I struggle to see the camaraderie moments as just that for several reasons, but they all come back to the same basic reason. It just feels that your companions conversations only really fit into one of two boxes "Personal question progression" and "Romance".

There are plenty of scenes that could be pure camaraderie moments, but the way they've been scripted and framed within the game as a whole it's really hard to ignore the big neon "Insert Romance Here" sign hanging over them.

It doesn't help that when talking to your companions (other than a single line when you start a conversation with them after progressing another characters personal quest) they act like the only two characters in the game are you and them, for example:


After meeting Gale's cat in Act III he has immediately invited me to his tower so he can cook me a meal. Clearly just me - as he never mentions anyone else either directly or indirectly/collectively. By this time in the game it should be common knowledge in the camp that me and Shadowheart have a thing going, so he should be inviting the both of us together over as that's the way you'd expect a friend to behave. It would be better still and feel much more of a friendship moment if it was presented as an invite to the everyone in camp - or at least you and the other companion options.

Just inviting me feels "romance-y"

Personally I think it would be nice that when you selected the "Long Rest" option from the resting menu and were teleported to your camp that it would trigger a "camp fire" scene, with everyone gathered around the fire talking, offering opinions on what we should do next or about what just happened. Then if there's any special private dialog they want to have with you they can indicate this then and there. It would be much better than having to do "the rounds" every visit to camp only to find no-one has anything new to say.

They could also use companion positing in such a scene to give an indication of romantic interest in your character (e.g. given the somewhat possessive wording used during Lae'zels romance interactions, if she's interested in you then she'd take up a position right next to you (and potentially glare at anyone else who gets close), and if not she'd sit across the fire from you) which could then be used to dial down the romantic edge to some of the more camaraderie worthy moments.

Last edited by Beotheric; 29/08/23 11:10 AM.