Pcolapat Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 When we first learned about companions and were trying to imagine how they could be used, I thought this game was heading in a direction that other MMOs had not gone before. I thought about how versatile this would make my character. I imagined them being used in warzones, world PVP, flashpoints, and even operations. The different chemistry's and compositions would make each of those areas of the game more complex and interesting. Would it have worked, I don't know, but it sure would have been different than any other game out there. As the months passed, people on the forums pleaded bioware not to have companions in PVP. This of course was before the game even was completed yet. Over time we learned that the usage of companions was far less than our imaginations had wished. Now that we have experienced endgame we find that there is very little use for them at all. You cannot bring them into warzones. You cannot bring them into operations. There is no world PVP. The only time I pull out a companion is when I am doing daily quests. Sure there is crafting, but you are not really interacting with that companion. You click a button, he says "Right away sir" and that is it. Now we have the legacy system that allows you to use a special ability, but only during a heroic moment when you have your companion out. This would be during dailies for me. I have used it twice. Woopie. It seems that bioware set up the harder content so that bringing a companion along would be suicide. The harder content is really the only content that provides you with the gear you really want, so your companions stay on the ship playing dress up with all your obsolete gear that you don't wear anymore. The companion system could have been something so much more. I think in conception that the developers had envisioned something different than we have now. Companions are little more than social pets that you can put gear on and RP with (If that is your thing). The companions really add nothing to the endgame experience that is all that meaningful. Hopefully one day Bioware will expand their capabilities and the game truly will offer us something that no other game does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totaltrash Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 When we first learned about companions and were trying to imagine how they could be used, I thought this game was heading in a direction that other MMOs had not gone before. I thought about how versatile this would make my character. I imagined them being used in warzones, world PVP, flashpoints, and even operations. The different chemistry's and compositions would make each of those areas of the game more complex and interesting. Would it have worked, I don't know, but it sure would have been different than any other game out there. As the months passed, people on the forums pleaded bioware not to have companions in PVP. This of course was before the game even was completed yet. Over time we learned that the usage of companions was far less than our imaginations had wished. Now that we have experienced endgame we find that there is very little use for them at all. You cannot bring them into warzones. You cannot bring them into operations. There is no world PVP. The only time I pull out a companion is when I am doing daily quests. Sure there is crafting, but you are not really interacting with that companion. You click a button, he says "Right away sir" and that is it. Now we have the legacy system that allows you to use a special ability, but only during a heroic moment when you have your companion out. This would be during dailies for me. I have used it twice. Woopie. It seems that bioware set up the harder content so that bringing a companion along would be suicide. The harder content is really the only content that provides you with the gear you really want, so your companions stay on the ship playing dress up with all your obsolete gear that you don't wear anymore. The companion system could have been something so much more. I think in conception that the developers had envisioned something different than we have now. Companions are little more than social pets that you can put gear on and RP with (If that is your thing). The companions really add nothing to the endgame experience that is all that meaningful. Hopefully one day Bioware will expand their capabilities and the game truly will offer us something that no other game does. Agreed! Of course, pets have been around MMOs for a long time, but I hoped that the Companion system on SWTOR would go beyond that and break new ground. It had so much potential and was one of the strong points of this game at launch. Today, companions only serve a purpose while you still level up, but after 50 they quickly fade and become just crafting tools. Many solo daily missions can be done without companions, and even for the harder ones, any companion in any gear will do fine. So far, Bioware has missed an opportunity to be truly innovative with companions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pcolapat Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 They should have two man restricted flashpoints. You and a friend can go in, but a full group can't. The flashpoint could be difficult and require well geared companions to complete. Something like that at endgame would be a step in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRobin Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I agree. Companions should play a bigger role at the end game. The reason I see companions being a problem in PvP is that everyone would pull out their healer companion. Can you image 8v8 8 healer companions? On top of regular healers.... I'm sorry, but no one would die. It cannot and should not be implemented in PvP. Evidence is shown if you have ever World PvP'ed. Most people stay in groups of 2 and use 2 heal companions....again, on top of regular healers no one would die :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgelling Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 (edited) Tanking companions start becoming fairly obsolete even before you reach 50! Only the healers are really good at that point, but the DPSers can work. It's tough though: clearly BW doesn't want the companions to in any way overshadow the player's character or create very difficult balancing issues. They also double the load on the game engine. Edited May 10, 2012 by jgelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banicks Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 First they need to refine the Hero engine so that it doesnt lower FPS to 2 when something involves more than 50 people. Companions were removed as a band-aid from the resulting poor performance when in Ilum. I can't forsee them returning any time soon unless the developers can resolve issues that are causing many players to leave, then spend alot of time refining the engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaegert Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 They should have two man restricted flashpoints. You and a friend can go in, but a full group can't. The flashpoint could be difficult and require well geared companions to complete. Something like that at endgame would be a step in the right direction. Simples... a very good idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenzali Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Yeah, two man only flashpoints is actually a very good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConradLionhart Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 (edited) I'm sure they have plans for companions. If no, we can suggest. I suggest that for end-game, companions can be sent out on Epic missions. What are Epic Missions Epic missions are generic combat encounters like what you get for your class mission, where you fight a boss on a space station or spaceship. They can be any generic repeatable mission that makes sense, like rescue the Senator's daughter, kill the new evil Sith Lord, save the crew of a stranded ship, etc. Once you accept a mission, a randomly generated spaceship will appear on the space map and you can travel to it. You can send up to 4 companions on this mission. How do they work They work like crew missions, except that there are many parts to this mission, such as: 1. Aim for main objective 2. Act as decoy 3. Covert operation Obviously if you only send out one companion, he can only do the main objective. If you send additional companions, they can act as a decoy to drag away enemy forces to another part of the space ship, making it easier for your main companion to succeed. Tank companions suit this the best. Or you can also send a companion on a covert operation to sabotage equipment and also make it easier for the main companion. Smuggler-type companions work best here. Success Rate Whether your companion is successful or not depends on: 1. how geared he is 2. his affection level 3. how many companions you send to help (up to 4) 4. whether you yourself participate Yes, you can choose to participate and fight in a randomly generated spaceship if you have the time. You will control 1 companion, and the other 2 companions are npcs that follow you around. Or they could be in other areas acting as a decoy or doing covert operation. Progression There is a progression for this type of content. First you do the simple Epic missions that only requires you and your companions. Eventually, it will open up new [H4] difficulty areas that requires 4 of you plus your respective companions. You 4 must stop say a dreadnaught ship. So one of you will be the main strike force team. The other 3 are in separate sections of the ship, trying to make it easier for the main strike team. One of you could reach the control room, slice into terminals and make turrets fire on the npcs. The other could reach the engine room and cause a big fire, forcing some npcs to abandon their posts and make the path for the main strike force team even easier. Whatever stuff they did in KotOR 1 and 2, they can add it here. The 4 of you will never meet directly, in order to keep the feel where this is only something you and your companions can do. This is supposed to be content with your companions. If you want to play with 3 other people directly, do a flashpoint. Rewards The rewards that you can get are great presence loot for this type of encounter. So there is a gear progression level for this type of content. A nice amount of money is also another great reward. It depends on the mission. If you are responding to a bounty, you obviously get a huge amount of money, but no loot. So this gives people to choice to do these missions for loot, or for money. There will be a new reputation system of new factions from the expanded space content. Mining corporations, Hutt Trading Companies, Cathar Security Corporations, etc. Each has its own set of generic missions. Mining corporations obviously need you to save more of their mining ships. The higher your reputation with them, the more benefits they can give you, like cheaper fuel, cheaper repair costs, pets, titles, more missions, orange gear, the sky is the limit. Benefits of this expanded companion system This gives solo players more content which doesn't require grouping up. This adds some sandbox element to the game in the form of reputation systems and factions. Grind that reputation bar! This adds roleplay immersion because it will make it feel like you and your companions are really a team, and not just npcs that are collecting dust on your ship. This helps the economy because demand for gear will increase and people want to gear up their companions. Edited May 10, 2012 by ConradLionhart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JnEricsonx Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I've always said I wish companions had their own mini skill trees, say 3 of them with 5 levels each, and you get a skill point for them one per 3 levels. Each skill in the tree can take 3 points, so say if you stick with with one tree you can get the top tier ability, defensive, offensive, whatever. Healer companions work decently, but yeah, It'd be nice to have a way to make Tank companions tougher/more damage, and the same for DPS companions, etc. My decently outfitted Blizz at level 50 shouldn't end a fight with a strong and a normal at half health or less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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