NPC Party

Percival · Post by **Percival** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 2:04 pm

Well ok this is MMORPG, so ppl are suppose to interact with other ppl, but i always wondered why there are no NPC mercenaries in such games like in single player RPG's are, i mean creating mercenary guild where you could hire a mercenery for a high per day wage that would walk with you maybe even gain experience etc. This could help if you have problems with finding group of ppl to interact or when some don't share your idea of exploring dungeon.

martin · Post by **martin** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 2:47 pm

We have a small (technical) problem with that:
Our server programer implemented such a good artificial intelligence for NPCs that they would probably surpass the intelligence of most players by far. Holding in mind that NPCs act about 1000 times faster (they are played with clients directly running on the server and therefore experience no lag at all!) and adding the given AI, they would take over Illarion in about 5 hours (we tried it multiple times on our testserver, it depends on things like monster strength etc.).
To prevent this, we decided not to activate this feature on the real server.

Martin, speaking for the development staff

Nanuk · Post by **Nanuk** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 3:03 pm

martin wrote:Martin, speaking for the development staff

Hey, I didn't agree on that.

Hermie · Post by **Hermie** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 8:02 pm

Would we be allowed to buy an NPC to put in a shop? We load him with items for sale and he takes 5-10% of the prophit?

martin · Post by **martin** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 8:16 pm

Hermie wrote:Would we be allowed to buy an NPC to put in a shop? We load him with items for sale and he takes 5-10% of the prophit?

Obviously, this is technically not possible now.

Martin

Percival · Post by **Percival** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 9:46 pm

But generally it is considered? I don't mind it be smarter then i am:P i know already my computer is

Drolagas · Post by **Drolagas** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 7:57 am

martin wrote:
Hermie wrote:Would we be allowed to buy an NPC to put in a shop? We load him with items for sale and he takes 5-10% of the prophit?
Obviously, this is technically not possible now.

Martin

if it was so obvious, why would he ask

Hermie · Post by **Hermie** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 11:16 am

It wasn't that obvious, a while ago one of the GM's was saying how they would be working towards removing all the NPC's to improve player - player interaction. It was probably a lie, can't trust these GM types

Arkadia Misella · Post by **Arkadia Misella** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 11:33 am

If people could hire npcs to sell their items...EVeryone would have one..and it would get old really quick

Hermie · Post by **Hermie** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 11:43 am

Well they'd have to have a high initial cost and the same rules to houses would proably apply. Or you would need a house for it to go in etc.

Arkadia Misella · Post by **Arkadia Misella** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 11:50 am

so then what....only a handful of people who already have a billion ingots would get an npc. Lets not help the rich anymore, shall we.

Misjbar · Post by **Misjbar** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 12:22 pm

Hey, that is reality I suppose. Do you think we should make villa's cheaper, because we must not help the rich more

Percival · Post by **Percival** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 1:27 pm

Lets not disadvange the rich one just becaouse they are rich thats the first thing, second thing if price is high then why not? problem is creating good system for it, the best would be taking economy from our world, that means high solarys, lets say you have hired a shopkeeper to stand in your shop from morning to evening (if there are day and night in game dunno yet) and the solary per hour would be high then the you would have to be sure you will earn on that etc. paying NPC should be like everyday not just one time payment, then rich ones could hire a swardsman etc. and about NPC characters doing to many things at once cuz they're computer characters, theres surely a possibility to slow their AI like trying to make new action every 5 seconds

Neonfire · Post by **Neonfire** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 2:32 pm

Okay, let's do it the other way ...

This is a roleplay game. It is considered as (massive) multiplayer. That means interaction of players. Wouldn't it be easier to ask a player to sell your goods, or to company you in a dungeon? I mean, sure, not everytime you are ingame players want to join you. But, isn't it just a matter of the payment?

This is (once more) not Diablo or Warcraft Online. This game lives from the activity of the players (and it always was supposed that way).

But nonetheless, I promise, we are working on several ways of implementing artificial intelligence. But this is future. It is okay to propose ideas, but always keep in mind to stick to the game's basic ideas please.

Percival · Post by **Percival** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 7:19 pm

yeah well i'm sure that game is great but there are two problems, first is that usually theres around 7-8 players online usually and second find a player that can stand in your shop for 3-4 hours waiting for customers... possible but still...

Alakdal Oakenshade · Post by **Alakdal Oakenshade** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 11:04 pm

Why pay someone for standing around when you could just sell the items yourself and save yourself some money? Anyway Percival, are you even in the game yet? The board rules say you have to be in game in order to post. It's not that your proposals are bad, I myself was wondering about the NPC's a bit, but well.... rules are rules.

Percival · Post by **Percival** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 11:18 am

Alakdal Oakenshade wrote: Anyway Percival, are you even in the game yet?

I was accepted and wait for activation but if rules says i shouldn't post then i shall be silent from now on...

Kratos · Post by **Kratos** » Fri Jul 09, 2004 4:56 am

Yea lol a game that i alpha test well actully pre alpha they have npc ai so you have to actully talk to them by typing and the annoying thing is that they horibbel with responses. they do think about putting in a mercenary hiring system and stuff but i doubt they would i mean theve been on pre alpha for like a year