suggestion Weapons+Combat mechanics Suggestions/Discussions (PART 4) (POLL) (DISCUSSION)

[Docterrok]

please feel free to add some more. 

 

[Wastelander]

Not gonna post pictures although they're neat Please not that these are stereotypes and might not apply to those who identify themselves as one of the following.

The college student

Brought some friends to spend the holidays with and ended up, well, in The Long Dark. Has close to zero outdoor experience and is most likely unskilled with firearms and would much rather avoid conflict. Usually in a group. Will barter with you, but has not much of value. Will run if you try to attack them.

The local cop

Born and raised at the border of civilization, this guy has a strong sense of justice and will relentlessly pursue bandits and other evildoers. Takes prisoners instead of just executing people or leaving them to die. Knows how to handle a firearm and also has a decent melee-skill. Unless you're breaking the law, he won't bother you and might even help you!

The family

A classic nuclear family. One or more of the adults may or may not have firearm skills, depending on how they live - city dwellers aren't usually known for their large gun collections, but hey, outliers do exist. Very alert, especially around their (possible teenage) children. Will love to barter with you, but they WILL try and get more out of you than you get out of them. When mugged, expect one to fight back while the others flee, possible alerting the cop.

The hunter

Alone, very skilled with a firearm and direct competition for you in case of wild game. However, you can barter with him for rifle rounds, knives and whetstones. Won't bother you unless you p*ss him off, but when you do, prepare for a bullet out of nowhere. Melee skill is so-so.

The shopkeeper

Your number one bartering-partner, he or she will respond to any mugging with deadly force. Decent shot at close ranges, but anything past the shop's door is basically a guaranteed miss. No melee skills to speak of. Will flee when faced with overwhelming odds. Probably has some good stuff stashed away.

The lumberjack

A bearded mountain of a man, this guy will absolutely destroy you in melee. However, he doesn't intentionally seek trouble. Will repair your hatchet if you get him a nice steak or something. Doesn't mug people, but will piledrive you if you rob him.

The scientist

Dispatched from some faraway university or research institute to research the local wildlife, this girl can actually handle herself with a rifle at moderate ranges, however, a lifetime of being hunched over books have left her with little to no melee skills. Can tell you all kinds of cool things about local wildlife, including where to find animals, saplings or wild forage. Pretty scared because of the world ending around her, she's incredibly alert. Best not sneak up on her.

The nurse

Not a medical professional, the nurse can still patch up wounds with remarkable efficiency - for a price. Pretty alert, but not overly so - years of caring for patients have made the nurse develop a sharp ear. Some melee skills due to the need to restrain patients from time to time, will probably inject you with morphine when he/she's got ya.

[Docterrok]

nice!

[Docterrok]

These are awesome, but i think they are too specific, and keep in mind, I think there would only be a few people, barely enough to fit into categories, here's my idea.

The woodsman

the hunter

the farmer

the fisher

the builder

the trapper

the mechanic

the bandit

[Wastelander]

4 minutes ago, Docterrok said:

These are awesome, but i think they are too specific, and keep in mind, I think there would only be a few people, barely enough to fit into categories, here's my idea.

The woodsman

the hunter

the farmer

the fisher

the builder

the trapper

the mechanic

the bandit

Yep, that's a good list.

[Docterrok]

again, just ideas.

[Wastelander]

Basically, combat-capable NPCs could be classified by a few factors

• Ranged skill
• Melee skill
• Courage
• Alertness
• Territoriality

To use one of your examples, a farmer would have a decent ranged skill, a mediocre melee skill, high courage, medium alertness and extreme territoriality. A hunter would have an excellent ranged skill, a low melee-skill, a medium courage, extreme alertness and practically zero territoriality.

[Docterrok]

thats not a bad system, rather simple too.

[hauteecolerider]

Just wanted to point out one thing.

As a medical professional myself, and as someone who counts nurses among my friends, nurses ARE medical professionals. Without them, doctors are useless.

[Wastelander]

Just now, hauteecolerider said:

Just wanted to point out one thing.

As a medical professional myself, and as someone who counts nurses among my friends, nurses ARE medical professionals. Without them, doctors are useless.

Sorry, no offense. I meant that in the vein of 'less formal education than a doctor', not to imply they don't have the skills. I may have worded that wrongly here. To my defense, I'm not a native English speaker, so, yeah, once again, please accept my apology.

1 minute ago, Docterrok said:

thats not a bad system, rather simple too.

If these traits are displayed and programmed in percentage values (for example, an NPC with a territoriality of 45 has a 45% chance to freak out if you enter their personal area) they also make life for modders later on easier. Just add a character model, some voice lines and adjust these values.

[hauteecolerider]

8 minutes ago, Wastelander said:

Sorry, no offense. I meant that in the vein of 'less formal education than a doctor', not to imply they don't have the skills. I may have worded that wrongly here. To my defense, I'm not a native English speaker, so, yeah, once again, please accept my apology.

No offense taken. Apology accepted. BTW, @Wastelander, your English is actually quite good. 

To clarify for anyone who may be wondering . . .

"Medical Professional" refers to anyone providing health care to patients. Nurses. Nurse Practitioners (my own primary care physician is actually a CNP). Phlebotomists (a technician who collects blood samples). Paramedics. Medics (military). And yes, veterinarians and veterinary technicians. 

[Wastelander]

1 minute ago, hauteecolerider said:

No offense taken. Apology accepted. BTW, @Wastelander, your English is actually quite good. 

To clarify for anyone who may be wondering . . .

"Medical Professional" refers to anyone providing health care to patients. Nurses. Nurse Practitioners (my own primary care physician is actually a CNP). Phlebotomists (a technician who collects blood samples). Paramedics. Medics (military). And yes, veterinarians and veterinary technicians. 

Thanks!

Out of curiousity, does a wolves sense of smell suffer under extreme cold?

[hauteecolerider]

No.

It's other factors that affect the duration of scent trails. Humidity. Wind. Snow cover (snowfall occurring on top of an existing trail can obscure it).

Scent molecules actually linger longer in cooler environments, and longest when it's also humid. So a foggy day on Coastal Highway or Desolation Point will hold a wealth of scents for animals to track. Us, too, if we were to get down on our hands and knees and start sniffing!

[Wastelander]

Just now, hauteecolerider said:

No.

It's other factors that affect the duration of scent trails. Humidity. Wind. Snow cover (snowfall occurring on top of an existing trail can obscure it).

Scent molecules actually linger longer in cooler environments, and longest when it's also humid. So a foggy day on Coastal Highway or Desolation Point will hold a wealth of scents for animals to track. Us, too, if we were to get down on our hands and knees and start sniffing!

Thanks, that's interesting!

[Docterrok]

ok, back to combat! 

[Docterrok]

hey pat! feel free to put your 2 cents in! might as well get your opinion as well! Feel free to be blunt, I wont mind! 

[Docterrok]

sorry, 2 loons.

[Wastelander]

On affecting stats:

Stats should not be set in stone. Just like the player can lose firearm and melee efficiency through injuries, NPCs should have their stats modififed as well. Melee and Ranged skill are obvious. Alertness could go down when intoxicated or in large numbers but go up when the player is spotted. Territoriality could go down after several successful trades whereas it should go up if the player has done something to the NPC in question. Courage should go down when under fire or injured, but it could go up when desperate or defending loved ones.

[Docterrok]

hmm, ok, I think this is getting overthought, first off, the ai, if made like this, would require astronomical amounts of work, it should be more like this.

GUN= BAD

NOISE=BAD

FRIENDLY=TRADE

NOT-FRIENDLY=NO TRADE, KILL

ME GOOD=YOU GOOD

ME BAD=YOU BAD

ME GOOD+YOU BAD=FIGHT

ME BAD+YOU GOOD= FIGHT

[Docterrok]

good for me...

[Wastelander]

Well, given the computing power of modern day PCs, even cheap laptops (like the one I have, actually), a bit more sophistication wouldn't hurt. You're right that it should be kept simple, but not too simple, otherwise it gets stale fast. This is something I am discontent with actually when it comes to the animal AI - they're just predictable.