Prototypes of human state machines

Purpose

  This section is related specifically to the variables (numbers, true/false statements, and probabilities that comprise the behavior model for NPC human behavior.   It is unknown without development and testing how much detail will be possible to build into the NPC state machine, and even less knowable how hard it will be to balance more involved models. This section is a whiteboard of different levels and types of how this may be designed, with increasing levels of complexity.  

3-State, 4-Magnitude, Scalar System

  At a bare minimum, 3 factors are likely needed, each on a scale of 4:   Evil<1234>Good   Cowardly<1234>Couragous   Selfish<1234>Generous   Using a 4-point scale and 3 factors will make each element deterministic in its own right, either "slightly" one direction or "very" much in that direction. The tie-breaker, then is simple, whichever direction has two factors supporting it wins. Two "1s" beats one "2," two "2s" beats one "4," ETC.   This simple model provides 64 permutations of human existence, which may actually be enough variety to make each character feel unique (but probably not).   Pros:   Easiest to program.   Probably easiest to balance.   State changes in any one factor will likely make a noticeable difference to that character more akin to leveling up or gaining a new perk than a gradual migration. This may, or may not turn out to be desirable in testing, but either way, making changes will be very much in line with Sid Meir's theory have halving and doubling to balance a system.   Even if there are a myriad of different attributes of the Nephesh, they could be boiled down into numbers that all contribute to these overarching scores as it applies to resolving character behavior calculations, and the fact that it does could support emergent gameplay.   Similar systems have probably been built many times before.   Introducing any random "drift" into NPC development would have an immediately obvious impact on the way they behaved in the game.     Cons:   This isn't much to brag about and has probably been done many times before.   Rather than exploring the complexity of the human soul and behavior, this oversimplifies it and does our theme and purpose a disservice.   It may be impossible to have this be anything more than a cheap trick, easily manipulable and with results that are cliche-bad.   This is almost certainly not enough to make a good spiritual warfare combat system with.   Introducing any random "drift" into NPC development would likely change their behavior too much to be believable, producing dramatic and unpredictable, meme-worthy shifts in their behavior.  

8-State, 5-Magnitude, Scalar System

  Eight factors may provide the right balance of complexity for rich, emergent gameplay and technical feasibility. A broader scale is probably more representative of human variability as well. They would likely be based on an amalgamation of the fruits of the spirit and the fruits of the flesh, carefully pinned to what the bible illustrates as important aspects of human character and behavior, for example:   Fear<12345>Courage   Suspicion<12345>Faith   Rebellion<12345>Obedience   Disdain<12345>Respect   Arrogance<12345>Humility   Contentiousness<12345>Goodwill   Greed<12345>Generosity   Selfishness <12345>Selflessness   Pros:   With 1,679,616 possible permutations of the possible state of a human soul, it is almost impossible that any two will be the same in any given game moment, and introducing a 1-place deviation in the subsequent game starts would provide a very different game experience, and a nuanced one at that.   At this level of detail, the creation of rich, likable characters with distinctive flaws will be easy.   A five-magnitude system introduces a neutral layer, in keeping with standard psychological profiling systems, which should allow for more believable, less dramatically defined characters. A lot of people are indeed neutral on a lot of things, which leaves their dominant characteristics in others to shine more brightly.   A robust spiritual warfare game could be made with 8 points of attack and defense.   The chance of a tie is unlikely enough that a simple tie-breaker would probably be transparent.   It would be possible to inject a small amount of random "drift" into NPC trajectories and likely have a nuanced but profound effect on the game.   Cons:   It is possible that this becomes too nuanced and confusing to players, causing them to lose track of the cause-and-effect of their actions and a character's changes and decisions. (A catastrophic outcome.)   1,679,616 is a lot of permutations to test.   8 points of attack and defense may make spiritual warfare combat too complicated.  

Multi-Layer, 24-Factor, 9-Magnitude Scalar and Binary State System

  Rather than putting all factors on the same playing field, it may be best to place different factors at either different levels of magnitude or different levels of the determination calculation, or both. The 8-factor system could be laid atop the 9 fruits of the spirit, all with scalar values of 9, allowing for 2 additional levels left and right of center, with the 6 pieces of the armor of God and the gift of salvation each as a true/false value that protects or amplifies whole sections of the rest of the algorithm, for a total of 24 factors. With 17 9-scale attributes and 7 binary, this would produce 2,928,229,434,235,008 possible permutations of the human soul.     Pros:   This would be something to hang our hat on and has almost certainly never been attempted before.   This is a truly nuanced, butterfly effect scenario.   It would be extremely easy to inject a very small amount of random "drift" into NPC trajectories and have a nuanced but pronounced effect on the game.   The chance of a tie is almost impossible -a simple tie-breaker would almost certainly be transparent.   Both us and our player base could play this until Jesus comes back, and still not try every combination even for individual characters, let alone the entire NPC database and subsequent seed-change playthroughs. It would be truly unique every time, and every turn of play.   Cons:   Both us and our player base could play this until Jesus comes back, and still not try every combination even for individual characters, let alone the entire NPC database and subsequent seed-change playthroughs. It would be impossible to know for sure we had balanced it 100% and nothing could ever go off the rails (but we might be able to get a sufficient representative sample.)  

Other Models and Notes

  Designing state machines for alignment functions. Inspired by GY's note below.   Grouping aspects in accordance with how they apply to tasks, natural evolution/devolution, or instructions from God, could open up pathways to multiplicative scores. This would take the effect of a "combo" that allows a massive leap forward in efficiency.   Alignment with the will of God and confession (the words they actually speak), could be examples of how, regardless of their natural tendencies, they can receive an enormous boost or hindrance to their potential success (good choice/personal development.)     Example Variable:   Terms needing definition: "ALIGNMENT."   ***This belongs in a different article, but am leaving here so I don't forget it: I have been thinking about the human puzzle in terms of linear numbers reaching out from a center point like spikes on a starfish, their varying lengths indicating their relative strength on both offense and defense. The alignment model, or some component of it, could be set up as a rotating puzzle in conjunction with the linear arms, offering significant increases or decreases to a given section depending on how perfect the alignment is.****
_____ From: Geoff Young Date: Sun, 25 Jul 2021 at 17:33 Subject: Re: Must Look at This Immediately!! To: Joel Cutter   Ok - I've got MANY thoughts on this. Here are a few to get us started.   As you rightly said, the 'puzzle' aspect of this game is central and important.   Accordingly, I think that what's required are several interlocking puzzles to be solved. When solved, there is a substantial and noticeable effect.   Puzzle #1 - Alignment   Human beings are, according to this alignment with God's laws, either connected with the life of God or suffocating.   “The laws of God are like capillaries through which the life of God flows into that which he created. In and of themselves laws are lifeless, but what they enable is connection to life itself. They are conduits connecting people to God's power, God's goodness and God's life.     “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me [Jesus Christ]! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.”   JOHN 5:39-40 NLT     The act of breaking God’s laws is simply to sever the connection. The lawbreaker breaks their connection to the sustenance that flows from God to all living things.”     Excerpt From: “Guardian Universe: The Gospel in Unexpected Terms” Chapter 13 "Laws".     Some of the attributes put down as potential attributes on a scalar system are actually better understood as tumblers in a lock. As when attempting to pick the lock, there are several that need to be in alignment for there to be success. When achieved, the effect is instant and profound, and there is a flow of life and health.     Complaining<12349>Gratefulness Greed<11129>Generosity Selfishness <11129>Selflessness   When all three of the above are in alignment there is a 100% amplification of the final scores, so 9=18 for example.     Puzzle #2 - Confession   What a person says will have two related effects. 1, it gives permission, via an implied transfer of authority, to the fallen. 2, it sets the nephesh on fire.     For the first one, the confession of a person's mouth stops the angel from being able to have any impact on the person, at the same time opening the person up to control of the fallen. Specific beliefs and corresponding statements have this temporary effect, and so the angel must find moments where the effect of such a statement has wained.     “Legitimate trade, then, was the means by which the devil acquired mankind’s authority, so he and his legions might exercise control on their behalf.     You were anointed as a guardian cherub,   for so I ordained you.   …   Through your widespread trade   you were filled with violence,   and you sinned.   EZEKIEL 28:14 & 16 NIV   Perhaps it seems absurd that mankind would sell their authority. In my opinion - that would be a reasonable assessment. It was absurd. It still is absurd. But when you understand this transaction suddenly much of the world makes sense; the mess that humanity has become is built on this trade.     …there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord…   1 KINGS 21:25 NKJV”     Excerpt From: “Guardian Universe: The Gospel in Unexpected Terms” Chapter 11, "Authority."     The second part of the confession puzzle is to attempt to curb destructive statements that set both the persons own nephesh, and that of those around them, on fire with anger, jealousy, greed, etc. If the angel fails the person set fire to their nephesh, burn with anger, for example, and temporarily undo all the previous good work.     “Ultimately, the substance of each and every person’s life will be put to fire. The quality of each person will be judged by the flames. ”   ...     “Anger paves the way for fire, but it is the words that a person speaks that provide the spark of ignition.     It takes only a spark to start a forest fire! The tongue is like a spark. It is an evil power that dirties the rest of the body and sets a person’s entire life on fire with flames that come from hell itself.   JAMES 3:5-6 CEV”     Excerpt From: “Guardian Universe: The Gospel in Unexpected Terms, ” Chapter 23, "Testing By Fire."     The form of the nephesh.   I think the nephesh is, over time and development, the shape of the person and their garment. It is constantly changing, not with the angel's inputs, but with each new thought, action and spoken word. With each thought, there comes a new organic thought plant in the nephesh. Over time the player can recognise the 'plant' by sight and anticipate its attributes and effects. The player will grow to know the effects that come with each belief/thought/spoken word. They will be predictable and repeatable, insofar as the angel knows what effect (roughly) each belief/thought / spoken word will have.     “When developed, the nephesh of a human is intricate, complex, and if properly formed, exquisitely beautiful. Like a snowflake of sentient life, it is an ecosystem shaped by a person's history, intentions, actions, beliefs, and current potential for good or evil, imbued with the breath of God. It is the very essence of who a person is. It is a perfect mirror in the SUPOX for the person’s life in the NAPOX. ”   ...   “I imagine in the SUPOX a person’s nephesh would fill out the frame of their torso. Spreading out from the axis drawn between their head and heart, it fills out their physical form continuing even to the point of forming a garment. For some, these are beautiful, extending like a living and organic flower, up from the heart and around the head like a crown. In some instances these would resemble a tiara or a woven piece of armor. And yet for others, especially the spirit-dead, it is a wild bramble, complete unkempt chaos through which they can’t even see.”   ...   “There are aspects of a nephesh that fit inside the body's form, and these would be commonly understood as a person's soul. There are also aspects of a nephesh that extend beyond the frame of the body, forming something like a garment, and this is a person's character. These are features that make up and distinguish an individual, features that can generally be perceived by other humans.     “She [the Church] has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.”   For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.   REVELATION 19:8 NLT”     Excerpt From: “Guardian Universe: The Gospel in Unexpected Terms," Chapter 22, "The Soul and Spirit"     Each type of plant will have attributes in keeping with the line of thinking. So for example, trust in God forms something of a crown, with corresponding protection for the mind. This could be in place, even if the heart is on fire with anger, and then becomes the place of strength from which the angel can work to put out the flames.   Fear<12345>Faith   This scale determines the person's susceptibility to the enemies attacks on the mind. Visibly this scale can be seen by the quality of the woven armour headpiece that the trust forms around the persons head.     Arrogance produces a thorny brier, and the more arrogant the thicker, to the point the person will ultimately not be able to see, belligerently ploughing out of the angels influence into destruction. Humility, however, affords the person sight, and they will more readily respond to the angel prompting, they will become easier to help.   Arrogance<12345>Humility   This scale determines the effectiveness of angelic inputs. Visibly this scale can be seen by the transition from a thorny covered hardened exterior, to a soft but drab cloak of concealment.     “Humility presents differently in the SUPOX. Without this intentional covering, humans lose their ability to see as the brightness of their transformation blinds them. Humility can be understood as a robe-like mantle, a drab cloak of concealment by which only the light of the Holy Spirit is visible. The Son of God himself took this cloak when he descended to the dust, and so from that point, it is a great honour for Spiritkind to wear the same.”     Excerpt From: “Guardian Universe: The Gospel in Unexpected Terms,” Chapter 42, "The Garment".     These are just two. There will be dozens, perhaps even up to one hundred(?) of these thought plants, each with specific cause and effect attributes and visual manifestation in the nephesh. I think this is what makes this game special.     Emergent Gameplay.   Once a person's spirit has been rekindled and is intertwined with the Holy Spirit, a whole new suite of functionalities and offensive possibilities become available. The original ones still are there, and the player should be quite good at managing them now. But the exciting possibility of using all the new functionalities to kick some demon but will be tantalizing!