unnerve)

as for ringleader, IDK

and I know we might restrict people who did happiness quest from doing it, but we can allow it like a "sequel mission" by letting people pick up the "aftermath after some investigation". Sometimes, cases take time to develop or clues don't show up right away

[Pixel]

I mean, having a sequel quest available for IPF that is 'bring down the ringleader/happiness quest aftermath' that you can do whether you do the neutral route or IPF route could be valid?