Rules of engagement
Anne M. Sullivan, Michael Mateas, Noah Wardrip–Fruin · 2010
Computer role-playing games (CRPGs) are known for their strong narrative structure. Over time, quests have become one of the main mechanics for leading a player through the story. Quests are given to the player in the form of a set of tasks to complete with few, if any, options. The options given to the player instead often revolve around combat-oriented actions -- requiring the player to engage in combat to progress through the storyline, despite player preference or game story that hints otherwise. We address this issue with the GrailGM, a run-time game master which offers quests and actions to the player based on their history and current world state.