Mob More creature behaviors and habits

Discussion in 'NPCs and Creatures' started by rylasasin, Mar 13, 2015.

  1. rylasasin

    rylasasin Cosmic Narwhal

    I'm not sure if this has 1. Been suggested before and/or 2. belongs in the Mechanics subform, but here it goes.

    Okay, so we have "randomized" creatures. Supposedly. However, the problem is that despite part and ability randomization, creatures are not very diverse at all. Even though there are a number of different possible creature combinations, there really are only two creatures you will ever see in the game: Ones that attack NPCs on sight, and ones that don't. You never see creatures interacting with anything else or anyone else.

    Sure, you can give creatures new flashy attacks, but it really doesn't change the fundamental problem that all creatures are basically the same creature with a different skin, and don't feel alive. It feels like you are encountering the same exact creatures over and over again, because you are.

    I think what we instead need are more creature behaviors. Creatures that eat other creatures but ignore you, creatures that will run away from you (instead of just ignoring you) creatures that have territories, creatures that eat your garden (but don't come after you personally) etc.

    On a simple level, this can be split down to two axis: Diet and Disposition.

    Diet:

    - Herbavore: Creature will seek out plants and eat them (grass, garden plants, wild growing fruits, etc) when hungry. Might include Florans.
    - Carnivore: Creature will seek out other animals and attack them when hungry.
    - Omnivore: Eats either when convenient.

    Disposition:

    Complete coward: Creature will flee from NPCs on sight. Only herbavores get this.
    Opportunist: Creature will not pick fights it knows it can't win unless cornered. Will only respond if attacked or if it's about to be attacked, and will flee unless cornered. Predators of this disposition type will not attack a creature or npc unless they're almost already dead. Or they'll attack a creature, then run to an npc or creature that's stronger.
    Or they'll only attack if the NPC/Creature's back is turned or the've fallen into a dark pit.
    Reactionary: What "non-hostile" creatures are now. They wander around and don't attack unless attacked. Or hungry (predators only).
    Territorial: Will not attack immediately, but will give warnings to an enemy NPC or creature. If the creature leaves it goes back about its business. If not, it will attack.
    Aggressive: Creature will attack on sight. Only belongs to Predators.

    A third axis could also be "Social"

    - Loner: Creature will seek to be alone, and will either attack or flee from other members of its species.
    - Pack/Herd/Flock: Creature will seek out more of its kind to be around until it forms a Pack/Herd/Flock of 5 or more creatures of its type.

    Another factor: Preferred foods. Example: some predators might attack birds or other animals, but leave NPCs alone, or will only attack npcs of a certain race (they might go after humans or hylotl, but not florans, glitch or novakids for example.) Some herbivores will eat grass but not your vegetables, or will only eat certain plants out of your garden but not others. Some "hebivores" will come after you, but only if you're a Floran.
     
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2015
  2. AntiStoned

    AntiStoned Big Damn Hero

    Herbivores and carnivores only?
    Why not omnivores?

    Also, how about carnivores that would hide from other creatures or NPCs
    but would sometimes sneak attack when it's hungry? It would also be a unique feature.
     
    Wulf_Oman likes this.
  3. Wulf_Oman

    Wulf_Oman Existential Complex

    I honestly like all these ideas by the both of you. It would definitely make encounters more unqiue
     
  4. Jareix Cryvix

    Jareix Cryvix The Waste of Time

    I'm going to be honest, as much as I like the mobs as they are, I have to agree with you. I seems like all of the monsters are sort of just mindless drones. So here's my suggestion, considering the fact that the devs have already gotten the pet AI going, it might not be too bad of an idea if they made monster AI similar. Just a suggestion though, though I hope one of the devs see this. (Not sure what more I have to say)
     
  5. rylasasin

    rylasasin Cosmic Narwhal

    Did some updating.
     
  6. n1t3n

    n1t3n Big Damn Hero

    I am okay with all of that.
     
  7. STCW262

    STCW262 Heliosphere

    I guess the main improvement would be that the enemies wouldn´t only attack the player, and would most importantly make the planets feel like they really have an ecosystem, rather than some sort of weird animaly mostly created specifically to kill the player (Althrough that would be an interesting background point).
    As for the herbivores, they shouldn´t count florans as plants because of the annoyance that would come from herbivore minibosses in multiplayer (I´m referring that it would be annoying to be the only person in the entire party that is attacked by a certain enemy, specially if it is very though).
    Another suggestion is to make it so that some ecosystems would be more likely to spawn creatures with some behaviors than others, such as scorched planets having more carnivores, grasslands having more omnivores, and tropical planets having more herbivores.
     
    Last edited: Mar 23, 2015
  8. Jareix Cryvix

    Jareix Cryvix The Waste of Time

    Here's an idea, maybe the diet and disposition could possibly affect part palate and abilities. Creatures that are agressive (in the "will attack if threatened" sense) herbivores look more like a farm animal armed to the teeth (literally) and will have more defensive attacks and abilities such as "spines" and "toss", while "cowardly" herbivores would have a "mostly harmless" look to them and will have abilities such as "escape roll" or "slowing goo trap". Agressive carnivores would appear more vicious and have attacks such as "charge" or "bite". More cunning predators would be allot smaller in appearance, but would have abilities like "vine coil" or "wind blow". See where I'm headed?
     

Share This Page