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Companion characters: Helpful cohorts or massive burden?

Companion characters have always been a trademark of Biowares games. From KOTOR to Mass Effect, companion characters have given players someone to give them support, loyalty, and romance (for all you lonely guys and gals out there). After Petes interview with Leo, we definitely know that companion characters will be in SWTOR. This formula has worked throughout Biowares long history of single-player RPGs, but how will this transfer to the MMO stage?

In a typical MMO there is a progression of quest difficulty, which ranges from simple solo-able quests, to harder group quests, to raid quests, which are generally the most difficult. Companion characters would be a massive help in solo quests, but when you get in a group situation is when things get tricky. In a group that would mean double the people to heal, and more micromanaging for players. If anyone has ever done a simple instance you know that if one thing goes wrong in a pull everyone can get screwed. The same goes for raids: the more people and NPCs the harder it is to coordinate during a big boss fight.

Companion characters could not only have an effect on PvE but on PvP as well. If each companion is different with different abilities, it seems that Bioware would have a lot more work on balancing.

Bringing in companion characters isnt all a bad thing; they bring a whole new level of depth and meaning to your story. If you kill the captain, not only will his family hate you, but your companion could be horrified at your actions and leave you forever.

So whats your view on companion characters? Should they be there for the whole game, or only for leveling? Or they should be there for PvE, and not for PvP?

Comments

  • Master Queequeg's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #9 Master Queequeg Posted 12/29/2009 6:36:26 AM
    I like the idea of companion characters. From what I read, they will smooth out each class, rounding out the abilities our characters may lack. And the thought of playing my Consular, ably backed up by my promising young apprentice Jedi Knight is very exciting. Brings me back to figuring out how to master KotOR 2, to fill the Ebon Hawk with Jedi (and Sith). Will the companions go along with whatever you do or will they merely tolerate you? Will Sith Warriors or Bounty Hunters be able to cut their insubordinate companions in two or disintegrate them in dramatic cut-scenes if it's clear they don't have the right stuff? I'm very interested to see what they can make out of this...Chewbacca , the Ultimate Star Wars sidekick will be hard to live up to, but the dynamic could be reproduced, and would feel really "Star Wars".
  • Sedit's avatar
    Jawa Trader
    • Posts: 130
    #7 Sedit Posted 7/29/2009 8:36:51 AM
    I have played plenty of games that had companion characters or in most cases, pets. Eve Online has drones, SWG had pets, CoX had minions, etc...

    I never liked to play these classes because they made some things more complicated like when pets run off and your group isn't ready to fight yet, ala hunter/warlock of WoW. They were fun to use in SWG, but they sucked in PvP. Than you have CoX, it just seemed too much of a headache for my tastes.

    Hopefully TOR will use companions much like the rest of BioWare's games, where they augment skills you lack, like lockpicking, security, etc...

    I can't seem them being of any use in PvP, usually in PvP you kill the master and just ignore the pets. Them being stricly PvE would make more sense to be, especially since the devs want us ot solo a lot of content. Our pets/companions could just be group fillers for the more difficult quests/flashpoints.
  • Feo's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #5 Feo Posted 7/29/2009 2:29:25 AM
    Companions, in my opinion, are absolutely helpful cohorts.
  • TaboriHK's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #3 TaboriHK Posted 7/29/2009 12:28:55 AM
    I imagine they will function more or less like pets do. I wouldn't worry about them screwing you through intervention, there's a much greater chance that they will simply do what they always do in Bioware games and follow your lead.
  • sado's avatar
    Jawa Trader
    • Posts: 1623
    #6 sado Posted 7/29/2009 8:15:58 AM
    I just hope they go away while you're in a group but then come back when you're not. Not sure I want to see 20-40 pets in raids :(
  • Sedit's avatar
    Jawa Trader
    • Posts: 130
    #8 Sedit Posted 7/29/2009 8:37:16 AM
    I thought they said we could use companions when are friends aren't around; I took that to mean that groups sizes are maxed to the point where your companions can't join in if the groups are full, but I could be wrong.
  • PurpleCliff's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #1 PurpleCliff Posted 7/29/2009 12:06:35 AM
    Until I see what they're like in action, I'll imagine they're a burden ... I don't want a big smart pet following me around. :P
  • Zoid's avatar
    Jawa Trader
    • Posts: 656
    #2 Zoid Posted 7/29/2009 12:07:44 AM
    If they are burdens I hope they are like in Jade Empire where you can just make them stand on the sidelines and buff you.
  • Some-Brazilian's avatar
    • Posts: 0
    #4 Some-Brazilian Posted 7/29/2009 12:44:22 AM
    Thats what I hope O.o When they stop being useful in fights you can use them to buff you.
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