The main thing that seems off to me about all NPC interactions, not just those related to piracy, is that we are in the year 330X or whatever, yet we can't communicate with them. Somehow they are able to communicate with us though "All that tasty cargo!"...
Naturally, having a text input interface that allowed you to say anything you wanted to an NPC wouldn't work, they'd need Google AI to understand and reply appropriately. So, what can be done that would work?
Personalities. Every NPC has a 'personality'.
To keep the coding effort as low as poss, let's say as an example that there are 5 metrics which denote an NPC personality at any given time. Each of these metrics has a value of 1 to 5, and based on the combination of personality attributes, they have canned responses to the players similar canned communications/responses they can send.
So, the metrics;
Bravado - 1 - Chicken-s**t up to 5 - Bring me a glorious flaming death and a place among the honored dead in Sto'Vo'Kor
Experience - Derived directly from their combat rank
Alignment - 1 - Evil - 5 - good
Intelligence - 1 - thick as a brick - 5 - Stephen Hawking reborn
How's my day? 1 - If my day keeps going this way I just might... 5 - Wheee, this is lovely!! (randomised on spawn)
These are just what I could think of on the spot, you get the idea in general, maybe there could be other more useful metrics.
So yeh, an NPC drops in and asks you about your tasty cargo. You have 5 canned responses to that. For example...
1. Dude, back off, you don't want to mess with the people who asked for this stuff.
2. Man, I'm one day from retirement and I'm selling this last batch so I can buy my kid an SRV, please don't do this!
3. Bring it pirate scum, I'll spread you all over this sector.
4. I see your ship, and I see mine, and I see this going only one way, go away before I spread you across this sector.
5. Catch me if you can!
Based on the personality of the NPC, they will then have another response. For example, if you reply number 4, a chicken s**t NPC with low experience and high intelligence might reply "Maybe I should go find an easier target...", while another with good alignment and having a great day would respond to 2 with 'Hey man, I'm sorry, I'm just tryin to make a living, good luck, catch ya next time!'. While the evil guys wouldn't believe it and might say 'that's what they all say, cargo or die!' or if they're having a bad day as well, might just open fire without saying anything.
From the other side, a player can comm "Drop the cargo or die", and again get an appropriate response based on the personality of the NPC.
Also, you might be able to fish for stuff. For example...random NPC minding his own business, player comms an insult. The NPC might bite and turn hostile, or might insult you back making you want to kill them.
Just shooting the breeze, had a meeting finish early. lol.
Naturally, having a text input interface that allowed you to say anything you wanted to an NPC wouldn't work, they'd need Google AI to understand and reply appropriately. So, what can be done that would work?
Personalities. Every NPC has a 'personality'.
To keep the coding effort as low as poss, let's say as an example that there are 5 metrics which denote an NPC personality at any given time. Each of these metrics has a value of 1 to 5, and based on the combination of personality attributes, they have canned responses to the players similar canned communications/responses they can send.
So, the metrics;
Bravado - 1 - Chicken-s**t up to 5 - Bring me a glorious flaming death and a place among the honored dead in Sto'Vo'Kor
Experience - Derived directly from their combat rank
Alignment - 1 - Evil - 5 - good
Intelligence - 1 - thick as a brick - 5 - Stephen Hawking reborn
How's my day? 1 - If my day keeps going this way I just might... 5 - Wheee, this is lovely!! (randomised on spawn)
These are just what I could think of on the spot, you get the idea in general, maybe there could be other more useful metrics.
So yeh, an NPC drops in and asks you about your tasty cargo. You have 5 canned responses to that. For example...
1. Dude, back off, you don't want to mess with the people who asked for this stuff.
2. Man, I'm one day from retirement and I'm selling this last batch so I can buy my kid an SRV, please don't do this!
3. Bring it pirate scum, I'll spread you all over this sector.
4. I see your ship, and I see mine, and I see this going only one way, go away before I spread you across this sector.
5. Catch me if you can!
Based on the personality of the NPC, they will then have another response. For example, if you reply number 4, a chicken s**t NPC with low experience and high intelligence might reply "Maybe I should go find an easier target...", while another with good alignment and having a great day would respond to 2 with 'Hey man, I'm sorry, I'm just tryin to make a living, good luck, catch ya next time!'. While the evil guys wouldn't believe it and might say 'that's what they all say, cargo or die!' or if they're having a bad day as well, might just open fire without saying anything.
From the other side, a player can comm "Drop the cargo or die", and again get an appropriate response based on the personality of the NPC.
Also, you might be able to fish for stuff. For example...random NPC minding his own business, player comms an insult. The NPC might bite and turn hostile, or might insult you back making you want to kill them.
Just shooting the breeze, had a meeting finish early. lol.
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