NPCs with Lives Beyond You: They Exist When You're Not Looking

    It’s 2pm on a Tuesday. You’re in the mines. Emily is doing aerobics in her living room. Sam is at his part-time job at Joja. Penny is teaching Jas and Vincent. Linus is foraging near the lake. You’re not there to see any of this. But it’s happening anyway. This is the magic of autonomous NPCs: characters who exist independent of your observation. Who have routines, relationships, and lives that continue whether you witness them or not. ...

    March 4, 2025 · 7 min · Rafiul Alam