Bounty systems in games

Aug 14, 2016
978
1,554
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#1
I was thinking about after being reminded how in some games there are stuff like revenge systems and such. In a revenge system often times you are given a bonus for killing the one who killed you as long as you are able to be first one to do so within the time limit, be they another player or NPC. And in a few games the revenge system was turned into a bounty system where the rewards for killing the bounty goes up the more that they do and for the longer they are alive. Now given how this is going to be a PVE game I'll focus on talking about those kind of systems. There are many different ways of going about such a system and this is only but a few of them.

  1. NPC kills player and player automictically marks them for revenge.
  2. NPC kills more players without being killed itself.
  3. NPC is placed on the bounty board. The reward for finding the killing the bounty goes up based on how many players the NPC killed and the longer it has been alive.
  4. Someone or a team of people kill the bounty and are given the reward. The players who the NPC killed are given noticed that they was avenged.

That is the most basic from of the bounty system. But some times other systems are added to the bounty system to make it more fun and more of a challenge. Like having the bounty level up and/or get titles. Meaning that NPC gets more powerful and levels up as it kills more players. This can make this more fun and surprising if when you are out getting resources and randomly come across a monster that is much higher level than normal and has a different name from the others of it's kind in the area. And it is not even a boss monster. But it seems like it could become a boss monster if it gets any stronger. That is how many players this one random monster has killed.

In some games the NPC doesn't get any more powerful but the bounty still goes up based on how many things it stole from players. You know how in some games you always lose some of the stuff in your inventory when you die? Well, what if the NPCs toke them when they killed you. And the only way to get those things back was to find them and kill them? That is the rout some games toke. Although this only really makes if the game has organized groups of NPCs who work together and/or has enemy factions. The organized group of NPCs can be something as simple as a group of animals or bugs taking things from the players to help them build their nests to just a group of criminal humans who just want money.

But remember the bounty system can go both ways. Because in this game sense we are fighting non-human beings who are just as smart as humans. It could be possible for them also place bounties on players. Linking back the idea of things like the Death Squad from FireFall.

P.s. If NPCs can place bounties on players. Than I'm not going to stop until my bounty is higher than Monkey D. Luff's from One Piece. lol
 
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Pandagnome

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#2
I had some thoughts on messing npc's in a non combat way too such as.

- Recon class creates a deep fake footage / image with the help of A.I showing another npc stealing another npc's item. Resulting in the Npc to get peed off and chase the suspect npc who is thought to have stolen what they had stolen :D

- Sometimes it might not be easy to eliminate a target you can certainly place a tracker to help others for better target acquisition.

- More clever Npc's can use baits to trap you such as the one in Firefall where you saw a stranded npc and then they ambush you. This time though they may add more of their chums who de-cloak from stealth !

- What about bounties placed from npc by npc e.g. Al's tuna had a box of fish sabotaged by underwater nanobots injecting poison and had made several people ill. Perhaps the bounty is to sabotage competitor Ho's Salmon and bonus to study one of the nanobot device for research & Development.


Question now is which gives most reward the dead or the alive part perhaps it depends on what the action was and what the bounty states e.g.

If it was something stolen then capturing alive would be more rewarding for interrogation to help GCSF

If it was an npc controlling a drone and targeting employees from their previous work kicked out of.
The bounty could be to retrieve drone in one piece and inject sedative to the mad employee or eliminate for more cash to hide evidence so that the issue doesn't come back to the company.

If it was the serial oddjob murderer who eliminated folks and even reapers with odd items such as a relic frying pan or even suffocation from marbles :O then the bounty would be dead for sure although the GCSF would have their own bounty on this murderer too so it depends on which bounty you prioritize unless oddjob murderer had a copy cat called oddjobb hmm.


If it was a npc crafter who got abducted by a pirate to make things for them the bounty would be high to save the crafter ALIVE!

Sometimes if your lucky to capture an npc e.g. if it was a bike thief who stole exotic bikes and you captured that thef.

They could eventually be reformed and work as a mechanic then after time give you free parts and help with your bike upgrades etc.

etc etc
 
Likes: Omnires
Aug 14, 2016
978
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#3
- Recon class creates a deep fake footage / image with the help of A.I showing another npc stealing another npc's item. Resulting in the Npc to get peed off and chase the suspect npc who is thought to have stolen what they had stolen :D
That reminds me of games like Anarchy Online. Because the NPCs had memories they remembered if a player wronged them or not. This would often come to a shock to some new players who noticed that the game didn't stop them targeting and killing the shopkeeper NPCs than steeling everything in the shop. That is until they come back to the shop later after the NPC shopkeeper respawned. Because as soon that the NPC see them again they start to attack them and well even chase them outside of the building into other areas of the city. And if the player is too powerful they will call for help from the city guard NPCs who always just under level cap for the game. But this also what some players like me would wait for. Because the NPCs had to know you did a crime or see you do a crime for them to flag you as criminal. Meaning that when the NPC(s) chase the other player(s) out of the shop they leave all their stuff protected on the desk, shelves, vending machines, safes, and ATMs. Meaning that was my chance to get some free stuff as long as no other NPC or security camera sees me. And because I mained as one of the classes with high stealth and high hacking abilities I was often able to get away with it. And sometimes If I really needed money I could steal things from an NPC and sell it back to them. Sure it was at a reduced price as always (unless I was playing one classes with mind control abilities and high charisma) but it was free money to me. Because in games like Anarchy Online being a law abiding citizen or a criminal or an neutral outlaw was a choice.

And because a neutral outlaw didn't mean you was a criminal, but that you was reused to join one of the factions / governments in the game meaning you existed outside of their laws which also mean you are outside of their protection so can't relay on them for help or support. And as long as you don't do to many things against them (like taking to many jobs from an enemy faction) they won't view you as an enemy but just as another freelancer or mercenary. Because there was one class in the game the Spy who had the ability to make themselves look like other classes and factions to both the NPCs and players. So yes, that random doctor who joined your team to clear a dungeon did pull out a sniper rifle and shot you in the back of the head to kill you so they can take the loot from the boss all for themselves because your faction and their faction are enemies and you didn't notice it until they dropped their disguise.

- Sometimes it might not be easy to eliminate a target you can certainly place a tracker to help others for better target acquisition.
Some games have hunting and tricking missions. Where the goal is not the kill the target but jut find the trick their movements. You have to find out where the others are, and/or where their hideout is, and/or if they have the item the client is looking for. How do it doesn't matter as long as get the information the client wants. And sometimes just killing the target also means you might have also killed any hostages they might have had.

- More clever Npc's can use baits to trap you such as the one in Firefall where you saw a stranded npc and then they ambush you. This time though they may add more of their chums who de-cloak from stealth !
Well, I also can see animals doing things like this too. Namely predators who often hunt in groups. Because in real live animals like wolves, loins, dolphins, whales, and a few other things are known for the ability to set up traps when hunting for prey. Like how wolves surround a target or loins will chase their prey into an area where the bigger stronger lions are waiting to jump out of tail grass or bush. Plus there is a lot of horror stories of monsters who can mimic the voices of humans calling for help to lure in more people.

- What about bounties placed from npc by npc e.g. Al's tuna had a box of fish sabotaged by underwater nanobots injecting poison and had made several people ill. Perhaps the bounty is to sabotage competitor Ho's Salmon and bonus to study one of the nanobot device for research & Development.
Corporate espionage missions can be fun. Because some in some games the rewards for stealing information from and/or sabotaging another corporation's office or factory is not just the money the client pays you. But also things like any prototype gear they might me making that is not on the market yet. And sure it might be untested but look how cool it is.

Question now is which gives most reward the dead or the alive part perhaps it depends on what the action was and what the bounty states e.g.

If it was something stolen then capturing alive would be more rewarding for interrogation to help GCSF

If it was an npc controlling a drone and targeting employees from their previous work kicked out of.
The bounty could be to retrieve drone in one piece and inject sedative to the mad employee or eliminate for more cash to hide evidence so that the issue doesn't come back to the company.

If it was the serial oddjob murderer who eliminated folks and even reapers with odd items such as a relic frying pan or even suffocation from marbles :O then the bounty would be dead for sure although the GCSF would have their own bounty on this murderer too so it depends on which bounty you prioritize unless oddjob murderer had a copy cat called oddjobb hmm.


If it was a npc crafter who got abducted by a pirate to make things for them the bounty would be high to save the crafter ALIVE!

Sometimes if your lucky to capture an npc e.g. if it was a bike thief who stole exotic bikes and you captured that thef.

They could eventually be reformed and work as a mechanic then after time give you free parts and help with your bike upgrades etc.

etc etc
On the topic of things like dead or alive, it should always be the player's choice on what to do. And because it is a choice this also opens up the idea of branching quest lines within missions.

For example, the bounty is the client wants this NPC dead. But for some reason you let them live. This could make the client dislike you or even hate you. But you also have the option to lie to client and just say that you killed the target. As long as the client never finds out the truth both you and the target are safe. But if the client does find out the truth than now you too are on their list of people to hate. And what if the client asks for you bring back proof that you killed the target? Well, there are stories throughout history of people being willing to cut off parts of their own body to save their lives. What is a missing finger or ear next to your life?
 
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Pandagnome

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#4
what if the client asks for you bring back proof that you killed the target? Well, there are stories throughout history of people being willing to cut off parts of their own body to save their lives. What is a missing finger or ear next to your life?
I'd imagine they could also get the dna and clone a body part in some lab printer and the target could wear a disguise.

Although the suspicious actions or typical actions that the target would usually do need to change so that it would be more difficult if an A.I matched something such as

- speech pattern recognition
- Height and body composition
- Behavior such as where the target visits and hangs
etc

Unless you provide the new change by working with a shady npc who can transform the target by
changing things such as

- Gender
- voice
- Height
- Name
- Job role

As an example with the identity changed

Target Mia porgsta
Female
7ft
Lawyer
Biome: Ice fire

Changed to:

Mushu Rey
Male
5ft 2
DJ
Biome: Amazon sands


The only real danger is if a nosey individual scanned their dna from contact with a drink they had to a hand shake.

What if someone was to blackmail to leak the info to force them into doing tasks?

Would you protect the identity of the target and silence the blackmailer or plant some dirt on them to lure GCSF to the blackmailer and save the day?

How many more would know the secret listing of those who have made a new change hmm
 
Likes: Omnires
Aug 14, 2016
978
1,554
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#5
I'd imagine they could also get the dna and clone a body part in some lab printer and the target could wear a disguise.

Although the suspicious actions or typical actions that the target would usually do need to change so that it would be more difficult if an A.I matched something such as

- speech pattern recognition
- Height and body composition
- Behavior such as where the target visits and hangs
etc

Unless you provide the new change by working with a shady npc who can transform the target by
changing things such as

- Gender
- voice
- Height
- Name
- Job role

As an example with the identity changed

Target Mia porgsta
Female
7ft
Lawyer
Biome: Ice fire

Changed to:

Mushu Rey
Male
5ft 2
DJ
Biome: Amazon sands


The only real danger is if a nosey individual scanned their dna from contact with a drink they had to a hand shake.

What if someone was to blackmail to leak the info to force them into doing tasks?

Would you protect the identity of the target and silence the blackmailer or plant some dirt on them to lure GCSF to the blackmailer and save the day?

How many more would know the secret listing of those who have made a new change hmm
Having something like a witness protection program within the game could be an option and a job players could help with. After all, given all the people who was forced to move to Em-8er how many of them might be in hiding? How many of them are seeking things like political asylum? How many of them is trying to escape abusive stalker from a past relationship who has murderous intent? And so on, and so on. So it might not be the best idea to just blindly follow the orders of the client. And you might need to try to lure out the client for them be arrested and put on trail.

There are lots of whys we can go with the idea of bounties and branching storylines within the mission. And if the NPCs within the game have memories they can remember your past actions treat you differently based on them.

For example in real life there are some animals that are known for being able to hold grudges. Things like ravens can tell the difference between people and remember them even years later. Not only meaning the raven would target the person for revenge but it could also ask other ravens to help it get revenge on the person too. So having some of the animals in the game start to act differently around players based on what they do makes sense to me. As the smarter animals would be able to do things like tell different humans apart and remember what they did. Knowing which humans to avoid and which ones to ask for help and to help out.

So players who run around just killing everything in their path and blowing up stuff not caring about all the collateral damage. Might find themselves being targeted and attacked by some NPCs over other players. In fact even within a group of people they might be the only ones who are attacked while the NPCs ignore the other players in their team or even try to help the other players randomly. For example like how since ancient times there are lots of stories about dolphins randomly helping humans and saving them from drowning and/or fighting off sharks for them.
 
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