Pet Behaviors

[Dracopsylocke1]

I'm just writing to make a few suggestions about adding certain pet behaviors that would greatly allow pets to seem more like a pet during down time or when sitting. Below state actions that would greatly personalize player's relationships with their pets including married characters.

(While Standing) Down time-When players might be purchasing items or equipment or just taking a break not doing much pets should maybe have a playful animation that activates after 90secs of no action maybe of you and your pet playing fetch or depending or play fighting.

(While Sitting) Down time/Healing-If sitting and healing your pet should stand guard facing your nearest enemy. When fully healed your pet should then sit next to you. After 20 seconds then you should begin petting your pet. Depending on the pet, after an additional 15 seconds your pet playfully could role on it's back giving you it's tummy to rub if it's a feline or Curl up next to you while you rub behind it's neck or head-piece if it's a battle bear.

Standing or Sitting near Spouse-When players are standing a certain distance from their spouse their could be a mild animation of the pet sitting next to him/her or have the two pets playing with each other. Depending on the players demeanor dictates the action. For example: If an "Evil" char is married to a char that chooses "Peace" than the peaceful pet will try to play with the evil pet and get ignored but still will persist. The action can end with the evil pet turning its back to the peaceful pet, then lay minding his own business while the peaceful pet calms to a sitting position, then laying position until players move.

*Either way, players can base behaviors on their own style of play by predetermining them with his or choice of personality selection. For example: If one chooses "Justice" or "Peace" then there pet should act accordingly. If the player chooses "Evil" then their pet should have a prankster or mischievous type temperament. Remember it's all in play and would give players even more to play for.

Some behaviors could be Quest related while others can only be bought in the online stores. Some should be acquired through Guild contributions while others can only be rewarded through special events. Either way, it would be an opportunity for players to have that special bond with their pets as well as add another aspect of fun to the game.

Well, ...let me know what you think.

Thanks.

-Dracopsylocke-

[alfredmoney]

Neat suggestion, but it'd be rather difficult to animate huge DK's and BA's rolling over and it'd be escpecially awkward for a Burning Angel to play Fetch... Still would be neat to see.

[venomeh]

Sitting Burning Angel? Nooo, Let it fly!

[Dracopsylocke]

You'd be surprise how easy to animate these simple gestures would be on a Flash based game. The difficulty would be in the tedious work behind animating the many various pets according to personalities. Trust me it is possible though, ...like all things. The question is will the concept be marketable. I think so!!! Understand, that there are versions of fetch for even a burning angel to enjoy. ...Maybe not fetch but a game of target the magical projectiles of the Mage or rocks being picked up and thrown by the Knight in a predetermined pattern and fire. Either which, the infinite possibilities of behavioral animation can be a marketable idea that will allow players to buy, win or train their pets to do. I can see me paying crystals to have my Boxing Bear "KingBarbar" shadow spar with my Knight in a playful manner while my Knight is blocking, evading and remitting the blows in a training like short animation that repeats every 2-5 seconds of the animation start. The random animation start would be at rest while the characters circle or dance in their fighting stances with their guards up as if looking for an entry into each other's defenses. I assure you that certain animations would be a commodity and considered rare deserving of it's price on the CS markets. The sky's the limit on these behaviors and their potential to bring in interest as well as future investments.