NPC Adventurer System

[Fallen]

Here is a quick idea I had based on some conversation in the Empath folder, both on the PC and on the officials. This is definitely not a new idea by any stretch of the imagination. Still, I believe borrowing code from the Adventurer’s Guild and GoS this wouldn’t be TOO bad to code, and would add a lot of new elements to the game.


1. NPCs will look for Empaths who are registered (Either at the empath guild, or at the adventurer’s guild?), before heading out to hunt. Their presence will be in the form of messaging indicating a group walks in and spots SoandSo who appears to be on duty before heading off to (Insert hunting ground here). A new verb, or device can be worn to indicate that the empath is ON DUTY.

2. NPCs can accrue Standard and Non-standard wounds.

3. Standard wounds work much like regular ones, though require the use of a link to ensure that you are the only one that will be healing the NPC. Linking in general ensures only that empath is able to remove wounds from the NPC.

4. Non-standard wounds are the result of infections such as gangrene, a new (curse?Poison?) based magic and oil that causes wounds to be more difficult to heal, and shrapnel wounds of magical metal.

5. Non-standard wounds are far more difficult to treat due to their unique nature. They require either salves/potions bought at the empath guild, or Alchemy to lower the difficulty of the wound (but for less exp), or a high degree of skill in the empath circle, First Aid, and other nebulous areas in order to treat quickly and correctly.

6. *OPTIONAL* These NPCs can head to the hunting ground and engage monsters for a time, though after a while they will get injured and either need to be rescued (Call for help via a new thought net), or return from the field of their own volition.

7. While these NPCs look for a specific person before heading out, ANY Empath PC can heal them, though the messaging will help empaths determine who gets the EXP if they wish to operate fairly.

8. Non-Empaths can supply these NPCs potions, herbs, and whatever other help they can render for token amounts of EXP and silver.

9. NPCs CAN die if the empath on call isn’t around, or is unable to tend to their wounds.

10. PCs can drag/lead the NPCs to a town healer if after a certain time no help is rendered to them, and drag them to the town cleric should they die.

11. PC Clerics CAN resurrect dead NPCs, but doing so takes a great amount of skill due to their weak spiritual connection with Elanthia. Increased Spiritual Mana Control ranks, Spiritual lore, Blessings ranks, Cleric spell ranks, and other nebulous skill checks determine the ease of resurrection. Resurrection also takes non-standard amounts of spirit. These skill checks can be lessened from potions made via their guild and/or alchemy, but the cleric will receive less EXP.

12. NPCs Adventurers will go to hunting grounds appropriate to the level of the empath they spot who is on call. They will have treasure based on that area, and will provide it to whoever helps them according to how fast they are helped, and the amount of aid provided.

13. These NPCs CAN BE PICK POCKETED. Both in the field (If included in the mechanics), and in town. Doing so takes a varying amount of skill depending on the NPC in question, and can result from anything to treasure, being caught with no consequence, being accused, and outright combat.

14. Killing NPCs INSIDE town results in a murder charge. Killing NPCS OUTSIDE of town results in NPCs attacking you on sight should they encounter you outside of town, and a possibility they attack you inside of town as well.

15. *OPTIONAL* Tie these NPCs to the Adventurer’s guild. You can request aid for your task, and you will receive an NPC fighter who can go with you to your hunting grounds. You are responsible for keeping them safe, and should they be hurt, be responsible to see that they are cared for. Not doing so results in a loss of the use of the NPC fighters from the guild for a set amount of time. Using NPC fighters lessens your reward received from the guild.

Rip it to shreds, guys. If any of you like it, X-post it on the offials in the Empath folder for me. Please/thanks

[Fallen]

Here is the tl:dr version of the idea put into an expanded format.

The NPC Adventurer's System will be primarily as a means to introduce a steady stream of reliable, yet challenging experience opportunities to healing-based empaths of all levels. Secondary benefits across multiple professions could either be added later, or included with the initial release as time and resources permit. Other avenues for this mechanic to be of use is for the Adventurer guild to provide combat aid in the form of fighters to help complete bounty tasks, an expanded resurrection-based mechanics for clerics, and finally, as Non-PC marks for Pick pockets (More on this later *)

This goal of reliable healing experience will be accomplished in two ways. First, non-PC based wounds will find their way to the empath via NPCs who seek out aid by checking local hotspots for healers who are ON CALL. This new mechanic would likely mean registering at their guild, or at some new organization, and the introduction of a new verb which allows the empath to be recognized by the NPCs as being willing to provide their services. NPCs can either linger in these hotspots over time so that the empath can recognize experience is available, or the PC can choose to wait for the NPCs to come in, and will mention their acknowledgement of the healer before heading off into the field.

Depending on the depth of the system being developed, these NPCs could actually travel to a hunting ground and be seen fighting the monsters in the area. Either via environmental messaging, or actual mechanics based combat. Barring that, the NPCs can simply return a while later to report that no one was injured, or return with their wounded party members. Once they arrive, they will look for the PC Empath they first noted before heading out into the field. This Empath will have the first opportunity to LINK to the NPC(s) in question in order to ensure they are the sole care provider. Should that PC Healer have left, or chooses not to heal the wounded, other healers could then LINK to the NPCs after a set amount of time. Shortly after arriving, but before a link is established, non-empaths can provide the wounded aid via herbs, tending, and potions for a small amount of experience and possible monetary rewards. Should no aid be forthcoming, NPCs capable of doing so may wander to the healer's tent, or be lead there via a PC's aid. NPCs *are* capable of dying, and if so could be aided by both NPC and PC Clerics (*)

Once an empath has successfully linked to their NPC patient, they must first diagnose their wounds quickly, and properly. Skill checks will be employed for the empath to judge the number, type, and severity of the wounds present. Failure to properly diagnose treatment can lead to a longer healing regimine, exasorbation of injuries, and even additional damage done to the NPC patient as well as the PC Healer. Once diagnosed, the empath can choose which wounds they wish to treat, and depending on the type of injury and the skill of the healer, carry out the healing process relatively unmodified from its current version. Wounds would be transfered with a minimum of RT, and healed down in the standard method.

Non-standard wounds, a new mechanic introduced with the NPC system, would be far more difficult to treat, and pose both a greater challenge, and greater risk to the On Duty empath. These wounds would include various forms of infected wounds due to the NPCs reluctance to receive treatment, various new types of curse and poison based oils and magic, cleverly devised tactics such as shrapnel wounds using magical metal, and even bungled attempts at healing standard wounds.

The severity of these wounds can be treated in two separate ways, or in combination with each other. First, the PC can use a variety of newly introduced salves and potions which can be made via alchemy, purchased via the empath guild, or bought from the NPC healer in town. Stronger potions will require little skill to apply, and will safely treat the condition. However, these potions slow to work, particularly painful, and noxious smelling. Little additional experience and tips will be provided with their use. Intermediate remedies can be applied which are a bit more complicated in application, but work more effectively with less troublesome side effects. Finally, the most skilled of empaths can rely on their skill alone to heal these wounds immediately, resulting in a dangerous and taxing exercise, though yielding the most experience and monetary generousity from your patients.

----
More to come in a following post...

[Fallen]

(**) Should the system allow for interaction with the NPC outside of these healing locations, and after the NPC's death either at inattentiveness or malpractice, more professions could be made to benefit from the Adventurer NPCs. The most plausable mechanics tie-in would be to allow for pickpocketing of NPCs, and PC Clerics to deal with NPCs who have died from a lack of treatment, or as a direct result of their efforts in the field.

Clerics would also be able to go ON CALL, a fact that would be noticed by NPC Adventurers, giving them reason to be a bit more reckless in the field. NPC groups would either return with dead in tow, or need to be rescued from the field via a call for help over a new thought net used specifically by these NPCs, and the Clerics and Empaths who are registered to be ON DUTY. Once returned, or retrieved from the field, the corpses would need to be healed to the point of their body able to sustain life, or tended enough to stave off death in the hopes of empathic help arriving in time. Overly ambitious Clerics will suffer from the untimely death of their NPC patients in a variety of methods.

Once the corpse has been brought to some semblence of health, or cleansed of all its injuries, the cleric can then attempt the task of resurrection. NPC Adventurers, while similar to those found throughout the realms, are not quite as well favored by Lorminstra, for whatever reasons she may have (or some other lame excuse). That being the case, the task of resurrecting NPCs is far more taxing, and requires a healthy amount of Spiritual Mana Control, as well as the Spiritual lores, Blessings and Relgion to even attempt the feat. The amount of ranks the Cleric has in his base circle will also factor into the success of the resurrection attempt, as well as the length of recovery for both the patient and Cleric. Failures in resurrection can amount to a loss of mana and spirit, a lengthy wait before attempting to resurrect again, or injury and even death to the Cleric, as well as a total decay of the NPC's body. The rewards are the experience gained from the task, as well as the treasure given by the thankful living NPC.

Should the NPC system be expanded further to incorperate the Adventurer's Guild, or some other method of hiring NPC help, this new mechanic could be made to benefit even more of Elanthia's residents. For example, PCs could choose to hire the aid of NPCs to complete tasks assigned to them by the guild, or for simply a set amount of time in their normal hunting. These NPCs would follow the PC much like escort NPCs do now. The exception being they will have the skill level similar to their employer, and will aid in attacking any monster that comes into contact with the party once in the field. The PC would then be able to take wounded NPCs to the town center for healing, or pay the NPC healer or cleric to take care of their partner should he be wounded or killed in battle. Failure to care for a wounded or fallen NPC fighter would result in loss of their services in the future.

Should coders have the time, and inclination to do so, NPC Adventurers could actually be seen fighting in the hunting grounds they claim to head off to when they declare their intent to the Empaths (and clerics) ON DUTY. These NPCs would be part of the atmosphere, and would generate monsters which they would attack on their own. Should they get injured, they would retreat from the field to seek out the services of healers. Lone NPCs who are killed in the field could be brought to the NPC Cleric for a reward for a kindly deed.

Finally, as living, breathing parts of Elanthia, these NPCs would be able to be interacted with in a variety of different ways. Primarily ... they can be robbed! Should a crafty pickpocket choose to take the risk, you can pick the pocket of any NPC, in town or in the field, for the chance at various types of treasure. Should they catch you in the act, they can respond in any number of ways, up to and including violence. For those that prefer a more hands-on method of theft, they could simply kill the NPC and loot them for their gear and treasure. Doing so, however, will garner a murder charge within town, and the very like possibility of revenge by their follow NPC Adventurers in the field (Think Grimswarm ambush).

Really, the possibilities are endless for a system like this. Think of the DEPTH this type of mechanic could add to the game.

[Bhuryn]

I'll be all for healing empaths getting more reliable forms of experience after they seperate the paths. It should only be available to empaths that have committed significant TPs towards "healing"

I've always wished they'd added a more in depth quest/npc system.

[Nieninque]

tl;dr

[NocturnalRob]

so...you're basically asking for MORE ways for clerics and empaths to gain experience...

[Androidpk]

While an interesting idea, not worth the time and effort for 2 classes that don't need anymore work.

[Kuyuk]

Lets make ways to remove PCs from the game and replace the with NPCs that hunt and die and and and..


Lets just get rid of all PCs and just code NPC's to play GS


K.

[Fallen]

While an interesting idea, not worth the time and effort for 2 classes that don't need anymore work.

Heh. They're going to get the work whether they need it or not.

[Lumi]

I guess you posted this in an empath folder I don't read, but I like the idea, more or less.

[Martaigne]

Cool, while we're at it, let's automate GS and let the game play itself.

[Barundar]

Cool, while we're at it, let's automate GS and let the game play itself.

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z256/Eefex/20060907.jpg

[Peanut Butter Jelly Time]

I love how you're wanting massive updates for a single template Empath quest system, when the most basic of things for almost every class are still half-baked and unfinished (spell lists, for instance).

I'd rather they finish the foundation of the church before they put on the steeple.

Nice idea nonetheless, but it just doesn't work for a game still trying to produce a pair of classes that were slated for 2004, a mining system that was slated for 2005, and an unarmed overhaul that will likely be a massive failure until the update in 2017.

[Fallen]

I guess you posted this in an empath folder I don't read, but I like the idea, more or less.

I didn't post this idea on the officials. I don't have access to post there. Throw it up on their boards if you like it. Whatever part is most relevant.

[Fallen]

I'm a bit puzzled as to the comments of "letting GS play itself." How else would stealing from NPCs be oriented? Sans the healing system, random NPC adventurers would like be it. Are you guys against that?

I don't think at its core the system could be that complicated. Look at the Sprite quest in the beginning of the game. That is 90% of this idea for you. I listed the most complicated aspect of the system I could come up with, so that developers could pick and choose what could be done, and run with that.

What if we removed empaths and clerics from the equations, and had it so that you encountered adventurers in the towns and hunting grounds of the game randomly? Lets even expand it to getting NPC help to go hunt with you. It would be little better than a glorified spell of animate dead. Again, I don't see why more people wouldn't enjoy that. You could even hand it a decent sword and shield so it could really whoop ass. Stuff like that.

[Bhuryn]

I'm not opposed to the idea at all.

I'd love to see something like:

"The morning patrol has been meeting with resistance from <x> and you like your assistance".

They march around for alittle bit while you follow them, get amushed by <x> a few times and return back.

Hell of a lot more interesting then kill x of y and return back to me.

I would really like to see them expand the quest system though and offer real rewards.

Like a forage task for rangers:
collect x of this, this, this, this... as a reward you get a package of random potions to use.

You could expand it out to all sorts of things and use the preexisting treasure feeder to generate items.
You could make chains that end with decent gear rewards.
you could make epic quests that end in decenter gear rewards.
you could make group quests, solo quests, society based quests (not attached to promotion), you could make guild quests, etc.

[Lumi]

I didn't post this idea on the officials. I don't have access to post there. Throw it up on their boards if you like it. Whatever part is most relevant.

Ah, I misread the first line of the opening post, I get it now.

[Fallen]

I'm not opposed to the idea at all.

I'd love to see something like:

"The morning patrol has been meeting with resistance from <x> and you like your assistance".

They march around for alittle bit while you follow them, get amushed by <x> a few times and return back.

Hell of a lot more interesting then kill x of y and return back to me.

I would really like to see them expand the quest system though and offer real rewards.

Like a forage task for rangers:
collect x of this, this, this, this... as a reward you get a package of random potions to use.

You could expand it out to all sorts of things and use the preexisting treasure feeder to generate items.
You could make chains that end with decent gear rewards.
you could make epic quests that end in decenter gear rewards.
you could make group quests, solo quests, society based quests (not attached to promotion), you could make guild quests, etc.

Yeah, the last part would be cool, but NOW you're really getting into building something GS hasn't done before. GoS is the closest they have come to instanced quest (Minus Wavedancer type stuff). I would definitely like to see it, but I would rather professions be developed first than that type of gameplay. Yes, as everyone has pointed out, Empaths and Clerics don't really need more love, but they are going to get it anyway.

I once came up with a very long and detailed (Can you believe it?) idea for a citizenship system expansion. You perform a number of adventurer guild type activities for the towns, encompassing everything from patrolling, to providing them forged weapons, etc. I think the idea of civic duty as "Society" tasks would be very cool.

[TheLastShamurai]

I once came up with a very long and detailed (Can you believe it?) idea for a citizenship system expansion. You perform a number of adventurer guild type activities for the towns, encompassing everything from patrolling, to providing them forged weapons, etc. I think the idea of civic duty as "Society" tasks would be very cool.

Still have a copy of it? I'd like to see it.

[Bhuryn]

Yeah imagine:

There is a group of war trolls attacking our morning patrols. We believe that they are hiding in the caves around <area>. We want you to go into that cave (which would be instanced) and clear out any trolls you find. You are welcome to any items or treasure you find there.

You are welcome to seek out the aid of fellow adventurers, simply bring them here and have me ADD them to the QUEST.

----

You could basically copy alot of the GoS code. Instances are apparently possible now. I don't see it as a huge stretch to create a bunch of small (5-10 room) areas to reuse.

[Fallen]

Still have a copy of it? I'd like to see it.

I will look for it. I may have saved it outside of just a post on the officials.