Companions - fine tuning first thoughts ;)

woufff · June 2021

I love the companions, Mirri more then Bastian (who wonders?) and I would like to have some improved interactions.
A lot of people have already commented on the repetitive reactions, I do not really have a problem with that but here some first thoughts:

I would like that when Mirri says she is hungry or thirsty this would actually mean something, e.g. you craft something and she is happy - rapport increase
Her chat colour is always the same as all other NPC's, it would be nice if we could give a specific colour as she is NOT like all other NPC's
If you sit in an inn it would be nice that she also sits down or to be able to make her sit, like in Skyrim for instance

Anyone something more to add? Would be nice to read more ideas from people enjoying the interaction with the companions which it nice but still quite limited

Gythral · June 2021

E replaced by <CTRL><ALT>Z (same for all NPC 'companionns'/quests helpers)
runaway replaced by run towards player/tank

SammyKhajit · June 2021

This one would like Bastian to actually fight dragons, not just strolling around the red circles and gawking at the fight like it’s a ******** amusement park

Also, a command to tell companions to follow close or keep at a distance would be good.

As the OP said, it’d be nice to offer Mirri a beverage or snack when she comments about food.

Sarannah · June 2021

Playing with both, here are some suggestions:

-Remove rapportdecreases entirely. Rapport goes up so slowly, there is no reason to punish certain in-game activities. And worrying about rapport is a major hassle when playing multiple characters. Also, with future companions in mind.

-Disable interacting with companions while in combat. (Give us a hotkey to disable/enable interacting with companions completely)

-Give us a simple command to tell the companion to move towards us.

-Do not let companions go out of a certain range from the player, as this causes monsters/bosses to reset. Or causes them to walk for miles.

-Do not let companions get aggro at all, unless they use a taunt.

-When in combat the companion does not have line of sight of the enemy, let it instantly respawn onto the player.

-Do not show the companion marker on the compass, it is only in the way.

VaranisArano · June 2021

I'd like the option to have my companion stand behind me most of the time, instead of moving to where my reticle is pointing. There seems to be a mid range targeting issue where if I'm not very close to the item I'm interacting with, Mirri's hitbox will overlap it and I have to move closer.

While investigating Councilor Jirich's manor, Varanis, Eveli, and Mirri were all trying to look at the nightstand. I think I talked to both of them before I managed to read the letter.

woufff · June 2021

Gythral wrote: »

E replaced by <CTRL><ALT>Z (same for all NPC 'companionns'/quests helpers)
runaway replaced by run towards player/tank

Sorry, I do not understand what you mean?

agegarton · June 2021

I’d like for there to be more ways - and more consistent means - of increasing rapport in big jumps. It’s also an opportunity to bring other types of quest / player into the mix:-

E.g.

Increase rapport when a purple-level item is crafted, or when a master writ is completed.
Add rapport to other daily quests. There are lots to choose from!

I would also like companion gear to be craftable. I cannot think why not?

Finally, it would be great to get companions to perform certain tasks, like collecting survey nodes. They could disappear for an hour or something, and return with the items.

Tan9oSuccka · June 2021

It would be nice if they didn’t sit in red AOE circles until death.

From a cosmetic standpoint, both need a paper bag for those mugs. Please enable helmets.

vallisas · June 2021

Yes give mirri a facelift, make her look more like altmer, or more distinct from other dunmer, dunmer are kinda uggo. Or atleast alternate face customizations similar to swtor style. Basti ok as is though

PigofSteel · June 2021

The only thing that bothers me right now is they are always in front of you when you stop.

Make them they stop behind you because if you want to pickup anything its really annoying.

@ZOS_GinaBruno

Orion_89 · June 2021

Sarannah wrote: »

-Remove rapportdecreases entirely. Rapport goes up so slowly, there is no reason to punish certain in-game activities. And worrying about rapport is a major hassle when playing multiple characters. Also, with future companions in mind.

While rapport decreases are unpleasant, Mirri has not of a much ways to trigger them. Yeah it is strange that she like to eat bugs, but also scolds you for collecting them. And why is she unhappy about using Blade of Woe on enemies? Idk. Anyway they are really small.

What upsets me is that we can't change rupport via talking with companions. In normal RPGs we can discuss with them current events or other characters and form our rapport in a natural way. It's not that hard to add several replics about places where companion have already been and about characters he already knew.

phaneub17_ESO · June 2021

I would like the "Command Pet" keybind not be the same as the "Use Companion Ultimate" keybind. While it's less worrisome on Mirri since her Ultimate requires a target, but for Bastian its possible to accidentally use his Ultimate on the spot before he even attacks as his is a drop at location type. It can be very frustrating for gamepad mode if you don't hit the trigger or the trigger doesn't register when ordering "Pet Command" at the same time.

SerafinaWaterstar · June 2021

Have quick question - once you have maxed out rapport & unlocked benefit, can you then still lose rapport?

Mythreindeer · June 2021

I disagree with the requests for companions to perform robotic actions on behalf of the player. Those are servant roles, not companion roles. Companions shouldn't enable lazy, E-Z mode.

kargen27 · June 2021

Would be nice if when fishing the companions could put a pole in the water instead of standing there looking bored. Makes me feel bad for them. They don't even have to catch anything just let them stand there looking like they are fishing.

SammyKhajit · June 2021

kargen27 wrote: »

Would be nice if when fishing the companions could put a pole in the water instead of standing there looking bored. Makes me feel bad for them. They don't even have to catch anything just let them stand there looking like they are fishing.

Or they could sit down, play lute, read.... anything except standing there giving this one the death stare.

phaneub17_ESO · June 2021

SerafinaWaterstar wrote: »

Have quick question - once you have maxed out rapport & unlocked benefit, can you then still lose rapport?

Yes, but losing rapport is between 1 to 10 while still doing fighters/mages guild daily is 125 gains each (you can do 15 a day), easily wiping out any losses you do unless you really like pissing them off.

woufff · June 2021

Mythreindeer wrote: »

I disagree with the requests for companions to perform robotic actions on behalf of the player. Those are servant roles, not companion roles. Companions shouldn't enable lazy, E-Z mode.

Good point. But then they should be able to perform actions on their own, not only standing around (sitting/playing/reading etc.).

priestnall.andrewrwb17_ESO · June 2021

It’s weird, you kill a rat and Bastiaan is all like; “Why in the name of GOD would you do that…. You are the face of evil and a creeping shadow across the world!” But when you make a quest moral choice e.g. kill the innocent villages or rescue them - He’s like “…” (shoe gazing).,, they should have SOMETHING to contribute - like a choice they agree with resulting in rapport increase or decrease. Was quite surprised that wasn’t a thing at launch.

Everstorm · June 2021

I would like a stats report somewhere on their equipment screen. (Or am I blind?)

Mythreindeer · June 2021

woufff wrote: »

Mythreindeer wrote: »

I disagree with the requests for companions to perform robotic actions on behalf of the player. Those are servant roles, not companion roles. Companions shouldn't enable lazy, E-Z mode.

Good point. But then they should be able to perform actions on their own, not only standing around (sitting/playing/reading etc.).

I would have no issue with companions having a toggle passive skill, such as playing an instrument as Sammy suggested.

cynicalbutterfly · June 2021

woufff wrote: »

[*] If you sit in an inn it would be nice that she also sits down or to be able to make her sit, like in Skyrim for instance

I went into an inn the other day and started playing the lute while I afk'd for a bit. But what did Bastian do? He stood there like a lump on a log. I love the companions but they need to be able to interact with their enviroment a little. If I sit or I stop moving for a certain amount of time, then they too should do something as a reaction to that. If I play an instrument then why can't they too join in?

I'd also like to see combat customizations. The ability to toggle their aggro capabilities as well as their overall intereactions in combat. And for the love of all, make them stop going backwards if they're being attacked. Do we want them to stand still or do we want them to move like their life depends on it? There should be an option for that!

And on the heels of the one up above, the ability to choose their role. The role they are will dictate how they move in combat and their interactions with their enviroment. A healer will naturally heal in and out of combat. A tank will pull aggro and hold it for as long as they can. A damager will naturally attack when you do and try for the best damage they can do.

Another feature I'd like to see is the ability to customize their stats by using Attribute points (much like what our characters already have). It would better give us the ability to customize their purpose to suit our needs. I don't expect as many as our characters get but a few points to work with would be nice.

And lastly, their gear in general needs a lift. We get sets, dropped and crafted, for our characters. Companions are dropped only. Make them craftable. Heck give them sets too. Obvisously I'm not expecting fully tricked out gear like characters get but something better than what they've got. Maybe a set that has a special stat booster or something. I really don't know but I'm sure someone out there does. More customization the better imo.

-Do not show the companion marker on the compass, it is only in the way.

I agree with this. It truly is a pain in the butt. At the very least, make it smaller. Much smaller. So I can see what's behind their marker at the very least.

Nastassiya · June 2021

I am just happy that they can be placed in your home once you max their rapport and do their quest.

vallisas · June 2021

Mythreindeer wrote: »

woufff wrote: »

Mythreindeer wrote: »

I disagree with the requests for companions to perform robotic actions on behalf of the player. Those are servant roles, not companion roles. Companions shouldn't enable lazy, E-Z mode.

Good point. But then they should be able to perform actions on their own, not only standing around (sitting/playing/reading etc.).

I would have no issue with companions having a toggle passive skill, such as playing an instrument as Sammy suggested.

Why don't they? didn't the trailer literally show bastian sitting in a chair drinking with the player character? false advertisement much?

Lugaldu · June 2021

In the frame of the housing, more activities should be possible with the companions and also the other houseguests. Assigning emotes, sitting down, reading, writing, cooking, sleeping in bed, etc.

And I hope that the random comments and dialogue options will be expanded in the future.

Alurria · June 2021

I would like for them to able to fish with us.
When Bastion asks me what do you think you will make with that? I want to be able to answer him.
When Bastion asks me if I'm okay I want to be able to answer him.
I would like to see him read a book or be able to sit in the tavern. Hopefully in the future the AI will improve.

Sarannah · June 2021

After completing a few more zones with the companions out... I noticed regularly leveling a character is massively underperforming with regards to companion rapport. As opposed to doing the fighter/mages guild dailies. Therefor I feel more regular/zone things should give positive rapport, like for example: Completing side and main quests, collecting skyshards, discovering areas, completing map objectives, opening treasure chests, killing bad guys in general(questmobs/bosses), opening resourcenodes, etc.

Right now we have to go out of our way, to gain any noticable positive rapport. While regular play should be (atleast) equally rewarding.

Alurria · June 2021

It would be nice to get a little more rapport from daily activities with Companions

phaneub17_ESO · June 2021

Alurria wrote: »

It would be nice to get a little more rapport from daily activities with Companions

You can do all 15 Fighters/Mage Guilds daily quests in a single day if you share quests with other players who have the other 14. If you focus on a single companion you can get 1875 Rapport PER character, if you're dedicated enough its possible to max out their Rapport in a single day with 3 characters; Bastian would be the easiest since the Mages Guild quest is a fetch quest.

Alurria · June 2021

phaneub17_ESO wrote: »

Alurria wrote: »

It would be nice to get a little more rapport from daily activities with Companions

You can do all 15 Fighters/Mage Guilds daily quests in a single day if you share quests with other players who have the other 14. If you focus on a single companion you can get 1875 Rapport PER character, if you're dedicated enough its possible to max out their Rapport in a single day with 3 characters; Bastian would be the easiest since the Mages Guild quest is a fetch quest.

Thanks for the tip but I really don't want to run that many dailies. I would like them to get more rapport from doing a delve with me or a random quest I didn't do before. I should have made myself clearer, I wasn't talking about daily quests you get from mages or fighters or zone areas. I was actually referencing just doing random daily activities. Sorry for the confusion but thanks for the tip.

Rugby_hook · June 2021

I want them to become involved in the quests more and quests that have moral decisions should impact rapport. It would be great if they would talk about the quest that you were on. This would help then feel more like companions and less like AI (e.g., Bastion always asking me what I'm going to make with something I harvest.... In my mind I'm like "the same thing I make every time with water, Bastion"). I know this would be a ton of dialogue recording though, so maybe they could become involved in just the future quests to come rather than only their own quests.

Also it would be great if their personality could change by our actions once rapport is high enough. For example Mirri hates bugs, but maybe once your rapport is high enough you could catch enough bugs that would open a dialogue and work on changing this fear. There should be some things that can't be changed like big moral things such as killing innocent people, but smaller personality quirks should change to show growth in the characters as they adventure with you.