NPC Co-pilot, an easy win ...

[Chernabog]

Hi All,

I know FD have already said that there won't be any but they might change their mind, and I just had this idea which I think would be a pretty easy way to implement NPC crew (or rather a single NPC crew member) that would add a tiny bit of personality to the cockpit, requires no balancing at all and would add something that most people who play solo etc. would probably go for...

• 
  Enable an NPC co-pilot to be 'bought' at a station and he/she/it has one function and that function is exactly the same as the docking computer module.

So the NPC does nothing else other than sit in the co-pilot chair (obviously would need the avatar stuff to enable this) and once you are close enough to a station etc. you could enable the auto-pilot in exactly the same way that it is currently implemented with the docking computer module. The advantage is of course that you wouldn't need to fit a docking comuter module, which is one of the modules that many people (myself included) would like to have, but there are always more useful modules to fit so you never actually fit one!

Just a nice idea.

 

[Arubeto]

The request for NPC crew members popping up again and again shows that this is really something a lot of players want.

You are right, sadly FD confirmed NPC crews won't be part of the multicrew feature in season 2:

NPC crews aren't part of multicrew, but may come in a later season.

Normally I'd try to stay positive and say "well, at least we may get them some day", but I have to admit it's hard to remain optimistic. NPC crews "may come"? And then only " in a later season"? Sorry, but that's not enough! Scratch multicrew (which only a handful commanders will play anyway) and replace it with NPC crews! To get such a basic and fundamental mechanic like NPC crew members years after the release of a game, and then they are not even guaranteed to come at all, is very frustrating.

 

[Leo Sagan]

Awesome idea. The HCS voicepacks success (with Verity Croft, Doctor Baker Who and even .... A CAT, yes, A CAT, is proof enough of that.

Yeah , I"m a g33k, a no life, a nerd, a whatever-you-like-to-call-me, and I LOOOOOOOOVE virtual friends. So sell me some FD pretty please ! It won't hurt any other player and I'll throw some money at you so you can pay those taxes and costs you loath. And it will benefit the game, which is our goal.

 

[WhtBlueberry]

I'd personally just rather actually have the ability to hire/fire/train npc crew members, as that would be pretty neat for those of us without the best internet.

 

[Boomer Kay]

Elite Frontier had NPC crew. Couldn't fly the really big ships without.

Definitely should be put higher on the priority list. My significant other is annoyed being treated like crew and sent to bring me space coffee.

If they need some idea how to implement generic npcs nicely ... ufo/ xcom series did a pretty good job at rng generated crew management.
Even the first installment that was rather simplistic.

 

[warlock]

Sounds like a cracking idea to me.

 

[Deareim]

It would be fun so no! (Sic!)

 

[Eymerich]

Hi All,

I know FD have already said that there won't be any but they might change their mind, and I just had this idea which I think would be a pretty easy way to implement NPC crew (or rather a single NPC crew member) that would add a tiny bit of personality to the cockpit, requires no balancing at all and would add something that most people who play solo etc. would probably go for...

• Enable an NPC co-pilot to be 'bought' at a station and he/she/it has one function and that function is exactly the same as the docking computer module.

So the NPC does nothing else other than sit in the co-pilot chair (obviously would need the avatar stuff to enable this) and once you are close enough to a station etc. you could enable the auto-pilot in exactly the same way that it is currently implemented with the docking computer module. The advantage is of course that you wouldn't need to fit a docking comuter module, which is one of the modules that many people (myself included) would like to have, but there are always more useful modules to fit so you never actually fit one!

Just a nice idea.

Yes the idea is nice...

I hope Fd would consider multicrew also for people who likes solo

 

[Vasea Azure]

As a strictly solo player I`m sad that yet another update is for MP crowd only - I really would like to have a NPC copilot.

 

[Arubeto]

I hope Fd would consider multicrew also for people who likes solo

That's sadly spot on. This is the second major new mechanic - after wings - that will effectively not be available to people who choose to play in solo - supposedly equivalent in what you can do to group and open modes.

I wonder if FD has some statistics that tell them people who prefer to play solo are such a minority that ignoring them isn't a problem.

 

[grae3107]

I would be happy with just other crew in the chairs even if they don't do anything. At least for now.

 

[Kazacy]

That's sadly spot on. This is the second major new mechanic - after wings - that will effectively not be available to people who choose to play in solo - supposedly equivalent in what you can do to group and open modes.

I wonder if FD has some statistics that tell them people who prefer to play solo are such a minority that ignoring them isn't a problem.

Wow, but wings and multicrew in the future are available to all players, including solo players. All they have to do is to log in open/private and search for you know......... real people, real human beings. The fact they choose to play solo doesn't mean this features aren't available to them, merely they choose to refuse these new options.
As for npc crewmen, do you really try to say an npc can be the same as a real human being?

 

[Marcus Tullius]

There will be no NPC crews in season 2, but not because it is so hard to design them, but because Feudal Development must have something valuable for gameplay for other seasons. IMHO NPC crews will be included in the “ship walking” season.

 

[Eymerich]

Wow, but wings and multicrew in the future are available to all players, including solo players. All they have to do is to log in open/private and search for you know......... real people, real human beings. The fact they choose to play solo doesn't mean this features aren't available to them, merely they choose to refuse these new options.
As for npc crewmen, do you really try to say an npc can be the same as a real human being?

No.

Fdev has stated few weeks ago that the three kind of "game" (solo, private group or open) are equally each other.

Solo = private = open

If you introduce some new mechanics for only open the equation doesn't match anymore: plain and simple.

I can understand that introducing wings for solo players would have removed times to develop something else but (powerplay?? cqc??)...

First, a few weeks ago they stated that solo modo would never come (and they promised in kickstarter they would).

Now, they are intoducing new mechanics only for open (and not for solo).

If this is the future trend (more open less solo) I'm starting regretting the purchase of the life time expansion.

 

[Vasea Azure]

Wow, but wings and multicrew in the future are available to all players, including solo players. All they have to do is to log in open/private and search for you know......... real people, real human beings. The fact they choose to play solo doesn't mean this features aren't available to them, merely they choose to refuse these new options.
As for npc crewmen, do you really try to say an npc can be the same as a real human being?

Adding NPC hire able crew members will only make the game richer for both solo and open crowd dont you think?
btw - I backed Elite because of promised offline mode... so I would really appreciate at least solo NPC`s

 

[Arubeto]

Wow, but wings and multicrew in the future are available to all players, including solo players. All they have to do is to log in open/private and search for you know......... real people, real human beings. The fact they choose to play solo doesn't mean this features aren't available to them, merely they choose to refuse these new options.

I think you missed my point. Of course everyone has theoretical access to wings and multicrew, since everyone has access to open and group mode. The problem is that in a game like ED, where the playerbase/gameworld size ratio inherently decreases the chance of meeting other players, mechanics that require groups to meet and form wings or crews are a hassle to try out.

I have been playing since premium beta, mostly in open, but I haven't spend much time in wings. Not because I don't want to, but rather because I only meet a few players every time I am online, and even if I do, they mostly have their own plans and don't want to wing up. What I don't like is the amount of preparation or logistic required to take advantage of such a basic gameplay mechanic like wings. The need to align playing times, form groups, ask for wings in forums etc. poses a hassle that I don't want to engage every time I just want to wing up. NPCs are just more readily available, lowering the hurdle of taking advantage of the wing feature.

As for npc crewmen, do you really try to say an npc can be the same as a real human being?

Where did you get this notion from? I never said anything like that.

 

[Jamesey1981]

Before I say anything I will just say that I've never been in a wing and I would like to see npc wingmates and crew, I don't know many people that play Elite so I would use the facility if it was available.
I am a little bit confused about how the devs would balance it though, winging up you have the hassle of getting everyone organised, and I would think multicrew will be much the same, so that means that it won't be possible for most people 100% of the time, whereas if you can hire NPC wingmates or crew and you have enough money you would be daft not to do it 100% of the time if it confers the same advantages as if you have player wingmates or crew, which it would have to, otherwise everyone will still say it's not equal between modes/playstyle, and if it becomes something that you have to do 100% of the time it becomes pretty pointless and just becomes a buff to every ship that has more than one seat.
Even if you made NPC wingmates and crew only available in solo, then the players that play in open would complain it's uneven.
Maybe the Devs could come up with some way of making it fair, but I would say it's going to be pretty difficult to make everyone happy here.
Not saying I'm for or against it, just voicing my opinion that it's probably more complicated than it first appears.

 

[NickSick]

I am with OP 100% (more if possible - but as a math teacher I cant...)

The thing is that I love to play in Wings with real ppl. But! The thing with playing in wings also make you have an obligation to the Wing. You feel some pressure to play an optimal game. I can do that for a while on and off but sometimes I want to play it my way without having to worry over annoying my fellow wing mates.

Add to that a casual player will not be as likely to build up a as big friend base as other players, nor will it be guaranteed that his friends can play exactly those hours he can. I live in Sweden can not find a single soul that want to play Elite. And I know a lot of ppl who otherwise plays a lot of computer games.

NPC-players would be wonderful. I think of the possibility to hire NPC's at different skill level but not even at the highest skill level will they be as good as a pro player.

My DREAM is to be the commander on a big ship having lots of crew mates. If these crew mates must be human players then my dream never will come true since I will never find human friends that will stand to be under my command under a long time Honestly I will never be that good. Let me hire mediocre NPC's and live my dream!!!!

The notion of FD not doing NPC's have made me, a fanboy otherwise, doubt if this is my game in the future. But until now I have been hoping it is in the pipe at least.

/Nick

 

[Vasea Azure]

I am with OP 100% (more if possible - but as a math teacher I cant...)

The thing is that I love to play in Wings with real ppl. But! The thing with playing in wings also make you have an obligation to the Wing. You feel some pressure to play an optimal game. I can do that for a while on and off but sometimes I want to play it my way without having to worry over annoying my fellow wing mates.

Add to that a casual player will not be as likely to build up a as big friend base as other players, nor will it be guaranteed that his friends can play exactly those hours he can. I live in Sweden can not find a single soul that want to play Elite. And a know a lot of ppl who otherwise plays a lot of computer games.

NPC-players would be wonderful. I think of the possibility to hire NPC's at different skill level but even at the highest skill level will they be as good as a pro player.

My DREAM is to be the commander on a big ship having lots of crew mates. If these crew mates must be human players then my dream never will come true since I will never find human friends that will stand to be under my command under a long time Honestly I will never be that good. Let me hire mediocre NPC's and live my dream!!!!

The notion of FD not doing NPC's have made me, a fanboy otherwise, doubt if this is my game in the future. But until now I have been hoping it is in the pipe at least.

/Nick

Could not said it better.

 

[Arubeto]

I am with OP 100% (more if possible - but as a math teacher I cant...)

The thing is that I love to play in Wings with real ppl. But! The thing with playing in wings also make you have an obligation to the Wing. You feel some pressure to play an optimal game. I can do that for a while on and off but sometimes I want to play it my way without having to worry over annoying my fellow wing mates.

Add to that a casual player will not be as likely to build up a as big friend base as other players, nor will it be guaranteed that his friends can play exactly those hours he can. I live in Sweden can not find a single soul that want to play Elite. And a know a lot of ppl who otherwise plays a lot of computer games.

NPC-players would be wonderful. I think of the possibility to hire NPC's at different skill level but even at the highest skill level will they be as good as a pro player.

My DREAM is to be the commander on a big ship having lots of crew mates. If these crew mates must be human players then my dream never will come true since I will never find human friends that will stand to be under my command under a long time Honestly I will never be that good. Let me hire mediocre NPC's and live my dream!!!!

The notion of FD not doing NPC's have made me, a fanboy otherwise, doubt if this is my game in the future. But until now I have been hoping it is in the pipe at least.

/Nick

This! A thousand times this!