To be fair, companions do interact while in your party when you go on adventuring time. I like that a lot, but sometimes I miss the lines and maybe a journal of these talking would be nice to at least read if missed.
More camp interraction would be great :
- let characters wander around to talk to each other instead of staying near their tent and even come to reach you if they have something to say
- let them intervene in fights as uncontrolled allies if not in your controlled 3 (if they die, and you change scene, put a coffin near their tent with some corpse conservation magic making lights to remind you they should be resurected
- let them perform camp activities (cooking, fire caring, playing, etc.... anything that brings life and heads toward bonding or antagonizing each other
These could add too much more content, but an option to get hints from other present party members could be nice.
Let say you are in a cutscene and a choice arises. You have an icon downscreen to have the chosen party member express what they would do.
Maybe give the insight only if you pass a check with a bonus based on approval ? Or put each party avatar next to the choices they like or dislike when you pass the check.
Im getting off topic, sorry.
Yes I pointed out that they engage in banter while exploring. However, that is always 20 sec very shallow, non-relationship building dialogue. Also, by the time you reach act 3 they are not even doing that anymore. There needs to be actual dialogue that has progression over time, that shows they are building relationships. If not the Karlach-Wyll dock scene for example will never make sense.
I too would love to have more camp activities and to see the companions have interactions together! It would make the party feel more real and you'd probably feel closer to those characters that you personally don't play so much with.
If we take an example from a very different genre, Red Dead Redemption 2 has a mind-blowing camp system. There other characters go about their tasks, talk together (both one-on-one and in groups), their stories evolve regardless of you and if you go to them they react to you being there, and in the night they gather around the campfire to tell stories and sing. I understand that Larion doesn't try to have that kind of camp environment, but there'd be so many examples of simple ideas that could make BG3 camp environment feel more alife.
Personally I think it would be nice to have more voiced reactions when some characters like or dislike your decisions, especially when it's something meaningful. But not every time and definitelly not from everyone, because there's just so many of those moments.
I have not played RDD, but what you are explaining here is exactly what I had in mind. What kind of party would just stand in each others corner like it's a boxing match for 90 hours?
Things that are needed:
- Campfire scenes, singing, star gazing, storytelling, dinner together etc. This would flesh out party dynamic.
- Companion to companion interaction without the MC as a medium almost does not exist. We need to see for example, Wyll-Karlach talking about hell, Gale-Shadowheart discussing goddess problems, and so on. And just to re-iterate, it needs to be MORE than shallow 20 sec dialogue.
