Forums » Suggestions
NPC "taunts"
Because of business travel, I was sadly unable to participate in the bulk of the most recent thread that involved (I won't call what occured there a debate) the question of what the fucking difference is between getting killed by a NPC pirate and getting killed by a PC pirate. However, it did get me thinking about how the NPC rats need to be upgraded before being reinserted into the game, and while their substantive behavior is obviously most important, I think we need some stock "communications" to help immersion.
For example, if I come upon a trader in a Moth, I will target, hail (if "The Void awaits" is not sufficient to indicate a threat, too bad), and engage. I believe that the NPC rat behavior mirrored that approach, with a standard hail message being sent by the NPC ("Yarr, pay me X number O' credits or feel me neuts!").
However, after that, I don't think there was really enough taunting to allow the NPC pirate to be a fully functional substitute for the real thing. Sure, if they killed you they sent a message that says "Should have paid!"--just like a real pirate. But we need more! For example, after hailing and shaving a 1/4 to a 1/3 of the hull off a trade ship, I usually broadcast over sector chat my intentions: "Halt at once, or I will destroy you," or "You have no chance to survive, pay up or get popped, you silly little bitch." Frequently, I'll drag the chase out just for fun, even when a quick kill could be acomplished, ensuring more time to pump a few more rounds into my target while telling them they're about to turn into a crate of scrap.
The NPCs can easily have a set of pre-programed taunts, which they can fire off along with their flares, such as "Yarr, ye be a fool to be running! Pay me now or DIE!" But whatever they do, it should mimic true pirate communications. Most importantly, though, is to replicate the shit talking that would otherwise occur when a trader is actually killed. "PWNED!!!" isn't very piratey sounding, but you get the idea. Peypey might be a good drafting resource here.
For example, if I come upon a trader in a Moth, I will target, hail (if "The Void awaits" is not sufficient to indicate a threat, too bad), and engage. I believe that the NPC rat behavior mirrored that approach, with a standard hail message being sent by the NPC ("Yarr, pay me X number O' credits or feel me neuts!").
However, after that, I don't think there was really enough taunting to allow the NPC pirate to be a fully functional substitute for the real thing. Sure, if they killed you they sent a message that says "Should have paid!"--just like a real pirate. But we need more! For example, after hailing and shaving a 1/4 to a 1/3 of the hull off a trade ship, I usually broadcast over sector chat my intentions: "Halt at once, or I will destroy you," or "You have no chance to survive, pay up or get popped, you silly little bitch." Frequently, I'll drag the chase out just for fun, even when a quick kill could be acomplished, ensuring more time to pump a few more rounds into my target while telling them they're about to turn into a crate of scrap.
The NPCs can easily have a set of pre-programed taunts, which they can fire off along with their flares, such as "Yarr, ye be a fool to be running! Pay me now or DIE!" But whatever they do, it should mimic true pirate communications. Most importantly, though, is to replicate the shit talking that would otherwise occur when a trader is actually killed. "PWNED!!!" isn't very piratey sounding, but you get the idea. Peypey might be a good drafting resource here.
YOU STUPID NEWBS WHERE THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR GOING THERE IS NO ESCAPE ONLY DEATH
I knew I was right about that one.
What hell have you unleashed, Doc? Using peypey as the source material for pirate taunts?
Ug.
Ug.
Indeed... we don't only want one kind of pirate. Why not have diuerse kindes of mountebanks?
You could have gentleman-pirates, slightly cowardly ones, insulting ones... each with slightly individual hails.
You could have gentleman-pirates, slightly cowardly ones, insulting ones... each with slightly individual hails.
...diuerse kindes of mountebanks
Wtf? Thanks for the new word though. Mountebanks? I like it. From this day forth I shall replace douchebag with mountebank.
Personally I think any 1337 speak should be just about the very last thing considered for any NPC pirate. The very fact that any and all NPC's are identified with an asterisk before their name gives them away as a game mechanic, and as such, should stick to role playing behaviour that allows the player to properly sink themselves into the story, something that is lost with the whole "stoopid n00b" thing.
That said, and a touch off topic, I wholeheartedly support leet-speak for NPC's if this idea was implemented:
...ok, can't find the thread. Anyway, long story short, remove the asterisks from the names of NPC's. Want to talk about immersion?
Wtf? Thanks for the new word though. Mountebanks? I like it. From this day forth I shall replace douchebag with mountebank.
Personally I think any 1337 speak should be just about the very last thing considered for any NPC pirate. The very fact that any and all NPC's are identified with an asterisk before their name gives them away as a game mechanic, and as such, should stick to role playing behaviour that allows the player to properly sink themselves into the story, something that is lost with the whole "stoopid n00b" thing.
That said, and a touch off topic, I wholeheartedly support leet-speak for NPC's if this idea was implemented:
...ok, can't find the thread. Anyway, long story short, remove the asterisks from the names of NPC's. Want to talk about immersion?
what? Nothing to see here. Move along...