CONTRACTS/JOBS
Discrete, repeatable work offers posted by NPCs or systems — deliver this cargo, kill that monster, craft ten swords — with defined payment on completion.
- SOLO-DEV COST MEDIUM
- TIMING REAL-TIME / TURN
- COMMON IN RPG · OPEN-WORLD · MMO · SIM
The Witcher 3's monster contracts elevate the format into mini-narratives with investigation phases, Euro Truck Simulator's job board is the entire game loop, and MMOs and live-service games use daily contracts to structure sessions. Designers use contracts to generate purposeful activity from systemic content: the same combat or hauling mechanics feel directed when framed as accepted work, and the board format lets players self-select difficulty, length, and reward type. Contracts also sink into economies naturally — payment scales with risk and distance. Key decisions: hand-authored contracts versus procedural generation from templates, whether contracts expire or have failure states, and whether reputation with issuers unlocks better boards. Pitfall: procedural contracts that expose their template ('kill 10 wolves' with the noun swapped) train players to see the skeleton — the fix is usually fewer, richer contracts with one hand-authored wrinkle each rather than infinite bland ones.
SEEN IN
- THE WITCHER 3
- EURO TRUCK SIMULATOR 2
- MONSTER HUNTER: WORLD