In fleet /General someone said that the terminal only allows the companion to be summoned for fighting and whatnot. They don't reappear on your ship. They won't craft, won't accept gifts, won't talk in old non-story content, won't approve/disapprove non-story side mission conversations they would have previously. They are reduced to just being a silent minion. Of course, it was just one person in passing in /General, and they didn't elaborate or say how they knew. So I can't tell how reliable the information is. If I ask 10 people, I get 12 answers. Which is really very frustrating. It's very hard to find any actual information on this. Which only increases my reluctance to start FE.

When activated from the terminal, are they back on your ship? Really? I hadn't heard that. That would certainly suggest they're just like they were before in old non-story content.

I've finished the class storyline and all my companion storylines. I've completed Ilum, Makeb, Manann, Rishi, Yavin 4, and I'm most of the way through Ziost. I'll have Ziost/RotE finished before starting FE. What I'm curious about are planetary quests in the vanilla game. Right now, having not yet started FE, I can go back to the old planets and run the planetary arcs/bonus series I haven't finished, with a companion. And I can do the regular one shot planetside quests and exploration quests. And in some my companion will comment. In most my companion will gain influence and approve/disapprove of dialogue choices. Will they still approve/disapprove/talk in dialogues like this, if I go through FE, get the back, then use the terminal to take them out and run on old planets with them, like say Belsavis? And will they still gain influence from companion gifts? Will they still be usable for crafting?

Apologies, too, if I posted this in the wrong forum. I honestly have no idea where I'm supposed to look for such information.

I'm a completionist. And I really like seeing my characters build. I'm not so fond of losing things permanently in MMOs. I really like my old companions. I really like the old stories. So, I'm really worried about approaching KotFE. Because I don't want to lose those stories/companions, and I want to make extra sure I complete absolutely EVERYTHING I can't do once I start KotFE. Trouble is, I'm not entirely sure what I'll lose once I start it. So, for weeks I've had a 65 that I won't start FE with, instead rushing around doing all the old content. What exactly am I losing when I start FE? I know I'm losing the old main storyline. I know I'm losing companion side quests. I'm told I'm losing access to the main story in Revan, and everything after that--but I have no idea what content is after Revan but pre-FE. But what about planetary story arcs? Are those still accessible after FE is started? What about miscellaneous planetary quests, and exploration quests? Right now, I know that my pre-FE companions will make occasional comments in conversations for planetary story arcs and give influence, and I thought they did that for regular miscellaneous quests, too. After I get my old companions back via the terminal in FE, will they still be able to talk/give influence on planetary story arcs? And on regular side quests? Will they comment on old content planets as we walk through areas, like they do pre-FE? And will giving them companion gifts still work? Will they be usable for crafting?