Non-Player Characters, or NPCs, can be a fun and interesting way to enhance roleplay on any MUSH. This is no different on Dissidia: Final Fantasy MUSH, where NPCs can be used to fill a number of rols, such as news reporters, vendors, and other such non-combat positions. This file will detail the policies in place for the use of NPCs on Dissidia: Final Fantasy MUSH, and is divided into two sections: Staff-Controlled NPCs and Player-Controlled NPCs.
Staff-Controlled NPCs
Staff reserves the right to create, run, and play as NPCs for the furtherance of roleplay on Dissidia: Final Fantasy MUSH. This may include, but is not limited to, any of the available types of characters, including all Tribes and Tribes not mentioned in the newsfiles, Fiend types not mentioned in the news
files, and Tribesmen and Fiends of any Class and Level. This policy is fully dependant on the use of the NPCs and the circumstances that the NPC has been brought out for. The use of any NPCs in this manner to do things other than further RP for the players of the MUSH should be reported to staff using the +gripe system.
Player-Controlled NPCs
Player-Controlled NPCs are handled a little differently. We encourage the players of the MUSH to develop and run their own plotlines (as long as they don't break the existing theme of the MUSH), so we're including some notation about Player-Controlled NPCs that can be used. Please note that this type of NPC represents Tribesmen, rather than Fiends. For Fiends, continue below.
Player-Controlled NPCs are handled as follows:
- A standard @emit can be one of the most effective ways to handle NPCs. This allows for a great deal of customization to what's going on; people who are only around for that little bit, people passing through the city, that sketchy weaponsmith with Lightbringer, a Paladin's Artifact.
- You can also, as neccessary, create an object to represent an NPC. Using a puppet object (see HELP PUPPET), set it up and move it around. All NPCS that are being run by players are to be considered one of the Tribes, and have no stats; they are simply civilians. Players are being trusted to not abuse this system; if you have comments or complaints about a particular NPC, please use the +gripe command.
- In the various Kingdom files, major NPCs (such as Kings and Queens, Guildmeisters and others) will be listed. A player may use these NPCs for plots by requesting permission from staff; in most cases, this will result in a quick interview about the plot and what it will entail, and then permission will be given. In rarer instances, these NPCs can be used by logging in an @pcreate'd and statted character object to roleplay out the NPCs actions, rather than using an @emit.
NPC Fiends
As Dissidia: Final Fantasy MUSH attempts to be a game that encourages PrP (Player-run Plots), NPCs enemies are something that needs to be handled. There is a command in place that will generate a statted NPC, with the stats and abilities based on the level used in the command. For information, please see '+help npcgen' or a member of staff.
- +npcgen will be used to generate a Virtual Character to represent a Fiend, that will be set as part of a 'Monster Party' on the user of the command. This can be set up either from a pre-existing database of Fiends, or to the plot-runners specifications (such as Family and Level). It can be used multiple times to create a full monster party for plots and events.
- NPCs created in this way will not be capable of passing along Blue Magic to Blue Mages, unless otherwise noted by staff.
- Staff is trusting the players with this capability. If we find abuse of this system, or if reports of abuse of the system come in, we will review this policy and likely remove this capability from the playerbase at large.
For information on how the Virtual Characters work, please see the file on Virtual Characters.
