Ah man, I hope there is something in the code to at the very least let them pick from a random ambition somewhat like sims, something that correlates to their skills.

Mayhap a roulette that sets their personality as an NPC & limits ambition or goal options to ones that correlate to skills or their parents professions, etc.

It would make the world just that bit more alive. I could see why they wouldn't, it would be resource intensive & a tad stressful to debug, but if they could make it work that would be next level.

Alternatively, they could model after PCs they interact with frequently. Parents are avid blacksmiths? Now kiddo is, too, though they're an NPC. Could be a bit simpler if it was just who they spent most time around.

We'll see, either way. I'll stalk this thread, see if a blue reply ever pops up >.>

there hair turns ginger coloured

As far as guiding them toward a specific profession, id have to dig a little but im at work.

In short though, child npcs can be locked by you, so only someone with the child code can spark into them. Alternately you can leave them unlocked and any random person can spark into them as they would a normal npc.

As long as they are an npc they will act as other npcs, learn a craft or w.e and attempt to fulfill their basic needs.

It was said in Q&As that players would be able to guide the interests of their children up until adulthood. Beyond that point, they develop on their own and begin to pursue their own goals as NPCs.

Children that don't get sparked into by players that have their codes don't "become" NPCs. They always were NPCs and simply don't change from there to something else.

And yes, ideally, any NPC in CoE has his own personality, goals, skills etc. We never saw the AI for CoE in action till now. What we heard about the target AI is amazing and will make CoE a truly amazing game if it gets delivered. We'll see if it does.

That's going to be amazing if they pull this off... just how the AI of NPCs can be lead or trained in a direction but then they can end up with completely random, unexpected scripting, and destinies of their own would change gaming as we know it.

I mean this takes "I used to be an adventurer like you" to a completely higher dimension of personality for what used to be 'no name' NPCs or guards!

Makes me wonder if you might be able to influence guards by giving them free handouts (not gold/bribes but like free pastry or oil to shine armor) to keep a good eye on say your store at night or change their patrol routes in the city to 'hang out' at your inn/bar

They will become NPCs and they will have a will of their own, they might plot to kill you and steal your things.