Note: The Core Redesign Release has not yet been released and is targeted to be released in late December.
This post focuses on the non-player character (NPC) and AI changes coming with the Core Redesign Release. Subsequent announcements will focus on other areas that the Core Redesign Release will change in the game.
The systems dictating NPC behavior have been completely rewritten. NPC decision planning is now multithreaded and based on a utility system to allow for more complex behavior. Many of the changes to NPC behavior are based on user feedback.
Civilian NPCs will now wonder down paths instead of merely trekking through the woods. When crossing paths civilians will occasionally acknowledge each other as well as the player. Outlaws will setup choke points on paths and get in confrontations with civilians and cowboys.
Based on user feedback, NPCs no longer jump into gun battles at the first sight of an enemy, but instead enter a standoff. Standoffs will either resolve peacefully or turn into a battle when tensions flare. Standoffs will end peacefully when one of the parties involves backs away. If any parties involved move closer to their enemies it can trigger a fight. If neither party involved backs away, then eventually tensions will rise, and shooting will start.
If the player wanders into the control zone of an NPC or a predatory animal, a standoff will begin until the player either leaves or a fight breaks out. By applying a brief standoff period when a NPC or a player confronts a predator, such as a wolf or bear, the player is given more warning and is better able to prepare for the impending attack.