Improving On ESO S01E02) Companions And Companion Ideas Also A Voting Poll

Muzumush · May 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

I would like to see companions but not necessarily as humanoid. I would like for 2 Pet skill trees where our pets can get different skills through use. This would cost skill points from the Player of course and the skill line can follow a general passive approach to buffing your Pets/companions. Your dog (and if they ever provide a wolf) or wolf would fight like the enemy wolf does. Your tiger will fight like the Tigers, Cogbucket like the Dwemer spiders in the game etc.

Combat Pets would have a life bar (which can be healed by appropriate spells, or have an added damage shield from spells that apply) and once the bar becomes 0 they will go into a stunned/immobilized animation and it will take cool down of 1 minute until they can return to action.

Skill line buffs for combat pets can be:
-increased damage %
-increased damage resist %
-decreased cool down times by %
-% chance to knock down enemy (where applies)
-% chance to cause bleeding damage
-% chance to stun/reduce enemy movement speed by %
-% to taunt enemy and draw his attention away from player

Overall it would just be a buddy that fight along with you but except chip damage and the occasional stun, taunt etc. they are there just for immersion and having your own trained combat pet.

Of course there will be non-combat pets, like the Pony Gaurs, house Cat etc. unlike combat pets these don't have a health bar and their passives always work. They can have passives like:

-increase carrying capacity
-reduce sprinting cost
-improve sneak cost %
-make sneak detection area better
-improve out of combat Magicka, Health and Stamina regen.
-increase resource yields mining, provisioning, runes etc.
-improve elemental resistances by %
-find more gold in enemies/general loot.
-increase chance to find rare Blue + motifs, recipes etc.
-decrease research time as long as no-combat pet is active by %

These would insure both combat and non-combat have their uses and would just add to the already in place pets we have in game right now to make them feel part of the world and not just 'there'.

Heromofo · May 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

Gidorick wrote: »

Cool deal. Thanks @Heromofo. No matter how we get the feature, I just want a way to run dungeons workout having to beg for a group... and when I DO find a group they want to run through as fast as they can. I like to explore every nook. Check every cranny.... I'm not very 'player friendly' I'm afraid.

Amen brother lol if you find other versions you like bring them here we could use as many versions as possible for zos to see.

Heromofo · May 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

Muzumush wrote: »

I would like to see companions but not necessarily as humanoid. I would like for 2 Pet skill trees where our pets can get different skills through use. This would cost skill points from the Player of course and the skill line can follow a general passive approach to buffing your Pets/companions. Your dog (and if they ever provide a wolf) or wolf would fight like the enemy wolf does. Your tiger will fight like the Tigers, Cogbucket like the Dwemer spiders in the game etc.

Combat Pets would have a life bar (which can be healed by appropriate spells, or have an added damage shield from spells that apply) and once the bar becomes 0 they will go into a stunned/immobilized animation and it will take cool down of 1 minute until they can return to action.

Skill line buffs for combat pets can be:
-increased damage %
-increased damage resist %
-decreased cool down times by %
-% chance to knock down enemy (where applies)
-% chance to cause bleeding damage
-% chance to stun/reduce enemy movement speed by %
-% to taunt enemy and draw his attention away from player

Overall it would just be a buddy that fight along with you but except chip damage and the occasional stun, taunt etc. they are there just for immersion and having your own trained combat pet.

Of course there will be non-combat pets, like the Pony Gaurs, house Cat etc. unlike combat pets these don't have a health bar and their passives always work. They can have passives like:

-increase carrying capacity
-reduce sprinting cost
-improve sneak cost %
-make sneak detection area better
-improve out of combat Magicka, Health and Stamina regen.
-increase resource yields mining, provisioning, runes etc.
-improve elemental resistances by %
-find more gold in enemies/general loot.
-increase chance to find rare Blue + motifs, recipes etc.
-decrease research time as long as no-combat pet is active by %

These would insure both combat and non-combat have their uses and would just add to the already in place pets we have in game right now to make them feel part of the world and not just 'there'.

I have added your idea to the list lol its really good and it would really help my tank @Muzumush

PKMN12 · May 2015

No i would not like to see companions in the game ( Explain Below)

not sure if i am right about this or no, but in early beta/alpha, was there not this massive talk from tehdevs about followers being in-game?

I distinctly remember them talking about how Lyis would be your first possible follower that you always got (similar to Lydia in Skyrim) and that dependin on what side quests you had, and choices you made, you could get even more.

If i remember right, this was a major thing they were talking about, then it was promptly forgotten, and they never spoke of it again, despite the hype they were making for it.

Personally, i actually do not care, BUT they have so much things they NEED/PROMISED to do, that companions would be VERY far down that list.

BBSooner · May 2015

No i would not like to see companions in the game ( Explain Below)

Gidorick wrote: »

So many people are so shortsighted. Just because you won't use them doesn't mean they won't be good for the community.

I don't think systems whose depth is to aid in the completion of the most shallow challenged content is a valuable addition to the game. Companions are cool, swtor did amazing things with them, but they served a purpose to aid in not only completing generally difficult on level content but could act as fillers for leveling instances. This current companion suggestion hamstrings companions to their least useful role of following the player around already mind numbing content. This proposed implementation of companions does not interest me in the least.

Muzumush · May 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

Heromofo wrote: »

show previous quotes

Muzumush wrote: »

I have added your idea to the list lol its really good and it would really help my tank @Muzumush

Thanks

this was an "off the cuff" idea so I'll add to it/develop more in depth while I'm not a work... Lol

Heromofo · May 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

Muzumush wrote: »

show previous quotes

Heromofo wrote: »

Muzumush wrote: »

I have added your idea to the list lol its really good and it would really help my tank @Muzumush

Thanks this was an "off the cuff" idea so I'll add to it/develop more in depth while I'm not a work... Lol

Lol i know how you feel im at work atm also just leave it here once you finish with it and i will change it.

Wyietsayon · May 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

I had this thought once that a companion might be able to be made via an addon. Ok, not an actual physical person in game walking around, that's impossible via addons, but here me out. I'm not an addon developer, but I've used them and read about them enough to know some of their limits and things they can do.

Addons can track of quest completion (kinda sorta) and locations. What if a message popped up every time you went to a new place or finished a quest, with some dialogue from a companion? You might even be able to add choices as a response. Maybe those choices would keep track, like a friendship/enemy meter or some other attributes. These stats wouldn't affect anything in game, but might alter dialogue. There might be more flags that could trigger dialogue that I'm not even aware of. There's no way addons can change gameplay stuff, like giving you items or changing stats, but still, stories are fun.

And I'm all for adding more fun to games.

The companion wouldn't be physically there, but what if they had connected to you via mind, or communicating through soul gem magic, or via your soul from Coldharbour, or something along those lines. The person could be someone trapped, but still able to communicate. Got a wide range of personality choices there.

Essentially, it'd be something kind of like the mail hireling stories, but since it's in the UI, more prevalent and influenced by what you are currently doing. You can display image in the UI, so you can probably make character portraits when they talk, like RPGs.

There's probably a thousand technical snags with this idea, but there ya go. If I didn't hate coding with a fiery passion, I would have tried this. I can write, and kinda sorta do art, but coding, just...no. I've tried. It hurts. Props to all addon developers, and coders in general.

UrQuan · May 2015

No i would not like to see companions in the game ( Explain Below)

Gidorick wrote: »

So many people are so shortsighted. Just because you won't use them doesn't mean they won't be good for the community.

Well, I've already explained in this thread why I believe that companions would be actively bad for the community. It's not a matter of whether I would use them or not, I don't want to see them in the game because anything that encourages people to be less social with other players (and having companions to help you out with bosses and such encourages exactly that) is bad for the community.

Now if we're talking about companions who don't help you with combat, then that's another story.

Heromofo · May 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

UrQuan wrote: »

show previous quotes

Gidorick wrote: »

So many people are so shortsighted. Just because you won't use them doesn't mean they won't be good for the community.

Well, I've already explained in this thread why I believe that companions would be actively bad for the community. It's not a matter of whether I would use them or not, I don't want to see them in the game because anything that encourages people to be less social with other players (and having companions to help you out with bosses and such encourages exactly that) is bad for the community.

Now if we're talking about companions who don't help you with combat, then that's another story.

Check out Muzumush part on the front page its an idea just like that and a brillant one as well.

wenchmore420b14_ESO · May 2015

No i would not like to see companions in the game ( Explain Below)

This is a big NO for me. To be clear, not all TES games had companions. only Skyrim and that was born out of the mods from Oblivion and Morrowind that were never a real part of the game. And who remembers the problems with said companions, ( even Lydia), getting stuck in door ways, blocking your path, not moving when they should,etc. Companions didn't work right in single player games and we don't need those bugs here.
I have 1,734 companions in 4 guilds. Thats all I need. If you really want a NPC companion, roll a sorc, get winged twilight, and name her "Lydia" like I did..:) Also, we had NPC hirelings at one time. Remember the guards you could hire in Cyrodiil with your AP? They removed those for a reason.
Lastly is the technical hurdles to clear. It has already been stated by Zos that cloaks/capes won't be added because of how un-feasible it would be to implement and what a negative affect it would have on graphics, etc. So imagine every one in Davon,s Watch having a NPC companion? 4FPS if we are lucky? No thank you..
There are a ton of GREAT ideas in this thread and others, but this is not a single player game, it's a MMORPG. You can't just add stuff that sounds good. It must be coded, programed,etc and it's not that easy and does not work the same as SPG's.
All I see with adding companions is lagging the server to point of being unplayable.
This is just my two Septims. Thank You..Huzzah!

Heromofo · May 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

wenchmore420b14_ESO wrote: »

This is a big NO for me. To be clear, not all TES games had companions. only Skyrim and that was born out of the mods from Oblivion and Morrowind that were never a real part of the game. And who remembers the problems with said companions, ( even Lydia), getting stuck in door ways, blocking your path, not moving when they should,etc. Companions didn't work right in single player games and we don't need those bugs here.
I have 1,734 companions in 4 guilds. Thats all I need. If you really want a NPC companion, roll a sorc, get winged twilight, and name her "Lydia" like I did..:) Also, we had NPC hirelings at one time. Remember the guards you could hire in Cyrodiil with your AP? They removed those for a reason.
Lastly is the technical hurdles to clear. It has already been stated by Zos that cloaks/capes won't be added because of how un-feasible it would be to implement and what a negative affect it would have on graphics, etc. So imagine every one in Davon,s Watch having a NPC companion? 4FPS if we are lucky? No thank you..
There are a ton of GREAT ideas in this thread and others, but this is not a single player game, it's a MMORPG. You can't just add stuff that sounds good. It must be coded, programed,etc and it's not that easy and does not work the same as SPG's.
All I see with adding companions is lagging the server to point of being unplayable.
This is just my two Septims. Thank You..Huzzah!

That's ok you gotta figure for everyone that would like it there has to people that dont like it and thats a good thing.
Just like im sure there is alot of us who will leave eso when elder scrolls six comes out.
But that it is ok as well. But i do agree on the server lag because that is a worry but then again i have never seen lag like i have in eso and stepping into Cyrodil can be a nightmare.

Heromofo · May 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

Best way to look at my last post is the poll itself lol

Heromofo · May 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

Wyietsayon wrote: »

I had this thought once that a companion might be able to be made via an addon. Ok, not an actual physical person in game walking around, that's impossible via addons, but here me out. I'm not an addon developer, but I've used them and read about them enough to know some of their limits and things they can do.

Addons can track of quest completion (kinda sorta) and locations. What if a message popped up every time you went to a new place or finished a quest, with some dialogue from a companion? You might even be able to add choices as a response. Maybe those choices would keep track, like a friendship/enemy meter or some other attributes. These stats wouldn't affect anything in game, but might alter dialogue. There might be more flags that could trigger dialogue that I'm not even aware of. There's no way addons can change gameplay stuff, like giving you items or changing stats, but still, stories are fun. And I'm all for adding more fun to games.

The companion wouldn't be physically there, but what if they had connected to you via mind, or communicating through soul gem magic, or via your soul from Coldharbour, or something along those lines. The person could be someone trapped, but still able to communicate. Got a wide range of personality choices there.

Essentially, it'd be something kind of like the mail hireling stories, but since it's in the UI, more prevalent and influenced by what you are currently doing. You can display image in the UI, so you can probably make character portraits when they talk, like RPGs.

There's probably a thousand technical snags with this idea, but there ya go. If I didn't hate coding with a fiery passion, I would have tried this. I can write, and kinda sorta do art, but coding, just...no. I've tried. It hurts. Props to all addon developers, and coders in general.

It is an interesting idea if you want to do it up like how it will work step by step i could put it on the thread if you dont mind.

Muzumush · May 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

wenchmore420b14_ESO wrote: »

This is a big NO for me. To be clear, not all TES games had companions. only Skyrim and that was born out of the mods from Oblivion and Morrowind that were never a real part of the game. And who remembers the problems with said companions, ( even Lydia), getting stuck in door ways, blocking your path, not moving when they should,etc. Companions didn't work right in single player games and we don't need those bugs here.
I have 1,734 companions in 4 guilds. Thats all I need. If you really want a NPC companion, roll a sorc, get winged twilight, and name her "Lydia" like I did..:) Also, we had NPC hirelings at one time. Remember the guards you could hire in Cyrodiil with your AP? They removed those for a reason.
Lastly is the technical hurdles to clear. It has already been stated by Zos that cloaks/capes won't be added because of how un-feasible it would be to implement and what a negative affect it would have on graphics, etc. So imagine every one in Davon,s Watch having a NPC companion? 4FPS if we are lucky? No thank you..
There are a ton of GREAT ideas in this thread and others, but this is not a single player game, it's a MMORPG. You can't just add stuff that sounds good. It must be coded, programed,etc and it's not that easy and does not work the same as SPG's.
All I see with adding companions is lagging the server to point of being unplayable.
This is just my two Septims. Thank You..Huzzah!

I actually agree with 90% of this post. The reason I'm for combat pets/non-combat pets (see my post earlier in the page or now in the OP) is because people are already running around with said pets all they have to do is allow some to fight along with you or provide passive buffs (both in PVE only).

If humanoid companions become a thing then you will see players with a companion, a pet and if their a Sorcerer summon creatures. We already have summon creatures so just enabling non-sorcerers to have combat pets won't be a huge resource dump or be bad on performance as the game is already loading the textures, animations, sound files etc. with the current pets. Also since it will only be available in PVE only sorcerers will have their Summoned creatures in PvP. Unless they allow pets in PvP but if you have them enabled you cannot sneak so that's a pretty huge penalty...

However I don't think I should be forced to play a sorcerer if I want a combat pet, I want to role play my warrior werewolf with his trusty war hound (or wolf if they make those ever) by his side. Can't do that with a sorcerer and summons...

Heromofo · May 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

Muzumush wrote: »

show previous quotes

wenchmore420b14_ESO wrote: »

This is a big NO for me. To be clear, not all TES games had companions. only Skyrim and that was born out of the mods from Oblivion and Morrowind that were never a real part of the game. And who remembers the problems with said companions, ( even Lydia), getting stuck in door ways, blocking your path, not moving when they should,etc. Companions didn't work right in single player games and we don't need those bugs here.
I have 1,734 companions in 4 guilds. Thats all I need. If you really want a NPC companion, roll a sorc, get winged twilight, and name her "Lydia" like I did..:) Also, we had NPC hirelings at one time. Remember the guards you could hire in Cyrodiil with your AP? They removed those for a reason.
Lastly is the technical hurdles to clear. It has already been stated by Zos that cloaks/capes won't be added because of how un-feasible it would be to implement and what a negative affect it would have on graphics, etc. So imagine every one in Davon,s Watch having a NPC companion? 4FPS if we are lucky? No thank you..
There are a ton of GREAT ideas in this thread and others, but this is not a single player game, it's a MMORPG. You can't just add stuff that sounds good. It must be coded, programed,etc and it's not that easy and does not work the same as SPG's.
All I see with adding companions is lagging the server to point of being unplayable.
This is just my two Septims. Thank You..Huzzah!

I actually agree with 90% of this post. The reason I'm for combat pets/non-combat pets (see my post earlier in the page or now in the OP) is because people are already running around with said pets all they have to do is allow some to fight along with you or provide passive buffs (both in PVE only).

If humanoid companions become a thing then you will see players with a companion, a pet and if their a Sorcerer summon creatures. We already have summon creatures so just enabling non-sorcerers to have combat pets won't be a huge resource dumb or be bad on preformance as the game is already loading the textures, animations, sound files etc. with the current pets. Also since it will only be available in PVE only sorcerers will have their Summoned creatures in PvP. Unless they allow pets in PvP but if you have them enabled you cannot sneak so that's a pretty huge penalty...

However I don't think I should be forced to play a sorcerer if I want a combat pet, I want to role play my warrior werewolf with his trusty war hound (or wolf if they make those ever) by his side. Can't do that with a sorcerer and summons...

Amen brother i like to play a mighty tank with a warhound,dragon or undead.

Heromofo · May 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

@Muzumush

Can i get your edited version to put on the front page of your idea.

Thanks Heromofo

Also ps i have the third and fourth part done if you want to see them now.
With the last part not far off just pm with feedback if you like thanks bud.

Xandryah · May 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

every time i see a NO in ESO , it makes me think, if i'm in the right MMO-community...
i like the community-enthusiasm and communication-involment and all, it's all very lively and pleasant

but i feel like this every time, i see some players say NO to creative suggestions that would not affect neither RP-experience, PVP-experience, PVE-experience.. (imo) it would just give this game another area of fun and diversity and less dull.

Companions are such a suggestion; i see it in swtor again; it's just fun and you can ofc still join groups for more difficult content, some former group-content, you can solo with companion; MMo does not mean, you are forced to group for every little content; at least at some point;

Companions have a story too (in swtor) and nice cinematic-conversations (which i miss a lot too !!) and you spend quite some time to gear them up and dress them with the gear you like them to have.("creativity" aspect, "roleplay" aspect)

Mass Effect had Loyalty-missions too; that could be downloadable content in any MMO that has companions (just came into my mind)

Big YES from me OF COURSE!

Heromofo · May 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

Xandryah wrote: »

every time i see a NO in ESO , it makes me think, if i'm in the right MMO-community...
i like the community-enthusiasm and communication-involment and all, it's all very lively and pleasant

but i feel like this every time, i see some players say NO to creative suggestions that would not affect neither RP-experience, PVP-experience, PVE-experience.. (imo) it would just give this game another area of fun and diversity and less dull.

Companions are such a suggestion; i see it in swtor again; it's just fun and you can ofc still join groups for more difficult content, some former group-content, you can solo with companion; MMo does not mean, you are forced to group for every little content; at least at some point;

Companions have a story too (in swtor) and nice cinematic-conversations (which i miss a lot too !!) and you spend quite some time to gear them up and dress them with the gear you like them to have.("creativity" aspect, "roleplay" aspect)

Mass Effect had Loyalty-missions too; that could be downloadable content in any MMO that has companions (just came into my mind)

Big YES from me OF COURSE!

@Xandryah
Plus its a really standard feature now of the Elder Scrolls universe so it shouldn't be such an alien Concept and i went as far as to write up a quick story to show how you can make a choice between two companions.

Swtor companions helped me to feel more at home in the game and actually care about the game
especially Mako.

Azurephoenix999 · July 2015

Yes i would like to see companions in the game (Explain Below)

I'd have to keep it as a yes, I'd like it, but it may not be best for the game. I think they could be available, but you'd need to give them tons of dialogue options. Flesh out their character. You have to limit it to one follower per player at any one time as this could cause overcrowding and lag.