The depth of the AI has been muchly lauded by the developer team. Every person is designed to have their own abode, workplace, likes and dislikes, hobbies, etc. It seems a living, breathing immersive world is a serious goal that the developers are pursuing. This is not only estimable but also could lead to the AI creating interesting stories for the player to interact with, not involving side quests that are “on-rails” experiences. Perhaps there’s a small group of pickpocketing NPC’s born from the refugee camp, and you can intercept them and bring them to justice without the need of a hand holding quest marker or dynamic cutscene? Simply nab the culprit in the act and turn him into the guard with whatever proof you may have. Maybe have a small reward for your intervention. The idea is that the living breathing world will create interesting events that do not directly involve the player, but the player could intervene and influence. The idea is to get away from the scripted events of the main story and side quests, to simply exist within the medieval world that the devs have so lovingly crafted for us. To influence it, perhaps economically through becoming one of the most skilled blacksmiths in the land, enriching the environs around us. I know this is asking for a lot, which is why I prefer this to become a discussion about possibly Organic Storytelling as I have described and exemplified. Allow the player’s imagination to create their own stories in fact! I’d love to hear the community’s thoughts on mine.
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It’s an interesting discussion point.
To an extent, I believe that WH has already acknowledged that they will be developing the game in such a way as to bring as much realism and autonomy to the world and it’s inhabitants as possible. Be that NPC’s, or native fauna… The notion is still the same.
Whether or not organic and dynamic events grow and develop, and how that pans out are things that only the team could really talk to. But it would certainly be something that added to the uniqueness and complexity of KCD. Be cool to get some comments on the idea. Nice topic though
Certainly the native fauna adds an interesting aspect. Maybe a wolf or wild boar ends up terrorizing a village’s residents, and you track the beast down and slay it? No quest markers, no cutscenes, nothing like that. The beast wandered into the village (through the AI) and perhaps preyed on some of the inhabitants. Seems easy enough to simulate, with the wildlife’s AI. The idea of renown that actually matters in the game is something that intrigues me as well, being recognized by the peasants (and nobles, of course) is a difficult thing to simulate and make it still feel realistic. It needs to be something that you feel you’ve earned, and perhaps some of these dynamic moments in the game can add to that. I don’t want people to read this like I’m anti-storyline, I’m actually a writer myself and I love a well developed plotline just like any academic, but I also enjoy creating my own story in an interactive environment, and this seems the perfect game to do just that. It can only add to the immersion and replay-ability, in my opinion.
Do the developers take an active role on the forums? I’m quite new here, you see, I’m curious if they actually have a dialogue with their consumers, that’d be awesome!
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Please be aware that no animal is interested in contact with humans unless it’s forced or teached to do so. Any kind of “terorizing” is pretty much wild fantasy from horror movies or fairytales. For example wolves are actually very shy animals and they flee when detects human presence.
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I’m from North America, so I’m unaware of the majority of native fauna in Central Europe in the early 15th century, so I went with the stereotypical “Big Bad Wolf” scenario. I feel like you’re overly dismissive of animal aggression, as it’s been well documented that starving animals have a penchant for human civilization, especially small agrarian communities with chickens/goats, etc. I think you took the word terrorize a little to seriously, but I’d love to hear some of your ideas on dynamic storytelling Dekssan. 
Not overly dismissive, just realistic. Doesn’t matter from where you are, you can always dig some wisdom on the internet 
Of course, hungry animal can attack human, but that’s an very extreme case. And wolf hunting goats or chickens near human settlements, that’s very possible. Their are “locked” on one place, for wolf it’s like a bistro 
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The Devs read the Forums. But I don’t think they confirm stuff here. Unfullfilled expectations are avoided by that.
They get inspiratiin though like medival chicken looks or torches in rooms.
Nowadays in Central Europe I heard about Foxes or Golden Eagles preying on kept animals.
It would be great if talking to an farmer would trigger the side quest so you can choose to pick it up or not.
Edit: The problem with random things is that you have to be around at the moment of time the magpie picks up a silver coin to track down the nest.
As soon you know beforehand what is going to happen you can act accordingly. But as long as no one says to you what you can do its difficult.
Maybe the pickpocket thing is something like the gameplay you ask for. As for animals like bears raiding villages, the population would be gone quick.
Well, the idea is that these events would simply be occurring (seemingly) at random within the world due to animal AI and citizenry reactions etc. So no side quest would be needed, no cutscenes, etc.
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