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"Decoration" NPC's to liven up deeds

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Currently we have a few humanoid npc's that you can have on your deed: traders, merchants, and tower guards. All of these are part of a different system and serve some other purpose.

 

I'd like to suggest that a new basic, entirely function-less "decoration" npc is added (Think bookshelf with a different model), so that you can place them around your deed to make it seem a bit more alive. Obviously not crafted directly, perhaps you craft a "villager request form" and upon 'use' the NPC will arrive.

 

Have an inn? Give it an innkeeper behind the front desk, and some customers sitting at tables. Blacksmith shop? Add a blacksmith and his apprentice. I really think it would let us add to the atmosphere of our deeds that aren't full of real players, and allow a bit more of role-playing with your buildings.

 

Some enhancements to the basic idea could be:

- Naming of the npcs

- Randomised model selection

- Get them to sit on chairs or stand in a set position

- Allow some amount of walking around similar to animals do, with some restrictions to prevent them leaving a building, or the deed area.

- For a more advanced version, perhaps the tech for highway routing could be used to place routes for the npc's to follow.

 

 

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you can also pay somone to stand there ... like 1s per day :D

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I'd like both "General villager" NPCS that wander around and special purpose NPCs. Like a lay priest who says a few random lines of holy scripture if you talk to them, or a bartender who sells drinks, things like that.

 

Maybe even asign them a bed and "work area" so they go home at night and work during the day.

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+1

I'd also love to get some decoration animals! Like some started deeds have animals that register as objects, and have funny names. Esert has a Foghorn rooster and a Baby Moo calf :)

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Ok, this suggestion is basically wanting NPC's like in any other MMO out there, or single player game for that matter. I prefer to have actual players around that I can talk to and can teach or learn from.

not a robot that mumbles random stuff.

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7 minutes ago, Talohan said:

Ok, this suggestion is basically wanting NPC's like in any other MMO out there, or single player game for that matter. I prefer to have actual players around that I can talk to and can teach or learn from.

not a robot that mumbles random stuff.

I think you have the choice of empty deeds or robots.

 

I don't think anything short of condensing the entire Wurm playerbase to a single 16x16 server will have any noticeable player density.

Edited by Darmalus
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14 minutes ago, Darmalus said:

I think you have the choice of empty deeds or robots.

 

I don't think anything short of condensing the entire Wurm playerbase to a single 16x16 server will have any noticeable player density.

Well I live on a deed with numerous villagers, and yes at times some move on and it's empty for awhile but we always are willing to take in more. Right now we have aliitle over 20 living there so no matter the time someone is usually around and we have several close by villages too that we interact with on a daily basis.

But I understand how the player base is spread out. Have you thought of offering space for new players to liven up your deed with actual conversations?

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33 minutes ago, Talohan said:

Well I live on a deed with numerous villagers, and yes at times some move on and it's empty for awhile but we always are willing to take in more. Right now we have aliitle over 20 living there so no matter the time someone is usually around and we have several close by villages too that we interact with on a daily basis.

But I understand how the player base is spread out. Have you thought of offering space for new players to liven up your deed with actual conversations?

That requires new players. Saw one this year, he left the game after a week because I was the only person he'd seen the entire time.

 

The player base density is critically low, and short of hiring people to play NPCs would at least give an illusion of life and maybe retain a few new ones.

Edited by Darmalus
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5 hours ago, Talohan said:

Well I live on a deed with numerous villagers, and yes at times some move on and it's empty for awhile but we always are willing to take in more. Right now we have aliitle over 20 living there so no matter the time someone is usually around and we have several close by villages too that we interact with on a daily basis.

But I understand how the player base is spread out. Have you thought of offering space for new players to liven up your deed with actual conversations?

Did it ever occur to you that some players doesnt want to be overly social, or doesnt want to live on a deed with 20 players( me personaly would rather stopped playing than have to live like that)

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On 9/10/2017 at 4:51 AM, Talohan said:

Ok, this suggestion is basically wanting NPC's like in any other MMO out there, or single player game for that matter. I prefer to have actual players around that I can talk to and can teach or learn from.

not a robot that mumbles random stuff.

No one would force you to use them.

 

+1 for cosmethic NPCs

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I am totally against "background" NPC's.  If there are NPC's in game, they should have a function, even if it's an extremely minor function.

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1 hour ago, Tallios said:

I am totally against "background" NPC's.  If there are NPC's in game, they should have a function, even if it's an extremely minor function.

 

Why? (If I may ask.)

 

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1 hour ago, Tallios said:

I am totally against "background" NPC's.  If there are NPC's in game, they should have a function, even if it's an extremely minor function.

 

They have a function as proposed by the OP, to be used as decorative items. That is the main function of all decorative items.

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33 minutes ago, Yaga said:

 

Why? (If I may ask.)

 

 

6 minutes ago, Rathgar said:

 

They have a function as proposed by the OP, to be used as decorative items. That is the main function of all decorative items.

 

 

Ok, perhaps it was unclear when I stated previously that NPC's should have a "Minor function".  This in my personal belief means that the NPC in question should actually do something more than just stand there and or enhance the background.

 

Perhaps the innkeeper could be a limited Merchant?  Perhaps, they could manage room rentals for guests?  Distributes meals and drinks as according to the inn owners desires?

 

Some peasant may harvest and haul crops from one place to another?  or maybe he grooms all the animals to keep them healthy?

 

While I am not opposed to any of these things, I am still against any "decorative only" purpose for NPC's.  Players will expect them to be interactive on some level.

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Minor function ideas

  • Peasant
    • Has a talk function where they can give short responses to a limited number of questions, chosen from a menue. All questions and responses are designated by their owner.
  • Farmhand
    • Alerts you when a tile on your deed is ripe or has gone to weeds when you log in, no more than one alert per hour to prevent spam.
  • Forester
    • Alerts you when a tree on your deed is overaged or has shriveled when you log in, no more than one alert per hour to prevent spam.
  • Innkeeper
    • Tells you how many beds in that building are available and their prices.
    • Talk function like the peasant
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+1, I imagine having a NPC in front of my deed or any deed and when you right click -> Converse it says "Welcome to [Name of deed]!, Hope you enjoy its beauty!" or something like that in Event chat.

 

33 minutes ago, Darmalus said:

Minor function ideas

  • Peasant
    • Has a talk function where they can give short responses to a limited number of questions, chosen from a menue. All questions and responses are designated by their owner.
  • Farmhand
    • Alerts you when a tile on your deed is ripe or has gone to weeds when you log in, no more than one alert per hour to prevent spam.
  • Forester
    • Alerts you when a tree on your deed is overaged or has shriveled when you log in, no more than one alert per hour to prevent spam.
  • Innkeeper
    • Tells you how many beds in that building are available and their prices.
    • Talk function like the peasant

I like these ideas :) Maybe what I am talking about can be like the Peasant. It can ask you questions and give you answers about the deed you are on.

 

Edit - And be able to personalize the look of the NPC too. Like when it gets closer to the holidays you can switch up their style to look more festive.

Edited by PumperNickel

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I imagine the talk function being like minor NPCs in the RPGs I grew up with like Baldur's Gate.

 

Select NPC -> Talk (box similar to meditation question pops up)

Quote

Hello good traveler, what brings you our deed?

  • Who rules here?
    • Event Tab "Why, PumperNickel, the greatest pole-dancing bunny in Wurm!"
  • How's the weather?
  • What services are available?
  • Do you know the muffin man?
  • Goodbye.
    • (closes window)

Might be good for Player or GM made quests too.

Edited by Darmalus

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Bump for 2019 - still missing some decorative NPC friends to hang out with on my deeds.

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Bump for 2020

 

This topic covering various NPCs decorative or functional has been around for a very long time.  WURM Online is a at a cross section where they need more premium players to keep the game fresh and viable (i.e. the push for Steam release), but also the game needs a little modernization to attract and hold new players.   

For those players that want to have their deeds feel more lively, why not be able to buy various decorative NPC contracts (or tokens) from a Trader.   Win-Win: potentially increasing the silver purchase and spend within game ($ sink).

A suggested way to roll this out for WURM  (given small development team):

Phase One:

      Offer decorative NPC with the software hooks to managed within the Deed settings and roles and future AI motion enhancements.  

      Phase One NPCs can simply be a place holder {perhaps one that waves every so often  (the wave action/npc mesh is already is in game)} 

      Add a few other models maybe one that can wonder a little bit (Town Cryer)

Phase Two: 

     When there is time and resources give the NPCs some more  movement functions (leveraging the aforementioned software hooks)

     Add another functional NPC such as a bartender with access to food and drink that is in storage within the the same building.    Wine, Meed food from Larder, etc. (assign items to sell just like regular merchant)

Reiterate and improve.

 

 

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Would love to see some variation of this in the game.  The could be decorative for starters and then gain functionability down the road. That would suit me fine.

A few I'd like to see, some as mentioned in this post's feed, along with some suggested functionality:

  • Innkeeper
    Function: Keeps track of beds available in the building and rents them out to players.  Gives access to a room's door without giving out a key.  As long as player is paying the "rent", only that player has access to the room and all that is in it.
     
  • Barkeep
    Function: Has a larder and beverage storage in which the player can make and place food and drink for other players to buy on a per serving basis.
     
  • Farmhand
    Function: Each farmhand could tend to a certain number of tiles per hour within a fenced area.  Player gains no skill of course, but the farmhand does.  As skill builds, farmhand could tend to more tiles per hour, and crop quality increases as well.  When crops are ripe, the deed owner is notified on login so that they can harvest and place in storage as desired.
     
  • Bard
    Function: Plays random snippets of music of various instruments that only players in the vicinity can hear (such as in the same building with the bard or within X number of tiles), and even some short stories in it's own chat window.  Player would have option to select instrument type the bard can play, and have the option to disable stories.  Players should also have the option to turn off all bards they happen to come near, if they don't want to listen to such things.  It would be fun to place a bard on a stage setting in an inn to entertain patrons with music and allow them to juggle or do other simple tricks while telling stories.  Could be fun to sit at an inn table over a pile of items to imp or craft while listening to random offerings from the bard.
     
  • Rancher/Herdsman/Shepherd
    Function:  Tends to animals within a fenced area, but only the animals he/she is assigned to.  NPC caring for sheep would be a shepherd, for instance.  NPC caring for cattle would be a rancher.  NPC would tend to diseased animals, reduce the chance that grass tiles within the fenced area would become packed, and breeding would occur among herds with male and female animals present.  NPC could only tend to a certain number of animals within a given area.  The NPC would also gain skill doing so which would lead to higher number of animals that could be cared for, greater skill in tending to diseased animals, and further reduced chances grass tiles would become compacted, allowing for more animals to be cared for in a smaller area.  Of course, no skill gain to the player.  Players would have to manage blood lines though- keeping animals separated in different pens that are too closely related.  Higher quality animals with good traits that are given to an NPC for care and breeding would increase the chances of higher ql offspring, but the player would have to managed.
     
  • Forrester
    Function: Player can select a growth stage for each tree/shrub type and the NPC prunes as needed to help maintain that stage of the plant type's growth on the deed.  NPC also notifies player when there are trees on deed that are nearing the shriveled stage, giving them the tree type and the general location of the trees needing attention, as well as reminding the deed owner on login when a tree's fruit is ready to be harvested.  NPC could also be set to attempt to harvest sprouts from certain tree types at the deed owner's direction.  NPC gains skills in these areas and can do all these things with greater success as their skill grows.
     
  • Random Peasant
    Function:  As suggested in the post feed by another player: Has a talk function where they can give short responses to a limited number of questions, chosen from a menu. All questions and responses are designated by their owner.  Peasant could wander around deed at will.
     

I would envision these types of NPC's to cost something each month by adding to upkeep of a deed. 

For the inkeeper and barkeep the player would pay an initial contract fee to obtain services. After that, they would cost nothing toward deed upkeep, but 10% of any business done goes to them (and into the kingdom coffers, perhaps). 

Peasant could be free after initial contract purchase.

For the more labor saving NPC's like the farmhand and rancher, 25c/month added to upkeep would be more reasonable.  Players could purchase more than one NPC of this type for their deed, but at additional deed upkeep per NPC.  The increase to deed upkeep would help prevent players from using NPC's to provide help in creating resources for sale.  NPC's of this nature would help a bit in that it would aid players in obtaining certain resources more easily, and that could perhaps provide a bit that could be sold to offset their expense if that were an issue for a player, but the monthly upkeep added to the deed could negate potential abuse.

Humbly submitted for consideration,
~TH~

Edited by Thalius
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If a barkeep type npc is available, maybe add free option where player can get 1 food item and 1 drink item free with a 1 hr cooldown to prevent someone from just clearing it out, but still providing a free service to people.

 

Also for that, it’d be nice to have a small portion option available at 0.5-1.0 kg instead of the 2 kg. 

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Suggestion post a year and a half ago or so regarding a barkeep NPC.

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