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Feels like in-game quests tor guilds would be a nice addition to the game. It helps distract people from the constant grind, gives incentives for having a wide variety of professionals via quest requirements, and opportunities for interactions within and outside guilds.
NPC townsfolk seems like a plausible new mechanic/aspect to guilds for several reasons: (bare with me)
1. Can apply the human character model with a few tweaked AI interactions - walks inside guild claim only, can't open doors, shows no hostility (maybe coward in face of enemies)
2. Can have maximum amount of NPC townsfolk per guild, scaling with the tier of the monument, to prevent abuse or overload.
3. Can require upkeep costs either through food or wages or other requirements (e.g. preparations as "subscriptions from a doctor"), which could encourage in-game interactions between players.
4. Can be killed, which means they need to be protected during Judgement Hours.
5. Can be upgraded with specific requirements (e.g. AI specific to certain jobs, protected storage accessed via "password"), including soldiers.
6. Impose a penalty on the guild when an NPC is killed (e.g. bad reputations cause NPCs to be "afraid to come to the city"). So people intending to use these NPCs as guards need to be more careful with choices.
7. Makes each city more "lively" even when people in different time zones come online. Especially considering how the community is burning out, seeing more people - even if they are NPCs - can be a comforting sight.
Just throwing it out there.
NPC townsfolk seems like a plausible new mechanic/aspect to guilds for several reasons: (bare with me)
1. Can apply the human character model with a few tweaked AI interactions - walks inside guild claim only, can't open doors, shows no hostility (maybe coward in face of enemies)
2. Can have maximum amount of NPC townsfolk per guild, scaling with the tier of the monument, to prevent abuse or overload.
3. Can require upkeep costs either through food or wages or other requirements (e.g. preparations as "subscriptions from a doctor"), which could encourage in-game interactions between players.
4. Can be killed, which means they need to be protected during Judgement Hours.
5. Can be upgraded with specific requirements (e.g. AI specific to certain jobs, protected storage accessed via "password"), including soldiers.
6. Impose a penalty on the guild when an NPC is killed (e.g. bad reputations cause NPCs to be "afraid to come to the city"). So people intending to use these NPCs as guards need to be more careful with choices.
7. Makes each city more "lively" even when people in different time zones come online. Especially considering how the community is burning out, seeing more people - even if they are NPCs - can be a comforting sight.
Just throwing it out there.
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omar_rolon_dx, rmcclsky, boyd-c0020 and 2 others likes this post.
Comments (5)
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Accepted Answer
1An npc quest system for skins would also be nice NPC's in general . Like a postmaster in the tradepost. A helper in the smith shop/herbalist shop etc. Not a high drop rate, so you still have some grind.Npc's work in WOW, why not LIF? Also the ability to hire stable hands and such. Make max Q lower than a player doing chores like cleaning the stable of dung. Or harvesting herbs in the herbalist shop. Players will always need to be the ones to make the highest Q everything, but having options is nice. What if you take a week IRL off. Your town could be in shambles when you get back! Just my 2 cents TYLike jacktktam and boyd-c0020 likes this post. -
Accepted Answer
1iceracerx wrote:
An npc quest system for skins would also be nice NPC's in general . Like a postmaster in the tradepost. A helper in the smith shop/herbalist shop etc. Not a high drop rate, so you still have some grind.Npc's work in WOW, why not LIF? Also the ability to hire stable hands and such. Make max Q lower than a player doing chores like cleaning the stable of dung. Or harvesting herbs in the herbalist shop. Players will always need to be the ones to make the highest Q everything, but having options is nice. What if you take a week IRL off. Your town could be in shambles when you get back! Just my 2 cents TY
I'd imagine that NPCs could get emotional effects like "exhausted" or "bored" if left alone for too long. Just like how people can only be without social interactions for so long. This should add to the upkeep unless interacted with by a player in specific ways, so that even if you stock them up with food and coins, they would eventually consume them all due to the increased upkeep.Like boyd-c0020 likes this post. -
Accepted Answer
1And maybe if you somehow manage to keep the same NPC alive for certain jobs, they would get better at it due to accumulated experience. Obviously never to the point that they could replace a player's hard work.Like boyd-c0020 likes this post. -
Accepted Answer
0I have thought of this as well. I think that he NPCs you get depends on the structures you have and the size of your guild. So you have to have adequate living spaces for the NPCs for them to come to your town. In order for them to advance or stay you will need to fill certain need. So for instance paving the town to make it easier to travel. Put in an herbalist shop to acquire a doctor to keep them healthy. Put in a windmill so they can harvest grain. Put in a blacksmith shop to acquire a blacksmith that can make tools for them and even sell to players (of course player made tools are better). I would also make the trade post allow you to have a courier that can make deliveries (which can be intercepted by other players so guards would be needed). I would also add a barracks in the building options that can allow you to train militia>guards>soldiers to help protect convoys or the towns folk. NPCs can't do anything that the guild can't do but it will add life to the game and new challenges. Also having a town economy that has to be maintained i.e. being able to keep enough food stored for the NPCs as well as paying the guards to protect the town. Even throw in "special" NPC's that require certain specifications and only have a set number in the world.
In the end the NPCs would perform minor roles such as running shops, maintaining the farms, guarding/patrolling the claim and a little more challenge and life to the game. I can run across the world for hours (and I have) and not see a single person.
Another added challenge would be for your character to become an AI NPC that fills a role in the town when you are logged out. The role you can set based on your professions and such. Now If the character is killed while your not on it would not re-spawn until you log back on. So you can set it to help guard the claim or fulfill some other minor role that doesn't level you up in anyway.Like boyd-c0020, eusebiogomezcabot and rmcclsky likes this post. -
Accepted Answer
0I agree that this would be a valuable addition to the game. It would not only increase the initial draw of the game, but it would keep people interested and coming back.
I would suggest that NPC quest givers would spawn in the central city. That would give new players access to basic quests.
NPC's for each branch of skill could be available. Each craft and each type of combat.
I like the idea of having a certain NPC come with different building types. (Blacksmith NPC with blacksmith shop).
The form of the quest could be either a direct quest or a BOD system as in Ultima Online. Or both!
Prizes could include decorative items for your house/town, potions for giving items increased durability, recipe scrolls to learn how to make new potions with rare elements, increase power hour from 1 hour to 2 hours X 1. ETC, deed to apply a custom name to an item, deed to increase storage space for a container/building. Imagination is only limit to this.
