SmedBlog (last year): NPC Enemies and Armies - Page 8

RoninOni · 2012-08-11, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by Celfoid

I dunno, not really sure if its a good idea, just throwing it out there. But I wouldn't want consistent NPCs in PS2. The only AI I'd want to see everyday is that from turrets n' whatnot. :P Like in PS

I agree. I really don't want the alien invasion thing to be a staple of PS2... more just a side diversion very very rarely. And I really REALLY don't want combat bots/creeps DOTA style.

Automated base defenses and potentially deployable turrets should be the limit.

oh, and if harvesters are implemented... cause who wants to drive that?

So NPC harvest/supply convoys could potentially be added...

and maybe that AI could be player modified... maybe...

but I don't think that's really a big want feature.

Having raidable resource / supply units could add more to the game's tactical options.

Programming AI just seems like it might get ridiculous....

artifice · 2012-08-11, 08:38 PM

I would love to see a fourth NPC faction and the ability to have NPCs to supplement your faction's numbers.

Partack · 2012-08-11, 08:44 PM

@ smedley :

Oo..

well, i was all like,

D: when you were talkign about PVe stuff.. and i was like, no no no.

But then you said player- scripted AI and i was all..

'.... maybe o.0? '

Kerafyrm · 2012-08-11, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by RoninOni

I could see some starship troopers-esque metoer bug alien attacks that happen a couple times a year, and lasts for 24-48 hours (3-8 in game days).

I am liking the whole alien invasion idea but I do agree with others they should be pretty rare events. But like the quote above the events should be 24-48 hours long and maybe not even 48 hour that's probably to long for most people. I'm not sure about the whole bug concept i'd like a event like this to be rare and epic....something you would remember.

But in the end we own them and they go back to where they came from.

RoninOni · 2012-08-11, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by Kerafyrm

I am liking the whole alien invasion idea but I do agree with others they should be pretty rare events. But like the quote above the events should be 24-48 hours long and maybe not even 48 hour that's probably to long for most people. I'm not sure about the whole bug concept i'd like a event like this to be rare and epic....something you would remember.

But in the end we own them and they go back to where they came from.

It wouldn't be 48 hours straight...

there'd be 8 hour (in game) cycles during 48 hours (real time) in which they'd strike.... the cycles spread over the continents (matching their disparity in time of day).

And you could personally avoid it all together by simply avoiding whichever continent(s) is(are) in the path of the meteor storm at the moment.

OR you could jump from continent to continent as it moves to take advantage of ever hour of this rare event.

Masterr · 2012-08-11, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by Smed

I didn't go into much detail in my blog post. There are 2 separate ideas here. One is simple - Alien NPCs (the original Planetside design called them Shifters). They are superpowerful aliens that come in and attack everyone. There are a lot of special things about them I don't want to reveal right now but the idea is more the Alien Queen and not Zergs. So there wouldn't be thousands of them. But they would be nasty as hell.

The second idea is this. What if we had certain captureable buildings that when combined with a steady flow of resources the players had to pour in would result in waves of "creeps" ala LoL or DOTA that would go towards premade points in the world. So to attack a particular base one tactic would be to capture a nearby base.. capture the spawning facility and that would result in the NPC wave (again not thousands) moving towards a specific targeted base to attack.

One other key point about them I didn't mention - they would have buildable AI that players could actually make through a scripting language. (forgot this part too) - Also you would be able to sell that AI to other players if you were an AI designer. Think Robot Wars or cRobots.

These are just ideas. I enjoy the feedback.

Thanks

Smed

At first I was thinking of wildlife that you can chase and kill for xp, like a safari....but if NPC's must be in the game, I rather have the invasion option. The other two options.....doesnt add anything "epic". It would be epic to look up and see an independence day sized alien space craft that wrecks everyone.

But TBH....I'd rather have no NPC's at all....the wildlife is ok though. You shoot it and it runs away. If you chase it and kill it, you get xp. You shoot it so it will get out of your way....and continue to your base assault.

Rarntogo · 2012-08-11, 09:00 PM

I love PS1 and 2 because they are PVP. However... I played COH/COV and fighting a big nasty monster like Hamidon raids, Statesman raids were big fun. Killing these beasts could take hours. Fighting the occasional drop in bad guy as a group sounds like fun to me. I can see everyone piling onto one continent where this beast is trying to get the killshot on it. To some extent COV did have programmable AI but I'm not sure to the same extent we're talking about here.

Braveliltoaster · 2012-08-11, 09:07 PM

if its confirmed I'm not playing Planetside 2

termhn · 2012-08-11, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by Smed

I didn't go into much detail in my blog post. There are 2 separate ideas here. One is simple - Alien NPCs (the original Planetside design called them Shifters). They are superpowerful aliens that come in and attack everyone. There are a lot of special things about them I don't want to reveal right now but the idea is more the Alien Queen and not Zergs. So there wouldn't be thousands of them. But they would be nasty as hell.

The second idea is this. What if we had certain captureable buildings that when combined with a steady flow of resources the players had to pour in would result in waves of "creeps" ala LoL or DOTA that would go towards premade points in the world. So to attack a particular base one tactic would be to capture a nearby base.. capture the spawning facility and that would result in the NPC wave (again not thousands) moving towards a specific targeted base to attack.

One other key point about them I didn't mention - they would have buildable AI that players could actually make through a scripting language. (forgot this part too) - Also you would be able to sell that AI to other players if you were an AI designer. Think Robot Wars or cRobots.

These are just ideas. I enjoy the feedback.

Thanks

Smed

YES a use for my programming prowess in a game

Sounds AWESOME!

Braveliltoaster · 2012-08-11, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by Rarntogo

I love PS1 and 2 because they are PVP. However... I played COH/COV and fighting a big nasty monster like Hamidon raids, Statesman raids were big fun. Killing these beasts could take hours. Fighting the occasional drop in bad guy as a group sounds like fun to me. I can see everyone piling onto one continent where this beast is trying to get the killshot on it. To some extent COV did have programmable AI but I'm not sure to the same extent we're talking about here.

this is planetside not AION. If you want this you should write richard garriott and tell him to make a new tabula rasa

noxious · 2012-08-11, 09:11 PM

The fact that they're even thinking about adding PvE is seriously disturbing.

Halon · 2012-08-11, 09:16 PM

An NPC alien faction could be interesting down the road. However I'm not sure about the empire vs empire DOTA style siege mechanic. I don't think having NPC allies stays true to the spirit of Planetside.

I think taking a continent and having an alien invasion event where all the empires have to join together and fight invaders could be fun. Grief system included. Say each empire starts from their warpgate and has to make their way to the alien hive/ship/base to plant explosives and blow it sky high, clearing bases and taking territory as they go.

Or for a mini event have each empires warpgate/nearest base get invaded.

Rarntogo · 2012-08-11, 09:23 PM

Dont worry, Be Happy

Braveliltoaster · 2012-08-11, 09:26 PM

Tzitzimitl · 2012-08-11, 09:32 PM

Just to reiterate what people are saying. Yes to an alien invasion and no to the two other ideas smedly brought up. Now the alien should be something that is rare, perhaps occuring once a month. Although to be honest having it occur once a month for me seems to frequent. Also the length of it should not be 48hours real time but 2 game days is a bit more acceptable