VR 'npc'

[Midaychi]

This is a suggestion that I priorly had as a subpart of another suggestion, but I feel it can also stand on its own.

The idea is that ghosts can spawn into the general VR as randomly named "NPCs". They're not *actually* npc because they're player controlled, but they'd be presented as such.

Basically digital people that VR creates to help crew have fun in VR.

VR NPC would be like a normal VR person, *HOWEVER*,

- They speak, write, and emote in NPCglish. (Think simlish from The Sims). Other NPC can understand them fine, but normal crew in VR just see gibberish. This includes renaming things. (like a piece of paper.)

- They can't point, because pointing is rude.

Otherwise, not much difference.

With this, ghosts could goof around in and populate VR, even alongside living crew, without negatively impacting the round.

[KikiMofo]

Well if ghosts became NPCs in VR that would mean that if someone saw them they would know that person is dead. So yeah that kinda effects the round in a way but then again we are getting weird ghost droid things.

[Midaychi]

Well if ghosts became NPCs in VR that would mean that if someone saw them they would know that person is dead. So yeah that kinda effects the round in a way but then again we are getting weird ghost droid things.

That's why I said *with random names*

[Sundance]

This has been suggested before and I would be very much in favor of this.
Alot, and I mean ALOT of coding, spriting and z-level space has gone into VR only for it to be largely ignored. The idea of a ghost NPC would not only rectify this problem, but alot of other standing issues as well.

Unfortunately, this topic is a hotspot for strong emotional posts such as people saying that ghosts are not meant to have fun despite this being a game and/or people should go to other servers, despite that point being moot for over a year now.

[KikiMofo]

Well if ghosts became NPCs in VR that would mean that if someone saw them they would know that person is dead. So yeah that kinda effects the round in a way but then again we are getting weird ghost droid things.

That's why I said *with random names*

Sorry didn't see the random names part.

[Midaychi]

It's K. I probably should have formatted it better anyways.

[Erik]

Could easily be used to metagame/relay information if those ghosts where able to talk.

[Midaychi]

Could easily be used to metagame/relay information if those ghosts where able to talk.

Yeah, which is why they'd speak/emote/write a different language that was gibberish to non-npcs. Then the only people who could understand them are those with allspeech, and I don't know easy ways of getting that outside of admins.

[Frank_Stein]

Unfortunately, this topic is a hotspot for strong emotional posts such as people saying that ghosts are not meant to have fun despite this being a game and/or people should go to other servers, despite that point being moot for over a year now.

Yeah, I never got that aspect. Like, this is something I spend my leisure time on. If it's not fun I'm just going to move on to something else. I get that you shouldn't want to die in the game, but just watching the round play out isn't always fun when the round is dragging on or no one is doing any particularly original gimmicks.

The VR ghost solution is a great idea because it gives bored players something to do, puts to use great content that isn't getting used enough, improves that content for living players that want to futz about, while bypassing a lot of the meta-gaming possibilities involved with random identities and gibberish.

You can do a whole lot with VR ghosts to beyond just dropping them in. The ghosts can be the monsters and creatures in the gauntlet arena, or the enemy pods for instance. It'll be just like that awful looking cartoon, ReBoot

[Midaychi]

It's a game. Death and prison inside the game is supposed to be a punishment for the character; Not the player.

Punishment for players is doled out by admins and should stay that way.

[Erik]

Could easily be used to metagame/relay information if those ghosts where able to talk.

Yeah, which is why they'd speak/emote/write a different language that was gibberish to non-npcs. Then the only people who could understand them are those with allspeech, and I don't know easy ways of getting that outside of admins.

The idea itself is great, give dead people something to do.

[Rickie Basinger]

person a: "move north if rickie basinger is a traitor, south if he's just a shmuck."

vr npc steps one tile north

^^^^^
this is what i would be afeared of. additionally, remove the ability for NPC people to hear what virtual people have to say, and i am on board with this suggestion

[Midaychi]

You could just make player speak gibberish to npcs in the same way npc speak is gibberish to players.

[atomic1fire]

The one reason I agree with Letting ghosts be VR players is instead of having whining about whining in ghost chat, we can have people settle debates in the thunderdome.

Ling snuck up on you and ate you but later died and you're feeling grumpy about it? CHALLENGE THEM TO THE THUNDERDOME.

Dude is killing everybody and it's getting lame, challenge some ghosts to a kart race.

Wanting to learn how to be robust? get someone to help you in the mob arena.

[robertGN]

person a: "move north if rickie basinger is a traitor, south if he's just a shmuck."

vr npc steps one tile north

^^^^^
this is what i would be afeared of. additionally, remove the ability for NPC people to hear what virtual people have to say, and i am on board with this suggestion

That would pretty much be metagaming. Plus, there are already a bunch of ways a ghost could communicate with a alive person in your scenario.

"Use the Ouija Board if John FuckYou is a traitor"
"Spin the chair if your mom is a changeling"

All that would require is a person to catch the attention of a relatively grumpy ghost.