Telling npc's what to do

[Maarberg]

Hey, I’m playing with 4 npc’s. I’m really enjoying them. but i’m kinda frustrated with the UI for interacting with them.
I have to talk to each one individualy. i’d love a group conversation. “everyone pick up everything you can” kind of thing. or a tell everyone to use this npcs setttings.

The first Npc I recruted was a doctor that could not use first aid on me. i’d love for that to change.

I want to tell the NPC’s to fall back. to retreat. to wait here.

I also had one npc that was suppose to be waiting at the base and she took off and when I talked to her she said i’m suppose to be guarding this place. then I had to recruit her again. like we had never had the first conversation about us working together. it was weird. is this normal NPC behavior?

I’d love to tell them to autodump everything they find in my inventory or in the cargo area in the car.
I really want them to auto search underbrush as we pass it. and pick dandelions. and datura. and food.

I really would love for you to add the ability for me to train my npc’s like they train me. and a chance to trade training skills. I’d also love a “Spar with me” option.
perhaps I just dont know how to do this with the current settings.
if its not here could you add a “Talk to the group” window. i’d even be ok with check boxes for each npc.

I also had one npc that was suppose to be waiting at the base and she took off and when I talked to her she said i’m suppose to be guarding this place. then I had to recruit her again. like we had never had the first conversation about us working together. it was weird. is this normal NPC behavior?

Thanks. If it helps i’d make a mock up window for what i’m thinking of.

[BeerBeer]

Four? Yikes. I’ve had two at most and that was uncomfortable enough. Yeah, the NPC management isn’t really meant for groups/parties.

Party management, is the key word, I guess.

Giving commands via the conversation window is pretty primitive design. First thing could be to get rid of it, although it’s not necessary. No reason to delete it for them, I think. It would be just remain as the old command interface.

After that, design a proper party management window with all the options, tickboxes and radio buttons for each party member.

New hotkeys could be necessary for the NPC commands that the player gives/changes frequently.

Scripts could be written for close-by scavenging and other automated low-risk activities.

Some stuff to consider:

• a command to man a turret; maximum engagement distance
• a command to assign a preferred seat within a vehicle
• visible hunger, thirst and fatigue gauges for each party member
• add tabs to character screen (@) that contain NPC character sheets
• add tabs to apparel layering window for NPCs
• giving items to NPCs by dropping items at NPCs’ feet
• making each NPC’s current inventory capacity visible… somewhere
• cycling through NPC inventories via your own inventory?
• autocrafting; maintaining a healthy supply of preferred arrows
• a command for “pry open that door”, “smash that object”, “open nearby crates”, “snipe that turret”, “haul that item pile to that spot/container” etc.
• various specific targeting preferences: “use Barrett M82 only on hulks, brutes, shocker brutes (else: run away)”, “attack zombie children with .380 pistol (else: use any weapon)”
• a command for “never attack this monster type unless I tell you to”
• giving time-consuming tasks to NPCs; adding a visible timer or progress bar
• a command for “help me with tasks”; crafting, constructing, vehicle repairs
• have NPCs sometimes ask for player permission to use heavy weapons on THAT target
• friendly fire issues
• will NPC driving ever be a thing?

[Coolthulhu]

NPC management was started as incremental additions.
Some top-down approach could help it.

The biggest problem I have is figuring out how to combine our menu system with NPC values.
I’d like to fill the entire screen with valuable NPC data without making it a tree structure (ie. having to select combat->accuracy cap->high, like now).

Also it should allow changing the same option for all NPCs at once. That is, if we’re changing engagement range, all NPCs display/highlight engagement ranges and when tabbed/switched to, the cursor points at engagement ranges and not some base of the tree.

As for commands: the biggest problem here is lack of solid ID system that would allow things like “pick this exact item”.
Some hacks can be added, but most NPC commands should be thought of as “modes” for now.

Autodump and plant picking are all planned.
Plant picking wouldn’t be hard.
Autodump would require designating what to keep and what to dump, so it will need to wait for now.

NPC driving is planned, but vehicle pathfinding is a heavy thing from the code side.

[Chezzo]

I can see NPC driving being bad.

You hear vroom vroom from the east.

A hippie van smashes into you doing 40 damage.

A hippie van smashes into you doing 27 damage.

A hippie van smashes into you doing 59 damage.

[Valpo]

[quote=“Chezzo, post:4, topic:12724”]I can see NPC driving being bad.

You hear vroom vroom from the east.

A hippie van smashes into you doing 40 damage.

A hippie van smashes into you doing 27 damage.

A hippie van smashes into you doing 59 damage.[/quote]

Where is the bad part you are talking about?

[Taberone]

[quote=“Valpo, post:5, topic:12724”][quote=“Chezzo, post:4, topic:12724”]I can see NPC driving being bad.

You hear vroom vroom from the east.

A hippie van smashes into you doing 40 damage.

A hippie van smashes into you doing 27 damage.

A hippie van smashes into you doing 59 damage.[/quote]

Where is the bad part you are talking about?[/quote]

NPC Bandits in deathmobiles coming out of nowhere at high speed and killing you, or incompetent NPC allies accidentally running you over.

[Maarberg]

… and then I crawled over and stabbed him to death for hitting me with his car.

Best Night Ever.

[Nernums]

for group management, add it as an option to yelling.
yelling is a really dumb thing currently, as it doesnt allow you to choose what to yell out, just making a loud noise.
i’ve tried a few playthroughs with 4+ npcs just to see how they go, and it gets really unmanageable quite quickly unfortunately due to chat menus.
I’d also like yelling to be useful for calling dogs or npcs back to you when they run off on their own to try and punch a squirrel to death