Faybal

1. NPCs' likeability does not naturally decay any more. It isn't realistic to keep gifting an item to the NPC to maintain the likeability. It's unrealistic to have to log in to gift Effie something every day.
2. Interactions with NPCs will instead either increase or decrease their likeability level. This can include, but is not limited to: Purchasing from them, Selling items to them, Gifting them items, doing their Part-time jobs, talking to them, clearing certain storylines/generation quests, etc.)
2a. For example, shopping with a grocer NPC (we'll use Glenis for this example) will increase their likeability. However, it will decrease all other grocer NPC's likeabilites by the same amount. This applies to all others (with the exception of Fleta, as she is considered 'magical equipment repair'.)
2b. The same concept applies to selling items to them.
2c. Doing their PTJ applies the same concept. The goal here is not to befriend ALL NPCs, but rather a specific NPC.
3. Doing generation quests, (Such as G2 involving price, or G9-G12 involving Dorren,) will contribute to likeability. How the likeability impacts gameplay will be discussed below.
4.Likeability will increase like the commerce levels (and decrease as such).

1. Increasing the likeability of an NPC provides many bonuses.
1a. Upon reaching different levels, you can benefit from discounts from a NPC's store (Similar to the Elf/Giant support discount, except it changes from level to level.)
For example, Lvl 1 is 1%, lvl 2 is 3%, Lvl 3 is 5%, Lvl 4 is 7&, lvl 5 is 8%, lvl 6 is 9%, and Lvl 7 (Max Lvl) is 10%.
Obviously, these values can be adjusted as seen fit in case these numbers are over/underpowered.
2. Reaching levels of likeability can grant bonus stats (similar to the Edern/Endelyon/Eluned renown). Of course, these can be quite potent when stacked, which is why I suggested the "interacting with 1 NPC decreases other's" idea. Of course, you can still stack different NPCs (Edern has no effect on Stewart's, for example.)
Stats vary from NPC to NPC. They can also increase based on the level of likeability.
3. If the NPC repairs items, increasing their likeability can also increase their repair rate. For example, Nerys, who has a 95% repair rate, can increase the repair rate to 99% naturally (while keeping costs as if it were 95% repair). This allows for 100% repair to still be possible, albeit at an increased rate. Repairing at other NPCs will also decrease/increase likeability accordingly.
3a. This would require all NPCs to have to start out with 95% (or less) repair rate, making the player have to interact with the NPC in order to increase the repair rate. This can be Negligible if you guys feel that it wouldn't work. Alternatively, 100% repair can alltogether be removed, but I doubt that would please the players.
4. Just for fun, you can earn a title for maxing out an NPC's likeability. Of course, the stats can vary depending on the practicality of the titles. Just an idea. I believe they had them in the past.
5. I liked the idea of the whole Likeability system in G20, but I felt that it should've had a bigger impact and it should be applied to the whole NPC system.
6. Talking to NPC using journal/keywords should impact the NPC. For example, talking to Effie about Private story can prompt the player with decisions on what to say. Saying the wrong thing (ex. "I hate your look today!") can decrease the Likeability. This will be in dialogue.
7. PTJs will have increased rewards based on likeability. This plays on to the system of Basic/Int/Adv part time jobs already present in the game. However, the whole system is impractical. Doing hundreds of PTJs consistently to obtain "Advanced" rank PTJs for minimal rewards isn't great. It might've worked before, but this isn't 2008 Mabi. You'd be better off spending your time doing SMs to earn gold rather than PTJs. Of course, failing to do a PTJ also decreases the likeability. Doing another NPC's PTJ decreases likeability of all other NPCs of the same type.
8. Doing generation quests involving certain NPCs will increase/decrease their likeability. For example, G2 will increase Price's likeability.