Jsc
Disney's Princess
NPC: What is it good for?
Ello all. Today's musings are about a favorite utility of mine. The NPC. Or, Non-Player Character. IE: Everybody who isn't our Sub-accounts. Lol. I'm going to share a few tips and tricks I've learned over the years. Something of a show and tell. So feel free to jump in and contribute with some of your own pointers.
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1. Combat Assist
Your fighting a war. You're going to need soldiers. This ain't DOTA or League. So NPCs are where your soldiers are at. Here's some tips for creating combat assists:
[*]MOAR Vehicles
[*]Pick a bigger gun
2. Mediators, Translators, & Go-betweens
RP brings together characters of all shapes and sizes. Sometimes characters don't mesh. That's why God created NPCs. To act as mediators, translators, and droids.
[*]Mediator
[*]Go-betweens
3. How to make an NPC?
NPCs are just PCs painted in less strokes. But that doesn't mean generalizations. Or being any less colorful.
[*]Sexy
[*]Humor
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In closing. NPCs are good for everything. From spice and spirit, to fire and fireworks. The can make a boring adventuring party awesome and be a better romantic interest than the character who is writing them. They might even outlive your Jedi character and go on to partner with your next heroic creation. NPCs are good for everything. Use them always!
Ello all. Today's musings are about a favorite utility of mine. The NPC. Or, Non-Player Character. IE: Everybody who isn't our Sub-accounts. Lol. I'm going to share a few tips and tricks I've learned over the years. Something of a show and tell. So feel free to jump in and contribute with some of your own pointers.
___
1. Combat Assist
Your fighting a war. You're going to need soldiers. This ain't DOTA or League. So NPCs are where your soldiers are at. Here's some tips for creating combat assists:
- Avoid Humans
While humans can do everything, they usually don't. Try optimizing your soldier's with aliens instead. Need a Tank? Pick an alien with rocks for skin. Need a sniper? Pick an alien with six arms, 3 rifles, and cybernetic eyes. Need a medic? Pick an alien with steady hands and long lifespan of medical history. 1000 years ago and 1 million successful surgeries should do the trick.
[*]MOAR Vehicles
- Do your soldiers die too quickly, run too slow, or not pack cruise missiles for teeth? Ride a gunship, a walker, or a tank into the fray. Nothing says awesome combat assist like fighting at 1000 kph. Wooo!
[*]Pick a bigger gun
- Do all your soldiers carry blasters and grenades? Nah. Let's up the stakes a bit. Next time you need a combat assist? Bring a rotary-powered ion disruptor or a chain-feed kinetic grenade launcher. Then give your back up a few jetpacks and watch the sparks fly.
2. Mediators, Translators, & Go-betweens
RP brings together characters of all shapes and sizes. Sometimes characters don't mesh. That's why God created NPCs. To act as mediators, translators, and droids.
- Bring a Droid
Sometimes you're adventures going to need 3 million forms of communication. Bring a Droid NPC, a Cyborg, or have Cortana on the radio. Think of them as Google. Don't go anywhere without them. Ain't that right R2? ~ / woop woop ~
[*]Mediator
- Sometimes characters don't mesh. Sometimes the adventuring party is one sided. I mean? She's a killer, he's a baker, and that bug is a gardener. Bleh. But what do they all have in common? They all are dating the same Zeltron girlfriend. ...And, they just figured that all out right now. Oops. ...Adventure, start!
[*]Go-betweens
- Sometimes you need to bring characters together. Somebody to be the HUB and the apex. Fast money and shady employers do that best. Hutts, Duggs, and Twi'lek Warlords are always my favorites. Is your boss sexier than mine? Do they have a bigger boat? Well. They sure better! My employer is a 100-legged giant centipede that writes poetry and wrestles Hutts every Friday. What does yours do?
3. How to make an NPC?
NPCs are just PCs painted in less strokes. But that doesn't mean generalizations. Or being any less colorful.
- Double Optimize
Need a hacker? Pick a creature that specializes in computers. Then make them even better at computers. Need a Jedi Master? Pick a creature that specializes in the Force. Then specialize them even further. Need a shady Smuggler? Pick a creature that is awesome at being shady. Then make them even shadier. Go to the where you think the maximum is. Then make it even better. 2x better.
[*]Sexy
- Sexy NPCs are instant wins. Especially if they are aliens. And if you think they are sexy enough now? Add some leopard print texture to their machine gun and golden spurs to their boots. Oh bby! Decorate their knee pads with Devorian skulls and their shoulders with Wookiee fur. Zomgod! Oh yes. You heard me. If you don't want to take your NPC home with you tonight? Girlfriend, you're doing something wrong.
[*]Humor
- Everybody hates a Gungan. But can you really hate a Gungan who cross-dresses, smokes cigars, speaks in rhyme, and wields dual grenade launchers? ...Yes. Yes you can. But it's up to you prove it. Go get'em bombad. Show your readers just how bad Jar Jar Binks really could have been.
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In closing. NPCs are good for everything. From spice and spirit, to fire and fireworks. The can make a boring adventuring party awesome and be a better romantic interest than the character who is writing them. They might even outlive your Jedi character and go on to partner with your next heroic creation. NPCs are good for everything. Use them always!
