How Skyrim's NPCs Organize the Open World Experience

Summary

This video script explores the strategic use of NPC dialogue in 'The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim', contrasting it with traditional Japanese RPGs. The speaker delves into the challenges of analyzing NPC speech in Skyrim's expansive world and discusses the game's unique methods for guiding players, such as event-based clustering and diffuse funneling. The script also highlights the artfulness of NPC interactions, which serve both practical and storytelling purposes, contributing to the game's immersive world-building.

Takeaways

• 📚 The video discusses the use of NPC dialogue in 'Skyrim', contrasting it with traditional Japanese RPGs.
• 🔍 The speaker's method involves collecting dialogue from every NPC in a game, which is more challenging in 'Skyrim' due to the vast number of NPCs and their varying dialogue based on game progression.
• 🌐 The script highlights the importance of NPC dialogue in providing an organizational framework for players in an open-world game, helping to alleviate choice paralysis.
• 🏙️ The analysis focuses on the initial state of 'Skyrim', with dialogue collected from major cities to represent a significant sample of the game's NPCs.
• 🗣️ Dialogue is categorized based on topics and purposes, with 'zone dialogue' being common and repeated across NPCs within the same geographic area.
• 🎭 The video identifies 'event-based clustering' and 'diffuse funneling' as two strategies used in 'Skyrim' to guide players through the game world and its narrative.
• 🤝 'Event-based clustering' brings NPCs together for story events, introducing players to important characters and future quest lines.
• 🔄 'Diffuse funneling' spreads NPCs across the world to guide players towards specific locations or factions, such as the Bard's College or the College of Winterhold.
• 🎨 The script appreciates the artistry in NPC dialogue that contributes to world-building and storytelling, beyond just serving gameplay mechanics.
• 👥 The video mentions the large team involved in creating the NPCs of 'Skyrim', emphasizing the significance of NPCs in the game's design and storytelling.
• 👻 The script concludes by acknowledging the strengths of 'Skyrim' in NPC design, despite the game's other criticisms and imperfections.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video on NPC dialogue in Skyrim?

The main focus of the video is to analyze the use of NPC dialogue in Skyrim, particularly in the context of its open-world, non-linear RPG structure, and how it differs from linear Japanese RPGs.

Why is it more difficult to collect all NPC dialogue in Skyrim compared to older RPGs?

It is more difficult due to the vast number of NPCs, some of whom are hard to find, appear only at certain times or places, or only interact with the player after specific quests are completed. Additionally, dialogue can vary based on the player's progress and attributes.

What method did the author use to study NPC dialogue in Skyrim?

The author started a fresh game as a level 1 character with average stats and skills, avoiding specialization in speech, and collected dialogue data from major cities in Skyrim, focusing on the initial state of the world.

What is 'zone dialogue' and why is it significant in Skyrim?

Zone dialogue refers to repeated phrases that are specific to a geographic zone rather than the individual NPC. It is significant because it is common and helps new players find important amenities in the city, but it is counted only once per topic to avoid skewing the analysis.

How do open-world RPGs use NPCs to address the 'open world problem' and the 'RPG problem'?

Open-world RPGs use NPCs to provide an organizational framework, guiding players to quests, shops, dungeons, loot, and resources. This helps prevent choice paralysis and ensures players can find content appropriate for their level.

What are the two main strategies Skyrim uses for transmitting information through NPCs?

The two main strategies are event-based clustering and diffuse funneling. Event-based clustering gathers NPCs for story events, introducing important characters, while diffuse funneling spreads NPCs across the world to guide the player towards specific locations or factions.

Can you explain the concept of 'event-based clustering' in Skyrim?

Event-based clustering refers to instances where multiple NPCs come together for a story event, such as Rogbir's execution in Solitude. This strategy allows the player to meet important characters all at once and helps structure their gameplay.

What is 'diffuse funneling' and how does it work in Skyrim?

Diffuse funneling is a strategy where NPCs spread across the world guide the player towards a single point, such as the Bard's College or the College of Winterhold. This helps direct the player and connect them to quest chains and factions.

How do 'talky quests' in Skyrim contribute to the player's experience?

Talky quests are simple errands that put the player in front of quest chains or networks of important NPCs. They are designed to be easily discoverable and help the player navigate the game world while providing quest rewards.

What is the purpose of 'Dunsel NPCs' in Skyrim and how do they differ from other NPCs?

Dunsel NPCs are characters designed to make the world seem real through their dialogue, but they do not offer interactive menus for quests or transactions. They serve a decorative purpose, adding depth to the game's storytelling and world-building.

How does Skyrim's use of NPC dialogue demonstrate the game's strengths in world-building and storytelling?

Skyrim's use of NPC dialogue shows its strengths by creating a persuasive world with elaborate networks of NPCs that accomplish various game design goals. The dialogue ranges from guiding the player through the world to adding depth and color to the game's narrative.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Exploring NPC Dialogue in Skyrim: Methodology and Challenges

The script introduces a video series examining the use of non-player character (NPC) dialogue in the open-world RPG game Skyrim, contrasting it with linear Japanese RPGs. The author outlines their methodology, which involves collecting dialogue from every NPC in a representative state of the game world. This approach is necessitated by the vast number of NPCs, their varying locations and times of appearance, and the dynamic nature of their dialogue based on the player's progress and attributes. The summary emphasizes the impracticality of collecting all dialogue but argues that studying NPCs in a single state can reveal important trends.

05:01

🕵️‍♂️ The Role of NPCs in Structuring Open World RPGs

This paragraph delves into the challenges faced by players in open world RPGs, such as choice paralysis and the difficulty of finding content appropriate for their character's level. It explains how NPCs in Skyrim serve to provide an organizational framework, guiding players to quests, shops, dungeons, and other points of interest. The video discusses two main strategies used by Skyrim's NPCs for conveying information: event-based clustering, where NPCs gather for story events, and diffuse funneling, where NPCs spread across the world guide the player towards specific locations or factions. These strategies help to mitigate the open world and RPG problems by providing structure and guidance to players.

10:02

🎭 Artistry in NPC Design: Plausibility and World-Building

The script highlights the artfulness of NPC design in Skyrim, focusing on how NPCs are used to create a persuasive world and advance the game's narrative. It contrasts the clumsy use of NPCs for directing players to the College of Winterhold with more plausible encounters that integrate seamlessly into the game world. The summary discusses 'talky quests' that lead players to new NPCs and quest chains in a natural way, as well as the use of NPCs to make the world feel alive through interactions like playing tag with children or witnessing unique events like the one in Riften.

15:03

🏰 Skyrim's Persuasive World and the Function of Dunsel NPCs

This paragraph explores the concept of 'dunsel' NPCs in Skyrim—characters who exist solely to make the game world feel real and lived-in, without offering interactive dialogue options. The summary explains how these NPCs contribute to the game's storytelling and world-building, providing a level of immersion that differs from previous Elder Scrolls games. It also discusses the importance of these characters in creating a persuasive setting, even if they do not offer practical rewards or advance the player's stats.

20:04

🎨 Artistic Expression Through NPCs: Unique Interactions and Storytelling

The final paragraph celebrates the unique artistic contributions of NPCs in Skyrim, showcasing how they can convey complex narratives and emotions in ways that other media cannot. The summary highlights specific examples, such as the eerie normalcy of Hroger in Morthal following a tragic event, and how the freedom of the player to interact with the world around them enhances the storytelling experience. It concludes by acknowledging the extensive effort and resources dedicated to creating the NPCs in Skyrim, emphasizing their importance to the game's design and immersion.

Keywords

💡NPC Dialogue

NPC Dialogue refers to the conversations that non-player characters (NPCs) have with the player character in a video game. In the context of the video, it is the primary method by which the game 'Skyrim' conveys information, guides the player, and builds a rich game world. The script discusses the importance of NPC dialogue in setting the tone, providing quests, and creating a sense of immersion in the game.

💡Open World RPG

An Open World RPG is a genre of role-playing video games where the player can explore a large, open environment with various quests and activities. The video focuses on 'Skyrim' as an example of this genre, discussing the unique challenges and design solutions related to the open world, such as player choice and content accessibility.

💡Event-Based Clustering

Event-Based Clustering is a game design strategy where NPCs gather for a particular event, which helps to introduce the player to important characters and questlines. The script uses 'Rogbir's execution' in Solitude as an example of this strategy, illustrating how it helps structure the player's experience and provides a network of connections for them to follow.

💡Diffuse Funneling

Diffuse Funneling is another game design strategy where NPCs spread across the game world guide the player towards a specific location or quest. The script mentions how NPCs direct players to the Bards College or the College of Winterhold, forming a 'funnel' that leads the player to new experiences and quest chains.

💡Zone Dialogue

Zone Dialogue refers to the repeated phrases or information that NPCs provide, which is specific to a geographic zone in the game. The script explains that while these dialogues are common and can be seen as a form of direction spread out over a zone, they are not counted separately in the analysis because they are the same from person to person.

💡Quest Chains

Quest Chains are a series of quests in a game that are interconnected and usually tell a larger story or contribute to the game's narrative. The video discusses how NPCs in 'Skyrim' are used to introduce and continue quest chains, providing structure and narrative depth to the player's journey.

💡Choice Paralysis

Choice Paralysis, also known as analysis paralysis, is a phenomenon where players are overwhelmed by too many choices and struggle to make decisions. The script mentions this as a common issue in open world games, where the vast possibilities can hinder player engagement unless structured guidance is provided.

💡Level Up System

A Level Up System is a game mechanic where a player's character becomes stronger and gains new abilities as they progress through the game. The script discusses how this system can create organizational challenges in open world RPGs, as players may encounter content that is too difficult for their current level.

💡Plausibility

Plausibility in game design refers to the believability of interactions and events within the game world. The script highlights the importance of creating plausible encounters and dialogues for NPCs to enhance the game's immersive quality and to make the player's experience more natural and engaging.

💡Dunsel NPCs

Dunsel NPCs are characters in the game that serve primarily as decoration, contributing to the world's atmosphere without offering interactive dialogue options or quests. The script points out that these NPCs are a step towards a more Japanese style of dialogue and help create a persuasive world by making it seem more alive with their presence and commentary.

💡Idiosyncratic Storytelling

Idiosyncratic Storytelling refers to unique and unconventional narrative techniques that may not fit traditional storytelling formats but are effective within the context of a video game. The script provides examples from 'Skyrim', such as the game of tag with children or the eerie interaction with Hroger in Morthal, which add depth and uniqueness to the game's narrative.

Highlights

The video explores the use of NPC dialogue in Skyrim, contrasting it with linear Japanese RPGs.

Skyrim's open world and non-linear nature present unique challenges for NPC dialogue collection compared to older RPGs.

The vast number of NPCs in Skyrim and their varying dialogue based on player actions make comprehensive data collection impractical.

The study focuses on the initial state of Skyrim for NPC dialogue analysis to represent the game's world effectively.

The player's race and attributes influence the type of dialogue received from NPCs, affecting the study's approach.

Dialogue is categorized by topics and zones to analyze the trends in NPC interactions.

Zone dialogue is common and repetitive across NPCs, suggesting a shared information system rather than individual events.

Open world RPGs face the challenge of 'choice paralysis' for new players, which NPC dialogue helps mitigate.

NPCs in Skyrim provide an organizational framework guiding players to quests, shops, and other important locations.

Event-based clustering and diffuse funneling are two strategies used in Skyrim for NPC dialogue to guide players.

In-game events like Rogbir's execution serve as clustering points, introducing players to key NPCs and quests.

Informal clustering at inns offers recurring opportunities for players to engage with multiple NPCs and quests.

Diffuse funneling uses scattered NPCs to direct players towards specific locations or factions.

Skyrim's NPCs are designed with both practical gameplay functions and storytelling in mind.

The game employs 'talky' quests to naturally introduce players to quest chains and important NPCs.

Dunsel NPCs contribute to world-building without offering interactive dialogue options.

Skyrim's artistry in NPC design allows for unique interactions and storytelling not possible in other mediums.

The game's development involved a large team of writers, dialogue editors, and audio professionals to create its NPCs.

Despite criticism, Skyrim's NPC systems are a strength, showcasing elaborate and clever design for organizing the open world.

Transcripts

this is bonus video number two on the

use of npc dialogue in skyrim for the

main video on npc irony i spent most of

my time on linear japanese rpgs because

they're my specialty for this video i

wanted to step out of my comfort zone a

little bit and look at an open world

non-linear rpg

we're going to start with a look at my

methods as i think they help to explain

my goal in this video and the most

important differences between a game

like skyrim and the squaresoft classics

normally when i look at statistical

trends in npc speech in a game i talk to

every npc and get every piece of

dialogue they have for a snes or ps1 era

rpg that's a practical possibility in

skyrim it's significantly more difficult

the first reason for that difficulty is

that there are vastly more npcs in

skyrim than in any of the golden age

squaresoft games some of those npcs can

also be difficult to find a few move

through a large geographical area some

of those only appear in certain places

at certain times

and there is also a large number of npcs

that only appear or only talk to you

after certain quests or quest chains

have been completed to add to that the

dialogue of any given npc might vary

greatly across the course of the game as

the player completes quests and gains

attributes like a higher speech skill or

various faction alliances

this makes it so that retrieving all the

npc dialogue for the whole game is not

the most practical task but i feel that

we can still learn most of the important

things we need to know about skyrim's

npcs by studying them in a single

representative state thus this video is

based on the initial state of the world

of skyrim to collect nbc dialogue i

began a fresh game as a level 1

character with average stats and average

skills

i deliberately avoided specializing in

speech and picked the imperial race

option to minimize the number of adverse

reactions i would get from npcs the

imperial faction is mostly neutral with

other races but some storm cloak npcs

started with a lower disposition towards

my character than normal

for the most part the type of dialogue i

received was not much affected by my

character build

i collected the dialogue data only from

the major cities of skyrim whiterun

faulk wreath solitude

windhelm

dawnstar northall

riften

winterhold

and mark harth this i felt gave me a

large enough sample size to extrapolate

the important trends to nvcs all over

skyrim

although there are some moderately sized

towns with significant npc populations

there are fewer towns than there are

cities and the cities have far more

people in them maybe not winterhold but

that depends on how you count the npcs

in the mages college

within cities i itemized dialogue

according to new topics when approaching

an npc in a snes era squaresoft game the

player usually has no control over what

the topic of conversation will be in a

few cases that's true of skyrim as well

but most of the time the player has

several topics to pick from when talking

to a skyrim npc

i counted each of these as a separate

bit of npc dialogue except when multiple

options had the same endpoint not every

speech option is a separate topic

sometimes the player reaches a branching

point within a topic but every answer to

the given branches is on the same topic

and elicits the same npc reaction

but many npcs have multiple dialogue

options that fall into different

categories

for example many city dwellers have some

kind of local direction dialogue which

helps new arrivals to the city find its

important amenities

plenty

i'd say we're prosperous enough most

folk don't go hungry if they're willing

to work hard the city's ruled by the

yarl up in dragon's reach that's the

fortress there up on the tall hill

but you're probably more interested in

your vascular mead hall of the

companions

i call these repeated phrases zone

dialogue as it is particular to a

geographic zone rather than to the voice

of the npc that speaks it indeed zone

dialogue is so common that if i were to

record each instance as a direction

dialog a graph of them would be

overwhelmingly skewed towards the

direction category

and to some degree that would be an

accurate representation of the game but

the fact that zone dialogue is exactly

the same from person to person means

that these direction dialogues aren't

really separate events

rather we can think of them as a kind of

blanket direction spread out over a zone

like a city or even in some cases the

whole of skyrim

therefore most of the data you will see

in graphs is from the city dwelling npcs

of skyrim unique to one or two

characters

only counted once per topic or purpose

rather than once per dialogue branch

but at the same time i'm not only

interested in quantitative data as we'll

see skyrim trends overwhelmingly towards

elaboration about place and directions

to complete a quest that could seem a

little boring it gets interesting when

we look at how those things happen and

why

open world rpgs present two major

problems to players entering them

problems which the designer must

anticipate

the problems are right there in the name

of the genre the first is the open world

problem and the second is the rpg

problem

in a genre where a player can go

virtually anywhere at any time

brand new players are met with too many

choices

this can cause what game designers call

choice paralysis or analysis paralysis

not everyone experiences this some genre

veterans are extremely self-directed but

for the majority of players a little bit

of optional structure helps them to

enjoy the freedom of the open world the

second primary problem is the rpg

problem

as i have said many times in my research

the design feature that separated the

rpg from its war game ancestors is the

level up in any game with a progressive

level up system the player needs to be

able to go to new places and do new

things that were impossible for lower

level characters

but in an open world context this can

create organizational problems as

players can wander into content which is

inappropriate for their current level

that kind of danger is essential for

both the open world and rpg aspects of

the game but new players can be

frustrated if they don't know how or

where to find content that is

appropriate for their characters level

this is where skyrim's npcs come in the

primary function of npc's in an open

world game is to provide an

organizational framework to tell the

player where things like quests quest

givers shops dungeons loot and even

alchemy ingredients are located most

open world rpgs use their npcs this way

but some do it more artfully than others

skyrim uses two main strategies for

transmitting information through the

npcs that inhabit its cities and some of

its villages the first is event-based

clustering and the second is diffuse

funneling

event-based clustering is the easier one

to visualize because it basically means

that a bunch of npcs come together for a

story event

the best example is rogbir's execution

in solitude half the city is present at

the front gate when the player character

enters after the event which only takes

about a minute or so those npcs all

depart on foot at a relatively slow

speed giving the player a chance to

follow and or talk to them

but the event itself is also an

important bit of npc dialogue in this

event we learned that

imperial power is still ascendant in

solitude we also learned that the

imperials were totally surprised by the

assassination of the high king and other

important political details

similar though smaller events happen in

other cities almost always right as the

player is entering the town for the

first time

in morthal a group of citizens addresses

their ruler over some unresolved

grievances

in mark hearth a bunch of guards and

city folk gather in the marketplace

after the assassination of an important

citizen the purpose of these events is

to introduce the player to some of the

important people in the city all at once

making several future quest lines more

accessible

then later on if the player goes in

search of those npcs after they've

returned to their shops the player will

probably encounter several other nvcs

who have their own quest chains in the

end event-based clustering forms a

network of connections which the player

can follow to help structure their

playthrough of the game

while solitude mark carth and morthal

have the bigger cluster events most

cities have some version of this kind of

event on the streets of whiterun there

are a couple of loud npc discussions

which reveal the conflicts between the

grey mains and the battleborns and the

economic situation in the city the url

of solitude gives an audience which also

acts as a smaller clustering event the

earl of dawnstar does the same thing

although in a more hostile way

similarly a couple of thugs on the

streets of windhelm across the dark elf

resident of the city to illustrate the

racial tensions inflamed by stormcloak

political rhetoric because it's not our

fight hey maybe the reason these grey

skins don't help in the war is because

they're imperial spies

imperial spies you can't be serious

each of these events only brings

together a few npcs but the effect is

still similar

in every city there is also what i call

informal clustering events that happen

at certain gathering places mostly the

city in at night npcs gather at the city

inn ostensibly for socialization or

entertainment before they go to sleep

but of course we as players see through

that irony and understand that the

people at the end are there for us

most experienced rpg players know that

innkeepers offer a lot of minor quests

but because numerous npcs gather at the

end they also bring with them any quests

that they might have offered out in

their various places of employment the

inn doesn't usually offer the same

bonanza of quests that a clustering

event does the number of npcs is smaller

and the cast of npcs can vary based on

the day time of day or many other player

triggered changes in the world but the

nice thing about the informal clustering

event of the inn is that it recurs and

players will pick up on that fact

[Music]

the mirror of the event clustering

strategy is the diffuse funnel strategy

in this strategy a group of npcs is

spread out all across the world and they

funnel the player towards a single point

the best examples of this are the many

npcs who direct the player towards the

bards college or the college of

winterhold boards in the cities of

skyrim recommend going to solitude to

join the college

i'm a bard trained at the bards college

in solitude

wanderers like you should think about

applying

essentially these references form a

giant funnel moving the player towards

solitude should the player then join the

bards college they'll be connected to

all the npcs of that faction and given a

quest chain which sends them back out

into the world

a similar thing happens with references

to the college of winterhold because

there are no mage guilds in the cities

as there were in oblivion it's a little

more difficult to find information about

where to learn new magic

court wizards from whom the player buys

most of his or her magic at the

beginning of the game do make reference

to the college

but the chances of meeting a court

wizard other than fahrengar in whiterun

during the main quest are much lower

than those of meeting an innkeeper

relatively few quests direct you to talk

to a wizard it's far more likely that

the innkeeper will mention the college

instead this particular set of

directions doesn't make a ton of sense

from a storytelling perspective but its

practical functions are unaffected

various other funnels exist in the world

too pushing the player towards joining

one side of the civil war or the other

or the companions faction the companions

[Music]

these are a little more sparse than the

bards college or mages college but still

present in a few different places

even the dark brotherhood has a kind of

funnel although it is steeped in

idiosyncratic irony

innkeepers and other npcs will remark

that a child in windhelm is trying to

summon the dark brotherhood nobody seems

to believe that the child could actually

succeed but the whole conversation is

just a bit of irony for the player's

benefit although the npcs aren't sure if

the dark brotherhood is real or

concerned with the wishes of an orphan

the player will nevertheless understand

that this is an important illusion about

how to join that faction

is doing the black sacrament trying to

summon the dark brotherhood

oh grim bar always with a nonsense

because the designers of skyrim

accomplished so much through their npcs

there's a lot more to say about them

beyond the big structural ideas and

statistical analyses

much of their artfulness comes down to

how the npcs accomplish their various

ironic and narrative goals

to start i just want to consider the

topic of plausibility earlier i

mentioned that the primary funnel to the

college of winterhold is through court

wizards and innkeepers the notion that

court wizards would direct amateur mages

towards their alma mater makes total

sense the fact that innkeepers also send

the player in that direction with equal

consistency is a little stranger there

are obvious structural reasons why

innkeepers should say these things

players expect to gather practical

information from inns winterhold's

remote location presents a practical

problem thus we have a slightly artless

solution that functions well enough i

point this out only because it's a

relatively rare example of skyrim using

npcs in a clumsy way the rest of the

time the designers create more plausible

encounters one of my favorites is this

passing encounter in solitude

if you ever want to replace those old

rags stop by radiant raiment

until next time

tori the proprietor of the clothing shop

mocks the player character's choice of

garment but backpedals if the player

stops to talk with her this quest is a

great example of several clever

techniques that the designers are using

all the same time first tarry catches

the player's attention with an

unsolicited quip

then she backpedals on her insult and

offers the player a quest

that quest puts the player character in

front of the yarl who is in the middle

of an audience this is an example of a

small quest which pushes the player

towards a clustering event all of the

interactions that put the player on this

path are totally plausible that's an

example of good fiction

but this interaction is also elegant

from a mechanical perspective the quest

that puts the player in front of the url

requires no combat no speech checks and

no required items except the clothes

that the quest giver hands you at the

start

[Music]

because of all this the player can

easily discover a whole network of npcs

and quests in a totally natural way

skyrim is full of these little go talk

to x or talky quests as i call them that

put the player at the doorstep of a

quest chain or a network of important

npcs

several of the major cities have them

there are three such quests in riften

white run and solitude two such quests

and falk wreath and one each in windhelm

dawnstar and winterhold

there's a whopping four talky quests in

markarth that last point is the one that

showed me how and why these talky quests

were placed

mark hearth is the largest and most

complex city which is why there are so

many exploration based quests there

in order to help the player understand

how to navigate the city the player is

sent to do various simple errands

the errands are in a sense inappropriate

for the legendary dragonborn but they're

an excellent way to show the player

around the city while providing some

simple quest rewards along the way

skyrim does amazingly well at

accomplishing multiple practical design

goals with its npcs but much of what

npcs do is solely for the sake of

storytelling or world building the

central design pillar of skyrim is the

creation of a persuasive world but the

kind of artistry employed in npc

dialogue differs from character to

character

in addition to all of the funnels

clusters and networks in skyrim there

are also many npcs whose only job it is

to stand by and make the world seem real

i'm no one special just a miner who

swings a pickaxe for his drinking money

i call these dunsell npcs meaning

something whose only purpose is

decorative

in my analysis of the jrpg classics i

never made this distinction because the

elaboration category already serves so

well

but in skyrim there's an important

difference in the level of interactivity

these npcs offer

all quest participants and vendors in

skyrim have a small interactive menu

which pops up when the player speaks

with them the dunsal npcs lack this

although they do have plenty of dialogue

i'm on my way to solitude to join the

legion the united empire is better for

everyone and that dialogue does fall

into the normal elaboration categories

accomplishing various storytelling goals

throughout the world of skyrim if

anything these npcs are a move towards a

more japanese style of dialogue

in previous elder scrolls games almost

every npc had a menu that opened into

several dialogue options the need to

give these characters speech menu

options inadvertently led to a lot more

zone dialogue

you can see this in earlier elder

scrolls games as well as numerous other

pc rpgs in the dnd tradition

in skyrim perhaps because the developers

had more time money and memory space the

world is full of people who are just

there to make the world seem persuasive

they talk back but the player has no way

to steer the conversation with them

lastly i want to highlight a few spots

of artistry that aren't necessarily

idiosyncratic to skyrim but which are

nevertheless great examples of npcs

doing what other art forms probably

could not accomplish

the cluster event in eurovascular is a

good albeit brief example of

idiosyncratic storytelling

the event itself is a fight that breaks

out as soon as the player enters the

building

in a film we would see only the

combatants mostly head-on in shot

reverse shot

at least one of the characters would be

a main character and so the story and

camera would have to focus on the fight

but in a video game the player is

allowed to hover around the perimeter of

the fight and hear the commentary of all

the companions instead because nobody

involved in the fight is that much more

important than anyone else this freedom

suits the storytelling of the video game

medium

another idiosyncratic npc interaction

that the player can experience is a game

of tag

in several cities but most obviously in

solitude the player can enter a game of

tag with the local children and simply

play chase with them

there are plenty of chase scenes in

modern film television and even other

video games

but this interaction is different

there's no dramatic tension nor any

reward at stake

so why even put this in the game if the

goal of the designers was to offer the

player chances to level up in every

interaction this game of tag would be

superfluous but if making skyrim seem

like a persuasive setting was more

important than embedding a practical

reward in every interaction then these

games of tag make more sense this is a

chance for the player to play the role

of a benevolent hero even if nothing's

at stake

for players who only want to see their

stats go up this might be a

disappointment but for players who are

really into the role playing aspect of

the game these little bits of color make

the world feel more alive that's an

important pillar of the rpg and it

always has been

finally in morthal there is a very well

done quest that begins with a deeply

unnerving and highly idiosyncratic npc

interaction

in that city many npcs remark the recent

burning of frogger's house

the burning of the house is remarkable

in and of itself

but what really unnerves the townsfolk

is that hroger who lost his wife and

child in the blaze moves in with his new

girlfriend alva the very next day

because roger still lives in the city

players naturally want to talk to him

about the incident to see if there's

some piece of background information

they're not getting from everybody else

but harager's responses are eerie he

goes about his day with a blank affect

acting as though nothing at all is wrong

the flat affect of his responses deepens

the weirdness of the situation i won't

spoil the quests and his results but i

do want to note that we as players can

only experience this sense of weirdness

because hroger is an npc in an open

world game his responses are unnerving

that's true but more than all of that

the fact that we can just watch him go

about his life as though nothing has

happened to him really brings the

weirdness together roger is not hiding

some unspeakable grief he's hiding

something very different but that's not

something a book or film could convey in

quite the same way

skyrim has endured a lot of criticism

over the years some of it has been

warranted the game isn't perfect

many quest lines are truncated there are

lots of bugs and the main quest line is

a little uninspired but i think the game

also has lots of strengths that have

been overlooked few people really paid

attention to how elaborate and clever

the networks of npcs are and how well

they accomplish a variety of game design

goals

just to give you an idea of how much

work went into these npcs i want you to

look at how many people were employed to

make them in the making of skyrim

bethesda employed at least 8 writers 19

dialogue editors

and 17 audio professionals

also plenty of writers on game projects

are credited with the title other than

writer or editor so those numbers are

probably higher

that's at least 44 people whose job it

was to give voice to the many speaking

characters of skyrim

and that number doesn't count the game's

main design team nor any of the dozens

of voice actors who also contributed

not everyone i've counted there was

working on npcs full-time

but you do begin to get an idea of the

scope of the project

if the developers of the game knew that

npcs were important enough to dedicate

that many man hours to the project that

should tell us how much they matter to

the organization of a huge open world

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