26 réponses à ce sujet

[Maria Caliban]

Gameplay-wise, I appreciate why active party size is limited to four, but it often doesn't make sense storywise.

As such, how about the story treats all the companions who'd presumably be with you as actually being with you? Even if they're not in the active party, you might get a buff based on them, and if there was a scene where they'd presumably pop up, they could do so.

This would also eliminate those moments where you are forced to have one companion in your active party.

[Atakuma]

They should add a reserve section where you can equip or swap out companions at any time.

[Harle Cerulean]

I would absolutely love this. It would also eliminate ridiculous issues like in Legacy where right after you're 'trapped', there's a horn to change your party composition. Even though . . . you're trapped. Where do the ones you send away go, eh?

[nightscrawl]

Maria Caliban wrote...

Gameplay-wise, I appreciate why active party size is limited to four, but it often doesn't make sense storywise.

I thought there were scenes in DAO and DA2 I felt that companions weren't necessary, or perhaps that just Alistair and my PC should be there, as we are the Grey Wardens. These mainly involved walking around town, being in camp (DAO) or the estate (DA2), or talking to specific people. For instance, I felt that going to see Meredith in Act 3 with a full party was odd, RP wise. She sent a personal letter to my home and asked to see me, not me and three of my friends, two of which are apostates. Similarly, I felt that half of the companions could be doing something else with their time other than following me to sell my junk in Hightown.

Finally, while this doesn't apply to me, this concept would mess with the whole Nightmare-solo thing that people do.

[Wulfram]

It seems like it would kind of weird to be followed around by all those guys. And what if I don't like someone and don't want them following me about?

And if they're there, why exactly aren't they stabbing things? Seems like too much of a gameplay/story segregation thingy.

I'd rather try and give them things they could be doing when they're not with the party.

[nightscrawl]

Wulfram wrote...

It seems like it would kind of weird to be followed around by all those guys. And what if I don't like someone and don't want them following me about?

And if they're there, why exactly aren't they stabbing things? Seems like too much of a gameplay/story segregation thingy.

I'd rather try and give them things they could be doing when they're not with the party.

While I'm not exactly sure how Maria's system would work, I don't think she is suggesting that we have our own small army following us around constantly.

[Maria Caliban]

Wulfram wrote...

It seems like it would kind of weird to be followed around by all those guys. And what if I don't like someone and don't want them following me about?

You boot them from the party.

If you don't like someone and aren't going to use them in combat, why are they part of the party in the first place?

And if they're there, why exactly aren't they stabbing things?

They are fulfilling a combat role that's shown as a buff or ability of some sort. You just don't see them on your screen, but they are helping you on a mechanical level.

[Anacronian Stryx]

I would love to have a party of "only" 4 people and that was that (kind of like the party of 6 in BG) those 4 people would follow you be at camp with you and level up with you.

Yes you would have to chose between party members, You can not have all of them at the same time .. the shock and horror!

Might even add replayability you'know.

[InfinitePaths]

 No becouse of replayability reasons

[Wulfram]

Maria Caliban wrote...

You boot them from the party.

If you don't like someone and aren't going to use them in combat, why are they part of the party in the first place?

Probably because they're going to blow up something in the 3rd act, or are actually a bastard prince, or are going to fall to the dark side after getting captured helping you escape.

They are fulfilling a combat role that's shown as a buff or ability of some sort. You just don't see them on your screen, but they are helping you on a mechanical level.

It would make more sense to me for them to be stabbing things.

[Xewaka]

Maria Caliban wrote...

Wulfram wrote...
It seems like it would kind of weird to be followed around by all those guys. And what if I don't like someone and don't want them following me about?

You boot them from the party.
If you don't like someone and aren't going to use them in combat, why are they part of the party in the first place?

Sometimes companions are forcibly recruited into the party. And so far there's been no precedent in the DA series (and I dare say in Bioware games in general) of the player having the ability of removing a companion from the pool of possible party members, unless not recruited in the first place or plot-related removal.

Maria Caliban wrote...

And if they're there, why exactly aren't they stabbing things?

They are fulfilling a combat role that's shown as a buff or ability of some sort. You just don't see them on your screen, but they are helping you on a mechanical level.

Although it'd probably be more contrived and feel a bit more forced, I'd rather they'd have in-game reasons for you to not carry everyone around at all times (Such as requiring the non-party-member companions to act as your seconds in command in a different location while you're doing your own thing).
I understand where this comes from, and I liked that in NWN 2 at some point you could control all recruitable companions. But sometimes narrative just has to make way to gameplay logistics. I think they'd rather not show everyone on screen than have them there without being actively controllable. It's like the horses: they won't add them unless the player can ride them, because otherwise it's just asking for trouble.

[Sylvius the Mad]

I thought this thread was going to be about companions just abandoning you from time to time (I loathed Isabela for that).

[eyesofastorm]

I would like to see companions who aren't in the active party be given roles of their own to play as the non-active squad members were in ME2 during the assault on the Collector base or at the end of DA:O where everyone not with the Warden stays behind to hold the gate. If it integrates in such a way as you can see or hear as in ME2, then awesome. If it is playable as in DA:O, even more awesome. But if not, that's ok. I just think it'd be cool if the story provided a reason for you *not* taking a handful of some of the baddest mo-fo's in the land with you when you are on a suicide mission to save all of creation... you know... like there was something else important that needed done too... and then maybe after you are done doing your thing, you get a little update about what the other team did. Just something you know?

[PsychoBlonde]

Maria Caliban wrote...

As such, how about the story treats all the companions who'd presumably be with you as actually being with you? Even if they're not in the active party, you might get a buff based on them, and if there was a scene where they'd presumably pop up, they could do so.

I'd love it if one of the game conceits was that the companions who aren't in party at the moment are cooking dinner, holding the horses, guarding the back-trail, or actually off doing their own thing in which case they wouldn't be available at all during certain segments.

[RinpocheSchnozberry]

No, they absolutely should not always be with the Inquisitor. Companions should have their own stories that our character is a supporting or major character in. Now for the big plot based moments, like grand battles and trials and such, yes, they should all be in the vicinity. Ideally, those moments would be like the suicide mission in ME2 or the gate defense in DAO, where you assign people different tasks and they handle them.

I like the idea of every companion getting involved in the big moments, but I don't think they should orbit our character. They should all just be going in the same direction for a while before scattering once the story is told.

Good question though.

Modifié par RinpocheSchnozberry, 30 octobre 2012 - 07:26 .

[terdferguson123]

I'm not sure OP. I think with DA2 they tried to do sorta what you were complaining about, to make it story sensible and I think they succeeded to a degree. What I mean is that party members, if not being used, continued their normal lives within the city. If not used often, they were more treated as friends of Hawke than party members.

In my opinion, having all party members around during sections even though they can't be used in combat is even more unbelievable. With that said, I think that DA2 had the right idea, but they could implement it a little better by maybe making party members react to the fact that the player character doesn't take them on quests anymore etc. etc.

EDIT:

Also, I think that only having your active party member in story sequences enhances replay value.

Example: If you used Isabella as your rogue throughout the game, then you would probably want to play the game again to see what Varric has to say during story sequences.

Modifié par terdferguson123, 30 octobre 2012 - 07:34 .

[caradoc2000]

Harle Cerulean wrote...

It would also eliminate ridiculous issues like in Legacy where right after you're 'trapped', there's a horn to change your party composition. Even though . . . you're trapped.

It is before you get trapped.

[Maclimes]

I've always been bothered by this as well. I'm a great leader, with a band of a dozen powerful warrior at my calling. I'm heading into battle. I take only three of them.

Why?

[wright1978]

RinpocheSchnozberry wrote...

No, they absolutely should not always be with the Inquisitor. Companions should have their own stories that our character is a supporting or major character in. Now for the big plot based moments, like grand battles and trials and such, yes, they should all be in the vicinity. Ideally, those moments would be like the suicide mission in ME2 or the gate defense in DAO, where you assign people different tasks and they handle them.

I like the idea of every companion getting involved in the big moments, but I don't think they should orbit our character. They should all just be going in the same direction for a while before scattering once the story is told.

Good question though.

Agree completely.

[PistolPete7556]

This violates the artistic integrity of the project

[Fredward]

I like to think that they're always with me... in spirit. xp

[The Elder King]

PistolPete7556 wrote...

This violates the artistic integrity of the project

Still pissed about ME3's ending, heh?

Modifié par hhh89, 30 octobre 2012 - 08:36 .

[JWvonGoethe]

eyesofastorm wrote...

I would like to see companions who aren't in the active party be given roles of their own to play as the non-active squad members were in ME2 during the assault on the Collector base or at the end of DA:O where everyone not with the Warden stays behind to hold the gate. If it integrates in such a way as you can see or hear as in ME2, then awesome. If it is playable as in DA:O, even more awesome. But if not, that's ok. I just think it'd be cool if the story provided a reason for you *not* taking a handful of some of the baddest mo-fo's in the land with you when you are on a suicide mission to save all of creation... you know... like there was something else important that needed done too... and then maybe after you are done doing your thing, you get a little update about what the other team did. Just something you know?

In the Prison Break quest in Origins,  we could control other party members, including their dialogue, in the absence of the Warden. It was extremely fun and memorable. In DA3, during certain quests, we could have the PC select two party members to go and scout another area, then we get a 'meanwhile' segment where we can follow their progress. That would be one way to include the whole party in quests.

Modifié par JWvonGoethe, 30 octobre 2012 - 08:37 .

[Imp of the Perverse]

I liked the last couple of boss fights in DA2, where you had your normal four man squad, but your remaining companions were there as AI fighting alongside you. I'd like to see that mechanic return, maybe with a bit more of ME2's suicide mission thrown in, where you can assign your spares to various roles.

[hexaligned]

Imp of the Perverse wrote...

I liked the last couple of boss fights in DA2, where you had your normal four man squad, but your remaining companions were there as AI fighting alongside you. I'd like to see that mechanic return, maybe with a bit more of ME2's suicide mission thrown in, where you can assign your spares to various roles.

I liked the battle of Denerim mechanic where you actualy switched to control your reserves.  I'd like to see more of that in the important story missions.  Well I'd like to see more of it in general, but I know people have issues playing characters that aren't their PC's.  Injecting some more strategy elements into the game is more important to me, but I can comprimise.

Modifié par relhart, 30 octobre 2012 - 09:46 .