Purchasable Fully-Custom Companions?

thegreatme · February 2022

Yes, that sounds like a great idea! Custom companions please!

Vindold wrote: »

I don't want to see such stuff as a part of Crown Store. It will probably cost like 5k crowns minimum.
What I want to see is FREE customization options for our existing companions like:

1. Body type
2. Hair \ Hair color
3. Skin color
4. Tattoo
5. Adornments \ Headgear
6. Face

Which unfortunately I don't think is going to happen since while a Companion designed as a blank slate from the start will never conflict with the idea of a "Unique stand-alone character you get to adventure with", changing everything about an established, fully-voiced Companion with their own story quests will.

Of course it will help us, the players, not have the problem of constant clone companions running around like some sort of Children of the Corn knock-offs, it completely turns the idea of Mirri and Bastion being "their own people" on its head.

'm fairly certain that's the logic ZoS are going with with their restrictions on customization as well.

thegreatme · February 2022

Yes, that sounds like a great idea! Custom companions please!

phaneub17_ESO wrote: »

I feel like the quality of the companion will go down, while you can change how they appear to your liking it means you lose out on personality, voice acting, and story quests that would normally be associated with them. They won't do those things for custom companions because it can never match up with what you create, there's too many variables. So now you're running around with another Sorc pet you can change the appearance.

Sheezabeast wrote: »

I think if they had a dialogue pack we got to pick the voce for, per the gender we pick, that would be great. Getting to pick the gender, the race, hair and name would be lovely. If we cannot hide their face, let us customize them.

AcadianPaladin wrote: »

I'm neutral on the idea because the custom voicing is a big deal to me. Don't want a silent companion and it is probably too much to offer a bunch of fully voiced options. While I would stay with the provided fully voiced companions, I get that others may prefer different and options are good.

Well, that's the thing.

They don't HAVE to deliver those many bells and whistles.

Thing is I'm not suggesting customizable Companions as a replacement for the Companions we already get, I'm suggesting it as an addition to the ones that we already get with new chapters.

Perhaps along with the options, you could choose between different voices and dialogue options that the custom companions use? Or you could choose to have them say nothing at all. You could even possibly choose what sort of activities trigger what sort of dialogue reactions (Custom Companion #1 likes books, cooking, hates goblins and spiders, Custom Companion #2 likes thievery, dogs, hates killing, traveling by ship, etc)

Of course most of the lines would be fairly generic and repetitive after a while (to the same degree more or less as Mirri and Bastion are), but it would be an option for those who want it.

thegreatme · February 2022

Yes, that sounds like a great idea! Custom companions please!

Kesstryl wrote: »

I wouldn't mind this so I could make companions based on my other characters, but other than that, I think this would be a long way off as right now companions are, sadly, being used as chapter selling points. It's going to be a slog of years before we get companions of all classes in this case, which is awful for those of us who want more variety across our different characters. I'd have a different companion for each of my 14 characters if it was available, as each one of them would make friends with different types of people.

VaranisArano wrote: »

If they sell a customizable Companion, then it'll be harder to throw two new Companions into a chapter and call it new content.

Amottica wrote: »

This or keeping adding them to chapters. If they offered a fully customizable one then there would be no reason for us to be interested in any more companions. I just do not see Zenimax seeing such a companion as a good business move.

To that, I ask, what about those of us who don't give a single hoot about new Companions with the new chapters?

Honestly my reaction to Companions was "Meh" at best.

I was even less enthusiastic when Companions were introduced to Live, not least of all because I have to grind "Reputation" and then story quests to unlock everything Companions have to offer (which I still haven't done, because I'm just that excited for it)

This isn't suggested as a replacement for Companions, or for the people who prefer the "Premium" Companions with Chapters that come with full voice acting and unique storylines.

This is a suggestion for those who really don't care for the current Companion system anyway, but what we'd really be interested in is our own unique Companions to run around with because they look cool and we want to build our own stories anyway.

And that's what Elder Scrolls is at its own core, isn't it? A "Build Your Own Story, Play How You Want" franchise?

Also its my opinion that if you really need to use gimmicks to sell new chapters to people, you should focus more on the content of those actual chapters.

I don't need such gimmicks to buy them. Chapters on their own with new lands and story quests to explore and roleplay possibilities to use are good enough a reason for me. I'll never buy a chapter JUST to "get my hands on" any Companion they ever introduce to the game.

thegreatme · February 2022

Yes, that sounds like a great idea! Custom companions please!

spartaxoxo wrote: »

No. I like that Companions are their own unique characters and not just extension of my own character. It is one of the largest bonuses to me. I also strongly dislike a gameplay feature being turned into monetization, too close to p2w for my liking. The banker and merchants are already completely lifeless, and they at least have some dialogue. These would be even more lifeless than that. These would just be Barbies.

Calling it "Pay to Win" is more than a bit of a stretch.

Companions are all but useless outside the easiest overland content in the game. They can't replace the skill of real players, and they die easily to anything World-Boss tier and above almost instantly.

You'll never see people using Companions in Vet DLC dungeons, Trials, any actually difficult content.

And they can't be summoned in PvP.

"Pay for Convenience"? Sure. P2W? Not even close.

Its no more gamebreaking than offering new Companions with Chapters. Its not as though you can get any from the base game alone, so you already need to pay extra to have access to them anyway.

thegreatme · February 2022

Yes, that sounds like a great idea! Custom companions please!

_Zathras_ wrote: »

Or, as in this thread, "Can we have X feature, if it's in the Crown Store?" because everyone knows how precious monetizing is to them.

All that does is actively signal that the players are ripe for the picking. Anything goes! Let's unleash more Cash Shop goodness.

"Look! They're trying to monetize themselves now!" (gleeful cackling)

To the OP: Customization, yes! But do we really have to monetize it?

Jeffrey530 wrote: »

That's called being realistic lol. Why would a company give new features/content for free. So you can praise them and continue your £10 a month subscription? They can prob earn the equivalent of your few years of subscription within minutes with a new skin.

Exactly that.

Don't get me wrong. I would love if ZoS were so generous as to just hand out free fully customizable Companions I can turn into anyone or anything I like to follow me around the world whenever I like. Hell, give me 18 of them! One for each of my toons!

Except that is never going to happen. If you think asking ZoS to sell us such an addition would be met with crickets, what sort of response do you expect them to give to "We should just get this complimentary and free" would elicit? I'm dying to hear your answer about that, if you somehow have some kind of insight that I don't.

_Zathras_ wrote: »

On the customization, I would put the brakes on polymorphs. The Companions all have personalities. If Miri is going to complain over something as trivial as plucking the wings off a torchbug, how do you think she would react over being turned into an Ice Atronach.

If you're doing it for a blank slate Companion and not Mirri or Bastion, the complaints of that character about it are rather a moot point though, yes?

thegreatme · February 2022

Yes, that sounds like a great idea! Custom companions please!

Fischblut wrote: »

Sadly, in my case, developers could not deliver the fun in current Companion system.

I wanted to shape up a character who would match my own characters, so that it would be comfortable to travel together. Functionally, companions are not strong; they can't be taken into arenas, and they can't be used to bypass solo-unfriendly mechanics in dungeons (for example, pressure plates or levers)... So they should at least look good

Exactly how I feel.

Companions as they are are a great system - for those people who like them.

I am not one of them. There is nothing inherently wrong with the characters, they just are not what I'm looking for.

Someone else's pre-made characters will never be as appealing to travel all of Nirn with than my own characters. Sorry @ whoever at ZoS designed them.

I'm a roleplayer and storyteller at heart. Mirri, Bastion, and any other story-driven Companions we get are already written by someone else and set in stone, and I'm not interested in creating fanfiction of them.

I want to have adventures with my own characters and tell their story, first and foremost.

Sawbones194 · February 2022

Other (explain)

No don't make it purchasable but make it me earning in game.

ADarklore · February 2022

Other (explain)

As others have said, being able to utilize one of our alt characters as a Companion is a great idea!!

However, I also like the idea of them just adding Companions to the Crown Store... give them a quest out in the world and after we purchase them, we have to go collect them where they are located... and be done with it!! At least then we'd have more options instead of being stuck with having to choose between THREE females and only ONE male.

Rex-Umbra · February 2022

I'd be happy if they could wear hats and helmets. Sick of seeing a dozens of Bastian and Morris clones standing around a boss spawn.

Kiralyn2000 · February 2022

No, I don't like that idea at all.

I'd say no, because it seems like they're meant to be defined/developed 'characters', not just another generic pet.

So a specific background, story, quests to go with that story, etc. Not just a blank slate dress-up doll, or one of your other alts.

Kalik_Gold · February 2022

Yes, that sounds like a great idea! Custom companions please!

Would like a Attunable companion. Purchase it from store (or quest reward). Use it on any random NPC (non-quest related) and boom you have a companion.

It can have random voice to choose from like Character creator menu.

These type of companions don't need a rapport system for backstory quests, just levels to unlock their skills.

Ulvich · February 2022

Yes, that sounds like a great idea! Custom companions please!

The whole companion system needs an overhaul..... Gear, appearance, voice, everything. Currently it all just seems a bit bland to me.
As for their side quests, I kind of enjoyed them.

Vindold · February 2022

Other (explain)

thegreatme wrote: »

Vindold wrote: »

I don't want to see such stuff as a part of Crown Store. It will probably cost like 5k crowns minimum.
What I want to see is FREE customization options for our existing companions like:

1. Body type
2. Hair \ Hair color
3. Skin color
4. Tattoo
5. Adornments \ Headgear
6. Face

Which unfortunately I don't think is going to happen since while a Companion designed as a blank slate from the start will never conflict with the idea of a "Unique stand-alone character you get to adventure with", changing everything about an established, fully-voiced Companion with their own story quests will.

Of course it will help us, the players, not have the problem of constant clone companions running around like some sort of Children of the Corn knock-offs, it completely turns the idea of Mirri and Bastion being "their own people" on its head.

'm fairly certain that's the logic ZoS are going with with their restrictions on customization as well.

If ZOS allow us to change at least Body type, Hair style and an option to put some bucket on their head for free, that's enough for me, I can't really see any problems with such feature enabled.

BretonMage · February 2022

No, I don't like that idea at all.

I find the idea of silent, customisable companions a little creepy, like they're nothing but dolls (of course, in reality they're nothing but pixels, but at least the way they are now we can somewhat plausibly imagine them as people).

I think any customisable companions would at a bare minimum need to be voiced. But really, I disagree with anything that might jeopardise the development of companions with unique characters; in fact I want our current companions to be MORE fleshed out, with more dialogue and more personality.

Leftover_Pizza · February 2022

BomblePants wrote: »

I’d like one of my alts as my companion…

Especially with an intelligent learning system, copying my own playstyle I use on that alt and copying that on it when selected as companion.

EchoirVarsoj · February 2022

Yeah I find it doable after they finish adding one companion per class.
And it's a good monetization mechanism although there are some race/class combinations that I really want as companions.

Soulshine · February 2022

Other (explain)

All for customizing whatever you want; NOT a fan of even the mere suggestion of the access point for such features being the crown store.

Lugaldu · February 2022

No, I don't like that idea at all.

For me, companions are something to entertain, to explore, like discovering a new region - if I have a companion with no backstory or text, it's nothing more than a fighting dress-up doll.

SammyKhajit · February 2022

No, I don't like that idea at all.

Some customisation would be nice (eg hair style, adornments, tattoos) but not the full work.

Despite how annoying Bastion can be, this one has accepted him for who he is - a somewhat naïve, idealistic person who is nevertheless cheerful and seems genuinely concerned for Sammy’s wellbeing.

Mirri is just all round excellent and fun to hang around with

And that’s what companions should be - they come with their uniqueness and individual quirks and dis/likes and it’s up to the players to decide how to respond to that.

phairdon · February 2022

Yes, that sounds like a great idea! Custom companions please!

The ability to change their physical appearance would be welcome. No more attack of the clones.

kirgeo · February 2022

Yes, that sounds like a great idea! Custom companions please!

Its a great idea. Give a customizable companion for those who want it and release voiced ones with background with chapters win-win for both sides.

whitecrow · February 2022

No, I don't like that idea at all.

SammyKhajit wrote: »

Some customisation would be nice (eg hair style, adornments, tattoos) but not the full work.

Despite how annoying Bastion can be, this one has accepted him for who he is - a somewhat naïve, idealistic person who is nevertheless cheerful and seems genuinely concerned for Sammy’s wellbeing.

Mirri is just all round excellent and fun to hang around with

And that’s what companions should be - they come with their uniqueness and individual quirks and dis/likes and it’s up to the players to decide how to respond to that.

When they were first revealed in the stream I thought I would much prefer Mirri and that Bastian would be too whitebread. But then I lost someone close to me in June and I found Bastian's positive and uplifting comments much needed. I ended up liking him a lot.

SammyKhajit · February 2022

No, I don't like that idea at all.

whitecrow wrote: »

SammyKhajit wrote: »

Some customisation would be nice (eg hair style, adornments, tattoos) but not the full work.

Despite how annoying Bastion can be, this one has accepted him for who he is - a somewhat naïve, idealistic person who is nevertheless cheerful and seems genuinely concerned for Sammy’s wellbeing.

Mirri is just all round excellent and fun to hang around with

And that’s what companions should be - they come with their uniqueness and individual quirks and dis/likes and it’s up to the players to decide how to respond to that.

When they were first revealed in the stream I thought I would much prefer Mirri and that Bastian would be too whitebread. But then I lost someone close to me in June and I found Bastian's positive and uplifting comments much needed. I ended up liking him a lot.

This one is sorry for your loss, but is glad to hear you found solace from the game. ESO is also special for this one for similar reason.

whitecrow · February 2022

No, I don't like that idea at all.

SammyKhajit wrote: »

whitecrow wrote: »

SammyKhajit wrote: »

Some customisation would be nice (eg hair style, adornments, tattoos) but not the full work.

Despite how annoying Bastion can be, this one has accepted him for who he is - a somewhat naïve, idealistic person who is nevertheless cheerful and seems genuinely concerned for Sammy’s wellbeing.

Mirri is just all round excellent and fun to hang around with

And that’s what companions should be - they come with their uniqueness and individual quirks and dis/likes and it’s up to the players to decide how to respond to that.

When they were first revealed in the stream I thought I would much prefer Mirri and that Bastian would be too whitebread. But then I lost someone close to me in June and I found Bastian's positive and uplifting comments much needed. I ended up liking him a lot.

This one is sorry for your loss, but is glad to hear you found solace from the game. ESO is also special for this one for similar reason.

Thanks Sammy. I also found the Adoring Fan's dialogue in his final encounter to be helpful.

drsalvation · February 2022

Other (explain)

I'm all in for that idea. But I still want to change companion's hairstyles and put helmets on the ones that already exist.
Fallout 4 would allow you to put helmets on them, they never felt like generic NPC's, so I still think that this philosophy of "keeping their identiy" is highly redundant (especially because their uniqueness becomes completely deprecated the moment you see a second Mirri or Bastian). The whole "showing their face" is just hollywood ideals of keeping identities for their actors, but in video games, it makes little to no sense, and only becomes highly frustrating.
I doubt they would ever implement a blank canvas of a companion, so while I'm still in favor of your idea, I'm also a bit more realistic and still have hopes that they would add minor tweaks to make them more personal (hairstyles and helmets, everything else like body markings are optional but I don't need them).

Allowing them to become cursed would be amazing as well, a vampire or werewolf companion would be sick (especially if it activates the werewolf morph of pack leader). But again, that's more far-sighted and I'd be happy with the simpler fixes.

Ascarl · February 2022

Other (explain)

I would be happy just to adjust the look of my companion by the character creation screen. I would even pay crowns for it.