Brief Guide to NPC writing
by Nick Burnette · 07/21/2010 (3:26 pm) · 7 comments
Many steps are taken to create a sense of realism in a game. The world is meticulously designed to feel realistic, the sound is authentic, and the story sets a tone the game uses to immerse. How does the game writer ensure that every interaction with an NPC furthers this experience? How do you make something as brief as a one or two click conversation feel real?
The key to breathing life into your NPC is to do a quick basic profile of this NPC before writing their dialogue or script. Think of your NPC and imagine what their desire is. Everyone has a desire, consciously and subconsciously. Give your NPC a desire in life, even if it is unrelated to how they interact with you in the game. For example: I speak to a guard on duty outside a castle. He says nothing more than a basic greeting. If this guard wants to be on a tropical island and hates his job, he will say "Hi... welcome to Castle Dorf." But if this guard likes being a guard, he says, "Good day sir! Welcome to Castle Dorf!" Both examples reflect a character standing in front of you, not just an NPC.
The writer should also imagine a few details of everyday life. Are they happy with the political landscape? A new colony could be full of optimism, while a thousand year old village is weighed down in boredome. The simplest interaction can speak volumes in terms of character, and the goal is to give this NPC some character. If this NPC is happy or unhappy with their life it should show in their dialogue. If they are tired or well rested, their dialogue will display it. If they are young, they view life differently than if they are old.
In the end, you get a couple sentences to make this NPC feel real. The NPC can enhance the immersion of the game, or it can detract from it and let the rest of the game try to pick up the slack.
The key to breathing life into your NPC is to do a quick basic profile of this NPC before writing their dialogue or script. Think of your NPC and imagine what their desire is. Everyone has a desire, consciously and subconsciously. Give your NPC a desire in life, even if it is unrelated to how they interact with you in the game. For example: I speak to a guard on duty outside a castle. He says nothing more than a basic greeting. If this guard wants to be on a tropical island and hates his job, he will say "Hi... welcome to Castle Dorf." But if this guard likes being a guard, he says, "Good day sir! Welcome to Castle Dorf!" Both examples reflect a character standing in front of you, not just an NPC.
The writer should also imagine a few details of everyday life. Are they happy with the political landscape? A new colony could be full of optimism, while a thousand year old village is weighed down in boredome. The simplest interaction can speak volumes in terms of character, and the goal is to give this NPC some character. If this NPC is happy or unhappy with their life it should show in their dialogue. If they are tired or well rested, their dialogue will display it. If they are young, they view life differently than if they are old.
In the end, you get a couple sentences to make this NPC feel real. The NPC can enhance the immersion of the game, or it can detract from it and let the rest of the game try to pick up the slack.
About the author
N.R. Burnette is the author of Cargo Lock. Paphos 1 is a free ebook on kindle, Nook, and all other formats.
#2
Fascinating concept Nick, a bit along the lines of Formula Fiction.
I like your NPC profile idea.
Now it have me thinking.
What details would be necessary to devise a practical NPC profile formula?
07/22/2010 (7:02 am)
I have been meditating on methods to build more life like NPC's.Fascinating concept Nick, a bit along the lines of Formula Fiction.
I like your NPC profile idea.
Now it have me thinking.
What details would be necessary to devise a practical NPC profile formula?
#3
Sorry ... couldn't resist. 8-}
Nice post ... very valuable information ... thanks!
07/22/2010 (10:01 am)
[LIKE] You and 4 others like this.Sorry ... couldn't resist. 8-}
Nice post ... very valuable information ... thanks!
#4
It's not hard, I have a personality profile formula working in Excel. It doesn't work for some more complex types (skyjackers, of all people, and most serial killers, since their psychologies are more complex), but it works for most basic good/bad types and integrates into conversation systems quite easily.
Go look up Dave Mark's talks on more lifelike NPCs, and apply his pie-chart illustrations to the choices an NPC makes (and then if you want to get fancy, you can insert/remove pieces of the pie depending on situations and moods). That's pretty much what I did (half of it without even realizing it until we talked, and then at that point he helped me realize how to get over a certain obstacle in my implementation).
07/22/2010 (2:38 pm)
Very simple and relevant advice for writing. I like. Quinton, you need to update that Like button ;) Quote:What details would be necessary to devise a practical NPC profile formula?
It's not hard, I have a personality profile formula working in Excel. It doesn't work for some more complex types (skyjackers, of all people, and most serial killers, since their psychologies are more complex), but it works for most basic good/bad types and integrates into conversation systems quite easily.
Go look up Dave Mark's talks on more lifelike NPCs, and apply his pie-chart illustrations to the choices an NPC makes (and then if you want to get fancy, you can insert/remove pieces of the pie depending on situations and moods). That's pretty much what I did (half of it without even realizing it until we talked, and then at that point he helped me realize how to get over a certain obstacle in my implementation).
#5
07/22/2010 (6:42 pm)
Sometimes it's these little tips that can have far reaching results when implemented. Thanks Nick! 
#6
12/03/2010 (8:01 am)
The games "Thief" and "Thief 2" took that into consideration, like guards mumbling under their breath.. "Why do I always have to patrol outside when it's dark and wet, I never get to patrol inside where its warm and dry..". Or the guard that seems a little tipsy with an empty bottle of wine by his feet.
#7
12/03/2010 (8:02 am)
(cont.) I remember in the forums when Thief: Deadly shadows was going to come out soon, people were asking if the guard "Benny" was still going to be in the game. He had a unique voice and wasn't particularly bright, but was funny. "We got a code, er, a code, uhhh, we got a break in!" 
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We need a like button here. :)