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Legacy Companions: A Use for Alts

DaxCalvo

By DaxCalvo
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DaxCalvo

DaxCalvo

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I was talking with some people I'm in an RP guild with, and someone talked about gearing up a companion to resemble an alt, so she could roleplay both characters at once. This was, in my opinion, a terrific idea.

 

But it got me thinking. Why can't we just summon our alts?

 

The legacy system is one of my favorite aspects of this game. As a roleplayer, it encouraged me to intertwine the relationships and back stories of my characters into one big, tangled web.

 

But this is very hard to play out in game when only one of my characters can be in one place at one time.

 

Initially I thought of them only being non-combat things, like our current pets. The Legacy Pane keeps track of the current appearance of all characters in your Legacy. Add an option, Summon as Pet, and voila, a visible representation of the character. Give them the ability to do emotes (perhaps you could right-click them to bring up the standard emote list?) and you'd have the tools to greatly expand your RP options.

 

But then I thought, "How cool would it have been if Dacks (my trooper) could have backed up Jayar (my consular, and Dacks' younger brother) during his missions?"

 

And so was born the idea I call Legacy Companions.

 

•Bioware would need to draw up 16 new generic companion stats/move sets. One for each Advanced Class.

 

•Upon reaching level 55 with a completed Class Story, a character would be available to be used as a Legacy Companion for other characters in their faction on your legacy.

 

•At Legacy Level 50, you'd also be able to use Legacy Companions cross-faction.

 

•Legacy Companions would be summonable from within the crew window like other companions. They would not be able to be used for any crew skills. They would be subject to all normal Companion and party size limitations.

 

•A Legacy Companion would have the generic moveset and stats for a Legacy Companion of its Advanced Class.

 

•Legacy Companions would not use gear. Their stats would rise with the level of the character who summoned them. Their appearances would be based off of the gear worn by the character the Legacy Companion is based on.

 

•Legacy Companions wouldn't be as effective as a properly-geared standard companion, but would be better than a standard companion you didn't hear properly. They aren't meant to be something to replace standard companions, but are still meant to be usable.

 

•Legacy Companions would show up in cut scenes during missions where standard companions would be, but they would not speak. They would not appear on your ship at all. They aren't truly a part of your story.

 

•Legacy Companions may emote. Right-clicking their character portrait will bring up the same list of emotes available for players.

 

•Legacy Companions wouldn't be available until you reach the Fleet for the first time.

 

As an example: My smuggler, Maaliik, is fresh off of Ord Mantell. I like the idea of his son, my max-level Commando, Dacks, helping him out. So I open the Crew Window and summon Dacks as a Legacy Companion.

 

This representation of Dacks would appear to be in Trooper Tionese armor, with a color-matched Hoth commendation helmet and Relics of the Gree autocannon, with a cyan-blue color crystal. That's what Dacks is currently equipped with. None of those would affect his Legacy Companion stats, however. He would have the stats of a Commando Legacy Companion of the same level as Maaliik. I'd be better off using a properly-geared Corso Riggs (to offset not having to gear Dacks), but he'd still be good enough to solo with.

 

What does everyone think of the idea?

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Tracea

Tracea

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And excellent idea! Well thought out too, definitely one for the I wish list. Aside from being a great rp tool.

I don't know the first thing about programming. But if accounting for all of our alts individually was to much,

Maybe BW could provide us with one legacy comp slot, and some sort of drop down option that let you configure you legacy companion to be your alt of choice? Has to be a record of what they look like and wear somewhere in game.

 

Yep, excellent idea buddy!

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Cernow

Cernow

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I love the idea, it would add a wonderful extra dimension to the game. It would also add some much needed companion variety. I've always been slightly bothered by how everyone has their own cloned copy of the class companions and we can't even rename them.

 

The only problem is that much of the levelling experience is based around regular companions and their responses to your class story and even some side missions. If Legacy Companions are to be used while levelling, it could cause problems with dialogue, alignment gain and affection gain needed to effectively craft. That said, a precedent has already been set with HK-51, so perhaps it wouldn't be a huge problem.

 

Legacy Companions should have the gear that the actual character has. After all, you can gear your traditional companions up with spare endgame gear and make them more powerful, so I see no problem with Legacy Companions having their own gear.

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Doctoglethorpe

Doctoglethorpe

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The fundamental idea has been floating in my head since beta. I think it would be really amazing. They don't need to be voiced (beyond simple combat calls). They don't really need new skill sets since the current companions are already based off ACs so just give them the closest similar one, (Eg. Powertechs get skills like Kaliyo, Juggs like Scourge). They don't need any unique gearing system just let them wear whatever the toon they are imported from was wearing. Really your list would make it way more complicated then it needs to be.

 

Also I'd say limit it to only characters you've finished the storyline for. Both for the toon your using and the one you wish to import. That way they don't become a part of the class storylines in any way. It should be more of just a nice thing to use at end-game

 

All just pipe dream though really. But its a nice one.

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Zilik

Zilik

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<Opinion>

 

While i can see a "oh cool" use for this sort of thing, beyond that i just cant see all the effort being put into all of these suggestions so you could summon a companion that's not as good as a standard companion, cant be interacted with verbally or via affection, only so they look visually like our alts.

 

Sure at first it would be "oh cool, time to go kill!" followed by "Damn my jugg inst as good as Khem, going to have to pull him out til this missions over".

 

Not to mentions, for a game built on story as this is, can we come up with a rational (key word rational) explanation why a "member of the dark council" or the "wrath of the emperor" or the "guy who defeated the emperor" is happily bobbing around on the opposing fleet or in opposing FPs/Ops.

 

Plus OK, my inquisitor is my jedi's brother, but lets face it if they got along well enough to help each other any old time and get along so well, why are the on completely different sides? Then you'd need to take light/dark into account, a dark Jedi and a light Sith...OK sure. But "Sith the Evil" and his brother "Jedi the Just", I can't see them working together family or not.

--------

 

But hey, as said it would be visually cool, so take out the story bit and just make it a game feature and I'm all for something like this... I just don't see it ever happening personally.

 

</Opinion>

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Cernow

Cernow

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Not to mentions, for a game built on story as this is, can we come up with a rational (key word rational) explanation why a "member of the dark council" or the "wrath of the emperor" or the "guy who defeated the emperor" is happily bobbing around on the opposing fleet or in opposing FPs/Ops.

 

A good point. Which is why it's best if Legacy Companions are only available once the class story is completed, then it's less likely to mess with the stories (let's face it, there'll be no more class or companion storylines in Makeb or beyond).

 

That said, is it any more rational or believable for one Bounty Hunter with Mako as companion to be grouped with another Bounty Hunter, also with Mako as companion, probably looking identical since there's so few companion customisation options. At least if my Bounty Hunter has my Scoundrel as companion, it's less likely another player will replicate that given the range of character customisation options and choices.

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DaxCalvo

DaxCalvo

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It was suggested before, long ago, never got a response that I'm aware of.

 

I like the idea, but suspect VO would be an issue.

 

That's why in my pitch I said that they wouldn't say anything. They'd be silent, aside from normal combat grunts and such.

 

And excellent idea! Well thought out too, definitely one for the I wish list. Aside from being a great rp tool.

I don't know the first thing about programming. But if accounting for all of our alts individually was to much,

Maybe BW could provide us with one legacy comp slot, and some sort of drop down option that let you configure you legacy companion to be your alt of choice? Has to be a record of what they look like and wear somewhere in game.

 

Yep, excellent idea buddy!

 

There is a record of what they look like, open your Legacy window and look at the family tree section. Highlight any character, and it will show you the exact gear they are currently wearing. Its one of the reasons I thought this might be possible.

 

The only problem is that much of the levelling experience is based around regular companions and their responses to your class story and even some side missions. If Legacy Companions are to be used while levelling, it could cause problems with dialogue, alignment gain and affection gain needed to effectively craft. That said, a precedent has already been set with HK-51, so perhaps it wouldn't be a huge problem.

 

In my idea, they're essentially an option. If you want this customizable sort of companion, you are giving up on interaction during dialog and on affection gain. Perhaps a pop-up window of some sort could explain the potential drawbacks when you first summon a Legacy Companion.

 

Legacy Companions should have the gear that the actual character has. After all, you can gear your traditional companions up with spare endgame gear and make them more powerful, so I see no problem with Legacy Companions having their own gear.

 

You can, however your level 10 characters can't run around with companions geared out in Black Hole stuff. I figured instead of getting a repeat of the "My HK-51 can't use the gear he came with because he's not level 50 yet" or a "holy crap my level 10 companion is uber because he's wearing endgame stuff" it would be better to have a standardized level gain. A sentinel companion would be statistically equal to any other sentinel companion of the same level.

 

Also I'd say limit it to only characters you've finished the storyline for. Both for the toon your using and the one you wish to import. That way they don't become a part of the class storylines in any way. It should be more of just a nice thing to use at end-game

 

If its limited to endgame only that solves the gearing problem, but it becomes a lot of work to implement for something you'd get very little use for.

 

While i can see a "oh cool" use for this sort of thing, beyond that i just cant see all the effort being put into all of these suggestions so you could summon a companion that's not as good as a standard companion, cant be interacted with verbally or via affection, only so they look visually like our alts.

 

Sure at first it would be "oh cool, time to go kill!" followed by "Damn my jugg inst as good as Khem, going to have to pull him out til this missions over".

 

The idea was that they wouldn't be a replacement for standard companions. Maybe you would need a standard companion instead sometimes. Or maybe you would want them along to see their reaction to something. Maybe you'd miss them speaking up sometimes. But maybe sometimes you wouldn't. Maybe sometimes you'd just like to see your main alongside the alt you're currently levelling, despite the things you'd give up to do so.

 

Not to mentions, for a game built on story as this is, can we come up with a rational (key word rational) explanation why a "member of the dark council" or the "wrath of the emperor" or the "guy who defeated the emperor" is happily bobbing around on the opposing fleet or in opposing FPs/Ops.

 

Plus OK, my inquisitor is my jedi's brother, but lets face it if they got along well enough to help each other any old time and get along so well, why are the on completely different sides? Then you'd need to take light/dark into account, a dark Jedi and a light Sith...OK sure. But "Sith the Evil" and his brother "Jedi the Just", I can't see them working together family or not.

 

I can't see why my Light Juggernaut works with 90% of the Imperial characters that he teams with. Why wouldn't a dark Jedi get found out and kicked out of the order, have their powers stripped like Revan, or some other consequences? Why can you have Chiss Jedi, when Chiss aren't typically Force Sensitive and are pretty much always Imperials?

 

As much as this game focuses on story and having these things make sense, it gives you the option to break it. I can have a Light Side Sith Vanguard if I wanted to. Doesn't make any sense, but there it is. The Legacy system's unlocks in particular are like "Hey, you've played the game the right way long enough. Here's some unlockable way to screw things up next time around."

 

This is also why my pitch limited cross-faction Legacy Companions to after you reach Legacy Level 50. That takes so long that, by that time, you pretty much earned the right to goof around.

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Lyeis

Lyeis

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This is wonderful! It would add so much to RP, and Quality of Life with so little interference with game mechanics, and would not as written overpower players or replace current companions. Love it!
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Seireeni

Seireeni

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I like this a lot. I don't really do rp on swtor, I have my own forums for that, but it would be nice for my own amusement to here and there summon another character of mine to help the character I'm playing with. I.e. My commando is a son of my sith juggernaut, and if my juggernaut would have to do a quest where you have to work with reps (there's 1 a little like this on Belsavis I think, where you first protect 2 rep soldiers and then can either spare them or murder them) or just do something that benefits both sides, I could summon my commando and think it to maybe the first time they have seen for long time...

 

Also, if you could summon legacy companions at level 10/when you reach the fleet first time, they would solve a little problem of mine. I like to think of a personality to my characters and then stay with it - and if my companion doesn't like it, that's going to be a lot of influence lost before I get a companion that more or less does like it. I.e. My gunslinger is heartless, cold-blooded, greedy and business-first -type - guess twice how much Corso likes her! Now, I think Risha might actually be fine with her attitude, but that's far away... (I actually unlocked HK for this particular character because I got worried how often she lost influence with Corso)

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DaxCalvo

DaxCalvo

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I like this a lot. I don't really do rp on swtor, I have my own forums for that, but it would be nice for my own amusement to here and there summon another character of mine to help the character I'm playing with. I.e. My commando is a son of my sith juggernaut, and if my juggernaut would have to do a quest where you have to work with reps (there's 1 a little like this on Belsavis I think, where you first protect 2 rep soldiers and then can either spare them or murder them) or just do something that benefits both sides, I could summon my commando and think it to maybe the first time they have seen for long time...

 

I hadn't even thought of that. I could summon my Sith Warrior for example when his father, my Smuggler, gets to the quest on Hoth where you're working with the Imps. Neat. =) Of course, in my pitch that'd require hitting Legacy 50 first... but my Smuggler is the last character I intend to level.

 

Niche feature that provides little to no ROI, cant see it getting off the ground unless it was sold via the CM.

 

But that would generate much rage.

 

If my choice was 1) Never get something like this or 2) Have to buy it from the cartel store I'd buy it from the Cartel Store in a heartbeat. I think a lot of other RPers would as well. I'm sure that would limit its use outside the RPing community though.

 

This idea has been brought up plenty of times before. And while it may be fun for RPers, it seems like a lot more trouble than it is worth.

 

RPers like to play dress up with our characters. We get an image in our head of what we want them to look like, and we track the right gear down to make them look that way. A lot of that gear is adaptable stuff. A lot of that is sold in the Cartel Store or gotten from Packs. Which means that Bioware/EA is making money off of us RPers. Especially if they do as Jedip_enguin said and charge for it. I promise dedicated RPers would go out of their way to get it. Or maybe restrict it to Subscribers, to entice us to keep our accounts Subscribed.

 

More trouble than its worth? We're talking revenue for the game, there. The more money the game makes, the longer it lasts, and the longer we all get to play the game we like.

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NSStember

NSStember

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You know, my first reaction to this was "what?"...but the more I read the OP, the more I liked the idea. I built my legacy around the idea of one family as well, that spans both factions. And sure, while I RP them, they often mention their siblings and cousins and such, but having them along would have been great.

 

I also agree with the restrictions the OP put on them: No crew skills, no uber gear, and they are as effective as the level of the actual character you are playing right now.... So my level maxed out Jedi Guardian could have been there to help out his "little sister" as she faced trials and tribulations as Jedi Shadow (but he would have been her level).

 

I agree it's something BW/EA should consider. Give those of us with a high legacy level something for our troubles :rolleyes:

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AlexDougherty

AlexDougherty

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Nice idea, but apart from the opposing factions problem, which could be solved by only allowing you to summon alts on the same side as your current character, and the equipment issues, there is another issue. Companions as they are at the moment only have 10 skill slots, most of us play with 20 or more skill slots (this includes med packs vehicles etc), so which skills would your alt be allowed to use, do we get to decide?, is it chosen for us?, a mix where we choose the skill but are limited in the options for that slot?
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Jacen_Starsolo

Jacen_Starsolo

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Nice idea, but apart from the opposing factions problem, which could be solved by only allowing you to summon alts on the same side as your current character, and the equipment issues, there is another issue. Companions as they are at the moment only have 10 skill slots, most of us play with 20 or more skill slots (this includes med packs vehicles etc), so which skills would your alt be allowed to use, do we get to decide?, is it chosen for us?, a mix where we choose the skill but are limited in the options for that slot?

 

GuildWars has this feature for years now called Mercenary Hero. And the powers thing is addressed. BW would only need to look at how GW did it as a guide.

 

And STO has it coming in a way too.

Edited by Jacen_Starsolo
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