[Community] What should an NPC know the answer too. Community KA additions.

[Venalan]

Hello again PS community. I have another request.

We have started playing about with KAs again. What are KAs you say? well they are 'Knowledge Areas' these are what NPCs respond to when you ask them something like '/tell npc about you' or '/tell npc about hydlaa'.

Since the introduction of the quest menu system it appears that the free text communication method with NPCs to learn about things is somewhat becoming a lost art or just out right unknown. Judged by the number of times I have to explain what a KA is to newer players.

So I want to raise the profile of KAs by asking you this: What should an NPC know that they don't?

Go off to your favorite NPC(s) and ask them questions you want to know the answer too, then come back here. If you give me responses that are good to have in game I will see about them getting added or I will personally add them.

Some guild lines:
An NPC cant answer questions about themselves (I recently learned this), a problem with the game engine.
We wont give specific spoilers about levels of trainers, but about who trains what, sure we could give pointers.

How do KAs work. There are two main parts.

One: The trigger.
This has to be very simple so that what the player says matches what is in the database. The server also changes some text, so if you said 'can you tell me about harnquist' it would change it to 'about harnquist' and then look for a KA that matches. We can have things like wild cards only direct text matches, and some text changes.

Two: The response.
Each KA has upto five different responses which can be said by the NPC.


Player Requests that will be added:

Everyone in a city with a shop/stall should known by people in that city (hydlaa done).

All guards should know all the other guards in a city.

NPCs in the same chain should know each other, if expanded any NPC that knows another should be able to answer questions on them (added 02/05/2012).

NPCs are able to answer about those who are located or work near them.

NPCs in an association should know they are and be able to answer when asked about it.


Player Requests that have been added or will be in the next release:

NPCs in Hydlaa will be able to tell you about any NPC who has a stall. All Hydlaa guards will know all other Hydlaa guards.

[mistnmc]

Raithen should have some info about "How can one access to the Winch area" because the winch door still reads "Please see Raithen for access"

[Aiwendil]

Another try?

[LigH]

I wonder if it is possible to make some NPCs give information in exchange for a little "financial life support"... not all of them are most lawful, we know; and many of them lack a use – outside their role in very few quests.

Valuable information may "serendipitously" contain vague hints to currently available quests, according to quest chain progresses. Specific example: Pauril may have overheard that Edrich was robbed and may pay for a helping hand getting a replacement.

[Denes]

Maybe Jayose could respond to a question containing the words: book | shelf | shelves | read | reading with something like: Not all the selves have books on them here, but if you examine this one closely [Points the shelf on his left] you can find information on……
library: Yes this is the library. But you see I’m very busy now. You’ll have to help yourself with the books. [Pauses for a second] On an other note travelers say there is another library in the Death Realm. A quite different one, but still.

[Jawir]

I don't know if this could be related to a KA, but with the wandering NPCs could be useful if any npc could give an hint about others npcs. For example one could ask to an npc: /tell npc where is NpcName? The answer should be something like: The last time I have seen him it was around... or I know he lives in Ojaveda (or whatever).

[Venalan]

Raithen should have some info about "How can one access to the Winch area" because the winch door still reads "Please see Raithen for access"

We will be changing the door message and KAs to make that whole thing more clear, as when it was added there was only one way into the winch.

Another try?

I know and I'm looking at them, but they were started 4-5 years ago (and not by anyone on the team now) and I want to know first what people playing now are interested in.

I wonder if it is possible to make some NPCs give information in exchange for a little "financial life support"... not all of them are most lawful, we know; and many of them lack a use – outside their role in very few quests.

Valuable information may "serendipitously" contain vague hints to currently available quests, according to quest chain progresses. Specific example: Pauril may have overheard that Edrich was robbed and may pay for a helping hand getting a replacement.

Possible if not rather complex to get all the locks correct for when the KA should be active and then inactive after. But making the NPCs more useful is what we want to do. And with that specific point it sounds more like a possible quest option.

Maybe Jayose could respond to a question containing the words: book | shelf | shelves | read | reading with something like: Not all the selves have books on them here, but if you examine this one closely [Points the shelf on his left] you can find information on……
library: Yes this is the library. But you see I’m very busy now. You’ll have to help yourself with the books. [Pauses for a second] On an other note travelers say there is another library in the Death Realm. A quite different one, but still.

I could make Jayose give basic directions to where books are, but I have also added the inventory which list all the books and the floor you find them on. Ill look at adding something like this if it isn't there.

I don't know if this could be related to a KA, but with the wandering NPCs could be useful if any npc could give an hint about others npcs. For example one could ask to an npc: /tell npc where is NpcName? The answer should be something like: The last time I have seen him it was around... or I know he lives in Ojaveda (or whatever).

Having all npcs know where all npcs are is a bit ooc. We are aiming that all NPCs should know where all high profile npcs are, Allelia, Harnquist, Trasok etc.. There are plans to have more NPCs tell you where more NPCs are, but as they move it cant be very specific as we have no way of knowing where an NPC is so another NPC can give directions. The best we can do is 'hangs out near X with Y' for most.

[Venalan]

some more info

How do KAs work. There are two main parts.

One: The trigger.
This has to be very simple so that what the player says matches what is in the database. The server also changes some text, so if you said 'can you tell me about harnquist' it would change it to 'about harnquist' and then look for a KA that matches. We can't have things like wild cards, only direct text matches, and some text changes server side. We can also have many triggers in one KA, something that I've just started adding.

The format of the trigger is like this
'trigger one. trigger two. trigger three.'

This does cause a problem with item like 'Selected Beasts of Yliakum Vol. 1: A-K' because if we ask Jayose about it we end up with it being read as two triggers

'Selected Beasts of Yliakum Vol.'
and
'1: A-K.'

Two: The response.
Each KA has upto five different responses which can be said by the NPC.

It was the comment about adding KAs about books which prompted me to mention this stuff.

[tman]

I don't know if this could be related to a KA, but with the wandering NPCs could be useful if any npc could give an hint about others npcs. For example one could ask to an npc: /tell npc where is NpcName? The answer should be something like: The last time I have seen him it was around... or I know he lives in Ojaveda (or whatever).

Having all npcs know where all npcs are is a bit ooc. We are aiming that all NPCs should know where all high profile npcs are, Allelia, Harnquist, Trasok etc.. There are plans to have more NPCs tell you where more NPCs are, but as they move it cant be very specific as we have no way of knowing where an NPC is so another NPC can give directions. The best we can do is 'hangs out near X with Y' for most.

Maybe not ALL NPCs, but just NPCs who ought to know each other well (say, people in the same faction).  So for example if you're looking for Mirra, Harnquist might not know anything, but Jomed could probably give you a list of a few places to check.  Similarly, guards know where other guards are normally stationed, smiths know where other smiths are located, alchemists and herbalists know where each other are.

The exception would be, anyone with a shop or fixed building should be common knowledge.  So any NPC should be able to point you toward Harnquist, Jomed, Jirosh, Trasok, etc. if they are in the same city.  And if they're in a different city they could at least point you to the right one.

[Venalan]

Hi tman,

That is pretty much what I meant. We have KAs for alchemists loaded, I was working on KAs for smiths today. Other skills will follow. I might very well list everyone with a shop/stall in every city and make sure everyone in that city knows who/where they are, should be an easy addition. All the guards knowing all the other guards would be true so ill add that as well. Also small cities like Gugrontid everyone will know everyone, but i think that is already the case. I'll post updates on the first post.

[Theorex]

I think NPCs should know other NPC's in the same quest chains, at least if they're close together step-wise; if they don't already that is .

[Taya]

Great to see the response this is getting.

I've been lucky enough to spy on the Winch related KAs that are being added and they give some really nice hints. Things like this could make a lot of difference to the NPCs we have in the game, so the more ideas people have the better.

[tman]

Also, NPCs should always know what they can train you in.  If you say "about training" they should be able to tell you what skills/attributes they can help you with and approximately what levels.  Obviously exact numbers are OOC, but you can have descriptors.  For example, in skill training "beginner" training should mean anyone who can train from level 0.  "Intermediate" would be maybe anything that starts above 0 and goes to less than 100. "Advanced" would be anything that starts from over 100 to less than 200, and "Master" would be anyone who can train you up to max level.  Or something.

Also it would be nice if some trainers knew who the previous and next trainers are for their skill.  For new players especially it would be nice if the advanced trainers could point you to the beginner trainers for their skills.  Only if it makes sense IC though, people who have no business knowing each other obviously shouldn't have this.

[Venalan]

Also, NPCs should always know what they can train you in.  If you say "about training" they should be able to tell you what skills/attributes they can help you with and approximately what levels.  Obviously exact numbers are OOC, but you can have descriptors.  For example, in skill training "beginner" training should mean anyone who can train from level 0.  "Intermediate" would be maybe anything that starts above 0 and goes to less than 100. "Advanced" would be anything that starts from over 100 to less than 200, and "Master" would be anyone who can train you up to max level.  Or something.

Also it would be nice if some trainers knew who the previous and next trainers are for their skill.  For new players especially it would be nice if the advanced trainers could point you to the beginner trainers for their skills.  Only if it makes sense IC though, people who have no business knowing each other obviously shouldn't have this.

People knowing what they train is certainly something I'll add (despite the fact it will be a pain if we change them round  ). When it comes to trainers at different levels, for magic they are all in one Circle so it makes sense, for stats the logic in trainer progression isn't as clear but no doubt something could be worked out.

Taya has actually written this precise thing for the alchemy trainers and that is ready to be copied to the production server in the next up date.

I think NPCs should know other NPC's in the same quest chains, at least if they're close together step-wise; if they don't already that is .

Having a overall network of who knows who and how well would be wonderful for this sort of thing, except there isn't one. And no doubt making it would a giant effort in upon itself. I'll add it to the list, but don't expect it as soon as the other suggestions so far.

[Denes]

The guards by the gates could know a bit more about the roads they are guarding. For example:
Q: about road | about ojaveda
R: Try the road past the east gates but if this is your first time I’d suggest you to accompany a fellow traveler or a caravan headed that way. It is easy to get lost in the wilderness.
Merchants passing by reported the roads to Ojaveda safe. No imminent threat.
Or in case mobs turn agro in the future: If I were you, I wouldn’t dare to venture there. I have reports on cutthroarts attacking caravans.
Or in case mobs turn agro in the future at night: If I were you, I wouldn’t dare to venture there while it is dark.

Some logs with the current answers (Rabartus, Jefecra were the only enkis I could find atm):
Moren Findel says: Good day, citizen. Adhere to the laws and don't draw your weapons while in the city.
Denes says: about road
Moren Findel says: Sorry, I don't understand you.
Denes says: about ojaveda
Moren Findel says: Ojaveda?  Isn't there a city with that name somewhere?  Try the road past the east gates.
Denes says: about road
Nevis Revori says: I'm not understanding your words, friend.  Can you rephrase that?
Denes says: about ojaveda
Nevis Revori says: Sorry, friend, you've reached my knowledge limit on that.  I've never been to Ojaveda, myself, but if you can find a native of that city, you might find out more about it.  Or, you could just go there.  You'll find the road to it leading behind me.
Jefecra Harcrit says: Keep your weapons sheathed while in Hydlaa, citizen.
Denes says: about ojaveda
Jefecra Harcrit says: Ojaveda?  Isn't there a city with that name somewhere?  Try the road past the east gates.
Denes says: about ojaveda
Rabartus Livrandar says: Ojaveda?  It's the nearest city to Hydlaa.  Don't know much about it, other than lots of Enkidukai live there.