Video game development is all about budgeting available resources. With 16 GB of RAM in both next gen systems, I have been allocating ~5 GB for all long term NPC data. This would include their names, positions, and a large amount of data describing their memories and thoughts. These are complex individuals.
100,000 NPCs was my target. 1,000,000 if I could really optimize things.
That would be 100x or 1,000x the amount of NPCs included in most RPGs!!! So why did I need to change it? My map is ~20,000 times larger than most RPGs...
Oceans, deserts, and other sparsely inhabited regions would help keep my cities densely populated but in general The Forged Kingdoms would appear to have less NPCs than Skyrim or BOTW.
So I'm overhauling the system ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ No longer will every NPC be individually simulated 100% of the time, even though that was pretty cool. (will still feel like that from the player perspective).
100,000 NPCs was my target. 1,000,000 if I could really optimize things.
That would be 100x or 1,000x the amount of NPCs included in most RPGs!!! So why did I need to change it? My map is ~20,000 times larger than most RPGs...
Oceans, deserts, and other sparsely inhabited regions would help keep my cities densely populated but in general The Forged Kingdoms would appear to have less NPCs than Skyrim or BOTW.
So I'm overhauling the system ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ No longer will every NPC be individually simulated 100% of the time, even though that was pretty cool. (will still feel like that from the player perspective).
