By 
Dragon’s Dogma director, Hideaki Itsuno, has published a new devblog post about the game, detailing a few things that you may or may not have known were included. For starters, Itsuno says, Dragon’s Dogma makes sure you don’t have to go out of your way searching for vital information.
“There’s no need for you to play the game making sure to talk to and hear the same conversation from every single character in the town,” Itsuno writes. “If it’s vital information, pawns and the occupants of the town will come tell you of their own volition. You are free to talk about whatever you want to whoever you want according to your interests.”
Another paragraph of the developer post briefly outlines the various ways in which you can take up various kinds of quests.
“Quests all start and end in various ways,” says Itsuno. “Sometimes they’ll begin when you talk to a resident, sometimes they’ll start without you having to do anything. There are quests posted up on the notice board of the local pub , just as there are quests that you are entrusted with by the duke. You might even end up going on a date with one of the residents you have grown close to.”
