Idea how to improve companions RP wise and also questing experience!

Eric_Prince

Introduction
I’ve been playing with companions for quite some time now and must say, I like this system. Not combat wise, since I can nuke anything but bosses anyway. I’ll just say one thing about it and won’t comment this part anymore. My guess is that ZOS just didn’t advertise this feature right. It’s not for experienced players (obviously), but a good help for completely new players who may have troubles at first, and that’s it.

I’ll try to be as realistic as possible. We can suggest just about anything, but some things will probably never be implemented. So let’s better focus on something completely achievable.

Lack of response – companions
So, back to my idea. Right now, I personally have one BIG complaint about companions. They just don’t feel even partially alive. They respond only for a very-very small number of actions in any way. It’s a very small list considering all the things we can do in the game. And rapport quickly becomes just mindless dailies grind. Do dailies, read books, repeat and so on.

From time to time, I also come across a person who says that questing with a companion isn’t interesting. Quests don’t give much EXP to them, and otherwise have no impact on them.

Lack of response – quests
As you might know, in this game we have a lot of different quests. To the next breaking news: water is wet.
Some of those quests even let us make a choice at the end. Basically, it comes down to two choices: being ‘bad’ or ‘good’. Villain or noble. Egoist or altruist. You get it.

But… the choice doesn’t matter! Like, at all. Well, it alters some post-quest voice lines, but that’s it. You will be forever shamed for being a selfish villain and forever praised for being a hero. And of course, you can feel guilty or proud of yourself.

Damn it, we can even

let Mannimarco, the grand villain, walk free

and all we get is ‘WTF you just did’ and that’s it. I can’t remember a single choice that actually made me feel like what I’m doing is meaningful and can change someone’s life.

By now, you probably already know what I’m going to propose.

Proposal
And it’s completely realistic and doable, must I say.

Let’s make companions react to our choices in those quests! I can think of a lot of ways how to do it in a most cool, epic way, but I promised to be realistic. I will propose a way so we can actually get this feature.

Why would it be good? Because it will improve not only companions' system, but one of the most important things in the game: quests! Let’s face it: we’re stuck with companions system for the next few years anyway (my guess, about four or five). So, why not make it better, but in a doable way?

I’ll try to explain my vision of how to implement this thing.

How to do it with a minimum effort
I propose to use the existing system of rapport. Basically, it’s just a big improvement to this particular part of the companions.

Right now, we have this: some particular actions trigger increase or decrease in rapport. Actions can be added or removed, so can number of increase/decrease be changed.

I’m by no means a real developer and obviously have no idea how ESO engine works. I only worked with RPG Maker engine and I can explain how to do it there.

We need to look through every single quest with possible player choices. Yes, that’s a lot. And that’s the biggest problem here. But ZOS do have interns or some other kind of slaves, right?
So, then we just add a small line after each choice. Something like ‘Quest.choice=1’ or ‘Quest.choice=2’ where 1 stands for being ‘good’ and 2 stands for being ‘bad’. Or we can use already existing quest stages.

Then we go to that particular part of code where rapport is written. And add a reaction of a companion to that line according to companion’s morale! As the easiest example, Bastian will approve all noble actions and disapprove all villain actions. More morally flexible companions like Mirri… well, it obviously needs a bit more work. But check this out, ZOS: it’s a great material for a whole new update! Revamping BOTH companion and quest systems in the ENTIRE GAME, merging them together! It sounds global as heck and sure will win the hearts of some people (you can’t win the hearts of everyone anyway).

Once again, it can be different in ESO engine, but the whole idea is like that.

So. After that, we just need one final thing. Write about 3-5 voice lines for approval (‘I wouldn’t have done better myself!’, ‘That’s how a noble must act. You have my respect’, 'If everyone would be like you, Tamriel would be such a better place’) and exact amount of disapproval (‘I… can’t believe you just did that’, ‘How could’ve you fall so low?!’, ‘It’s your choice, but I… I just can’t put up with it’). It’ll be selected at random, just like any other companion voice line right now.

I think +/– 20-30 points of rapport will be enough. It won’t drastically increase the speed of gaining rapport, since quests take a lot of time to complete. And honestly, rapport isn't such a strong feature to begin with. Making it just a bit faster won’t ruin anyone’s game.

Conclusion
In the end we’ll receive a system that will improve relations between players and their companions, make them at least a bit more alive, unique and interesting story wise. Players will have much better experience questing with companions, and quest choices will start to matter at least to someone.

Of course, it may not be something epic. But, once again, let’s face it: ZOS probably won’t do anything that will require a significant amount of work. But they can actually do this.

katanagirl1

For those of us who know what we are doing but suffer from not so great dps, I was hoping companions would help in cases where you could not find guildies to help. The first two companions came with dps gear, but they really don’t work well in that role. I saw a suggestion here on the forums somewhere to equip Bastion as a tank, and he does fairly well in that role. He takes the heat off me so I can keep from getting the aggro.

I haven’t got his ultimate unlocked yet, but while fighting Keelsplitter with maybe 3-4 other players he successfully tanked the world boss and I took little damage to my armor. With the gryphon world boss though, and some others, he dies every time.

brylars

Your ideas have merit but their focus is not with the RP community in that way. The housing, furnishing, and costumes are where they cater to the community. The companion system was meant for battling the enemies in game. I personally have a gripe that they can't wear helms which does not make any sense.

TelvanniWizard

As much as I'm concerned, the only way they could be useful for Rp (wich, btw, is the only way the could be useful in general) is if they let us use our alts as companions. Dont care if dps sucks, dont care if they are mute. Just let me have companions I care for.

cyberjanet

It would be nice if they even reacted properly to the environment (seriously, in the Deadlands, Bastian tells me it's a great place for harvesting) and to the fact that we are actually on a quest.

I am disappointed in the system. Having played with heroes in Guild Wars, and of course the companions in Dragon Age, my expectations were entirely different. I want a valuable team mate that I can skill and gear up effectively, and that I can send to help my group fight if I am dead. Not have them hang around my body with one arm as long as the other, unable to even res me.

I've levelled them, and have enough rapport with one character each to achieve houseguest status. Because that's all they are really, glorified houseguests.

LalMirchi

I must say that I really like the companions concept. Soloing the vast expanses of ESO is much more friendly now.

I must admit to adopting a different playstyle occasionally, I stand back and watch my companions fight.

For example: I've learnt a lot of ranged fighting tactics watching Mirri roll-dodge around the combat area, this was rather enlightening for me as a casual. Having set the scroll button on the mouse to roll-dodge I'm now very agile when I need to be.

My only complaint is about their vocalizations. Apart from some very useful in-combat useful comments the companions responses to environmental cues is very lacking in depth and quantitity and thus decreasing immersion.

An example : "I'm still here... thanks for asking" (in a very abrasive tone of voice)

Seriously Mirri? This is what you say to your close friend and ally? (Thinks but does not speak aloud the word "Ingrate")

The environmental cues would need a lot more more vocal responses to be immersive IMHO