In the video you talk about NPC pilots for warships in a fleet, I was wondering what the limitations of the orders that you can give the NPC Pilots are likely to be. For example will they be limited to 'Defend Me/Attack my Target' or will they be esorteric all the way up to 'Trade in these systems/Trade within X jumps of Home' and 'Mine Resources in X/Mine *Res* in X jumps of home'
Also what will you be able to do with your $$$, for example, can you purchase a space station (and make $$$ from it) or eventually purchase a planet?
Post
Wed Nov 28, 2012 6:50 am
#2
Re: NPC Control of PC ships
For controlling your NPC fleet you'll have a fully featured RTS interface, probably top down view, at least that is what Josh has promised us. He hasn't been specific about trading/resource gathering NPCs but I would imagine he could make a mission system that goes both ways, let you set up missions for the NPCs.
So far we have space stations and planetary holdings, the next stretch goal seems to be owning a planet and after that probably creating your own faction. I would assume hiring NPCs cost money as well.
So far we have space stations and planetary holdings, the next stretch goal seems to be owning a planet and after that probably creating your own faction. I would assume hiring NPCs cost money as well.
Post
Wed Nov 28, 2012 8:49 am
#3
And if we have a top-down RTS view of the galaxy, missions could be set very simply. You could click a solar system to expand a list of all your NPC ships in the system, or zoom in on the system map and see the ships from a top-down view. Then you could select an NPC ship with your mouse and then right click on a second solar system (or asteroid field within the same system) and select "mine X mineral here until hold is full." You could then right click on another system to queue up a second order, "sell here." You could make it looping if you wanted.
A visual, map-based system would, I think, be an intuitive way to give NPCs commands - much more simply than in X3, for example.
Re: NPC Control of PC ships
I really like that idea! Allowing the player to set missions for NPCs in much the same way that factions and NPCs set missions for the player would be a cool way to keep things consistent.Bele wrote:For controlling your NPC fleet you'll have a fully featured RTS interface, probably top down view, at least that is what Josh has promised us. He hasn't been specific about trading/resource gathering NPCs but I would imagine he could make a mission system that goes both ways, let you set up missions for the NPCs.
And if we have a top-down RTS view of the galaxy, missions could be set very simply. You could click a solar system to expand a list of all your NPC ships in the system, or zoom in on the system map and see the ships from a top-down view. Then you could select an NPC ship with your mouse and then right click on a second solar system (or asteroid field within the same system) and select "mine X mineral here until hold is full." You could then right click on another system to queue up a second order, "sell here." You could make it looping if you wanted.
A visual, map-based system would, I think, be an intuitive way to give NPCs commands - much more simply than in X3, for example.
Post
Wed Nov 28, 2012 11:46 am
#4
For owning/managing planets see the stretch goals poll.
Re: NPC Control of PC ships
Owning a space station is a confirmed feature, so I'd say it's likely that you'd have to purchase it first.kspn wrote:Also what will you be able to do with your $$$, for example, can you purchase a space station (and make $$$ from it) or eventually purchase a planet?
For owning/managing planets see the stretch goals poll.
Post
Wed Nov 28, 2012 5:37 pm
#5
Re: NPC Control of PC ships
This is something which I would very much like to see. It was a feature of X3 which made running a trade empire significantly easier. (The 'Trade Command Software Mk 3' for those familiar with X3. It hired an NPC to crew vessels for you, and you were able to order them to trade either within a sector or across the entire universe, and they would autonomously move around buying products from factories and then selling them at other factories, sending the profits back to the player.)...all the way up to 'Trade in these systems/Trade within X jumps of Home' and 'Mine Resources in X/Mine *Res* in X jumps of home'.
Post
Wed Nov 28, 2012 5:53 pm
#6
Re: NPC Control of PC ships
I remember that, I do wonder though how much 'autonomy' you can give your NPC's, for example, can you give them enough power to purchase ships and hire NPC's so that they can defend themselves? Do ship upgrades to improve trading capacity etc
No Coffee, No Workee
Post
Wed Nov 28, 2012 7:09 pm
#7
Yes, the control you have over npcs will be very flexible
Re: NPC Control of PC ships
Dangit please stop revealing my coolest ideas before I release theminsolent wrote:I really like that idea! Allowing the player to set missions for NPCs in much the same way that factions and NPCs set missions for the player would be a cool way to keep things consistent.
Yes, the control you have over npcs will be very flexible
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.” ~ Henry Ford
Post
Wed Nov 28, 2012 8:29 pm
#8
Re: NPC Control of PC ships
Heh heh heh. I'm inside your mind, Mr. Parnell. Don't fight it, it will only make it worse.JoshParnell wrote: Dangit please stop revealing my coolest ideas before I release them
But seriously, I am super excited to hear that! This game is shaping up to be groundbreaking in just about every respect. The way you shatter former gameplay barriers seems almost effortless.JoshParnell wrote: Yes, the control you have over npcs will be very flexible
Post
Thu Nov 29, 2012 2:01 am
#9
Re: NPC Control of PC ships
Frankly, it is effortless when you code things cleanly. I don't understand why devs have had so much trouble in this genre!!insolent wrote:But seriously, I am super excited to hear that! This game is shaping up to be groundbreaking in just about every respect. The way you shatter former gameplay barriers seems almost effortless.
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.” ~ Henry Ford
Post
Thu Nov 29, 2012 2:14 am
#10
Theres your answer...
Far to many monkeys that don't actually know programming but want to develop or manage stuff anyways, or just leech of those few that actually knows alot of programming
Re: NPC Control of PC ships
http://programming-motherfucker.com/JoshParnell wrote: Frankly, it is effortless when you code things cleanly. I don't understand why devs have had so much trouble in this genre!!
Theres your answer...
Far to many monkeys that don't actually know programming but want to develop or manage stuff anyways, or just leech of those few that actually knows alot of programming
Post
Thu Nov 29, 2012 2:27 am
#11
and i to am pleased to hear tough that the npc ai will be rather felxable and robust in its ability to handle player npc interactions.
perhaps we could get a better outline as to the level (not necessarily a line by line mind you but a breidf baseline of what we could expect from an npc) of a typical ncp. ( i understand that its been desussed at some lenth as to things like procedural quest and an ai memory and relationship with the character but what of the actual interactions available?) in several post the speculations on the level of npc involvements ranged from automatic subservient bots to something that might actually out play the players. so some clarification would be nice if at all possible. and while im here begging for information I might as well ask about currency in game. obviously resource bartering would be common practice in a lot of places but not a lots ben mentioned as to long term economies other than they will be dynamic and also rather flexible XD.
Re: NPC Control of PC ships
perhaps they have the same difficulty i have. in that i tend to over think things and over think until im no longer in the same book much less page that i was originally asked about.(some of you may notice this in other post where i talk for far to long and start to ramble...)JoshParnell wrote: Frankly, it is effortless when you code things cleanly. I don't understand why devs have had so much trouble in this genre!!
and i to am pleased to hear tough that the npc ai will be rather felxable and robust in its ability to handle player npc interactions.
perhaps we could get a better outline as to the level (not necessarily a line by line mind you but a breidf baseline of what we could expect from an npc) of a typical ncp. ( i understand that its been desussed at some lenth as to things like procedural quest and an ai memory and relationship with the character but what of the actual interactions available?) in several post the speculations on the level of npc involvements ranged from automatic subservient bots to something that might actually out play the players. so some clarification would be nice if at all possible. and while im here begging for information I might as well ask about currency in game. obviously resource bartering would be common practice in a lot of places but not a lots ben mentioned as to long term economies other than they will be dynamic and also rather flexible XD.
If I've rambled and gone off topic im sorry but i tend to be long winded as you might notice if you stumble across my other post XD. thanks for reading.
Post
Thu Nov 29, 2012 4:26 am
#12
Re: NPC Control of PC ships
It's because way too many devs don't actually sit down and *think* about the problems.
Most jump-the-gun... download popular frameworks... *hack* stuff together and then apply a million "band-aid" fixes to curve the non-behaving application in their intended direction without thinking things through...
Most jump-the-gun... download popular frameworks... *hack* stuff together and then apply a million "band-aid" fixes to curve the non-behaving application in their intended direction without thinking things through...
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Wed Aug 19, 2015 2:11 pm
#13
Re: NPC Control of PC ships
People generally want to get what they're working on out asap. They don't need to really think about it, they just need to get working.Deej wrote:It's because way too many devs don't actually sit down and *think* about the problems.
Most jump-the-gun... download popular frameworks... *hack* stuff together and then apply a million "band-aid" fixes to curve the non-behaving application in their intended direction without thinking things through...
The results of logic, of natural progression? Boring! An expected result? Dull! An obvious next step? Pfui! Where is the fun in that? A dream may soothe, but our nightmares make us run!