8 companions: is it enough?

[UncleBourbon]

I might double up on some classes, if there is enough variation to make essentially different kits. If there is an opportunist or similair rogue I might take them even if I'm using a skill rogue. Likewise, I'll probably opt for one-handed weapons as a barbarian or fighter (one/two-hand switching if they add hand-and-a-halfers) but would want an all-time two-hander in addition.

[Sensuki]

Oh don't forget, there will be Followers as well (which makes up for the lack of a secondary cast).

[Justinian]

I guess depth is what Obsidian are going for. The fewer companions, the more reactive and complex they can be. Now they have both Avellone and Zeits on this project, I absolutely have faith these companions will be amazing.

 

That said, I certainly feel that the initial baseline of 5 companion would have been too few, since you would always have all of them in your party.

[Jojobobo]

I don't want everyone on my party to have a unique story, it will just make the interesting stories they have to tell feel more contrived. Plus the fact if I'm roleplaying a character, I'm sure they'll clash with some of the goals of the different companions. I think I'll probably play with 4 characters (my PC, 2 companions, 1 merc) each time I play through as it's nice to have a challenge, and I find that slightly fewer characters make strategic situations more manageable anyway.

[Terror K]

Eight is fine, though I'd like some temp companions now and then too. For example, if there is a particular quest that has several parts to it that revolves around a particular NPC, then players may have the option of having said NPC join them as a companion for that quest's arc, but as soon as it's done they will leave due to circumstances and won't be as deep and involved as proper companions. Now, while the player could possibly abuse this by, for example, starting their quest in early Act 2, but not finishing it until that act is almost over, they could conceivably have a companion that stays with them on other quests for a while, but this would come at the expense of them running around with somebody not terribly fleshed out over somebody who would react more. Of course, perhaps if a player were to try this, said NPC would get impatient after a while and just leave the player.

[UncleBourbon]

I'd like as an added bonus some story circumstances appealing to an evil player, or perhaps just neutral, to abandon or not care about a companion. What I'm thinking of is something like a trapped room that needs people on either side of the door to open it, but you have access to the treasure and a way out - the chance to just walk away, leaving the NPC to rot in a room. Or maybe some cases of possession or sacrifice, using the companion or leaving them be. I'm thinking enslavement in Fallout 3/New Vegas and human sacrifices in fallout/TES. I'd see the potential for cannibalism as a plus, too, but far less neat.

 

Though I understand these things to be very complicated and in depth, so maybe only one such circumstance for maybe two or three companions, or maybe just the human fighter they've revealed is integral to the main story.

[Mrakvampire]

And another thing to consider. BG2 had different companions with different morale views (alignment). So 17 in total.

Now we are gonna have only 8 characters... Are they so morally flexible that they are ok with going with true-goody-goody PC or kill-them-all-and-grab-the-money PC? If you call it 'deep characters' then I'm hamster-ballet-dancer.

Edited October 19, 2012 by Mrakvampire

[kabaliero]

I just decided that i want 2 moar companions. And not just pet-like companions. But serious business companions.

And 1 of them has to be a romanceable lich girl.

 

And she has to be a secret one! Hard to obtain!

 

PS: man i wish i had spare $10k

Edited October 19, 2012 by kabaliero

[Forlorn Hope]

Eight is enough but one NPC per class would be perfect. However, I trust Obsidian knows what's best for this project. Maybe they won't announce every NPC before the release and everybody will be surprised once we get the game. One can hope

[Loranc]

I just decided that i want 2 moar companions. And not just pet-like companions. But serious business companions.

And 1 of them has to be a romanceable lich girl.

 

And she has to be a secret one! Hard to obtain!

 

PS: man i wish i had spare $10k

 

Okay sarcasm aside, I would actually like to see a 'hidden' companion or two. Companions that are hard to obtain would actually be kind of fun. Instead of the normal 'Hey i'm gonna follow you around cause you talked to me once.' Kind of deal. I may be thinking too much into this, but it just sounded like a cool idea.

[UncleBourbon]

Hidden or such companions would indeed be cool. The New Game+ discussion elsewhere on the forums would benefit from the idea of a companion or two that will only join you on your second time through, if such a thing exists.

[motorizer]

I hope there is some secret ones....to be honest I'm a bit disappointed that we already know who 5 of them are....would prefer to find out in game

[.Leif.]

One Plater companion per class, so 11. I don't think the IWD method of character generation should be our only route to have a in-depth conversation with someone of a particular class.

[kabaliero]

Yeah... dem, spoiler artworks... a no-no.

[Gecimen]

I'd like to see 10 as the op said. The remaining 2 can be unlockable after the 1st playthrough or whatever.

[Justinian]

I'm not sure I like the idea of "unlocking" companions on a new game+ run. It's too gamey to me and seems like an artificial way to ration out content.

 

I think it's better that everyone has the potential to access all companions on their first playthrough, but perhaps one or two are ruled out or inaccesible due to the player's actions in some way. This can create an interesting dynamic as it may be completely different sets of companions that any given player may see on their particular playthrough because of the way they have influenced the story.

Edited October 19, 2012 by Justinian

[kabaliero]

I'm not sure I like the idea of "unlocking" companions on a new game+ run. It's too gamey to me and seems like an artificial way to ration out content.

 

I think it's better that everyone has the potential to access all companions on their first playthrough, but perhaps one or two are ruled out or inaccesible due to the player's actions in some way.

This.

 

Leave 'unlocks' to the modern JRPG hell.

[Malkaven]

Eight is pretty tight if the companions bicker and quit your party like in Baldurs Gate. I'll more than likely make the majority of my party members but there will also be room in my party for a space hamster and minsc.

Edited October 19, 2012 by Malkaven

[UncleBourbon]

I'm a fan of jRPGs myself, but I can see how it would be frustrating. Maybe a character or two will be recruitable despite normal circumstances for some reason or another on the second play through - just to spice things up. I could only really see this being logically implemented for prognostic or "seer" type characters, with some sort of vision convincing them that maybe they should travel with you, despite maybe having a reputation of being too good/evil for their liking.

[Saulot]

Eight companions does not bother me, but I would prefer nine or ten, even eleven if possible. I'm not terribly interested in seeing more than that, though. I want every companion to fleshed out and well developed, of course, and I want most of them to have something clear to contribute to the story, though if there were ten or eleven characters, I would not mind one or two being somewhat "out of the way" so to speak.

[Gecimen]

I hope there is some secret ones....to be honest I'm a bit disappointed that we already know who 5 of them are....would prefer to find out in game

 

Do we know they are companions? I... I hate elven wizards and female dwarves.... Also the monk was ugly.

[Gecimen]

I'm not sure I like the idea of "unlocking" companions on a new game+ run. It's too gamey to me and seems like an artificial way to ration out content.

 

I think it's better that everyone has the potential to access all companions on their first playthrough, but perhaps one or two are ruled out or inaccesible due to the player's actions in some way.

This.

 

Leave 'unlocks' to the modern JRPG hell.

 

I've never played japanese RPGs and dont know what the heck you're talking about but unlocks would be cool.

[simon_templar]

8 is for me even too much

[motorizer]

I hope there is some secret ones....to be honest I'm a bit disappointed that we already know who 5 of them are....would prefer to find out in game

 

Do we know they are companions? I... I hate elven wizards and female dwarves.... Also the monk was ugly.

 

I thought I'd read it somewhere, might just have been someone guessing though....actually I hope they're not, then I dont know who they are

[Christliar]

I was thinking of limiting the party to 5 people (you + 4 others) instead of 6. With 6 characters the gameplay starts to get kinda cluster****y; I know "classic" cRPGs had a 6 man group, but I don't think that's optimal. Having 5 people also limits the spells and abilities you can have at a given time, increasing the difficulty a bit.

 

With that said, 8 companions will be plenty and you'll have an opportunity to play the game 2 times with vastly different parties. Knowing Obsidian they'll probably make some of the companions leave when they are disconnected with you morally/philosophically, so that further limits the party when you have 6 people.

Edited October 19, 2012 by Christliar