Only know location of npc if you have a communication device

[RipRoarinBoogerPenis]

I re-use my worlds and have npc’s turned on so I have a lot of NPC markers on my maps that previous characters have run into. I suggest that the locations of npc’s on the map remain hidden unless you use an item to communicate with them. They could report their current position and that would be where the NPC icon would be, or at least their last known location.

[desrik]

I like this idea. It always seemed strange to me that the player, after being holed up in an EVAC shelter, knew the location of NPCs they have never even met.

[KA101]

I like this idea. It always seemed strange to me that the player, after being holed up in an EVAC shelter, knew the location of NPCs they have never even met.

I’m thinking that some of it is long-range scouting vision seeing a human (not lurching around, gear’s in order, etc) and us not having a good workaround for the name display. If you can see and discriminate type-of-building, being able to see “NPC here” doesn’t seem too much of a stretch.

Agreed that having updates on their location when they’re out of sight is another story, but I’m not sure anyone wants to tackle that. (If you do, feel free!)

[kevin.granade]

Having them not visible when out of sight on the overmap would be quite easy.
A system for them telling you where they are would be slightly more involved.

[desrik]

[quote=“Kevin Granade, post:4, topic:7446”]Having them not visible when out of sight on the overmap would be quite easy.
A system for them telling you where they are would be slightly more involved.[/quote]

Yeah that’s the conclusion I came up with also after looking at the code. What about showing the last known location of an NPC instead of actual location?

[kevin.granade]

That would be pretty easy. Then that could be extended to have it update if the NPC communicates with you.

[Barhandar]

That would be pretty easy. Then that could be extended to have it update if the NPC communicates with you.

Could you please make wandering NPCs less of aggressive junkie poopheads first?
I mean, the ‘shotgun-shooting up to your personal cabin and demanding you drop your weapons’ sort. No problem if they wander there when you’re absent and then point weapons, that sort of asshole behavior is expected and realistic.

Could be done through ability to stake claim on some area, so that when you’re near that area (=items signifying that it is in fact yours, maybe some sort of ‘faction colors’ you have to wear along… and NPCs that can try wearing them to pretend they’re with you) NPCs get a sharp drop in aggression, enough to make all but the actual junkies deal with you on your terms and not theirs.
Bonus points if you can don the disguise as well, and with enough skill (Speech?) actually pass for faction member and do things.

[kevin.granade]

These things have nothing to do with each other, so ‘do this first’ is nonsensical.
If you tell me to do things instead of informing me of a problem, I will count that as a vote against the feature rather than for it, phrasing matters.

[RipRoarinBoogerPenis]

[quote=“desrik, post:2, topic:7446”]I like this idea. It always seemed strange to me that the player, after being holed up in an EVAC shelter, knew the location of NPCs they have never even met.

I’m thinking that some of it is long-range scouting vision seeing a human (not lurching around, gear’s in order, etc) and us not having a good workaround for the name display. If you can see and discriminate type-of-building, being able to see “NPC here” doesn’t seem too much of a stretch.

Agreed that having updates on their location when they’re out of sight is another story, but I’m not sure anyone wants to tackle that. (If you do, feel free!)[/quote]

I’m a worthless idea guy. No idea how to code unfortunately.

[Barhandar]

[quote=“Kevin Granade, post:8, topic:7446”]These things have nothing to do with each other, so ‘do this first’ is nonsensical.
If you tell me to do things instead of informing me of a problem, I will count that as a vote against the feature rather than for it, phrasing matters.[/quote]
I mean, I’d rather either know that a NPC, possibly a junkie with a shotgun, wandered nearby by looking at minimap than by getting a two-way radio and communicating with said junkie or running into him and the usual DROPTHEWEAPON demands.

Thus, vote against or request to have NPCs not be so aggressive first and more support for ability to stake a home and better NPC AI so that, for example, they prefer less-loud weapons unless their INT is low, or instead of shooting try running to staked place shouting “HELP” (which is less loud than a shotgun) first, unless staked place is very scary.

[NoobKid]

Just floating an idea here, but, what if-keeping the realistic “seeing someone/thing on the horizon” bit-you could recognize humanoid figures on the horizon using the map and yet have no way of telling if they’re survivors?

For example, along with the NPC’s name and stuff displayed when you look at them on the map, you could add something like “Extremely tall humanoid form” when looking at NPCs the player’s never met on the map. That way, along with the possibility of them being shotgun-wielding methhead survivors, there’s a risk of them not being (living) survivors at all.

[Valpo]

omg its slendermen D: /runs away

I think the z should be easily distinguishable by the way they move though.

[NoobKid]

But what about other things like flesh angels? We don’t really know how they move; they may walk around with a slow and solemn gait, and according to the description, soldier zombies walk a bit straighter than most zombies. Who knows? Maybe they’ll add a feature where you could see more and more of a creature as you get closer?

That’d be cool. Imagine getting your hopes up after seeing a seemingly well-armed survivor on the horizon only to get close enough and see-hopefully not too late-that it was actually a particularly fresh soldier zombie.