Work Post
1:01pm - Well I'm at the McDonalds again. Took a bit to get around to starting my Work Post and I'm probably not done doing other things, but I thought I should at least write my opening bit. I helped someone with their Java homework, so that's nice of me. Earlier my boot lace snapped, so that sucks. I should really replace those boots. They're always snapping laces, a few times a season it seems like, and I have to go out in the snow with sneakers on until I get replacements. Bleh.
1:12pm - So last time I started with five relationship types/levels and I was trying to get into details about how to form relationships.
1:31pm - Got a bit distracted by chatting with a friend and looking at a game being played on the YouTubes. Klei's next hit Oxygen Not Included. Google it.
Anyways relationships!
I want to keep the player conversations with NPCs and the conversations between NPCs as close to the same structure as possible. Ideally I want topics of conversation to propagate through the town, making a real rumor system. Someone sees someone do something, they talk about it with someone else, the event info gets propagated throughout the town.
It should probably happen intelligently though. Like, if the player asks for something someone doesn't have, they'll offer to ask around, but the player can ask them not to tell anyone. Also, if someone sees someone do something socially bad, they might try to blackmail that person. That might be a little much though, especially for right now. But I'm brainstorming!
Now, from the player's perspective I'm thinking there'll be several conversation options to begin with, as icebreakers. You'll start with one of three greetings, polite, neutral or rude. The NPC will respond with their own greeting, and a conversation will begin.
The icebreakers will always be an option in the opening of a conversation. I'm thinking these will be like the old Ultima games. Name, Job, Health, Weather, Hobby... That sort of thing. Then there will be subjects that you pick up from those that you can comment on, like once you know their job you can ask about it in detail, and start up a business conversation and maybe get services from the NPC. If you ask about their Hobby they might get a positive oppinion of you, as long as you're not interrupting them or something.
It'll be a very complex system that should hopefully work organically to generate complex relationships between PCs and NPCs and between NPCs and NPCs.
Now, that's just the conversation system. The NPCs will need a complex behavior system and scheduling system too.
2:07pm - Had a Big Mac. It's not really 'worth' the three McDoubles you could get for the same price but I had a strong craving for that Big Mac sauce! Ahh well. I treat myself too often, but such is work at McDonalds.
The NPCs will probably have hidden 'bars' similar to The Sims, though I don't intend for mine to have to use the toilet or wash up; we can just put that in our imagination. I'm thinking they'll schedule their days intelligently, then modify their plans as events occur. Their needs will be scheduled according to a revised version of Maslow's Heirarchy, so they'll focus on survival if something disasterous happens. I'm not sure I want anything to threaten the villagers, but there will probably be some kind of emergencies in their lives that pre-empt what they would normally be doing.
They'll take their work into account in their daily schedule, so they'll make sure their needs are as full up as they can be before going to work. Then they'll be worn out after work and try to refill their needs. NPCs will be cranky if their needs are low and this is one place where they might say rude things to other villagers, harming their social status.
Another point where they might not get along is personality clashes and clashes of interests, and maybe clashes of ideals. So for example, NPC1 might find NPC2's interest in Ping Pong boring, and respond poorly to NPC2 trying to strike up a conversation about Ping Pong. Or maybe NPC3 wants to talk to NPC4 but it turns out that NPC4 is shy and NPC3 is brash, and NPC3's manner upsets NPC4.
Ideals might be something like the NPC's idea of how things should be, or something like political ideology. Probably this more than their hobbies and interests is mutable. It wouldn't be easy but you could convince someone to drift from their ideals and accept a different idea. This would be essential for things like votes and leading the village. As a result of immigration, emmigration, and conversation, a village would become the reflection of the player's ideals. Or that's an idea anyways.
3:07pm - I got a bit distracted with chatting again. I've been at this a while though so I might take a break soon.
3:38pm - Yeah I'm just chatting and reading stuff online. I'd say the break has already begun...
4:45pm - I'm still just goofing off. I'm not really finding myself wanting to get back into the game design groove. If things don't change soon I might go home.
5:02pm - Things didn't really change, and Rob came down to visit. We talked a bit and we're gonna go to the walmart on the way home and pick up a filter and look at things.
So, I'm signing out for now.
1:12pm - So last time I started with five relationship types/levels and I was trying to get into details about how to form relationships.
1:31pm - Got a bit distracted by chatting with a friend and looking at a game being played on the YouTubes. Klei's next hit Oxygen Not Included. Google it.
Anyways relationships!
I want to keep the player conversations with NPCs and the conversations between NPCs as close to the same structure as possible. Ideally I want topics of conversation to propagate through the town, making a real rumor system. Someone sees someone do something, they talk about it with someone else, the event info gets propagated throughout the town.
It should probably happen intelligently though. Like, if the player asks for something someone doesn't have, they'll offer to ask around, but the player can ask them not to tell anyone. Also, if someone sees someone do something socially bad, they might try to blackmail that person. That might be a little much though, especially for right now. But I'm brainstorming!
Now, from the player's perspective I'm thinking there'll be several conversation options to begin with, as icebreakers. You'll start with one of three greetings, polite, neutral or rude. The NPC will respond with their own greeting, and a conversation will begin.
The icebreakers will always be an option in the opening of a conversation. I'm thinking these will be like the old Ultima games. Name, Job, Health, Weather, Hobby... That sort of thing. Then there will be subjects that you pick up from those that you can comment on, like once you know their job you can ask about it in detail, and start up a business conversation and maybe get services from the NPC. If you ask about their Hobby they might get a positive oppinion of you, as long as you're not interrupting them or something.
It'll be a very complex system that should hopefully work organically to generate complex relationships between PCs and NPCs and between NPCs and NPCs.
Now, that's just the conversation system. The NPCs will need a complex behavior system and scheduling system too.
2:07pm - Had a Big Mac. It's not really 'worth' the three McDoubles you could get for the same price but I had a strong craving for that Big Mac sauce! Ahh well. I treat myself too often, but such is work at McDonalds.
The NPCs will probably have hidden 'bars' similar to The Sims, though I don't intend for mine to have to use the toilet or wash up; we can just put that in our imagination. I'm thinking they'll schedule their days intelligently, then modify their plans as events occur. Their needs will be scheduled according to a revised version of Maslow's Heirarchy, so they'll focus on survival if something disasterous happens. I'm not sure I want anything to threaten the villagers, but there will probably be some kind of emergencies in their lives that pre-empt what they would normally be doing.
They'll take their work into account in their daily schedule, so they'll make sure their needs are as full up as they can be before going to work. Then they'll be worn out after work and try to refill their needs. NPCs will be cranky if their needs are low and this is one place where they might say rude things to other villagers, harming their social status.
Another point where they might not get along is personality clashes and clashes of interests, and maybe clashes of ideals. So for example, NPC1 might find NPC2's interest in Ping Pong boring, and respond poorly to NPC2 trying to strike up a conversation about Ping Pong. Or maybe NPC3 wants to talk to NPC4 but it turns out that NPC4 is shy and NPC3 is brash, and NPC3's manner upsets NPC4.
Ideals might be something like the NPC's idea of how things should be, or something like political ideology. Probably this more than their hobbies and interests is mutable. It wouldn't be easy but you could convince someone to drift from their ideals and accept a different idea. This would be essential for things like votes and leading the village. As a result of immigration, emmigration, and conversation, a village would become the reflection of the player's ideals. Or that's an idea anyways.
3:07pm - I got a bit distracted with chatting again. I've been at this a while though so I might take a break soon.
3:38pm - Yeah I'm just chatting and reading stuff online. I'd say the break has already begun...
4:45pm - I'm still just goofing off. I'm not really finding myself wanting to get back into the game design groove. If things don't change soon I might go home.
5:02pm - Things didn't really change, and Rob came down to visit. We talked a bit and we're gonna go to the walmart on the way home and pick up a filter and look at things.
So, I'm signing out for now.