Unlock Companions

swook33b16_ESO · January 2023

Yo Zenimax.

Can we please get the option to unlock the companions without having to go through their story for every character we have if we already done the unlock and achievement on one character?

We don't gain anything new going through the same story over and over again for the companions.

Like you can have the same that in the collecion window we click on the companion select and get the quest normally. We click again and it asks if we want to unlock this companion right away.

So no more running around the same quest if the quest to unlock the companions are not...interesting anyway.

Tandor · January 2023

Too many things are account-wide already, I hope they'll resist any calls for more things to be made that way. The game doesn't need any more dumbing down.

Ragnarok0130 · January 2023

Tandor wrote: »

Too many things are account-wide already, I hope they'll resist any calls for more things to be made that way. The game doesn't need any more dumbing down.

The OP wants an option there’s nothing wrong with options to remove tedious systems for those who wish to use them which is hardly “dumbing down” the game.

DMuehlhausen · January 2023

Tandor wrote: »

Too many things are account-wide already, I hope they'll resist any calls for more things to be made that way. The game doesn't need any more dumbing down.

This is actually one of the few things that should be account wide. All the achievements should still be character based. As the OP states there is literally no reason to do it multiple times. The story and dialogue don't change. It's just an annoyance.

Tandor · January 2023

Ragnarok0130 wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

Too many things are account-wide already, I hope they'll resist any calls for more things to be made that way. The game doesn't need any more dumbing down.

The OP wants an option there’s nothing wrong with options to remove tedious systems for those who wish to use them which is hardly “dumbing down” the game.

People always say they want things to be optional, but they usually don't end up that way - account-wide achievements being a case in point.

Necrotech_Master · January 2023

the companion unlocks are technically account wide, it just has that extra caveat of requiring the dumb quest on every character in order to actually summon them

that requirement has been annoying me since the original blackwood implementation and just adds to the laundry list of stuff you have to do with a new character to "get them up to speed" with your other characters

Syldras · January 2023

I can understand that doing the quest repeatedly can be annoying. On the other hand I can also understand why ZOS chose to make finishing the quest a requirement for calling a companion, from the storytelling perspective. There's a big focus on making them not random npcs that follow you around, but giving them a character and a story. That even reflects in not being able to hide their face by using helmets. Of course, they could just leave it up to the player.

Maitsukas · January 2023

Mirri's quest has choices, which can change the fate of some of the characters involved with Doomvault Vulpinaz. How exactly would you change this if you have instantly unlocked Companions for your account?

Necrotech_Master · January 2023

Maitsukas wrote: »

Mirri's quest has choices, which can change the fate of some of the characters involved with Doomvault Vulpinaz. How exactly would you change this if you have instantly unlocked Companions for your account?

it wouldnt stop you from doing the quest on each toon, just not require you to do the quest to gain access to the companion

taking mirris quest as an example, because we had to do the dang quest on every toon, i had 10 toons i wanted to run through i literally did it in the fastest possible just to complete it (which meant killing everyone held hostage) (i did it "correctly" the first time, but after that, i couldnt care less and just wanted the companion unlock)

Araneae6537 · January 2023

swook33b16_ESO wrote: »

Yo Zenimax.

Can we please get the option to unlock the companions without having to go through their story for every character we have if we already done the unlock and achievement on one character?

We don't gain anything new going through the same story over and over again for the companions.

Like you can have the same that in the collecion window we click on the companion select and get the quest normally. We click again and it asks if we want to unlock this companion right away.

So no more running around the same quest if the quest to unlock the companions are not...interesting anyway.

I think it should be accountwide too, since it’s one companion character with the same gear, level, and abilities. I was actually interested in doing Mirri’s quest a second time, hoping to hear different dialogue with a Dunmer character, but alas, nothing was different at all.

I do like that the companions can have different relationships with each of my characters and only wish the first quest had set the tone for that, followed by more varied dialogue and fitting the actual location. But as long as the quest is going to be the same with no differences in flavor much less anything of impact, I see no reason to force it to be repeated on every character to unlock each companion.

Holycannoli · January 2023

I'd rather have an option to unlock companions than skyshards.

NotaDaedraWorshipper · January 2023

Syldras wrote: »

That even reflects in not being able to hide their face by using helmets.

That decision is just stupid, though.

A character is still the same character even if they are wearing a helmet, hood or hat. Like why wouldn't a knight like Isobel wear a helmet with her armour.

Lugaldu · January 2023

For me it's very simple - there is only one of each companion and the available companions are divided between my different characters. There can't be two Bastians or Mirris for me.

Syldras · January 2023

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

That decision is just stupid, though.
A character is still the same character even if they are wearing a helmet, hood or hat. Like why wouldn't a knight like Isobel wear a helmet with her armour.

I agree it's a weird decision, but I can imagine what they had in mind with that, that's what I meant. Of course it would make sense for a knight to wear a helmet (could even be an open one so the face is visible), and generally the best decision would be to leave it up to the player to choose whether she should wear a helmet and if, which one (with the usual "hide helmet" option available). I can understand they want players to see her face for "attachment" reasons (many people struggle to have emotions towards a faceless figure), though in my opinion there would be enough situations to show her without helmet during her questline, and if there's no sympathy until the end of that, it probably won't happen later either anyway. Also, companions wearing helmets would prevent having dozens of obvious clones running around everywhere, which would also be an advantage...

tomofhyrule · January 2023

I think one of the other issues is that the 'Companion Unlock' quest is the same quest as the 'Zone Objective' one.

While AWA did destroy zone completion in terms of completing delves or WBs, the zone objectives are still based on the quest log by character. That means that, for example, Deepscorn Hollow will be completed (white) on characters that have done Basti's unlock quest and uncompleted on characters who haven't.

I suppose they could have set the companion availability to be separate, but I think the reason they didn't is that they still wanted to keep rapport as a character-specific thing. In essence, they didn't want you to 'meet' the companion before you officially meet the companion in their initial quest. This is also the reason that Bastian will not get along well with your murder hobo character, but Ember will be a little more in favor of them, whereas Basti might favor your boy scout character more. True, they did allow you to skip the ToT tutorial, but not the entire introductory quest. It would be a bit lore-breaking to be able to be adventuring with Bastian for a while before finally coming across Deepscorn Hollow and seeing a second Basti tied up, and then asking "hey, I know we've been together for months, but who are you?"

...but I guess that's about as lorebreaking as Eveli's "You're in the Dark Brotherhood? You should have told me!"
"uhh... I'm not. That's some other guy that my master is watching who I don't even know."

There has always been a conflict between the "I'm a player and these are my tools" versus the "I'm the overseer and these are my characters" styles of play, and U33 only served to muddy the waters of what you (the player) do versus you (the character).

But I will say that I am unequivocally against Account Wide quest completion. Please let those of us who want to see our toons as individuals keep some ability to keep them unique. Besides, the latest idea of 'our veteran players consistently tell us that they would like more content that isn't played through just once—they would like more content they can enjoy for years' from the 2022 recap letter implies that preventing alts from replaying quests does go against that idea.

Beilin_Balreis_Colcan · January 2023

DMuehlhausen wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

Too many things are account-wide already, I hope they'll resist any calls for more things to be made that way. The game doesn't need any more dumbing down.

This is actually one of the few things that should be account wide. All the achievements should still be character based. As the OP states there is literally no reason to do it multiple times. The story and dialogue don't change. It's just an annoyance.

Doesn't that logic apply to every quest in the game?

phairdon · January 2023

In agreement with the OP. What is the point of going through the same companion quests multiple times?. Once unlocked, our companions should be available for all alts.

turlisley · January 2023

16 characters. 4 companions (4 quests each). 16 x 4 = 64.
Why do players need to do the companion quests 64 times?!

Companions should be available for all account characters when completed once. This sound like a great "2023 Quality of Life Improvement" as per @ZOS_MattFiror @ZOS_RichLambert @ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_JessicaFolsom @ZOS_Kevin ...

BaalMelqartu · January 2023

Completely agree and cannot think of a single way this would be "dumbing" anything down unless you're greatest joys in life are tedium and repetition.

DMuehlhausen · January 2023

vsrs_au wrote: »

DMuehlhausen wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

Too many things are account-wide already, I hope they'll resist any calls for more things to be made that way. The game doesn't need any more dumbing down.

This is actually one of the few things that should be account wide. All the achievements should still be character based. As the OP states there is literally no reason to do it multiple times. The story and dialogue don't change. It's just an annoyance.

Doesn't that logic apply to every quest in the game?

No. If companions didn't keep level and rapport progress then sure it does. They don't know so it' snot the same every quest. It's just a repeatable waste of time.

Tandor · January 2023

turlisley wrote: »

16 characters. 4 companions (4 quests each). 16 x 4 = 64.
Why do players need to do the companion quests 64 times?!

Companions should be available for all account characters when completed once. This sound like a great "2023 Quality of Life Improvement" as per @ZOS_MattFiror @ZOS_RichLambert @ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_JessicaFolsom @ZOS_Kevin ...

I agree, and the short answer is, of course, that they don't. There's no reason at all why anyone would need to unlock all the companions on all their characters.

Tandor · January 2023

BaalMelqartu wrote: »

Completely agree and cannot think of a single way this would be "dumbing" anything down unless you're greatest joys in life are tedium and repetition.

The trouble is that those who argue against repeating quests on those grounds are often those who have no problem in repeating the same dungeon, trial, or PvP zone/battleground time and time again, day after day. It's what gaming is about, whether it's an online MMO like ESO or an offline RPG like Skyrim - how else do people amass thousands of hours playing the same game?

NotaDaedraWorshipper · January 2023

Syldras wrote: »

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

That decision is just stupid, though.
A character is still the same character even if they are wearing a helmet, hood or hat. Like why wouldn't a knight like Isobel wear a helmet with her armour.

I agree it's a weird decision, but I can imagine what they had in mind with that, that's what I meant. Of course it would make sense for a knight to wear a helmet (could even be an open one so the face is visible), and generally the best decision would be to leave it up to the player to choose whether she should wear a helmet and if, which one (with the usual "hide helmet" option available). I can understand they want players to see her face for "attachment" reasons (many people struggle to have emotions towards a faceless figure), though in my opinion there would be enough situations to show her without helmet during her questline, and if there's no sympathy until the end of that, it probably won't happen later either anyway. Also, companions wearing helmets would prevent having dozens of obvious clones running around everywhere, which would also be an advantage...

Exactly. There are so many pros and a single con that doesn't make much sense.

francesinhalover · January 2023

swook33b16_ESO wrote: »

Yo Zenimax.

Can we please get the option to unlock the companions without having to go through their story for every character we have if we already done the unlock and achievement on one character?

We don't gain anything new going through the same story over and over again for the companions.

Like you can have the same that in the collecion window we click on the companion select and get the quest normally. We click again and it asks if we want to unlock this companion right away.

So no more running around the same quest if the quest to unlock the companions are not...interesting anyway.

I like redoing quests

ArchangelIsraphel · January 2023

Dear god no. No more account wide this, and account wide that. I actually want to PLAY my characters when I create them, not log into them with everything already completed already. I enjoy repeating quests, its why I pay for alternate characters.

I get that there are those who do not enjoy repeating the quest, and I would be all for this, IF, and only IF it could be implemented optionally. Otherwise, I am staunchly against it. I have absolutely no desire for more account wide completion unless it is optional.

But as others have said before me, we rarely get options, as evidenced by account wide achievements that went ahead, and went ahead poorly.

Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it, and the Genie you called upon might choose to interpret your desires in accordance to its own whims rather than yours. And that never goes well. Never.

Jacozilla · January 2023

Two sides to this debate, and while I’m fairly neutral - am ok status quo every char unlocks companions separately, but ok if changed account wide.

It the side that argues making account wide is wrong, dumb, etc because each char should earn their own unlock, or too easy / dumbing down game, etc - your argument makes zero sense when currently the companion system treats each companion as account wide for many other things

-armor line unlocks, levels, and skills - account wide
-companion xp and level - account wide
-class skill lines and unlocked skills - account wide
-guild skill unlocks and levels - account wide
-weapon line unlocks, levels and skills - account wide
-geared equipment - armor, wep, jewelry - account wide

1 sec after your new char unlocks companion by finishing intro companion quest, your “new” companion has the xp level, skills, gear, etc your other char(s) all contributed towards.

If you really think companions should be per char and never account wide, then each companion xp, skills, and gear should be locked per character. You’d need to completely re-level every skill line and separate gear inventory per companion per character.

What is the rationale that accepts account wide companion for everything except intro quest? Because that is what we have right now. The sole per char stat for companions that is per char is rapport - other than that, every single other aspect of companions are shared account wide already. So I’ve no issue if intro quest unlocks were account wide since it is bizarre to have to unlock again a fully geared, leveled, and max level companion 1 sec after intro quest is done.

Cazador · January 2023

I think it makes more sense for you to need to do the quest honestly. Why would they just start following someone they haven't even met?

Jacozilla · January 2023

Cazador wrote: »

I think it makes more sense for you to need to do the quest honestly. Why would they just start following someone they haven't even met?

But they have met you before. How else did they get all purple bis gear, max weapon and skill lines leveled, etc?

If you want each alt to completely re-gear, level, and raise xp separately, ok - then your logic is concstent. Otherwise, account wide for every single stat, skill, level, and shared companion gear inventory is ok but the intro quest is the block?

Only rapport is per char at moment. Everything else you already met and have that companion.

DinoZavr · January 2023

Though quests are not long, repeating the same quests on multiple characters is not fun at all.
Dear Zenimax, please, make Companions once unlocked to apply to all of the characters on account.

spartaxoxo · January 2023

Jacozilla wrote: »

Cazador wrote: »

I think it makes more sense for you to need to do the quest honestly. Why would they just start following someone they haven't even met?

But they have met you before. How else did they get all purple bis gear, max weapon and skill lines leveled, etc?

If you want each alt to completely re-gear, level, and raise xp separately, ok - then your logic is concstent. Otherwise, account wide for every single stat, skill, level, and shared companion gear inventory is ok but the intro quest is the block?

Only rapport is per char at moment. Everything else you already met and have that companion.

Because their gear and experience is something that the companion owns. They have met another adventurer that justifies their gear and experience. But their relationship with you can only come from working with you.

derkaiserliche · January 2023

I just want a better male companion finally.

I dont like red haired chickenlegs running after me