so i have this crazy idea since there is a lot of solo players why not add ability to hire npc crew mates for your ship they would behave just like skeletons but would be friendly to you , you could hire them only at outposts and once they die they are gone until you hire them again, they would help you with cannons and could help you when you get boarded. you would be only able to hire amount to fill the ship slots so on galleon 3 brig 2 and on sloop 1, when somebody joins you the player will simply replace the npc so there is no way to abuse it or to get a edge over others with numbers also they would be easy to kill i mean how hard is it to kill a skeleton, Best part about this is Rare already have crew AI in the game capable of shooting cannons repairing ship and combat during boarding. clothes would be based on your reputation with the factions same as weapons skins, No range weapons just melee since all npcs have insane aim and it would make it too op.
Npc Crew members
@tralalakk As much as i like this idea. From purely a technical standpoint this maybe too difficult for Rare to implement as it would cause a wide strian on the server for each additional A.I. Plus Rare is not known for there good A.I. There skellitons have very limited routine programing which are they have 1 dedicate combat, 1 dedicated objective and an extremly simple path finding subroutine. To have 1 skelliton perform all the most basic duties of a normal player requires would require about 5 times that complexity, just the pathfinding alone would be a substantial accomplishment. Plus they would have to script somkind of command interface to give imput to the AI. I wouldn't count on this anytime soon.
Maybe one they thou.
@enf0rcer It really shouldn't be hard at all depending on the tasks. If you have them just repair and bail water it can easily be done with what they have working on the skeleton ships. Just having a repair helper would be a huge benefit for solo players.
@betsill said in Npc Crew members:
@enf0rcer It really shouldn't be hard at all depending on the tasks. If you have them just repair and bail water it can easily be done with what they have working on the skeleton ships. Just having a repair helper would be a huge benefit for solo players.
Yeah, sure that would work if they only did a single task like repair a hole and that it then sure but they would only be limited to one deck and no abilty to bucket.
@enf0rcer I think it would be great if it was just repairing. They could add to it later(maybe give it the first actual personality lol), but not being forced below deck every time you take dmg when you still need to steer would be a huge deal for solo players.
- just found this to again show that they already have working crew ai in the game
I like this idea. I like this idea a lot. For the larger ship like the galleon this would go a long way to make the boat feel more alive
I would say possibly restrict the number of crew you can hire. Maybe one (two if we're being generous) of each type, even if they function like they already do on the skeleton ships that gives you an extra guard, repairman, and cannoneer. Even if they can't bucket, work sails, steer, and did not respawn on death it incredibly interesting.
I would say buying them wouldn't be the way to go, per say, as not everyone has a disposable income in the game, giving people with millions unspent an advantage over newer players trying to save up for something.
I'd say add them to the world like powderbarrels, rowboats, and cursed cannonballs. Maybe you find one standing on a beach on some random island. Maybe they're stranded after their ship has sank. Talk to him and he vanishes and appears on your boat if it is close enough.
This could even be a new type of voyage; to go out and find members of lost ships. You can find them, put them on your boat, and bring them to a designated safe outpost or seapost for a fee and they'll help out on your boat while they're aboard!
You sir get all my upvotes for sending my imagination reeling with all the possibilities!@uhndeth glad you like it idk if you read it whole tho since i said you could only hyre them to fill the ship slots and when players join they get replaiced
@enf0rcer like the NPCs of GTA that are in gas stations, you can talk to them through game chat. You can tell them to go faster and they will. This could be implemented with this feature so they can almost mimic the players actions, they could be told to fire at the nearest ship or to lower the sails, it is really simple. This feature has been used in several games for 6 or so years. This feature is completely possible and not too complex.
This isn't a solo based game. You have the ability to play solo, but your experience won't be optimal. Wasting time and resources on a feature which don't benefit the general playerbase, isn't something I'd agree with nor would I agree with having a feature encouraging more people to play in such a way.
