Quest Mode
Quest mode features 60 handcrafted missions organized into chapters. Each quest has specific objectives, weapon loadouts, and difficulty settings. Completing quests unlocks new weapons and missions.
Mode ID
Game Mode: 3 (GameMode.QUESTS)
From src/crimson/game_modes.py:12
Structure
Chapter Organization
Quests are divided into chapters with progressive difficulty:
Chapter 1: Tutorial Missions (Quests 1-10)
- Introduce basic mechanics
- Limited enemy types
- Fixed weapon loadouts
Chapter 2-5: Standard Missions (Quests 11-50)
- Varied objectives
- Multiple enemy types
- Weapon variety
Chapter 6: Hardcore Missions (Quests 51-60)
- Extreme difficulty
- Special rules and restrictions
- Challenge-focused design
Each quest defines:
- Starting weapon(s)
- Enemy spawn patterns
- Kill quota or survival time
- Available perks (quest mode filters perks using
QUEST_MODE_ALLOWED flag)
- Weapon unlock rewards
Quest-Specific Mechanics
Perk Restrictions
From src/crimson/perks/ids.py:13:
QUEST_MODE_ALLOWED = 0x1 # Only perks with this flag appear in quest mode
- Alternate Weapon (perk 9)
- Grim Deal (perk 8)
- Final Revenge (perk 19)
- Highlander (perk 41)
- Breathing Room (perk 46)
These perks are disabled because they either:
- Break quest design (Alternate Weapon)
- Cause instant death (Grim Deal, Final Revenge)
- Create unfair RNG (Highlander)
- Are two-player exclusive (Breathing Room)
Fixed Weapon Starts
Unlike Survival, quests specify exact starting weapons. Examples:
- Quest 1: Pistol only
- Quest 5: Shotgun
- Quest 15: Plasma Rifle
- Quest 45: Random weapon
Special Quest Types
Weapon Introduction Quests: Feature a new weapon type to teach its mechanics.
Survival Timer Quests: Must survive X seconds rather than kill Y enemies.
No Bonuses Quests: Disable power-up drops for pure combat challenge.
Plague Suppression Quest: Quest 2.10 (hardcore) disables the Plaguebearer perk entirely due to balance concerns.
Progression and Unlocks
Weapon Unlocks
Completing specific quests unlocks weapons for Survival mode. The unlock system ensures players access more powerful weapons by completing harder quests.
Unlock Checkpoints:
- Basic weapons: Unlocked early (Quests 1-15)
- Plasma weapons: Mid-game unlocks (Quests 16-30)
- Ion weapons: Late-game (Quests 31-45)
- Secret weapons: Special conditions
Chapter Gating
Later chapters require completing earlier quests. You cannot skip ahead without finishing prerequisite missions.
Difficulty Tuning
Enemy Density
Quests carefully control enemy count:
- Early quests: 10-30 enemies max
- Mid quests: 50-100 enemies
- Late quests: 150+ enemies simultaneously
Spawn Timing
Unlike Survival’s continuous escalation, quests use scripted spawn waves:
- Initial spawn burst
- Timed reinforcements
- Boss waves
- Final cleanup phase
Health and Damage
Quest enemies may have modified HP/damage compared to Survival equivalents. Hardcore quests frequently feature buffed enemies.
Notable Quests
Quest 1: “Welcome to Crimsonland”
Objective: Kill 15 zombies
Weapon: Pistol
Perks: Limited selection
Introductory mission teaching basic movement and shooting.
Quest 2.10: “Plague Spreaders” (Hardcore)
Objective: Survive plague-carrying enemies
Restriction: Plaguebearer perk disabled
Difficulty: High
From src/crimson/perks/availability.py - special case suppression.
Quest 6.10: Final Mission
Objective: Survive maximum difficulty
Enemies: All creature types
Duration: Extended
Final challenge requiring mastery of all mechanics.
Strategy Considerations
Perk Priority in Quests
Since quests have defined endpoints, prioritize:
Short-Term Power:
- Fastshot (immediate DPS)
- Uranium Filled Bullets (2x damage)
- Ammo Maniac (25% more clip)
Avoid Long-Term Perks:
- Regeneration (quests end quickly)
- Lean Mean Exp Machine (limited levels)
- Long Distance Runner (maps are small)
Weapon Mastery
Learn each weapon’s optimal range and target count:
- Shotguns: Close range, grouped enemies
- Plasma Rifle: Mid-range single targets
- Gauss Gun: Long range, linear crowds
Resource Management
Quests often limit bonus drops. Conserve powerful bonuses (Nuke, Energizer) for difficult spawn waves.
Completion Rewards
Per-Quest Rewards:
- XP towards overall progression
- Weapon unlocks
- Next quest unlocked
Chapter Completion:
- Achievement/milestone tracking
- Access to next chapter
100% Completion:
- All weapons unlocked
- Access to secret weapons
- Hardcore mode mastery
Tips for Quest Mode
Restart Freely: Unlike Survival, quests are short. Restart if you get bad RNG or perk choices.
Learn Spawn Points: Enemies spawn at screen edges. Position yourself to maximize coverage.
Save Ultimate Bonuses: Hold Nuke and Energizer for the final wave or when overwhelmed.
Hardcore quests (Chapter 6) are significantly harder than earlier content. Expect to retry multiple times.
Differences from Survival
| Feature | Quest Mode | Survival Mode |
|---|
| Duration | Fixed (2-5 min) | Endless |
| Starting Weapon | Quest-specific | Always Pistol |
| Perk Pool | Restricted | Full (58 perks) |
| Objective | Kill quota or timer | Survive infinitely |
| Difficulty | Static per quest | Continuous escalation |
| Weapon Unlocks | Quest rewards | Random drops |
Source Code References
src/crimson/modes/quest_mode.py - Quest mode implementationsrc/crimson/quest_level.py - Quest configuration and loadingsrc/crimson/perks/availability.py - Quest perk filteringsrc/crimson/game_modes.py:12 - Mode ID definition