Summon MULTIPLE companions

[Zidovain]

I do not know if this has already been brought up. I've had this idea since I started playing SWtOR in 012. It was just a "would be" nice thought if we could bring multiple companions instead of just one.

 

Now that we have an army of companions, this idea just seemed to be more appealing. I would like to:

 

1) Have a maximum of 3 companions summoned at once (lead by your character to make a party of four)

2) Have a maximum of 7 companions summoned at once (lead by your character to make a party of eight)

 

Personally, I would do A LOT of heroics and indulge in other content if I can RP it with the aid of my companions. A party of four composed of your character and your favorite companions would be more convenient than to be forced to find other players to do in-game contents. That option however should still remain. But it would be nice to do all sorts of quests with your own companions without constantly having to find other people to do it with. It's just more convenient that way. Having a party of eight is a stretch, but I figured if I'm putting this out there, I might as well bring it up and see what SWtoR thinks of it.

 

I really like the idea of exploring and questing on different planets, as well as events. I had a good vibe on the KotET chapter(s) where we had several companions at play. To me, this feature makes questing or RP'ing more likeable. Also, it puts your army of companions to good use rather than just have them sit there and wait when will they be picked to do anything if at all.

 

Be gentle and happy weekend SWtoR!!

[Eshvara]

It's been brought up a couple of times, it's a nice concept, but I don't know how they can make it work and balance things out. My first guess is that it would be kind of OP.

[MikeCobalt]

I would even give up "All" of my Inquisitors companions for this

To move around with 2,3 or 4 soldiers as Vader did is something I was hoping for with the Inquisitor but all in all I've only found the "Boarding Party" FP to be "Kinda (but not really) close. The Inquisitor moves to ferret out spies, corrupt officers, clear bases of resistance or claim tombs somebody else has started. All of those would be good even normal FlashPoints. The "Soldiers" themselves are the same as one companion now so nothing extra or even 1 damage, 1 heal and 1 tank. Defensibility the same or die off incrementally. Even *Replace the FP "combat assistance droid" with a 2nd companion. This would be *Incredible

 

https://imgur.com/TdCAGTR

 

https://imgur.com/s8kRwkf

[Aeneas_Falco]

It's been brought up a couple of times, it's a nice concept, but I don't know how they can make it work and balance things out. My first guess is that it would be kind of OP.

 

It is possible it could be implemented in certain story-based missions. It already was in fact during KOTET. You can have both Senya and Arcann in your party for instance, with Arcann's role being handled by abilites that appear on the bar were you normally get the huttball pass in PVP or Heroic Moment abilities in PVE.

[Andryah]

It's been brought up a couple of times, it's a nice concept, but I don't know how they can make it work and balance things out. My first guess is that it would be kind of OP.

 

Yep.

 

The game is NOT balanced for this sort of thing.. and the last thing I would want to see them spending limited resources on would be this.

[Eshvara]

It is possible it could be implemented in certain story-based missions. It already was in fact during KOTET. You can have both Senya and Arcann in your party for instance, with Arcann's role being handled by abilites that appear on the bar were you normally get the huttball pass in PVP or Heroic Moment abilities in PVE.

 

Yeah, but unless I'm mistaken, I think the OP wants it in open world as well? Maybe it doesn't really matter as there isn't any OWPVP around anyway.

I'm not against the idea, I just don't know how it would exactly work! But then again, it isn't really my field of work so.

[Andryah]

It is possible it could be implemented in certain story-based missions. It already was in fact during KOTET. You can have both Senya and Arcann in your party for instance, with Arcann's role being handled by abilites that appear on the bar were you normally get the huttball pass in PVP or Heroic Moment abilities in PVE.

 

Sorry... not going to agree on this.

 

We have numerous repeat complaints from players that even one companion is OP for this game. The complaint is not without merit..... even though a player can actually down-tune their companion quite a bit if they choose to.

 

It's a good concept, and other MMOs have incorporated some version of it as a way for solo players to play content actually designed for groups. However, the last thing we need in this MMO is more incentives to NOT GROUP.

 

And please... don't try the "but any player that does not want it does not have to use it" meme because that is not the issue. The issue is the amount of resources it would require to properly integrate and balance this new direction with companions. Not to mention all the new bugs, glitches, and exploitable loopholes to "unintended play" it would likely introduce.. which would require even more resources to scour out said bugs, glitches, and exploits.

Edited April 21, 2018 by Andryah

[Aeneas_Falco]

Sorry... not going to agree on this.

 

We have numerous repeat complaints from players that even one companion is OP for this game. The complaint is not without merit..... even though a player can actually down-tune their companion quite a bit if they choose to.

 

It's a good concept, and other MMOs have incorporated some version of it as a way for solo players to play content actually designed for groups. However, the last thing we need in this MMO is more incentives to NOT GROUP.

 

And please... don't try the "but any player that does not want it does not have to use it" meme because that is not the issue. The issue is the amount of resources it would require to properly integrate and balance this new direction with companions. Not to mention all the new bugs, glitches, and exploitable loopholes to "unintended play" it would likely introduce.. which would require even more resources to scour out said bugs, glitches, and exploits.

 

Have you played through KoTET?

 

The complaints about content being too easy because of companions are based around the original class stories, not KoTET. I should know, considering I've made a few of those complaints.

 

Not that KoTET's content is difficult, mind you. It isn't. The level of difficulty however is more in line with how boss fights played out in the original class stories. You need to think about mechanics and positioning and use your class' DCDs or interreupts, instead of mindlessly standing in stupid while going through a damage rotation that globals the.boss. What's more is that KoTET has an adjustable difficulty slider that the older content lacks.

 

Finally, almost no one complains about blowing through mobs quickly. The complaints are entirely centered on boss fights. If something similar to how Arcann and Senya were handled in KoTET was introduced in future story content, obviously that boss fight would be structured around there being more than one companion present. In short the addition of a companion would not be an issue.

 

Now I'd agree that a third companion would make things way too easy if something like that was applied to all content, even the original class stories or old flashpoints or heroics. I'd also agree that would it work as a disincentive to grouping. The OP might be asking for that. I'm not however. I just said that it is possible that Bioware could work a third companion into future story content since they've already done exactly that in KoTET. A third companion being limited to select story missions, like it was in KoTET, would also not affect group content.

 

You're tilting at windmills a bit with your reply.

[Andryah]

You're tilting at windmills a bit with your reply.

 

^^ Irony, in my view.

 

Yes.. I have played the content you are choosing as exhibits to your cause. No, I am not moved to change my view based on your reaching here.

 

Again.. THE ISSUE is the drain on resources to do this.. not is it a neat idea, or would it be nice, or fun, or whatever. Are you claiming this is a resource free change to the game, or that the studio has resources to do this given all the lapse in new content over the last year??????? if so.. LOL.

 

There IS a secondary artifact to this idea though ----> it further undercuts Group Play... because it makes group content essentially solo content... and given the complaints about slow queues.. even on an active server.. this is clear blind spot in your thinking. I put this in the same category as players who want a solo option for OPs.

 

We can of course agree to disagree on this... as with any topic.

 

Separately..... to the OP... respectfully, and I am in no way picking on you, ... but this is yet another thread where you have a "great idea", but really have given no thought to the consequences of your "great idea".

Edited April 21, 2018 by Andryah

[MikeCobalt]

Its a Game Engine / Abilities issue I believe. Too many *Special figures to handle separately at the same time. Boarding Party, and one of the Tatooine heroics they both offer *Other helping troops but the numbers are Far from "Star Wars" scale. Maybe a separate FlashPoint or unique Class Event but to handle this would reduce the other elements. This is something I gave up on long ago however a few fights were close (Still don't see why the FlashPoint Droid cant be replaced with a 2nd Comp.).

[drug_cartel]

I keep on seeing people say how this is impossible or not worth the resources to implement.

 

Yet, I keep noticing how the framework is already in place in the game.

 

There are Chapter portions where you team with both Senya and Arcann, both Gault and Vette, not to mention the Story Flashpoints where you get Companion and Invincible Droid. There are several places in the game where you have multiple companions accompanying you. The Alliance Alert for Blizz has you teaming with Blizz and his 4 Jawa buddies.

 

In most cases, this is implemented by having essentially a 'main companion' (the one who's bar would appear where they normally do). Then all other companions are relegated to Secondary Companion status, meaning they are just AI controlled with little or no input from the player. Which for SWTOR actually works well, because that 'Main Companion' would be the one granted speaking commentary in any cutscene conversations, while the others get ignored so that conversations do not have to be re-recorded for multiple companions.

 

I mean, let's be realistic for a second. Implementing this is not some sort of ridiculous new tech. Multiple Companions was a cornerstone of KOTOR, and while limited, it still exists in SWTOR.

 

If it was an option, I know that I would run Flashpoints just as myself and my companions, and I'd probably be able to do a couple of the easier raids as well, at least where mechanics don't require more than 1 intelligent person. I'd rather have a mindless companion healer in my Ops rather than dealing with half my Pub raids falling apart because one player bails and it's almost impossible to find a replacement.

[olagatonjedi]

I do not know if this has already been brought up. I've had this idea since I started playing SWtOR in 012. It was just a "would be" nice thought if we could bring multiple companions instead of just one.

 

Now that we have an army of companions, this idea just seemed to be more appealing. I would like to:

 

1) Have a maximum of 3 companions summoned at once (lead by your character to make a party of four)

2) Have a maximum of 7 companions summoned at once (lead by your character to make a party of eight)

 

Personally, I would do A LOT of heroics and indulge in other content if I can RP it with the aid of my companions. A party of four composed of your character and your favorite companions would be more convenient than to be forced to find other players to do in-game contents. That option however should still remain. But it would be nice to do all sorts of quests with your own companions without constantly having to find other people to do it with. It's just more convenient that way. Having a party of eight is a stretch, but I figured if I'm putting this out there, I might as well bring it up and see what SWtoR thinks of it.

 

I really like the idea of exploring and questing on different planets, as well as events. I had a good vibe on the KotET chapter(s) where we had several companions at play. To me, this feature makes questing or RP'ing more likeable. Also, it puts your army of companions to good use rather than just have them sit there and wait when will they be picked to do anything if at all.

 

Be gentle and happy weekend SWtoR!!

Would you do questing and such if the rewards were significantly less, because the only way to implement this would be to significantly diminish the rewards for solo+3/7, or raise the rewards for actual groups/ops of real people (which i dont see happening because it will overinflate the system)

 

So before this could be implemented, people would have to have realistic expectations for rewards, like 1/4th the rewards.

[Damask_Rose]

I think it would be tremendous fun to have side-quests where we could use multiple companions. Running around with Blizz and his gang was certainly one of the highlights of KotFE! The tech is there, they could re-use environments and give them minimal story. I think the game is in desperate need of some fresh, new side-content and this would be a good candidate.

[MikeCobalt]

BioWare has no idea how happy this would make me to take my Inquisitor around with two comps (Outfitted as Troopers) or generic NPC escorts. I do understand the engine has limits though. Even smaller instanced events would be Ok to balance the processer/engine demands.

[Ardrossan]

^^ Irony, in my view.

Again.. THE ISSUE is the drain on resources to do this.. not is it a neat idea, or would it be nice, or fun, or whatever. Are you claiming this is a resource free change to the game, or that the studio has resources to do this given all the lapse in new content over the last year??????? if so.. LOL.

 

Any idea you aren't personally in favor of is a 'drain on resources', isn't it? Funny how that happens.

 

There IS a secondary artifact to this idea though ----> it further undercuts Group Play... because it makes group content essentially solo content... and given the complaints about slow queues.. even on an active server.. this is clear blind spot in your thinking. I put this in the same category as players who want a solo option for OPs.

We have solo FPs and can solo heroics now. We do lots of stuff that is solo-based, so not having solo ops is rather arbitrary, isn't it?

 

this is yet another thread where you have a "great idea", but really have given no thought to the consequences of your "great idea".

 

The major consequence of the idea is that a minority of forum elitists will grumble that since it doesn't interest them, it not only shouldn't be given any consideration by BW, it shouldn't have been suggested in the first place.

 

Personally, I like the OP's ideas and hopes they continue bringing them up. I think we can safely manage the risk of disappointing a few naysayers.

Edited April 22, 2018 by Ardrossan

[Mewmaker]

It is a nice idea, but it would be the most overpowered pve thing ever, and would really make the game too easy.

[Mewmaker]

We have solo FPs and can solo heroics now. We do lots of stuff that is solo-based, so not having solo ops is rather arbitrary, isn't it?.

 

Technically, story FP’s aren’t meant to be solo, it’s just that they give u the godbot so... (yeah, godbot could prob solo the fp for u) and some heroics r actually hard to solo, but they are manageable now due to the OP healing comps.

[Ardrossan]

Technically, story FP’s aren’t meant to be solo, it’s just that they give u the godbot so... (yeah, godbot could prob solo the fp for u) and some heroics r actually hard to solo, but they are manageable now due to the OP healing comps.

 

Like Aurora Cannon without a stealther. Or even some of the Makeb heroics, there's one pub-side involving shielded cannons that I wiped repeatedly on with a healer toon yesterday. That one is interesting because you can't rely on a dps or tank comp - they can manually be set to kill an add but otherwise will keep hitting the cannon even when it's shielded. I think for that one I'd need to set my comp to heals and respec to TK.

 

It is a nice idea, but it would be the most overpowered pve thing ever, and would really make the game too easy.

 

Yeah, I agree. It's an idea that was originally proposed before the comps became so overpowered, and before xp gains got better. Its main value now is in solo roleplay. I still think it's an attractive idea, I just don't think it's likely to be realized unless the game becomes an EMU somewhere down the line.

Edited April 22, 2018 by Ardrossan

[Fireswraith]

It is a fun idea to think of, though I don't think they would ever do it. By nature of having out multiple companions it makes you more powerful, but I thought that in a hypothetical situation it could be somewhat balanced out as follows.

 

A stacking debuff gets put on each additional companion you summon out.

First companion - full strength

Second companion - effectiveness (dps and healing in other words) decreased by 1/2............. or 25% decrease

Third companion - effectiveness decreased by 1/2 again (1/4 of full strength)............................. 50% decrease

Fourth companion - effectiveness decreased by 1/2 again (1/8 of full strength)........................... 75% decrease

 

Kind of fun to think about because people can come up with different combinations. Tank/DPSx3, Tank/Heal/DPSx2, Healx4 (lol). Also kind of fun to think about because finally you would be a Commander and actually getting to manage troops in battle and feel like your character is actually making decisions instead of Lana do it all.

[Nightblazer]

It is a fun idea to think of, though I don't think they would ever do it. By nature of having out multiple companions it makes you more powerful, but I thought that in a hypothetical situation it could be somewhat balanced out as follows.

 

A stacking debuff gets put on each additional companion you summon out.

First companion - full strength

Second companion - effectiveness (dps and healing in other words) decreased by 1/2............. or 25% decrease

Third companion - effectiveness decreased by 1/2 again (1/4 of full strength)............................. 50% decrease

Fourth companion - effectiveness decreased by 1/2 again (1/8 of full strength)........................... 75% decrease

 

Kind of fun to think about because people can come up with different combinations. Tank/DPSx3, Tank/Heal/DPSx2, Healx4 (lol). Also kind of fun to think about because finally you would be a Commander and actually getting to manage troops in battle and feel like your character is actually making decisions instead of Lana do it all.

 

Another option would be to have the mobs health and stats adjust based on companions out.

 

Have a 2nd companion out, mob health and stats increased by 33%. Have 3 companions out, mob health and stats increased by 66%. 4 companions out increases mob stats by 100%

Edited April 22, 2018 by Nightblazer

[Anzel]

Given that this game is six years old and 99% of the updates on Dulfy are "Cartel Market" updates I'm pretty sure this would make the game better. The population and interest in this game is so low I doubt anyone would even notice.

 

Not sure I would login to do more than check my mail and guild even if I could call all of my companions at the same time.

[MikeCobalt]

What I was thinking of with the "Generic Trooper Escorts" was never intended as a Balanced system and dynamic (That may make it even more difficult though instead of simplifying?), The scenario......

Sith Inquisitor with 5 generic stormtroopers, you start as equal to FPs as now. As you progress through the enemy base perhaps a trooper dies Now the SI has *Less Support, another trooper goes down > Less support. The more Escorts go down the harder it becomes, if played awkwardly the SI could find themselves alone (Difficult to win) if played well and escorts survive +500 credits per trooper alive. The players group starts equal..ish Maybe a bit higher to the defense. It was never intended to "OverPower" the player and this "Escort Group" does not exist *Outside the Flashpoint. There is a Tatooine mission very similar to this (Take 3 or 4 soldier trainees to kill a number of SandPeople, return with all good, return -1 he says "I thought you'd do better, return alone, hahahha, do even look back) this system is very close to this only this would be a single larger event.

Edited April 22, 2018 by MikeCobalt

[Kiesu]

Imagine having 7 companion hotbars on your screen while trying to order them all to move and swap targets in real time. What chaos. Not only would you completely fek up your own rotation, you'd need to keep them all out of AOE, order cleanses, swaps, buffs, taunts, movements as well as keep your own buttons pressed. Plus companions have no idea how to interact with buttons or even how to jump platforms.

 

Dream is nice but damn near impossible to do anything even moderately hard/mechanics/timing/interaction dependent.

Edited April 22, 2018 by Kiesu

[Andryah]

Another option would be to have the mobs health and stats adjust based on companions out.

 

Have a 2nd companion out, mob health and stats increased by 33%. Have 3 companions out, mob health and stats increased by 66%. 4 companions out increases mob stats by 100%

 

This is essentially how I think they would have to go about implementing the requested feature. AND.... that would require a whole lot of data table and code changes to implement. Do we really want them to drop other things that many players are already upset about not having yet, not to mention the generally accepted meme of them doing very little actual new content over the last year ... and jump on this instead?

 

I too think it would be a neat twist to the game for the solo player.... but again... resources needed, new bugs and glitches that anything new introduces to the game with this studio suggest it will never see the light of day... nor should it. People need to be a bit more pragmatic here, and less idealistic, and stop waving a hand and declaring something easy and simple when none of us has seen the actual code. On the other hand... the way they update and release things over time DOES suggest the code base is a real ball of snakes to work with. Having seen other large code bases over the years... particularly one that was handed from developer to developer over a period of years.... were indeed ugly balls of snakes to mess with.

 

I enjoyed the approach back in the GW1 days.... but that game was designed from the ground up before launch for this feature.

Edited April 22, 2018 by Andryah

[Ardrossan]

I played through Prelude to Revan today, which is mainly three FPs, and found myself thinking that this would be a lot more interesting if I could just use a few more comps instead of the Jesusdroid. From a roleplay perspective, it doesn't make much sense doing these in a group, and it's really dull doing it with that droid. I wish they'd added a multiple summon in the first place, perhaps a standard trinity formation [ie. three comps made up of 1 heal, 2 dps, one tank, including whatever role your toon is]. As others mentioned, it would be difficult to coordinate them, but that would be part of the challenge, and it wouldn't detract overly from group play, I wouldn't think - the people preferring to do it in a group would still prefer to do it in a group.

 

Again, is it likely to happen? No. Is it worth talking about? Sure.

Edited April 23, 2018 by Ardrossan