Hello, is there anyway we can bring back a revamp version of NPC auto looting feature as an option in Co8 or Temple+, not just money but items? It will be fun and challenging if you don't have total control of all looted items! Put restrictions like with Thrommel. Also, if we are able to customize what each NPC likes to get, based on her race and class via script that is great. But yeah we still have the ability to control their inventory on what could be worn.
Welcome back Zoltec. I for one think this is a very good idea. My first reaction was, "we could remove the NO_NPC_PICKUP from the coins" but these are already the only things in the game that don't have it. For memory that whole element of the game was simply broken in the .dll to prevent it - but that was slightly before my time. I think it would be more effort than its worth (and ultimately have to be a Temple+ thing) but an interesting thought experiment. Imagine how many ToEE players - a generation at least - have never even heard a shopkeep say, "Just one moment, lad. I'm with another customer." Heh.
From what i recall it had 2 major flaws: 1. No regard for carry weight - NPCs would over encumber themselves with useless items to the detriment of their combat effectiveness. This shouldn't be too hard to fix I think. 2. No ability to hold on to valuables - other than their initial items which were manually designated so, you had no way to tell them to hold on to other items such as a side arm or consumables, and they'd immediately sell them. The fix I had in mind for this is to dedicate the top two rows for valuable equipment that is not to be sold. This could use some UI indication, maybe a line separator or different looking slots. The other part to fixing this is to also plug the exploit where players intentionally load NPCs up with trash just so they can't pick anything up. But I suppose that's a lower priority since NPC looting will still be toggleable, so instead of seeking exploits players could just completely turn it off. Was there anything else that needed addressing? (Btw, don't expect this anytime soon. The todo is long...)
I don't think players want NPCs auto-grabbing gear - unless there was a specific list for each? So Otis' gimme list might be: otis_gimme_list = { (magic longswords) (magic half plate) (belt of strength) (potion of cure moderate wounds) } I dunno, something specialised like that. Otherwise NPCs will grab all sorts of wacky stuff. I just think let them have a cut of the money (and gems / jewelry), with the appropriate caveats, which for memory was something like - Burne and Rufus want a third - Elmo will settle for a half share - Spugnoir wants all wizard scrolls (thats non negotiable, they're all he asks for and he should get them) That can be checked for from their protos already. I think its worth doing something since that was how the game was meant to play. How do they spend that money? That's a whole other issue. Just my $0.02, others might vehemently disagree or have a better idea.
I'm not sure I ever played much of the game with the NPC looting, but it kind of interests me now, since it's a pretty unique aspect. It'd be something that cuts down on the too-much-money aspect, too. How did it work, though? I looked at a guide that someone had written, and it seemed to indicate that Elmo, Burne and Rufus don't actually take reduced shares. Maybe that was just the author griping. And I'm not sure I know what constitutes a "share" in the first place. Does it depend on how many PCs there are? Would the NPCs take a cut of the gold if you sold stuff back in town? Most of the gold you get isn't directly as coins, right? So if they're not grabbing random other loot, they're not getting a real percentage unless they get in on the 'junk' you sell. Maybe involving some skill checks could be fun. An NPC does a bad appraise roll and really wants some mundane sword that they think is extra valuable. Or maybe your face character can negotiate for a particular piece of equipment that was nabbed by an NPC, with prices set according to the above appraise roll.
Hmm, looking at the code looks like Troika already handled issue #1, so maybe it was just something I remembered from before the patches. Or maybe it's buggy This is another case where exposing it to python makes the most sense. Should be fairly easy to do (by itself )
I think, great would be if NPCs loot their share of coins AND mundane jewelry/gems. Some of the gems are pretty valuable and this sounds like a treasures from adventures. I'm against auto-looting weapons/armors/magic items by NPCs because this things are good in p'n'p but seems almost impossible to releasing any decently in PC game imo.
So, I've been playing some with NPC looting on. And it occurred to me... What do they do with their loot? I guess there's not much in Hommlet for them to spend it on, but Zaxis is carrying around about as much PP/GP as my 6-member party, because he hasn't been chipping in for raise dead. I think the only reason I'm even is because I pick up every remotely valuable piece of equipment. Do they actually spend it on stuff at some point, or is it just there to look at in the inventory window? I guess that's why people get so irritated?
It'd be nice if they purchased their own supplies at least. But on the other hand, it does make sense that the "employer" is responsible for that, and whatever gold they accumulate goes to their retirement fund.
I guess that makes sense. Not everyone is hired, though. Zaxis is in theory just paling around looking for his sister. Maybe that's related to their different looting algorithms? I think Elmo only ever takes coins, but Zaxis takes a bunch of the best jewelry as well, which I think is why he now has 3,000GP and Elmo has about 200. Or is that what "half share" means? Elmo is really losing out on that one.
I like this idea, particularly if linked to in-character behaviour. I wouldn't particularly mind Zert taking his share simply for personal wealth, for example, but I don't recall Spugnoir ever doing much as a result of taking all the arcane scrolls he found. IIRC, he has a back story that he's been sent by his master to look for scrolls, but at some point he should be realising that he has surpassed his teacher in knowledge and power, and moving on to independence. Elmo could spend a proportion on booze (and never be without a ham and a pint in his backpack, perhaps), but still keep hold of items that help him in his secret quest.
