Character Studies: Non-Player Characters

If the player character is the player’s portal into the game world, giving life to the code and impetus to the fiction, then non-player characters, also known as NPC’s, are what the player interacts with. NPC’s serve to bring a semblance of life to the world of a videogame and provide ways for the player to engage within the fiction. Without NPC’s most games would fall flat. More often than not NPC’s are a way for the developer to insert their force into the game. Win-states are used as a ludic method of creating player investment; for narrative momentum developers utilize NPC’s. Some villager needs your help or the main villain has just taunted you over the radio, for example. The use and implication of NPC’s is vast and for that reason they play an integral part to the ever expanding field of videogames.

 There are three main types of non-player character; allied with the player, against the player, or neutral. Those allied with the player can range from a nameless helpful AI to a fully fledged companion character. Often of greater narrative significance allied NPC’s are subject to greater character development than their counterparts. Facelessness along with namelessness is a plague upon the opposing and neutral NPC’s in videogames. Because their narrative significance is often very little, development beyond the bare minimum is not given. Then again, it is often not required. Players do not care for the story behind the actions of the cannon fodder; they are there for the purpose of being a standard level of engagement for the player, the basic enemy that serves only as gameplay lengthening obstacles or the shop owner that buys and sells equipment to the player character. These NPC’s represent the lowest level of engagement that the player has with the game world and for that reason they are subject to facelessness and namelessness. 

However, just as allied NPC’s can be subject to character development and narrative significance so to can neutral and opposition NPC’s.  The method for developing a complex NPC of narrative and ludic significance is the same for all NPC’s no matter which category they belong. Complex NPC’s have much in common with a developer-made-character for a player character. They are both conceptualized and then given form within the game world by the developer of the game. Any narrative significance they have is assigned to them by the development team. The greatest difference being that ultimately a complex NPC will remain subject to the will of the developer. Yet, that allows for complex NPC’s to provide engagement to the player in ways that common nameless NPC’s could not. Complex NPC’s will often have their own animations, dialogue, in game scripting and even differing game play options for the player. With the inclusion of complex NPC’s the developer is able to change, differentiate and reinvent the common type of engagement present within their game thereby creating a more fun and varied experience for the player.

The development of complex NPC’s is the same no matter their category; however the narrative and ludic engagement provided by NPC’s to the player is affected by their category and alignment towards or against the player. An ally NPC will not feature the same functionalities of an enemy NPC. Those in opposition to the player provide drama to the narrative thereby giving context to the gameplay. ‘Shoot these characters because they are established within the game’s fiction as being evil’. Neutral NPC’s provide very nearly the opposite in terms of engagement. ‘Do not shoot these characters because they are established within the game’s fiction as being neutral’. Only allied NPC’s allow for a more dynamic dialogue to happen in terms of engagement. ‘Fight with these characters because they are established within the game’s fiction as being good’. That ‘fight with’ dialogue can be and is used to build relationships over time between the player, player character and non-player character. Narratives in games are often built around that relationship. There is drama inherent in conflict, and that drama is only increased by focusing the conflict with strongly developed ally, enemy and neutral NPC’s. They allow for player engagement with the narrative and create a context for the gameplay. 

Non-player characters are so common place in videogames that it is easy to over look their importance. Sometimes they serve an important role to the narrative or gameplay, other times they are just cannon fodder, but no matter the type or complexity most all videogames would be incomplete without NPC’s. Developers can assert their narrative force through use of an NPC, providing drama and context for the gameplay. Player engagement can be varied and challenged with proper use of NPC’s. From both a narrative and ludic standpoint NPC’s are as invaluable to modern day games as the player themselves.