a multi-player*ISH* idea: the greenhorn trainee

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a multi-player*ISH* idea: the greenhorn trainee

Postby akkamaddi » Sun Aug 06, 2017 2:34 pm

Before anyone launches tarrs at me, yes, I know there are serious challenges to multi-player, and that is not what I am suggesting. What this thought (which may be a technical nightmare, I admit) would be is something that gives a veneer of "multi-player".

The Greenhorn Ranch Hand. (For those who do not speak English as a primary language, "greenhorn" is an old term, especially among US mid-western and western farmers/ranches, for someone who is very, very new to something, possibly to the point of being a nuisance.)

When you get far into the game, a series of events would put you in touch with one (or more) other Slime Ranchers of the Far Far Range. Because you are so nice, you offer to train them.

The trainee is a fully rendered 3D rancher model, and independent acting with specific play logic. He or she has a vac pack, a single item storage tank, and a water tank. Over time and experience, or upgrades you purchase for him/her, the storage and water tanks, and vacuum power, would grow.

The player would take the trainee for a few days at a time. There may be more than one trainee. This could work well if some of the NPC's had their own protégé, like Beatrix was for Hobson, and you could gain reputation/standing among NPC's by training the young person each has taken on. If there is only one trainee, making it Thora's protégé would be a nice balance to the story. There could be a second, smaller letter arc with Thora giving her side of Hobon's story.

Or it could be BOb training as a Chicken Rancher.

So. You get a greenhorn trainee, and this "person" walks out of your teleporter one morning. The person will wait for you by your home, and you get a notification that the person is there. The trainee would then begin to follow you around.

The movement logic would be:
- Follow.
- Stay near, but stand still when close.
- Turn to face player, head within 30deg, then turn body.
- Follow player path when jumping.
- Use path-finding logic to "find" player when separated.
- If cannot see player, prompt player with SMALL "BOb is waiting for you." notice in corner of screen.

Storage logic would be chosen by player:
Option 1) First plort seen.
Option 2) First extracted resource seen.
Option 3) First food seen.
Option 4) First slime seen.
Option 5) Only what I give you. (DEFAULT)
Water: top-off water tank at spring or lagoon (not pond) if player is near.

The player would interact with the trainee's storage like a warp depot. When your vac is pointed a the trainee, a transparent ghost of the item held appears over him. You can "suck out" that item. Once the trainee has an item, he will only vac up more of that item, so the player can always "shoot" an item at him to take it, as a "collect this" instruction. The "only what I give you" is default behavior, but if the trainee's storage is empty, he can be told to pick up the first of a kind of items he sees. Once he picks up an item, that is what he collects.

The greenhorn would also "help" around the farm by being a fifth mobile storage section.

Water is refilled only from limitless sources, but following the player is a priority.

"Combat" Prioritization:
1) Water on Tarrs near self.
2) Water on Tarrs near Beatrix.
3) Water on Tarrs.
4) Repeat above with pulse if out of water, unless tarr is in player's vacuum area.
5) Pulse of feral slimes near self, unless feral in player's vacuum area.
5) Pulse of feral slimes near Beatrix, unless feral in player's vacuum area.

The trainee will not try to pulse a feral or tarr you are sucking into your vacuum, but otherwise tries to protect you.

Death:
-Death on land, inventory is dropped, and the trainee returns home.
-Slipping into the Slime Sea (or you push him), trainee returns home, items may wash up on the Dock.


Assuming this idea does not have technically insurmountable issues, it could fit into the game. I do like the idea of Thora trusting you to help train her protégé, and a second story arc echoing the first. Thora's protégé might even become smitten with Beatrix, until on day they retire and leave the ranch to Beatrix's idealistic young niece. (A sort of "new game plus" mode where you get the "old" expanded farm, slimes and crops are gone, each placed machine or item has a 50% chance of being broken down and lost.)

I also know this would be a big, gnarly idea that, at best, would be many versions out. And, some players would hate it, so it could be an optional story arc.

The little homunculus following you around could also give some recourse to those constantly asking for multi-player. The player's game could be made multi-ish player, or multi-seeming player, which could be close enough.

Or BOb could take his training and become *the* titan of the plort market, ending the game at his empire, Mochi Miles serving him Hen Hens.
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Re: a multi-player*ISH* idea: the greenhorn trainee

Postby TheGreciansHousehold » Sun Aug 06, 2017 4:03 pm

This would be almost impossible to program.
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Re: a multi-player*ISH* idea: the greenhorn trainee

Postby Rawdy » Tue Aug 08, 2017 11:30 am

Sounds easier to program than actual multiplayer
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