I *love* the idea of procedurally generated companions, but the current system feels somewhat lacking. The key issues I've seen with it are that the wanderers all feel too samey, and that none are actually good at the things you'd really like companions for (engineering, tactics, medicine, scouting. I think they could be made a lot more interesting and useful without that much work, and mostly using the current system.
1) Level: We miss finding low level companions, and getting to raise them up to great heroes ourselves. rather than starting at 13-16 or whatever they do, It would be lovely if they could be lower leveled, (although I also think being able to find higher level ones would be cool too, again *variance* is what's needed to make them interesting) I thinkto fulfil player desires you'd want more at high or low points, and fewer mid-level guys, maybe something like:
Level 1: 25%
Level 2: 10%
Level 3: 5%
Level 4: 2%
Level 5: 2%
Level 6: 2%
Level 7: 2%
Level 8: 2%
Level 9: 2%
Level 10: 2%
Level 11: 3%
Level 12: 3%
Level 13: 5%
Level 14: 5%
Level 15: 5%
Level 16: 5%
Level 17: 5%
Level 18: 5%
Level 19: 5%
Level 20: 5%
2) Stats:
If you want a generic, mediocre fighting type character with bland distribution and no focus, then Bannerlord has you covered, otherwise you're kinda SOL. I think it would be really cool if it worked a little something like this:
a) Every character should have a "high stat" that they are best at, and I think all 6 of the stats should be options. maybe not equal options (this is a world a war), but still available. maybe roll something like:
Vigor: 20%
Control: 18%
Endurance 18%
Cunning 15%
Social 14%
Intelligence 15%
b) I think every character should have some other stats (no one trick ponies), but I think players will want few NPCs with mental focus, and especially few with split mental focus. When a player wants a medic, they want a specialist, not a bunch of people with a few points in it. so secondary stats should be limited to Vigor, Control, and Endurance. Third stat should probably be endurance if they don't yet have it, otherwise Vigor/Control. arrange stats like 45%/30%/25% or something similar
3) skills:
Divide the total skill points and focus points the npc has up the same way the stats get divided. then each stat should split it's skills and focus in one of these ways:
Balanced) 33%/33%/33% (they still have an order for rounding errors)
Weak focus) 40%/30%/30%
Medium focus) 50%/25%/25%
Strong Focus) 60%/20%/20%
Extreme focus) 70%/15%/15%
I would probably exclude "balanced" and "weak focus" from the options for mental stats because, as stated earlier, players are looking for specialists in those areas, maybe even replace them with more extreme focus options (80/10/10 and 90/5/5)
4) Name/story:
Name: just make a bunch of names, and flag them with a stat and/or a skill. "the vigorous" or "the Strong" for stats "shield maiden" for 1h, "swiftfoot" for athletics, "the sniper" for crossbows, etc. it's not hard to come up with 2 or 3 for each. then pick randomly between a name based on their top stat, or top few skills
Backstory: give each backstory a "tags" section, where you can tag stats or skills. A backstory about working as a groom for a noble, but then stealing his horse? give it the riding and roguery tags. Then limit each character to only having a background that matches their skills. I would also add a "veteran" tag, that just means "over level 10" don't want the level 1 recruit with a focus in charm talking about his years of mercenary work. possibly also a "greenie" tag for the reverse.Don't want the 18th level badass talking about how last week she was a housewife until raiders killed her husband. the system should *prefer* backstories that match tags (the guy with roguery and riding should be more likely to be the horse thief story, than a generic story with no tags)
5) Gear and recruit cost:
The amount of gear the NPC has should be based on level, and the cost to recruit them should be based on the price of their gear (probably with a discount for charm, and/or maybe leadership, and with a flat cost, because the value of human life)
I'm thinking something like
Level 1: 100d in gear
Level 2: 300d in gear (200 more than level 1)
Level 3: 600d in gear (300 more than level 2)
etc
this means a level 10 character will have 5k in gear budget, a level 20 character will have 20k in gear budget. map the weapons and horses to the relevant skills and then do the following:
make a list of matching armor sets, and give the character one in the 40-60% of their budget range
make bundles of items matching the various skills (1h + shield), (bow + arrows), (horse + barding), (2h weapon)
give a low level (1-4) character 1 bundle worth their remaining budget based on their best non-riding skill
a higher level (5-9) character could get a second bundle (split budget 60/40)
a level 10+ character should get a third bundle, which should be a horse if they don't already have one
I don't think this would be that hard to implement, and I think it would really liven up the wanderers, which right now are super bland and boring
1) Level: We miss finding low level companions, and getting to raise them up to great heroes ourselves. rather than starting at 13-16 or whatever they do, It would be lovely if they could be lower leveled, (although I also think being able to find higher level ones would be cool too, again *variance* is what's needed to make them interesting) I thinkto fulfil player desires you'd want more at high or low points, and fewer mid-level guys, maybe something like:
Level 1: 25%
Level 2: 10%
Level 3: 5%
Level 4: 2%
Level 5: 2%
Level 6: 2%
Level 7: 2%
Level 8: 2%
Level 9: 2%
Level 10: 2%
Level 11: 3%
Level 12: 3%
Level 13: 5%
Level 14: 5%
Level 15: 5%
Level 16: 5%
Level 17: 5%
Level 18: 5%
Level 19: 5%
Level 20: 5%
2) Stats:
If you want a generic, mediocre fighting type character with bland distribution and no focus, then Bannerlord has you covered, otherwise you're kinda SOL. I think it would be really cool if it worked a little something like this:
a) Every character should have a "high stat" that they are best at, and I think all 6 of the stats should be options. maybe not equal options (this is a world a war), but still available. maybe roll something like:
Vigor: 20%
Control: 18%
Endurance 18%
Cunning 15%
Social 14%
Intelligence 15%
b) I think every character should have some other stats (no one trick ponies), but I think players will want few NPCs with mental focus, and especially few with split mental focus. When a player wants a medic, they want a specialist, not a bunch of people with a few points in it. so secondary stats should be limited to Vigor, Control, and Endurance. Third stat should probably be endurance if they don't yet have it, otherwise Vigor/Control. arrange stats like 45%/30%/25% or something similar
3) skills:
Divide the total skill points and focus points the npc has up the same way the stats get divided. then each stat should split it's skills and focus in one of these ways:
Balanced) 33%/33%/33% (they still have an order for rounding errors)
Weak focus) 40%/30%/30%
Medium focus) 50%/25%/25%
Strong Focus) 60%/20%/20%
Extreme focus) 70%/15%/15%
I would probably exclude "balanced" and "weak focus" from the options for mental stats because, as stated earlier, players are looking for specialists in those areas, maybe even replace them with more extreme focus options (80/10/10 and 90/5/5)
4) Name/story:
Name: just make a bunch of names, and flag them with a stat and/or a skill. "the vigorous" or "the Strong" for stats "shield maiden" for 1h, "swiftfoot" for athletics, "the sniper" for crossbows, etc. it's not hard to come up with 2 or 3 for each. then pick randomly between a name based on their top stat, or top few skills
Backstory: give each backstory a "tags" section, where you can tag stats or skills. A backstory about working as a groom for a noble, but then stealing his horse? give it the riding and roguery tags. Then limit each character to only having a background that matches their skills. I would also add a "veteran" tag, that just means "over level 10" don't want the level 1 recruit with a focus in charm talking about his years of mercenary work. possibly also a "greenie" tag for the reverse.Don't want the 18th level badass talking about how last week she was a housewife until raiders killed her husband. the system should *prefer* backstories that match tags (the guy with roguery and riding should be more likely to be the horse thief story, than a generic story with no tags)
5) Gear and recruit cost:
The amount of gear the NPC has should be based on level, and the cost to recruit them should be based on the price of their gear (probably with a discount for charm, and/or maybe leadership, and with a flat cost, because the value of human life)
I'm thinking something like
Level 1: 100d in gear
Level 2: 300d in gear (200 more than level 1)
Level 3: 600d in gear (300 more than level 2)
etc
this means a level 10 character will have 5k in gear budget, a level 20 character will have 20k in gear budget. map the weapons and horses to the relevant skills and then do the following:
make a list of matching armor sets, and give the character one in the 40-60% of their budget range
make bundles of items matching the various skills (1h + shield), (bow + arrows), (horse + barding), (2h weapon)
give a low level (1-4) character 1 bundle worth their remaining budget based on their best non-riding skill
a higher level (5-9) character could get a second bundle (split budget 60/40)
a level 10+ character should get a third bundle, which should be a horse if they don't already have one
I don't think this would be that hard to implement, and I think it would really liven up the wanderers, which right now are super bland and boring
