Duck and Cover

Pyro wrote:This leads to the question===how did they recognize theyre comanders and stuff in ww3?

I am guessing that most infantry units would still be in CA, while some Comanders would wear PA, along with some of the Marines and such.
I just want NPC's that are both funny and have distinct views on the world/universe, like Arcanum or PS:T, though I would not mind if all of them had diffirent specialities (MR.X Is SMG, EG and Scince, Ms. 8 is Speech, Barter, Science and such).

Only one problem with this.
I can recruit some shop keeper take his stuff, then dump him.
I'll take the good stuff off everyone, and then take the NPC's I like.

Actually, I prefer Fallout where you had to barter with your NPCs. Just because someone chooses to come along with you on your adventure doesn't necessarily mean that you're part of some commune, where there is no "my things" it is just "everyone's things." It would require an extension of the barter system that is NPC though, that indicates a loan.

Section8 wrote:Actually, I prefer Fallout where you had to barter with your NPCs. Just because someone chooses to come along with you on your adventure doesn't necessarily mean that you're part of some commune, where there is no "my things" it is just "everyone's things." It would require an extension of the barter system that is NPC though, that indicates a loan.

Unfortunately they undermined it by allowing you to Steal freely from your NPCs, so in effect your party was a little anarcho-syndicalist commune. Well, except for that bit about having to ratify everything at the bi-weekly meetings...

But I see what you mean. NPCs that valued what was in their inventory would be a great innovation. You could even have certain NPCs value only certain things, other be complete, total and utter tight-asses with their gear, etc., etc.

OTB

Personal items, huh?
Hiring NPCs just for a couple of stimpacks or a leather armor and then ditching them sucks. A loan system would work though, but would it really be necessary? The problem is, you don't always know which item belongs to who, I'd rather have shared party items, owned/controlled by the PC, the leader. Initially, NPC should wear next to nothing when you recruit them or having to pay for a companion, hiring them. This should solve the 'loot and then kick out' problem what was in Fallout and Fallout 2, if it even was a problem. :roll:

It would have been more interesting if Cassidy refused to give up a shotgun unless you gave him another one, since he prefered shotguns to other weapons. I have to agree with Gareth about the barter thing, it actually makes more sense than being able to get Sulik for $300, then strip him of his weapon and armor or getting Cassidy for free and taking his leather armor with no penalty at all. I know I've used Cassidy as a free armor upgrade before.

In Fallout it wasn't really a big problem, I was replying to GG's post about being able to recruit gun runners and such.

I think it's a good idea that the NPC's don't just give their things away, but I would like them to be able to carry some of my things and give them back to me.

Maybe certain item will initate certain responses from certain NPC's.

Let's say that Cassidy won't give you his shotgun, but will give you the fuel cell controller you asked him to carry.

I dunno, the whole 'my thing, your thing' idea is messy, especially when the PC and NPCs are in same party, I think items should be shared. It worked well in Fallout 1 and 2 so why change it? I know the problem is hiring NPCs just for their items, but the whole thing could be solved by NPCs not having any items when you recruit them, or paying a sum of money for NPCs to join you.
Proverbius suggesstion could be developed further, it would be interesting if some NPC refuse to use certain weapons, for example Cassidy wouldn't touch anything else than shotguns/rifles or Sulik would only use melee weapons. This would make party planning more interesting and add some depth, depending on what kind of armament you'd want to aid in your quest. NPCs would also be more individual, not just characters on your screen with mixed abilities. It also disables the possibility to just give all your NPCs the best weapon in the game. I know it sounds like a limit, which we don't want Fallout to have, but I guess some(not all) NPCs could be stubborn. :roll:

I dont like the idea of recruiting anyone. What about recruiting say...lou, the master killian and gizmo in fallout 1?

It would feel to much like syndicate wars.

Pyro wrote:I dont like the idea of recruiting anyone. What about recruiting say...lou, the master killian and gizmo in fallout 1?

It would feel to much like syndicate wars.

Umm right, do you prefer adventuring solo? It's fun, but NPCs bring some depth to the game.

Syndicate Wars is a great game.

I don't mind people like cassidy and stuff, just the idea of recruting anyone seems retarded.

"Hey want to come along maxson?"
"Sure? Where we going?"
"Shutup, heres a laser rifle"
"Uh..ok"
"No kill tandi"
"hmmm..."
Maxson was hit for 436 points and was killed.

"Hey npc that blurts out random text!"
"Get off my stuff!"
"Want to come with me"
"Sure! Might be fun! Pity I don't have a speech tree for you to talk to me"
Towns person was hit for 606 points and was killed.

I also disagree with having as many NPCs in the game, or making nearly everyone recruitable. Most people aren't "free" enough to just up and go adventuring. That's the way Fallout should be. They're locked in to roles within their town or their faction.

i think FO1 had it right (except for the steal bit, should be hostile) it should have a section for their stuff and mule section. wouldnt stop them from trying to pull a fast one and aquire some of your stuff. but then i think NPC's should loot the dead bodies they get the kill for and take exception you you cleaning out the corpses with nothing for them. therefore you have to pay them either in spoils or cash for any assistance they render.

also think that as your karma raises you should start to attract a crowd that follows you around (like a fan club), that scatter when the shooting starts and maybe a quest to rescue the president of your fan club

Miracleasd wrote: also think that as your karma raises you should start to attract a crowd that follows you around (like a fan club), that scatter when the shooting starts and maybe a quest to rescue the president of your fan club

Fans? that follow you around?

Why?

Because it sounds cool in project ego

To increase re-playability value, all recruitable NPCs shouldn't be available in one playthrough. You'd get certain party members depending which path you take. If you join BOS you could recruit a BOS trooper to aid you, if you join the Slavers, you get a slaver NPC, if you join the Thieves Circle you get a member who joins you etc... These are just examples and of course there should be some recruitable NPCs that are 'open' for every type of character not depending on the path you take.

Sometimes I wonder if someone from BIS actually reads these forums... Would be worth asking.

VasikkA wrote:To increase re-playability value, all recruitable NPCs shouldn't be available in one playthrough. You'd get certain party members depending which path you take. If you join BOS you could recruit a BOS trooper to aid you, if you join the Slavers, you get a slaver NPC, if you join the Thieves Circle you get a member who joins you etc... These are just examples and of course there should be some recruitable NPCs that are 'open' for every type of character not depending on the path you take.

Sometimes I wonder if someone from BIS actually reads these forums... Would be worth asking.

I'm not sure about that either. Joining a faction is one thing, but forcing you to join a faction to pick up a cool NPC is another. While it may add a measure of "replyability", it might actually work against it due to the differences in the NPCs. Would you join a faction with a Myron-like NPC who was against a faction that had someone like Tycho or Cassidy? Of course, they could get around that with having all the factions have similar NPCs, but then what would be the point?

Faction-based NPCs should be handled in a manner such that being a member of their faction that can be their motivation for joining you. If you aren't a member of their faction, you need to motivate them in other ways (ie cash, smooth-talking, mini-quest)

Saint_Proverbius wrote:I'm not sure about that either. Joining a faction is one thing, but forcing you to join a faction to pick up a cool NPC is another. While it may add a measure of "replyability", it might actually work against it due to the differences in the NPCs. Would you join a faction with a Myron-like NPC who was against a faction that had someone like Tycho or Cassidy? Of course, they could get around that with having all the factions have similar NPCs, but then what would be the point?

Of course, forcing the player to join a faction just because of a cool character should be avoided and it was not what I had in mind. The NPC you'd get should not affect your choice of faction, if any. But it might be a good idea to 'hide' some NPCs from only one playthrough, but maybe not in this form. Section8 suggested a good compromise though.

VasikkA wrote:But it might be a good idea to 'hide' some NPCs from only one playthrough

Not only NPCs but also the others game aspects. For example some quests, weapons, armors, even the main storyline could be a little random.

Section8 wrote:Faction-based NPCs should be handled in a manner such that being a member of their faction that can be their motivation for joining you. If you aren't a member of their faction, you need to motivate them in other ways (ie cash, smooth-talking, mini-quest)

Even then, you'd have a problem getting in to another faction with that other faction's NPC, or at least you should as a consequence of taking that NPC. If you picked up Mega Bob from the Super Evil Faction, then when you tried to go join the Holy Divers faction, they should see Mega Bob as a problem. By your association with a member of their most hated enemy, they should have problems with your character as well.