NPC servants

[Händler]

While I appreciate the modding possibilities of the client, I don't appreciate the botting too much that's done with it. I think owning some hearthling NPCs would be a nice addition to replace that automation part of custom clients to some extent, and one of the big things that Haven is still missing that would make it out of this world.
If we could own PvP and bot work capable NPCs, that would be real neato. A lot of survival games these days have this mechanic in-game.

Most importantly an NPC to do farm work, an NPC to do herding and to do PvP. Either assigning them to a workstation, where they commit to 1 particular task or have them join your party, such that they follow you and follow a basic AI aggro and movement setting that you can adjust anytime, such as
* attack on sight
* protect me (attack anyone who aggros the owner)
* defend (don't attack anyone unless attacked)
* hold position (have them stay where they are at and only retaliate on being attacked or if someone gets into their attack range)


Now if you could also sell and trade these NPCs, that would be even more fun.

[FaithfulToadd]

What a delightfully innocuous suggestion that could not in any way result in a massive PR disaster for this community! +1!

These chumps can't handle paving without building 'windmill' symbols. I can't wait to see what new horrors await us when you give them the ability to trade NPC 'servants' at public markets.

The .gif I would have posted here has been withheld, as I'm not willing to go to Hell over a forum post.

[loleznub]

unironically, would make the game feel much more lived in with NPC's to do work for you

would also love to see NPC mercenaries that can follow you around through charters / thingwalls / hop in sneks so PVP gets even more fun

cant +1 this enough dont listen to the sprucy above

[FaithfulToadd]

unironically, would make the game feel much more lived in with NPC's to do work for you

would also love to see NPC mercenaries that can follow you around through charters / thingwalls / hop in sneks so PVP gets even more fun

cant +1 this enough dont listen to the sprucy above

I take exception at your use of that ugly slur 'sprucy'. Also, 'more lived in'? Respectfully, no it wouldn't, but I suppose holding objectively incorrect opinions is allowed.

In all seriousness, I don't imagine the effort required to implement NPCs (in a way that wouldn't be disgusting, see: Child Trade at Constantinople) would justify the actual use of them, since we have programmable bots that can be assigned very specific tasks. IIRC we have been told that we will not get an official, natively supported 'bot script' mechanic on the grounds that 'the game plays itself' enough as it is. It is intended to be a 'living world' with real people in it, and so-forth. I agree with the sentiment, there.

This is also why all requests for a singleplayer edition of Haven are dumb. Don't @ me.

Some version of thralls, a concept from titles such as Conan Exiles and V Rising, might be serviceable. It's not like the request is unprecedented or impossible by any means. I just doubt that it would be of any use compared to bots. Furthermore, as OP alludes to with that last line, given the 4chan energy of this community it would no doubt lead to obscene displays and RP of: debauchery; human trafficking; hatred; and satanic rituals -- ironic or otherwise (Yes, yes, welcome to the Internet and all that).
I doubt J&L will go for that.

Regarding a more acceptable version of NPCs, a friend says the following:

Perhaps some npcness wouldn't be so bad if they were summoned spirits rather than slaves and you dealt in contracts of regally-dressed house-gnomes or something idk

I could see something like Harvest Sprites being added.



But again...

It's all moot as long as bots continue to be sanctioned as a legal 'means of generating server input' (see: Q&A).

... so what's your take on them (bots), then?
Our philosophy has been, and remains, that we – rather than spend our time fighting losing battles – should focus on building a better game with fewer incentives to bot. We try to take botting as a sign of a broken game mechanic, rather than as a sign of broken players.

Preventing bots would be considerably difficult, as well.

[Hasta]

Yeah, "Spruce Companion" to light your fire and haul your barrel, "Harvest Sprite" locked behind Farmer credo to harvest and replant your crops, "Miner Minion" (Miner credo) that sniffs out enemy-spawning tiles and soaks one cave-in once in a while if active, and, ofcourse, Clay Golem to slowly but with immense impunity grind the enemies of your settlement to dust, you decide which credo to lock that one behind.

In all seriousness, you thought dozens of pvp-griefing bots were a drag and it's better to replace those with NPCs? Now imagine dozens of bots WITH THEIR OWN NPCS.