So how should NPCs react to other NPC deaths?
obviously, this is implying that they will react at all, but what should they do?
should they come to the aid of some, and run away from others? maybe even come to YOUR aid?
should they loot the body before you get to it?
should they call the police or keep it quiet?
discuss.

is the npc being killed asking for it, and is the witness a whiney [censored]?

All the options you said and maybe more

I think it should depend on what faction they belong to. Social factions should be included maybe?

For example, if a person belonging to the high class faction saw some one from the beggar faction die, he/she might just walk on by and pretend it never happened, but if it was some one belonging to his own faction or an aligned faction he might fight or report the murder depending on his own aggresion level.

However I'm more concerned about social aspects of crimes, maybe they could include gossip between NPC's that are only active once X variable has happened. I hated the way you could murder some one in Oblivion and nobody would bat an eye lid unless it was a quest (for example, killing the Altmer drug addict for the DB would effect his wife's dialogue responses)

It would be cool if people would be like OH GOD THERE IS A BODY HERE then guards come and take the corpse to a morgue.

ok, so the PC is covered in blood and is strolling along a nice dirt road in one of the sprawling cities of skyrim. After his recent run in a daedric ruin just over the hill, he's returned to sell the fruits of his adventuring. However, when he was examining the stalls along the bustling street, a small dirty looking rogue rips away a golden cup out of his pack. The little thief runs away with stolen goods into an alley between two medium sized houses. The PC follows close behind and, when they reach the alley, reveals an axe so large, it couldn't possible have been hidden on his person. In one smooth hit, he strikes down the thief, but in his rage, he had not noticed a promiscuous argonian maid bringing refuse to the dump in the back. would you rather she:

A: continues to take out the trash
B: attack the PC
C: cleans the PC's spear
D: runs away and alerts a guard

Stand on his corpse: "I saw a mudcrab the other day..." :facepalm:

Seriously though, I hope to see the Radiant AI really shining in this game; where npc's will actually respond more naturally and behave as a person who just found a dead guy lying facedown in a pool of blood and not act as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened.

So fainting, running, screaming, fleeing, drawing weapons, calling the guards and more. In short, get some really dynamic and varied reactions going.

A few factors, Jim's disposition to the deceased, Jim's disposition to player (eg: a duel to determine rank in Fighter's Guild, Jim likes corpse 85, likes player 75, won't fight or run, just accepts outcome), Jim's skill check vs player, are guards in los? and lots more. But ya, if my player invades a noble's home and kills the master, should all the other members attack me? Not automatically no.

oh, sorry, the title was a joke
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJQwHwP0ojI

lol no I got that, but it just made it easier then npc A and npc B etc

Their reactions should be based upon their responsibility stat, disposition to that character, standing with the guards, and other such factors. Basically, a crazed murderer wouldn't even flinch.

I see, sorry
lol


this makes me think that they could add a new sort of stat to characters
it would act sort of like a mini description, but it would say things like "this NPC is brave" or "this NPC is prone to rage"
if you've ever played Dwarf Fortress, I guess would be the closest system I can think of
"this NPC is a liar" "this NPC hates argonians"
a system like that, I feel, could be really handy if implemented well.

Depends on the situation. It would be nice if you do kill someone secretly and an NPC discovers the body, they scream and call for the guards, then a few guards keep other NPCs back and examine the body and talk to the witness for an hour or so before moving it to the morge. Meanwhile, a lot of other NPCs gather around and spread rumours about what might have happened. Whereas, if someone starts a fight with you and gets cut down, they just talk to you and to witnesses and haul the body away, and the rubbernecker conversations are about the fight in general terms. Or, if you cut someone down in cold blood in front of a crowd, then manage to hide near the crime scene to observe, you would see them talking about the murder and putting a bounty on you (and if anyone spotted you again, it would cause mass panic and the guards would attack or demand your surrender). Same would go for NPC fights; NPCs might surrender to the guards after a fight depending on their personality and likelihood of beating the guards.

This

Well if she is promiscuous.. I think there is room for a E and F option there. The filthy minx lizard.

Given the 4 options D sounds the most reasonable. In which case I'd have to cleave her up too.... or something involving cleavage.

Depending on the person it should be different. If they like you and hate the other person, their responsibility, if the other person wronged you or not, and many other things should be a factor in the AI's decision on what to do about it.

Picked not at all just to spite your poll :tongue:

I chose other, it depends on how they feel about that person or faction imo. I definitely think they should react in some way if they saw it and corpses should disappear etc. after awhile.

Rofl, I enjoy this statement. :rofl:

:laugh:
well done
but yes, that's what I would have picked as well
ok, here's the next scenario:
A local noble has asked the PC to steal a ring from the son of another noble who plans to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage. He does not want to see the two married, so he figures that if the boy lost the ring, he would be too afraid to tell his parents that he lost it, and he surely can't marry the daughter without a ring! So, the PC being quite the crafty fellow, was recruited to retrieve the ring. However, the PC was in a hurry that day, something about a dragon attack on Winterhold, so when he returned he slammed a severed hand on the table, which bore the lovely ring, slightly tinted with blood.
"You monster!" the noble cried, "I didn't tell you to kill the man! Murderer! Get out of my house, you will get NOTHING!"
However, the PC felt he did an honest job, and completed the task to the best of his ability. Seeing as he could either spend half an hour debating ethics with the man, or just TAKE his reward, the choice was pretty clear. A dai katana taller than the PC himself slid out of a sheath entirely disproportionate and slashed across the table, spilling the noble's blood all over the floral print curtains. However, there was a second man in the room, a body guard. He had been loyal to the noble for years and was frozen, seeing him slashed down so mercilessly. While the PC proceeds to strip the noble of all his belongings, he has his back turned to the guard. The guard thumbs his steel shortsword and cautiously eyes the ajar door. Does he:

A: Attempt to kill the PC
B: Run for all he's worth and not tell anyone
C: find the noble's daughter and go fetch a guard
D: offer the PC his services in return for the sparing of his life and the daughter's

Depends on a lot of factors. If I had to simplify, I'd say they should react like they do in Assassin's Creed.

I'm just really surprised that there were actually 4 people who selected they don't want the NPC's to do anything... You can sort of tell the people who have a confusion at the concept of a role-playing game here, and it really scares me that some of these people are part of this community and that bethesda might have ANY concern WHATSOEVER in satisfying their gaming needs...

I think they may have simply chose it because I pointed out no one would choose it
well, 3/4 anyway

I said Skill Check. If its a big warrior, and he sees me kill somebody, and hes the 'just' kind of warrior, then he would try to get me. But if he was a thief, obviously he wouldnt try to fight, and probably wouldnt go for the guards. If it's just a commoner, then its time for the guards

@kyle, this is entirely unrelated, but your sig reminds me of a joke I once heard
So a woman is sitting at home watching TV when her show is interrupted
"Breaking news, a single car is causing mayhem and havok by driving down the wrong side of the road on the interstate."
she realizes that her husband is driving home on that highway, so she decides to call his cellphone and warn him
"dear! you need to watch out! a maniac is driving on the wrong side of the road on the highway you're on!"
to which her husband replies


but anyway, back on topic
I think it would be possible to have a sort of stat that describes their bravery/conditional reaction to fighting and murdering