8 companions: is it enough?

[Aedelric]

Eight is more than enough, they are not going to be shallow additions but fully fledged complex characters with their own story to tell. Additionally any classes/races missed will be found in the adventurers hall.

[Pshaw]

Honestly I think it's a bit too low. I like variety and choices as well as having a full party and 8 seems a bit limited if it's going to be your main character + 4 others.

 

Now honestly at this stage I have no idea about what sort of combat system is going to be implemented. However if they make roles important (tank, healer, ect) than you might only have 1 companion that fits the bill as tank or healer. If their alignment doesn't mesh with your main characters they might leave and you'd be out an important role and forced to replace them with a faceless NPC from the adventurers hall.

 

Luckily I do not think roles will matter that much if you're able to complete the game solo so that is comforting to me. At the very least even though I would prefer more a few (2-3) more fleshed out companions but I understand that with time/budget restraints 8 might be all they can get out to us while still having them be fully realized. If that's the case then I accept it.

Edited October 18, 2012 by Pshaw

[agewisdom]

Eight companions would be more than enough. However, I really hope that there is some proper banter between the companions as well as allowing the PC to interject in some of these conversations. I don't really remember how BG handled this....

 

What I do remember is that the banter between the different companions in Dragon Age: Origins was quite well done and made it interesting. Taking different companions always resulted in interesting conversations between them. Unfortunately, there was no way to get the PC involved in the banter, which was a minus. Having these companion banters in PE would keep things fresh even if you were using one or two companions from an earlier play-through.

Edited October 18, 2012 by agewisdom

[eselle28]

I think it has the potential to be refreshing. I'd appreciate it if the difference between my first and second playthroughs wasn't that I took a completely different set of companions, but that I had one or two different ones and their presence in the party radically changed some of the banter, or that my player character made very different decisions and saw different dialogue from my companions as a result.

[Amentep]

8 is fine,

 

given the development time.

 

If I hate them all:

 

Adventurer's Hall.

 

 

 

Burma Shave

Edited October 18, 2012 by Amentep

[Keyrock]

I think it has the potential to be refreshing. I'd appreciate it if the difference between my first and second playthroughs wasn't that I took a completely different set of companions, but that I had one or two different ones and their presence in the party radically changed some of the banter, or that my player character made very different decisions and saw different dialogue from my companions as a result.

Yeah, if the companions are deep and fleshed out enough, and have a variety of reactions given how you choose to approach situations, then it's entirely conceivable that you could have a relatively different experience replaying the game even if you choose the exact same companions to travel with the second time around.

[Elthosian]

It's more than enough if they are as polished as Torment's, although I would've liked to have nine or ten, so I could play three times with three different companions

[Nohurtme]

I was concerned about only 8 companions at first but the more I think about it the better I feel about it. I vastly prefer the well-developed, has-something-to-add-to-the-story companion as oppossed to the useless meat sack I'll never bother recruiting in the first place. And I do like the ability to make my own companions so I can just fill in the gaps however I see fit.

 

I find 8 more than enough, really. Altho for me this does depend a little on when/how you would meet up with the various possibles - how soon you could pick/choose from the total 8. If I'm half-way through the whole game before I meet even half of them, I might feel that's a bit ... gameplay and choice-restrictive.

 

This is still one of my concerns though, it is kind of a pain when you get a limited number of compainions and 2 or 3 of them aren't even avaliable until near end game, restricts their development a bit. My only other concern would be about alignment; would good companions play well with evil ones? Will they want to be in the same party together? Would some characters wind up attacking one another (although rivalries do add some nice spice to the whole thing)? Is PE even going going to use the traditional Chaotic/Lawful/Good/Evil/Neutral setup?

[C2B]

It's more than enough if they are as polished as Torment's, although I would've liked to have nine or ten, so I could play three times with three different companions

 

Imagine taking companion A with companion B and have one experience, then on the next do not pick up B and have a different experience.

 

 

There's lots of potential still left in companion reactivity. Quantity is overrated.

[Loranc]

My question is, and I'm sure this has been asked/answered somewhere. If I like my companion but disagree with the class that the developers picked for him/her will I be able to change my companions class in the Adventurers Hall?

[Ieo]

My question is, and I'm sure this has been asked/answered somewhere. If I like my companion but disagree with the class that the developers picked for him/her will I be able to change my companions class in the Adventurers Hall?

 

I find that highly unlikely. It's not like we could change the PS:T companions, for example. The class weaves heavily into a character's backstory--I don't see how Forton or Cadegund could simply be changed by a few buttons...

 

On the other hand, the related question is whether we can pick their specific sklils/stats/etc. while leveling, maybe going towards a specialization.

[Holy Cheese]

My question is, and I'm sure this has been asked/answered somewhere. If I like my companion but disagree with the class that the developers picked for him/her will I be able to change my companions class in the Adventurers Hall?

 

Probably not, but you could change the class through modding.

[Elerond]

Eight depth character will suffice and one should note that they plan to give character higher depth than what they had in BG2, so one can't use straight forwardy companion numbers in comparison between PE and BG2 how much companions give replayability to game. But Obsidian's folk also metioned that they want to do more companions but they didn't feel comfortable to promise us more than eight.

[Tale]

My question is, and I'm sure this has been asked/answered somewhere. If I like my companion but disagree with the class that the developers picked for him/her will I be able to change my companions class in the Adventurers Hall?

Avellone spoke, I think it was recently, about being disappointed with the writing for Gann because his class choice didn't really factor into his character. So I should hope not. If the character is tied in a fundamental way with their class, changing that class might be a little too strange.

[Keyrock]

My question is, and I'm sure this has been asked/answered somewhere. If I like my companion but disagree with the class that the developers picked for him/her will I be able to change my companions class in the Adventurers Hall?

As Ieo wrote, highly unlikely. Unless it's a special case that has a story to it, like getting Khelgar to change to a monk in NWN2. Even if such a case existed in Project Eternity, it would be extremely unlikely that you would get to choose the new class.

[UncleBourbon]

My question is, and I'm sure this has been asked/answered somewhere. If I like my companion but disagree with the class that the developers picked for him/her will I be able to change my companions class in the Adventurers Hall?

As Ieo wrote, highly unlikely. Unless it's a special case that has a story to it, like getting Khelgar to change to a monk in NWN2. Even if such a case existed in Project Eternity, it would be extremely unlikely that you would get to choose the new class.

 

Yeah, I think it would be more likely that you could dual-class the companion somehow, and maybe persuade them to start building in a different direction.

[Loranc]

My question is, and I'm sure this has been asked/answered somewhere. If I like my companion but disagree with the class that the developers picked for him/her will I be able to change my companions class in the Adventurers Hall?

 

I find that highly unlikely. It's not like we could change the PS:T companions, for example. The class weaves heavily into a character's backstory--I don't see how Forton or Cadegund could simply be changed by a few buttons...

 

On the other hand, the related question is whether we can pick their specific sklils/stats/etc. while leveling, maybe going towards a specialization.

 

Hmmm... that may be enough, being able to do the normal level up of them, just like the other games. And I guess it doesn't matter about changing their class as it will most likely be a Mod anyways, BG1+2 both had one.

My question is, and I'm sure this has been asked/answered somewhere. If I like my companion but disagree with the class that the developers picked for him/her will I be able to change my companions class in the Adventurers Hall?

Avellone spoke, I think it was recently, about being disappointed with the writing for Gann because his class choice didn't really factor into his character. So I should hope not. If the character is tied in a fundamental way with their class, changing that class might be a little too strange.

 

As long as the class fits the character I won't care if it's a completely useless class for my party. I just know in a few companions I had to change some things around with the use of mods, and most of the time it wasn't a class change but a feat or skill change. For example having Minsc with 2 points in bows, I'm sorry but Minsc got pissed off at every little thing and super excited about everything else. The only way I could picture Minsc using a bow was with using it as a bludgeon weapon to smash their skulls in.

[Gallenger]

8 is fine - especially because you can suppliment with AH mercs. Just look at the content attached to the BG1 companions, as compared to PS:T or the NPC content in KOTOR2 (in most cases). If they have a lot of attached story dialogue, etc, I will be absolutely thrilled. Hell I'm thrilled that they're going back to the bigger party model to begin with instead of the 3-4 model.

[diablo169]

These 8 party members will have more depth then all of the Baldurs Gate ones put together. 8 is fine with MCA writing them.

[Stuart]

8 should be enough and I hope they are optional (or at least any that don't join you from the opening stage of the game). I didn't like having companions forced on me in NWN2 and especially forced into quests all of a sudden when I hadn't bothered upgrading their equipment so I'd have an underequipped party member and not enough gold to bring him up to date.

Edited October 18, 2012 by Stuart

[Kilroy_Was_Here]

I think as some kind of New Game + style bonus you should be able to edit companions class/stats/appearance/possibly race. Maybe only unlock that ability if you have used that companion for the majority of the previous playthrough.

[Loranc]

I think as some kind of New Game + style bonus you should be able to edit companions class/stats/appearance/possibly race. Maybe only unlock that ability if you have used that companion for the majority of the previous playthrough.

 

Hmmm.. new game plus would give you the option to turn on all the hardcore stuff too. Obviously not going full hardcore my first play though, I want to enjoy the story and not reload a ton of times .

[Technatorium]

Personally, I think if they discover a need for another companion during the development I hope they consider writing it in. I'd rather have companions that make sense for the story instead of having a lot of do nothing much companions. Considering Obsidian is aware of this which is why they only have comitted to 8 companions. So I reitterate, if there is a need for more companions they I hope they consider it.

Edited October 18, 2012 by Technatorium

[Technatorium]

These 8 party members will have more depth then all of the Baldurs Gate ones put together. 8 is fine with MCA writing them.

Don't forget George Ziets is involved with the lore and companion work too.

[Tamerlane]

I like eight.

 

Eight's cool.

One thing PE is different from PS:T is that no companion is needed for main plot..

so it's more like "addons" to the whole story.

Since some people don't want any companion at all, I think is a good number.

And I agree with others, quality over quantity!! The most important thing is how well their stories are written.

Just like NWN2 MotB companions are better than NWN2 companions, even though MotB has less companions to choose from

How often are companions plot necessary in PST? Only thing I can think of is Annah getting you past the painted door...