Using NPCs

Llama · Post by **Llama** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:10 am

Lets face it, the current method of talking to NPCs doesn't really do anything to help newbies out, for a number of reasons:

I) CLI never helped anyone, you need to type a precise code in order to get somethign to work, typo and it doesn't work, also you need to know the EXACT keyword, whether its 'leatherarmor, leather armor, leatherarmour, leather armour' or whatever

II) Unnatural for new players. People are used to using the NPC, and getting a nice little popup window. Talking in front of NPCs isn't very natural to them.

III) Broken? A player doesn't know if the NPC doesn't want to buy her fish because its broken, or because s/he is spelling fish badly. This also makes Rp around that area sound stupid

"I will sell a fish"
"I will sell a trout"
"I will sell one trout"
"I will sell 1 trout"
"((*ooc swearing goes here*))"

IV) Strange keywords. Sometimes you say something which sounds logical to you, and it is picked up wrongly by the NPC (due to a keyword), and you get weird answers, or no answer at all.

In light of the views above, I think it is time to change the NPCs method and make them USEABLE instead, its much faster for new players.

If you still want to retain the 'talking to NPC' thingy, you can instead put a list of 'words you can say' in a popup and by clicking on them, the character 'speaks' them (like in single-player RPGs).

Example: "Hello" "What do you buy?" "What do you sell?" "I will..."
^ for vendors

and "Hello" "(*quest important keyword*) ect...
^ for Quest NPCs.

I know its a lot of hard work, but I think its a basic 'problem' which needs to be corrected to make illarion more newbie friendly.

Discuss.

Adano Eles · Post by **Adano Eles** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:20 am

I like the current way because it has atmosphere. Better then a random NPC standing around and everyone running up to them, then running away again without a word to be heard. Newbies can easily learn it by reading the manual, or by getting teached on the newbie island. However, having a list of standard keywords in the manual would be handy. And, of course, the proper keywords actually work in game (What do you pay for x?)
Everything else can easily be fixed in the current NPC scripts, for example multiple spellings for goods and unlogical keywords.

Post by **Estralis Seborian** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:15 pm

How about having... both options? Graphical menus for lazy people like me who end up in typing "sell 17 oil lamps-sell leather boots-buy mace" for daily business and speech commands like already present for atmosphere & special trades?

Adano Eles · Post by **Adano Eles** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:33 pm

As long as there's a function which makes those lazy players char automatically speak proper dialog lines, I'd support this idea.
Just no "Char walks to NPC - *silence* - Char walks away" please. I, as the player, have a right to know what is going on in public places of Illarion so I can play accordingly. And public trade (not under the hand trade of course) belongs to this.

Miklorius · Post by **Miklorius** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 3:16 pm

Yeah, an optional Trading-GUI would be nice, maybe by choosing a context menu entry or "using" the NPC (but I fear it is not possible with the actual game architecture).

Every trading action should create automatically a fitting sentence, like when you are "talking" to NPCs. (Maybe make this auto-talk whispered.)

Korm Kormsen · Post by **Korm Kormsen** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 3:35 pm

talking to the NPCs has more flair, than clicking.

but, to stay with the fish example from above:
if the NPC is conditioned to sell a fish, if a char says 'i want to buy a fish'

then he will react, if somebody near says: ' he did buy, because he is a selfish person.'

just because the keywords are all there and in the right order.
i don't think, that this could be evaded.

about the different spellings, as far as i know, most NPC have alternative keywords for known tipos.
but it is not possible, to put in every possible typo.