NPC and Em8-er.

[VRK9]

I remember that was said, that will be few NPC in the game.
In most games, the majority of NPC are just extra or secondary characters for some quests or part of the story and then extras again. But what if they could be much more?

In a F2P game called Palia, NPC have daily routines, are part of quests, have their own quests, lore…, they are important in that world, and evolve with it. What if that happens in Em8-er?
I don’t say having romance with them, like they have in Palia (except if Mr. Grummz want it), but they could have their jobs in bases, players could create friendships with them, learning their story, helping them… and if during an invasion they got hurt during the fight, players could visit them at the base hospital...

What do you think?

 

[Omnires]

In a few MMOs I've played the dev added dating sim elements to the game when it comes to interacting with NPCs. It was not make them love you in a romantic way, but rather as a friendship and in some cases as a member of their founded family / adopted family. Mind you that in those game you don't need to make the NPCs like you do thing. As long as they didn't hate you, you can still do normal stuff with them. The real reason to grow your relationship with different NPCs was because of things like hidden quests or bonuses.

For example, in some games befriending a shopkeeper NPC might see them giving you deals on items they don't give to other players or even holding rare items for you when they pop up or even opening a whole new hidden area of their shop where they sell the really good stuff only people they trust.

Another example, befriending an adventurer NPC or an knight NPC might sometimes have them randomly show up out of nowhere to help you out in battles. Without you needing to ask them or anything, because was just in area and wanted to help. Kind of like the Mysterious Stranger NPC from the Fallout games, but in an MMO.

This not counting how in some games they have title systems. And befriending different NPCs might give you different titles. And having those titles might made some NPCs act differently around you. Based on their relationship with the other NPC. Like befriending the nun at a church might make it so other followers of the faith or members of the church will help you when asked. Or befriending and helping an orphaned child might give you the "Big Brother" or "Big Sister" title making some NPCs give you a bit extra rewards or discounts on things with the aim that you would use that to help the kid(s) more.

I remember in few games I played even your birthday played a factor in how some NPCs interacted with you. As they did things like kept track of dates and birth signs. And because of that when you talk to an NPC it might say something to do that is totally different from what it tells your friends and teammates. Because of things like that it made those games more fun and a bit more realistic. Because why would you tell someone you just met about this really important thing not knowing if you can trust them? Over telling someone you do know and trust on top of not wanting them to get hurt nor fail? And so like real life in order for some people get things that they wanted or know the information that the wanted from the NPC, some times they had to ask another player to talk to the NPC for them. A friend of a friend type of thing as some players was not trusted by some NPCs or even hated by some NPCs. This was because in some of those games you could steal things from NPCs, lie to NPCs, and so forth. So some players ended up on NPC black list and if they did something really bad the NPC could put a bounty on the player.

 

[Sy]

I know NPCs have been discussed in the past, but i can't find the thread..

Anyway, some of the chat on Discord talked about having NPCs drop what they were doing during an invasion and go to battlestations. I liked one idea of kicking them out of a cannon to take it over.

 

[Pandagnome]

players could create friendships with them, learning their story, helping them… and if during an invasion they got hurt during the fight, players could visit them at the base hospital

The npc would have more respect for their concern, this can also be a good way to help them e.g. craft or even ingame purchase items for the npc so they could have better armor/gear for their next encounter.
Some folks have a loyal buddy npc putting lots of effort on a particular npc they could be able to do things more advanced such as taking over vehicles if your wounded or take control of your space truck while your repairing etc etc

NPC, some times they had to ask another player to talk to the NPC for them. A friend of a friend type of thing as some players was not trusted by some NPCs or even hated by some NPCs. This was because in some of those games you could steal things from NPCs, lie to NPCs, and so forth. So some players ended up on NPC black list and if they did something really bad the NPC could put a bounty on the player.

Imagine if you can get away with it for those few times to keep in good terms with several sides. However too many times and perhaps the npc's get suspicious or there is a snitch that needs to be paid to stop snitching hmm

on Discord talked about having NPCs drop what they were doing during an invasion and go to battlestations. I liked one idea of kicking them out of a cannon to take it over.

What if the npc who have meks could go into special launchers and fired out to areas of the base that is required?

 

[Valaetoshiru]

In Star Trek Online you collect bridge crew and you can load them up with weapons,shields,etc.., and they fight beside you like players on away missions. ✌️

 

[zabernat#1238]

I would love to see dynamic semi-player controlled NPCs in game as well as an overarching story in the game with more static NPCs.

Semi-player controlled NPCs could begin as generic mercenary or support NPCs and later customized based on missions done together or time teamed up with players giving them routes in base and setting basic routines for them as well as some relationship basics and probably looks of the NPCs.

 

[Omnires]

Someone reminded me of quotes from characters that still remember to this day that helped changed their lives. And it got me thinking of some of those RPGs I remember playing as a kid and how some of the NPCs said and/or did things that acted as a guiding force in my life. Even now as an adult I still keep those examples deep in the back of my mind and heart. It is why I'm one of the people who pushes for more realistic characters in games and stuff. Because I know how the right words at the right time and right acts can have a real effect on people even outside of the game. Some of them even effecting them decades later long after they stopped playing.

And in my case not all those quotes come from the heroes, as some of them are from the bosses too. Like the boss of one game stating that it is their job to destroy the world one day but it is not because they are evil nor enjoyed it. But rather it is part of the cycle of life and death in the universe and it is not his fault that evil people summoned him to that early to destroy things. He is not destroying things willingly, but rather things for being destroyed because he exist. No different from heroes breathing. He would be happy to let the world keep existing for some time longer, but he can't destroy himself nor let them destroy him. Even if he knows the body he is in is just a short term hosts as he is really a god who exists outside of their reality. And just before the battle starts he wishes the heroes good luck tell them, "Show me the proof of your existence." And that is one of the lines that stack with me whole life. As it made me question what is the proof of my own existence and is it something I could be proud of?

And one of things both I and my friend remember was seeing these as kids.