On NPC (non-)responsiveness

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Rias
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On NPC (non-)responsiveness

Post by Rias »

Just a quick request to be understanding with NPCs when they don't respond to player character questions or other actions. The poor guys can't do anything beyond their very basic programming unless a GM happens to be around and available to control them, and also has jurisdiction for that NPC. So please don't take it as the NPC being IC lazy or negligent or rude if they don't respond - chances are there just aren't any GMs around to control them. They'd respond promptly on their own if they could!
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Lukepop
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Re: On NPC (non-)responsiveness

Post by Lukepop »

Thank you for the headsup Rias. Should we try and just kind of rp around the limitations/avoid interacting with NPCs in a non-programmed way unless they're being actively controlled?
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Rias
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Re: On NPC (non-)responsiveness

Post by Rias »

Yeah, I think it's pretty well understood by players that there are GM availability limitations, so it'd probably work to just say something vague like "We'll come back later when they're available" and anyone else present would understand that it's just a situation of no GMs being around to control the NPC. Keeping it nice and vague would be preferable to any assumptions and mentions of what the NPC might be doing or not doing.
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Rilulth
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Re: On NPC (non-)responsiveness

Post by Rilulth »

I will also add to this that passive-aggressive "thinks" that are very obviously directed at the GM team just puts us on a downer when we do come back to the keyboard and read them.

We do our best, but as much as we would like to respond every time, we just can't.
tulpa —
If we ever get player housing, Mistralite houseshares are going to be full of this stuff. "Damnit who let the thousand-year old angry venomous moths out of their velvet pouch again?"
TheCacklackian
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Re: On NPC (non-)responsiveness

Post by TheCacklackian »

When you say passive aggressive thinks, does that include when you send multiple thinks in over a short period? I do this without any expectation of getting a response, immediate or otherwise, I've just been trying to get into a habbit of using this command. But If I use it too much I'd like to know.
Rilulth
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Re: On NPC (non-)responsiveness

Post by Rilulth »

No, send plenty of thinks so we can get a feel for your character! What I mean is things like "Well I'm going to do this and take it to this person and they need to respond." "Why are they not responding, I'm right here waiting for a response." "I've been waiting here for three chimes for a response, maybe they'll notice me soon." type of thing that is very much directed at us.
tulpa —
If we ever get player housing, Mistralite houseshares are going to be full of this stuff. "Damnit who let the thousand-year old angry venomous moths out of their velvet pouch again?"
TheCacklackian
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Re: On NPC (non-)responsiveness

Post by TheCacklackian »

Oh Ok! I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing anything wrong!
Onasaki
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Re: On NPC (non-)responsiveness

Post by Onasaki »

I think the expectation is that some people think NPCs are all going to have coded responses to questions. Like how you can ask some Shadgard NPCs about Shadgard, their name, etc.

There are a few NPCs I've run into that don't respond to these kinds of things. Like the triage tent doc in Emberlight for instance.
I have two forces by my side,
One's the truth and one's a lie,
Which one's which I cannot tell,
This enigma is my hell.

Baako leads you over to the grass to graze.
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