NPC Faction Update Video

[Shaker]

Yep, I don't see why this won't happen.

It will be the best thing for alpha/beta stage, keeping the game running at its optimum.

Im sure this NPC update will more than likely come with a server reset so throwing the 1 galaxy limit option would be the cream on the cake.

Hopefully with the 1 galaxy limit, please keep at least 3-4 systems worth of void around it for those sneaky types.

 

[DukeofRealms]

Why has it been so hard for the community to communicate this simple concept to devs? We need a way to ensure weak NPC spawn near the center of the galaxy where newbs will encounter them, and strong NPC spawn farther out in the galaxy.

control how far and how difficult the AI is from spawn

Good suggestions, I'm not sure what's happening here, will pass this on

 

[arouq]

Wow, it seems like I've chosen a very good time to get into the game!

Sounds like a heavy content update, I would imagine it's going to require a lot of balancing and feedback from us. Particularly server admins.

 

[Pacific_Jim]

But what if a faction randomly establishes itself near spawn? You guys still haven't given us a way to control how far and how difficult the AI is from spawn. The AI Spawn Groups that we can do now are great in theory, but have never worked in practice because of the problem I already mentioned. If I define only difficulty level 1, then only that spawns... If i define difficulty 1 - 10 all carefully planned out, only level 10 spawns, and annihilates everyone.
You all went and did way more work than you needed to do, totally changing and revamping AI (which is nice, don't get me wrong), ...but all you needed to do was enable AI for all -# factions, like -1, -2, -3, -4 etc etc as many as an admin wants to define in the faction list, AND of course get the difficulty gradient working so that the game uses the different difficulty levels that an admin defines.

From what I gather spawn is going to be Trade Guild territory, what with the spawn station and all. Still would be a nice feature though.

 

[Bench]

From what I gather spawn is going to be Trade Guild territory, what with the spawn station and all. Still would be a nice feature though.

Correct

 

[T_Lex]

There are 2 things I am concerned about from the video:
-fast expanding factions
-npc mined asteroids wont respawn

So, will there be limits to npc faction expansion or given time they just take over everything?

Will factions conduct resource wars if they want the same system? Will factions try diplomacy/war if they want player controlled systems for their resources?

If they will be able to completely take over all sectors, does that mean that a galaxy can be completely void of asteroids? And regarding that, will asteroids respawn in an already mined system if a player takes it over?

 

[Napther]

This is easy guys, just drop the same ship into the different blueprint slots under the NPC faction, so that the NPC will spawn the same ship when it "wants" each of the multiple roles. If you have a battle salvager... put it in both slots. If you want 1 fighter to spawn all the time, put it in all the folders of appropriate name.

Having a ship that simply spawns when either role is needed is NOT the same as said ship functioning as its dual purpose. I believe the Devs mentioned at one point that vessels earmarked as non-combat roles (In this case Mining, Scavenging, Cargo) will flee from combat rather than engaging. I, However, am aware of some AI issues that may ensue and give my non combat ships all their damage as turrets, and with no weapons available on their hulls. This means that as they are fleeing, the turret AI will not be effected and fire as normal

 

[LoSboccacc]

is this new faction AI going to be multicore? the current universe update is filling one of my server cpu leaving all them others idle

 

[TheGeek007]

This update sounds amazing! And thank you for deciding to delay the patch so it can be stable when released.

A few questions though:

1. Is it planned for a faction to be able to be wiped out completely?
I see this as a problem for well established servers, as all the ships shown so far could easily be wiped out by a one or a few player ships. It would take some doing, but its a definite possibility that a new NPC faction could be totally wiped out. This could lead to the destruction of ALL NPC factions, leaving the galaxy bare.

2. Will an NPC faction have a Home Base mechanic that is invulnerable until "faction points" are depleted?
If NPC factions used the same Home Base mechanic, then they could never completely be wiped out. Personally, I'd argue for a system where the Home Base is invulnerable until all other claimed sectors in that galaxy have been taken away from that faction. Then destroying the home base would complete the NPC genocide. I definitely foresee situations where a player faction would want to wipe out a very aggressive NPC faction that is near their space.

3. Will new NPC factions randomly spawn? If an NPC faction is wiped out, will more spawn to take its place?
I'd say yes there should be random spawns of new NPC factions. I'd also love to see scenarios where a new very aggressive NPC faction spawns, that attempts to take over most of the galaxy ala the Borg. The server would have to band together to fight off the menace, giving them some compelling content.

Thanks again for all the hard work!

 

[Madman198237]

Will AI ever change? As in, if a peaceful AI faction is nearly destroyed a couple of times, will they learn? At least in a simplistic fashion, if a peaceful faction is overcome by war, it should become more warlike, while if a warlike faction finds itself alone in a corner of the galaxy, its AI will slowly become less likely (Giving less weight to warlike choices in their behavior tree) to choose warlike choices, slowly becoming more peaceful.

 

[StormWing0]

...you're ascribing way way way too much I to the AI... when they lose a turret, they're just going to sit there until a player or other AI overheats them and eats them. They're not going to spawn a new turret and dock it and start flying again. Nor... do I want them to, nor should you! Such level of AI would eat way too much server power that we already can't afford.

They don't need to do this.
1) dont put a blueprint in for the AI to use unless it has turrets like you want, and
2) if they get shotup and lose a turret, then they should just sit there and wait for another player or AI to come finish the job. We don't need more server power going into this. Performance is already bad enough.

First off there's ways to do this and have next to no performance hit. A little something called shipyards in the case of ships since for ships it wouldn't bother checking if a spot needs a turret until the AI goes into a shipyard or docks the ship. As for stations or ships for that matter the checks could be done in a couple of seconds or less if done right. For AI faction stations it could do the check when unloaded and only if it both has the resources to fill the slots and the right BPs. Maybe limiting the checks to server factions turns could reduce the performance hit further. Just because the AI can be made smart doesn't mean it has to be eating your server alive while doing its smart things. Also there's another use for a turret role on BPs in the catalog and that's mainly organization to make them easier to find.

 

[kingreol]

Carriers as a ship role. does this mean we will get AI managed carriers that will undock drones and carrier recall them within this or next update? My dreams of carrier drone miners across the galaxy

 

[Tomatart_B]

Will the NPCs be able to trigger inner ship remotes on their ships?

 

[serge1944]

Will the NPCs be able to trigger inner ship remotes on their ships?

This update will not contain this part of npc.When npc will be fully completed you will be able to tell the npc what to do and how to use your ship.If you go back and see all the devblogs you will get a lot of info of this game,and schine does no lie?when I asked Bench about a long ago forgotten feature he said that it was still a plan.

 

[ZektorSK]

Do you also plan something like quests and campaign ? Maybe it could be nice to from the start join one of the factions and then revolt against them and make your own

 

[Ithirahad]

Will the NPCs be able to trigger inner ship remotes on their ships?

This NPC faction update will not include crew members, just AI faction fleets and stations along with mechanics to make them seem like they are actually growing.

 

[Criss]

Do you also plan something like quests and campaign ? Maybe it could be nice to from the start join one of the factions and then revolt against them and make your own

Quests, yes. Campaign? Probably not. First, it's hard to put a campaign into multiplayer when you can kill the quest-giver and their entire faction. Also, StarMade is a universe that you should be in control of. If anything, we would have storylines for factions, and nothing much larger than that.

 

[CrazyVulcan]

I paid/donated $3 in the fall of 2012 waiting for the game to gain this feature. Being able to play in a sandbox universe with a variety of groups that act and have a dynamic feel. I only ever play single player and so, very patiently, I have been waiting. It's been 4 years, what is a few more months. Also if there is a way to import factions that other players? That would be helpful.

 

[spocklin]

I am excited about this update and everything it will bring. I think we will be adding more powerful ships to what they can use on our server to give people a much bigger challenge.

 

[TheEmperorAlanIII]

I have a suggestion: tax system (blocks and money).Release date prediction? I am very excited for this update =)