Fjolsvinnr Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 I know it's sort of a niche thing and endgame content doesn't really call for comps anyway, but I'll really miss being able to gear up my comp. It was a credit sink, sure, but having a completely min/maxed/augmented comp was nice. I get the value of not having to worry about your comps while progressing the story. That would definitely have been convenient when I was leveling up, sure. But now, I don't know what their performance will be like. I used to be able to duo HM60 FP's with a buddy and 2 geared up comps. Or if a tank drops or dps drops, we could finish up without queueing for another. But yeah, duoing FP's was one of my favorite things to do. Will they be as comparable as max geared comps are now? I hope so, but I doubt it. Wish they could somehow scale the comp's stats based on your character's gear level too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leehambly Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 I know what you mean (70k Qyzen and 60k Nadia ), but lets be real... it's not the gear on the companion that's really doing the work in the sort of situation you are talking about... it's the game play focus that brings about the kind of success in the scenario's you are talking about, ie: focused healing and companion management etc. That said, I hope and expect atm for the influence stat (1-50 levels??) to have a greater bearing on this... presence is the stat your character brings to it... this has a significant impact currently, influence will be a factor (like gearing) too... its just different to gearing - more like companion levelling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max_Killjoy Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 Yes, I am. I'd much rather have the final say, than get the cookie-cutter stats that Bioware thinks are most appropriate. Remember, this is the same team that gave us tank gear with Alacrity... And... do we really want "tank Mako" and "tank Khem" to be utterly identical for PCs of the same level, etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SithKoriandr Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 Gearing companions didn't bother me, though I really only focused on the one I ran with, with the others just in unmodded custom gear so they looked nice. This change and the stats all being mastery really doesn't break the game for me. Mastery might have broken the game if our characters actually had to use multiple stats (cunning, aim, willpower, strength) and not just one, but since it was just one to begin with, naming them all mastery means very little to me. Same old same old there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leehambly Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 Yes, I am. I'd much rather have the final say, than get the cookie-cutter stats that Bioware thinks are most appropriate. Remember, this is the same team that gave us tank gear with Alacrity... And... do we really want "tank Mako" and "tank Khem" to be utterly identical for PCs of the same level, etc? How are they going to be cookie cutter when there is a system replacing gear for companions which goes towards determining their stats? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubint Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 And what about legacy 192 companion gear? Should I just merch them before KotFE goes live? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leehambly Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 And what about legacy 192 companion gear? Should I just merch them before KotFE goes live? I'd hold off until release... the companion restriction is being removed from them apparently, so it might be useful for undergeared alts?? I doubt the value of the gear when sold to vendors will be any less after 4.0, so you aren't losing out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max_Killjoy Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 How are they going to be cookie cutter when there is a system replacing gear for companions which goes towards determining their stats? That system will be identical for all players. The same inputs will always produce the same outputs. Level X, affection Y, and Z presence will always produce the exact same Tank, or Healer, or DPS. Tanking Mako, Tanking Skadge, or Tanking Gault will all be identical. Healing Khem and Healing Vette will always be identical in every way. Cookie cutter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quraswren Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 (edited) Im a little disappointed in it. Giving my companion my older 198 gear and watching them go to town and well above the mobs there going after, just wrecking the daiies. Love it. I spent time making sure they were highly effective and had the right gear. Now, I'll have to deal with BW and their itemization of stats and if you looked at the yavin gear as a basis on how they might do that. You'll ask yourself WTH are they thinking and wish you could do it again yourself come 4.0 Edited October 3, 2015 by Quraswren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubint Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 I'd hold off until release... the companion restriction is being removed from them apparently, so it might be useful for undergeared alts?? I doubt the value of the gear when sold to vendors will be any less after 4.0, so you aren't losing out. Thanks, I'll do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elracor Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 And what about legacy 192 companion gear? Should I just merch them before KotFE goes live? AFAIK the companion gear will just become legacy gear, so if you have a 55 alt you didn't bother leveling yet you can just put it on that alt once KotFE is out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leehambly Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 (edited) That system will be identical for all players. The same inputs will always produce the same outputs. Level X, affection Y, and Z presence will always produce the exact same Tank, or Healer, or DPS. Tanking Mako, Tanking Skadge, or Tanking Gault will all be identical. Healing Khem and Healing Vette will always be identical in every way. Cookie cutter. Yes, you aren't wrong, but then the old system was just equally cookie cutter then... level 60 with max presence and affection and max gear on a companion = same stats. Dude, sort yourself out and stop trying to find fault. And assuming your influence with each of those companions is the same, why would they be any different?? That would be weird. Edited October 3, 2015 by leehambly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max_Killjoy Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 Yes, you aren't wrong, but then the old system was just equally cookie cutter then... level 60 with max presence and affection and max gear on a companion = same stats. Dude, sort yourself out and stop trying to find fault. Right now, if I want to focus more on one thing or another in gearing a companion, I can. My tanks can have more defense, or more shield, or more absorption, or have a bit more focus on damage so they hold agro a bit better -- as one example. After 4.0 hits, those choices will be entirely gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leehambly Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 (edited) Right now, if I want to focus more on one thing or another in gearing a companion, I can. My tanks can have more defense, or more shield, or more absorption, or have a bit more focus on damage so they hold agro a bit better -- as one example. After 4.0 hits, those choices will be entirely gone. yeah, confirmed... you are really trying way too hard to find fault in a system that you haven't even seen yet. Wait and see, none of us know what kind of impact tot he companion that influence has yet... even more so when combined with presence. Edited October 3, 2015 by leehambly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
branmakmuffin Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 I can't imagine why anyone would enjoy gearing companions for anything other than appearance, which we will still do. In fact it's even more flexible now that gear does not matter in terms of mechanics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max_Killjoy Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 yeah, confirmed... you are really trying way too hard to find fault in a system that you haven't even seen yet. So what is it about this system that we don't know yet? Unless there's a way to retain control of the stats on our companions that's not been put out there yet, nothing is going to change my opinion of this nonsense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quraswren Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 yeah, confirmed... you are really trying way too hard to find fault in a system that you haven't even seen yet. Giving that hes right what is there to wait on. He cannot adjust stats as he once did. They will all do the same except for what presence/influence you have come max level. It's not hard to see the fault in this system VS what we had before 4.0 You don't even have to try hard to see that you no longer get to customize your companion as you once did. It's pretty plain and simple to see that. It's a fault of the new system vs the old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leehambly Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 I can't imagine why anyone would enjoy gearing companions for anything other than appearance, which we will still do. In fact it's even more flexible now that gear does not matter in terms of mechanics. to be honest it just isn't your call what people find interesting or enjoyable... many people have this style of play as the focus of their gameplay... however, it is merely a switch of focus though from gear to influence... and with 50 levels of influence, from the look of it, it looks like a far deeper system than merely a choice between 186/192/198 with/out augments. That is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leehambly Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 (edited) Giving that hes right what is there to wait on. He cannot adjust stats as he once did. They will all do the same except for what presence/influence you have come max level. It's not hard to see the fault in this system VS what we had before 4.0 You don't even have to try hard to see that you no longer get to customize your companion as you once did. It's pretty plain and simple to see that. It's a fault of the new system vs the old. That's the point though isn't... you don't know HOW much of a factor it (influence) is yet. You'd choose to put lesser gear on your companion??? No, you put the best available gear on your companion... this will now effectively be auto-equipped based on your presence and influence with them. But yes, agreed like I said... if you have max presence, max affection and max influence with a char...no doubt you will have the same comp stats as someone else with the same... how is that any different from what we have now if someone has max affection and presence and BiS comp armour? Edited October 3, 2015 by leehambly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max_Killjoy Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 That's the point though isn't... you don't know HOW much of a factor it is yet. You'd choose to put lesser gear on your companion??? No, you put the best available gear on your companion... this will now effectively be auto-equipped based on your presence and influence with them. 1) While leveling, it's a matter of when and how thoroughly you keep your companions' gear upgraded. A choice, as opposed to just another automatic hand-hold. 2) "Best available gear" leaves a lot of room for choices, which I tried to explain. Do I focus a bit more on power or crit for my DPS companions? Do I focus a bit more on soak on the tanks, or give a little to damage so they hold agro more reliably? Etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leehambly Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 1) While leveling, it's a matter of when and how thoroughly you keep your companions' gear upgraded. A choice, as opposed to just another automatic hand-hold. 2) "Best available gear" leaves a lot of room for choices, which I tried to explain. Do I focus a bit more on power or crit for my DPS companions? Do I focus a bit more on soak on the tanks, or give a little to damage so they hold agro more reliably? Etc. Like I said, really looking for fault. We don't know how influence works and when certain triggers might be yet... just wait and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KyaniteD Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 (edited) That's the point though isn't... you don't know HOW much of a factor it (influence) is yet. You'd choose to put lesser gear on your companion??? No, you put the best available gear on your companion... this will now effectively be auto-equipped based on your presence and influence with them. Looking at the Yavin companion gear I think the reservations against what the devs consider a useful stat distribution for companions are entirely justified. Edited October 3, 2015 by KyaniteD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leehambly Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 (edited) Looking at the Yavin companion gear I think the reservations against what the devs consider a useful stat distribution for companions are entirely justified. Agreed, we will have to wait and see. What else do you suggest? And this isn't really the focus of the thread... not how the changes are implemented but the switch from companion gearing to individual companion influence levelling. Edited October 3, 2015 by leehambly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quraswren Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 (edited) That's the point though isn't... you don't know HOW much of a factor it (influence) is yet. I know what it does now and I still have no control over it. It's not just about influence boosting stats. You have no control over customization as you once did. That was part of the fun in having companions. You'd choose to put lesser gear on your companion??? No, you put the best available gear on your companion... this will now effectively be auto-equipped based on your presence and influence with them. Kinda taking a big leap of faith there you are. Did you see the gear on yavin 4 for companions. That was some really bad customization on companion gear. No reason to think BW is suddenly putting the best on them now. However, there is no choose going forward. There is no making sure your tank companion has a really high defense or shield or adsorb. You no longer have any control of any of that beyond what general cookie cutter BW decides to give you. You are losing the ability to customize your companion. That was interesting and entertaining as a side thing to do. BW auto-equipping with some adjustment based on influence. Not where near as interesting. Hell, it's like a Ronco product. Set it and forget it. You don't have to look for the fault in this system. It's right in our damn faces. Edited October 3, 2015 by Quraswren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uruare Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 (edited) I'm not going to miss it at all. It was a tedious extra layer of annoyance that made leveling that much more of a pain, and at endgame it meant exactly nothing anyway. Some of you are bemoaning the revival of ability to polish and find tune, yet none of the companions' AI's allow for any polishing and fine tuning of their sparse and diminished abilities. Think there's a huge difference between Mako in Yavin 192's and in augmented 198's? You'd probably see bigger improvements if you started micromanaging their skill bar, and even then you don't exactly have that much room to work in. I can understand how some might've found it fun. It was more starts to (pointlessly) play with and jigger around, and playing with numbers is most of what we do in this game anyway. The new changes will remove the annoyance of having to also keep a companion in relevant gear, and they'll contribute just as amazingly to your wz's and gsf and HMFP's and operations as they always did. I guarantee that you're not going to suddenly be struggling to complete dailies because your companions will now be normalized in terms of power. And hey, you can pretty then up however you like without damaging their ability to be useful. I can't see a real downside here except for those that are going to miss spending 2 mill on augments and Aug kits for a companion, or crafting them to use thusly instead of sell. Save the credits and polish your modem. It'll matter more where companions have ever been concerned. Edited October 3, 2015 by Uruare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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