"We need to restore power!"

I haven't found it to be that common.

Surely kill quests are much more common...

I feel like there are other mission types that are more common but are also far more forgettable so I can't think of any.

On another note, I like the idea of calling Unprofessional Fridays, Unpro.

Well, as the creator of the 'Find the Generator' concept page, I feel compelled to say yes. This was one of the first things I thought of when trying to come up with video game concepts. Resident Evil immediately comes to mind when I think of restoring power/finding a generator.

Perhaps the only concept that can match its sheer overuse is the opposite concept: kill the power generator, lower the shields/deactivate the alarm/turn off the lasers/shut down the cameras.

*rawk*

It's a variation on 'find the red key', just another means to gate progress.

"get/take item and bring/take it here/there!"

It's definitely one of the most common out there.

It's one of the most common, but I don't think it's the most common considering the modern setting limitation. Kill everyone/move to B/get key type missions are a lot more common.

Follow the money... I MEAN... follow the wires??..? Yeah, follow them wires.

You definitely do see it a ton, even if it's not "the most common" contrivance.

It's probably hard to come up with an endless amount of plausible excuses for access to an area to be blocked off.

"Your route is blocked off! You'll need to take the sewers! But first, you'll need to lower the water levels! Find three cranks! Exclamation point! The fate of the world depends on it!"

Ugh. Give me generators any day.

Rau, rau, fight the powah.

No one elevator should have all this power.

...

I'm sorry.

It's just a specific variation of "find the switches to proceed," which is probably the most common.

I guess it's actually not the most common one I've come across. It just sticks out more because of how little it resembles real life.

I mean, if I were to save or take over the world, I suppose I would have to kill quite a few people, collect a few specific items, and so forth. But how often would I come across bad wiring? I imagine good infrastructure would be critical to any major institution.