03 — Authoring Quests¶

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Quests and objectives are UPrimaryDataAssets. Create them in the Content Browser: Add → Miscellaneous → Data Asset, then pick QuestObjectiveData or QuestData as the data asset class.

Build objectives first, then reference them from a quest.

UDemoQuestObjectiveData¶

Property	Type	Meaning
`ObjectiveName`	`FText`	Short display name ("Defeat the Bandit Leader").
`ObjectiveDescription`	`FText`	Longer description for quest log UI.
`ObjectiveType`	`EDemoQuestObjectiveType`	What kind of action completes this objective — see below.
`TargetCount`	`int32` (≥ 1)	How many times the action must happen.
`bIsOptional`	`bool`	Optional objectives don't block quest completion.
`bIsSequential`	`bool`	If true, this objective only becomes active once earlier sequential objectives in the same quest are done. See 04.
`ObjectiveIdentifier`	`FName`	The value gameplay events must match (e.g. `"Bandit"`, `"HealthPotion"`).
`ExpectedEventID`	`FName`	Only used when `ObjectiveType == Custom`. See below.
`TimeLimit`	`float` seconds (default `0`)	`0` = no limit. Independent per-step deadline, separate from the quest's own `TimeLimit`. See "Timed quests" below.
`TimerWarningThreshold`	`float` seconds (default `0`)	`0` = no warning. Seconds remaining at which `OnObjectiveTimerWarning` fires once. Only meaningful while `TimeLimit > 0`.
`CustomData`	`TMap<FName, FString>`	Free-form key/value metadata for your own logic.
`ObjectiveIcon`	`UTexture2D*`	Optional UI icon.

Objective types and their matching event¶

`ObjectiveType`	Matches event ID
`KillTarget`	`"Kill"`
`CollectItem`	`"Collect"`
`ReachLocation`	`"Location"`
`InteractWith`	`"Interact"`
`Custom`	Whatever `ExpectedEventID` says (or any event, if `ExpectedEventID` is unset)

The matching mechanics are covered in full in 04 — Event-Driven Progress — that chapter also explains an important subtlety: two different objectives (in the same quest or in different quests) that share the same (ObjectiveType, ObjectiveIdentifier) pair will both be credited by a single matching event. That is intentional shared-credit behavior, not a bug — read that chapter before you rely on identifiers being globally unique.

Custom objectives¶

Custom objectives exist for gameplay that doesn't fit Kill/Collect/Location/Interact — crafting, reputation gain, PvP wins, building structures, and so on. ExpectedEventID narrows which event category the objective accepts, so a Custom objective identified "HealthPotion" with ExpectedEventID = "Craft" only reacts to a crafting event, not to a Collect event that happens to carry the same identifier:

// Objective: ObjectiveType = Custom, ObjectiveIdentifier = "HealthPotion", ExpectedEventID = "Craft"
UDemoQuestBlueprintLibrary::NotifyCustomQuestEvent(PlayerState, "Craft", "HealthPotion", 1); // matches
UDemoQuestBlueprintLibrary::NotifyCollectEvent(PlayerState, "HealthPotion", 1);              // ignored

If ExpectedEventID is left empty, the objective accepts any event ID carrying a matching identifier — maximum flexibility, less safety.

UDemoQuestData¶

Property	Type	Meaning
`QuestID`	`FName`	Stable identifier used by `FindQuestByID` and save data. Set this — see 09.
`QuestName`	`FText`	Display name.
`QuestDescription`	`FText`	Full narrative text.
`QuestSummary`	`FText`	Short summary for a quest log list.
`QuestCategory`	`FName`	Free-form filter tag ("MainStory", "SideQuest", …).
`Objectives`	`TArray<UDemoQuestObjectiveData*>`	The objectives that make up this quest.
`PrerequisiteQuests`	`TArray<UDemoQuestData*>`	Quests that must be completed first. Validated for cycles automatically — see 09.
`CustomData`	`TMap<FName, FString>`	Free-form metadata (quest-giver NPC ID, quest-line tag, …).
`Rewards`	`FDemoQuestReward`	See below.
`QuestIcon`	`UTexture2D*`	UI icon.
`QuestGiverDisplayName`	`FText`	Informational only.
`bCanAbandon`	`bool` (default `true`)	Whether the player can manually cancel it.
`bAutoComplete`	`bool` (default `false`)	`true`: completes instantly once all required objectives are done. `false`: the player must actively turn it in (see 05 — World Components, `UDemoQuestReceiverComponent`).
`TimeLimit`	`float` seconds (default `0`)	`0` = no limit. See "Timed quests" below.
`TimerWarningThreshold`	`float` seconds (default `0`)	`0` = no warning. Seconds remaining at which `OnQuestTimerWarning` fires once. Only meaningful while `TimeLimit > 0`.
`QuestSharingMode`	`EDemoQuestSharingMode`	Personal / Shared / Individual — see 01.
`bAutoEnrollNewParticipants`	`bool` (default `true`)	Shared/Individual only — see 06.
`MinPartySize` / `MaxPartySize`	`int32`	Party size limits (Shared/Individual). `0` means "no limit" for `MaxPartySize`; `MinPartySize` of `0` or `1` allows solo starts.

FDemoQuestReward¶

USTRUCT(BlueprintType)
struct FDemoQuestReward
{
    TArray<TSubclassOf<AActor>> ItemRewards;
    TMap<FName, int32> RewardAmounts; // e.g. "Gold" -> 50, "Carrots" -> 12, "ExperiencePoints" -> 100
};

Deliberately has no built-in notion of currency, XP, or any other named resource — what a "reward" even is (gold? carrots? reputation? skill points?) is entirely project-defined. Two generic channels cover every shape of reward: RewardAmounts for anything expressed as a keyed number, ItemRewards for anything that's a discrete spawned/given actor.

FDemoQuestReward is only data — nothing spends it automatically, and the plugin never reads or interprets a RewardAmounts key itself. Implement the actual granting in GiveQuestRewards(), routing each key to whatever it means in your game; see 02 — Zero-Config Integration.

Auto-complete vs. turn-in¶

bAutoComplete = true: the quest completes (and rewards fire) the instant the last required objective finishes. Good for simple collection/kill quests.
bAutoComplete = false: the quest becomes ready to turn in (IsQuestReadyToTurnIn() returns true) but stays Active until something calls CompleteQuest() — typically a UDemoQuestReceiverComponent on an NPC or chest. Good for quests with a narrative payoff at a specific location.

Timed quests¶

Set TimeLimit to a positive number of seconds. Once started, UDemoQuestManagerComponent counts down TimeRemaining on that quest every tick. Two things happen automatically:

OnQuestTimerWarning(Quest, TimeRemaining) fires once when the remaining time drops to TimerWarningThreshold (0 = no warning, set per quest — there's no longer a project-wide default) — use it to flash a UI warning.
If the timer reaches zero before the quest completes, the quest fails automatically (FailQuest is called for you).

The demo map's DQ_TimedDelivery quest (Content/Demo/DataAssets/Quests/) is a working example: TimeLimit = 45, bAutoComplete = true, a single ReachLocation objective.

Timed objectives¶

Objectives can carry their own TimeLimit/TimerWarningThreshold, completely independent of the quest's own — a quest can be untimed overall and still have one 30-second "hold the line" step, or vice versa. The countdown only runs while that specific objective is Active, and starts fresh each time an objective activates (including a later sequential one).

What happens when an objective's own timer reaches zero depends on bIsOptional:

Required objective: the whole quest fails (FailQuest), exactly like the quest-level TimeLimit expiring.
Optional objective: only that objective is marked Failed — the quest keeps going, and can still complete once its required objectives are done (the same bIsOptional rule that already excludes it from the completion check).

OnObjectiveTimerWarning(Quest, Objective, TimeRemaining) mirrors OnQuestTimerWarning at the objective level — see 04 — Event-Driven Progress.

Both the quest-level and every timed objective's remaining time are visible live in the QuestSystemDemoDebug overlay's Quests tab — see 09 — Validation & Cheats.

Prerequisites and validation¶

Any quest can list other quests in PrerequisiteQuests; CanStartQuest() refuses to start it until every prerequisite is completed. The dependency graph is validated automatically in the editor (on edit and on save) to catch cycles — see 09 — Validation & Cheats for the full validation and debugging toolset.

Prerequisites can freely cross sharing modes (e.g. a Personal quest requiring a Shared one) — completion is checked on whichever manager actually owns that specific prerequisite, not blindly on the checking quest's own manager, so a Shared prerequisite's completion (tracked on the party/GameState manager) is still recognized by a Personal quest's check. The one direction this doesn't resolve for you: a Shared quest requiring a Personal/Individual prerequisite — "whose personal completion should count for the whole party" is a design call this plugin leaves to you, so such a prerequisite is checked against the party manager's own completions (which a per-player quest never joins) and will never be satisfied automatically.

The demo's quests¶

Content/Demo/DataAssets/{Quests,Objectives}/ ships a working, playable set of quests exercising everything above — a concrete reference alongside the property tables. QuestID/ObjectiveIdentifier are the stable, functional keys (matched by FindQuestByID and by gameplay events respectively); asset names and display Names are cosmetic and can be renamed freely without touching them.

Quests¶

Asset	`QuestID`	Name	Category	Sharing mode	Objectives
`DQ_AlchemistApprentice`	`Quest_AlchemistApprentice`	Alchemist's Apprentice	Crafting	Personal	`DO_CraftHealthPotions`, `DO_CraftFungi`, `DO_CraftManaPotion`
`DQ_BanditThreat`	`Quest_BanditThreat`	Bandit Threat	MainStory	Personal	`DO_KillBandits`
`DQ_CrystalWarmup`	`Quest_CrystalWarmup`	Crystal Warmup	DemoV2	Personal — prereq `DQ_TimedDelivery`	`DO_CollectCrystals`
`DQ_HerbGathering`	`Quest_HerbGathering`	Healing Herbs	—	Personal	`DO_CollectHerbs`
`DQ_IntroQuest`	`Quest_Intro`	A Troubled Village	MainStory	Personal	`DO_TalkToElder`
`DQ_PartyHarvest`	`Quest_PartyHarvest`	Party Harvest	DemoV2	Shared	`DO_HarvestBerries`
`DQ_Pilgrimage`	`Quest_Pilgrimage`	Pilgrimage	DemoV2	Individual	`DO_ReachShrine`
`DQ_TargetPractice`	`Quest_TargetPractice`	Target Practice	DemoV2	Personal — prereq `DQ_CrystalWarmup`, manual turn-in	`DO_KillDummies`
`DQ_TimedDelivery`	`Quest_TimedDelivery`	Timed Delivery	DemoV2	Personal — `TimeLimit = 45s`	`DO_ReachDelivery`
`DQ_TreasureHunt`	`Quest_TreasureHunt`	The Treasure Hunt	—	Personal — sequential, manual turn-in	`DO_FindMap` → `DO_DecodeMap` → `DO_LocateTreasure`
`DQ_UrgentDelivery`	`Quest_UrgentDelivery`	Urgent Delivery	—	Personal — `TimeLimit = 25s`	`DO_DeliverMedicine`, `DO_LocateChild`

Objectives¶

Asset	`ObjectiveIdentifier`	Name	Type	Target
`DO_CollectCrystals`	`EnergyCrystal`	Collect Energy Crystals	CollectItem	3
`DO_CollectHerbs`	`MagicalHerb`	Collect Magical Herbs	CollectItem	4
`DO_CraftFungi`	`Fungi`	Craft Fungi	Custom (`ExpectedEventID="Craft"`)	2
`DO_CraftHealthPotions`	`HealthPotion`	Craft Health Potions	Custom (`ExpectedEventID="Craft"`)	3
`DO_CraftManaPotion`	`ManaPotion`	Craft Mana Potion	Custom (`ExpectedEventID="Craft"`)	1
`DO_DecodeMap`	`Decoder`	Decode the Map	InteractWith	1
`DO_DeliverMedicine`	`SickChild`	Deliver Medicine	CollectItem	2
`DO_FindMap`	`AncientMap`	Find the Ancient Map	CollectItem	1
`DO_HarvestBerries`	`PartyBerry`	Harvest Party Berries	CollectItem	6
`DO_KillBandits`	`Bandit`	Defeat Bandits	KillTarget	5
`DO_KillDummies`	`TrainingDummy`	Destroy Training Dummies	KillTarget	3
`DO_LocateChild`	`ChildLocation`	Find the Sick Child	ReachLocation	1
`DO_LocateTreasure`	`TreasureLocation`	Locate the Treasure	ReachLocation	1
`DO_ReachDelivery`	`DeliveryPoint`	Reach the Delivery Point	ReachLocation	1
`DO_ReachShrine`	`AncientShrine`	Reach the Ancient Shrine	ReachLocation	1
`DO_TalkToElder`	`VillageElder`	Speak with the Elder	InteractWith	1

Where to go next¶

Wiring gameplay events to these objectives: 04 — Event-Driven Progress
Placing quest-giving actors in your level: 05 — World Components