Putting Companions to work

Edrik · April 26

Anyone like the idea of giving our companions jobs to do? This could include giving them all those treasure maps and survey reports we build up, and maybe gathering resources for us a bit like the hirelings send us. Depending on there level, rapport or some other metric we could queue up a certain number of jobs for them to do that tick while we're offline too.

Cooperharley · April 26

Im in favor of quite literally any additions to the companion system as a whole over adding more and more companions.

There have been absolutely zero innovation since the system launched. This would be great. Adding more capabilities to existing companions and more variety for the system should take priority IMO over adding more. They've run into this exact issue with sets where they add more and more every quarter that are completely useless.

We don't need bloat and quantity, we need QUALITY.

Sailor_Palutena · April 26

I wish we had the option to give our companions Personalities that we have adquired.

HatchetHaro · April 26

Yo, this would be absolutely rad to add into the game. I have so many surveys that need collecting and if I can send companions out to gather for me it would save me so much time and inventory space.

SilverBride · April 26

I consider my Companions as equals, not subordinates that work for me. The Companions were developed with personalities and back stories that define who they are. They fight along side us and together we are a team. They should not be used as chore workers.

I'd much rather see the crafting Hirelings put to use since chores is what they do, and they already work for us. They could gather surveys and other tasks for a small fee.

spartaxoxo · April 26

I support this idea every time it has come up. Yes, the companions should be able to do stuff other than combat. They should be able to carry their own gear, go get surveys at some sort of cost, etc.

kargen27 · April 26

I see this as being bad for the game. The different zones need to look and feel populated. We need more things to entice players to spend time in these zones not less. Get out there in the world and take advantage of all it offers.

Syldras · April 26

kargen27 wrote: »

I see this as being bad for the game. The different zones need to look and feel populated. We need more things to entice players to spend time in these zones not less. Get out there in the world and take advantage of all it offers.

More interesting things, not chores.

spartaxoxo · April 26

kargen27 wrote: »

I see this as being bad for the game. The different zones need to look and feel populated. We need more things to entice players to spend time in these zones not less. Get out there in the world and take advantage of all it offers.

Players being indistinguishable from bots isn't how you make the world look populated. We need more stuff to do that requires some activity.

Tandor · April 26

Syldras wrote: »

kargen27 wrote: »

I see this as being bad for the game. The different zones need to look and feel populated. We need more things to entice players to spend time in these zones not less. Get out there in the world and take advantage of all it offers.

More interesting things, not chores.

Chores form part of the longevity of an online game, as do all routine things that don't take much time. Many players just log in for writs, for example. Also, if players have the survey reports done automatically by companions or hirelings, how long before those players say that if the survey reports as rewards from writs are done that way, why not just get the companions or hirelings to do the writs in the first place? It never ends...

Elvenheart · April 26

Companions already have the job of having to put up with us and help us in our battles whenever we summon them. They shouldn’t have to work for us in their downtime as well, that’s their “me time.” Like @SilverBride said, I’d rather give our hirelings a cut of the treasure maps and survey rewards.

Cooperharley · April 26

I'd love to scrap the whole companion gear nonsense since we are unable to transmute and upgrade it and allow them to equip player sets that make sense, which ZOS could handpick. It'd be significantly more interesting and add to solo endgame with gearing up companions considering companion gear at purple quality is both exceedingly rare in the right trait and/or ridiculously expensive

RaikaNA · April 26

SilverBride wrote: »

I consider my Companions as equals, not subordinates that work for me. The Companions were developed with personalities and back stories that define who they are. They fight along side us and together we are a team. They should not be used as chore workers.

I'd much rather see the crafting Hirelings put to use since chores is what they do, and they already work for us. They could gather surveys and other tasks for a small fee.

kargen27 · April 26

Syldras wrote: »

kargen27 wrote: »

I see this as being bad for the game. The different zones need to look and feel populated. We need more things to entice players to spend time in these zones not less. Get out there in the world and take advantage of all it offers.

More interesting things, not chores.

If it is a chore then skip and do what is fun. But I agree as I said above. We need more things to bring us to these zones not less.

kargen27 · April 26

spartaxoxo wrote: »

kargen27 wrote: »

I see this as being bad for the game. The different zones need to look and feel populated. We need more things to entice players to spend time in these zones not less. Get out there in the world and take advantage of all it offers.

Players being indistinguishable from bots isn't how you make the world look populated. We need more stuff to do that requires some activity.

Bots are a separate issue and are not out gathering surveys. While doing surveys (an activity) you can help others do world bosses or some other type of activity along the way. Saving up a few hundred surveys then binge harvesting them with no break can get tedious but that is a player problem not a game problem.

SilverBride · April 26

RaikaNA wrote: »

SilverBride wrote: »

I consider my Companions as equals, not subordinates that work for me. The Companions were developed with personalities and back stories that define who they are. They fight along side us and together we are a team. They should not be used as chore workers.

I'd much rather see the crafting Hirelings put to use since chores is what they do, and they already work for us. They could gather surveys and other tasks for a small fee.

This isn't Skyrim and our companions aren't Lydia.

Syldras · April 26

kargen27 wrote: »

If it is a chore then skip and do what is fun. But I agree as I said above. We need more things to bring us to these zones not less.

Skipping things I don't find interesting is exactly the thing I'm doing right now, and I'm sure many other players do the same. I don't see how that would get the zones more populated, though. They need interesting things for people to do, otherwise they won't waste their time on it, and zones will remain empty. That's all I'm saying: Not that activities should be removed, but that surveys are hardly exciting and many people skip them, so there should be other (and most important: more interesting) things added to populate the zones more.

wabajaa · April 26

Great Idea! I love it!
I wish companions can be unlocked for account instead of individual character.

Warhawke_80 · April 26

Didn't Rich say that there was a huge Companion rework coming at some point?

Syldras · April 26

As for companions: I could imagine that my character has a more professional relationship with some, so he might, if he could, send those to collect stuff. But with others, it's a real friendship, and one wouldn't command one's friends around, no?

Then again, of course, sending companions out doing chores would be optional, and not every player has to use every option. I'd be fine with it, as everyone has to decide for themselves how they view the relationship between their character and different companions.

(Actually I'd even like if there were different dialogue options that give us more power to define how exactly the stance between our character and a companion looks like. Now dialogue usually implies you're close friends, and in some cases, this isn't exactly what I have in mind from a roleplaying perspective. But that's a different topic).

Warhawke_80 wrote: »

Didn't Rich say that there was a huge Companion rework coming at some point?

Yes, he said that ZOS has plans on making more of the companion system, including adding content to old companions, and, in the long term, also optional romance.

SilverBride · April 26

Syldras wrote: »

Warhawke_80 wrote: »

Didn't Rich say that there was a huge Companion rework coming at some point?

Yes, he said that ZOS has plans on making more of the companion system, including adding content to old companions, and, in the long term, also optional romance.

If they do add romance they need to create some physically appealing options because right now Azandar is the only one, and his personality is not really suited for romance in my opinion. Although my Arcanist character who studies under him does enjoy his company on occasion.

Syldras · April 26

SilverBride wrote: »

If they do add romance they need to create some physically appealing options because right now Azandar is the only one, and his personality is not really suited for romance in my opinion. Although my Arcanist character who studies under him does enjoy his company on occasion.

I can actually imagine character types that I could see being in a relationship with Azandar. But it's very specific.

Of course that doesn't change a thing about the fact that we still need a (what was it? @JemadarofCaerSalis @ArchangelIsraphel ) young handsome male long-haired Altmer or Dunmer scholar.

Maitsukas · April 26

Even if they add a chance of the Companion to come back empty-handed, losing the survey in the process?

SilverBride · April 26

Syldras wrote: »

Of course that doesn't change a thing about the fact that we still need a ... young handsome male long-haired Altmer or Dunmer scholar.

That is my dream come true.

zaria · April 26

Giving Ember the enchanting surveys would make sense.
However feels you end up with few kuta and she with lots of moonsugar 😺

spartaxoxo · April 26

kargen27 wrote: »

spartaxoxo wrote: »

kargen27 wrote: »

I see this as being bad for the game. The different zones need to look and feel populated. We need more things to entice players to spend time in these zones not less. Get out there in the world and take advantage of all it offers.

Players being indistinguishable from bots isn't how you make the world look populated. We need more stuff to do that requires some activity.

Bots are a separate issue and are not out gathering surveys. While doing surveys (an activity) you can help others do world bosses or some other type of activity along the way. Saving up a few hundred surveys then binge harvesting them with no break can get tedious but that is a player problem not a game problem.

A new player has no idea what a survey is. They just see someone running around, pausing at a location, and then running off.

Edrik · April 26

I didn't think this idea would start conversation around companions equality and rights. I tend to rp a bit when playing so you've managed to make me feel guilty even suggesting giving our companions work

SilverBride wrote: »

I consider my Companions as equals, not subordinates that work for me. The Companions were developed with personalities and back stories that define who they are. They fight along side us and together we are a team. They should not be used as chore workers.

I'd much rather see the crafting Hirelings put to use since chores is what they do, and they already work for us. They could gather surveys and other tasks for a small fee.

I get the argument surrounding giving us things to to in zones to make them feel more populated but for me treasure maps and surveys they feel more like chores before I can actually start doing the content I want.

As suggested above, I like the idea giving these to companions could have diminished returns or a chance of failing so there's still a plus to doing them yourself.

Now you mention it I vaguely remember it being mentioned ZOS were looking at making more of companions but can't remember where I read/saw it.

Syldras wrote: »

As for companions: I could imagine that my character has a more professional relationship with some, so he might, if he could, send those to collect stuff. But with others, it's a real friendship, and one wouldn't command one's friends around, no?

Then again, of course, sending companions out doing chores would be optional, and not every player has to use every option. I'd be fine with it, as everyone has to decide for themselves how they view the relationship between their character and different companions.

(Actually I'd even like if there were different dialogue options that give us more power to define how exactly the stance between our character and a companion looks like. Now dialogue usually implies you're close friends, and in some cases, this isn't exactly what I have in mind from a roleplaying perspective. But that's a different topic).

Warhawke_80 wrote: »

Didn't Rich say that there was a huge Companion rework coming at some point?

Yes, he said that ZOS has plans on making more of the companion system, including adding content to old companions, and, in the long term, also optional romance.

Sarannah · April 26

Edrik wrote: »

Anyone like the idea of giving our companions jobs to do? This could include giving them all those treasure maps and survey reports we build up, and maybe gathering resources for us a bit like the hirelings send us. Depending on there level, rapport or some other metric we could queue up a certain number of jobs for them to do that tick while we're offline too.

Would love something like this, especially if they tie it in with having to unlock companions. Meaning the more companions you unlock, the more companions you can send on different tasks.

Would give unlocking companions some more value to it, as well as having companions.

PS: Shouldn't result in lower value from surveys or treasure chests though, as some have suggested above.

kargen27 · April 26

Syldras wrote: »

kargen27 wrote: »

If it is a chore then skip and do what is fun. But I agree as I said above. We need more things to bring us to these zones not less.

Skipping things I don't find interesting is exactly the thing I'm doing right now, and I'm sure many other players do the same. I don't see how that would get the zones more populated, though. They need interesting things for people to do, otherwise they won't waste their time on it, and zones will remain empty. That's all I'm saying: Not that activities should be removed, but that surveys are hardly exciting and many people skip them, so there should be other (and most important: more interesting) things added to populate the zones more.

I agree but my comment was directed at the idea that players should be able to have a companion do their surveys. I fully support more things be added to draw players to different zones. I am opposed to taking incentives away from players. Letting an NPC do our surveys takes away a reason for players to go into a zone and my opinion is that would not be good for the game.

Erickson9610 · April 26

If Companions do something other than offer their passive benefit, aid the player in combat, and star in their own questline, then it should be something that doesn't just give the player free things.

Companions shouldn't have the ability to turn surveys and treasure maps into their loot — Assistants should. It's the job of an Assistant to do work for the player character; they can't just unsummon themselves the way Companions can.

Maybe Companions should have radiant/repeatable daily quests to give a reason to interact with each one every day? That's sort of already what we have with the Rapport grind — but this would ideally offer rare dialogue and some "continuation" to the Companion's storyline, since many people seem to want more to do with their Companions.

kargen27 · April 26

spartaxoxo wrote: »

kargen27 wrote: »

spartaxoxo wrote: »

kargen27 wrote: »

I see this as being bad for the game. The different zones need to look and feel populated. We need more things to entice players to spend time in these zones not less. Get out there in the world and take advantage of all it offers.

Players being indistinguishable from bots isn't how you make the world look populated. We need more stuff to do that requires some activity.

Bots are a separate issue and are not out gathering surveys. While doing surveys (an activity) you can help others do world bosses or some other type of activity along the way. Saving up a few hundred surveys then binge harvesting them with no break can get tedious but that is a player problem not a game problem.

A new player has no idea what a survey is. They just see someone running around, pausing at a location, and then running off.

They will quickly learn. Either by asking or by getting their first survey. Since you mentioned it, it would be nice if other players could see the harvesting animation even if they can't see the nodes. We did get some new spiffy looking tools might as well be allowed to show them off. I do understand why other players can't see the nodes though.
Editing to say and those new players at least see another player doing something instead of an empty zone.