Let's talk about NPCs!

[cosmods]

Hi everybody! This is Gena, I was recently asked to help out with a couple of minor modly duties, one of which is some additional world building for Waverly Bay. The game's been going for a few months now, so we want to expand on the setting and the non-player human characters living in it. We can't realistically populate a whole town, so I wanted to make this an open discussion with you guys about what kind of NPCs you want to see in the game! 

I figure that it'll be best if we just concentrate on fleshing out the NPC characters that are going to be interacting with the gems the most. It's fine to just handwave the townies most of the time, like the shopkeepers and restaurant owners and whatnot. I've got a couple of ideas for more prominent NPC characters right now; like a jeweler who's interested in Gem culture, a truck driver who's responsible for bringing most food and supplies into town, and maybe a creepy Gem-obsessed cultist (like some weird foil to Ronaldo). These are just concepts right now, but I'm interested in hearing YOUR character ideas! You can be as in-depth or abstract as you want. I can't guarantee that every suggestion will be used, but everything helps. Thanks!

Comments

[soft_focus]

CONSIDERING THAT MASUMI WORKS FOR A JEWELER...

I would love some ideas on said jeweler, that is for sure.

I may have handwave-tagged around as some guy working at the dump while in the test drive as well, and considering how many raid that spot, some trash booth person could thus be an idea.

[spontaneouscombustion]

Oooooh! This should be awesome! And welcome to modding, Gena!

As for NPCs, can't think of any human ones at the moment (but I'll let you know if I do), but any further plans for the Griffon?

[nailed_it]

Maybe a minor authority figure of some kind? Granted the World Info page specifically states that contact between the Gems and any higher authorities would be dangerous but given all the shenanigans the Gems have been up to, it wouldn't be surprising if they approached them first at this point? And ask them to cool it. XD

Also would it be possible to develop the Mechanic in any way? He or She could be a cool person to talk with about how to build stuff or things like that perhaps.

[soulfultwin]

I think something along the lines of NPCs that are naturally against/distrusting of the sudden boom in gem population might serve to give people more to do. Whether it be trying to prove themselves trustworthy, to take advantage of/manipulate the rising distrust, or even just setting up a few ambassadors of good will to further the town's prosperity, I feel it would really serve to not only flesh out the town, but also give people more options in terms of how to interact with the town.

[madeoflove]

As a counterpoint to the cultist, I'd like to see a flat earth atheist who thinks all the Gem stuff is a hoax despite being provided consistent evidence to the contrary

I'm sure I'll get other ideas, I used to make silly lists all the time for GB but let's just use this as a starting point

[no_refunds]

Oh yeah! I feel like that junkyard is one of the most heavily-visited spots in town, so somebody who works in there would be great!

AS FOR THE JEWELER.. Originally I intended for her to be a married lesbian couple, with one who's interested in the geological side of gems, and another who's into the metaphysical healing stuff. But there's no reason to not make the jeweler be into both, so I'm condensing her into one person. She can still totally be handwaved as married, though.

Anyway! She's a sweet little lady, very passionate and knowledgeable in gem-based subjects. She doesn't know much about the Gem species or culture, but she's really curious and wants to find out more. We're planning on making her involved in some future plot involving monsters, though we don't know exactly how she gets in possession of cracked/shattered Gems in the first place. Still working on that!

[soulfultwin]

you literally just described

[soulfultwin]

Seconding the junkyard bit!

[no_refunds]

Thanks!

AAAAND... I don't actually know yet! I'll have to ask about that, but I'm pretty sure that there are future plans to keep using the Griffon.

[alittlemystery]

A Ronaldo type would be fun not just for the part where they tie people down and try to cut them open but also because they'd love the Mystery Shack. Which as a Pines would make me happy.

I'd also like a Responsible Adult who is appalled by all these fucking kids not going to school, taking jobs, and fighting monsters. Maybe they could try to take custody of them and we could have a super dumb ace attorney battle.

[madeoflove]

I WASN'T EVEN THINKING OF HIM

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT YES

LET'S GET OUR OWN MR. SATAN HE CAN RUN ONE OF THOSE STRIP MALL KARATE DOJOS OR SOMETHING

[soulfultwin]

AND FOREVER CLAIM HE CAN SAVE THE WORLD WITHOUT THESE STUPID GEMS AND THEIR STUPID TRICKS

[spontaneouscombustion]

Sweet! I shall keep my eyes peeled for these plans then~ o7

[gemasumi]

YESSSS I like this lady already

Sobs I would offer Masumi as a leak for cracked gems but sadly she's got too many morals for that,,,

But yes thank you for making Masumi's boss REALLY GREAT

shit this is totally why she got hired ohno

[no_refunds]

Kind of like a Mayor? I think we'd have to make them different than Mayor Dewey in SU, but an authority figure would be good! Maybe a sheriff?

A mechanic would be great too! Maybe they could even teach Gem people how to fix up broken cars or motorcycles or something.

[no_refunds]

ITS NOT GEMS. ITS WEATHER BALLOONS

That's a great idea tbh. A counter to the Ronaldo type! also sob i dont know dbz well enough but based on that description that character sounds great

[no_refunds]

That's a great idea! Maybe some businesses would even refuse to offer service to Gems out of frustration at some point.

[soulfultwin]

Exactly! Something that creates tension without sending the world spiraling out of control. Plus, that could lead into peace-keeping missions and the like. I also like the idea of an authoritative figure.

Maybe something along the lines of a gem co-op where gems get assigned to help certain businesses or help fix the town to help bridge the culture gap?

SORRY JUST SPIT BALLING IDEAS

[no_refunds]

CHILD SERVICES IS GOING TO TAKE THE GEMBABIES. They would probably get beat up if they tried. But a court case is way funnier! :D

Also yeah I'm pretty interested in a gem cultist! All of those temples and artifacts make gem culture seem really creepy and ominous from an outside source. And we don't get a lot of looks from SU proper about how gem meddling has potentially messed with human culture!

[no_refunds]

NAH THEY'RE GOOD ONES. We've had a bit of that happen before, but so far it's all just been handwaved. Hopefully this time around we can establish the personalities of a few NPCs and how they'd know the people from the temple, so that it'd cause more tension when bad things happen to them or they distrust Gems.

[soulfultwin]

maybe we could also do a cultural exchange thing? Sort of?

I'm sure there's plenty of people curious about the temple in general. Maybe have gems guide them through? They don't necessarily have to talk gem culture, but can just talk about their own home worlds.

I know a number of PC's have trades and whatnot too, it'd be a good way to drive commerce. Stan could open up the Mystery Shack to the public and Darin is looking to turn his room into a smithy/forge for the sake of providing top notch wares for people and gems alike.

Can you tell I love world building yet

[strawberry_roll]

-- Definitely wanna see the Mechanic fleshed out more. Especially with all the Gems who've been raiding the Junkyard for parts -- how do they feel about that?

-- The Gem-obsessed cultist could get... really dark, but I could see them being particularly interested in the obviously less human Gems. Or growing increasingly jealous of the humans who've been brought in. That could even lead into a longer term plot with them trying to obtain Gem status somehow...?

-- Along the same lines, we could have somebody who's simply flat-out jealous of the Gems take up a similar plot line. Someone resentful of growing up 'stuck' in Waverly Bay. Maybe they wish they could be the one swept off to another world, even as they mock the whole concept of anyone being drawn here of all places...

-- What about... somebody who just wants to be special, or wants to think of themselves as the protagonist who gets increasingly involved in Gem antics and somehow becomes the main hero? You know, like how a lot of series start out: the ordinary student who gets drawn into the center of everything. Someone who fancies himself like Kyon, or Naegi, or [insert reference here].

Especially if he (or she?) fancies themselves the type who can attract a harem of superpowered cuties...

-- What if Bill (or somebody else, but he seems to be designated harem head at the moment FOR SOME REASON) tried to add some poor NPC to his harem? Especially if they're linked somehow to Potential Authority Figure. I CALL SHOTGUN WEDDING!

-- And then, of course, just the normal townfolk who are used to this and roll with it. Especially establishing older residents who might have a better grasp of the town's history and all...

[nailed_it]

Yeah, maybe somebody just under a mayor if that'd be too "high" in the chain of command that it'd cause plot problems. Even just an Aide perhaps? Somebody who could act as a gopher of sorts between the Gems and the authorities/citizens to either tell the Gems to "simmer down" or also help the Gems with public relations/learn about in-town goings ons.

And yes! I really liked that Waverly Bay had a mechanic that had fixed up one of the few working vehicles in town and teaching Gems about cars, motorcycles and all things mechanical would be neat especially if they might eventually be able to fix up some of their own.

[strawberry_roll]

Hey, Darin can totally get together with Berry on the forge thing, if you haven't already!

And yes. World-building. All the world-building!

[no_refunds]

That'd make sense! The Shack is already open to the public but he's trying to hide the fact that it's made of Gem magic. But I agree, there are probably plenty of other Gems who could find ways to open up to the town and make money that way!