NPC is just an acronym for a “non-player character”. NPCs can be found in video games but the term turned into a meme circa 2018.
The meme relates to people that appear human but display an inability to think objectively, whose movements appear scripted, as if they’re programmed using Java. So let’s go through some theories for life at the University of Sheffield.
- The IC staircase.
No matter what time of year you go, exam season or the beginning of term, there is a constant flow of bots travelling the main staircase in the middle of the IC.
It’s a bit like The Sims, the way they robotically go up level after level. I don’t think I’ve ever seen any of these NPCs sit down.
I believe that they spawn in down in the ground floor bathrooms and make their way up to despawn in the fourth floor toilets.
- Group project members.
This type of assessment is already a logistical nightmare, add on top of that the name of someone who simply does not exist on your course.
It’s on the same level as going onto Call of Duty and playing on squad fill – you’ve never interacted before, there’s no communication, and there’s no team chemistry.
When trying to reach out to them, you’re most likely faced with a social media presence similar to that of a lecturer on strike – it’s not there.
- Freshers and accommodation group chats.
This is an absolute hive of activity. From the person offering to do your assignment for a small fee with a guarantee to ‘meet your professor’s grading criteria and expectations’ to those trying to get you to buy a freshers wristband.
- Forge Press writers.
You’ve made it to the break section – congratulations! Who the hell are all these other writers? They actually don’t exist outside of this newspaper – what real person would end up writing in this?
Am I the bot? I can assure you that all Forge writers are able to pass the reCAPTCHA “I am not a robot” test. In fact, shameless plug alert, you can become one of us. You can just join our Facebook group ‘Forge Press Contributors’ – no commitment.
- Roar/pop tarts photos.
Leo, the photographer in Foundry, has photographed an inconceivable amount of NPCs.
In an attempt to retrieve your own photo, you have to scroll through bot after bot that undoubtedly only exist within the realms of foundry.
Let’s not forget the shady-looking figure in the (far too small) smoking area that may offer you a little side quest. The shady-looking figure offers you a transaction – your elf bar for their geek bar.
Another theory to be mentioned here is that the Foundry and Bar One workers just are bots – which saddens me to say as I am one of them myself. They’re actually all nice people but to an outsider, I imagine we are. Who really would chose to stay up to the ungodly hour of 4am and serve all the sports teams on their big Wednesday night out – but where would you be without them?