Unlock Companions

zaria · January 2023

tomofhyrule wrote: »

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.

Its rewards like outfit styles and pets you unlock the first time you do an quests but not on repeats as you have the collectible.

And yes having the companion in tow then you do their quest would be a bit weird. Worse for Ember and Isobel as the quest is overland so its less practical to disable them. Now its a bit weird to have companions during dream segments or transformations to

Araneae6537 · January 2023

Jacozilla wrote: »

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.

I feel a weird dissonance in regards to the companions. It would really make more sense to have ALL of it completely separate, just as each of your characters can do every other quest (I think so, right? Despite the AWA mess?) I would of course hope that leveling them would be more streamlined and natural, as you play the game and not have guild dailies as the only options for leveling some things. This would really make the most sense. People say, well, the companion character has met other adventurers, but surely they’ve not had to be helped with the same group of cultists a dozen times!

I like having character rapport separate — my characters are NOT all the same! And I enjoy redoing quests, actually, and companion quests and interactions are one of the things I enjoyed doing again in SWTOR and Dragon Age because the stories and relationships with the characters could sometimes unfold in very different ways. Like alternate universes perhaps. Whereas in ESO it feels neither one way or the other. I’m guessing they didn’t want each character to be able to have fully individual instances of each companion because of database issues? Then ZOS made leveling companions very long and tedious so no one would want to do so more than a dozen times for each!

Even with everything as it is, I would enjoy going through the quest multiple times if there were more choices, particularly in style of response, to develop the individual relationship between your character and the companion.

ArchangelIsraphel · January 2023

Jacozilla wrote: »

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.

I'm going to be honest with you, I have no choice in the fact that other aspects of my companions are account wide, so I'm forced to accept it. If I could disable this for my own account without affecting someone else's game, I would.

swook33b16_ESO · January 2023

ArchangelIsraphel wrote: »

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.

Did you read what I asked for?

Probably not.

Option to once gotten the quest for the companion, I can click on the companion again in the companion list in the Collection window and it ask if I want to Unlock the companion and skip the quest for the companion.

As the story will be no different and Can't change armor and weapon look for each companion as its locked for each companion. So If I transmog one companion with for example Bastion with Imperial armor. He will have Imperial armor for all my characters. And as I also noticed the Rapport is account wide unless its a bug (Checked twice even my newest characters the stats and rapport are identical) so what's the point gathering them for each character if they will not be diffrrent and only go through the same quest again and again. And only asking for the Compaions to be unlocked as an option, not anything else.

ArchangelIsraphel wrote: »

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. .

So do I, but these Companion quests have been uninteresting and nothing diffrent about them for each character and since the Rapport and starts and level on them are Identical then what is the point. I just want them unlocked so I can go back to leveling in the starting zones. And also as I said I cant make them different either, Like for some characters I want Bastion as a Tank and others I want him as mage but If I change him for one character, then He is the same for ALL characters. I can't change the companions Individually.

Necrotech_Master · January 2023

rapport is definitely per character

my main has rapport maxed for all the companions, but most of my other toons are still hovering around the middle (because i dont care to work on rapport again, and have pretty much no reason to unless i wanted to do the companion quests again)

their gear, level, and skill setups is definitely account wide though

ArchangelIsraphel · January 2023

swook33b16_ESO wrote: »

ArchangelIsraphel wrote: »

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.

Did you read what I asked for?

Probably not.

Option to once gotten the quest for the companion, I can click on the companion again in the companion list in the Collection window and it ask if I want to Unlock the companion and skip the quest for the companion.

As the story will be no different and Can't change armor and weapon look for each companion as its locked for each companion. So If I transmog one companion with for example Bastion with Imperial armor. He will have Imperial armor for all my characters. And as I also noticed the Rapport is account wide unless its a bug (Checked twice even my newest characters the stats and rapport are identical) so what's the point gathering them for each character if they will not be diffrrent and only go through the same quest again and again. And only asking for the Compaions to be unlocked as an option, not anything else.

ArchangelIsraphel wrote: »

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. .

So do I, but these Companion quests have been uninteresting and nothing diffrent about them for each character and since the Rapport and starts and level on them are Identical then what is the point. I just want them unlocked so I can go back to leveling in the starting zones. And also as I said I cant make them different either, Like for some characters I want Bastion as a Tank and others I want him as mage but If I change him for one character, then He is the same for ALL characters. I can't change the companions Individually.

I did read what you asked for. I don't see it as a nessicary addition to the game, and wished to express my lack of desire for any other account wide completion unless it is optional. Yes, I see you asked for it to be optional. Like I said in my post, it's fine if it's optional. However, ZOS rarely chooses that road, and instead often chooses a heavy handed approach, giving no options at all. The company needs to know that there are players who are tired of a lack of options, and of account wide things as a whole.

Perhaps my previous post wasn't worded quite right, but I am seeing this from the perspective of what ZOS has been known to do based on past experience, not on wistful thinking. Thus my objection. I doubt they would even consider the optional path you suggested, thus I'd rather not see this in the game at all. Account wide requests are becoming a tiresome trend when you know that it could mean characters being unable to do quests you like in the future because ZOS won't implement it well.

I know what you requested. Your idea isn't bad. I'm saying it won't be implemented the way you want it to be. I fought for options regarding AWA as did many players, and those requests were ignored. Thus any account wide request is met with extreme trepidation by many.

As for the other account wide aspects of companions- if I had the option to toggle them off, I would.

Ragnarok0130 · January 2023

Tandor wrote: »

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.

ZoS stated exactly why AWA wasn't optional so let's not derail the thread with something that isn't applicable to the current discussion. Options are just that, optional/not mandatory to use. Other games like SWTOR allow you to unlock some companions such as Treek and HK-51 in the legacy collections tab for new characters, that system is 100% optional to use since you don't have to add that companion to your new toon and is exactly the type of system that the OP is requesting.

Rasoma · January 2023

During the beta of Blackwood the companions were account wide (on test server) and it was not good!

I created a fresh character and was able to jump into the Blackwood tutorial with a well geared companion and did not have to do any combat really. Thankfully they seem to have totally disabled summoning any companions or assistants in the tutorial now.

That said, I do think that companions should become account wide unlocked but only once you have have completed all companion quests for that companion - make it into an achievement.

DMuehlhausen · 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?

By this logic you should have to fully level them on each character as well then.

I look at it as my characters are a family. I can find Mirri on one family member then put in as a house guest and other members of the family can see her so there is no reason they have to go find Mirri again.

I dunno I don't mind re-doing quests, but these aren't your normal daily or weekly quests. If you have to do the quest to get them on each character then you should have to level them on each character

Number_51 · January 2023

DMuehlhausen 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?

By this logic you should have to fully level them on each character as well then.

I look at it as my characters are a family. I can find Mirri on one family member then put in as a house guest and other members of the family can see her so there is no reason they have to go find Mirri again.

I dunno I don't mind re-doing quests, but these aren't your normal daily or weekly quests. If you have to do the quest to get them on each character then you should have to level them on each character

It's great your characters are a family, but it's definitely not the case for everyone.

Let's try it like this: my real life friends are not your real life friends just because you and I play the same game. If you want them to be your friend, you're going to have to meet them and then raise (or lower) their rapport for you. Once you do that you've got a new friend. But they're not going to change their job (role), their clothes and the stuff they own (armor/weapons), or their education (level/skills) for you.

kargen27 · 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.

We wanted an option on account wide achievements and we see how poorly that turned out.

MMOs in part need players repeating content for long term playability of the game. Also need players participating in a variety of content. The more incentive there is to repeat a variety of content the better it is for the game.

ADarklore · January 2023

People say, "What's the point of having to unlock them..." and the answer is... because Companions are RP aspect of the game. Each of your characters are an individual, and you shouldn't be able to instantly know some random person account wide. That's the point. Player character A has helped Mirri, so Mirri knows character A and is willing to travel with and help them. Player character B, has never helped Mirri... so why would Mirri want to travel with them when she doesn't even know them?!?

That's the point of why you have to help each companion individually per character. Having the companion is your REWARD for helping them, if you don't want the reward, then don't complete the content. Besides that, their quests do not take that long at all, especially after you've done them a couple of times, they're actually pretty quick to run through.

DinoZavr · January 2023

Still i d prefer rapid unlocking, because as a player (which means an instance behind all of my different characters - theirs collective conscious/memories) - i have a history with Companions.

Kinda like:
"Hey, Mirri, do you remember Slaps-with-Red-Herrings Argonian healplar?
May I introduce myself? Rickrõller6669 Dunmer magDK. Slaps is my spiritual sister, i swear.
Here, skim thru that recommendation letter from her and follow me.
Now! Quick!
Much obliged, Mirri"