The developers of Kingdom Come: Deliverance put significant effort into creating a sophisticated AI system, yet only two NPCs ended up using it. Warhorse Studios’ AI programmer, Matej Marko, emphasizes that “if you implement a feature, you need to fully support it,” even if it only affects a handful of characters.

Warhorse Studios has earned widespread praise for crafting an immersive world in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. However, the team’s dedication to realism dates back to the first installment, where they implemented a complex AI function that ultimately applied to just two non-playable characters.

Speaking at the Game Developers Conference (via GamesRadar+), AI programmer Matej Marko detailed how this intricate system, known as Long-Distance Movement, was designed to simulate NPCs traveling between locations such as work, home, or the tavern. “This system enhances immersion by making NPC behaviors feel more lifelike,” he explained.

Yet, this function had to adapt to each NPC’s available resources. For instance, if a character owned a horse, it had to be accounted for in their movement logic. “Some NPCs can travel using horses if they have one,” Marko continued. “But ultimately, only two NPCs in the entire game actually had a horse. If you implement a feature, you need to ensure it is fully supported.” While this may seem like a small detail, it highlights Warhorse Studios’ dedication to realism, even in minor aspects of the game.

Warhorse Studios’ future beyond Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

As Marko shared this insight at GDC, the rest of Warhorse Studios was busy finalizing their long-term plans. The team intends to release three expansions to complete the Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 experience, but they are also preparing to move beyond this project. Their goal is to work on multiple games simultaneously, which makes their next steps in the industry worth following.

Source: 3DJuegos