Lets have a chat about NPC's...

[Smackhead Steve]

This is mostly because i'm curious as to how/what people are expecting out of NPC's, but also in part because i'd like the dev's/mods (Lemmy, and or enigmagrey) to pop in and add input, or maybe talk about what they would like to see in them :) I guess I will go first...

Friendly types: I'd like to be able to recruit NPC's to my "group" and kind of have a way to interact with them whether it's asking them to go scavenge supplies, or asking them to come with me, or askin them to do things around the "base" (which could work with the new base claim thing, the NPC's would know where the base is since it would be claimed, right?) little simple things, like boiling water, working the farms (that I started) standing guard in a spot i could choose, maybe catching up on some sleep, and wandering around the house to the stove to start cooking. Maybe there could be like a big checklist of things for interactions I do/don't want them to do like cooking, boiling water, farming, cleaning (cleaning blood, or removing corpses from the base) or guarding. and everything that has a checkmark, they will do as they need/want. They should also require food and water, and medical attention, and maybe I could have some control over how they would be equipped to a certain extent, not sure how i feel about that though, maybe they should handle their own weapons individually.

hostile types: Maybe these would be the guys you run into on scavenging runs (either lone wolves or part of a group (yes, group, with their own base) and maybe if you get into a conflict with some of people from a group, maybe they would try to find your base, and interact with you and your people, or threaten you, or just out right attack your base.

I know this sounds like it's getting away from the PZ atmosphere, but with the given difficulty of zeds, I don't think the zombiies would become just a nuiscance you can write off, but rather a third dynamic to the human conflict during an apocalypse.

Thoughts? Anything I mention sound "too outlandish" and why/how so?
anything you're kind of looking forward to/hoping for?
to the DEVS: lets chat about this, ideas, yay's or no's?
How do YOU see the NPC's coming, and what would you "like" to see?

[Jzin]

I had fun with NPCs in state of decay. There was a bit of storyline etc. I also like how i could benefit on the different skills they offer. Most importantly, i like how they manage the base while i'm out adventuring for supplies or recruitting more survivors.

For now, all i want are NPCs who can manage my base in this game. I hate building bases because it is such a chore to build one and then to maintain the farms etc. I like your checklist idea! But i feel that i gives too much control so maybe we can try to order them around but eventually they'd do what they want.

Most importantly, i want to see NPCs having a decent survival skill in situtations where there are numerous zombies around like how it is now in survival mode. No point recruiting a team of NPC and they just stand and shoot or melee with poor kiting ability etc.

Most improtantly, i want to feel the pain when a member of NPC dies.

[Smackhead Steve]

Originally posted by Bertsies:

I had fun with NPCs in state of decay. There was a bit of storyline etc. I also like how i could benefit on the different skills they offer. Most importantly, i like how they manage the base while i'm out adventuring for supplies or recruitting more survivors.

For now, all i want are NPCs who can manage my base in this game. I hate building bases because it is such a chore to build one and then to maintain the farms etc. I like your checklist idea! But i feel that i gives too much control so maybe we can try to order them around but eventually they'd do what they want.

Most importantly, i want to see NPCs having a decent survival skill in situtations where there are numerous zombies around like how it is now in survival mode. No point recruiting a team of NPC and they just stand and shoot or melee with poor kiting ability etc.

Most improtantly, i want to feel the pain when a member of NPC dies.

I totally agree man, i think that them managing the base (like you pointed to in State of decay) is going to be a key thing, hopefully the devs look into that, I was thinking of the checklist thing as kind of "here's what you can do" type thing, not necessarily "this is what you must do" I was trying to think of a way that would be feasable to be implemented therefore the checklist thing came to mind, sort of like rimworld's tasking of citizens. you don't necesarily tell them exactly what to do, but give them several things they can perform as they see fit. I'd like more ideas i guess to be thrown up so if a dev does read this, then they might get kind of an idea to work with if it's plausible.

I would also like to see them defend the base when attacked as well, and also want to feel the pain when one dies (kinda like when a walking dead character dies :( so again i agree there, plus it kind of adds alot to immersion and gives you someone to play with (AI) and form a relationship with one you might like, or think is cool and all the sudden he dies in a zombie raid lol.

I would like to see them also be able to come out on raids/scavenging with me, too but idk how that would work out.

What did you think about the idea of having other groups of AI form small bases and stuff? or do you think it should stay just to random encounters with one or two hostile ones and leave it at that?

[digital]

I think having NPC's be dynamic with their own personalities would be a good thing. They will have their own state dependent on the environment, morale, relationship to others in the group and you. The condition of your base, or if you even have one, will determine if they join your group or not etc. One thing I don't want is micro-managing npcs and telling them what to do all the time.

Maybe instead of a checklist each base has a set of job types(professions) that you setup when you create your base. That way npcs would fill those roles and each role has an associated "job tasks."

[Rocco]

I'd like to see NPC's with their own small/large individual story mostly, maybe with some questlike features that gives you rare items or inform you about locations that might contain precious items. Also NPC's with tradeble items in safe bases would be a very nice feature in survival mode. Ofcourse it should be hardcore, but in reality there should be more survivors. Surviors should care about themselves, like i would in rl (♥♥♥♥ the rest, you die before me:), so trading stuff would be depending on things that have value for the npc's character or situation.

I like the NPC's with personality's, like digitalnico mentioned, also a lot. Though I don't think they should be able to join you, due to micro managing and attracting zombies and hordes. NPC's could join to defend the base and take on professions, like digitalnico said, but no NPC's that follow you.

And guys... give me a MAP!!!! I know my way in my hometown don't I? A map should be more than logical, including my own position and personal markers.

[Crohns Racing]

Originally posted by Rocco:

And guys... give me a MAP!!!! I know my way in my hometown don't I? A map should be more than logical, including my own position and personal markers.

http://pzmap.crash-override.net/
Diddnt you type Zomboid map into google if you had trouble navigating? :P

[Sundusk]

you guys are making (in my opignon) a big mistake,making your hope up on what they gonna be,let them them just be what the dev want them to be,so far they did an amazing job with their game,so im sure they will be great.

dreaming big on something to be,is the best way to be let down by it

ps:im not saying to not talk about it im just saying be carefull not to create a hype (to yourself) and disapointed on it after

[Rocco]

Originally posted by Born to be Mild:

Originally posted by Rocco:

And guys... give me a MAP!!!! I know my way in my hometown don't I? A map should be more than logical, including my own position and personal markers.

http://pzmap.crash-override.net/
Diddnt you type Zomboid map into google if you had trouble navigating? :P

Haha missed that one :P thnx

[stewydeadmike]

I just hope that once NPCs are added, you don't become a super important person were you're the one group that just owns everything and everyone you meet wants to join you. (which probably won't happen but you never know) such as if my group builds a big base there should be another group that builds an even bigger base. That is were State of Decay failed imo, you were the only group ever doing anything which got a bit boreing after the game ended. I just hope after NPCs are added you are no more important than any other survivor. (unless your the leader of a group/build a base or has valueable loot that bandits want or something along those lines)

[Smackhead Steve]

Sandusk47, not really trying to create hype at all, just curious what people are imagining them or wanting them to be really, besides if the devs look at this maybe they will get an idea of what we're thinking of by the term "NPC"s :)

I kind of sort of like the idea about them being in the base but their sole purpose should be survival (just like the player character) so given that they are at the base doing whatever they do, if a horde DID come by, maybe given their personality, instead of figting they could very well run off. I like the idea of the unpredictability in that, it would let you build a sort of bond with "those two girls who stayed and fought, while the rest ran off" kind of thing. Would sure be sad to see them get bitten or come down with a fever :(

I only brought up the checklist as an idea of how it could be handled, it's nothing i want really, but it seems like a realistic option, i mean, there are some things that are just too impossible to ask, and how that would all be handled would be very tough.

As far as the potential for other survivors/groups, the only thing i could think of in a negative light, would be that I wouldn't want the game to revolve around the tension between them and you/your group, they should just be another piece in the chaos, not the main part. The zombies and survival aspect should remain the most important part, but to have more immersion and life would be sweet :D

p.s. @sandusk47 They did do an amazing job so far in this game, that's actually why i'm bringing this up ;) - Constructive conversation, that's all.