Re: (General) Realistic NPCs (Active vs Reactive)


Sun, 10 Sep 1995 10:22:57 +0100

Dan Shiovitz (scythe@u.washington.edu) wrote:

> In whatever next game I put out, I intend to have a real NPC (since I
> didn't have any real ones in my last game). To bolster the illusion of
> reality in an NPC, there are a couple things you can do. One of the things
> I was thinking about doing was having the NPC actually be active, rather
> than reactive.

Wonderful if you can do it.

> For instance, in _Christminster_ Professor Wilderspin has a one-room living
> space.

This, I assume, is more a question of compiler limitations rather than poor
game design. Inform imposes a maximum of 512 objects in a V5 game; these
include locations, directions, manipulable objects, scenery, and so on. Say
Wilderspin's living space was a bit more realistic (ie, larger) and comprised
the study, and perhaps a bedroom and possibly bathroom. The two new rooms
might have one or two scenery objects each (bed, sink, toilet, etc.) plus
perhaps a door to each. That's an additional 4-8 objects. At the moment
these extra rooms and their contents have no purpose. Yes the game's author
could throw in a few puzzles to remedy this, but these puzzles might then
seem somewhat contrived. Also, the extra `code space' (V5 games are a
maximum of 256K) for these new objects and puzzles would have to come from
somewhere, and could therefore be in direct competition with other, more
important, parts of the game. (OK, so _Christminster_ had a fair bit of that
256K to spare, but you get the idea). An alternative to detailing these
rooms like this would be to have a closed door in Wilderspin's study, and
then use the desk routine for the door, thus

>OPEN DOOR
That leads to Wilderspin's bedroom. The college has rules against staff
entertaining members of the opposite sex in their private rooms.

I'd have thought this could become supremely annoying to the player if she is
blocked from entering too many seemingly innocuous locations in this way.

> [The above should not be taken as a personal attack on _Christminster_,
> persay. I enjoyed the game immensely, but its somewhat-detailed NPCs only
> show how much farther we have to go.]

Seconded.

> I suppose the NPC could even be used as a hint system, having them solve
> certain puzzles if the player takes too long. Anyone got other thoughts on
> the topic?

Be careful here. A benefit of the usual `HINT' command is that it enables
the player to control his exposure to hints/solutions. If an NPC jumps in
and either partially or fully solves a puzzle after x turns this could seem
hugely intrusive to many players (me). Also, might it encourage the player
to decide "Well, if I just wait around for 15 turns Clarence will solve the
puzzle for me"?

-- 
Jools Arnold                                          jools@arnod.demon.co.uk