Chapter 5.2 NPC Spawning and Movement

Free Roaming (unhired) NPC
Unhired NPC will perform actions at resource clusters/industrial clusters (service buildings) when outside of a settlement. Based on timers and cooldowns. This is the same as wild creatures, except buildings are also considered clusters. They will purchase goods at service counters, spending tinder they gain by persisting in the world and performing actions. NPC have the ability to turn items they collect and receive into raw tinder (points) to purchase services.

Hired NPC
NPC can be hired by a player to perform actions for claims, such as manning a workstation, opening a service (stores/restaurants/inns/ranches), and following a player to aid in combat. While players can also do these things, there may be some players who prefer hiring NPC, or would like to load off tasks they want access to, but don't want to do themselves. Hired NPC will also leave their work if they have unmet needs, but will return after some time, even if they were unsuccessful in completing their needs (they will work a little slower, and level up dedications slower.) Players can recall an NPC with constructions (bells at hub/workstations) or by talking to them at any time, despite their needs.

Assigning an NPC
To get NPC into a property or workstation, you will need to create an NPC visiting campsite.

• NPC Campsites

  • Small campsites will have one place for an NPC to camp, but further progressions have more zones, or players can construct more campsites.

    • Some constructions have specific themes to specifically draw certain NPC instead of random ones (combat training camp for combat NPC, contract post for crafters, etc.)

  • Each campsite slot has a firesource (lantern, torch, etc.)

    • Replenish a firesource for a new NPC to cycle through once one is hired

  • From an NPC campsite, players can talk to the NPC, see their stats, and hire them temporarily or permanently, or tell them to leave (no replenishment of firesource is needed if they leave)

• NPC Buildings/Vehicles/Creature

  • On a building, vehicle, or creature you want an NPC to access, you will need to build an NPC wreath on it

  • NPC wreaths are designed to have a firesource (lantern, torch, etc.)

Selecting an NPC to Hire
After the player finds the NPC they want to hire at the campsite, the NPC will say, "Guide me where you need me." The player's character takes the lantern/torch from that campsite slot, and lights the wreath at the asset the player wants the NPC to control. The NPC will then leave the camp, and go to it.

NPC Claims
Few NPC will exist in the world with an ability to make a claim, this depends on special traits (the quantity that exist in the world are limited by an ecology deity's favor).

• Grand Founder

  • If an NPC has a dedication called pioneering, they will build a land claim in unclaimed land

  • They will build summoning zones, and spawn other NPC that might stay or leave to travel the world

  • Pioneering NPC gain favor similar to monster nests, and ecology deities from NPC under their claim

  • Different from pioneer NPC who merely builds unprotected buildings in the wild

  • Grand Founders will not stop at one building, and will slowly grow their claim larger and larger, with culture and crime laws

• Grand Voyager

  • If an NPC has a dedication called pioneering, they will build a land claim in unclaimed land

  • They will build summoning zones, and spawn other NPC that might stay or leave to travel the world

  • Grand Voyager NPC gain favor similar to monster nests, and ecology deities from NPC under their claim

  • Different from hauler NPC who merely lives in their wagon and traverses the world

  • Grand Voyager will progress into larger vehicles, deconstructing the old one for scraps, and will slowly grow their claim larger and larger, with culture

There are other types of NPC, but only the two listed above will have claims. Wildlife themed NPC cannot have their own herds/packs for wildlife claims, but can aid in combat while mounting a creature, and can tend to resource clusters, (too much NPC support causes disfavor for a wildlife claim.)

NPC Spawning in the Wild
If the ecology or world event decides an NPC needs to be added to the world, they will appear via a magic circle.

Visitor NPC (Temporary NPC) and Permanent NPC
In developed towns and cities, NPC can spawn from a built NPC spawner. These NPC are from an ethereal realm. Players need to maintain enough tinder resources at the spawner to remain active. They are only visiting to buy, consume, beg, or pick fights, (depending on their random function) then will leave the settlement by returning to the spawner (does not require tinder to exit). If an ecology deity decides they needed persistent NPCs, they will continue to persist in the world, and work on leveling up their dedications when their needs are met like regular NPC.

NPC Density
An NPC deity will stop spawning NPC if they are too dense, or too populated, in a ratio for their species, even if more spawners are created. Player or NPC claim sizes need to grow, or more service buildings (stores, restaurants, breweries) need to be created to make room for more.

NPC Supported Economy
Some claims would like to grow their economy, and can do so with the support of NPC. NPC will burn resources they collect and spend it on tinder. Which can help support a claim. Land claims have the most room for NPC economic support, but service vehicles can use NPC for economic support as well.

Service Queues
In service buildings, players can construct an NPC queue. This helps the game register how much in a claim players are making room for NPC. Normal players can continue to walk up to service counters, but if an NPC queue is built, NPC will only queue up in the queue line.

Increasing or Decreasing NPC Visits
If players want more NPC to appear, burn incense, that attract them on a service counter. These essences have a chance to changes their needs to a service they are providing instead. For example, an NPC may have been headed to a restaurant to find food, but can change to need a drink if a brewery has incense. The stronger the item, the more frequent NPC will visit. There will also be essences, that deter NPC if you want less. You can also put a sign up that says, no NPCs, and no NPC will enter. This can help players save on resources or strategize community needs. Hired NPC will obey a no NPC sign.

NPC Wreath Furniture
Tables, chairs, benches, with NPC wreaths can be used by players and NPC alike, and extend the NPC queue mechanic, making more NPC ask for services.

NPC Estimates and Disfavor
You can see the game's intended NPC per hour rate at your service counter hub. But you will see "unknown" without an NPC spawner attached to a claim, since NPC have to travel to your location. Wars, crimes, cults, failed monster threats, infamy of the worker servicing the counter, and other factors may play into more or less NPC visits to settlements or service counters.