Stretch goal discussion!

[Leeuwenhart]

Sidekicks: its not bz they got no vision quest /relationship that they cannot talk a little.

 

All companions in poe had standard convo you could do regardless of quest.

 

Eder about the war

Durance about the gods

Sagani about her people

 

 

These "Fantastic Four" could be nice fonts of knowledge

[Leeuwenhart]

I dont trust Rekke...

 

 

He's got a Yoshimo feel XD

[Sedrefilos]

 

lol Fulvano's going back and forth between two islands? Some explorer he was...

 

You mean like Colombus who was off by AN ENTIRE CONTINENT XD

 

Well some explorer he was too. But that was real life. This is a fantasy game, you expect fantastic stuff by a famous explorer. He found an island with a lighthouse and a town? Like every single inhabited island? Then he left, went a few miles further, saw a skull-like island, chickened and returned to the previous one but then he "discovered" the tavern? In a town on an inhabited island? Great discoveries huh?

wtf he was a joke! :D

[Leeuwenhart]

 

 

lol Fulvano's going back and forth between two islands? Some explorer he was...

You mean like Colombus who was off by AN ENTIRE CONTINENT XD

Well some explorer he was too. But that was real life. This is a fantasy game, you expect fantastic stuff by a famous explorer. He found an island with a lighthouse and a town? Like every single inhabited island? Then he left, went a few miles further, saw a skull-like island, chickened and returned to the previous one but then he "discovered" the tavern? In a town on an inhabited island? Great discoveries huh?

wtf he was a joke! :D

 

He went out again after that...XD

 

He didnt STAY at the lighthouse FOREVER HAHAHA

[mph]

 

 

 

lol Fulvano's going back and forth between two islands? Some explorer he was...

You mean like Colombus who was off by AN ENTIRE CONTINENT XD

Well some explorer he was too. But that was real life. This is a fantasy game, you expect fantastic stuff by a famous explorer. He found an island with a lighthouse and a town? Like every single inhabited island? Then he left, went a few miles further, saw a skull-like island, chickened and returned to the previous one but then he "discovered" the tavern? In a town on an inhabited island? Great discoveries huh?

wtf he was a joke! :D

 

He went out again after that...XD

 

He didnt STAY at the lighthouse FOREVER HAHAHA

 

 

I say we should follow the sea dragon instead - it won't turn back from a scary island, it'll go right through it!

[Leeuwenhart]

Neketaka gives off a big Malaz vibe.

 

Malaz Island

[Micamo]

I'd rather have an eighth companion than four sidekicks. They basically sound like dudes you could get from hiring adventurers except they have a bit of dialogue at the start

[Leeuwenhart]

I'd rather have an eighth companion than four sidekicks. They basically sound like dudes you could get from hiring adventurers except they have a bit of dialogue at the start

 

Youre gonna get both

[Gromnir]

I'd rather have an eighth companion than four sidekicks. They basically sound like dudes you could get from hiring adventurers except they have a bit of dialogue at the start

am suspecting one companion is considerable more resource exhaustive than four sidekicks.  keep in mind with the new companion mechanics, each companion spawns additional dialogues and interactions with the already existing companions and quests.  as such, bob the companion barbarian would not only get his own quest, but inclusion o' bob would necessitate additional work for those writing aloth, xoti, maia rua, etc. converse, bob the sidekick would get artwork, a few catchphrases, and some insular dialogue with the main character.

 

4 v 1?  am not believing such is an equivalency, but am simple guessing.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[algroth]

I'd rather have an eighth companion than four sidekicks. They basically sound like dudes you could get from hiring adventurers except they have a bit of dialogue at the start

I think they'll be a little more detailed than that, probably having some things to say here and there and being able to talk to and the likes, but not especially complex or having a personal subquest (beyond the one they might originally be associated with). I'm under the impression that the idea here is more alongside the size of Kana in the original game, or perhaps a little less, more alongside WM1-only Zahua. But, this is my understanding from what's been so far said.

[Notshauna]

I'd rather have an eighth companion than four sidekicks. They basically sound like dudes you could get from hiring adventurers except they have a bit of dialogue at the start

I have to agree, sidekicks don't really excite me. But it's hard to say if any of them will get upgraded (like I find it hard to believe that the 8th Companion isn't going to replace a sidekick) or if they'll stay as middle ground hirelings. They aren't a bad thing per se, I'll certainly be prioritizing them over hirelings to round out team comps and/or replace irritating companions but they are one of those things that's kind of disappointing. It's a nearly 300% funding stretch goal it feels like it should be something that's more out there.

 

But, that's just a general criticism with all the stretch goals, all the stuff we've seen so far feels like stuff they always knew they'd be doing rather than something they really want to do but don't have the resources to do. 

[Micamo]

 

I'd rather have an eighth companion than four sidekicks. They basically sound like dudes you could get from hiring adventurers except they have a bit of dialogue at the start

 

Youre gonna get both

 

 

Call me a cynic but I highly, highly doubt the campaign will break 3.4M, and that assumes the 8th companion will even be the 3.4M stretch goal. But oh well, 7 companions is good.

[algroth]

 

 

I'd rather have an eighth companion than four sidekicks. They basically sound like dudes you could get from hiring adventurers except they have a bit of dialogue at the start

 

Youre gonna get both

 

 

Call me a cynic but I highly, highly doubt the campaign will break 3.4M, and that assumes the 8th companion will even be the 3.4M stretch goal. But oh well, 7 companions is good.

 

We'll have to see, but usually crowdfunders really pick up through the last week, reaching the last couple of days particularly. I would in fact not be surprised we break the $3m mark by the end of the weekend.

 

Then again, I also reckon that there's reasons to expect this may not play like the usual crowdfunder, since it is a sequel to another crowdfunder and the expectations are much more concrete, as are the hesitations of delivery. But I'm optimistic all the same.

[injurai]

Don't forget "whales" who get new paychecks.

[Valmy]

The purpose of sidekicks is to make sure all classes are represented as NPCs I guess? Makes sense but it is not a very exciting stretch goal.

Edited February 18, 2017 by Valmy

[Archaven]

I don't like this sidekicks idea. I rather have the 8th companion. It seem these are just custom characters from some of the quests without personality, party interactions, personal quests and not affected in companion relationship. These characters can actually be custom made yourself!. Plus this is probably the last stretch goal and i can't even fathom how would they release such a dull stretch goals. Look at even Rekke. He doesn't speak a word at all. I would say this is really one of the "laziest" stretch goals for asking money. So it basically means, they only make 3 custom characters with 'minimal' dialogue. Very disappointed.

Edited February 18, 2017 by Archaven

[Heijoushin]

I for one am very happy with the sidekicks idea! It's extra variety for your roster, at the expense of what? The touching backstory? Not every character in Eora needs to be as long-winded as Durance. You know, "brevity is the soul of wit" and all that?

 

I was satisfied at 2.8 million, but now I'm kind of hoping we make 3.25 mil.

 

Obsidian, keep up the good work please!!

[bonarbill]

I don't like this sidekicks idea. I rather have the 8th companion. It seem these are just custom characters from some of the quests without personality, party interactions, personal quests and not affected in companion relationship. These characters can actually be custom made yourself!.

 

Except they're more than just custom characters.  They do have a personally, they do have banters, and they do make comments sometimes.  Just not much as the other companions since they don't have the relationship system.  Some of you people here really need to do your research.

Edited February 18, 2017 by bonarbill

[CENIC]

The city is beautiful, and I'm looking forward to the scripted interactions encountered during city travel.

 

But the sidekicks...

 

I understand what they were going for - BG2 had like, what, 17 companions? Pretty hard to replicate that with modern game dev budgets.

 

I thought the "adventurers" you could create yourself filled that niche well enough. I never used them, personally, but they were positively received. Sidekicks are a weird halfway between adventurers and companions, and I don't see what need they are satisfying that the other two can't.

 

Plus this means we are probably not going to make it to the 8th companion stretch goal... so disappointing.

[anameforobsidian]

Sidekicks sound like a great idea.  It buffs out the party, gives you more characters, and keeps them from writing unnecessary quests just because they feel each character should have a quest.  There were plenty of characters in Baldur's Gate and BGII that didn't have sidequests, or their sidequests were really small.  It would also be a great place to test out character ideas that would be hard to write as a full companion.  One day I'll see a monster companion.  One day.

[blotter]

Sidekicks are a weird halfway between adventurers and companions, and I don't see what need they are satisfying that the other two can't.

 

Among other things, the value of sidekicks depends on how much input and banter these characters provide throughout the game. If they're comparable to Pillars 1 NPCs (I wouldn't get my hopes up there, but the fact that they're only considering four of them suggests some interest in making more than a token effort to develop them), then there may indeed be a space for them: consider that various posters have already expressed reservations about the relationship system in regards to feeling forced to pander to NPCs or exclude them artificially for fear of their reactions to the Watcher's decisions or even other NPCs. These sidekicks wouldn't have the same level of reactivity and would thus require less of a balancing act to minimize disruptions and inter-party conflicts while they're around. Granted, the same applies to recruits, but this option wouldn't require that party interaction be completely sacrificed.

 

I also agree with anameforobsidian that it may allow for a more organic development of particular character concepts since they won't be forced to strongly tie in with the main quest line or the factions' agendas.

 

 

 

The purpose of sidekicks is to make sure all classes are represented as NPCs I guess?

 

Not really. There isn't a single sidekick mentioned in the update that has access to a class that one of the main NPCs can't start as. The developers' intentions here may partially concern allowing options for those who won't have one or more of the original companions returning (I'd guess that NPC murderers and people who don't reload after losing an NPC in combat are fairly rare, though). I'm a little concerned that the sidekicks' possible inclusion may mean that the developers aren't confident that the core NPCs will be able to accommodate a wide range of playstyles, but it's probably worth waiting to learn more about them before making that accusation.

Edited February 18, 2017 by blotter

[Greensleeve]

If I understand things right, there's $800.000 in investment funds still not fully processed, and thus not included in the current Fig campaign total. If true, that means the current campaign funding value is at $3.6 million, way past the next stretch goal, which is highly likely to be the 8th companion. 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Like the city and glad we got level 20 and more islands.

 

Don't like the idea of sidekicks, we already have 7 companions and presumably adventurers we can create and this seems a poor substitute to both. Probably the only stretch goal that doesn't do anything for me.

[Silent Winter]

This is one of my favourite stretch-goals - I think the side-kicks are a great idea.  Not everyone who joins your team needs to have a tragic backstory / deep quest.

I like to have some companions with banter and their own personality - so if this increases my choices then great.  We've still got adventurer's hall and deep companions too.  I'll end up using all three options at some point.

Sounds like the side-kicks will be recruited 'in-world' too after helping them with some quest, rather than being hired from an inn, which adds a little to the bond for me.

 

I still like the adventurer's hall - got some nice team-mates from there over a few playthroughs of PoE1 and can imagine their personality - The side-kicks idea just adds more to the game and I love it.

[Flouride]

 

 

Call me a cynic but I highly, highly doubt the campaign will break 3.4M, and that assumes the 8th companion will even be the 3.4M stretch goal. But oh well, 7 companions is good.

 

 

No, you are just clueless. When they release/confirm those reserved Fig fund they are around 3,6 million + any additional backer money they get. So that should be somewhere around 3.8-4 million.