Its life Jim, but not as we know it!

[Hadron-Higgs-Boson]

Ok, so I think there is a pretty good impression of Horizons building up with the posts the beta guys are making, it looks great, really looking forward to it. Few concerns over FPS (especially as my GFX card is ancient) and some of the bugs, but nothing to really put me off.

However...

It also seems to be showing that, save for skimmers and ships taking off and landing at bases, there is no actual NPC life out there. As in space, it already looks to be pretty much devoid of activity, in fact it sounds like there may be even less player/NPC interaction than there is in space. So, I am not going to rant and rave about it, but rather pose the question; Are we going to start to see dramatic increases in the type and depth of NPC content in season 2?

I think plenty of people have remarked on it, suggested things, asked questions and generally been pretty patient, but IMO the fact is that it's not here yet and it doesn't (hope I'm wrong) look to be coming in the launch of season 2

Life is important, if its not there.... well. I do think it would help if we had some decent feedback from the devs on why its not really changed so far and what the plans are, this shouldn't be some top secret issue, NPC content is the main stay of most games and its a big concern that new features are not delivering the NPC component.

 

[Alex Brentnall]

To be honest if earth likes and water worlds etc contain dinosaurs and giant sharks and stuff I'll be happy with low-levels of life on the rocky and icy planets. Kinda feels right.

Thats a long way in the future but having the stark contrast could work if done right.

 

[Cynaqq]

Ok, so I think there is a pretty good impression of Horizons building up with the posts the beta guys are making, it looks great, really looking forward to it. Few concerns over FPS (especially as my GFX card is ancient) and some of the bugs, but nothing to really put me off.

However...

It also seems to be showing that, save for skimmers and ships taking off and landing at bases, there is no actual NPC life out there. As in space, it already looks to be pretty much devoid of activity, in fact it sounds like there may be even less player/NPC interaction than there is in space. So, I am not going to rant and rave about it, but rather pose the question; Are we going to start to see dramatic increases in the type and depth of NPC content in season 2?

I think plenty of people have remarked on it, suggested things, asked questions and generally been pretty patient, but IMO the fact is that it's not here yet and it doesn't (hope I'm wrong) look to be coming in the launch of season 2

Life is important, if its not there.... well. I do think it would help if we had some decent feedback from the devs on why its not really changed so far and what the plans are, this shouldn't be some top secret issue, NPC content is the main stay of most games and its a big concern that new features are not delivering the NPC component.

You were going very good before you added 'at launch' and turned this into another probable wall of text thread with not much merit.

Life will not be there in the form of anything but skimmers and npc ships coming and going 'at launch'. Exactly as the developers have said time and time again in streams, newsletters and forum posts.

During the season, we don't know what they'll add other than some major announced features like ship launched fighters and multicrew.

Anything with npc life, we'll have to wait and see during the season.

 

[Hadron-Higgs-Boson]

To be honest if earth likes and water worlds etc contain dinosaurs and giant sharks and stuff I'll be happy with low-levels of life on the rocky and icy planets. Kinda feels right.

Thats a long way in the future but having the stark contrast could work if done right.

Partially agree, and that might be season 3, who knows.

But the fact is every landing pad is the same, every base is 100% working, nothing moves or changes, save for ships taking off and landing. No surface disruption showing traffic or basically any life or signs of life at all. I wouldn't expect it to happen overnight, but I'm keen to learn what might happen and when, if for no other reason than to just stop thinking about it.

 

[Lowievisser]

yeah , there are skimmers , i hope we get also npc ships flying over surface at the points of interests , doesnt have to be much npc , but now and then a wanted ship and have a blast at few km from surface would be awesome.

somebody tryd to pvp at planet few clicks above ground?

 

[Hadron-Higgs-Boson]

You were going very good before you added 'at launch' and turned this into another probable wall of text thread with not much merit.

Life will not be there in the form of anything but skimmers and npc ships coming and going 'at launch'. Exactly as the developers have said time and time again in streams, newsletters and forum posts.

During the season, we don't know what they'll add other than some major announced features like ship launched fighters and multicrew.

Anything with npc life, we'll have to wait and see during the season.

thank you, but I don't think there has been such a claim made by FD that there wont be any 'life' at launch or that they have said there will be during season 2, I know a fair bit has been said but there is nothing I can think of that is an actual answer, is there? I accept you are fine with the 'wait and see' and ultimately everyone wil have to be, but so far thats been the case for a year (far longer if you roll pre-launch into the mix) and it's still something being waited on.

 

[Alex Brentnall]

Partially agree, and that might be season 3, who knows.

But the fact is every landing pad is the same, every base is 100% working, nothing moves or changes, save for ships taking off and landing. No surface disruption showing traffic or basically any life or signs of life at all. I wouldn't expect it to happen overnight, but I'm keen to learn what might happen and when, if for no other reason than to just stop thinking about it.

True, I have to agree with you on the bases bit, there could be a few things moving about.

Although that takes me back to Dev comments on space station construction, it went something like "If we put people or ships out there doing construction the players first instinct is to shoot them!"
I imagine a similar thing would happen if trucks or other things were implemented...

 

[Crazy Jedi]

The problem is that the NPC interactions in space are often fairly poor. Usually you get interdicted, (you fight and kill them or just run off if in a hurry) or you get an NPC telling you "ah there you are, follow me I have something you might be interested in" or similar, only to find his alternative offer is rubbish (So you just ignore them). If the planet-side NPC interactions are in any way similar, I'd rather they didn't appear. The whole NPC side of things needs a bit of work tbh. Hopefully things will improve all around as far as the NPC mechanic goes...

 

[Hadron-Higgs-Boson]

True, I have to agree with you on the bases bit, there could be a few things moving about.

Although that takes me back to Dev comments on space station construction, it went something like "If we put people or ships out there doing construction the players first instinct is to shoot them!"
I imagine a similar thing would happen if trucks or other things were implemented...

it might be, but then the stations second act is to turn you into a pile of wreckage I think this excuse has been used a few times and it is just an excuse.

 

[the100thmonkey]

When I'm out shopping, I prefer to be left alone by the thousands of people doing the same thing.

When I'm on the motorway, I'd prefer that the other drivers don't overtake me and drop a nail carpet out the back of their car to stop me so that they can try to steal said shopping.

While certain cosmetic things like movement in the control towers and a certain degree of NPC traffic is desirable, I think the whole "interacting with NPCs" line is a bit of a red herring, and not one the developers should pursue.

Sure, a bit of NPC traffic in both SRVs and ships, and perhaps hostile NPC SRVs winged with ships if you're at a particularly juicy POI, but beyond that, I can't really see where else the devs can program something that isn't just going to be annoying. NPCs are never more than annoying.