My Life as an NPC: The Outsiders of The Video Game Have Their Say

Oct. 19, 2018

Just for once, the story is not about heroes, and even less about villains. Nor even supporting roles. Today we would like to talk to you about those who are knocked around, looted, cheated, robbed and killed. Those who don’t have a quest, or worse still, those who have only a single line of dialogue that they repeat over and over. Today, we would like to talk to you about NPCs. Or rather, the NPCs are going to talk to you.

But just what are NPCs?

NPCs are Non-Player Characters in video games. Those whose only role is to create the illusion of life, and nothing else. And nothing else, well, that doesn’t keep them busy.

DDB Paris presents MY LIFE AS AN NPC

A social media initiative on Instagram and Facebook that at last gives the people a chance to speak.

Have you ever put yourself in a shepherd’s shoes? Thought about what they feel when a player mows down their herd of goats? Well yes, more goats are spawned, but making off with their hides is nonetheless the limit.
And what about a Spartan’s life?  It’s no better... Sure, it might be classy to wear armour and a helmet, but if you can never take them off it’s not quite so glamorous...
The NPCs know the score: if there’s someone who does what they want in this game, it’s the player.

With humour and satire, the NPCs tell us the stories of their lives. From today until Tuesday 23 October, on the Assassin’s Creed Facebook and Instagram pages, a shepherd, a courtesan, a Spartan, an actor and other characters from Assassin’s Creed Odyssey let their hair down with hilarious results. Because it’s all very well to fight for the freedom of the people...
 

But is it really democracy when the people are controlled by artificial intelligence?

This technical feat has been achieved with the help of Make Me Pulse, a digital production company which uses new motion capture technology to make characters larger than life.