NPC Encounters
Fri, 08/03/2012 - 09:59
Hey everyone new scrub here in the fray...picked up the beta last night and ever since its been nothing but combat and its kinda turning me off. Im doing the common sense stuff i can think of like covering my tracks and not scavaging on my last move but it is out of control. I nearly win every fight so its not that im tired of dying its just getting laborous. I raged quit after like the third game of fight after fight after fight this morning. And i had some good gaming in between but it really was one move of looting and exploring, stuff i like, and then fight four npcs in a row. On two occasions it was me and two npcs in combat screen so i though id be smart and sneak away and let them duke it out...no dice either time.
Could n e one kinda fill me in to as wether or not there are traits or perks that would make you less of a target. Or if n e one can think of some mistakes i could be making thats provoking npcs to hunt me down. I figured if i was the tough athletic melee bad boy i wouldnt get preyed on as much but that didnt seem to make any difference. N e ways let me know if its just my early chance experience or if this is typical for every play through. And dont get me wrong i like this game because its difficult none of my demo games before i got the beta were speed runs or n e thing like that but i was happily engaged fighting to stay feed and healthy and the occasional fight here and there but this seems like a different experience. N e comments or advice would be appreciated Thanks!!
Fri, 08/03/2012 - 12:40
#2
Yes exactly...im sure that we would also agree that even if you were a bad mo fo if you are carying two back packs and pushing a shopping cart around stocked with loot without exercising some caution then you are a target no matter how big and bad you are, but i was getting mugged for my stylish gown lol. Actually even after covering your tracks and being cautious would still grant you some unwanted attention in that example. I had a better go at it a bit ago i think i was just unlucky although my saved game (or my game on hold) disappeared...bummer. But like i said dont get me wrong i love the game and i think Daniel has something special here. But i do believe there is some work to be done in this area of random bum rush npc encounters its a grind.....or not im just giving some honest feedback. Thats funny ketchup packet hoarder!! lol!! Tasty aren't they!!
Fri, 08/03/2012 - 13:04
#3
Interesting, I didn't even think of the possibility that combat might dominate the game now. I was trying to make combat more interesting and strategic, but I didn't want to make combat the focus. And I definitely didn't want it to be laborious!
Ideally, I want combat to be dangerous and worth avoiding. Players with combat skills should have an easier time, but most players should be trying to stay away from fights.
Right now, there are a few things that can be done to avoid a fight:
- Line of Sight - Creatures on the map can only see you if they have line of sight. Some hexes block their view, such as forests, hills, and cities. If you are on the other side of such a hex from a creature, chances are it won't see you.
- Visibility - Creatures within line of sight on the map may not see you under certain conditions. The ability to hide is mostly controlled by which camp you're in, so hiding in an open field is nearly impossible, while hiding in a storage shed is very effective. Lighting also makes a difference, so hiding at night is easier than midday. Some items, like campfires, flames, and tarp shelters, also increase your chances of being seen.
- Hide button - When travelling the map, the "Hide" button can be used to make yourself even harder to see. Pressing it will automatically switch to the best concealed camp you've discovered in the current hex, plus give you a slight bonus to hide. Hiding lasts until you move again.
- Hiding skill - Players with "Hide" can reduce the chances that a creature is attracted in a scavenging encounter. It reduces the chances of finding loot, but that's a trade-off. Also, having this sckill increases the bonus to hide when using the "Hide" button.
- Tracking - All creatures leave tracks where they walk. Tracks represent footsteps on the ground, broken branches, disturbed rubble, and other signs someone was there. They start fresh, and fade over time, becoming harder to see. Certain conditions, like vomiting, bleeding, etc, increase the visibility of your tracks, making them last longer. Other things, like rain, make tracks fade faster. All creatures can see tracks left by other creatures, including the player. Most creatures can only see tracks that are fresh. Aggressive creatures will follow tracks that belong to opposing factions, if they are looking for prey.
- Hide Tracks button - Players can push the "Hide Tracks" button to reduce the freshness of tracks in the current hex. It doesn't make them disappear completely, but it helps. You can do this multiple times in the same hex.
- Tracking skill - Creatures with the tracking skill can see faded tracks, in addition to fresh tracks. Plus, creatures with Tracking leave more faded tracks than normal, making them harder to follow. Having this skill also makes the "Hide Tracks" button much more effective.
- Run button - The "Run" button allows you to move on the map at half the normal movement cost, giving you a short burst of speed. You can only run as many moves as your run reserve has left. The run reserve is the 1/1 or 3/3 next to the "Run" button. The first number is how many run moves are left, and the second number is the maximum you can have at once. Run reserve replenishes whenever you end a turn with more than 0 moves left. Players with the Athletic skill get 3/3 run reserve, instead of the usual 1/1.
- Retreat - If you're already in a battle, retreating is an option. Retreat isn't always successful, but it works better the further you are from all enemies. Being faster also helps, so if you have 5 moves per turn, and the enemy only has 3, you will escape more often.
- Factions in battle - All creatures have a faction, and they treat other factions as enemies. So looters will not fight looters, but they'll fight bandits, raiders, and dogmen. If you are in a battle with two enemies of the same faction, they will not fight each other. In fact, they will have more courage, since friends are nearby. Otherwise, creatures will figure out who the biggest threat is, and either fight it or run from it.
One thing you mention is scaring away monsters by being tough, melee, or athletic. This is one thing I haven't done yet, but maybe I can try making skills like those scarier to AI.
Of course, it's also possible I'm just generating too many NPCs. The old style, which spawned NPCs in the adjacent hex, meant it was always possible to avoid a fight after scavenging. Now, they spawn in the same hex, and you have to use "retreat" to get away. This could mean we either need to decrease the chances of NPCs, or increase the effectiveness of retreating, to make it feel more balanced again (like the old style).
Big system changes usually require lots of balancing, and I'm sure this is one of those cases!
Hey, welcome to the forums!
The first thing to note here is that the game is pretty shallow now, Daniel is just now finishing up the core gameplay skeleton.
I think the next thing daniel should work on with the plot is a new encounter system. Just "you encounter a looter" is getting old. There's so many factors. If you're guy has both the "tough" and "melee" Perks, he should like intimidating as hell, no looter without a gun would go near that guy. Same thing goes for someone with hiding, you should be able to hide and avoid encounters altogether, probably in junction with eagle eye.
Ketchup Packet Hoarder