What does it need to be usable?
How should an entry look?
I mean the interface.
Not “I’d like more bandits” or “more quests”, but “To add more interesting NPCs, I need the ability to specify x”.
Ive never tried to write or place npcs with mapgen; so I dont know if these are implemented, but they seem like the most important features:
-Wether an NPC can be a replenishable inventory merchant, and what their store can sell.
-Try to keep/ return to spawn position.
Stores are already in, with customizable respawn groups.
The problem with them is that they only allow generating items on the NPC and not them using nearby locked chests or something like that.
how about being able to spawn small groups of hostile npcs?
To add more NPCs, I need the ability for them to speak to the character, to force quests on characters (mostly for chargen), to be able to edit the dialogue and delete entries (like so you aren’t asking Arnold the Bandit King if he wants to join.)
Some dialogue other than complaining would be nice. Maybe when they crit?
Being able to tell them to build or craft a thing would be really nice. As would just a general, “make traps” or “fortify this position” or “repair this vehicle.”
It would be neat if they read books of their own accord too. Any books, like “Snow Meow reads a comic book.” I don’t know why but that would make me love them more.
I’m not really sure what you are asking though, Cool.
I’m asking for what is required in the mapgen part of the NPCs, not their behavior as allies (except maybe talking about missions).
I checked it out and noticed it is rather clunky, but have no idea how to fix it and would the fixes even be useful for anyone.
I’m pretty sure editable dialogue is in. It may be too simple, but I don’t know what would be useful.
data/json/npcs/TALK_ARSONIST.json
Already in.
What about a respawnable tag?
Could be used to respawn generic npcs, like the refugee center guards, when they die. Maybe linked to some other leader npc, which if killed disables respawns, in the refugee center case it could be the merchant.
A mapgen based spawn point, capable of spawning from a list of generic npcs during gameplay. Could be used to make trade posts or to randomly populating places like the tacoma comune. Maybe also linked be to another leader Npc. Would need a way to make sure NPCs despawn or to stop spawning NPCs once a certain number of them are in the vicinity.
Currently staticly spawned bandits dont turn hostile.
Nor to they wander around, but -static-. Static NPCs having some kind of ‘code’, such as ‘see bed -> sleep’ or ‘see chair -> sit’ or even having a ‘fun meter’ where they have a tendency to stir up trouble or actually seek something to kill based upon either a new stat or a combination of them.
NPCs doing more with the world, where static NPCs means more ‘maintaining a base’ than ‘staying still’
afa mapgen npcs:
Im not really sure what you mean. What they need? They need to be able to guage what items they want. They need to see the fire approaching and think 'Why not move before it reaches me?" they need to be able to move.
NPCs that statically spawn still regularly asplode as their guns run dry.
NPCs still pop up anywhere, including places they have no business being, like closets or mineshafts.
Mapgen npc spawning is limited and one reason I havent used it is because I can only do so little with them while they provide oddles of resources.
Is there a ‘chance’ to spawn npcs? like say a prisoner in a cell has a 20% chance of showing up? Any way to give them damage beforehand? Can we override their stats?
pedit:
personal belongings. NPCs have no sense of possession. They wont get mad at you for taking their books off their shelf and wont think twice about doing it to you.
No way to make it a chance.
That could be useful.
No ability to add “special” spawns. That would require some extra hardcode.
Stats can be partially overriden, but that requires a special npc class.
I really love what Chezzo said about loving a charicter that reads comic books. I remember playing dwarf fortress and ending up loving some of the quirkier charicters. I know if i ran across an otaku girl in a cat costume hiding in a closet, Protecting her would be a new goal for me.
Dwarf fortress shows us that in the random generation of the game we can have amazing adventures when quirky things happen. That it is someones (NPC) idiosyncrasies that we end up loving. making art around, and making comics about.
I’d love this game to have more of this. this is split between the map gen and the NPC generator. in the map gen i’d love for their to be “special interest sites” for new towns. where a few leader charicters can be run across. each season the leader charicter adds more guards and more defenses to his faction base. by second summer we would stumble across a town that had 6 seasons of growth.
that can be randomly generated.
John Candlebury’s idea of a respawnable tag is great too. but i’d like it to be bigger than his idea. I’d love groups to create trade caravans that travel from one city to another. this would be 2nd or 3rd summer events.
I really want each grouping of city to be named and have a few signs saying “tacoma’s favorite tea shop” “welcome to beetsville” then have npc’s refrence these town names. or tell you “its 2 miles north of Beetsville, in Slumsmuck”
I’d really like npc’s to tell you “I heard about a new town thats starting in the north. its run by Cockswain. I’m going their now.” or “Stay away from east tacoma, Theirs a biker gang leader taking over the area with a group of lawless men, You’ll get shot going over there.”
It would give me some places to go trade/loot.
I make my own objectives but If i find a group of slavers in the game, you bet your bones i’m going to try to wipe them out.
Thats a fun adventure 
In npc map gen i’d love to see the mall/hospital have a pile of npc’s in it to start. do I help the weak vs. the strong.
I do enjoy seeing the npc’s when they are a few blocks away on the mini map. thats great. what about monsters and fog/acid rain clouds.
yeah thats all for now. see ya after i figure out why my npc keeps blowing up just by walking a few squares.