Move people... MOVE!

[Lobo]

I dont know if it has been suggested or not, but it would be really nice to make NPC's move...

You know, walk around, maby talk to eachother(animation, not actuall speech), anything but not stand 24h/7 in the same position like a doll.

 

[Manitas]

Yes - if there are places for them to go to, if you can predict where they are at a given time of day, if there is a purpose for them to go there.

No - if they just walk around randomly.

I remember the first Gothic. They boasted their NPC's are 'alive'. One of them NPC's came in 2 copies, one of them cruised between mines and a town, the other stayed put down in the mines.

 

[Sir Prince]

Hmmm, *thinks of examples* Morrowind had random, though there is a mod (not sure if I downloaded it though) that had merchants walking back and forth between major towns. W+W: Joan of Arc, they had random walking around people, who DID NOT FLEE THE ENGLISH WHEN THEY BREACHED THE GATES. Though Enlight had some AI problems (among their bosses as well) in that game.

Yes, people with putpose is nice, or atleast even having 3 or 4 or more little tasks to do even without walking, (eg, sitting at table, drinking, chatting, etc).

 

[Lobo]

The NPCs in Morrowind dont walk around randomly, they have set routs witch they follow. Same as in Gothic. And that would be a good way to do this in my opinion.

Gothik rocks!

 

[Sir Prince]

Well, they are still jsut walking around for no real reason other than to do something. Though your not usualy standing around either.

 

[Juno]

Have a cookie!

Oh and I think it would be funny to be able to walk into them and they like move with you as if you are pushing them, like with the hostiges on CS. Heh good times....

 

[Orion]

But the CS peanuts don't move their feat, do they? Don't they just slide across the ground, like in so many other games?

 

[Juno]

Nope, it was in one of the patches they improved them like 200% also I think they are better in CS:S. If you pushed into them they were like 'Dont hurt me' and like ran into a corner and crouched down.

 

[Orion]

Well I don't play CS:S.

Valve is ghey.

 

[Juno]

Yup, I basically quit when steam came out. I tryed to cope but it made me cry too many times

but anyway back on topic, I like my idea ( ) but I dont really think the NPC's they have at the moment would suit a walk about. They are shop owners, traders or that-random-guy-at-the-beginning-who-gives-you-the- river-pirate-quest kind of people so it wouldnt work well. Maybe if they had normal civilians.

 

[Volkier]

Deus Ex was pretty interesting regarding this concept... Earsdropping on NPC conversation with one another, probably had me entertained for longer than killing those same NPC's :

Probably the best way is EQ2 NPC movement style, whereas some shopkeepers would wander around, but within the close proximity of their stalls. (I know EQ2 sux, but that was one of the good things which they didn't screw up)

 

[Sir Prince]

Oh yeah, Deus Ex, I need to get that game too... *looks at lsit of games-to-get, , yep, it's on there*

It would be neat to see a merchant counting coins.

 

[Olorin]

well one thing that is kind of cool, in NeverWinter Nights NPC's go inside when it gets dark...maybe this could be kinda implemented?

 

[Nasrudin]

Agreed that merchies should stick to their stalls, maybe cont coins...but why not townsfolk wandering from stall to stall, having conversations (i.e. standing, facing each other, making gestures)? I suppose food stalls would make more sense then...

 

[Phoboshobo]

It would be cool, but I could take it or leave it really. To me its polish. Get everything else done (Four Ways Tavern etc), and then have a stab at it if youre bored.