Should multiplayer horror game enemy be an NPC or controlled by a player?

[whatplayer5858 (keklik)]

I’m making a multiplayer horror game with various maps , unique creatures and tasks for all of them. It has a party system where players can create parties and play with their friends, while I was working on the system I stumbled on this question: should the creature be an NPC or should the party host choose the player to play the creature?

I don’t want this game to be repetitive, so after some playtime players can guess what will the NPC’s next move will be, minus point for NPC. On the other side , if a player controls the creature, they will either play bad and break the immersion of the game VERY BADLY therefore making the game unscary . OR they can make other players wet their pants after some unexpected strategic gameplay.

[rtvr56565]

@whatplayer5858

should the creature be an NPC or should the party host choose the player to play the creature?

Depends, it’s suposed to the game be also played alone or always with friends?

We should remember that very games with that genre are, sadly, played alone if the user doesn’t has any friends to be with, because most of people “don’t like to play with strangers”

So without a bot, users that are alone can’t really play the game at all!

---

@whatplayer5858

I don’t want this game to be repetitive, so after some playtime players can guess what will the NPC’s next move will be

Well, that’s true, but a simple rng could fix that, right?
Choose with a rng what the NPC should do, for example:

• There’s 2 directions → 50% each one or 75% one if it has more chance to a player be there because of items or maybe there’s a chance the bot will wait a bit before making a real choice!
• A player was spotted → Chance to follow the player, or else it tries to somehow trap him before it follows.

With a lot of possible options at a random number generator, infinite possibilities can be made!

---

@whatplayer5858

if a player controls the creature, they will either play bad and break the immersion of the game VERY BADLY therefore making the game unscary

Well, that’s possible, and I don’t see any way to get around that easily if we stay with just 1 creature being the player.

Maybe some rewards could help?

---

This idea is a little different from what you’re mainly asking, but:

I think you could fix both of the problems, if you maybe add a player and a bot
If you make so that bot won’t be so much smart or overpowered, the creature (player) will be the most dangerous and the bot can also prevent the creature to just be afk or helping.

---

I hope you find the perfect solution for your game!

But, either way, you’ll need to think a lot about how you gonna make all fair and fun for your players!

Good luck

---

Why did I write all of this actually? well idk, just gl :D.

[ZurichBT (bravotango7274)]

This decision is up to you since it is part of the fundamentals of the experience. Both choices have radically different outcomes for what game you’ll end up making, and both are equally as fun and enjoyable. It’s like asking yourself if you want to make a space game or a fantasy game. Which one is more optimal for player engagement shouldn’t be a factor that weighs in on those decisions.