Bammur Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Is there any easy way to get them to use different attacks? I think Kira has a whole arsenal of stuff she doesn't use but that I'd like her to. You can open the character quick slot bar and turn on or off the abilities. You can also manually trigger them, by default with ctrl-# binds. The companion quick slot will cover up one of your bars though, but you can change which one in preferences. As someone else pointed out the setup can change as you zone, although I have had very little issues personally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RicoHavoc Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Honestly? I like the companion thing. I just wish trying to choose gear for them wasn't such a chore with the current UI. Open inventory, open paperdoll, move to companion tab... and manually compare the stats. ugh. Am I missing something there? There's a selectable UI option that will include a comparison of your companions's stats when you hover your mouse over e piece of gear. Same way it does fo your gear by default. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlagaNerezza Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Unfortunately the companion system was a pretty cool idea (heck im married to Jeasa, neat) but it has created so many problems in my opinion. For one thing they make the game seem extremely empty and soloish. For another they are poorly done. I am a heal spec Agent so I feel your pain when it comes to companions. I have Kaliyo do all the tanking and I heal her and do dmg as I can. It's horrible. Not wow this is bad, I mean HORRIBLE! I tried a healer in beta and swore I will never play on in this game as one. Try DPS in this game. Its night and day from a playability and fun factor. The companions are fine. You need to be grouping in that high level content. If you aren't grouped doing quests at that point and trying to solo the game of course its going to be hard. So far I heard a DPS complain at level 47 his NPC tank stinks and a healer that his DPS/Tank NPC stinks.... Ya... Get a IRL player. I think that is what guilds are for. So is just spamming on a planet. Anyone want to do Tatooine quests? You just run around completing them. It is faceroll easy with 2 players and 2 companions through tatooine. We did search and rescue 4+ heroic with 3 last night and 1 healer companion. I have not had any problem with quests as a smuggler dps. I am not saying anyone is doing anything wrong, but honestly if you group you won't struggle as much. This is still a MMO. I think grouping is good. Solo play honestly is not something you should be doing at the last 5 levels in any mmo imo. It should be hard. You shouldn't struggle in a MMO to find guildies willing to help quest the last 5 levels. Below that? Eh... solo play is necessary, but honestly find a good guild. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelfred Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 This has got to be a joke post. Its pretty well documented on the smuggler forum that Bowdaar is nearly useless, even when geared appropriately. He has some loyal defenders, but the overwhelming majority find him more of a liability. Why anyone would be using him at 50 is beyond me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meldwyn Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Love companions, but I loved ME and ME2 as well, so I knew what to expect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aisar Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I was on Alderaan this morning, doing a few quick bonus quests. There were 17 people on planet, all likely not on the same quests I'm on. Are you following? Not at all. All you said was this game does not have enough people playing roflcopter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiLune Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Not at all. All you said was this game does not have enough people playing roflcopter. Don't be obtuse. A heal spec player is supposed to rely on people being on the same quest he's on and playing at the same time he's playing in order to be able to progress in the game? Bioware did its best to encourage grouping with 2+ and 4 player heroic missions. But you think the non-DPS specs should suffer the grind for solo PVE missions? There aren't enough people on a given planet or on a given set of quests to support even the basic tenets of your simplistic theory that players should be grouping up to do all quests. Or am I misreading your original comment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dyfft Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I think that companions make the game difficult to balance. I find that the game has two difficulty settings, to use old game references, if I have my companions along, it's like I'm on "mommy can I play?" difficulty. . .and if I keep them off doing other things so I can truly solo, it's more like "bring the pain". I tend to prefer the latter and keep my companion banished at almost all times. I know that BW has had companions in nearly every major game they made so it's kinda their calling card. . .but I think they detract from the game. I suppose their input in story points is refreshing, but I really don't like having them attached to the game. Major points: 1) They make balancing difficulty problematic. Two relatively potent combatants are exponentially stronger than one single combatant with better stats, they have separate cool-downs, can focus on separate things, and add in exploiting the fact that one of the pair is controlled by very exploitable AI and entirely expendable. . .it makes the game either too easy or the devs have to magnify challenges to the point where you HAVE to make maximum use of all those exploits just to stay alive. So, reason one the game would be better without them is it would be easier to balance the challenge level of the setting. 2) The companions do all the crafting and gathering. For people who don't normally craft or gather in other mmos, I'm guessing this is a plus. . .but a large number of players, myself included, actually like having an active hand in crafting. As it is, the only real way to craft is to send your companion off to do it while you knock out the less challenging fights in the game, or while you are mostly afk doing other things and just want to stop in periodically to refill their que. I'd prefer to have crafting be an actual part of the game I could participate in, and don't really like that it's mostly 'dispatch control'. 3) Companions give pains in the keesters pseudo-legitimate reasons to roll Need on EVERYTHING that drops in an instance. . .as some member of their cast can use it, and it seems that a decent portion of the game's players don't feel like a competent adventurer unless their companion is helping. . .this refers back to reason 1, but also. . .those players that are not any good without their companion. . .aren't they a detriment to the party when they're in a full party and their crutch isn't allowed to tag along? 4) The companion personalities are nowhere near flexible enough. My BH and Smuggler both were gonna be underhanded bastards. . .but that apparently doesn't mesh with the almost Jedi-level moral code that your only starting companion seems to have. Why not let people pick out of a couple opening choices who they want to hang out with? If you're going to force people to have companions and rely upon them for adventuring AND crafting. . .at least let us pick someone who's personality meshes with the character we want to play from the beginning. So, in general, while I didn't quite get the OP's point in the text of his post, I do agree with the Thread Title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharagonIGN Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 The fact is that Companion AI needs some SERIOUS tweaking. Right now they most companions are as dumb as a box of rocks, and some are almost liabilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesmcalli Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I sympathize with the OP. We're supposed to be these galactic a_skickers and yet here we are, dependent on an NPC that has all the mental function of a turnip. Replying to one poster above, yes, fighting should be a challenge, but good grief. Everything doesn't need to be this tedious, protracted battle. Did Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon have a hard time taking on hordes of droids? No, they went though them like a fat chick at a buffet. Not us though, no, if we don't use every trick in the book, every time, we're a grease spot for the cleaners. Apparently, they don't make enemies like they used to, if Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan tried their antics in "our" SW universe, they'd of been dead in 5 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fraxture Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Change your companion. I think Bowdaar works great for Scoundrels, but not so much for Gunslingers. I can heal him, and myself, and on top of that I am all area damage which goes hand in hand with his Wookie Growl and the ragdoll tossing maneuver. You may need the healer or Risha for extra DPS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlphaBraddox Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) I just wish there were more female companions. Inquisitor's ship is a hotdog party....sigh. Aside from that my main complaint with companions is that they love to get in the way of clickable items!!! lol Edited January 11, 2012 by AlphaBraddox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fraxture Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I just wish there were more female companions. Inquisitor's ship is a hotdog party....sigh. OMG!! LOL "Great, another Will Weaton Sausage Fest" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiLune Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I sympathize with the OP. We're supposed to be these galactic a_skickers and yet here we are, dependent on an NPC that has all the mental function of a turnip. Replying to one poster above, yes, fighting should be a challenge, but good grief. Everything doesn't need to be this tedious, protracted battle. Did Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon have a hard time taking on hordes of droids? No, they went though them like a fat chick at a buffet. Not us though, no, if we don't use every trick in the book, every time, we're a grease spot for the cleaners. Apparently, they don't make enemies like they used to, if Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan tried their antics in "our" SW universe, they'd of been dead in 5 minutes. But, Obi-Wan was Qui-Gonn's companion... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NuanceNW Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Sounds like you keep all the companion abilities active. You might try keeping their abilities in passive mode and use their action bar manually to force a specific action. I send my companion's in manually to attack, then select their deagro abilities when they take on too much. It works like a charm. Also make sure you companions are geared with the right stats. Check torhead.com to see the NPC companions, what they like, what they can do, what gear works best for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screamster Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) It would be kind of cool to allow you to choose the option without being penalized for not choosing a companion. Like, scale up your toon a level temporarily if you don't care to use one maybe? Edited January 11, 2012 by Screamster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenthor Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Sounds like a lot of pissed off people on this board. I made this post and it goes to second page. Never a good sign. Have you visited the WoW forums? You would think the game is dead with the amount of complaining. Welcome to the internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caramel_Ham Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Lack of reading comprehension and critical thinking seem to be the prevalent problem among the biodroids. I glossed over the couple of pages in here....and most missed OP's point. Although his point could be debatable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishbrewed Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Learn to like pvp, those pesky companions just slice while I play.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennethHoover Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Adios. Candy Panda Land ------> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingofbenu Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 The one flaw I have with the system is how you pretty much have downtime after every single pull no matter how flawlessly you execute your skills. and God help you if you pull adds accidentally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Majestic_Jazz Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 top tip, if you de-summon your pet, and re summon him (takes about 2 secs give or take) he comes back with full hp You can have pets in this game? Where do I go to get them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlphaBraddox Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) You can have pets in this game? Where do I go to get them? Various vendors sell small droids. Security vendor for one. Edited January 11, 2012 by AlphaBraddox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tairak Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 4) The companion personalities are nowhere near flexible enough. My BH and Smuggler both were gonna be underhanded bastards. . .but that apparently doesn't mesh with the almost Jedi-level moral code that your only starting companion seems to have. Why not let people pick out of a couple opening choices who they want to hang out with? If you're going to force people to have companions and rely upon them for adventuring AND crafting. . .at least let us pick someone who's personality meshes with the character we want to play from the beginning. I agree. I play a good inquisitor and every time a chose a light side option i get -30, -50, -100 with my companions so afterwards i have to shower them with gifts to correct that and i really wonder why i have this bunch of idiots with me since they hate everything i do. And as i see it there is not a single inquisitor companion available that would accept light side choices. It would be nice if there were enough companions available for every role and every playstyle, even if you couldn´t get them all. And i agree with the OP somewhat, it would be nice to have classes that could stand on their own but apparently its a design decision that every class has to be a pet class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jswizzle Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 The one flaw I have with the system is how you pretty much have downtime after every single pull no matter how flawlessly you execute your skills. and God help you if you pull adds accidentally. Downtime? Only when I'm lazy and not using my abilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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