Focused Feedback: Pocket D Friend - Blarf

[The Curator]

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New Pocket D Friend: Blarf

 Abnormal or adorable? You decide! 

Spoiler

After the infamously dubbed 'Pocket D Barfer' had been safely placed into in-hospice care, an unknown contamination emerged. Pocket D's official health & safety inspectors recommend caution when interacting with the contaminant as its chemical composition appears to be beyond mortal comprehension.

DJ Zero has dubbed this anomaly contaminant as: 'Blarf'.

• Blarf is a for-fun zone mini pet that spawns near the unique wet floor sign on the red-side ground floor where the former nauseous man used to be.
• Clicking on Blarf will engage in affection-giving physical contact.
  • WARNING: DJ ZERO & POCKET D ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INCIDENTS RELATED TO HEALTH DEGRADATION FROM CONTACT WITH UNIDENTIFIED MATTER, PLEASE EXERCISE CAUTION AND RESTRAINT WHEN ENGAGING WITH BLARF! DO NOT FEED BLARF UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!
• Blarf's location within Pocket D is tracked on the mini-map with a blue-green dot, and updated in real-time.
• Blarf will become friends with the first person who clicks them, becoming attached and following them around anywhere they go within Pocket D for a while.
• Blarf has a short attention span. After 3-minutes it can be distracted and become attached to a new person who clicks on them.
• If you move too far away from Blarf for too long (>20ft, for 5 seconds), they will lose interest in their current friend.
• Blarf does not have any collision, but is fast and affectionate.
• Blarf doesn't like to go to the certain locations, and will return to their spawn if their current friend goes into any of the following places:
  • Architect Entertainment
  • Ski Chalet
  • VIP Lounge
  • Hospitals
  • Elevator Entrance Hallways
  • Blue-side Upstairs Bar
• Blarf can fly! Airborne friends are supported by Blarf.
• Blarf will give a "gift" to anybody who clicks them, even if they don't become their next friend.
  • These "gifts" are on a 10-minute cool-down timer.

[Shin Magmus]

If Blarf asked me to, I'd burn down this entire world and then myself...  Blarf is the only one fit to survive.

[Burnt Umber]

This is a cute addition.

 

 I note that Blarf occasionally gives legacy base salvage from interaction. This might not be a wise reward: some players use that salvage as inf. storage bins on the market and are going to be very angry to lose that inf. to some player who lists the reward rather than vendoring it.

[Glacier Peak]

30 minutes ago, Burnt Umber said:

This is a cute addition.

 

 I note that Blarf occasionally gives legacy base salvage from interaction. This might not be a wise reward: some players use that salvage as inf. storage bins on the market and are going to be very angry to lose that inf. to some player who lists the reward rather than vendoring it.

I think I may be misunderstanding this - those legacy salvage that Blarf drops - they have been seeded on Homecoming for some time. Players can already buy them on the Auction House. This screenshot is on live:

 

[Burnt Umber]

53 minutes ago, Glacier Peak said:

I think I may be misunderstanding this - those legacy salvage that Blarf drops - they have been seeded on Homecoming for some time. Players can already buy them on the Auction House. This screenshot is on live:

 

 

Ah, then I'm mistaken.  I didn't realize that type of salvage had been seeded; I retract my concern.

[Cobalt Arachne]

FYI: For those wondering why, Blarf was a low-risk feature that helped us prototype precise NPC AI control and interaction in Lua, the fruits of which went on to be used in building the Labyrinth of Fog's Minotaur In The Fog.

Blarf's excitement at being alive is meant to represent them being thrilled that they were greenlit as a feature.
It's great when prototyping can also double as enhancements for the game! 😄

[Lightslinger]

How do you feed Blarf for the badge? Is it just by petting/interacting with it?

Edited July 15 by Lightslinger

[lemming]

51 minutes ago, Lightslinger said:

How do you feed Blarf for the badge? Is it just by petting/interacting with it?

Yep.  Blarf has a rather severe -HP debuff.  Click on him fast enough and you'll keel over and get the badge.

[mistagoat]

Played with Blarf last night. He's a fun lil' weirdo! Everything seemed to be working as intended. Gift timer was working and he killed/ate me after a bunch of clicks/messages and I received the badge.

[fiend]

I managed to get Blarf stuck somehow - I went too far from it once, and it returned to the original location, but hovered a foot off the ground. It responded to clicks, sent start/stop following messages in general chat, but didn't move again. I want to say it got stuck on the sign somehow.

 

[GM_GooglyMoogly]

You fiend!  You broke Blarf!

[Cobalt Arachne]

11 hours ago, fiend said:

I managed to get Blarf stuck somehow - I went too far from it once, and it returned to the original location, but hovered a foot off the ground. It responded to clicks, sent start/stop following messages in general chat, but didn't move again. I want to say it got stuck on the sign somehow.

 

Blarf has anti-stuck safety, if he hasn't changed position in a few minutes, it will automatically reset him, so that issue should resolve itself on it's own.