Different npc "factions"

[Prasse]

Will NPC's be members of different factions? If i for example could manage to get an enemy to follow me into a public place with lots of people, and the enemy would hit a bystander, would this mean they react to my enemy? Would it be possible to get npcs killed by "simply" causing them to make mistakes against other npcs? It would add to the realism if this was possible, and perhaps enemies causing to much "friendly fire" to each other would turn on one another. I hope you understand what i mean .

 

[SergeDavid]

I'm pretty sure all npcs react to each other the same way they react to the player. If you see your brother get stabbed by some crazy bandit that is chasing some other crazy guy across town I'm sure you'll probably do something about it.

 

[SRJR]

I think factions are extremely good to have in games.

I also like the idea of Ranking within the faction. For example if you kill the ruler of a castle, one of the remaining faction will replace him. This way you can have an organic, realistic faction, without the need to respawn NPCs.

 

[Subhu Man]

TES:Oblivion tried to do that, and essentially every town would dissolve into a huge melle when one of the factions stole another faction's apple, then that faction attacked the thief, then the thief's allies piled on etc. When coding ai for villagers to respond to violence it may be better to code them to run and fetch a guard who then orders you both to drop your weapons and go to the magistrate for 'disturbing the peace' (unless one of you can afford the on the spot *cough* 'fine'). That's where social skills kick in, when you accuse the bandit of banditry and the bandit accuses you of attacking him for no reason.