[MUD-Dev] Solutions for smarter NPCs

[ext.Christer.Enfors at tietoenator.com]

From: Björn Morén [mailto:bjoernen at hotmail.com]

> I'm curious about what technical solutions you have tried in order
> to get NPCs act more interactively and smart. Better AI to support
> a more vivid world. Both regarding combat behavior for NPC
> monsters and conversation behavior for NPC merchant / quest
> assignment types.

This is something that interests me greatly too. I can recommend
Richard Bartle's "Notes from the Dawn of Time" series of articles at
Skotos:

  http://www.skotos.net/articles/DAWNOF.shtml

It discusses, among other things, a very interesting approach to
implementing NPC AI which sounds incredibly powerful and flexible.

However, I've yet to come across an actual implementation of good AI
in a MUD (not that I've looked very hard though). I've read many
articles about how wonderful AI systems could be created, but noone
seems to have acutally implemented it. What I'm referring to is NPCs
who have their own virtual lives; NPCs who go to work in the
morning, and go to the pub after work. NPCs who buy groceries at the
market, take them home to make dinner, then go to bed. NPCs who go
hunting in the forest, and then sell the pelts at a local
market. NPCs who perhaps even cut down trees to build their own
home.

All this should be possible - but I've yet to see it implemented.

--
Christer Enfors, AKA Dannil
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