Great questions deserving detailed answers, unfortunately the lack of any mention of vampires, liches, magic or griefers will always get a good question glossed over in that wonderful chat.

Those would all be incredible features -- but such behaviors begin to approximate robust AI and not just personality simulation.

That said, I understand that there is some dynamic process of attraction and aversion of NPCs to settlements -- and mayors who set up a settlement with good opportunities for NPCs (jobs, low rent, affordable real estate) will attract NPCS, while harsh mayors who over-tax them will drive them away. I wonder if that process can be replicated on a business or a romantic level as well. If so, it would add a huge amount of depth to NPC/PC interaction.

Posted By Beathan at 10:16 PM - Thu Aug 23 2018

Those would all be incredible features -- but such behaviors begin to approximate robust AI and not just personality simulation.

That said, I understand that there is some dynamic process of attraction and aversion of NPCs to settlements -- and mayors who set up a settlement with good opportunities for NPCs (jobs, low rent, affordable real estate) will attract NPCS, while harsh mayors who over-tax them will drive them away. I wonder if that process can be replicated on a business or a romantic level as well. If so, it would add a huge amount of depth to NPC/PC interaction.

That's what I'm thinking, too. If they're following hierarchy of needs and also have dark/light alignment there should be capability for that to be applied to relationships with PCs, given that NPCs and PCs are supposed to be 'the same' as far as the game is concerned. :) Therefore (for example) a 'dark' aligned NPC may be able to approach a goal in a way that could be considered harmful or skeevy to others. Underhanded. Another NPC may find drink or gambling or chasing women higher on his hierarchy level for 'comfort' than a happy home, and will summarily chase that goal, at the expense of his partner's happiness or well being.

Good questions and similar to ones that have fluttered through my mind in the past. Something from a past Q/A has me leaning towards the answer of "no" on question one but that is my own speculation on old information that I cannot fully identify atm [I saw it awhile back]. I however lean towards yes to question number 3 because of similar circumstances as my question 1 leaning.

Even if these questions have been answered previously [I do not believe any / most of them have ] they are good questions to ask to either confirm prior information as still being accurate or to notify us of changes that happened in development.

It sure has me wondering! Awesome set of questions!

I really hope that NPC's engage in personal, economic and political competition/warfare as well as the regular warfare they have said will happen. That would make the game so much more varied, especially given their gossip/communication/fame system that is going to be NPC dependent. Then an NPC spreading rumors becomes that much more impactful...because are they doing it because a PC told them that information...and do you have to worry about a PC coming after you by using that system...or is it an NPC/group of NPC's. That would also make vendetta's on their part that much cooler....haha, and can you imagine an NPC stalker?!? One of them becomes romantically fixated on you and views you as his/her ideal companion and starts working events to achieve that end. Sooo many possibilities.