Skip to content

NPC Lifecycle and Relationship Stages

Part of NPCs World Verbs Rewards and Living World

Each NPC moves through relationship stages. Trust is shown through dialogue, not points.

Stages

Stage Name Description
0 Unknown Not met yet; may be visible but not interactable
1 First meeting Handcrafted intro + first problem
2 First helped World visibly changes; bond formed
3 Trusted helper NPC recognizes return visits; repeatable jobs unlock
4 Recurring relationship Rotating story problems (delivery, wet labels, manifest, …)
5 Deep relationship Rare keepsakes, emotional dialogue, special story clues

Deep relationship = more meaning, not more power.

Interaction models

First interaction

Never randomly generated. Must include:

  1. NPC introduction
  2. Visible world problem
  3. Short story reason
  4. Activity type
  5. Physical world change
  6. Thank-you moment
  7. Deterministic reward or story progression

Example — Merchant first interaction

  • Scene: small island dock
  • Problem: wind blew letters from three box labels
  • Activity: Missing Letter · 3 rounds · verb Repair
  • Each round: fix label → crate opens
  • Completion: merchant thanks player
  • Reward: merchant lends boat (trust, not "3 words = boat")
  • World: boat at dock, path unlocked

Second interaction

Confirms the NPC remembers the child.

Example — Merchant second

  • Opening: "Captain! Those boxes stayed fixed thanks to you."
  • New problem: rain washed labels away
  • Activity: Spelling · verb Write
  • Optional reward: small decorative crate for home

Purpose: prove memory, introduce variation, begin optional collectible loop.

Third and later

NPC enters the living world job pool. Selection considers:

  • child level · destination · activity type needed
  • recent activity history · relationship stage · world state
  • story chapter · words needing practice
  • collectible eligibility · cooldowns

Example merchant job pool: repair_box_labels, write_wet_labels, read_delivery_note, restore_shipping_manifest, organise_market_signs, prepare_whale_bay_order, fix_price_tags, label_new_supplies

Trust (invisible)

Internal events (child never sees numbers):

  • first_met: +1
  • completed_job: +5
  • helped_story_moment: +10
  • returned_after_previous_help: +2

External dialogue shifts:

  • Low: "Could you help me with something?"
  • Higher: "Captain, I knew I could count on you."
  • High: "I saved this for you."

→ Deterministic Rewards and Optional Drops