Reactive NPC's

[Allexll]

One of my biggest concerns is how are npc's going to react to the character. For example will some idiot bandit with a butter knife and no armor try to hold me up when I'm decked out in some of the heaviest armor there is wielding a giant sword (like some other games out there) or will he realize he hasn't got a chance in hell and just stay clear of me?

 

[Allexll]

I was thinking like a hidden stat on attire such to display wealth and intimidation, that can change with new vs. battle stained vs. worn armor. Also lowering your intimidation if you are openly wounded and such.

 

[SergeDavid]

Even though the situation is not very reasonable, it is plausible. Just look at the kind of silly shenanigans the player will do such as a sole warrior with mediocre armor and weapons decide it is a good idea to go into a bandit's den alone.

Times are hard this year, the farm wasn't doing so good and it barely produced enough to feel my wife and kids. If it wasn't for those trips into the forest for wild game we would have starved, at least until the kings men came along. We had no money to pay them, it wasn't my fault the vermin destroyed my stores of grain while that blasted drought killed my fields. They didn't even give us time to gather up more then what we could fit into our arms and a few pots. They let us keep the horse at least so my children wouldn't have to walk. I saw them too! Right before we turned the corner of the hill, some folk with a fancy shirt moving in with his misses into the house I built with my own two hands. Oh they will pay for this.

The winter took my babe and wife, nothing I could do out here but hold her and as she slowly passed from me to that damned cough. And then my good for nothing son leaves and steals that blasted mare from me! One night in the bottle and I wake up with him gone and the horse missing. Well he'll pay for this insult if I see him again, flesh and blood be damned. I'll make them all pay.

I have to move again, guards are roving the roads now. A man's gotta eat and they all had plenty to spare! Why that last guy didn't even know what it's like to have a hole in your belly, I should have knifed him there and then but I'm no murderer, but I could if I have too. A man has to eat you know. That look on the last guys face when he saw me though, I should have killed him for looking at me like that. At least I made him pay for it and tonight I'll drink like a king!

All of the travelers are moving together, there's no way I can attack so many people. I'll have to attack somebody soon though before I starve to death. What I wouldn't give for even a stale loaf of bread. Ah it must be my lucky day, finally someone by themselves! That poker of his looks threatening but his armor doesn't even have a scratch on it from what I can see. I bet it is just some rich townsfolk who doesn't even know what end you hold that shiny sword of his. I bet he'll have some money on him and I can get a decent meal in my belly for a change then roast squirrel. Besides there is only one of him unlike all the others.

 

[Allexll]

Naturally I meant this as a general rule of thumb, not a hard fast rule. Of course there are going to be those psychotic bandits, and like you described desperate people, but what I'm trying to say is that shouldn't be the norm. Different npc's would have different intimidation v. reward ratios depending on their predisposition. Including the standard non-starving bandits looking to make coin without getting chopped in half.

 

[MrIdontKnow]

I hope they're not nuclear! Haha


I'm pretty sure you don't need to worry about the NPC's being smart, it sounds like they're going to be pretty responsive to your character. You can go as in depth as you want, it's just some games put depth into certain things and only go shallow into others. Especially in a big open world, it's very hard to put detail into everything.

 

[the0thMonkey]

I think one of the things that makes bandits/outlaws/criminals so dangerous is that they're very unpredictable. You don't know if a brigand is just going to take your money or kill you for fun. If, in game, you know that every bandit will try to kill you on sight or some other predetermined generic action, you lose this entire aspect of realistic ruffians. Also, if combat with a bandit will be a true life or death struggle, their choice of actions become much more important. This is a fairly strong argument in favour of a more realistic NPC system in my mind.

If a system like this were to be used, what factors would affect an NPC's opinion of you? We've already mentioned armour quality and how intimidating you look. What else can we think up?

 

[Allexll]

Well other stats that I can think of would be the bandits self confidence, that can change as he successfully attacks more people on the road. If he is in a bandit clan his clans reputation can bolster his confidence, or force him to fight and not look weak even when he would otherwise not. Maybe have some be psychotic so that they would rush an absolute Juggernaut with a toothpick, as an extreme example. The quality of his gear would affect his confidence as well. Also if you look like you obviously can't handle a blade it could overwhelm the fact that you're wielding the blade of omega death. Conversely if you look skilled he may be less likely to attack, but he won't recognize skill too far up his own. For example in reality a novice sword fighter would see no difference between an expert and a master.

Then this would in the end be a simple equation with many inputs form different sources, (confidence + temptation (taken from wealth of target))- Intimidation. Keep it basic enough so that it could work for all NPC's as well. Also if you a very well known it may affect your intimidation, I.E. Jim slew the omega god of death, so we're definitely not going to screw with him.

 

[the0thMonkey]

I like the way you think Allexll. Some good ideas. The more ideas there are, that are easy to implement, the deeper the game will be. Good stuff!