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Question about NPCs (no not the ETA one)


Sooner535

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I was watching walking dead and noticed they came along a few dead survivors and it got me wondering about something. Will NPCs be able to create a journal? Like perhaps some NPCs have a need to chronicle their life (would be a nice new trait, bonus happiness from keeping a journal and negatives to not keeping one) so that when you meet them (or kill them/find their zombie/corpse) you can read about what happened and perhaps even find things like their safe house and if they hid loot or something.

Short version: will NPCs be able to keep journals

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Actually i don't even think it's possible. Even if someone would spend silly amount of time to do it that thing would be really resource-eating because every NPC on the map would actually need to not only act, but also remember what he did and then put it in the journal/write journal when he does something.

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If I'm not mistaken that's what they want is for them to "remember" what they do, actually it may be a better way if every NPC was treated as a "journal" they appear at the beginning and random things happen to them and it's logged.... Tbh judging by how they want NPCs to grow get smarter and have things happen to them that make sense (like if you leave a call with a NPC surrounded you will come back to a dead zombie NPC) THAT sounds like the hard part lol, if they just load them like players running around it may end up costing too much RAM and PC power.... Though they've been good at everything thus far and I can't imagine them doing any less then perfect lik

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Procedural journals seem like a very doable thing, I wouldn't be surprised if something like it made it into the release.

If you think about it, the quest journals prevalent in most RPGs are exactly this. It's just a matter of giving them to NPCs rather than players (And randomizing the entries a bit to keep things interesting.)

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^ nice, I didn't even think about the relevance RPG journals have to that. I'm sure an adaption of the code would be more simple than people think, just have a whole bunch of "events" that cause a journal note then add code for NPCs names and little changes like if they have certain traits it might be slightly different then others and boom you got yourself a journal system. Dang now I feel stupid for not having thought of that >.< lol that was nice

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Uh, well... I just hope that there will be a option to disable NPC if devs are going to make them more-like-players NPCs, because my game will just crash due to lack of resources.

Adamiks, are you sure - and I mean this in the nicest possible way - that Zomboid is the game for you?

I just mean that every post I've seem from you is either saying you don't want features which are in (or likely to be in) the game and that you want to add features that have already been confirmed as 'no's' by the devs.

## On Topic ##

As for journals, the amount of memory they would use could be miniscule, depending on exactly how in depth it was done. Computers are designed to record data very efficiently - its kind of what they do. They wouldn't need to do so with perfect accuracy, so could do so with a series of 'events' saved to their memory.

At (TIME) on (DATE) I was/did (ACTION/STATUS) at (COORDINATES)

An NPC could 'remember' events easily like that, making a series of them as they survived. If they were to translate it to a journal then this data could be input into one of say, 50 journal entry templates.

Worried about these building up over time? Have memories given a 'priority' of sorts - minor events are forgotten after a couple of days, memorable events a few weeks and major events being permanent.

Now, with the way TIS have talked about the NPC's, I'm hoping for gold - they certainly seem confident that they are on track to something amazing - but this is just an example off the top of my head of how it could be done efficiently.

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Uh, well... I just hope that there will be a option to disable NPC if devs are going to make them more-like-players NPCs, because my game will just crash due to lack of resources.

Adamiks, are you sure - and I mean this in the nicest possible way - that Zomboid is the game for you?

I just mean that every post I've seem from you is either saying you don't want features which are in (or likely to be in) the game and that you want to add features that have already been confirmed as 'no's' by the devs.

## On Topic ##

As for journals, the amount of memory they would use could be miniscule, depending on exactly how in depth it was done. Computers are designed to record data very efficiently - its kind of what they do. They wouldn't need to do so with perfect accuracy, so could do so with a series of 'events' saved to their memory.

At (TIME) on (DATE) I was/did (ACTION/STATUS) at (COORDINATES)

An NPC could 'remember' events easily like that, making a series of them as they survived. If they were to translate it to a journal then this data could be input into one of say, 50 journal entry templates.

Worried about these building up over time? Have memories given a 'priority' of sorts - minor events are forgotten after a couple of days, memorable events a few weeks and major events being permanent.

Now, with the way TIS have talked about the NPC's, I'm hoping for gold - they certainly seem confident that they are on track to something amazing - but this is just an example off the top of my head of how it could be done efficiently.

 

 

The problem is that it would be repetitive as hell if is only modular like that, 2 NPCs that are teamed up together would have the exact same journal.

 

However, a journal that is modular and somehow its related to the perks the NPCs has, would be different, but that would involve a shit ton of writing.

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The only game i can think off where this is kinda possible is Dwarf Fortress with all its amusing and mighty stuff that the games has, unless is a very modular as fuck system in PZ, which would still make Journals repeat itself, i dont see it happening.

I want DF-like stories or drawings !

"On the wall, made out of dark green paint is a drawing of a tall female zombie and a scared man and a wounded woman. The tall female zombie is eating the left arm of the wounded woman. The scared man is afraid. The scared man yells."

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I am so glad so many here play DF >.< I guess there IS hope for humanity :P 

 

On topic:

 

ya a modular system based on traits I think would be best, I don't think it would take that much of extra writing unless the coding for it is just absolutely crazy lol but, something like

 

NPC journal entry looting 1: [Check NPC trait for optimistic/pessimistic] on the loot run today found [check for cooking skill] stuff in the house across the street, [check for cooking skill]. Tomorrow I need to look for [Check for highest need] end journal entry.

 

Obviously that isn't a true line of code >.< but, the concept is very similar so with that in place you have multiple different outcomes like so:

 

NPC optimist with no cooking skill and is wounded:

 

NPC journal entry looting 1: Had a enjoyable time on the loot run today found some rather useless cooking stuff in the house across the street, why did I grab these? Tomorrow I need to look for bandages and disinfectant my arm hurts like heck.... end journal entry.

 

NPC pessimist with cooking skill and in need of a melee weapon:

 

NPC journal entry looting 1: Had a **** of a time on the loot run today found some useful cooking stuff in the house across the street, I am glad I grabbed it, though I will probably die before I can use it. Tomorrow I need to look for a bat, a golfclub, heck even a knife would do just something.... end journal entry.

 

 

That is only 2 examples but you get the idea. Also not EVERY NPC would be making a journal only NPCs who have a trait to do so, so while others might not care enough to write it down some will.

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Adamiks, are you sure - and I mean this in the nicest possible way - that Zomboid is the game for you?

I just mean that every post I've seem from you is either saying you don't want features which are in (or likely to be in) the game and that you want to add features that have already been confirmed as 'no's' by the devs.

 

I will also mean this in the nicest possible way - are you just really, really serious right now?

 

1. I don't want feature because i think that my weak computer can have problems in running it?....

2. "if you have your own opinion about confirmed no's you to force devs to add them in".

3. Quote my post where i said i don't want *new* feature in the game? I never said anything like that, in general i'm talking about things that are unbalanced or need some more work (in my opinion..).

4. I made only one suggestion about things confirmed as "no" at i was pretty new at the forums. That i say something about features claimes as "no" doesn't mean i want devs to add them to the game.

5. The most important one point - that i don't talk about things that i like and spam about it doesn't mean i don't enjoy playing in PZ in general. You should really consider looking for info about word "feedback". Games are simple as videos on YT when you can say "hey, i really like this one! I like x and y!". No, in game like PZ this kind of comment would look like this "i like x and y and v and b and c! And i like bla bla bla bla", so there is no point in even making this comment.

 

TLDR of 5 - There is no point in talking about things you like, but there is really good reason in talking about things you don't like.

 

I don't even expected this kind of reply under my post saying "i hope they will make option to not play with NPC, because my computer can don't handle it". Like it's my fault that i have weak computer or something? Or i should shut up and accept that PZ will can be way more laggy for me etc, because saying something about you don't like is always claimed as hating on this forum?

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Adamiks, are you sure - and I mean this in the nicest possible way - that Zomboid is the game for you?

I just mean that every post I've seem from you is either saying you don't want features which are in (or likely to be in) the game and that you want to add features that have already been confirmed as 'no's' by the devs.

 

I will also mean this in the nicest possible way - are you just really, really serious right now?

 

Yeah, we're pretty serious.

 

We were serious the last time it was brought up, as well.

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@ Adam

I think I saw somewhere that you will be able to disable NPCs (though if you like survival I'm sure it'll have them, though you can just recreate exact survival settings without NPCs) that's the great thing about TIS and PZ I think, they add tons and tons of options for people who want to do things a bit differently.

I do think it's alright talking about what you like and don't like also after all what would have the indie games in the world be without people voicing their opinion? If you don't like NPCs when they come out and there is no option to turn them off (as I said though I'm like 99% sure there will be) then ask for it :) I don't think there should be anything wrong with that. Moving on though I would really appreciate it (and I'm sure the moderators and devs would too) if we could keep this on topic, not trying to be bossy or anything... Just please discuss that via pm or on another thread >.< I want to read about journals not if or why or when or whatever NPCs get added

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Snippyri Dippiry

 

I will also mean this in the nicest possible way - are you just really, really serious right now?

 

1. I don't want feature because i think that my weak computer can have problems in running it?....

2. "if you have your own opinion about confirmed no's you to force devs to add them in".

3. Quote my post where i said i don't want *new* feature in the game? I never said anything like that, in general i'm talking about things that are unbalanced or need some more work (in my opinion..).

4. I made only one suggestion about things confirmed as "no" at i was pretty new at the forums. That i say something about features claimes as "no" doesn't mean i want devs to add them to the game.

5. The most important one point - that i don't talk about things that i like and spam about it doesn't mean i don't enjoy playing in PZ in general. You should really consider looking for info about word "feedback". Games are simple as videos on YT when you can say "hey, i really like this one! I like x and y!". No, in game like PZ this kind of comment would look like this "i like x and y and v and b and c! And i like bla bla bla bla", so there is no point in even making this comment.

 

TLDR of 5 - There is no point in talking about things you like, but there is really good reason in talking about things you don't like.

 

I don't even expected this kind of reply under my post saying "i hope they will make option to not play with NPC, because my computer can don't handle it". Like it's my fault that i have weak computer or something? Or i should shut up and accept that PZ will can be way more laggy for me etc, because saying something about you don't like is always claimed as hating on this forum?

 

 

Some people got fucked over by the Sprties -> 3D engine change, but it was mostly solved.

 

Put some faith in the devs man, also Sandbox has the options of No NPCs

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