I've always thought that agro management was a bit cut and dry... This is one area that has been stagnant for a long time.
With that said what if NPCs and mobs in general could have agro modifiers based on different circumstances such as.
NPC Shadowknight that hates clerics and applies 20% agro modifier to them.
Mobs that have more agro on PCs that have bottomed out their faction in that area.
NPC that apply more agro when getting hit with repeated ranged attacks.
Caster Killers that absolutely hate all things magic.
NPC that hate you more because you are maxed out in a rivals faction.
Maybe completing certain quests could flag you to have more or less agro with different areas.
I think this would add a bit of spice to the way agro has been for a long time.
It also creates situations of emergent gameplay where people could create things for themselves to do in order to adjust how their agro may work in certain areas.
As usual I'm sure there is something glaringly terrible with doing something crazy like this.
Still seems like an interesting idea to discuss.
Thanks in advance,
Kiz~
I can't remember if I actually read this or not, but I think the devs already talked about having this sort of thing built into their disposition system. Different mobs will behave differently based on their disposition and I think one of the things was targeting healers. If that is true, then what you have suggested is just a tiny step away, so I'm sure it would have been part of their discussions. Whether or not they agree that it is a good idea, who knows.
They have said that they're looking into some classes/abilities/something allowing players to discern the disposition of opponents. This kind of aggression system would probably fit into that, where you could find out that "An orc raider hates clerics".
Ainadak said:I can't remember if I actually read this or not, but I think the devs already talked about having this sort of thing built into their disposition system. Different mobs will behave differently based on their disposition and I think one of the things was targeting healers. If that is true, then what you have suggested is just a tiny step away, so I'm sure it would have been part of their discussions. Whether or not they agree that it is a good idea, who knows.
They have said that they're looking into some classes/abilities/something allowing players to discern the disposition of opponents. This kind of aggression system would probably fit into that, where you could find out that "An orc raider hates clerics".
This is correct. Pretty much all of the OP's ideas are actually already covered by the disposition and faction systems. And it won't just be healers that can be targeted btw. I think it's the "Strategist" disposition that determines what player class is most threatening, whether it be the Wizard, Enchanter, etc. and focuses that player.
While not exactly the same, if you're curious, this thread also discusses a variety of different ways to handle aggro:
https://www.pantheonmmo.com/content/forums/topic/2374/aggro-in-regard-to-player-level/view/page/1
I cannot wait to see which mobs hate me the most.. By the time I get through a level the mobs that hated me then will not hate me any further just because I killed thier whole family. Maybe we need to extend thier aggro range the more they hate you. "Your faction standing with the gnolls of Wild End could not possibly get any worse, they are looking for you "
Isaya said:I cannot wait to see which mobs hate me the most.. By the time I get through a level the mobs that hated me then will not hate me any further just because I killed thier whole family. Maybe we need to extend thier aggro range the more they hate you. "Your faction standing with the gnolls of Wild End could not possibly get any worse, they are looking for you "
Loved reading this post. Hmm... why not give the Gnolls of WIld End bounty hunters that they'll use to get back at players. That way we can hunt them down and get more loot! They should be so weighed down with it that we'll be doing them a favor from easing their burdens lol
Ainadak said:I can't remember if I actually read this or not, but I think the devs already talked about having this sort of thing built into their disposition system. Different mobs will behave differently based on their disposition and I think one of the things was targeting healers. If that is true, then what you have suggested is just a tiny step away, so I'm sure it would have been part of their discussions. Whether or not they agree that it is a good idea, who knows.
They have said that they're looking into some classes/abilities/something allowing players to discern the disposition of opponents. This kind of aggression system would probably fit into that, where you could find out that "An orc raider hates clerics".
This is correct, however I don't believe they went quite as in depth as the OP. For example, class-prejudice or reacting more strongly to taking a very particular type of damage.
NPC Rivalries can be fun. I recall a few times in early EQ when a skelly would fight another mob. It was halarious. Also benefited me when I'd watch them then take on the winner lol. I wondered if it was a glitch, though the GM's at the time did not seem concerned about it. Then there were times it wasn't so beneficial like when I'd be adventuring in an area and all of a sudden I found myself in the middle of 2 NPC warring factions....now that got dicy real quick lol. That to me is true NPC rivalry.
I think it's also worth mentioning rivalries just between NPCs. These can add a lot of life to the world.
For example, wolves hunting, killing, and eating deer in the woods. Then a band of orcs comes through and hunts and kills those wolves.
Or maybe there are brawls that erupt every once in a while between drunk dwarves in the taverns of Khadassa.
Or maybe in a certain zone there are two tribes of rat people that are always at war with each other. But neither of them like you either.
There's tons of possible interesting interactions that happen even without player involvement. It's a persistent, dynamic, and functional world in and of itself. You are just a small part.
NPC rivalries are amusing. There used to be moments when I dragged hostile creatures in town to kill the townfolk,one of my golem constructs committing genocide.
Npc rivalries give some kind of sense that not everything evolves around you
Npc rivalries can give that sense of conflict between alliances,tribes and creatures.Seen how static and bland many games are lately,NPC rivalries might improve the atmosphere ingame & how everything connects and relates to each other
As Bazgrim mentions,it can bring a lot of life to the world