Newsgroups: rec.arts.int-fiction
Path: gmd.de!nntp.gmd.de!Germany.EU.net!EU.net!howland.reston.ans.net!noc.near.net!viewlog.viewlogic.com!allen
From: allen@viewlogic.com (Dave Allen)
Subject: Re: Module for making knowledge-based NPCs? Anyone?
Message-ID: <Cp6Dpp.Av6@viewlogic.com>
Sender: news@viewlogic.com
Nntp-Posting-Host: hex
Organization: Viewlogic Systems Inc.
Date: Mon, 2 May 1994 12:37:00 GMT
Lines: 36

Hi all.

Fredrik Ekman (d91fe@krokis.pt.hk-r.se) wrote:
> A while ago there was a thread about making NPCs with knowledge in
> the form of facts and rules. The fact database could be increased
> as the NPC discovered more exciting things about his surroundings.
> There was an example about a troll eating a rabbit, if that helps
> someone's memory.

David Whitten (whitten@netcom.com) replied:
> I think you are mixing threads. We had one about making smarter NPC's.
> I seem to remember there is some TADS code that maintained a 'database'
> about things that various NPC's knew, but I don't remember anything
> about them learning.  There was mention that the code would keep track
> of which facts the NPC's had told a player.

The TADS module for maintaining a database about facts is in the if-archive,
ftp.gmd.de: if-archive/programming/tads/examples, file askabout.zip.  It
only stores static bits of information, and allows NPCs to respond usefully
to questions of the form ASK BOB ABOUT ROCK.

Fredrik's recollection is correct.  The example about the troll and the rabbit
involved something like the following dialog:

   The troll says, "Me hungry."
   > TELL TROLL TO EAT TOASTER
   The troll attempts to eat the toaster.  It grunts, "That not food!"
   > TELL TROLL TO EAT RABBIT
   "Me no trust you!"  The troll eats you.
   *** You have died. ***

Fredrik, the answer is sadly that nobody has written a knowledge based NPC,
though probably everybody on this group would register a shareware game
which had one and the author would be forever famous :-).

- Dave Allen: allen@viewlogic.com
