How will you rule the NPC's

[Leanmelon]

Just some more hype for the NPC feature of the game. As the title says, what do you plan to do with the NPC's once they're featured into the game? Lots of ideas to go around.

 

I'd go around by myself or with a small loyal group and begin terrorizing the other NPC for a variety of reasons depending on the lore settings. If an option to set how many NPC's would populate the area is available, I'd jack it really high with the supply rate low and take part in the inevitable resource wars.

 

[Blyatman]

I would be the Negan of Project Zomboid. If people don't give me half of the shit they own I would just crush them and take everything.

[Virindi_Screenwriter]

I imagined something like how I ran things in Rebuild 3 and Tropico 4: by implementing a stratocracy.

 

As Warchief I would begin securing an area impenetrably to the outside world. After securing food, water, and electricity my success would be the shining beacon for all those wanting to join me. And my loyal forces would be the fiery retribution for those opposing me.

 

As Zomboid (presently) ends with your death, I would go out like the great Lycurgus and ensure my new society was up and running. I would lead resource raids myself until I inevitably fell in battle.

 

...

 

Unless the metagame changes to allow "victory" conditions, in which case I'll build a functioning settlement and reform society in my Neo-Spartan image!

[Leanmelon]

I really hope you can command NPC's to construct buildings for you so that I can take them all and have them build me my personalized castle.

27 minutes ago, virindi_Screenwriter said:

As Zomboid (presently) ends with your death, I would go out like the great Lycurgus and ensure my new society was up and running. I would lead resource raids myself until I inevitably fell in battle.

 

...

 

Unless the metagame changes to allow "victory" conditions, in which case I'll build a functioning settlement and reform society in my Neo-Spartan image!

 

Arm yourselves with nothing but melee and fight to the end!

[MyTJ]

Depending on how smart they are, I'll either build a thriving and benevolent community... or kill all of them.  If they can follow simple enough rules made for the good of all (even if there is a few mistakes here/there)... they'll be fine.  If they are dumb as brick and eat perishable food when there is plenty of other stuff going... as well as many other obvious mistakes... I'm better off alone.

 

Edit : Also, exceptionally important even if it does not apply to me*... they need to be able to respect quarantine (again, with a bit of margin here/there). *it does not apply to me since I'm playing sandbox with instant death/zombification and I assume it will carry over to NPCs.  But think about it guys... what do you do when someone is scratched?  What if he's bitten? And an even more important question : how do other NPC react if you off scratched/bitten guy premptively or if you wait for him to turn?

[Kuren]

3 hours ago, MyTJ said:

But think about it guys... what do you do when someone is scratched?  What if he's bitten? And an even more important question : how do other NPC react if you off scratched/bitten guy premptively or if you wait for him to turn?

I think this is one of the things that will make being part of an NPC group the most fun Situations like this will be a thrill to partake in and I'm sure it will all depend on the groups personalities and dynamics to make things interesting

[Leanmelon]

2 hours ago, Kuren said:

I think this is one of the things that will make being part of an NPC group the most fun Situations like this will be a thrill to partake in and I'm sure it will all depend on the groups personalities and dynamics to make things interesting

 

Yeah, this brings back memories of my old RP. Let's say if a certain NPC or player was just causing a bit too much trouble or were infected, I'd bring 'em out into the woods and they "died a heroic death" for the camp. Here's to hoping you can interact with NPC's on that level.

[ShuiYin]

I hope i can assign npcs as farmers so they will water and harvest certain plants and rwplant them. Also some npcs as bodyguards to follow me around and help carry loot. But mostly need base guard that can be set to patrol certain areas. Also assign special roles like base doctor and also cook :p. So i just like to build a fort with farms and stuff.

[nasKo]

Y'all thinkin you'll be the bosses. Ha.

[Patrick H]

i just hope they won't be able to take my stuff. if they do, i hope they won't be able to use sheet ropes xD.

[SaltandPretzels]

Actually I am looking foward for developers to show us, that not always we can be a leader. For example we joined another group, which had an acting leader. We have no say in most decisions but we can influence others in order to gain control , or we can be just plain awesome foot soldier. 

 

[makkenhoff]

I think, I'll be too busy to see them as anything other than a target to be feared. After all, if they have survived as long as I have, chances are they have either killed or gotten other humans killed by their action or inaction. Since I'd wager no one in this situation would be entirely mentally stable, I'll consider them hostile before considering them any other way. And, I'd have no real way to keep them in line, because who is honestly going to care about any rules when we are talking about life or death? Most people are going to choose to live, even if that means taking out the guy who's kept them alive so far. 

[Blasted_Taco]

42 minutes ago, SaltandPretzels said:

Actually I am looking foward for developers to show us, that not always we can be a leader. For example we joined another group, which had an acting leader. We have no say in most decisions but we can influence others in order to gain control , or we can be just plain awesome foot soldier. 

 

That would be pretty cool to see but i really doubt that we will be able to be part of a group with a established leader.

 

What happens when the NPCs order us to bring food or find X material? Are we going to get a quest saying: "Get X amount of food"?

 

Barricades, fortifications and all of that, i just cant see how would a NPC do stuff like that to make the group survive longer, but i would defenelty would like take part in a group more than leading one, kinda like in Mount & Blade.

 

2 hours ago, nasKo said:

Y'all thinkin you'll be the bosses. Ha.

 

He knows some stuff, get him!

[SaltandPretzels]

7 minutes ago, Blasted_Taco said:

 

That would be pretty cool to see but i really doubt that we will be able to be part of a group with a established leader.

 

What happens when the NPCs order us to bring food or find X material? Are we going to get a quest saying: "Get X amount of food"?

 

Barricades, fortifications and all of that, i just cant see how would a NPC do stuff like that to make the group survive longer, but i would defenelty would like take part in a group more than leading one, kinda like in Mount & Blade.

 

 

 

Actually it can be avoidet by getting quest which says Scavenge. Without specific ammount, if you gain for example enough food, then NPC  will be happy and mood improved, if not enough, the mood will be lower, and etc.  I like vague quests. 

[DresdenBBQ]

I'd gather a bunch of loyal NPCs and be like Catholics in the Crusades, THOU ART UNHOLY! THOU SHALT PERISH! And go out in an epic battle like the movie 300

[MyTJ]

3 hours ago, nasKo said:

Y'all thinkin you'll be the bosses. Ha.

 

Of course we will

 

Assuming that NPCs are not a "save breaking feature", most of us will be well established when they come around.  NPCs will then have 3 choices :

1. Join and accept our de facto leardership (at least for a time and/or in appearances) ;
2. Refuse our leadership and ignore our base ;
3. Refuse our leadership and try to rob our base (ending in the death of one of more of the implicated parties).

[Blasted_Taco]

9 minutes ago, MyTJ said:

Of course we will

 

Assuming that NPCs are not a "save breaking feature", most of us will be well established when they come around.  NPCs will then have 3 choices :

1. Join and accept our de facto leardership (at least for a time and/or in appearances) ;
2. Refuse our leadership and ignore our base ;
3. Refuse our leadership and try to rob our base (ending in the death of one of more of the implicated parties).

 

NPCs from what i remember are going to come in parts per say, example, the first iteration of NPCs is going to probably be Kate & Bob story and expand from there, you will probably not be able to load up a save when they come around.

 

Also "de facto leadership"  i seriously doubt that the NPCs will follow us and take orders blindly, part of what is planned about the NPCs is that depending on the personality of the NPC, he will act upon, so if he sees that you are in danger and he sees that is not a winnable position, he will maybe run away and you will die or atleast that is what i remember reading about the concept. 

[Zorak]

Tbh I dont expect that much from NPCs when they are on the screen (not a part of off-screen meta events)

Ill be happy when they take care of all farming/traping/fishing stuff

They will be able to clear zeds, def base and choop some wood.

If I can take few of them on a loot run without worrying that they fuck up Ill be more than happy.

[MyTJ]

3 hours ago, Blasted_Taco said:

 

NPCs from what i remember are going to come in parts per say, example, the first iteration of NPCs is going to probably be Kate & Bob story and expand from there, you will probably not be able to load up a save when they come around.

 

Also "de facto leadership"  i seriously doubt that the NPCs will follow us and take orders blindly, part of what is planned about the NPCs is that depending on the personality of the NPC, he will act upon, so if he sees that you are in danger and he sees that is not a winnable position, he will maybe run away and you will die or atleast that is what i remember reading about the concept. 

 

My three scenarios where based on the assumption that save game survive NPCs implementation (wich i truly hope for since my curent base has tens if not over a hundred hours poured into it...).  Of course, none of the above hold for a lone survivor if he has to start from scratch... at least until he establish himself/herself again.

 

But I still hold to my three scenarios for an NPC (or even a human player) coming across a well established base.  After all, if you see a well defended and stocked base with someone seemingly in charge, you will always have those three choices : join up beleiving it's your best chance at survival, ignore it beleiving you're better off yourself or try to steal some of that stock if you think you can (and are moraly enclined to do so).  Obviously, personality has a big role in determining wich initial course of action will occur, but also how it plays out after that.

 

That is not saying that those three scenarios will give the same results every times as they play out, as I hinted in my thread.  For exemple, seemingly cooperative NPCs can turn out to be closer to the third option but going at it in a deceiptfull way.  True cooperative NPCs can grow discontent at unfair rules, squalor conditions, lack of ressources, etc.  Each of those then branch out in multiple scenarios that would be too long for a simple thread where I was merely stating initial options.

 

As for your exemple, I understand it and I agree.  I don't expect NPC to follow blindly (like charging into danger or acting as canon folder).  But that was not my point.  I hope these explanation clear any confusion my earlier post may have caused.

 

(edit : I put "murdering everyone because the NPC is a sociopath" on par with stealing, although arguably these are different scenarios)

[Zombie_squirrel]

I think it will be like in Fallout... NPCS would get in the way and accidently shoot you, or get killed in some dumbsssly way...  say like you are trying to lead horde away from the base, some idiot npc will shoot at the horde and lead the horde into the base, wipe everyone out.

[Leanmelon]

 

8 hours ago, nasKo said:

Y'all thinkin you'll be the bosses. Ha.

 

You sly dog, I'll make sure to keep the leaders out and have all of the gullible NPCs follow my quest for Kentucky domination!

 

I'm seeing a lot of great posts about single player but there's no love for the multiplayer part of it which in my opinion should be the best. Now you can finally lead a large amount of NPCs mixed with players against another faction which should give you that war type of feeling if you're into that. I also have a good feeling (hope with me) that the developers would add a new challenge that revolves around NPCs which could include protecting/fighting alongside a number of them in a small urban building awaiting rescue! Lets not forget the NPC survival option as well, in which case you'd simply fight off bandits with a number of settings and factors to choose from.

[FmanR]

I plan to take the hero role and rescue as many people as I can at all costs, and build a community in the forest. I will do everything in my power to get everyone living in an impenetrable fortress

 

 

 

 

 

 

...Then lock the doors and burn it to the ground >:)

[Migoxiss]

I really hope that there has to be a certain "way" of how you handle your fellows. What if you meet with people, who need someone who is strong willed, being strict about rules? Will your company consist of raiders and behave like a street-gang? Or otherwise?                         WARNING: SPOILERS!!!

 

Best example for that is Rick Grime's Group in The Walking Dead. He basically overtook Alexandria with his group just by his appearence. Would be cool to if that was the case in the game. Where, provided you ruled over your group for good, the stronger faction wins and kills the other inhabitants. "You're the butcher, or you're the cattle". As Gareth from Terminus liked to say.

 

[Virindi_Screenwriter]

23 hours ago, nasKo said:

Y'all thinkin you'll be the bosses. Ha.

 

Y'all thinkin you'll be the bosses person-with-the-weapon-killing-anyone-who-gets-me-mad. Ha.  <====fixed

 

Seriously though, you're point is well taken nasKo. Given the goal of complex NPC interaction Indistone shared so long ago the real question is When will NPCs come out so we can actually try a strategy? whether I'd let anyone who's a threat even live.

 

I don't see me being able to manage the interactions of any more than a dozen people. And even that may be such a hassle I'd stick with a LaMaoE (Last Man on Earth) strategy. There's a lot to be said to play a wanna-be horror movie villain and picking off a community of bandits one-by-one.

 

Still, I'd hope that an NPC system that would keep track of love, jealousy, loneliness, etc., et. al., ad infinitum, would also be able to account for considerations like:

• [Player] built this base to keep the zombies out. I am (safe/and-or/comfortable) thanks to [Player].
• [Player] is bringing us more supplies than everyone else combined. I may (hate/fear) [Player], but (s)he is keeping us alive.
• [Player] saved me when everyone else ran. [Player] is the only one who has my back.
• [Player] met my request for (electricity/beds/clothes/etc.). [Player] gets things done and I should listen to what (s)he says.
• [Player] has killed more zombies than everyone else combined. [Player] (keeps us safe/I fear [Player]).

Or, failing that, a leadership trait.

 

 

[MadDan]

I think we all get doubtful, and maybe it's good to not get so hyped up so our expectations can be met realistically. 

 

That being said, I want a bandit group in the prison luring people in, and then stealing their stuff and holding them hostage in the cells. It's probably all the NPC threads in the Steam forums that has me doubtful.