Non-Player Characters
Diegetic persons in game worlds that are not controlled by players.
Note: the use of characters in this pattern and the pattern named Characters differs. Here, the usage of character complies to the common usage in the gaming community of referring to the graphical representation of a person in the game world (a sort of non-player version of the Avatar patterns). Although the common usage may also often imply the presence of the Agents and Characters patterns, this is not necessary and not presumed when used here.
Note: the abbreviation NPCs is very common for Non-Player Characters and is used here as well.
Contents
Examples
Using the pattern
A primary choice when designing NPCs is whether they should have agency within the Game World. This is typically achieved through the use of Algorithmic Agents or Game Masters, but can sometimes be done through Spectators (especially in games with Pervasive Gameplay, e.g. Prosopopeia).
Actions Have Diegetically Social Consequences
Characters Enemies Torchlight Character Defining Actions Enforced Agent Behavior Factions
Awareness of Surroundings Open Destiny Own Agenda Unpredictable Behavior Binding Promises Brokering Competing for Attention Context Dependent Reaction Eavesdropping Either You are with Me or against Me False Accusations Favor Gain Allies Gossip Guide and Protect Hierarchical Factions Linked Destinies Maintaining Lies Match-Making Memory of Important Events
My Enemy’s Enemy is my Friend Others fortune affects own Mood Outcast Outspoken Support Requesting Support Social Gatekeeper Diegetic Social Maintenance Diegetic Social Norms Traitors Initiative Incremental Dialogue Processing Chunk-based Dialogue Processing Single-Initiative Dialogues Mixed Initiative Dialogues Basic Input Feedback Barge-In Canned Text Responses Diegetically Consistent Dialogues [[Context Dependent Dialogue Contextualized Conversational Responses Gameplay Integrated Conversations Location-Specific Dialogues Character-Specific Dialogues Colloquial Mastery Delicate Phrasing Ambiguous Responses
Note that NPCs do not actually need to be able to perform actions that change the game state, and more specifically players do not have to able to interact with them at all. The core of NPCs are their role in a Narration Structure, and as such they can exist only as Diegetically Outstanding Features or only be seen through Cut Scenes.
Diegetic Aspects
One design goal with NPCs can be that they should be believable as humans or self-aware individuals with the same emotional and social responses as those associated with humans. This can be rephrased as the goal of making players take an intentional stance towards the NPCs when anticipating their actions[1].
A basic requirement for this to be possible is that the NPCs is in a Game World so that it has a space to act within (possible the real world for games using Real World Game Space). A second basic requirement is that they are Agents. As mentioned earlier, this is typically done through Algorithmic Agents or Game Masters but can in some cases also be done through Spectators.
There is actually another, even more basic, aspect of making NPCs to have Diegetic Consistency. This is that their representations should mimic their states as appropriate for the setting. In games like the Super Mario series this may be that Bob-ombs flash and sound before exploding
Visual Body Damage
Dissectible Bodies
Interface Aspects
The amount of interaction available with NPCs can easily become overwhelming. Although breaking Diegetic Consistency, this is often solved through the use of Secondary Interface Screens to provide separate interfaces for activities such as Trading and Dialogues.
Narrative Aspects
Consequences
Since the creation of any NPC implies a Game World it consists in, have a NPC either requires a more fully developed Game World or creates one anyway but without Diegetic Consistency.
Relations
Can Instantiate
Can Modulate
Can Be Instantiated By
Game Elements
Can Be Modulated By
Possible Closure Effects
Potentially Conflicting With
History
New pattern created in this wiki. However, most of the material is collected from earlier research papers [1] [2] [3] [4] [5].
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lankoski, P. & Björk, S. (2007). Gameplay Design Patterns for Believable Non-Player Characters. Paper presentation at DiGRA 2007, Tokyo, Japan.
- ↑ Lankoski, P. & Björk, S. (2007). Gameplay Design Patterns for Social Networks and Conflicts. Paper Presentation at Computer Game Design and Technology Workshop, John Moores University, Liverpool.
- ↑ Lankoski, P. & Björk, S. (2008). Character-Driven Game Design: Characters, Conflicts, and Gameplay. Paper presentation at GDTW, Sixth International Conference in Game Design and Technology, 2008.
- ↑ Brusk, J. & Björk, S. (2009). Gameplay Design Patterns for Game Dialogues. Paper presentation at DiGRA 2009: Breaking New Ground: Innovation in Games, Play, Practice and Theory. London, UK.
- ↑ Lankoski, P. (2010). Character-Driven Game Design - A Design Approach and Its Foundations in Character Engagement. D.A. thesis at Aalto University. Publication Series of the School of Art and Design A 101. ISBN 978-952-60-0002-2.
