Creating an Advanced NPC

Introduction

This tutorial will be a continuation of the tutorial called “Creating an NPC.” However, in this tutorial we will go a little more in depth on the topic. If you read the last tutorial be sure to use the NPC you made for this one, that way he will have weapons, clothing, and stats already made. In this tutorial you will learn how to make an NPC do something like own a home, and do various things inside it like eat, sleep, etc. Also how to make an NPC realistic, for example creating routines that a normal person would do like go to the Imperial City market district, go to a friends, go home, eat, sleep. This will make it a lot more realistic.

Routine Information

Routines make the game realistic, and are how day to day activities go on. When a door is locked at night, and not a day that’s not because of the doors settings. It’s because of the NPC’s routine. When and NPC goes to sleep there is an option pertaining to the doors they own it can lock them when the action starts, or unlock them. Or leave them unchanged. Also routines are the only way to get an NPC from place to place without attacking them, and yielding. So it becomes very useful when introducing a new NPC to the game.

How to create an Action

When creating an action there a lot of options that make it overwhelming, and confusing, but the odd part is you barely use any of them. So there are all these different things that you can check, and change, but we will leave them alone, because they aren’t necessary for what we are doing. Also we will be picking up on something I said in the last tutorial. The Responsibility on the NPC’s AI chart determines if they will complete all of their goals, and actions in the Routine. For example if an NPC was walking to the IC, and was attacked by a wolf that would slow down his routine, and in the routine you define at what hour he stops one thing, and starts another. So if it was passed the time when he was supposed to go to the IC, he might skip it, and move on if he has a low responsibility, but there is a check box where you can check “Must Complete” so they will do it no matter what. Now I will make the first part of the routine, Sleep. Now before we progress further find either an Interior, or exterior where you want the NPC to sleep. I made a house for mine. When you find it put in a bed or bedroll, and make sure it’s accessible. Once that’s done leave that cell open, and have the camera view near the bed unless it’s an interior it doesn’t matter. Now Go to your NPC’s AI page. If you don’t know what that is please read the other tutorial “Creating an NPC.” So once your on the page at the bottom where it says AI Package, Right-Click New. Now a new screen should have appeared, and the first thing should say ID. Name this CharacterSleep. Check the following boxes.

Continue if PC Near. Must Reach Location. Must Complete. Once Per Day. Armor Unequipped.

Now at the bottom the schedule tab is open. Leave the first three Any, Any, And Any, but for Time make it 1, and Duration 8. So he sleeps at 1 A.M. and wakes at 9 A.M. Back up top to the right you’ll see Package type, Change that to sleep. Now if you have an interior or exterior bed the instruction will differ a little from each other. Go to the location tab two to the right of the Schedule tab. Check the Location box, then Near Reference. Now click Create Marker at Render Camera. Now click or, and save on the AI box. Now if you had an Interior look at your Render Camera, it should have a red X in front of you move it anywhere in the Interior, and it won’t matter. The NPC will find an available bed inside. So now your NPC will sleep, for an exterior, move in somewhere near the bed. Now you know how to make a routine it is the same for other methods, and will be good to go.

Finishing Information

A routine won’t work properly if you only give them sleep, if you make them start somewhere, then go home to sleep they will never leave there home again, so make sure you add another action such as travel, or eat, so they go somewhere else to do something. This is easily done, you do it the same way as you did with the sleep action. I hope this tutorial has helped you to complete the creation of an advanced NPC.