Crime

Crime is a central mechanic in Palworld, introducing a layer of challenge and consequence to the player's freedom of action. While the game encourages exploration and creativity, engaging in illegal activities triggers the intervention of the Palpagos Island Defense Force (PIDF), making crime a high-risk venture. The "Criminal Activity Underway" warning serves as the game’s way of informing players when they’ve crossed legal boundaries, offering a brief chance to cease unlawful actions before facing the consequences.

Mechanics of Crime

The crime system in Palworld revolves around player actions being witnessed by NPCs. The system is designed to simulate a realistic response to illegal activities, with varying consequences based on the severity of the offense. Here’s how it works:

Witnessing and Charges

• Requirement for Witnesses: For a crime to result in charges, a non-hostile NPC (such as an islander or PIDF officer) must witness the act. If no NPC sees the player, no charges are incurred.
  • Example: Attacking an NPC who hasn’t seen you yet or capturing a Pal in a Wildlife Sanctuary without being detected will not trigger charges.
• Escalation: If witnessed, the game tracks the severity of the crime and assigns charges accordingly, triggering a response from the PIDF.

The PIDF Response

• Hostility Trigger: Once charges are assigned, PIDF officers begin spawning nearby to pursue and attack the player.
• Dynamic Spawning: The PIDF will continue spawning as long as the player is wanted. If the player moves far enough away, the current officers will despawn, but new ones will spawn near the player shortly after.
• Scaling Response: The number and level of PIDF officers scale with the severity of the player’s crimes and the accumulated charges.

Criminal Activities

The following actions are considered crimes in Palworld:

• Assault: Attacking non-hostile NPCs, such as merchants or islanders, constitutes assault. This includes:
  • Attempting to capture humans using Pal Spheres.
    • Note: If a player’s Pals deal damage to NPCs, it does not count as assault.
• Trespassing: Entering Wildlife Sanctuaries without permission triggers a level 1 Trespassing charge.
• Poaching: Capturing Pals within Wildlife Sanctuaries leads to a level 1 Poaching charge.

Criminal Activity Warning

• "Criminal Activity Underway": This warning appears when the player engages in a potentially illegal act. It serves as a notification rather than an immediate punishment.
• Opportunity to Stop: Players can cease the illegal activity (e.g., stop attacking or leave a restricted area) to avoid escalation. The warning disappears after a short period if no further illegal actions are taken.

Consequences of Crime

If a player continues their illegal activities despite the warning, the situation escalates into the "Wanted" status. This marks the point of no return, as the PIDF actively hunts the player.

Wanted Status

• Trigger: The "Wanted" status activates when the player persists in committing crimes or directly engages with PIDF officers.
• Aggression: PIDF guards will spawn aggressively and attack the player on sight.
• Combat with PIDF: Players can fight back, but this increases the Wanted level. However, using Pals to fight the PIDF does not raise the level, offering a strategic workaround.

Removing the Wanted Status

Players have several options to clear their charges and escape the PIDF’s pursuit:

• Death: Allowing the PIDF to defeat you results in charges being cleared upon respawn.
  • Multiplayer Exception: In multiplayer sessions, being downed (but not killed) is sufficient to remove charges.
• Evade and Wait: Losing sight of the PIDF and remaining hidden long enough causes charges to dissipate naturally.
• Save and Reload: In single-player mode, saving the game, exiting, and logging back in resets the Wanted status.

Navigating Crime: Tips and Tricks

• Avoid Detection:
  • Use stealth to capture Pals or attack NPCs without being seen.
  • Plan your actions carefully in areas with high NPC activity.
• Strategic Combat:
  • Use Pals to fight PIDF officers instead of engaging directly to avoid escalating charges.
  • Equip strong Pals to withstand waves of PIDF enemies.
• Escape Routes:
  • Familiarize yourself with the terrain to evade pursuing officers effectively.
  • Utilize mounts or Pals with high mobility to outrun the PIDF.
• Minimize Risk:
  • Avoid Wildlife Sanctuaries unless necessary, as these areas automatically trigger charges.
  • Refrain from targeting merchants or essential NPCs to maintain access to services.

Gallery

An indicator that shows the player is Wanted for three charges of Assault.

A player assaulting an Islander, with the Criminal Activity Underway indicator active on the screen.

Update History

• Early Access 0.1.5.0
  • Fixed issue where riding in prohibited hunting areas would not result in a crime.
  • Significantly increased the number of police officers who appear when a crime is committed.
• Early Access 0.1.2.0
  • Introduced.