Companions: a Breakdown of the New Feature by Rich Lambert

RaddlemanNumber7

If I don't buy the expansion will that mean I won't be able to see anyone else's companions?

Abelon

RaddlemanNumber7 wrote: »

If I don't buy the expansion will that mean I won't be able to see anyone else's companions?

Highly doubt it. I assume you can see npc followers even if you are not doing the quest they are part of. This is most likely no dfferent. Besides, you get the same client irregardless of whether you actually own the chapter or not.

Supreme_Atromancer

Athan1 wrote: »

I don't get how a system that replaces real people with AI is fostering real social interactions. If anything, it alienates people even more.

Mythreindeer wrote: »

I’m not opposed to having companions in game (provided they don’t autoproc lag and disconnects) and I’ll probably find a role for them on some of my toons, but still, there’s something antithetical about the concept in an MMO

I don't know what server you guys play on, but the forums/reddit alone should show you to what degree people consider dungeons an opportunity to foster social interactions.

Everyone has different priorities and no one wants to compromise. Hell, only 1 in 5 pugs will even respond to "hey".

For many people, dungeons are daily grinds they need to get over as fast as possible. That directly conflicts with most other expectations for a dungeon, and is the cause of all the toxic *** and drama we see every day here and reddit. Giving people who don't want to be social alternatives isn't going to be the ruin of MMOs.

And one of the main, recurring themes that we've heard from players, especially our more hardcore Elder Scrolls people, is people are scary.

I really like @ZOS_RichLambert , but I suspect he's misrepresenting his meaning, or he might not understand the hardcore Elder Scrolls demographic. People who don't want to socialise because "people are scary" are the minorty ime. I say this as both an accomplished end-gamer and a hardcore Elder Scrolls fan, who has actually experienced the social dynamics of both groups, and the exhausting toxicity it can bring.

I'm not a scared wallflower. The two groups just have hugely different expectations, and without wanting to be too dismissive, many MMO people have both a very narrow mindset about how the game and its systems should be "correctly" engaged, and are not shy about mandating it. The priorities of hardcore TES fans are seen as the butt of MMO-hardcorer's jokes at best, and completely unintelligible time-wasting at worst. This brings conflict, bad behaviour, and drives people away. Not shyness, but a player divide in approach that ZOS was always going to have a unique challenge in dealing with.

NeeScrolls

Iccotak wrote: »

Companions Feature

This is a breakdown of the upcoming Companions feature as described by Creative Director Rich Lambert

What is a major reason for the inclusion of this feature? What does it do for Solo and Group play?

Lambert says the idea behind Companions is to allow solo players and small groups to take on dungeons without worrying about becoming overwhelmed.

“For us, Companions was a lot more interesting and a lot more compelling than a new class. ".[/b]

Coming from SWTOR (and SWG before that) , i can sort of understand why Zenimax thought it'd be cool for ESO to have npc/humanoid type companions but....well....Doesn't this new feature somewhat (or significantly) de-value both the Warden class & pets, as well as the 'Daedric Summoning' skill-line & pets?

GrumpyDuckling

NeeScrolls wrote: »

Iccotak wrote: »

Companions Feature

This is a breakdown of the upcoming Companions feature as described by Creative Director Rich Lambert

What is a major reason for the inclusion of this feature? What does it do for Solo and Group play?

Lambert says the idea behind Companions is to allow solo players and small groups to take on dungeons without worrying about becoming overwhelmed.

“For us, Companions was a lot more interesting and a lot more compelling than a new class. ".[/b]

Coming from SWTOR (and SWG before that) , i can sort of understand why Zenimax thought it'd be cool for ESO to have npc/humanoid type companions but....well....Doesn't this new feature somewhat (or significantly) de-value both the Warden class & pets, as well as the 'Daedric Summoning' skill-line & pets?

Not really. The pets on Sorcerer and Warden are more of an extension of your character. They basically just exist as DOT skills or activate skills because it's not like you can really command them to do much or assign them roles.

Sounds like companions are going to be much more customizable than pets.

MudcrabAttack

It would be really awesome if groups of 2-3 friends, and even 5-11 friends could do content together. Groups of 4 & 12 have always been a limiting factor for my small guilds. They're pretty much casual in what they do, and don't even care what content we finish, but sometimes people get left out if we have to run 4-player stuff. Sometimes we just run normal trials with 5-7 people, which is kind of fun but we can't all step on pressure pads or manage portal groups, or split off into two groups so easily.

There are so many mechanics to so many dungeons, I can't imagine an AI would handle everything very well.

Olauron

Olauron wrote: »

GrimTheReaper45 wrote: »

Some yet to be announced features I will need:

In addition to costumes and outfits:
- mount;
- non-combat pet.

Mounts and costumes confirmed

LadyLethalla

As someone in south east Australia, who can't find anyone in my own timezone to play with - and wouldn't want to play with another person all the time (been there, no thanks) - but who can only play with friends on weekends due to massive time differences... I'm looking forward to Companions.
I just hope they won't suck.

GarnetFire17

I don't understand why anyone thinks they should need an NPC "Carry Buddy" to be able to complete GROUP DUNGEONS. This is absolutely ridiculous.

colossalvoids

Wasn't really paying much attention to the stream, imperial was a DK, so what class was a dunmeri girl? If it was shown, obviously.

GarnetFire17

Did the guy actually say it will help solo players play with other players. Um, no it will actually do the opposite because they won't have to because they just hang out with their fake companion and not group.

jaws343

GarnetFire17 wrote: »

I don't understand why anyone thinks they should need an NPC "Carry Buddy" to be able to complete GROUP DUNGEONS. This is absolutely ridiculous.

No one thinks that, but when you get half way through a dungeon and you lose a player for whatever reason, bringing out a companion might be far more accessible than waiting 30 minutes to get a replacement player who may be as bad or worse than the player you lost.

Not only that, but I can already solo Vet dungeons. So, being able to do so with a bit of support, at my own pace, would be even nicer to have as an option. They aren't going to change the fact that I can do that, but they are going to provide a bit of assistance.

The great thing is, if you want a challenge in an encounter, you can put them away.

GarnetFire17

GrumpyDuckling wrote: »

NeeScrolls wrote: »

Iccotak wrote: »

Companions Feature

This is a breakdown of the upcoming Companions feature as described by Creative Director Rich Lambert

What is a major reason for the inclusion of this feature? What does it do for Solo and Group play?

Lambert says the idea behind Companions is to allow solo players and small groups to take on dungeons without worrying about becoming overwhelmed.

“For us, Companions was a lot more interesting and a lot more compelling than a new class. ".[/b]

Coming from SWTOR (and SWG before that) , i can sort of understand why Zenimax thought it'd be cool for ESO to have npc/humanoid type companions but....well....Doesn't this new feature somewhat (or significantly) de-value both the Warden class & pets, as well as the 'Daedric Summoning' skill-line & pets?

Not really. The pets on Sorcerer and Warden are more of an extension of your character. They basically just exist as DOT skills or activate skills because it's not like you can really command them to do much or assign them roles.

Sounds like companions are going to be much more customizable than pets.

Doesn't this mean EVRERYONE is going to be stronger with a companion than without, which is a new feature that is locked behind a pay wall. If you don't pay and use the companion you will be nerfing yourself which means it's pay to win.

karekiz

Its gonna be real awkward when you get a DPS that can't Out DPS the AI DPS.

Its gonna happen.

jaws343

GarnetFire17 wrote: »

GrumpyDuckling wrote: »

NeeScrolls wrote: »

Iccotak wrote: »

Companions Feature

This is a breakdown of the upcoming Companions feature as described by Creative Director Rich Lambert

What is a major reason for the inclusion of this feature? What does it do for Solo and Group play?

Lambert says the idea behind Companions is to allow solo players and small groups to take on dungeons without worrying about becoming overwhelmed.

“For us, Companions was a lot more interesting and a lot more compelling than a new class. ".[/b]

Coming from SWTOR (and SWG before that) , i can sort of understand why Zenimax thought it'd be cool for ESO to have npc/humanoid type companions but....well....Doesn't this new feature somewhat (or significantly) de-value both the Warden class & pets, as well as the 'Daedric Summoning' skill-line & pets?

Not really. The pets on Sorcerer and Warden are more of an extension of your character. They basically just exist as DOT skills or activate skills because it's not like you can really command them to do much or assign them roles.

Sounds like companions are going to be much more customizable than pets.

Doesn't this mean EVRERYONE is going to be stronger with a companion than without, which is a new feature that is locked behind a pay wall. If you don't pay and use the companion you will be nerfing yourself which means it's pay to win.

That is not what pay to win is. Expansions and DLCs are not pay to win. They are new extensions of the game.

GarnetFire17

karekiz wrote: »

Its gonna be real awkward when you get a DPS that can't Out DPS the AI DPS.

Its gonna happen.

haha I wonder what happens to the companion when the player get's downed. I would be like, just stay down your companion is doing fine without you. Also what happens when your companion stands in bad and dies, do you have to stop what your are doing to res them?

Moonsprite

Bastian didn’t seem to like pickpocketing. I wonder if he hates necromancy. 🤔 I’m glad I play a warden 🙂

Araneae6537

GarnetFire17 wrote: »

GrumpyDuckling wrote: »

NeeScrolls wrote: »

Iccotak wrote: »

Companions Feature

This is a breakdown of the upcoming Companions feature as described by Creative Director Rich Lambert

What is a major reason for the inclusion of this feature? What does it do for Solo and Group play?

Lambert says the idea behind Companions is to allow solo players and small groups to take on dungeons without worrying about becoming overwhelmed.

“For us, Companions was a lot more interesting and a lot more compelling than a new class. ".[/b]

Coming from SWTOR (and SWG before that) , i can sort of understand why Zenimax thought it'd be cool for ESO to have npc/humanoid type companions but....well....Doesn't this new feature somewhat (or significantly) de-value both the Warden class & pets, as well as the 'Daedric Summoning' skill-line & pets?

Not really. The pets on Sorcerer and Warden are more of an extension of your character. They basically just exist as DOT skills or activate skills because it's not like you can really command them to do much or assign them roles.

Sounds like companions are going to be much more customizable than pets.

Doesn't this mean EVRERYONE is going to be stronger with a companion than without, which is a new feature that is locked behind a pay wall. If you don't pay and use the companion you will be nerfing yourself which means it's pay to win.

No, because I’m sure they’ll take up a group spot as in SWTOR, where, if you used the group finder, you’d be grouped with three other players guaranteed, but if someone drops or you walk in with a premade group, you could have companions as part of the group. It was far more challenging than playing with two other competent players, but I had fun doing dungeons (or flashpoints I think they were called) with a friend and our two companions as well.

And it’s confirmed that companions can’t be used in PvP nor solo arenas. So no pay2win.

MerguezMan

GarnetFire17 wrote: »

I don't understand why anyone thinks they should need an NPC "Carry Buddy" to be able to complete GROUP DUNGEONS. This is absolutely ridiculous.

Well, I can't solo half of the dungeons because some designer thought it would be a good idea to include a mechanism where 2 players have to stand on plates to open a door, or would include uncleansable effects that require another player to move.

If those "companions" can be enabled to stand on plates or activate levers, and then disabled, that's a big improve (and an overly complex way to fix the issues for solo completion, but hey, better to have that than nothing).

GarnetFire17

jaws343 wrote: »

GarnetFire17 wrote: »

I don't understand why anyone thinks they should need an NPC "Carry Buddy" to be able to complete GROUP DUNGEONS. This is absolutely ridiculous.

No one thinks that, but when you get half way through a dungeon and you lose a player for whatever reason, bringing out a companion might be far more accessible than waiting 30 minutes to get a replacement player who may be as bad or worse than the player you lost.

Not only that, but I can already solo Vet dungeons. So, being able to do so with a bit of support, at my own pace, would be even nicer to have as an option. They aren't going to change the fact that I can do that, but they are going to provide a bit of assistance.

The great thing is, if you want a challenge in an encounter, you can put them away.

the NPC doesn't replace a player it just makes you a little stronger, maybe. I doubt the NPCs will be able to execute the mechanics of the fight, I don't know what happens when they die and what it takes to keep them up. My concern is not that situation though. my concern is that most players will have them out all the time and pretty much everyone will just be companioning all the time. And I personally don't want anything to do with them. I don't want to do the quest, I don't want to grind gear for them or level them, or babysit them. Basically I am hoping when they come out, its not a nerf to everyone who doesn't want to use them. Because again, this is behind a pay wall.

Tensar

jaws343 wrote: »

GarnetFire17 wrote: »

GrumpyDuckling wrote: »

NeeScrolls wrote: »

Iccotak wrote: »

Companions Feature

This is a breakdown of the upcoming Companions feature as described by Creative Director Rich Lambert

What is a major reason for the inclusion of this feature? What does it do for Solo and Group play?

Lambert says the idea behind Companions is to allow solo players and small groups to take on dungeons without worrying about becoming overwhelmed.

“For us, Companions was a lot more interesting and a lot more compelling than a new class. ".[/b]

Coming from SWTOR (and SWG before that) , i can sort of understand why Zenimax thought it'd be cool for ESO to have npc/humanoid type companions but....well....Doesn't this new feature somewhat (or significantly) de-value both the Warden class & pets, as well as the 'Daedric Summoning' skill-line & pets?

Not really. The pets on Sorcerer and Warden are more of an extension of your character. They basically just exist as DOT skills or activate skills because it's not like you can really command them to do much or assign them roles.

Sounds like companions are going to be much more customizable than pets.

Doesn't this mean EVRERYONE is going to be stronger with a companion than without, which is a new feature that is locked behind a pay wall. If you don't pay and use the companion you will be nerfing yourself which means it's pay to win.

That is not what pay to win is. Expansions and DLCs are not pay to win. They are new extensions of the game.

Lol.

Worst explanation I saw for this pay2win thing.

A dlc/expansion can still be pay2win, not saying it will be for Blackwood but it can be in general.

tomofhyrule

I need to see more, but as a PvE tank that can't always reliably run with friends, I'll take someone else to DPS for me that isn't gonna treat me like crap like a random PUG. Soloing dungeons is actually a lot of fun and a nice challenge, but there are some with pin mechanics that make them unsoloable, and others where I can't really get through with my low DPS tank.

I do prefer to do my overland questing solo since you don't need more than 5k DPS to get through overland content, but just having a second 'person' around could really help when going for a Harrowstorm/dragon when there's no event. Let's face it - those World Events aren't exactly populated after the 'new zone' shine has worn off.

My biggest issue is just why did they spend so much time showing this dude off if they're still not releasing that hairstyle! I also notice he's wearing Ancestral Breton armor, which we've known about for a while but it still hasn't made it into the files. Are we expecting to see some of that coming by?

oddbasket

Saw the companion chain pull an enemy, this would be so good if the AI knows to pull all those annoying enemies that keep running away while snaring you....

Jeremy

Cireous wrote: »

I guess that means companions will be WAY too overpowered for the questing experience in Overland. I'm currently gearless and CP-less to eek out the smallest amount of challenge in the Overland (which mostly just slows down the fights--I'm still in no real danger of dying). I guess my companion would have to be equally naked as well, perhaps fighting with only their fists.

I'm hoping with the addition of companions they'll feel more comfortable with adding Veteran landscape content in the future, similar to how SWTOR does it, which has a challenging overland and questing experience made accessible via companions to help players out. It also adds group dynamics into solo play which can make the combat more interesting while questing.

Orion_89

Sadly we can't take two/three at once...

P.S. At least in a dungeon.

Fischblut

Bastian didn’t seem to like pickpocketing. I wonder if he hates necromancy.

I will have to wait for some "evil"/"outlaw" companion then, cause all my characters are part of criminal unit focused mostly on pickpocketing Maybe "Mary" will not react negatively to pickpocketing?

I will be forever waiting for my perfect Argonian Shadowscale companion, cause I don't think they would ever introduce it...

I really look forward to see my companion riding the same mount as me; or we will both be riding two of my favourite mounts, so I can always see them at the same time, without need to visit my house Also it's very good that we can use our collectibles on our companions.
It would be great to use our collectibles on our banker and merchant as well

Seraphayel

Companions look good, better than I thought, especially with the customization. The problem is, they’ll ultimately be useless for most players as overland content is way too easy. They might help soloing public dungeons, but that’s already easy with a right build, even for new characters. So they might be useful in dungeons and trials (where you supposedly can use them, they’re only disabled in PvP), but that’s it.

I know I know there are very bad players that find overland content hard, but that’s an absolute majority. I wish this new system would just offer something for veterans as well, right now it seems to cater just to new players.

Sergykid

jaws343 wrote: »

That is not what pay to win is. Expansions and DLCs are not pay to win. They are new extensions of the game.

yes that is what pay to win is. There is extra power available for real money.
right now mythics are pay to win. Most pvp builds rely on Malacath Band to be competitive against other users of it, and those that don't use it are more weaker than those that use it.
however not this is the problem, these mythics are broken and the worst addition to the game they could have ever done, breaking every build both as item sets and as composition of gear.

Sergykid

“For us, Companions was a lot more interesting and a lot more compelling than a new class. ".

even if companions were not more interesting, i hope they do not add a new class in future, best as never.

zaria

renne wrote: »

People in Craglorn like "Dps/healer/tank lf [trial] NO COMPANIONS". Or having to confirm the trial you're agreeing to has 11 other REAL people.

Please god please just confirm they won't fill spots for Group Finder.

Or you use an companion to fit the last spot in nAA for standing on an pressure plate.
Remember doing 4 normal trials in an row, AA and the craglorn ones some years ago, despite my protests they did AA last, it was late, AS went a bit pear shaped one dropped out for AA. it was late and thing some other event was on so non in pug.
Bribed an level 25 in guild to join, he got a bit shell shocked, I don't think he been in an public dungeon

100K dps is on the trial dummy, none who do tank level dps has used an trial dummy.
20K on the 3 or 6M dummy is good enough for standard vet dungeons, that is probably 60 k dps on an single target boss with an real tank and healer of the same level.

Now then leveling my first tank I focused on tanking skills and leveled by random normals this worked well until my last run nBC2, on my tank with an tank focus and no dps skills I did half the damage as in 3k dps.
I learned some things, BC has two dps checks, keeper Indril and the daedrots on last boss and you can wipe on both in normal. I say vBC1 is harder than vBC2 in hard mode as the one shot in vBC1 is an pug killer with low cp.
BC2 is about mechanic, you can probably fake tank it with soft taunt on the daedots.