[SpiffyHas]

They add nothing to my experience and are even obnoxious. It’s purpose is to add ambiance and make the city alive, but all it does is interrupt rp when a commoner or whore randomly stands in front of you.


Rather see a system where idle npcs vanish to be replaced with different types of npcs. Even nightlife stores opening and stuff as day ones close.

[Rainman]

In the past week or so I have removed some AI NPC that roam around ( like some lanterns at night and some commoners during the day ) to help with lag issues but in this setting/server plus with the new players to NWN EE, we need to have these NPCs to add the ambiance of some characters other than PC players walking around to give the feel that it is not a lifeless Citadel/Town or village.

I understand your concern, maybe we can move/review some of the ambient WP's in the main areas, like in front of the Coin and Port area?

[SteelsSweets]

I know it would require extra scripting but I think it'd be fun to give them some dialogue.

The whores could have the option to be told to scram and that triggers them to unspawn for a few min or at least turn and walk off.

Or an option to "accept services" where it ports you to a room specifically for that option and black screens you for a sufficient "rest period". You mechanically rest (gets spells back, dispel current castings etc), lose coin, and get a % chance of being relaxed (maybe some kind of short spell like boon) or diseased.

On the commoners they could have the scram option as well.

I think it would be neat if very rarely the commoner would have a quest. Something short and simple yet different than the other scripted things. Maybe a few options but only accessible if you choose to talk to the NPC and then again only rarely.

[Narrator]

I feel an easier solution would be to redirect commoner traffic from high-profile hubs, such as the area in front of the Coin, the docks to Southbank, and to keep the tavern patrons away from the open tables and chairs. Let them roam from the bar to the stage to their own unsittable chairs/tables, rather than walk up to where players can congregate.

The spontaneous quest idea would be cool, but that could have some people just running around talking to every NPC ever, and there's already plenty of low-level quests. I'd argue we need more high-level quests instead, and spontaneous commoners is hardly the way to go about that.