I hope the Devs change their minds about future Galactic Seasons not giving us a Companion

[ShadowyKai]

You know, I think it might have complicated things a little when they started putting the Galactic Seasons companions on our ships, and then reduced the time between Seasons to just a few weeks instead of a few months.

If they had continued that, they would have been adding two Companions to our ships every year. Well, our ships aren't that big, so it probably would have started getting crowded after a while. LOL.

[DewyMossEmpire]

If they are going to stop implementing new companions, then we should be able to unlock companions from the previous seasons.

[fabsus]

13 hours ago, Whykara said:

You can reach level 40 in like 3 weeks

 

20 hours ago, Lord_Janosch said:

Since story is unlocked by levels, and lvl 40 seems to be the last part of story, there is plenty of time

even if i don't think you get it, but maybe you'll understand that reference:
https://youtu.be/fZhRZIqJy-c

[arunav]

5 hours ago, ShadowyKai said:

You know, I think it might have complicated things a little when they started putting the Galactic Seasons companions on our ships, and then reduced the time between Seasons to just a few weeks instead of a few months.

If they had continued that, they would have been adding two Companions to our ships every year. Well, our ships aren't that big, so it probably would have started getting crowded after a while. LOL.

You do realize the developers just lost half their team, right?

Companions don't just design themselves, go through the approval process with Lucasfilm, and make it into the game.

Maybe there'll be future seasons with additional companions, but the upcoming one not including a companion makes sense, given what the studio has gone through in the past few months. 

[Addictress]

We have too many/enough companions. We need more voice-acted story content for the old and newer companions. I want to see Corso start an endgame quest. I want to see Elara Dorne initiate a new endgame quest. I want to see Vector involved in something beyond Killiks, something tied to recent developments. Maybe they can write a whole questline for the Nightlife mercenary one day.

 

There's a lot of potential. Characters are written. If the characters were limited, you can expand them with new actions, new initiatives, new ideas.

 

I really want more voice-acted content from existing companions if at all possible.

[ShadowyKai]

Quote

You do realize the developers just lost half their team, right?

First of all, my comment was intended to be tongue in cheek. That's why I added the LOL at the end of it.

Second, they probably WON'T be adding two companions to our ships every year, although I think it's more likely they'll solve that problem long-term by just not putting the companions on the ships anymore.

[Rujopetteri]

Personally i don't really want any more companions to be honest. Especially the alien ones that speak huttese or the more annoying screeching "languages". Those are just annoying the crap out of me since we can't even mute them. It's just unintelligible and ultra annoying gibberish. I may read the subtitles during the cut scenes but whatever they screech out during combat will stay a mystery to me since i typically don't read chat's while fighting.

What i'd like to see more, is more content for the old original companions (and maybe, just maybe for a very select few of the newer post KotFE companions). I don't even mind if the new content with them would be the "KotOR" style text only stuff, while i naturally do prefer the full VO stuff over that. 

[GeneralGyro]

16 hours ago, juliushorst said:

Then my disappointment is immeasurable and my season is ruined

one mans ruined season is another mans enjoying season

[OlBuzzard]

4 hours ago, Addictress said:

We have too many/enough companions. We need more voice-acted story content for the old and newer companions. I want to see Corso start an endgame quest. I want to see Elara Dorne initiate a new endgame quest. I want to see Vector involved in something beyond Killiks, something tied to recent developments. Maybe they can write a whole questline for the Nightlife mercenary one day.

 

There's a lot of potential. Characters are written. If the characters were limited, you can expand them with new actions, new initiatives, new ideas.

 

I really want more voice-acted content from existing companions if at all possible.

IMO if there is such a strong tendency to repurpose or utilized older material over and over repeatedly for the GS ... why wouldn't  we consider making better usage of currently existing companions that are already favored by those playing SWTOR now?

And yes .. VA content when it comes to companions is definitely preferable.  

New companions?  Not if they continue with the same format we've seen lately.  I understand the idea of using AI generated VA material while still providing a new adventure...  But when there is little actual communication .. there is something missing in the experience..  the connection is less likely.  For a companion to be an actual ... well you know ... companion some folks like to make a better connection other than just a pretty decoration or attribute when in combat.

Just a thought!

 

Edited August 17, 2023 by OlBuzzard

[Nee-Elder]

1 hour ago, OlBuzzard said:

New companions?  Not if they continue with the same format we've seen lately.  I understand the idea of using AI generated VA material while still providing a new adventure...  But when there is little actual communication .. there is something missing in the experience..  the connection is less likely.  For a companion to be an actual ... well you know ... companion some folks like to make a better connection other than just a pretty decoration or attribute when in combat.

It has begun--> https://forums.swtor.com/topic/930714-game-update-731-coming-soon/?do=findComment&comment=9774102

And unfortunately @MaximusRex , as you can see iin that 1st post ^ , their minds are already made up.

We shall see if things change for Season 6  though maybe.

[OlBuzzard]

30 minutes ago, Nee-Elder said:

It has begun--> https://forums.swtor.com/topic/930714-game-update-731-coming-soon/?do=findComment&comment=9774102

And unfortunately @MaximusRex , as you can see iin that 1st post ^ , their minds are already made up.

We shall see if things change for Season 6  though maybe.

My deepest apologies if I sounded like the communication (or a lack thereof) was in reference to the development team.  It was not!  That lack of clarity is totally on me.

Probably what I should have said was ..." but when there is a lack of actual interaction (in between me and the new prospective companion) ...  then there is something missing in the experience."  To further clarify ... I totally support companions with VA and supportive interactions.  IMO companions in general need a lot of TLC to help keep the connections we once had with them (even if it's one like HK-55).

Sorry!  Totally my bad!

[eabevella]

As long as I don't get more AI bots on my ship, I'm good.

[Cloneborg]

On 8/14/2023 at 1:11 PM, sharpenedstick said:

We don't need more meaningless companions. Seasons are just retention treadmills. They should have them tie in to the original companions, so that their stories can be advanced a little.

I love more companions with their stories and all, even that I have not completed all of them. Their stories as detailed as they are for the class companions is what can make the quest flow different form the standard linear Thyphon-Corruscant-Tarris/Nar Shadaa-Tattoine/Hoth - etc. They gives us a reason to go back to planets that we have already been to, to visit places that we have never been to before to interact with folks in those places etc that we have never had the chance to interact to during any of the class stories. The companions could be more than just be the companions who we sent on missions and who heal us, tank for us or do damage, and I am not talking about romance, I am talking about them being so integral for the game besides their current roles that interacting with a companion in a certain way can EVEN open an access to an entire new planet to explore, new space missions, new crew missions, new crafting recipies EVEN new passive or active skills. both for the char or the companions themselves

[Rujopetteri]

5 hours ago, Cloneborg said:

I love more companions with their stories and all, even that I have not completed all of them. Their stories as detailed as they are for the class companions is what can make the quest flow different form the standard linear Thyphon-Corruscant-Tarris/Nar Shadaa-Tattoine/Hoth - etc. They gives us a reason to go back to planets that we have already been to, to visit places that we have never been to before to interact with folks in those places etc that we have never had the chance to interact to during any of the class stories. The companions could be more than just be the companions who we sent on missions and who heal us, tank for us or do damage, and I am not talking about romance, I am talking about them being so integral for the game besides their current roles that interacting with a companion in a certain way can EVEN open an access to an entire new planet to explore, new space missions, new crew missions, new crafting recipies EVEN new passive or active skills. both for the char or the companions themselves

I think about zero of the companions introduced after the original class stories are like what you describe. Pretty much after SoR every companion is silent in almost every situation. Some post KotFE comps have something to say DURING KotFE/KotET chapters, but even there they are mostly silent and outside of the chapters they don't have any interactions with the player whatsoever.

Up until SoR the original companions had some specific things to say whenever you went to a new place with them etc. After SoR, all companions are pretty much just your heal/dps/tank bot and nothing more.

None of the GS companions (or any other event or CM companions) have any interactions with the player anywhere in the game outside of their own specific and very short questlines and the other event or CM comps don't have even those.

I don't want any more companions like that. I would however like continued companion stories for the original companions and/or more companions with similar interactions with the player than the vanilla companions had.

I definitely don't want more meaningless heal/tank/dps bots to clutter the already horrific companion window!

[OlBuzzard]

43 minutes ago, Rujopetteri said:

I think about zero of the companions introduced after the original class stories are like what you describe. Pretty much after SoR every companion is silent in almost every situation. Some post KotFE comps have something to say DURING KotFE/KotET chapters, but even there they are mostly silent and outside of the chapters they don't have any interactions with the player whatsoever.

Up until SoR the original companions had some specific things to say whenever you went to a new place with them etc. After SoR, all companions are pretty much just your heal/dps/tank bot and nothing more.

None of the GS companions (or any other event or CM companions) have any interactions with the player anywhere in the game outside of their own specific and very short questlines and the other event or CM comps don't have even those.

I don't want any more companions like that. I would however like continued companion stories for the original companions and/or more companions with similar interactions with the player than the vanilla companions had.

I definitely don't want more meaningless heal/tank/dps bots to clutter the already horrific companion window!

If they are going to do something with companions .. then they need to be ..well ... companions!  That means that there is more going on than just providing an extra heal (that here lately leaves something to be desired) ... or other combat boosts!  An amulet would probably get the job done just as effectively.  

There is nothing wrong with wanting a companion from time to time.  But we already have so many!  And I get the part about AI voice over stuff!  I would suppose that from a certain point of view having something like a new companion with each GS might be something to look forward to for some ... but it's simply not THAT good for a lot of us.

We have so many to choose from now.  BUT ... therein might be yet another problem.  Many of those companions have been done away with (for one reason or another).

Do we need a house cleaning on companion availability?  Just asking ... so don't go thermal on the old man!  But you have to admit that perhaps one of the reasons that many of the older or (perhaps I should say) simply preexisting companions, is that it could be a conflicted application.  It couldn't possibly work to use what we have now (unless we use one of the GS characters that have already proven to be somewhat annoying).  

BUT... what about the possibilities of another new companion from the GS series?  

Perhaps a fully customizable companion that we could interact with from time to time? Droid? Humanoid? Alien? 

Changes in Companion selections? Top 5 or top 10 list.  Quicker access to select from.  Current list is very cumbersome and difficult to find who we need at times.
Select the companions we want on our ship.  This could be changed as needed for specific missions if we needed to.

Other options?

[Rujopetteri]

13 minutes ago, OlBuzzard said:

Changes in Companion selections? Top 5 or top 10 list.  Quicker access to select from.  Current list is very cumbersome and difficult to find who we need at times.
Select the companions we want on our ship.  This could be changed as needed for specific missions if we needed to.

Other options?

Definitely this! The current companion window is horrible. At the very least they should add the summon companion buttons back to the crew skill window since that one at least still lists your highest influence companions on the top.

[juliushorst]

On 8/17/2023 at 5:35 PM, GeneralGyro said:

one mans ruined season is another mans enjoying season

How is getting less more fun?

You can just dump the companion summoning item and never use it.

[LD_Little_Dragon]

8 minutes ago, juliushorst said:

How is getting less more fun?

You can just dump the companion summoning item and never use it.

Not when the reputation items were all tied to the companion. 

For a lot of us oldtimers the only way to get that nice conquest from reputation was with the new GS reputations, so yeah, we don't have to have that annoying comp on a ship, but we lose the easy 46k conquest every day if we don't activate the companion.

I was not thrilled with getting new pointless companions to add the stables, didn't want them on my ship(s), and never used them after the seasons.  Having them as an option is fine, but the way the last few seasons handled the comps was horrible.

[juliushorst]

1 minute ago, LD_Little_Dragon said:

Not when the reputation items were all tied to the companion. 

Season 2 had that nice NPC on Nar Shaddaa and there was no need to ever talk to the companion. They can move the NPC to the fleet for convenience and it will be perfect.

[Rujopetteri]

35 minutes ago, juliushorst said:

How is getting less more fun?

You can just dump the companion summoning item and never use it.

Well if they keep giving us more and more and more pointless heal/tank/dps bots that don't react to anything you do during the story and don't have much of a story of their own, they really should at least give us a way to organize the list of companions on the companion window, let us move the alerts to the bottom or on a separate tab and/or allow to mark some companions as favourite to make finding the high influence and most used companions easier from the endless list of useless "bots" that 97% of the current companions are.

Sure, I'd like to have more companions, but ONLY if they actually react to my actions. So far that only happens with the original companions and only during the original stories and a bit during RotHC and SoR, and none after that. Even the KotFE/KotET companions only react and participate during cut scenes of the chapters and generally don't have any interactions anywhere else.

I don't need any more tank/heal/dps bots that only have 3-5 generic replies they shout during combat and otherwise stay completely silent during exploration and stories.

[OlBuzzard]

1 hour ago, Rujopetteri said:

Definitely this! The current companion window is horrible. At the very least they should add the summon companion buttons back to the crew skill window since that one at least still lists your highest influence companions on the top.

At the very least a simple, separate drop list of companions.  One of which we can prioritize to our liking.  In other words ... ALL of the companions that we are to have access to would be listed (in addition to the current list that's been around for some time now).  We should be able to organize them into any order we like ...  1 - ???.  Obviously, most of us would place the ones that we access the most frequently at the top.  That would be helpful.

[DarthAlastor]

what they need to do is let us send more of them out on crew skill missions

[GeneralGyro]

4 hours ago, juliushorst said:

How is getting less more fun?

You can just dump the companion summoning item and never use it.

companions arent fun anymore. its a military of unused garbage. i was perfectly content with my 5 companions from vanilla. make story with them instead of some nobody in seasons. what a waste of resources.

[juliushorst]

6 hours ago, GeneralGyro said:

companions arent fun anymore. its a military of unused garbage. i was perfectly content with my 5 companions from vanilla. make story with them instead of some nobody in seasons. what a waste of resources.

Seasonal companions were pre-existing models (Kubaz, Duros, Gemini droid - only Amity was unique), pre-existing voices (Kubaz, Duros, Hutteese, Selonian) and pre-existing scripting (only Altuur has unique abilities). I don't think they drained that much resources.

[GeneralGyro]

1 hour ago, juliushorst said:

Seasonal companions were pre-existing models (Kubaz, Duros, Gemini droid - only Amity was unique), pre-existing voices (Kubaz, Duros, Hutteese, Selonian) and pre-existing scripting (only Altuur has unique abilities). I don't think they drained that much resources.

for bioware any resources wasted on x is huge amounts , if what they worked with is true