NPCs as immersion intensifier

[Arthur Dubrovka 376]

Damn I wrote a wall of text and the forum kicked me out so my written content is gone. I make it short now. I think NPCs would be a great addition to the immersive dayz gameplay. Different options came to my mind.

• Helicopters realy crash - You can see helicopters crashing, maybe catch their Mayday radiograms.
• Roaming around Militia/Evacuation transports - Dont get me wrong, Not like in ArmA with message in your face and marker on map. You can stumble upon them or catch their radiograms for info what they are doing and where they are heading.
• Abandoned Survivorcamps/Banditcamps - If abandoned with many MANY infected roaming around. You could find stuff for your own base. Bandits are hostile.
• Barricaded houses - With one to maybe five survivors in it - friendly or hostile.

I know many would say most of this could be managed playerwise BUT like hicks said human players are to clever... to sit in a barricaded house or stay at their base till a few players are roaming by. There are jobs which AIs/NPCs could make better.

Edited October 19, 2016 by Arthur Dubrovka
grammar and stuff

[OliverPlotTwist 458]

I believe the devs said there won't be any NPCs roaming around in DayZ. But I do remember Hicks saying in a Q&A that seeing Helicopters crash might in the future.

Q - "Why can't the heli pilots NOT crash?"

Hicks' A - "The way they work right now is essentially just creating the wreck. Initially we had ripped out any form of support for creating an actual flying craft with pilot AI that would fly a bit and then crash - we've looked at changing the way this operates in the future. I'd very much like to have the event created as a flying craft that eventually crashes, we'll see if we can get that done sometime before launch."
 

Source for the Q&A - 

 

[cs_wolf 30]

1 hour ago, OliverPlotTwist said:

I believe the devs said there won't be any NPCs roaming around in DayZ. But I do remember Hicks saying in a Q&A that seeing Helicopters crash might in the future.

Q - "Why can't the heli pilots NOT crash?"

Hicks' A - "The way they work right now is essentially just creating the wreck. Initially we had ripped out any form of support for creating an actual flying craft with pilot AI that would fly a bit and then crash - we've looked at changing the way this operates in the future. I'd very much like to have the event created as a flying craft that eventually crashes, we'll see if we can get that done sometime before launch."
 

Source for the Q&A - 

 

Heli crash events are one of my top "wanted" features for dayz. Fingers crossed

Edited October 19, 2016 by cs_wolf

[scriptfactory 620]

I love the idea of missions in DayZ SA. If the devs don't add it modders DEFINITELY will. But the devs may be able to do a better job than the community with this so I would like some first-class "mission" support.

[Conrad_The_Comrade 577]

I hate the idea of adding NPCs. To me the game is supposed to be about the players, and the players only. We're the ones to create the story, and the ones to see it out. NPC's are basically just fake people, with limited interaction. The last thing I'd ever want to see is NPCs, I'd sooner enjoy a tank being available for anyone at NWAF. That said, I'm not against abandoned camps or heli crashes, but it's not something I need to see. 

[Arthur Dubrovka 376]

52 minutes ago, Zyriun said:

I hate the idea of adding NPCs. To me the game is supposed to be about the players, and the players only. We're the ones to create the story, and the ones to see it out. NPC's are basically just fake people, with limited interaction. The last thing I'd ever want to see is NPCs, I'd sooner enjoy a tank being available for anyone at NWAF. That said, I'm not against abandoned camps or heli crashes, but it's not something I need to see. 

I understand that and I think many players thinkin the same way. Maybe its content for a mod... but to be honest the last time I played DayZ and my story didn´t end up in a firefight was on a whitelisted RP Server. And I dont think that the Story people creating themselves will get destroyed by NPC´s... it would be rather a small addition to the storys which will be created in DayZ. 

[Arthur Dubrovka 376]

I just like the idea to use the radio or other different items more often. I think it would be awsome if you have your radio on and a sort of "Mayday Mayday...ksshhzzz... theyre coming at us...kssshh... were trying to head to Zel..kshhhdzzzd..." - silence.

Edited October 19, 2016 by Arthur Dubrovka

[Conrad_The_Comrade 577]

34 minutes ago, Arthur Dubrovka said:

I understand that and I think many players thinkin the same way. Maybe its content for a mod... but to be honest the last time I played DayZ and my story didn´t end up in a firefight was on a whitelisted RP Server. And I dont think that the Story people creating themselves will get destroyed by NPC´s... it would be rather a small addition to the storys which will be created in DayZ. 

Of course, we all have different ideas and visions for the game. And while yes, there is a problem with an overabundance of KoS, the hope is that by the time the game is "finished" it won't be like that. Then again, that's a long long ways away. I just don't see NPC's being a solution to that, and while they do add another layer, they also strip away a layer of genuine interaction. Yes, we'll still have people to interact with, but the second you run into an NPC and can't communicate freely, you're reminded that this is just a game, whereas to me, and this is gonna sound a little cheesy, this is more than a game. It's another way to interact with other people in a way that no other game (that I've played) has ever come close to. 

[Arthur Dubrovka 376]

I touht about it twice... to be honest, roaming AI and NPC survivors >> mod, and only abandoned safehouses and real crashing helis in vanilla. Maybe you're right, NPC and vanilla dayz doesn't fit together.

[Volcanogod 28]

Well to be pedantic, Infected/wildlife are the NPC's we all want. I would rather not have a firefight with NPCs that are sporting some guns there is something that is very one dimensional about firefighting and AI. I would feel more accomplished evading real players, or flanking them, AI might be decent but i want to fool players not try and metagame NPCs with guns. I think the Infected/wildlife will bring all the elements we need to make a compelling story while still navigating PVE challenges and keeping our eyes peeled for other survivors.