NPCs: A Low-Art Solution To Greatly Enhance Bases

The other day, while taking my character to a random Arbiter to gain his level up, I was struck by the thought "This is silly, there's an Arbiter in my Villain Group. Why can't she level me up?" and then it all clicked... Base functions can be added with minimal new art by adding one thing...

-Customizable NPCs that function as items. They would work as follows.

-First, select your type of contact. The options could be, for example,
---Arbiter/Hero
---Fateweaver/Hero Corps Analyst
---WW/Market contact
---Tailor
---NPC

-Second, place that contact in the base. They may be restricted by room, or they may be free to be placed anywhere. Dev's discretion. The NPC style would be placeable anywhere. They would then appear as Wireframes, similar to the AE building wireframes.

-Anyone with base editing privileges would have the option when speaking to any of these characters to change their name, costume, and Info, as normal for a custom critter. Arachnos outfits would also be an option, as would using any custom critter you'd bought in AE, with the exception of unique characters: you can't have Ms. Liberty in your base, but you can have a standard Longbow Guardian. NPC types would also include the option for a text of dialogue.

-Finally, once set up, anyone in the Super Group could speak to them, and they would function as a contact of their type, either allowing you to level up and such, change your difficulties, change outfits, or use the tailor. NPC types would simply have a dialog box pop up that you could then close.


This would require NO new art, allow a great deal of customization to the bases, and allow an easy way for much more functionality to be added to bases.

Other possibilities that they could do would include...
-Wandering around your base, or around a specific room [For NPC types only]
-Be able to be placed with various standard emotes
-If base raiding ever happens, turn into enemies that help defend your base, with powers chosen similarly to AE, except prestige and power cost would determine how strong (For example, minions would be rather cheap, wheras putting an AV in your base could cost over a million prestige and a large amount of Control.)



I'm under the impression that Low Art is important as someone mentioned in one of the Panels that were posted on the site the possibility of adding such things to the base. He said that the capability already exists, and they're just waiting on the art. The artist then said he's been working on Going Rogue, and would have to design something awesome and unique for each such thing.

Hopefully, if I get enough support from people here, the developers will see that we don't need new art for this if you allow us to create the art by ourselves. We've got a robust character creator, one bragged about as one of the best aspects of City of Heroes, and we'd all love to use it to create our own butlers, sidekicks, tech support guys, or even just put ourselves in our bases to greet newcomers.

I'm all for this.

Okay, I posted this over a month ago, and... I'm used to seeing responses to threads at some point. Is this a good idea? Bad idea? Or is the lack of a response just a testament to the idea that the vast majority of the player base doesn't actually care about Bases?

I pretty much like the idea. However....

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapnGeist I'm under the impression that Low Art is important as someone mentioned in one of the Panels that were posted on the site the possibility of adding such things to the base. He said that the capability already exists, and they're just waiting on the art. The artist then said he's been working on Going Rogue, and would have to design something awesome and unique for each such thing.

My impression is that if the graphics can't be brand new, they wouldn't do it at all, regardless of if the fanbase would be fine with the low art solution. I hope I'm dead wrong but that was the impression that I got.

Exactly what I want to fix with this thread. I was hoping people would give feedback saying whether they'd want something like this or something with new art, but it's been very quiet.

Great idea, but with a limit based on base size. No flooding tiny bases with 300 walkers.

I like the part where you mention an option is at dev discretion...like anything is NOT bound by the whims of the developers.

The ability to add functional NPCs and stores to a supergroup would make things a lot more convenient!

/signed

Good idea : D

I had an idea similar to this some time back that I never got around to fully working out and posting. Essentially, the more prestige your SG earns, the more NPC's you'd be allowed to have (based upon plot/room size and function). You could design a custom SG "uniform" that would have options capable of being used by all three models for your NPC members to wear. At higher levels, you could assign one or two to join you in an instanced mission, though it costs prestige to bring them back if they die.

The added functionality (trainer, tailor) was something I hadn't considered for the base. I know I'd love to be able to port into my own base, train up, and maybe even have a basic enhancement shop (SO's at a slightly higher cost, lower re-sell value).

/signed

this idea is excellent to provide more use of an sg base other than travel and storage

/signed

makes bases more useful and makes leveling etc. easier!

/signed

A very nice idea, I really liked the concept of SG bases when I first heard about them but I've seen so many underdeveloped ones because everybody in the SG simply don't care enough or think that they aren't worth what they cost to build.

Being able to get trainers, stores, tailors and maybe even auction access in one central location would motivate more people to actually attempt to make something more than a few mostly empty rooms with a single salvage rack and teleporter.

Most certainly /signed

Very good ideas! Find other base improvements here: http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=211484

Be sure to drink your

/signed

YES!! Great idea. Not so sure about NPC wandering around, might be a bit difficult to implement, but love the rest. No more WW/BM complaints about toggles and Healing Auras, easy access to stores and trainers, and ohgod!! the RP possibilities. For purely RP reasons I created characters as my secretaries and added the to my SG, but if I could turn them to interactive NPCs instead I would be EXTREMELY happy!! plz devs make me happy!!

/SIGNED ... SIGNED ... SIGNED (Have I said it enough times yet? LOL)

I favor the NPC idea that would allow us to place these anywhere in the base. My thinking is a perfect spot for them would be at the entrance to accomodate quick access to any SG member that arrives at base... this would also eliminate "travel time" for SG members belonging to an SG with a 24 by 24 plot. Allowing them to wander around the room assigned sounds like fun and is much more realistic than standing immobile in on spot. Letting them wander the entire base could be frustrating for members trying to track down the NPC... "Okay now where did that TRAINER go?"

I can defiantely see the following being offered

Trainer .. one single NPC that can be placed anywhere in base This requires no new coding since a 49 level can train to 50 in Atlas Park/Mercy or in Peregrine/Grandville. The mechanics are the same

Wentworth/Black Market Rep .. again one single NPC and no recoding to accomplish. They could be placed anywhere but I think I'd put mine in the same room I have my Personal Vault/IO Crafting table to make it simple and easy for members to craft and sell.

Tailor ... Once again a single NPC that could be set up in any room in base and function exactly the same way as their counterparts outside the base.

Storekeeper.. This could be a bit more involved since it's not feasible to have one NPC trying to sell everything from 5 level training origin to 50 level single origin enhancements but they could easily add a computer that works like the ticket vendors in AE. A member acccesses the PC, similar to shopping for enhancements on Ebay, and simple uses a pull down menu to select between TOs, DOs, or SOs then uses a slider to access the ones applicable to their level.

Fateweavers/Field reps.. would be nice but not nearly as important as some of the ones listed above. Still anything they can do to make the base more valuable to members is a plus and with many players now having base teleporters could make changiung difficulty much quicker than traveling half way across a zone to reach one.

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Decorative NPCs

Been suggested many times before, including by me LOL Add the following as options to give the base a more lived in look and make it seem more like a powerful organization with a dedicated staff to assist in battling crime or committing act or pure evil.

Doctors/Nurses for the Medlab/Infimary

Scientists/Lab Technicians for Workshops

Computer Technicians for Control Rooms

Engineers (in protective coveralls) for Generator rooms

Security Guards or Secretary for the base entrance (with a little coding these could even be programed to greet members as they arrive at base) "Welcome back (charater's name) it's good to see you again."

Teleport Technicains obviously for TP chambers... AKA our own version of Mr. Scott. "One to beam to Port Oakes!" lol

These could be stand alone NPCs or even attached to items like computer desks, lab equipment, ect so it looks and feels like the the base is operational!

SIGNED SIGNED SIGNED.. LOL figured I'd add a few more votes if it helps make thius happen

/signed

I am in favour of this. I would like to use the AE costume creator to make my demon butler.

/signed

I think this is a fabulous idea.

/Signed too.

Even just static NPCs with basic functions like leveling up, tailoring or etc would be a big step.

/signed, but it'd probably be easier using new art than making them completely customizable using the in game editor. Especially if you intend to have them moving around a base, and not just contained in a mission file. THAT was one of the hurdles that forced them to push AE from i13 to i14.