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Post by Walter Black on May 9, 2017 20:36:40 GMT
Fans seem to go back and fourth over this question. Since the poll options have limited space, I'll elaborate:
Low- Bioware is best known for unique and complex characters with their own beliefs and desires. For the player to be able to arbitrarily rewrite a Companion's personality to suit them is immersion breaking. You don't like that character's choices? Well, that's kind of the point, not everyone can agree all the time. It's like all those players who whined that we should have been able to convince Allistair to accept recruiting Loghain, or the fact that you could spec Wynne and Anders as Blood Mages. The whole notion of characters having no life outside the PC reeks of player entitlement. If you don't want fully fleshed out Companions, why not just play a game where the Followers are more or less bots?
Medium- As a protagonist with a presumably strong personality, you should be able influence Companions realistically as much as a charismatic leader could in real life. Depending on how strong or weak their resolve is, with some lines they won't cross no matter what.
High- Contrary to what some believe, those of us who turn Companion personlities do so not because we are control freaks, but because it is a way to meta roleplay those characters. Since we only have a set amount of Companions, softening or hardening three dimensional ones is a nice alternative to having numerous two dimensional ones. Not to mention that it can be just as immersion breaking to characters that remain static through traumatic events, and reeks of player choice not being respected.
So much influence is too much? Is better for such levels to be more or less equal, or should each Companion have different stages? If high influence affect customization options, should we be able to affect Companion hairstyles and/or facial hair? What are your thoughts?
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2017 21:01:30 GMT
Depends on the circumstances I suppose. |
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2017 21:20:38 GMT
Fans seem to go back and fourth over this question. Since the poll options have limited space, I'll elaborate: Not just that, but also every players' opinion changes with every companion s/he experiences. A player was in love with a joinable that just pulled a fast one and totally ruined his plans? Gimme MOAR chars with their own agendas and behaving like they are their own people. The other one was revealed as his own entity capable of reducing the PC to dust? Hate his sorry behind!!!
To me the answer is not that each joinable character must be equally dependent or independent. It should be a mix. Some should be doing their own thing, some - completely loyal to the PC. I think BioWARE actually has found the parts of the right formula with introducing the (dispensable) joinables and the important (mostly immortal) cast members aka advisors. We do need the ability to kill most of the companions if we wish to cope with the companions that have their own mind/agenda.
This way we can express player input by killing overly annoying "independent" characters that do tend to PO the most, can have characters that are more accomplished than the PC or become really important figures in the Realm without the awkwardness of having them in the party. The later is one of the things I care about when playing as a female PC because I prefer romancing powerful men that do not report directly to PC.
As for the joinable companions' appearance (face, hair etc), I absolutely support the idea of SWTOR handling of joinables with the player being able to change their appearances to three in-game templates to start with, and later on even more provided as rewards in the game.
I believe that companion gear handling in Inquisition was correct where the PC determined how a character looks in the field, and BioWARe dictates what they wear "at leisure"
I also think that we should be able to switch the companion's stance like in SWTOR so we can use someone we like as our mage/rogue/fighter rather than try to find the least objectionable rogue to open darn locks.
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2017 23:17:16 GMT
It really depends. If companion is a person who is uncertain of their way in the world or something like that; for examle Merill, Leliana, Alistair or (to some degree) Iron Bull high influence would make sense. But if the companion has already sure about his/her role in life like Aveline, Morrigan, Sten or Cassandra then the influence should be at a minimal level.
But I really have no exprience in story writing, so I dunno...
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Post by Nightscrawl on May 10, 2017 1:52:03 GMT
I would have to go with medium, as it seems the most realistic. Are there some people who are immovable monoliths? Certainly. But interacting with others can change someone, and I think it's valid to show that. I can give an example of something that I didn't like. On one occasion, on trying to convince Alistair to do the dark ritual, I was trying to use logic and reason, but he refused. The option he responded to? Playing to his emotions and invoking trust. I REALLY did not like having to do that sort of manipulation on someone. However, I felt that it was fitting for his personality, AND there were options that he would refuse; it wasn't guaranteed. So I think it works out well in the scene because the NPC has a line, and thus does have some agency. More recently, I like that you can't sway Dorian in his decision to return to Tevinter. He talks about Tevinter through the whole damn game and it's part of his reason for joining the Inquisition in the first place. If you ask him to remain, he stays in the South for those two years, but ultimately the writing was always on the wall that he would leave eventually. In that case, you only have partial influence, not total. So much influence is too much? Is better for such levels to be more or less equal, or should each Companion have different stages? If high influence affect customization options, should we be able to affect Companion hairstyles and/or facial hair? What are your thoughts? I don't think the PC should ever have influence over those sorts of things. |
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Post by opuspace on May 11, 2017 6:02:04 GMT
It depends. Swaying a companion to take a gentler approach to accomplish an end they want or being more assertive to protect themselves I can see as being reasonable. Getting them to change a fundamental value like say, making Cassandra an atheist or convincing Sera that being an elf is great will never happen and I hope that never becomes an option.
I think I'm ok with characters being themselves, but it's the difficulty in capturing a wide enough range of reactions to them that's frustrating. What I'd really want is a decent way to discuss and challenge their opinions if I disagree. Not in a rude, insulting manner, but to present actual, legitimate points and see whether they will consider it or reject it. Let me call Cassandra out when she insults another faith after trying to proselytize the Inquisitor. Let me argue with Blackwall about whether Wardens should be placed so high on a shelf. Their reactions are their own, but let me have enough of my own.
Now for certain decisions like convincing Alistair to hang in long enough to use Loghain for the Archdemon and spit his husk out would be interesting. But never to make him just accept that Loghain deserves redemption.
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Post by fylimar on May 11, 2017 18:15:59 GMT
I did go with medium too. I think, most companions follow the hero for some reason or another. But I find it realistic, that they might not agree and even leave or turn on you, if they find their trust betrayed. Or maybe rethink their opinions, if they like and trust you
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Post by cooldude on May 12, 2017 17:23:48 GMT
Low for the most part. I can see a romanced companions being medium to high. I don't think the player character(PC) should have that much influence over his/her companions, unless there is something in the narrative that explains why they are so heavily influenced by you.
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Post by Iddy on May 12, 2017 18:01:53 GMT
Low for the most part. I can see a romanced companions being medium to high. I don't think the player character(PC) should have that much influence over his/her companions, unless there is something in the narrative that explains why they are so heavily influenced by you. *cough* Leliana *cough* |
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Post by Walter Black on May 12, 2017 23:30:18 GMT
So much influence is too much? Is better for such levels to be more or less equal, or should each Companion have different stages? If high influence affect customization options, should we be able to affect Companion hairstyles and/or facial hair? What are your thoughts? I don't think the PC should ever have influence over those sorts of things. What, you've never responded favorably to a friend or loved saying that "you might look good trying a different hairstyle or clothing choice"? No one did to you saying it to them? It's just one possible relationship perk, one that would have to be earned. |
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Post by Nightscrawl on May 12, 2017 23:48:59 GMT
I don't think the PC should ever have influence over those sorts of things. What, you've never responded favorably to a friend or loved saying that "you might look good trying a different hairstyle or clothing choice"? No one did to you saying it to them? It's just one possible relationship perk, one that would have to be earned. But that's real life. Those are real conversations with real people. And I can say, "No," in real life if a guy insists I grow out my hair because he thinks women are more attractive with long hair. Going into the menu and changing my LI's hairstyle is not the same thing. I also don't think it's equivalent to swapping out their gear, as that is combat and mechanics related. I also think it's a slippery slope to things like white Isabela mods. These characters have to have SOME autonomy over themselves in order to be fully-realized characters. |
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Post by Walter Black on May 13, 2017 0:48:33 GMT
What, you've never responded favorably to a friend or loved saying that "you might look good trying a different hairstyle or clothing choice"? No one did to you saying it to them? It's just one possible relationship perk, one that would have to be earned. But that's real life. Those are real conversations with real people. And I can say, "No," in real life if a guy insists I grow out my hair because he thinks women are more attractive with long hair. Going into the menu and changing my LI's hairstyle is not the same thing. I also don't think it's equivalent to swapping out their gear, as that is combat and mechanics related. I also think it's a slippery slope to things like white Isabela mods. These characters have to have SOME autonomy over themselves in order to be fully-realized characters. Make decisions that affect the tone of a Companion's personality, career and lifestyle, national allegiance and religious faith, and possible state of being? Perfectly acceptable given context.
Suggest someone try a different hairstyle and/or add or subtract facial hair? NEVER!!! 
In all seriousness, I agree that this probably wouldn't suit all Companions. But it could some of them, and like I said earlier, it would still have to be earned. Preferably at the "Loved" rating.
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