Only players of the same class have access to the same companions.
BioWare has not spoken about what will happen when two players group with the same companion.
Companions have not been confirmed or seen in the outside (open) world.
Ok...
So lets see what this means:
1. Only sith warriors will have the same companion ?
- This is still thousands of same NPC running around.
2. Companions have not been confirmed or seen in the outside (open) world.
- This how highly instanced the game will be.
On cases accounts the game fails. (as MMO , not as good singleplayer RPG)
In response to number 2, the devs have already said the game is 90% open world. Also with the 8 companions per class that Bioware is shooting for, number 1 won't be a huge deal either.
I'm sorry but the developers have NOT said the game is '90% open world'. They have simply said, it's very large. But, as we are beginning to find out, these developers are tending to apply meanings to ordinary words and terms that are different to their commonly accepted meanings.
May want to do a bit more research, bud, it HAS been stated that the game is only 10% instanced. Therefor, 90% open world.
Thanks, 'bud'. but "10% instanced" does not mean, "90% open world".
You really should get 'your facts straight' here ya go.
The article then goes on how, with so much story and voiceover, it is tempting to think that The Old republic will be a "pseudo MMO" much like Champions Online, relyign heavily on instancing. But according to James Olhen The Old Republic doesn't work that way. "Our public areas are part of one contiguous world," Olhen says. "Not just our cities -- 90% of the game, actually, will be a public area where you can run into other players."
The game will feature an AoC like 'tutorial' phase, where you will have named companions. Possibly, you can 'phase in and out' later during the game as well. The 'single player side' will feature the named companions with dialogue while the collaborative or 'multiplayer' side will feature fully customizable companions.
No no no... havent you heard?
there will thousands of "vettes" running around all looking exactly the same in a wide open enviorment.. and... and.. there will be three in every group doing exactly the same thing
oh wait, theres no grouping..
gah!
Except of course that there is grouping, that companion gear is already confirmed, and that "Vette" is most likely the last name for the AI character.
there will thousands of "vettes" running around all looking exactly the same in a wide open enviorment.. and... and.. there will be three in every group doing exactly the same thing
oh wait, theres no grouping..
gah!
Except of course that there is grouping, that companion gear is already confirmed, and that "Vette" is most likely the last name for the AI character.
When you say 'most likely', is there any evidence for that? Any developer statements or website release? Anyway, how would they get NPC speakers to say the first name rather than just refer to her as Vette all the time?
I thought Bioware had said they had some 'clever' system that would prevent players from seeing clones of their companions with other players. There is no mention of anything like this and it seems as though every Sith Warrior can have a Vette Twi'lek.
The thing that is really annoying is that Bioware could have released enough information to clarify this and some of the other questions, instead they put a Companions page on their website that explains nothing about the actual gameplay mechanics. So all the community is left to do is guess and wonder.
This with only 8 months until their release, there shouldn't be guessing about core mechanics at this point. They should be telling specifics.
Maybe they're saving things up for some big reveal on E3. But honestly, it is concerning.
It would be kinda lame to have the same companion as 1000 other people, they should at least have a randomly generated name, even if they look the same as other companions.
I honestly don't see what the big deal is, the whole idea of the game kind of prevents truely unique companions "if they voice their names and not text them like in the other tor games.
Like everyone else has said, every other game out there that has companions or pets has clones everywhere you go and it never seems to bother anybody, hell now that Halas is out every single person is running around with a frost kitten pet.
When I was beta testing GnH the first companion you got was a healer named Rufus, everywhere you went you'd see nothing but hundreds of Rufus's running around and it was'nt ever complained about, except for the fact that he only had a body for a few days, the rest of the beta he was a floating head, it eventually became more of a vehicle for hilarity than a bug...for the few days he did have a body most people were upset.
1. Only sith warriors will have the same companion ?
Yes, for example sith warrior as vette has one of is companions BUT, all our companions will have costumization! So if you and i have a sith warrior and we are playing with vette they will be different, probably you will be able to nickname them and you will have gear, armor and other things to make them look different. But the story of the companion will be the same obviously. Btw this works for all the companions of all classes! Each class will have several companions.
2. Companions have not been confirmed or seen in the outside (open) world.
In fact you're wrong once again. They have been seen in open world in alot of screenshots, if you followed the game you would know this.
On cases accounts the game fails. (as MMO , not as good singleplayer RPG)
Again you failed. This isn't a SP game it's a MM game. They have stated this several times and if you followed the game you would know this, because there is alot of information on the internet you just have to search for it (yes information from people who played it).
As much as I'm not a fan of the whole companion system I don't get the argument being presented here considering as many others have pointed out the amount of games out currently that have tons of the same pets being used by pet classes or by players in general depending on the game.
I can understand some other arguments being made about companions but this one seems a tad silly really. Certainly could be dissappointing depending on how generic companions are but not enough information out there far as I'm concerned to start sewing that scarlet letter A yet.
1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.
2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.
3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.
As much as I'm not a fan of the whole companion system I don't get the argument being presented here considering as many others have pointed out the amount of games out currently that have tons of the same pets being used by pet classes or by players in general depending on the game.
I can understand some other arguments being made about companions but this one seems a tad silly really. Certainly could be dissappointing depending on how generic companions are but not enough information out there far as I'm concerned to start sewing that scarlet letter A yet.
Standard pets - like a Hunter's or a Warlock's demons (from WoW) can be renamed, and don't have other NPCs engaging them in conversation.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
Standard pets - like a Hunter's or a Warlock's demons (from WoW) can be renamed, and don't have other NPCs engaging them in conversation.
So that is the concern? Is it definitive that you cannot change your companion's name? Not that having the same name is a big deal to me but who's to say you won't be able to change his or her name?
Regardless of whether other characters have interaction with them it would not be hard for them to have that as an option for those it matters to by simply not mentioning that character's actual name in the dialogue anywhere. It isn't like the player's name is set in stone so why should thar companions be? Did the developers actually say you cannot change the companions names or are people simply assuming this?
Not that anyone ever does that on these forums.
>_>
1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.
2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.
3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.
So that is the concern? Is it definitive that you cannot change your companion's name? Not that having the same name is a big deal to me but who's to say you won't be able to change his or her name?
Nothing for certain, but it appears likely that they will be addressed by name (in voice) by other NPC during the flashpoints.
Regardless of whether other characters have interaction with them it would be hard for them to have that as an option for those it matters to by simply not mentioning that character's actual name in the dialogue anywhere. It isn't like the player's name is set in stone so why should thar companions be? Did the developers actually say you cannot change the companions names or are people simply assuming this?
Not that anyone ever does that on these forums.
>_>
I believe players are referred to by their class or affiliation. "Bounty Hunter" or "Jedi", not by name.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
In Star Wars™: The Old Republic™, a variety of these Companion Characters will join your cause. Some will join you for adventure, some for greed, and some for motivations that will remain hidden until much further along in your adventure. The Companions run the gamut from intelligent droids to bizarre aliens, from an honorable princess to a roguish pirate, and each class has a completely unique set of Companions.
In Star Wars™: The Old Republic™, a variety of these Companion Characters will join your cause. Some will join you for adventure, some for greed, and some for motivations that will remain hidden until much further along in your adventure. The Companions run the gamut from intelligent droids to bizarre aliens, from an honorable princess to a roguish pirate, and each class has a completely unique set of Companions.
Yup. So, if you never group with another character of the same class, it will be far less of an issue.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
In the PC gamer magazine they also said 'Well, we can't have everyone running around with the exact same chewbacca. So we are looking at ways to customize your companion so they are 'yours'. We're currently looking into this."
Just some more information for you all.
Bearing in mind you can equip these companions with items, expect most companions to look fairly different.
Longing for Skyrim, The Old Republic and Mass Effect 3
In the PC gamer magazine they also said 'Well, we can't have everyone running around with the exact same chewbacca. So we are looking at ways to customize your companion so they are 'yours'. We're currently looking into this."
Just some more information for you all.
Bearing in mind you can equip these companions with items, expect most companions to look fairly different.
I wonder how they will solve the naming issue though - if they address it at all.
In the PC gamer magazine they also said 'Well, we can't have everyone running around with the exact same chewbacca. So we are looking at ways to customize your companion so they are 'yours'. We're currently looking into this."
Just some more information for you all.
Bearing in mind you can equip these companions with items, expect most companions to look fairly different.
I wonder how they will solve the naming issue though - if they address it at all.
I wouldn't be surprised if they had a random name generator and maybe also the ability to name your companions whatever you liked (like in WoW). Two companions that have the same name but owned by different players isn't an issue from an account point of view.
With regards to spoken dialogue and name differences, theres tricks they could use. For instance, npcs don't necessarily HAVE to refer to your companion by name. After all, they don't know that character. So they could just refer to your companion by race (if they companion isn't with you) e.g. "That Twi'lek who travels around with you gives me the horn". Or just turn to face your companion when addressing them. No references to the companions name need to be used.
The new SWTOR page details NPC "Vette" as one of the player companions.
This comes as a big shock to me , because it can mean only one thing : thousands of players running around with character named Vette following them !
Is Vette a clone ?
How immersion breaking will be to play a rpg where 100 characters named Vette stand around you on a town square ?
Honestly it is something only seen (and demed worthy) in a low budged asian F2P MMOs
Dont take it wrong. Its perfectly fine for a single player RPG. But MMORPG ? This must be the very new low.
I think that with all due respect Bioware must categorise SWTOR as SORPG (single player online rpg)
what are you menarded?
"We have barred the gates, but can not hold them for long... They have taken the Bridge and the Second Hall... We can not get out. The end comes. Drums, drums in the deep. They are coming..."
Originally posted by safety I wonder how they will solve the naming issue though - if they address it at all.
I love the idea of companion characters, but yeah this could be pretty clumsy if they give each player of a specific class the exact same set of companions. Even though there will be eight per class (and probably many more will be added as the game progresses), there will probably be one or two for each class that stands out as the best, and that's going to lead to a lot of twins running around.
The only thing I can think of is is to give each player the character "template" and let players customize the name, appearance, and personality. They have actually already said that you will be able to customize appearance and personality, so that just leaves the name. I see no reason why players will not be able to rename them.
I guess Bioware wants the companions to be fully developed characters. They want to do what Bioware does best, and fill TOR with interesting characters like they do in all of their games: HK-47, Mission, Wrex, Miranda, Jack, etc. Mass Effect 2 wouldn't have been quite the same if players could rename Jack to "B3ttyB00p." Still, they may have to let it go.
I'm sorry but the OP and everyone agreeing with her/him are in complete N00b think. In all MMOs the quests are the same for every player. Especially the class quests that give you a required class ability. They are identical for every person of that class! How is having the same NPC companions for your character class any different? Rofl, come on now. Nothing here has changed, standard MMO quest techniques. If you're looking to be unique in an MMO, boy you came to the wrong place. The upside that I see is there are eight different choices for each class, which is pretty amazing for an MMO.
Comments
You really should get 'your facts straight' here ya go.
The article then goes on how, with so much story and voiceover, it is tempting to think that The Old republic will be a "pseudo MMO" much like Champions Online, relyign heavily on instancing. But according to James Olhen The Old Republic doesn't work that way. "Our public areas are part of one contiguous world," Olhen says. "Not just our cities -- 90% of the game, actually, will be a public area where you can run into other players."
Also you should read some heres a link http://moonendor.blogspot.com/2010/03/swtor-in-pc-gamer-uk-magazine.html.
Except of course that there is grouping, that companion gear is already confirmed, and that "Vette" is most likely the last name for the AI character.
When you say 'most likely', is there any evidence for that? Any developer statements or website release? Anyway, how would they get NPC speakers to say the first name rather than just refer to her as Vette all the time?
I thought Bioware had said they had some 'clever' system that would prevent players from seeing clones of their companions with other players. There is no mention of anything like this and it seems as though every Sith Warrior can have a Vette Twi'lek.
The thing that is really annoying is that Bioware could have released enough information to clarify this and some of the other questions, instead they put a Companions page on their website that explains nothing about the actual gameplay mechanics. So all the community is left to do is guess and wonder.
This with only 8 months until their release, there shouldn't be guessing about core mechanics at this point. They should be telling specifics.
Maybe they're saving things up for some big reveal on E3. But honestly, it is concerning.
It would be kinda lame to have the same companion as 1000 other people, they should at least have a randomly generated name, even if they look the same as other companions.
I honestly don't see what the big deal is, the whole idea of the game kind of prevents truely unique companions "if they voice their names and not text them like in the other tor games.
Like everyone else has said, every other game out there that has companions or pets has clones everywhere you go and it never seems to bother anybody, hell now that Halas is out every single person is running around with a frost kitten pet.
When I was beta testing GnH the first companion you got was a healer named Rufus, everywhere you went you'd see nothing but hundreds of Rufus's running around and it was'nt ever complained about, except for the fact that he only had a body for a few days, the rest of the beta he was a floating head, it eventually became more of a vehicle for hilarity than a bug...for the few days he did have a body most people were upset.
To lobotomist:
1. Only sith warriors will have the same companion ?
Yes, for example sith warrior as vette has one of is companions BUT, all our companions will have costumization! So if you and i have a sith warrior and we are playing with vette they will be different, probably you will be able to nickname them and you will have gear, armor and other things to make them look different. But the story of the companion will be the same obviously. Btw this works for all the companions of all classes! Each class will have several companions.
2. Companions have not been confirmed or seen in the outside (open) world.
In fact you're wrong once again. They have been seen in open world in alot of screenshots, if you followed the game you would know this.
On cases accounts the game fails. (as MMO , not as good singleplayer RPG)
Again you failed. This isn't a SP game it's a MM game. They have stated this several times and if you followed the game you would know this, because there is alot of information on the internet you just have to search for it (yes information from people who played it).
As much as I'm not a fan of the whole companion system I don't get the argument being presented here considering as many others have pointed out the amount of games out currently that have tons of the same pets being used by pet classes or by players in general depending on the game.
I can understand some other arguments being made about companions but this one seems a tad silly really. Certainly could be dissappointing depending on how generic companions are but not enough information out there far as I'm concerned to start sewing that scarlet letter A yet.
1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.
2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.
3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.
Standard pets - like a Hunter's or a Warlock's demons (from WoW) can be renamed, and don't have other NPCs engaging them in conversation.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
So that is the concern? Is it definitive that you cannot change your companion's name? Not that having the same name is a big deal to me but who's to say you won't be able to change his or her name?
Regardless of whether other characters have interaction with them it would not be hard for them to have that as an option for those it matters to by simply not mentioning that character's actual name in the dialogue anywhere. It isn't like the player's name is set in stone so why should thar companions be? Did the developers actually say you cannot change the companions names or are people simply assuming this?
Not that anyone ever does that on these forums.
>_>
1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.
2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.
3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.
I believe players are referred to by their class or affiliation. "Bounty Hunter" or "Jedi", not by name.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
http://www.swtor.com/info/systems/companions
In Star Wars™: The Old Republic™, a variety of these Companion Characters will join your cause. Some will join you for adventure, some for greed, and some for motivations that will remain hidden until much further along in your adventure. The Companions run the gamut from intelligent droids to bizarre aliens, from an honorable princess to a roguish pirate, and each class has a completely unique set of Companions.
Yup. So, if you never group with another character of the same class, it will be far less of an issue.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
A quote from SWTOR offical site.
In conjunction with the Companion Character section released today, we present you with one of the Sith Warrior’s Companions – Vette!
To me that gives the impression that, for the sith warrior atleast, each class has more than one companion.
The most obvious choice to me would be to only have YOUR own companion displayed by name, and the other people's as "xxxxx's companion".
That makes it stand out easy enough, since it will be the only one on your screen with a name (and probably in a different color)
EQ and DDO mercs have the same name. Did you cry about that?
its amazing how people nitpick things.........
In the PC gamer magazine they also said 'Well, we can't have everyone running around with the exact same chewbacca. So we are looking at ways to customize your companion so they are 'yours'. We're currently looking into this."
Just some more information for you all.
Bearing in mind you can equip these companions with items, expect most companions to look fairly different.
Longing for Skyrim, The Old Republic and Mass Effect 3
I want mine to look like this !
I wonder how they will solve the naming issue though - if they address it at all.
I wouldn't be surprised if they had a random name generator and maybe also the ability to name your companions whatever you liked (like in WoW). Two companions that have the same name but owned by different players isn't an issue from an account point of view.
With regards to spoken dialogue and name differences, theres tricks they could use. For instance, npcs don't necessarily HAVE to refer to your companion by name. After all, they don't know that character. So they could just refer to your companion by race (if they companion isn't with you) e.g. "That Twi'lek who travels around with you gives me the horn". Or just turn to face your companion when addressing them. No references to the companions name need to be used.
Top 10 Most Misused Words in MMO's
It seems like a hassle to have A.I. with everyone in an open world. And if the A.I. only existed in instances, than that is like 10 % of the game.
I hope they can pull it off...
what are you menarded?
"We have barred the gates, but can not hold them for long...
They have taken the Bridge and the Second Hall...
We can not get out. The end comes.
Drums, drums in the deep. They are coming..."
I love the idea of companion characters, but yeah this could be pretty clumsy if they give each player of a specific class the exact same set of companions. Even though there will be eight per class (and probably many more will be added as the game progresses), there will probably be one or two for each class that stands out as the best, and that's going to lead to a lot of twins running around.
The only thing I can think of is is to give each player the character "template" and let players customize the name, appearance, and personality. They have actually already said that you will be able to customize appearance and personality, so that just leaves the name. I see no reason why players will not be able to rename them.
I guess Bioware wants the companions to be fully developed characters. They want to do what Bioware does best, and fill TOR with interesting characters like they do in all of their games: HK-47, Mission, Wrex, Miranda, Jack, etc. Mass Effect 2 wouldn't have been quite the same if players could rename Jack to "B3ttyB00p." Still, they may have to let it go.
I'm sorry but the OP and everyone agreeing with her/him are in complete N00b think. In all MMOs the quests are the same for every player. Especially the class quests that give you a required class ability. They are identical for every person of that class! How is having the same NPC companions for your character class any different? Rofl, come on now. Nothing here has changed, standard MMO quest techniques. If you're looking to be unique in an MMO, boy you came to the wrong place. The upside that I see is there are eight different choices for each class, which is pretty amazing for an MMO.