mobile NPCs

[ttlanhil]

as the title says. but it's a little mroe complex

being mobile would actually be pretty limited, depending on the NPC. the ones behind the bar, for example, would only have that area behind the bar to walk (for bonus points, have them more inclined to wander towards players)

other NPCs could have a set time of day they'll sit in the tavern and talk about certain things, and will later wander back home and have different conversation options, before going to be and not talking at all (of course)

as they'll have predefined routes, the pathfinding can be a lot less complicated than the client needs

 

I know that this would take a bit of work to add, but I don't think it'd be that large a task, and it can be used to add a fair hit of realism

[Puntif]

I always wondered about those NPCs that stand outdoors forever - maybe some of them would go inside at night (I don't want to think about them leaving for a bathroom break though).

 

Also when it's raining maybe they would go inside for shelter (or [Roja?] open an umbrella!),

[ttlanhil]

actually, they wouldn't always have to 'exist'... you could have, say, 3 of them who take shifts in the tavern, when one comes in another then leaves. and the regular barflys could disappear when they reach the door out, and not show up outside

 

more work and more NPCs, but more realism.

currently the game is pretty static in that the maps and NPCs don't change (conversation topic do, but that's it)

 

people like tankel could stand up, walk around, and go sit back down every now and then. he could even go inside to se kelcha and then go out. at all times, the needed NPCs would be withing a pretty strongly limited area (except if they're specifically intended to be moving... have the joker wander around for hiding spots once he teleports?), and when there's more than one doing the same job (like shifts in the bar) they would each share the same conversation script, just different name and appearance

[obionek]

Walking NPCs i like that idea, we should have walking guards (on some maps like votd,wsc) they would attack Pkable players on sight.

Also wsc guards could protect travellers from gargs (at night only), thay would be helpfull with monsters invasions also.

Simply walking NPCs would be a brilliant feature.

[ttlanhil]

guards isn't something I'm that keen on... why? because that's something the players (can) do.

the NPCs we have all fulfill purposes that players and bots can't, or can't do the same (for stuff like trade)

[Arthur]

sounds realy cool.Would add a lot of atmosphere to game.

[Asmodai]

Love the idea. Dialog surely wouldnt take up much space on the client brain. Maybe the npc characters could have evolving subjects, relevant to your race/gender(nothing important withheld due to that)

Personally, i despise npc's who try to make jokes.

 

I wouldnt mind a little animation of Tankel breaking some expensive items.

Edited July 26, 2005 by Asmodai

[Regar1]

the ones behind the bar, for example, would only have that area behind the bar to walk (for bonus points, have them more inclined to wander towards players)

183141[/snapback]

 

maybe use karma here? the higher ur karma, the more likely they are to walk over to u...and vice versa

[Hazor]

TirasHazor:I'mma head to the Tavern and get a Drink.

TirasHazor has -100 Karma.

TirasHazor chases teh NPC.

TirasHazor: Come back! I'm thirsty!

 

Ehm..Wasn't the Ants' original purpose making NPC's more dynamic?

[Lachesis]

I think this is, or portions of it are, planned It would be nice if NPC react on weather, too. For instance, why should the poor Lasud never enter the Tavern even in the heaviest rain :>

[kl4Uz]

I think this is, or portions of it are, planned It would be nice if NPC react on weather, too. For instance, why should the poor Lasud never enter the Tavern even in the heaviest rain :>

185106[/snapback]

 

Or maybe get a cold, because of the rainy and foggy weather?

[ttlanhil]

and NPCs could have moods, based on time of day, number of people asking stupid questions, the weather, etc... and have this influence which of many conversation branches are available

could also be based on the player... gender, race, equipment, stat ratios(liking crafters better than fighters, sorta thing), even a counter on how much the NPC likes the player

 

 

okay, so that's going a bit overboard. but more dynamic NPCs would be cool.

[Brom]

and NPCs could have moods, based on time of day, number of people asking stupid questions, the weather, etc... and have this influence which of many conversation branches are available

could also be based on the player... gender, race, equipment, stat ratios(liking crafters better than fighters, sorta thing), even a counter on how much the NPC likes the player

 

 

okay, so that's going a bit overboard. but more dynamic NPCs would be cool.

Yes! And we could factor in the moon cycles and tides that we have been discussing in Storylines and then give them horoscopes! I would love to see Hendrik's face when the moon crosses the Draegoni of Legend! Muahaha! ok.

 

Honest note: Yes, we need to make the NPC's not so static, I think Learner is the best person for this, and he has not found this post yet. I would like theives and guards in the cities as well.

I like the suggestion! lets hope and do what we can to help!

[sirdan]

its a good idea but maybe it should start out with less animation than that like maybe a blacksmith sharpening a sword every 30 seconds or so or a bartender pooring a beer and sliding it down to the end or some simple hand motions the joker could look like hes laughing every once and a while with the time people have to work on this game i bet we can have this feature by next year

[ttlanhil]

as far as moving around, we wouldn't need new animations, the current character walking would suffice for the time being (which NPCs can already have, if you have a CAL3D client you can see them breathe as well)

and there's code for monsters to wander around, misappropriating some of that, setting boundaries, and making them go closer to playersby default is probably not that much work

sharpening swords and such would require character animation work, though that would be both doable and good as well

 

getting their conversation options different could either be done by having the writers make a lot more lines, or have something dynamic (which needn't be as hard as it sounds)