NPC Creation, Bodyguards, Assistants

ArchivedUser

The idea is that we could create AI npcs to guard homes, nodes, or guild halls (if it becomes a thing). We can choose what class/es, skills, and gear the npc(s) gets that we create. They would be similar to players in the sense that they can level up, have professions, and such. We can choose to send them at various places to assigning tasks such as gathering, protecting, or assisting us. If they die, they can be resurrected in some way or with a price. These npcs can have the capability to become as strong as the player. It's similar to having a pet but in a different way.

Any ideas or thoughts, what do you guys think?

Edit: This idea was inspired by the anime series called "Overlord" that takes place in an MMORPG setting. Oh, and I wanted to add that your 'hired' or 'created' NPC might be prone to mind control by others if they are humanoid. ^_^

ArchivedUser

I'm not 100% sure, but I think in Star Citizen you can hire NPCs and they can level up certain skills depending on what role they take on your ship.

I think a place to hire NPCs and being able to go through character customization would be cool. I'm sure there needs to be a limit to how many you can hire and what they can do. For me, I would like them to do the tedious job, such as gathering harvest from my farm or standing at my store. The reason I say "hire" instead of "create" is because NPCs are supposed to be living characters in the world and I thought there were supposed to be some strong emphasis on the NPCs at nodes for this game.

I also think there should be a morale system tied to it where NPC loyalty is gained through wages, not letting them die and other things. Maybe this might be hard, but I would like NPC life to matter and not be some tool that you use to run away from mobs. Make pet/companions matter!

ArchivedUser

but having a slave..... i mean bodyguard could be fun, i dont know about them being able to be as strong as a player though, but if its more like the worker system in BDO that'll work

and at @mofo i believe you can one of my clan mates for sc was talking about fitting his idris with them to make up for any lost crew

ArchivedUser

It would be really neat to have a npc that you as a player would be able to costomize, but I do not think it should be as powerful as your own character. You as the player are the "hero" or the most powerful in this sense, and it would kinda ruin it if your npc could outscale you. I'd like to be able to have a npc walking around my house and cleaning up. Perhaps it would also work as an introducer when people came to visit.

ArchivedUser

[quote quote=2789]It would be really neat to have a npc that you as a player would be able to costomize, but I do not think it should be as powerful as your own character. You as the player are the “hero” or the most powerful in this sense, and it would kinda ruin it if your npc could outscale you. I’d like to be able to have a npc walking around my house and cleaning up. Perhaps it would also work as an introducer when people came to visit.

[/quote]

or a guard if people wanted to raid your house while you were out adventuring! :)

ArchivedUser

Lol. Actually I wanted to post exactly the same thing xD
Just asking out of curiosity is your idea inspired by the Overlord anime? Because the system there works exactly like the one you proposed and what I wanted to post was inspired by it :D

So yeah I also support that idea, because I am a lazy man and if I can send out some workers to gather huge amounts of stone (like in BDO) to build a castle I'd do it. But yeah like already said, you can also use them for many other tasks like guarding, house cleaning etc.

I am in favour of both 'hiring NPCs' and 'creating NPCs'. Like @Mofu said a hired NPC is a part of the living world. But if I can also create/customize it and even write the flavour text of that NPC containing background lore\personality. With that you'd feel some form of connection to the NPC.

[quote quote=2759]I also think there should be a morale system tied to it where NPC loyalty is gained through wages, not letting them die and other things.[/quote]

100% agree. In BDO I am pretty sure my horde of goblins should try to revolt against me, since they only get beer for working 24/7.

ArchivedUser

Having NPC guards, servants and such would be nice :) But I think theres should be like "tiers" of the level you interact with them. Like if a guild has a bunch of guards they don't wanna go an talk to them all, so they might only need to hire, feed and pay their wages. The local housekeep or guard at your house are more loyal so they need to be spoken to once in a while, treat them for some good food and such :)

I don't really know how I feel about having them craft, gather and such yet, it really depends the gathering/crafting systems. But having them man your forge or something could be cool, so its not just a dead crafting area, but has some atmosphere.

ArchivedUser

Do you think we can only create or hire human npcs or can we create or hire our own pets and don't have only our mounts.

ArchivedUser

Oh sorry, i did read it to late.

ArchivedUser

[quote quote=2826]hire our own pets and don’t have only our mounts.

[/quote]
More like taming, I believe mount taming has been confirmed ;) (or maybe its just the dream of the people)

ArchivedUser

Yes, but create your own pet and don't have only a mount, which lives in the normal world, that's my thought.

ArchivedUser

[quote quote=2810]Lol. Actually I wanted to post exactly the same thing xD
Just asking out of curiosity is your idea inspired by the Overlord anime? Because the system there works exactly like the one you proposed and what I wanted to post was inspired by it ?
[/quote] It's ironic you mentioned Overlord because I originally mentioned it in my post that I was inspired by it. I edited it out since I thought no one here would care to know. But anyway, yes this idea was inspired the the anime series, I hope they have a second season. :P

In any case, I think custom NPC servants would be fun to have. And maybe they could be mind controlled by other players and npcs like what happened to Shalltear in the anime. *wink wink*

ArchivedUser

Personally I always found the barrier between NPC and PC rather nonsensical in an MMO.
1. You cant really afford to be offline as time stops for no one in an MMO.
2. The system should be able to handle a fully loaded world at all times....NPC or PC.

So for me the MMO should be fully populated with NPC that act as your surrogate when offline.
You could have no one online...and the world doing its own thing full of AI NPCs.
You could have everyone online....where all the real players take control of their avatars.
You could be anywhere in between.
Either way the world is at 100% productivity.

The only real difference is.....our choices are probably more erratic and stupid than our AI versions ;)
How could a fully populated world function properly if no one was online otherwise ?
Quite amazing how the MMO worlds survive as well as they do..lol.

Game sanctioned Bots..... :D
Would that be PvP PvE or PvP/E

I guess thats one way to eliminate the bot problem and the grinder wins problem all in one fell stroke.
How can a full time bot be more productive than another full time bot ?
How can someone pay someone to play your account 24/7 to get an advantage when everyone is operational 24/7 anyway ?

..and the casual vs fulltime player issue goes away too.

ArchivedUser

@Rune_Relic Yes and no, its kinda wishfull thinking I think... It sounds awesome, but I see one obvious tiny problem with it: I'd be afraid to get on in the middle of something I didnt wanna come on in. It just seems wierd to not fully control your avatar, how would you set the agenda and such?

ArchivedUser

What about making the Summoner able to summon such NPCs and the type is depending on the second Class like
Summoner/Fighter: Can Summon Past Enemys as NPCs (maybe with limitations)
Summoner/Rogue: Can Summon Stealh or Poisen related Creatures (like Scorpion or Snake)
Summoner/Ranger: Can Summon the Animals of the Area (maybe humanized)
Summoner/Bard: Can Summon Sound related Creatures (Like Bat or Rattlesnake)
Summoner/Cleric: Can Summon Holy Creatures (like angels)
Summoner/Mage: Can Summon Spirit Creatures (like Ghosts)
Summoner/Tank: Can Summon living Armor
only Summoner: Can Summon weak versions of all?

It could be a own Skilltree with rules to unlock them

or you could hire such NPCs from a Summoner (Player or NPC)

ArchivedUser

[quote quote=2874]<a href="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/forums/users/rune_relic/" rel="nofollow">@rune_relic</a> Yes and no, its kinda wishfull thinking I think… It sounds awesome, but I see one obvious tiny problem with it: I’d be afraid to get on in the middle of something I didnt wanna come on in. It just seems wierd to not fully control your avatar, how would you set the agenda and such?

[/quote]

I would think along the lines of anyone within a node may well be safe.
So the avatar should be reasonably safe and stay in town.
Someone mentioned about travel having the option to auto-route while you go afk and accept the consequences.
So I just saw this as an extended version of that.
Caravans are protected by players and NPCs, so your NPC travelling with them as part of the PvE still gives them some kind of safety.

ArchivedUser

I don't like the idea of "CREATE",however if there are NPC's we could persuade to join us in combat or to aid us at our homes ,then yes i am all for that.
Each NPC could have special hidden properties that players have to discover to get them to join you.Example one NPC might love Apple pie,so you trade him an Apple pie and he joins you for an hour in combat or something like that.