Overview

"The kid's Rat" is a non-linear side quest for the RPG Divinity Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition. It is about a kid who needs the players help to retrieve his lost rat companion. The level reiterates on a gameplay mechanic with the interaction with poison surface and water surface. This side quest tells the story of an abandoned cavern and animal abuse.

Quest Design

Design Goals

• Create a short gameplay experience addressed to new players (level 1 to 4) of DOS2. 

• Reiterate with the gameplay mechanic of the interaction between poison surface and water surface, also barrel.

• Make a quest about animal abuse, and challenge player with the petpal ability unlocking unique dialogue choices.

• Make a side quest respecting the base game's quest design. Incorporate 4 Non-Playable Characters (NPC) in the quest.

Quest Flow

Melvin has lost his pet rat, and the player has to retrieve him back to him. After talking to Melvin's sister, he learns that the rat has fled in the caves, and he can get the keys to the caves from the sister, or he can brute force the door to enter inside the caves.  

In the caves, he meets the rat and an elf that protect the rat because he treats him like royalty. Suppose the player used dialogues that'll convince the elf to help him. In that case, he can agree to help the player and ask him to kill a powerful enemy in the caves and bring him back an old rat skeleton to craft a spell to enchant the rat to make him forcefully follow the player back to safety outside. The player can bring the rat this way, or he can simply "steal" it as an item in his inventory, but the elf will attack the player in this case, and if the player drops the "rat item", the rat will flee forever, never to come back.  

If we brought back his rat, Melvin is just a kid who has survived a shipwreck, gives us his mouldy teddy bear, but the player can discover gold coins inside if he inspects the object in his inventory. Else, he is sad and disappointed, but the rat is probably safe! Or dead... 

Pacing

Level Design

Design Goals

• Reiterate on the surface behaviour between poison and water using barrels. 

• Create a short and linear cavern for the side quest keeping in mind the base game's level design.

Paper Design

This non-combat area allows the player to explore the NPC camp and trigger the quest.

• The first combat area features toxic zones and water barrels that the player can destroy to clean up these areas, making progression and combat against the toxic frogs easier. The player enters the area from an elevated position, providing an overview of the upcoming combat encounter and allowing them to plan their approach.

• In the final combat area, the player faces the Giant Toxic Frog. The player starts at a lower level but can take down an enemy from behind to make the upcoming fight easier. The encounter rewards the player with a chest.

Scripting Example