I need XP for talking to random NPC #42

[Hassat Hunter]

So, the XP for combat discussion in another thread made me realise... a lot of people think rewards in the form of XP make the difference between "awesome strategic combat" and "a waste of time"

 

It really opened my eyes to how badly most developers have been treating dialogue in their RPG's. Remember those HUGE conversations in Planescape: Torment? Which had no point but to tell you the lore, keeping you entertained. And didn't reward you at all for reading it. Clearly it's only been this way since no-one opened their eyes to how much of your precious time this would waste.

 

It's time to make Project: Eternity the RPG of the future by revolutionising dialogue. I know Mass Effect did it great with codex XP, but we have to go further than BioWare. Revolutionize the RPG.

 

Every time a conversation option offers just lore, easter egg dialogue, random stuff inhabitants say, attempts to seduce your female NPC's, make stupid comments about your options in the past to reflect the word knows you exist etc. you get experience. This to compensate you for the fact that doing this clearly wastes your time and you could do something else instead. Like getting XP someway.

This way conversation finally leaves the waste of time area and enter the awesome strategic dialogue era.

 

After all, you aren't doing this for fun. All those extra NPC's taking up your time you could spend getting quests or talking to people who *need* killing. And since there's some kind of stupid rule that we can't just keep those NPC's due to some 'deserted city syndrome' or some equally lame explenation, this obviously is the only way to go.

 

Viva la Dialogue Revolution!!!

[Karkarov]

This is a nice sarcasm poll here but maybe it wasn't needed. You seem like a chipper fellow but I did have to vote for "Kill Hassat Hunter with fire". Sorry.

[Lysen]

I don't like talking. I wish there was an RPG where you didn't need to talk at all. It would certainly be a revolution.

 

Viva la Dialogue Revolution!!!

Edited October 18, 2012 by Lysen

[void_dp]

i think that when i done talking to random NPC #42, i need to get updated my journal!

Edited October 18, 2012 by void_dp

[JallaAllah]

Well people, I really wonder, how this comments came up, since most of the people voting in polls want BG-Series or PS:T to return. No doubt there are epic, tactical fights, but still, both games are about people choosing their destiny by sword AND word.

 

I enjoyed all the easter-eggs, the romances (lots of talking) and every stupid conversation possible. This should be no MMORPG, where everything you enjoy is just the wonderful 3D-graphic and slaying 1000 times the same enemy. Talking and dialogs give depth to the game, it is the difference between "LOTR" and "Sharktopus" (probably still an enjoyable movie ) ... Please, don't forget that ...

 

I don't like talking. I wish there was an RPG where you didn't need to talk at all. It would certainly be a revolution.

 

Viva la Dialogue Revolution!!!

 

Play Diablo ...

[rjshae]

Yes, another poll with biased and missing responses. It's certain to generate the results you want to see.

[DocDoomII]

In b4 the lock.

[TCJ]

I could see XP being rewarded for going through conversations if you are using particular skills (successfully) for that conversation. It would be an incentive to make a well-rounded character. Other than that, I see no point in giving XP for talking unless it's quest-based or a random thing like Noober.

[Kai]

voted "I am stupid and think talking is it's own reward and doesn't need additional XP" as I think the poll options are so depressingly biased and dumb that I can't take them seriously.

 

If you're not trolling and actually are serious, then uuuh.... nevermind....

Edited October 18, 2012 by Kai

[sfam]

I almost get the sense by the question that the designers want eveyone to enjoy or at least use all the elements developed. If so, why? Why would it be a bad thingif only 20% of the players like the lore and convos? People will always player RPGs differently and enjoy different aspects.

[Bloody Hypocrite]

I don't need any reward for talking to npcs other than the enjoyment of conversation. I still want xp to be rewarded when appropriate.

[Hassat Hunter]

Yes, another poll with biased and missing responses. It's certain to generate the results you want to see.

Not really, most people want to kill me with fire

 

That's what you get for adding a joke-option in your perfectly super-serious thread...

[RaccoonTOF]

Yes, another poll with biased and missing responses. It's certain to generate the results you want to see.

 

I believe that is what the last choice category is for...and why it is currently leading the poll

[HangedMan]

Oh dear. Looking at these poll results, I better start building the pyre.

[UncleBourbon]

Honestly, I think there are plenty of things that tend to give varying experience rewards in games, and which could be handled perhaps better - or at least more realistically - by awarding bonuses or stat modifiers (likely conditional and potentially temporary) to a character. Granted, this poll is a bit trolly, but if it were serious, I don't think you should be motivated to talk to anyone your character him/herself would not do if they were autnomous. That is what role-playing is about. My first character, if possible, will probably be a recluse of some sort, who won't approach anyone for discourse unless spoken to, at least at first. It will likely be an interesting course of events.

[general_azure]

It really opened my eyes to how badly most developers have been treating dialogue in their RPG's. Remember those HUGE conversations in Planescape: Torment? Which had no point but to tell you the lore, keeping you entertained. And didn't reward you at all for reading it. Clearly it's only been this way since no-one opened their eyes to how much of your precious time this would waste.

 

You obviously forgot about those dialogues in Torment that could trigger some old memories for massive xp.

[Hassat Hunter]

You obviously forgot about those dialogues in Torment that could trigger some old memories for massive xp.

I should definitely replay PS:T, yes.

Fortunately, 2014 takes a whole. Or unfortunately, depending how you look at it.

 

And for those new, yeah, this is obviously a stab at the people claiming that combat is boring, but worthwhile due to XP. So suggesting the current conversation becomes better with XP, since obviously XP makes everything better. I don't agree of course .

[harhar!]

Why not for some lines where it makes sense. Like when you get new knowlage you literally get more experience. But not too much.

[JWestfall]

If you are giving XP for the player actually reading dialogue, then it needs to be fair - the game will have to somehow require the dialogue is actually being read, not just clicked-thru.

 

For End User License Agreements when installing software, the user needs to click on a statement declaring that they have indeed read the aforesaid agreement. Because said EULA is enforced by law, everyone reads them to avoid the pain of punishment by breaking the law. So one option may be to legally require the player to have read each dialogue by having them agree to a EULA-type page for each one - although with all matters of law, a Lawyer should be consulted beforehand for feasibility.

 

Or perhaps the game should quiz the player after each dialogue, testing the player's knowledge on what was just read. The problem with this is that the player could cheat and go to Gamefaqs or similar to just get the answers there, and end up clicking through the dialogue anyway, scoring the XP unfairly.

 

Perhaps a combination of option 1 and 2 would work best, or maybe a voice-recognization scheme where the player is forced to read back the dialogue to the game, or -- nah, screw it, KILL HASSAT HUNTER WITH FIRE!

[Mamoulian War]

You know that EULAs are in some countries not legally enforceable?

[Gatt9]

You know that EULAs are in some countries not legally enforceable?

 

They're not legally enforceable in any country actually. The onus is upon the company to demonstrate who agreed to the contract. I'll guarantee you that suddenly everyone in the world will say a 5 year old, who can't legally agree to anything, must have clicked that button when they went to the bathroom after inserting the disc.

 

That's why you've never seen a company try to enforce it in a courtroom, proving who clicked that button is completely impossible.

[Hassat Hunter]

the game will have to somehow require the dialogue is actually being read, not just clicked-thru.

If combat allows it... ... ...

Perhaps a combination of option 1 and 2 would work best, or maybe a voice-recognization scheme where the player is forced to read back the dialogue to the game, or -- nah, screw it, KILL HASSAT HUNTER WITH FIRE!

Best. Post. Of. The. Thread. xD