Devlog5 Trust system

 Trust system

The trust system is a core element of Lost in Zania, empowering players to gain the characters' Trust within the restaurant and retrieve their stolen items. The system is designed to respond to the player's interactions and actions, shaping their overall game experience. As players navigate the game, their actions can have significant consequences or open up new opportunities, giving them a sense of control and agency.

The trust system is not just a passive feature, but a dynamic element that is constantly influenced by the player's dialogue choices, actions, and pick-ups. This active engagement with the system is a key part of the gameplay experience, keeping players on their toes and immersed in the world of Lost in Zania.

The Core Concept

Each character has a trust value range (0 to 100) that defines how they react to the player.

High Trust means they will be friendly and helpful

Low Trust means characters will be suspicious, avoid the player, and call security depending on the situation.

High-level trust logic

1 Trust values range

Mintrust = 0 maxTrust = 100, default current trust = 50

2 Trust feedback

Characters and NPCs have associated UI (NPCTrustUI) that shows the players their current standing with a specific character.

3 Behaviour changes based on Trust:

over 75 Follows and assists the player and grants players access to restricted rooms

 <50 characters will attempt to avoid the player,

< 20 characters will call security guard who then will chase the players

How Trust Changes: How Trust is Gained and Lost

• If the player runs within the characters (Detection Radius)
• Trust decreases gradually using the trustlossRate
• 
  
• There are items within the restaurant that players will need to put or return and put in the bane if the players drop them on the ground during their gameplay. If a character spots an item the player dropped and successfully returns it to the character, it will immediately decrease by -10 trust points/values. If the players return the dropped item to the bane the player will gain or increase +10 points/values.
• There are gift items within the restaurant that player can give to a character they like which will increase their trust value.
  

Consequences:

The character will call a security guard

If the player provokes the security guard further, the security guard will begin to chase the player.

Trust Level Behaviour

• 0 to 20                Call Security and Chase
• 20 to 50             Avoid Player
• 50 to 75             Neutral
• 75 -100 follow player closely and help

Summary, General Trust System

1 trust starts neutral at 50

2 player actions dynamically shift Trust

Running = loss

Helping = gain

Gifts = gain

3 NPC reactions shift

Avoid player when sceptical

Follow and help when trusting

Alter security when trust collops

Environmental interaction

Item, gifts, patrols, and triggers all factor in.