Question to the devs about the npc ai.
- Thread starter ChavaiotH
- Start date
konggary
Member
EX 0.6 update:
One of the things we've been focusing on recently is getting our A.I. system to a more complete state. When we talk about A.I. we mean it in the literal sense, Artificial Intelligence, not scripted behaviours with complete lack of circumstantial awareness. Our goals for A.I. are very broad in scope but at the core of all of it there's a sort of artificial brain that behaves in quite an organic way. Getting very dynamic and yet and natural behaviours is quite tricky and we try get these things right in the foundations.
A.I. characters establish individual and group relationships, they have moods, emotions and react to a great many things happening around them. They remember events, characters and features of the environments that they discover. Players and other NPCs are indistinguishable and treated in the same exact way. You will notice much more detailed and realistic behaviour in general.
We've also started adding much more detailed low level behaviour. You will see NPCs flee from combat, set up ambushes, wait for opportunities, fight eachother and more. These are not prescripted behaviours with simple triggers, but things naturally arising from circumstance and a very detailed simulation.
This is a complex system with many moving parts that we still plan to expand on greatly. It will no doubt take some time to tweak the countless fluctuating parameters to a point where they're behaving as well as they should. While this is part of a much broader system that we're working on, already in this form it creates some very dynamic and amusing situations.
Note that your actions are now more important in determining the outcome of an encounter. As an example if you run straight towards someone they may feel threatened and respond, if you stop and fight you will confirm their suspicions, but if you just run past they're unlikely to give chase, and next time you meet they may not consider you a threat. There's no fixed rule though, some may see you running as a weakness and an opportunity. Making enemies can be very dangerous, whereas friendly NPCs may even help you in a fight.
A.I. characters establish individual and group relationships, they have moods, emotions and react to a great many things happening around them. They remember events, characters and features of the environments that they discover. Players and other NPCs are indistinguishable and treated in the same exact way. You will notice much more detailed and realistic behaviour in general.
We've also started adding much more detailed low level behaviour. You will see NPCs flee from combat, set up ambushes, wait for opportunities, fight eachother and more. These are not prescripted behaviours with simple triggers, but things naturally arising from circumstance and a very detailed simulation.
This is a complex system with many moving parts that we still plan to expand on greatly. It will no doubt take some time to tweak the countless fluctuating parameters to a point where they're behaving as well as they should. While this is part of a much broader system that we're working on, already in this form it creates some very dynamic and amusing situations.
Note that your actions are now more important in determining the outcome of an encounter. As an example if you run straight towards someone they may feel threatened and respond, if you stop and fight you will confirm their suspicions, but if you just run past they're unlikely to give chase, and next time you meet they may not consider you a threat. There's no fixed rule though, some may see you running as a weakness and an opportunity. Making enemies can be very dangerous, whereas friendly NPCs may even help you in a fight.
konggary
Member
The common undead & other beings currently don't open doors, purposely. There will be special, more intelligent enemies later on that can do much more than open doors.
Posted by Madoc:
"Since when can mindless undead operate door latches? I've certainly never seen this, anywhere. Of course there will be NPCs that can operate doors, but early on these were the only encounters and opening doors, like countless other little things, hasn't been added yet."
I haven't heard anything about noise alerting them right now, but I can practically guarantee that it will be added eventually. Madoc has said that they will add stealth, and he is partial to the system featured in the "Thief" games. E.g. based on light and sound rather than a gamey "stealth stat".
Edit: found the source:
"I loved the original Thief games. Awesome gameplay. I really hope we can capture some of that in SG. Hiding in shadows, being careful not to make loud noises, hiding bodies etc. These are definitely things we'd like to have in the game. I personally find stealth skills in RPGs quite silly but the stealth gameplay of the Thief games was great."
Posted by Madoc:
"Since when can mindless undead operate door latches? I've certainly never seen this, anywhere. Of course there will be NPCs that can operate doors, but early on these were the only encounters and opening doors, like countless other little things, hasn't been added yet."
I haven't heard anything about noise alerting them right now, but I can practically guarantee that it will be added eventually. Madoc has said that they will add stealth, and he is partial to the system featured in the "Thief" games. E.g. based on light and sound rather than a gamey "stealth stat".
Edit: found the source:
"I loved the original Thief games. Awesome gameplay. I really hope we can capture some of that in SG. Hiding in shadows, being careful not to make loud noises, hiding bodies etc. These are definitely things we'd like to have in the game. I personally find stealth skills in RPGs quite silly but the stealth gameplay of the Thief games was great."
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