When NPCs release, are they gonna eventually die out on the map, or will the continually spawn like zeds?

[Nicolai]

Basically the title. I ponder a lot about how NPCs will work in different areas. If they all die out the games gonna get very lonely. And how will you build small communities if you can't replace the people who die? But if they keep on respawning it would seem like there are way more survivors than there should be.

Perhaps a middle thing, where they're gonna start out high pop and then slowly fizzle out until it reaches a very low pop and then the game will replace the ones that die from there?

[SanJaySaurus]

I think that it will slowly lower as the world goes on, like how the zombie population rises as the game goes on

[=JpS=Red5]

My guess is that NPCs will replace some meta events. There will probably be options to configure NPC population and manerisms much int he same way there is for zombies.

[Invictus]

Considering the attention to detail they put into everything, I hope for really fleshed out mechanics, lets see with what concept they come out.

Maybe they can also introduce a quest system with this also.

[stevasaur]

Originally posted by Nicolai:

Basically the title. I ponder a lot about how NPCs will work in different areas. If they all die out the games gonna get very lonely. And how will you build small communities if you can't replace the people who die? But if they keep on respawning it would seem like there are way more survivors than there should be.

Perhaps a middle thing, where they're gonna start out high pop and then slowly fizzle out until it reaches a very low pop and then the game will replace the ones that die from there?

In a series of tweets on February 23rd, a PZ dev laid out a lot of the plans for NPC generation (mostly start-of-game generation), and included the comment

"Every character will have a story from the start of the game. [b[Sure we'll probably spawn in new out of towners or randoms when needed[/b], but the survivors of these core families will persist and have events (that they'll hopefully be able to recount to the player) since game start." Emphasis mine

So there will likely be the capability to have new NPCs spawn on the map: whether this is part of the default setting or something you have to turn on in Sandbox is unclear. From a game-making perspective, it would be very weird to have a whole system of post-apocalyptic occupations mentioned in one of the Thursdoids if the only way to access it in single-player was for the player to die and respawn as one of these occupations that are supposed to be interdependent with one another.

However, the "original cast" of NPCs appears fixed (since they're generated at the start of the game) and if they die, they die.

[Invictus]

Originally posted by stevasaur:

Originally posted by Nicolai:

Basically the title. I ponder a lot about how NPCs will work in different areas. If they all die out the games gonna get very lonely. And how will you build small communities if you can't replace the people who die? But if they keep on respawning it would seem like there are way more survivors than there should be.

Perhaps a middle thing, where they're gonna start out high pop and then slowly fizzle out until it reaches a very low pop and then the game will replace the ones that die from there?

In a series of tweets on February 23rd, a PZ dev laid out a lot of the plans for NPC generation (mostly start-of-game generation), and included the comment

"Every character will have a story from the start of the game. [b[Sure we'll probably spawn in new out of towners or randoms when needed[/b], but the survivors of these core families will persist and have events (that they'll hopefully be able to recount to the player) since game start." Emphasis mine

So there will likely be the capability to have new NPCs spawn on the map: whether this is part of the default setting or something you have to turn on in Sandbox is unclear. From a game-making perspective, it would be very weird to have a whole system of post-apocalyptic occupations mentioned in one of the Thursdoids if the only way to access it in single-player was for the player to die and respawn as one of these occupations that are supposed to be interdependent with one another.

However, the "original cast" of NPCs appears fixed (since they're generated at the start of the game) and if they die, they die.

It would be really nice to find hints / notes pointing to where they are established in order to find towners.

Maybe with certain electronics level and a good radio you can scan frequencies to find some with a radio.

[Nicolai]

Originally posted by stevasaur:

Originally posted by Nicolai:

Basically the title. I ponder a lot about how NPCs will work in different areas. If they all die out the games gonna get very lonely. And how will you build small communities if you can't replace the people who die? But if they keep on respawning it would seem like there are way more survivors than there should be.

Perhaps a middle thing, where they're gonna start out high pop and then slowly fizzle out until it reaches a very low pop and then the game will replace the ones that die from there?

In a series of tweets on February 23rd, a PZ dev laid out a lot of the plans for NPC generation (mostly start-of-game generation), and included the comment

"Every character will have a story from the start of the game. [b[Sure we'll probably spawn in new out of towners or randoms when needed[/b], but the survivors of these core families will persist and have events (that they'll hopefully be able to recount to the player) since game start." Emphasis mine

So there will likely be the capability to have new NPCs spawn on the map: whether this is part of the default setting or something you have to turn on in Sandbox is unclear. From a game-making perspective, it would be very weird to have a whole system of post-apocalyptic occupations mentioned in one of the Thursdoids if the only way to access it in single-player was for the player to die and respawn as one of these occupations that are supposed to be interdependent with one another.

However, the "original cast" of NPCs appears fixed (since they're generated at the start of the game) and if they die, they die.

Oh! That's interesting. I've mostly just read the blogs. Thanks for sharing. I mean they probably will give us options to adjust the survivor pop just like we can right now with the zeds, but I'm curious to see what the default settings will be.

[Grishnerf]

if they do npcs right with interactions (building bases etc) and backstory.
then only playing with survivors max spawn and no zombie spawn
could be funny/interesting madmax style scenario.

[Neo]

Are npc's coming out soon? im waiting 10 years for that and still not released o.O

[Nicolai]

Originally posted by Neo:

Are npc's coming out soon? im waiting 10 years for that and still not released o.O

IIRC the dev team split up in 2 teams. One working on NPCs and one working on intermediate updates between the NPC updates. So the next update we'll get is an expansion of endgame stuff, then the next one is NPCs. But it will take multiple updates before the NPCs are fully fleshed out. But the fact that they got a team dedicated to NPCs should be a reassurance.

[Beaumont]

In a perfect world the game would start with 90% of npcs alive. And kill them off

[Λ E O N]

Custom settings to tweak NPCS in the Custom Sandbox Option menu would be ideal, so everyone can tweak them to fit their playing style.

I love the concept of NPCs and how refreshing they can be inside the game, meaning unexpected events, interaction, adding lore, adding a roleplaying layer, or give meaning to long lasting games, to help others, be a bandit and so on.

Just hope they don't start ruining my fun with random raids, taking my vehicles, smashing through my barricades or taking my stuff. That definitely will piss me off next level. I experienced similar stuff on CDDA game and ended up shooting them in the head from miles away, every NPC I saw, without giving them a chance, or running them over with my car, no mercy, because every time I give them a chance they started to mess around my stuff, attacking me or right directly stealing my stuff. Good times.

[Neo]

Originally posted by Nicolai:

Originally posted by Neo:

Are npc's coming out soon? im waiting 10 years for that and still not released o.O

IIRC the dev team split up in 2 teams. One working on NPCs and one working on intermediate updates between the NPC updates. So the next update we'll get is an expansion of endgame stuff, then the next one is NPCs. But it will take multiple updates before the NPCs are fully fleshed out. But the fact that they got a team dedicated to NPCs should be a reassurance.

thx bro! ^.^ the npc addition its gonna be amazing

[DarkBlueAgent]

What are the chances NPCs will make it into the game this year? I want to get this game for singleplayer but having only zombies in it feels boring.

[Cold_Spartan]

Originally posted by DarkBlueAgent:

What are the chances NPCs will make it into the game this year? I want to get this game for singleplayer but having only zombies in it feels boring.

NPCs are being added in stages, the first iteration will be animals like deer for hunting and chickens and cows for farming, that will probably be this year.
Human NPCs probably 1 or 2 years.. This game has taken 10 years to get where we are, enjoy the journey not the destination lol

[Invictus]

Originally posted by DarkBlueAgent:

What are the chances NPCs will make it into the game this year? I want to get this game for singleplayer but having only zombies in it feels boring.

The game has a lot of depth as is, and the world is huge. There are tons of mods also, so replayability is over the roof (look at the playtime of reviews / people around here).