Thursday 1 October 2015

An early example file for custom npcs

Hello everyone!

Here's a link to a file that you might find interesting - just open it up in a text editor:
https://mega.nz/#!tUBGRJbS!5OpqXCwZlKiqdiWVrqn4jh3Ef-Ccwh3bYmC551gm2n4

I don't expect this to give you enough information to properly start writing your own ones yet. I'll put out a much more detailed example file closer to release with proper instructions on how to fill in each field.
For now though, I hope you'll find this interesting. You can probably see that making your own npcs won't be too difficult once you have all the information about valid trait names and so on.
This one is an npc designed to activate a certain rare event. I know quite a few of you will be wanting to make one, so I'll save you some time and put it out as the first example.


Edit: I forgot to mention, I've decided on YAML as the custom npc file format. That's because JSON doesn't support comments, and you can see in the ephraim.yml file how I like to use them. XML does allow comments, but I think it's a bit more fiddly both to read and to write compared to YAML.

43 comments:

  1. Where am I supposed to put the template for it to activate?

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    1. The game won't support custom npcs until version 0.3.11, which adds another folder under newlife_gamedata. You'll get all the details when that comes out, including a page in the in-game help.

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  2. The feature isn't actually implemented in the 3.10 game. This is just a preview of the file format, so that people can get used to it ... and maybe suggest changes or improvements.

    If anyone is __completely__insane__, then they could presumably use this template to start preparing a massive collection (e.g. every male character from a long-running soap opera).

    Otherwise, you should just look at the sample file, say "that's neat!" and then wait for the next release.

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    1. Well, you could, but I'll be releasing another template with much more detailed comments later, including a full list of the valid values for each field. Probably best to wait for that one before you make your own. I'll see if I can get it out before the actual release - right now it's on hold because I have to decide whether to include a partially-implemented trait and, if so, how to handle it
      .

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  3. Great news! I'm really, really, really looking forward to this! Could you give us a rough estimate when it's going to be done?

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    1. For version 0.3.11, but I don't have a timeframe for that version's release yet

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. This is actually pretty neat, I always liked creating NPCs in games... and making one in NewLife is pretty damn awesome. Now I can't wait for 0.3.11, keep up the good work.

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  6. Will it replace regular NPC's generated or will the homemade ones just add to the rooster, adding a larger amount of NPC's?

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    1. Custom npcs replace normal ones.

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    2. Will we be able to have them take certain roles, like our boss?

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    3. No, only normal npcs can be replaced with custom ones.

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  7. Great! highly looking forward to this

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  8. First, thanks for a great game!

    Second, here is a minor Bug Report for version 0.3.9:
    Clicking Load Game button -> Details button -> Date Modified column header results in a consistently reproducible crash to desktop.

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    1. Hi, thanks for the bug report.
      I couldn't repeat this on my machine. However, I doubt that it's an issue in the code because that part is handled by a standard Java class JFileChooser rather than anything I've written myself.
      I had a quick look online and couldn't find anything really obvious that could be causing this, but it's possible that it might be related to a corrupted file. Try moving all the files out of the directory to somewhere else, and then try the load again on an empty directory and see if it still happens.

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    2. This is confirmation that it was a corrupt file. I moved the newlife_0_3_9_public.exe to a new folder and the problem no longer occurred. I then moved the .exe back to the original folder and the problem reappeared. Deleting the newlife_gamedata resolved the problem.

      Thanks for checking it out and sorry for sending you off chasing a problem that only existed on my end.

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    3. No problem, thanks for letting me know

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  9. Will there templates for boss or/and important client?

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    1. No, only normal npcs can be replaced with custom ones

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    2. Aw, damn, I was looking forward to making custom bosses. Is this a design choice or would it cause mechanical problems?

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    3. I would like to create important client :(

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    4. Special NPCs generally have assumptions made about their attributes, and wouldn't work for custom npcs without a ton of awkward snowflakey changes.

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  10. Will the custom options be primarily reflected in stuff we see in people descriptions and relationship browser? I think it would be neat if customizable NPCs could enable some kind of scene differentiation, like having their own dialogue lines or specific anatomy descriptions.

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    1. I think that if I wanted to add a trait that unlocked specific content, I'd want it to be available to non-custom npcs too.
      You can give your custom npcs Horse's special Taciturn trait though, which gives them the opposite of their own dialogue lines.

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    2. Good lord; what would a Shy/Taciturn date look like? Some random passerby shouting 'JUST KISS/FUCK/HOLD HANDS ALREADY' or something?

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    3. Right now Taciturn's effects are only implemented for scenes Horse can access, so not dates or conversation. I will be making Horse dateable at some point, so I might use your idea then :D

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  11. One thing I don't think I really like is that Even with rough sex/humiliating sex. Guys don't last long fucking you. There is no point with this if they cum like they are a virgin. It's like a cheesy sex scene in a movie -hump hump- roll over and done. If you could i'd like to request that guys are harder to make cum or perhaps add a trait that makes them harder to please and release. Or I could be entirely wrong and just know how to please a guy. Just think about it. It seems ab bit... flaw'd.

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  12. You could have just added a comment key in each json element

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  13. Would it be possible to add endless games into the game in one of the next versions? It would be super awesome! :)

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    1. I think the ability to have an endless game is only for Patreon. There's a cheat menu that allows you to input how many weeks there will be, so you can type in 999 or whatever and make it pretty much endless.

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    2. I do plan to add indefinite play after the endgame sequence, but not until there's more late-game content. The big additions that are needed there are marriage and advanced jobs.

      That'll work a little differently from the cheat option - indefinite play will let you continue after the end, while the cheat lets you change when the end happens. That way patrons would be able to do things like having a harder game with, for example, just 30 weeks to get the money for the female-start endgame sequence, and then use indefinite play to continue afterwards.

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    3. Yay, I'll look forward to it :)
      Btw really awesome game, keep going! ;)

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  14. Non-Paetron here, just wanted to say the 3.9 update was fantastic. Gotta love those misanthropes (since they certainly won't ever love you).

    Three questions:

    You mentioned that Horse has a Taciturn trait which gives him the opposite of his own dialogue lines. Does that mean that a jerk with the Taciturn trait would always speak sweetly, but still act mean?

    Also, I remember once that I guy I'd previous slept with started talking about our sexual escapades while dancing. Do you remember what traits are required to replicate this? Sleazy and boastful, maybe?

    Finally, I've noticed that occasionally identical outfits (same bottom/top/bras/panties) created in both the casual and going out categories have different values. Is there a reason for this?

    Anyway, keep up the great work.

    P.S. Have you considered "wholesome" as an alternative to "cute?" It just seems strange to me that cute is the opposite to naughty.

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    1. I wouldn't mind a wholesome persona, but I don't want it to replace cute :c

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    2. Oh, I'm not suggesting a new category, just the renaming of cute to wholesome. When it comes to how you dress there are two spectrrums: cute to naughty and casual to elegant. This is why you can't dress casual AND elegant. One subtracts from the other. In light of this, it seems strange that cute and naughty be opposites. Surely we can all think of a women who looks cute AND naughty. That said, from the way cute is used in game, I get the impression that it's supposed to represent a more "wholesome" look, which makes sense.

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    3. SO's comment about Taciturn was "gives them the opposite of their own dialogue lines" - as in, gives them *no* dialogue lines. That's what taciturn means, after all - quiet/reserved

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    4. I like things the way they are. Wholesome and cute are two very different things. That being said, it wouldn't be renaming, but removing the cute element all together. I wouldn't remove cute in favor of wholesome. If it's wanted so bad, just add wholesome as a category all its own.

      IMO, nothing about cute in-game suggests a wholesome attitude or look lol

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    5. Taciturn:
      As sdibolcrifbsrtlsiarlalgdsgaflfwlfqwfqf said, the taciturn character has most speaking actions disabled, although they'll still sometimes say things if actions that aren't primarily about speaking involve dialogue.

      Jerks with the Charming trait especially will act sweetly if they're trying to get you into bed, but then revert to their true nature once they're getting what they want.

      Dance dialogue:
      I think the line you're thinking of is part of the "sleazy comment" action which is restricted to sleazy men who find you attractive. There's three lines there that need you to have slept with him, two of which have other conditions too. I think the best one is the one that can happen if you're cute and dancing with him in public.

      Outfit types:
      An outfit's final stats are the sum of the clothes, plus any outfit-specific modifiers. Different outfit types have different modifiers, which represents some ways of dressing being quite provocative in certain situations but not others.
      Going out and Casual are very similar, but it's especially naughty to not wear a bra in a casual outfit, while for going out it's only naughty if your top is low-cut.

      Cute/Naughty:
      It's the difference between innocence and sexuality. Cute characters give off a "sweet and innocent" vibe, which could mean they actually are that innocent or might just mean they act it.

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  15. any plans on adding supernatural stuff ?

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    1. Not really. Perhaps a bit more mad-science content, but not outright supernatural.

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