jintegrity

I don't recall calling anyone asinine or self-centered. I said denying others something just because it has no benefit to you is. If the reasons for opposing such a change is a matter of prioritizing resources, that's fine. If it is just, "I don't like it, so don't add it, regardless of what others might want," then that is self-centered. Semantics aside, what other features are we talkin' about? Quests and story additions that would give the companions unique options not available to the player or adventurers, such as in the examples I listed above, might be preferable. A greater variety of soulbound weapons would be cool. Some rebalancing of the races so that there aren't any obvious "best choices" (Wood Elf for ranged, for example) would be appreciated, though should be done with buffs or changes, not nerfs to the good stuff, in my opinion. An in-game way of looking up information about the game via main menu, and in-game (similar to the Civilopedia) would be wonderful for allowing new players to do their own research, and could pull from the game files directly to ensure the most recent information is always displayed. Now, I'd rather have companion respec' than quite a few of the listed items above, and comparing the resources spent to incorporate companions in to the pre-existing respec' system, rather than some unstated possibility doesn't interest me. What are we actually losing to get such a thing incorporated, if it is even remotely possible that it'd be considered?

Okay well there is a few problems with what you posted. 1: First you "want to kill everyone in the hold", so I have to ask why exactly do you just what your character to be an RP psycho killer? You realize some people in the hold will actually gladly work with you and help you. Some of them are just you know, normal people doing their job. That said .... 2: If you REALLY wanted to kill everyone in the hold for no other reason than to kill everyone in the hold then doing that should be it's own reward. If you are doing it just because you feel obligated, or that's how you would do it in the past, or you think that is the "optimum" path then truth is you don't actually want to do it you just think you do. You are basically convincing yourself you want to do it just because you feel like "I'm supposed to do it". Well I am supposed to mow the yard and do the dishes but I still don't like doing it. 3: There is plenty of reward, they have tons of loot, weapons, armor, money, treasure hidden in the keep, etc etc. Just because some arbitrary number called EXP didn't go up doesn't mean you didn't get rewarded. 4: You definitely can kill everything in the keep, leave Raedric sitting there, exit the place, gain more levels, and come back later. I know this because I didn't finish the quest on my first visit either. You are not required at any point in the entire game to visit that keep ever. You can leave this entire quest line unfinished and still complete the main story. So.... your end complaint holds no water as there are definitely plenty of ways to get over level 3 before you go to Raedrics hold, or after you visit the first time. 5: Kill exp screws balance, because when you are awarded kill exp you only get one choice. Kill everything for optimum game path (because it is now the optimum path due to kill exp) or take a non optimum path through the game. That isn't variety it is "gimp yourself" or "don't gimp yourself" not much of a choice in most players eyes. 1 & 2. I want to see the entirety of the place, and the guards seem determined to make that possible only by removing them from the sights. Also, I enjoy the challenge playing POTD gives, and the guards aren't exactly chumps. I'd like to find a way to do it with only myself and companions (not adventurers) without being grossly overleveled, yet is so efficient that it becomes "easy". I assume that is possible through system mastery, and I always enjoy learning, and exploiting, game systems. I think, once I can and have done so, it'll cease to be appealing. 3. Perhaps, but the cost-to-reward ratio doesn't seem very good. Perhaps if I was better at the game, that would change, but seeing as I've not owned it long, each fight seems like a worthy challenge that taxes me. 4. I didn't want to progress the story any further, which I now realize wasn't clear enough in my original post. I was left with the option of either repeating the fight until I achieved a desired result (which I attempted until I realized it was a futile effort), or continue the story, despite my original desires, and come back later. Being accustomed to having an alternative, not having it is rather frustrating. I'll get over it. 5. That's why the level cap is comparatively low. You'll hit max level in a timely fashion whether you farm or not. One is more time consuming (farming), but yields results earlier in the campaign. However, a skillful player who does quests and content as intended should actually reach level cap faster (in real life time), albeit later in the story.

No kidding. As someone who always made a point of farming Basilisks and cheesing Drizzt on any new character in BG1 so I could play the character I wanted, rather than suffer through the painful level 1-3 stage of the game, having no XP on kill was rather disheartening. I enjoy the combat of the game, but just don't feel motivated to kill the things I want to kill because it simply isn't worth it. I want to full clear Raedric's Hold, as I know I've only seen a small fraction of the place, and what I have seen has been really well done. However, the sheer amount of time and effort it would take (playing PotD for my first playthrough, because that's what I enjoy) simply isn't worth it for what I'd receive. Now I had to hold off on killing Raedric because my level 3 party just couldn't hack it (PallyMC, Eder, Kana, Aloth, and Durance), so I was forced to continue progressing the story as there were no alternative means of acquiring XP. I would have preferred to just kill everyone in the hold, came back with some levels, and allowed him to join those in his employ. I love how often people do things to "promote variety", only to actually take it away. Still, the game has exceeded expectations in almost every other way (though I do want to disembowel Durance and put him on a pike in my new, shiny keep), and I have to say it was well worth the price.

Going to necro' this thread, and I don't really care if that offends you. There's a thread relevant to why I'm here, and I'm going to use it. That being said, I cannot understand why so many people were so dismissive, and others openly belligerent, to the OP. They spent their money, same as you did, for the game. They have the right to voice an opinion. If you disagree with them, that's cool, but why in the world would you say, "No, I don't want more content for this game I paid for."? Keep it to yourself, or remember, as others have stated, you can opt not to use the feature. Asking them to download third-party software or files to fix something they perceive as a problem is not a valid response as they're addressing the product he paid for. A lot of you quote D&D as your examples, stating how it'd be unreasonable to ask a person to change their character's stats to suit you. However, in D&D, you were allowed to ask, and it was entirely possible someone might be willing to do so. I got someone who wants to play a small sized cavalier, and wants my druid to act as their mount? That might be hilarious, and I'd totally be interested in having the option to do that, rather than being told by the game that I'm not allowed. Such restrictions would go against the spirit of the game in the first place. Others of you reference the Infinity Engine games, but those games also featured certain characters with stats and attributes that were superior to what the MC could have, or exclusive to themselves (Dorn's Half-orc Blackguard, Xan's Moonblade, Minsc's Berserk/WIS score, etc) and made them interesting alternatives to playing a multiplayer game solo just to build an optimized party. Other than Devil and Pallegina having exclusive races (which I'd actually like to have the option to play, mind), this game lacks that. I paid for the game, and I shouldn't have to suffer a lack of features just because some people don't want them in. I don't see myself ever playing a Nature Godlike, but that doesn't mean I'd want it to be removed, or would have been against its inclusion. That's blatantly self-centered. I'm glad I got the game for the holidays. It has lived up to all the hype it has received, and managed to exceed expectations for me. Just met the Grieving Mother today, and I really want her to live up to her potential as a Cipher, as I found her so intriguing that I'm considering a two-man party run with her as the #2. I haven't even bothered to get Pallegina yet because of the way the Paladin (and Cleric) abilities are completely neutered for NPC's (though that's a separate issue), and that her stats don't help. I can't express how disappointing that is, as Paladins are traditionally my favorite class, and the portrait art for her is absolutely stunning. I don't intend to download third-party software just to use a feature already in the game, and I'll live if it isn't implemented, but while artistic integrity is something I respect, denying people features just because you wouldn't use them yourself is asinine, self-centered, and does nothing to improve the game.