[MUD-Dev] TECH: Complex NPCs

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Hey,

I'm glad I found this group -- it seems pretty informative.

My interest is in IF (text adventures), but the environments in MUDs
and IF are practically the same, and so are the majority of our
needs.

The current state of NPCs in IF is very disappointing. They are
geared to help (or hinder) the player in predetermined ways as the
story dictates. NPC-player interaction is usually simplistic, and on
the majority entirely scripted. There are exceptions, such as people
designing chatterbot-like NPCs, but on the whole even these are not
satisfactory. They have no "life", just more detailed
stimuli-responces and topic-tracking code.

I want to develop better NPCs. I know the technology now exists to
have worthwhile NPCs, but I don't know where to start to develop
them for my stories.

I base my speculation on "The Sims". Essentially, I'd like to
dulicate this kind of functionality to a text-based
environment. I've been thinking of what functionality I'd like my
NPCs to have, and The Sims' npcs have most of the underlying
intelligence I'd like. I've read that The Sims' technology is based
on fuzzy state machines and a-life. This makes sense.

A-life -- Gives them the underyling needs/wants, and basic
motivations, and possibly basic senses.  FuSM -- similar to FSM,
which I already use to some extent. Good for modelling complex
behaviour in a bounded system.

Now, I could blunder my way through and arrive at something
approximating The Sims' behaviours, but I thought I'd ask for help
first!

I'd like absolutely anything that would help me get a basic (or
detailed) model up and running. I have lots of ideas to improve The
Sims' engine for my personal, storytelling needs, but if I could get
help on exactly how the engine works, that'd be priceless. A rough,
generalized outline, a detailed description of how the different
sub-engines co-operate, pseudocode of anything. Even code from MUDs
that do things similar to what I'm after would be great.

I know I'm asking alot. I've already looked for examples of complex
npcs on google, and no-one seems to be developing anything other
then chatterbots. Or at least not discussing them. I would've liked
to have found a ready-made engine I could port, but no such luck.

The Sim's system seems so simple: NPCs that have needs and Game
Objects that broadcast what needs they can help with. And then just
a behaviour model to direct how the npc should connect the two. It's
a lot more complex, I know, and I'm not sure what sub-systems are
involved or how they co-operate. Pathfinding, conflict management,
and such like too, but I think I can handle those. I just need solid
background material to understand the basic model.

If anyone can help me out, I'd really appreciate it. As I said, I've
been thinking how much better my IF would be if I had better NPCs
for a while now, and the technology's out there right now.

Of course, there's also other technology, like chatterbots, and
simple goal-solving algorithms. Don't be shy in telling me about
these too. I'm a relative newbie, but I'm not satisfied with current
static, story-specific scripting "scenes". I'd like to put in an
effort and come up with something resembling The Sims' npcs.

tryguy.
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