02/04/13 - Setting the score

This post will be me working through the system figuring out what scores should affect what and using the character bios collected yesterday to help test it. Basically it's going to be me rambling to myself and hopefully coming to a logical conclusion that works to some degree. I'll make sure to point out problems i notice and any methods i come up with to fix them.

Before really starting I've already hit a problem...

Problem: If the score is used to influence the scales then an issue will arise when i need to choose which of fight or flight corresponds to the positive or negative number. It's not easy saying that running away is positive or fighting stuff is positive.

Short term Solution: Have two separate scores that kick in for the different scales. For the purposes of this test if i only include those interactions that range from fight to flight then the scores won't need to be applied to multiple scales which don't correlate. So because of these the interactions from the list i produced previously would be limited to:

• Minor Physical
• Major Physical
• Gun Aim
• Destroy/Steal
• Inappropriate action

This isn't that bad because this is actually just over half the interactions listed. For the purposes of this first trial for the numerical value of the score i'll use +1 for a more flight reaction and -1 for a more fight reaction in line with the numbers of the interactions 1 being the most aggressive and 7 being the most submissive. Starting with Ulfric's character

ULFRIC (skyrim)

Personality

• Religious +1, +0, +0
• Military trained -1, -1, -1
• Guided by honor +1, +0, +0

-Prejudice

• Prejudice against non-nords -1, -1, -1

-Fear
N/A
Reputation of player

• Kahjits are not to be trusted -1, -1,-1

Past Experience of player

• Escaped Helgen together +1, +0,+0
• Part of the stormcloak army +1, +0, +0

Environment

• Home (well guarded palace) +1, +0, +0

Relationship to player's character (Kahjit)

• Colleague +1, +0, +0

Choice Notes: The military training will give the character an impulse reaction that they are trained to have resulting in a more aggressive response.

Player: Female Kahjit Allied to the Stormcloaks, chose to go with Ulfric at the beginning of the game.


Interaction: Minor Physical

Default: Neutral 4

Expected outcome: Default. He has positive past experiences of the player which should help balance out his prejudices which are already quite passive due to his sense of honor. He isn't afraid of the playerespecially with him being on home turf which should help him feel at ease and as the player is on his side this should lessen fear as well

In theory the conflicting aspects such as the  attitude towards non-nords and the general view of kahjit's should be balanced out by the NPCs past experience of the player and their relationship.

RED: Initial score test

Personality 0
Reputation -1
Past experience +2
Environment +1
Relationship +1

Overall +3

If i used the system that the score modified the reaction by 1 notch for every positive or negative then this would lead the reaction to be +7 which is the most extreme fight reaction... for a battle hero such as Ulfric this doesn't make sense. The main problem here seems to stem from giving a plus or minus 1 to each of the attributes in the factors where some of them wouldn't make him more likely to run they just make him less likely to fight. But i can't just leave them as 0 because then there wouldn't be anything to help balance out the negative modifiers and he would just end up with a heavily aggressive reaction.

New theory... what if the aspects that are used to balance others are labeled as +0 which brings the score closer to the default?

BLUE: Modified Score 1

Personality 0
Reputation -1
Past experience +0
Environment +0
Relationship +0

Overall 0 (+2)

Using this modification does give the expected result but one of the issues which im not sure if it is an issue until i test it on another character is that the past experience section would have a double +0 as it's outcome. I'm not sure whether you'd need the double + to carry over to help balance or not... we'll see.

NEW CHARACTER

SULLY (Uncharted)
Personality

• Father Figure +0
• Military Trained -1
• Driven by money 0
• Explorer +0
• Compassionate +0
• Thief +1

-Prejudice

N/A

-Fear

N/A

Reputation of player

N/A

Past Experience of player

Over ruled by the relationship to players character

Environment

• Hostile area -1

Relationship to Players character (Nate)

• Father Figure +0

Player: Nathan Drake

Interaction: Minor Physical

Expected outcome

Choice Notes: The explorer trait will mean that Sully is used to unexpected things occurring and will help stop him from being startled. The thief trait will ad an instinct to run to avoid being caught.

Interesting point, if the players character is one that is a pre-planned and established character such as Nathan Drake, Shepard from Mass Effect and Lee from the walking dead then the past experience of the player will be over ruled by the relation ship (if it exists) 

The problem i have when applying this to Sully is that his core underlying drive is his greed but having everything equal in the personality section doesn't reflect this, now i think about it the same applies to Ulfric's sense of Honor. Maybe it would make more sense to have a bonus score added to what could be seen as the NPCs core personality trait that will always win out over others. Obviously when it comes to the fight or flight scoring Sully's greed wont affect him quite so much but it will affect Ulfric. And it's also good to note for when applying this scoring system in a slightly different way to the positive negative spectrum some of the other interactions need.



GREEN: Including Core Personality trait bonus.

Ulfric

Personality +0
Reputation -1
Past experience +0
Environment +0
Relationship +0

Overall 0 (+3)
Sully also brings up the point of what personality traits should be considered for each spectrum. His greed wont play a part in his reaction to being punched so surely it wouldn't score at all? Giving it a value of 0 would effectively discount the trait for this spectrum.

PURPLE: Excluding traits that have no influence on the interation

Sully

Personality +0
Reputation N\A
Past Experience N/A
Environment -1

Relationship +0

Overall 0 (+1)

Continue tomorrow...