Dream the Wingman Dream

[NomadicHavoc]

Do you think that it would be possible (waaaay down the road) for CIG to create unique NPCs that you can meet, earn their trust and respect, and they will then join your crew? The NPC could crew you're multi-crew ship, be a wingman utilizing one of your fighters, be part of your ground assault team, or maintain your home base as a mechanic, farmer, medic, defense turret operator, etc).

Their skillset could improve over time depending on what they do or what they're 'naturally' good at. If they died then they would be permanently deceased and then you'd have to meet/hire replacement crew to refill that role. Hopefully, they would have unique personalities/names and you could have short discussions with. That way you may develop an emotional attachment to them and want to keep them in good health and happy.

I'm certain this has been discussed many times before, but I really hope that they do.

 

[Shadow Reaper]

What you’re describing is exactly what CIG has planned. There is some confusion if when you hire an escort pilot, it will have its own fighter. You’ll be able to hire turret gunners so one presumes they’ll man your turrets.

NPCs will have skills that can increase over time and even at lowest level they are expected to outperform installing AI blades for automated turrets, etc. Also we’ve been told they’ll be pretty expensive and that more highly skilled NPCs will cost more.

CIG showed off some coding that puts formation control in the hands of players, so the implication is that you’ll be able to hire whole wings of NPC escort pilots. Some here disagree that’s the intention and we don’t really know much, but CIG did show off specific flight configurations for half dozen ships and the kinds of orders you’ll be able to give. It did look like you’ll be able to control an entire wing of bombers, for example. No telling if that will actually happen.

So for example, it is possible you could hire up to half dozen escort pilots and if they’ll fly your own ships, they might form a wing surrounding your Star G, and protect it during hauls. It is also possible you might buy an entire wing of Eclipse, Gladiators or Harbingers, and be able to give launch instructions to all of them at once. Players don’t yet trust this will happen, hence you never see whole wings of six identical craft when people display their “fleets”.

This stuff doesn’t apply to SQ42, so was not a priority to develop until now. So we may see some traction here the next year.

 

[Talonsbane]

^ 100% this ^

Don't forget to add that CIG has mentioned thoughts that if a player has multiple game packages attached to their accounts, that when this NPC situation happens, that the players could either design their own NPCs to work for them with a higher level of loyalty to the player OR use that extra game package to work as another character to log into in order to game wherever that character is instead of wherever the main character of the account happens to be. A potential work around for Mr Smith-ing.

 

[NomadicHavoc]

^ 100% this ^

Don't forget to add that CIG has mentioned thoughts that if a player has multiple game packages attached to their accounts, that when this NPC situation happens, that the players could either design their own NPCs to work for them with a higher level of loyalty to the player OR use that extra game package to work as another character to log into in order to game wherever that character is instead of wherever the main character of the account happens to be. A potential work around for Mr Smith-ing.

Oh...that sounds interesting. So, if I understand you correctly, I can essentially create a new secondary character and make them look however I want and then have that character be a NPC that can tag along and help me out, or I can take control of that NPC to do whatever. Essentially, allowing me to choose if I want the NPC to help out my main character or I could spread created NPCs throughout the 'verse and could take control of each NPC whenever I want to avoid having to travel through say 6 solar systems to get where I want to be (ex., 2960 aerospace expo).

Little confused on the game packages though. Would I have to buy a second starter pack? Would these separate game packages/accounts be tied and share in-game currency and purchased ships/gear/etc? If not, this sounds less interesting to me. Also, uncertain what Mr. Smithing is?

 

[Talonsbane]

Oh...that sounds interesting. So, if I understand you correctly, I can essentially create a new secondary character and make them look however I want and then have that character be a NPC that can tag along and help me out, or I can take control of that NPC to do whatever. Essentially, allowing me to choose if I want the NPC to help out my main character or I could spread created NPCs throughout the 'verse and could take control of each NPC whenever I want to avoid having to travel through say 6 solar systems to get where I want to be (ex., 2960 aerospace expo).

Little confused on the game packages though. Would I have to buy a second starter pack? Would these separate game packages/accounts be tied and share in-game currency and purchased ships/gear/etc? If not, this sounds less interesting to me. Also, uncertain what Mr. Smithing is?

Ok, so the easiest thing to explain is the "Mr Smith-ing", which refers to the character from the Matrix movies. How the agents would take over somebody's body, or in this case an NPC near by or on the ship.

As for the rest, it's still mostly up in the air until CIG makes their decisions, which is no surprise. As for the game packages, those are found in all starter packages as well as some bundle packs that state that they include a copy of Star Citizen. Them being active in the account hangar would count towards additional characters in the future, based on what I last saw. Then being in the same account hangar, should allow them to share or have access to everything in that account, but with the new cargo & inventory changes, that might be limited to what is stored close to them, unless you're wanting to take a trip to pick up things from another location. Again, as is posted almost everywhere on the website, "things subject to change."

 

[Dirtbag_Leader]

@NomadicHavoc In THEORY yes, something like that, though this is not yet implemented nor detailed by CIG. That said I DO have an extra game starter package in my hanger, just in case they make good on their word, as I think it would be a fun mechanic! So far I've assumed 'both' would have access to the same fleet/credits, as they're both on the same account. Though truth be told, I'm a bit skeptical if the secondary starter pack would actually be 'playable,' and am more conservatively assuming it'd just be more like a 'free' NPC crew. If you're interested in taking the gamble, wait until an event with a new starter pack that goes on sale (with LTI of course!) so that you can nab one for about the same price as a normal stand alone ship.

 

[NomadicHavoc]

@Talonsbane The Mr. Smithing reference makes perfect sense now. I should have guessed that from the beginning.

I hope that they wouldn't make people buy a second package. Can't wait to have interactive NPCs that do more than stand on chairs. This alone would make this world feel so much more alive and interesting. Hopefully, server meshing works as hoped - I really think they have the talent to get it operable.

 

[ThunderKraken]

I dunno I'm really skeptical how CIG will implement personal npcs. At that, I feel multi crew ships really isn't going to work. It's just a hassle waiting on people to play with and now you log in and your taking orders from someone else... realistically the only way it's going to work is by paying a 3rd world credit farmer to be a pulp fiction gimp in your spaceship. On the patch notes, it's listed as the reason for implementation of containers as of 3.21

 

[Shadow Reaper]

I’m not sure what you’re skeptical of. There are very few cash sinks in game. Even once CIG implements realistic prices for fuel and ordinance, cash will be flowing into the game much faster than it flows out. To mitigate this, CIG wants players to hire NPCs and has already been clear these will outperform AI blades in places like turrets (which are already limited by computer capacity aboard ships). This all makes good sense. Likewise, granting very special abilities to account alts, which can only be purchased with real money; is a good move for them. Exactly what advantages the alt NPCs will have over bot/ hired NPCs, they haven’t detailed yet, past that you can smith into your alt NPCs. This is great because you can participate in exploration that has weeks long quantum travel with nothing happening, and be present when the need arises. You can man a turret on a warship that doesn’t see battle but monthly, without boredom.

Short answer though is that CIG is fully behind the idea of players buying as many accounts as they like. Players with more cash than common sense will be able to buy things like Javelins and man them with alt account NPCs. However, CIG has also said that no NPCs will have skill levels compatible to players. Not just this, but managing big ships is going to take skills no bot could master—real apprehension, situational awareness, guile, and wisdom. It will always yield a superior solution to man your ships with players, so cooperative play will always yield the best results.

You can pay to win, but you will not win against cooperative groups. And that my friend, makes TESTSquadron mighty.

 

[ThunderKraken]

Nah, that's very complicated... I'm okay with my 3rd world gimp. He's good to go but certain hours they shut off power to his village. I pay him 3 dogecoins daily too.

 

[BUTUZ]

Nah, that's very complicated... I'm okay with my 3rd world gimp. He's good to go but certain hours they shut off power to his village. I pay him 3 dogecoins daily too.

Bad idea! He's gonna be rich and quit when doge moons!!!!!

 

[ThunderKraken]

I mean, having npcs kinda defeats the purpose of everyone cordially playing with each other, holding hands, helping each other out in an mmo. What's the whole point if you can just do it all on your own? The other thing that doesn't sit well with me, everyone is trying to get a single solitary ship that could at best.... do it all. Be your own solo person. Not require help or minimally need assistance. CIG has been in the business of selling ships. Why would they sell you a solitary ship that can do everything, when they have the option to sell you 3,4, or however many ships, to profit, inorder achieve the same goal??? Does this make sense? It just sends a message for new players to not even bother with starter ships when the overall end goal is solo play, big capital ship play, no friends, with however many npcs your hearts content with.

 

[Aramsolari]

I don't think that's gonna happen. That sort of personal character development for NPCs doesn't really work in an sandbox style MMO. I see it happening in SQ42 but less so in SC.

 

[Shadow Reaper]

I think the point is that though you can try to do it all on your own, the result will be poor. Let’s take an example.

Suppose you want to fly a Polaris solo. It is designed to be managed by five bridge crew, plus six turret gunners, plus an engineer supported by NPCs. Let’s just look at the bridge crew.

One of the bridge crew is supposed to manage communications. That’s the voice everyone hears who is not on the ship. A solo player might be tempted to play that role himself. He might likewise launch torps with Voice Attack, point the chin gun with one stick and fly the ship with the other.

Can you imagine doing any of these things well when surrounded by other ships? I can’t. I think anyone trying to replace 11 players by himself is going to fail at least 10 positions.

Now think about the irony of a player paying out huge amounts of cash in order to “win”, who immediately gets his ship stolen because he really can’t run alone it with any serious competence.

I’m personally hoping and waiting for such a guy. Why would I pay for a $750 pixel ship when with the cooperation of a dozen friends, we can take one for free and begin to build a legend of just how bad-ass we are?

Seems to me this is all gonna work out in the wash.