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[denzgd]

I've been looking into social simulation recently, trying to get a sense of how they try to encourage deeper character interaction. With visual novels, character development seems to happen often as the result of just choosing the right dialogue options in the right order. Rune Factory is all about talking to characters regularly and giving them gifts. It seems like a caricature of interaction between two people, though. Preset phrases and gift-giving is not at all how conversation works IRL. While I understand it needs to be simplified, since it's a game, I wonder if there are ways to improve the formula, to offer a more engaging experience.

What sort of things can we do to make character interaction more valuable and engaging? Any of you guys work on any games like that, or have any ideas?

[gimymblert]

https://emshort.wordpress.com/category/conversation-modeling/

Start with older post, adapt from the original format to your custom technique, a lot of advice told there is actually format agnostic. Look for older first and work your way up.

Also all gdc vault lecture to 2014 are now free
http://www.gdcvault.com/free
filter by category, you will find relevant in game narrative (obviously) but also AI, design, production and visual arts!

There is numerous article on gamasutra too
http://www.gamasutra.com/category/design/

Games relevant to the question are:
https://promweek.soe.ucsc.edu/
https://emshort.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/versu-conversation-implementation/
http://www.interactivestory.net/ (look for the paper)
http://gameai.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Sims (obviously)

Myself have a simple model based on a "formal meter", ie you start as "stranger" and can end up "intimate", each stage build up through interactions until a lock, the lock is resolved through "ritual" (break the ice) that allow moving to the next "formal" stage and specific to that transition level. Affinity is independent as you can be "intimate enemy". Interaction are process through a filter that is "standards" (character's moral compass, evaluate actions) that change depend on "context" (based on a double scale of public space (mall) vs intimate space (toilet) and formal space (work) vs private (home) space yield different result). Standard strength are also modulate by "preferences" (evaluation of attributes) and "personality" traits (responses to events).

From a code point, actions are actually code object that take characters (as data) as inputs into its slots to process the events which is broadcast to all relevant objects (generally inside a room) to let them react back. It allow you to add events and actions agnostic to character, it allow too have specific actions depending on context. Character select actions based on affordances like in the sims.


Ultimately it will depends on the type of game you will make, so the main question are: what is the main progression of the game? what is the function of social within the gameplay? it will shape your requirement

[SousaVilla]

You could just play Emily Short games and have a bunch of ideas, if you don't wanna read all that now. Try Galatea.

[gimymblert]

http://www.cs.northwestern.edu/~forbus/c95-gd/lectures/The_Sims_Under_the_Hood_files/v3_document.htm

[starsrift]

I think before you talk about creating complexity in social simulation, you have to enumerate what you want to use that complexity for.

Additional complexity always calls for more content creation, the bane of indie devs, so you need to be really specific as to why you want it.

[Jordgubben]

And complexity is also "expensive" for the player. Lot's of rules and stuff to learn is rarely an interesting goal in it self.  What you really want is depth, which may require some complexity. So pick a subset of social interaction and focus on that.

[denzgd]

The main project I'm working on right now is basically a social sim stuffed inside an adventure game. The mechanics of the social sim tie into the story, and you get more and more information about what's going on in the game as you develop relationships with its characters. It also unlocks new areas to explore, and sweet-ass character outfits!

But I'm unsure if my system is deep enough and engaging. I definitely agree that I don't want to make it too complex, because the player is also going to be focused on exploring and solving puzzles, but I still want it to be a major part of the game. Plus, character interaction is the way to get even the most basic information, so while I want there to be depth to the player's options, I don't want it to interfere with regular play. Like, I don't want them to just be talking to random NPCs, and thinking "Oh god, do I really have to do all this just to ask which way the restaurant is?" Simple to learn, challenging to master, and not so invasive that it interferes with super basic stuff.

I really like the dialogue system in Fallout 3 and New Vegas, where it's not usually linear conversation, and you can go back to the main set of questions each time around. I think it makes gathering information easier and more interesting, because it's like you get to choose multiple dialogue options and see where all paths lead. But at the same time, there were moments that limited you to linear conversation, and you had to react accordingly.

[gimymblert]

Emily Short's article cover all your need:
especially this one https://emshort.wordpress.com/how-to-play/writing-if/my-articles/conversation/