christos200
Never tell me the odds
Really? I send the rules before I read your Post. Anyway, I will PM you with what type of Map I want.
Newbie McGM - Why the hell did we let Dem Taqat name the thread?
- Thread starter Mosher
- Start date
AlexRomaniaGrig
Warlord
Hey, you do maps? Do you know how to do street maps of cities?
I kinda need some for my next IOT.
I kinda need some for my next IOT.
SamSniped
DJ Goodboye
Salve = Latin.
AKA Pissoffredspaienese
AKA Pissoffredspaienese
JohannaK
Heroically Clueless
Because of the funny title.
Robert Can't
Éponine
TK sent us off topic when we started talking about Real Life
That's teaching you to question authority.
JohannaK
Heroically Clueless
All hail TK our God. 
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2008
- Messages
- 14,926
Does anyone still use this thread? Oh well, anyway.
Most IOTs have NPCs. Everybody has a different take to how NPCs should act in IOTs. Figured I'd throw in how I do it here.
1. NPCs are survivalists, but not perfect. An NPC, if forced between a rock and a hard place, will pick the decision that it feels it can live with. I usually guestimate and vary my responses to player diplomacy and in peace negotiations, but the guiding theory behind it all is, "Well, where am I in five years?"
A NPC can still reject a peace deal and the consequence of that can still end in their destruction however. That's usually a case of me woefully underestimating the power of the PC. Which brings me to my next point.
2. NPCs are loyal to you reach a point. When you reach this point however, they are perfectly fine with jumping ship if the ship is sinking. Most players are ok with NPCs being chronic backstabbers in Crusader Kings, but not in IOT, so I usually make it so the NPCs are willing to put their neck out on the line for a friend, even if the odds aren't entirely in your favor.
The point, however, is when you're asking them to put their head on the chopping block with the executioner at the ready. At that point they'll jump ship.
3. NPCs are idiots at military strategy. Well, not idiots. A player can come up with a detailed military plan, but a GM can't. My NPCs can typically do one or two things at once, and sometimes very well, but have problems attacking and defending at once. See the start of the War of 1823 in RIOT for example.
The reason for NPCs not being geniuses during war is because I know everything. I read everybody's war plans and orders and if I had to write a dozen or so orders for NPCs before order processing, updates would take three times as long.
So yeah, it all boils down to NPCs being self-serving, somewhat loyal, and dim bulbs at war. There aren't any flashy ideologically driven NPCs that will never surrender. The only time a NPC won't surrender is when the demands demanded outweigh the benefit of keeping the war going for another few years.
Going back to being survivors, I think my NPCs might be a tad too willing to jump in bed with a big fish to keep another big fish away.
Most IOTs have NPCs. Everybody has a different take to how NPCs should act in IOTs. Figured I'd throw in how I do it here.
1. NPCs are survivalists, but not perfect. An NPC, if forced between a rock and a hard place, will pick the decision that it feels it can live with. I usually guestimate and vary my responses to player diplomacy and in peace negotiations, but the guiding theory behind it all is, "Well, where am I in five years?"
A NPC can still reject a peace deal and the consequence of that can still end in their destruction however. That's usually a case of me woefully underestimating the power of the PC. Which brings me to my next point.
2. NPCs are loyal to you reach a point. When you reach this point however, they are perfectly fine with jumping ship if the ship is sinking. Most players are ok with NPCs being chronic backstabbers in Crusader Kings, but not in IOT, so I usually make it so the NPCs are willing to put their neck out on the line for a friend, even if the odds aren't entirely in your favor.
The point, however, is when you're asking them to put their head on the chopping block with the executioner at the ready. At that point they'll jump ship.
3. NPCs are idiots at military strategy. Well, not idiots. A player can come up with a detailed military plan, but a GM can't. My NPCs can typically do one or two things at once, and sometimes very well, but have problems attacking and defending at once. See the start of the War of 1823 in RIOT for example.
The reason for NPCs not being geniuses during war is because I know everything. I read everybody's war plans and orders and if I had to write a dozen or so orders for NPCs before order processing, updates would take three times as long.
So yeah, it all boils down to NPCs being self-serving, somewhat loyal, and dim bulbs at war. There aren't any flashy ideologically driven NPCs that will never surrender. The only time a NPC won't surrender is when the demands demanded outweigh the benefit of keeping the war going for another few years.
Going back to being survivors, I think my NPCs might be a tad too willing to jump in bed with a big fish to keep another big fish away.
Mosher
Mushroom dad
Added to OP.
Tani Coyote
Son of Huehuecoyotl
- Joined
- May 28, 2007
- Messages
- 15,191
My general rule with NPCs is that some are designated as having some sort of actual agenda beyond being simple mathematical equations, but they tend to be few and far between. This is especially if the game is very lacking and doesn't have much conflict. Usually I keep one or two token major NPCs simply to keep things lively.
My biggest tip with NPCs would be to have them each set to specific percentages of money into... whatever you have to sink money into. It means you can copy/paste their orders more or less each turn, making adjustments to percentages where prudent (an NPC at war will change its percentages to more spending in military fields until the war is over, for example).
My biggest rule of course, is that major NPCs can't use espionage on another major power. This prevents subconscious GM abuse since otherwise the NPC, being part of your brain, will know the perfect amount to invest towards an action. This handicap not only gives the player an edge by allowing them to ensure NPCs stay on the defensive with covert operations, but also makes sure there's no unfair advantage for the NPC.
The easiest way to make sure there's no possible NPC abuse is to not read player orders until the end of the turn. If a player has a question, they should send it in a separate PM labeled as such.
My biggest tip with NPCs would be to have them each set to specific percentages of money into... whatever you have to sink money into. It means you can copy/paste their orders more or less each turn, making adjustments to percentages where prudent (an NPC at war will change its percentages to more spending in military fields until the war is over, for example).
My biggest rule of course, is that major NPCs can't use espionage on another major power. This prevents subconscious GM abuse since otherwise the NPC, being part of your brain, will know the perfect amount to invest towards an action. This handicap not only gives the player an edge by allowing them to ensure NPCs stay on the defensive with covert operations, but also makes sure there's no unfair advantage for the NPC.
The easiest way to make sure there's no possible NPC abuse is to not read player orders until the end of the turn. If a player has a question, they should send it in a separate PM labeled as such.
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2008
- Messages
- 14,926
My larger NPCs tend to have more personality than the small ones. The Eyalet of Egypt has a tad more personality than Quebec (I think). The Glory Corps and Cornwall are my favorite NPCs however.
Not favorite enough to maintain their survival of course. Otherwise the Glory Corp would rule the ATLANTIC mah boi.
Perty much. Up until the most recent update, NPC orders usually are whole or by halves. Half army, half factory. All army. All factory. Half army, half factory. Etc. Never "quarter this, half that, quarter that".
Though, now the NPCs in peace spam the more expensive factories for RR purposes. Economic growth is slower, but god forbid you don't take them down in war quick enough now.
An NPC has used espionage exactly one in my IOT, and I immediately reached the same conclusion.
Then again, barely anyone uses espionage.
I rolled around the idea for a while, but I couldn't make it impractical. I usually get five to ten PMs an update interval and three or four of those are questions about the orders.
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2008
- Messages
- 14,926
Also, should probably avoid IOTChat when you're a GM as much as possible. Something diabolical about it decreases the chance of the next update seeing the light of day because you totally have a new IOT idea that everyone'll love.
Tani Coyote
Son of Huehuecoyotl
- Joined
- May 28, 2007
- Messages
- 15,191
This.
IOT Chat is where current games go to die. I am loathe to actually discuss IOT in the chat, because next thing I know, I no longer care about what I'm working on and want to jump ship to a different style of game.
WhiteRobber
Twinkle twinkle Wunderbar
Also, the Three Rules of Successful IOT making:
1) Do not be Chester.
2) Do not take ideas from Chester.
3) Do not allow Chester to play.
1) Do not be Chester.
2) Do not take ideas from Chester.
3) Do not allow Chester to play.
Mosher
Mushroom dad
Added to OP.
