NPC Combat Deficiencies and suggestions
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 8:55 am
I have noticed a number of deficiencies pertaining to NPCs which had been fixed, but now are worse than before. These problems run the gambit from combat related functions, to spawning. Although spawning npcs is a subjective matter, and thus falls under the category of a suggestion. I compiled a list of the maladies which is as follows:
-Low damage: The npcs do not do much more damage than a bird
and have trouble squaring off against a cow. I armed a sailor with
a silver weapon, and it could barely kill a skeleton.
Tested units in general included fighters, rangers, sailors and paladins
I tested rangers, which after the initial fix a while back, in fact their introduction were awesome! Recently however, I hired Four rangers and all 4 were killed by a single troll! The same deficiencies were noticed in all other npcs
including brigands. I could take a brand new character into a brigand
camp and pound them all into a fine red paste without issue.
-Stealing: I hired a sailor, and took it to the Jhelom graveyard.
I noted that upon stealing, the npc disarmed his weapon which the last patch said would happen. However, after disarming, never re-armed and started trying to punch a ghoul to death. I had to tell him to drop his stuff and manually re-arm the npc. I thought it might be a one time thing,
so I tried it again. It never re-arms its weapon, and appears to
only make one attempt to steal.
-Targeting: I noticed hirelings, in this case a sailor once again
was unable to acquire a new target upon destroying an original target
(which I had to help him kill). After this target, he allowed the other
to kill him, never re-targeting. Reader take note, the new target
attacked and absolutely no orders were given to the npc afterward so
as to override the npc from defending itself automatically.
-Spawning: A few months ago the spawn of NPC fighters and rangers was
augmented to my elation. However recently, I have noticed once again
that the Jhelom pits and the area where rangers, fighters and paladins were spawning in Jhelom to be empty, or spawning beggars and bards again. There are mages spawning, but it would be nice to use something else without going all
over the world to find one. Jhelom being the Fighter's city, with no less than Two npc fighter guild buildings, and a fighters pit, it would make sense to have fighters and paladins there.
In summation, I realize that this is one of the more minor aspects of the game, and little attention is given to npcs, but what is strange is how it was given a brief focus of attention and fixed to the extent that it was working nicely only a short time ago, and now its malfunctioning. I besiege you to fix these issues. NPCs are fun! I miss getting a gang of npcs together and stomping places full of evil creatures and massacring them! Right now I can have a gang of them maybe kill a rabbit or something...
-Low damage: The npcs do not do much more damage than a bird
and have trouble squaring off against a cow. I armed a sailor with
a silver weapon, and it could barely kill a skeleton.
Tested units in general included fighters, rangers, sailors and paladins
I tested rangers, which after the initial fix a while back, in fact their introduction were awesome! Recently however, I hired Four rangers and all 4 were killed by a single troll! The same deficiencies were noticed in all other npcs
including brigands. I could take a brand new character into a brigand
camp and pound them all into a fine red paste without issue.
-Stealing: I hired a sailor, and took it to the Jhelom graveyard.
I noted that upon stealing, the npc disarmed his weapon which the last patch said would happen. However, after disarming, never re-armed and started trying to punch a ghoul to death. I had to tell him to drop his stuff and manually re-arm the npc. I thought it might be a one time thing,
so I tried it again. It never re-arms its weapon, and appears to
only make one attempt to steal.
-Targeting: I noticed hirelings, in this case a sailor once again
was unable to acquire a new target upon destroying an original target
(which I had to help him kill). After this target, he allowed the other
to kill him, never re-targeting. Reader take note, the new target
attacked and absolutely no orders were given to the npc afterward so
as to override the npc from defending itself automatically.
-Spawning: A few months ago the spawn of NPC fighters and rangers was
augmented to my elation. However recently, I have noticed once again
that the Jhelom pits and the area where rangers, fighters and paladins were spawning in Jhelom to be empty, or spawning beggars and bards again. There are mages spawning, but it would be nice to use something else without going all
over the world to find one. Jhelom being the Fighter's city, with no less than Two npc fighter guild buildings, and a fighters pit, it would make sense to have fighters and paladins there.
In summation, I realize that this is one of the more minor aspects of the game, and little attention is given to npcs, but what is strange is how it was given a brief focus of attention and fixed to the extent that it was working nicely only a short time ago, and now its malfunctioning. I besiege you to fix these issues. NPCs are fun! I miss getting a gang of npcs together and stomping places full of evil creatures and massacring them! Right now I can have a gang of them maybe kill a rabbit or something...