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Hi everybody,

During my first games, I found very difficult to become attached to the companions. I was able to play for hours during which they had practically nothing to say (exploration and combats).
They sometimes say a sentence or two or start a little dialog when you approach a point of interest, but nothing more.

And when you're at the camp, they just have a yellow ! on their head to invite the player to talk to them.

This is a little bit strange and feel totally not natural.

For companions to look way more alive I suggest that :

- They call us everytime they have something to say at camp.
-> The dialogs should auto start and/or we should have a short cinematic during which they come to us asking for a conversation (then eventually the yellow !)

- During the game, they should have a predefined list of things to say, like in BG1/2.
-> The trigger to those sentences could be, i.e when you click on a portrait, or every 10 real time minutes. They could have things to say related to their personnalities "I like the smell of flowers" or "I hate this sunny sky".
-> They could also have things to say when they hit or kill an ennemies or when they are hit or killed. "HahahA see you in hell" "Take this ! "

===> my exemples of sentences are stupid but I think you'll get the idea.

Just think about BG1 and BG2. Everyone remember and love the companions.

It's obviously not because of their background or side quests but because they are alive. We become attached to them and their personality accompanies us throughout the story.
They are an integral part of the experience and contributes to improve the replayablitity.

If the companions of BG3 can be as present and endearing and, moreover, have well-written quests that accompany us throughout game... I think it would really improve the BG3's experience.



Last edited by Maximuuus; 17/10/20 12:48 PM.

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How about consulting my companions on quests and how to progress what exploits they have found and to avoid?
Like I dont know dont make them HP sponges and pack mules but characters, even outright refuse to aid you as a PC and go to camp because its against everything they believe and or dont trust you and so forth.

Lead on oh omnipotent authority figure comes to mind.

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yeap, like divinity, unless you are in a cutscene you preety much forget that you are travelling with companions

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I've found them to be extremely engaging thus far.
And they actually speak to each other quite often, and I'm not the sole focal point of conversations.
They also refer to each other when speaking with me, which is fantastic.

We have not had the same experience whatsoever.


I don't want to fall to bits 'cos of excess existential thought.

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Originally Posted by Maximuuus
- During the game, they should have a predefined list of things to say, like in BG1/2.
-> The trigger to those sentences could be, i.e when you click on a portrait, or every 10 real time minutes. They could have things to say related to their personnalities "I like the smell of flowers" or "I hate this sunny sky".
-> They could also have things to say when they hit or kill an ennemies or when they are hit or killed. "HahahA see you in hell" "Take this !


I've heard a few comments of the first kind, so they're not completely absent. Most of the unsolicited comments are more situational though, like one of them saying they hear singing outside the cove, as a cue that something is about to happen.

The second type of comment, or "bark" related to combat can get annoying when there isn't enough variety. And there almost never is in games that use it, because voice acting is expensive. Every time I revived a certain main character in Wasteland 3, she would say "Woah, did I pass out for a minute there?" It was fun the first couple of times I heard it, but got old pretty fast.

What it comes down to is basically a complaint that I wish they had more money to pour into the game. If there can't be a huge variety of different barks for each companion so I'm not hearing so many repeats, I'd rather not hear them at all.

Last edited by Frumpkis; 17/10/20 03:17 PM.
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When random NPC or PC comments are included in CRPGs I tend to turn them down to the least frequent setting. Some are inane and tiresome, and some are downright irritating ('Can I get you a ladder so you can get off my back"... <shudder>).

It is great that the companions react and stay 'alive', but if you have played and replayed a game for more hours than is entirely reasonable, the comments quickly become tedious. The worse ones are the comments that probably appear to be 'cute' or 'quirky' when first dreamed up.

I agree with Frumpkis; if the number of possible comments is low enough to be repeating more than once every, say, 1 hour of gaming time, I would prefer that the companions stayed quiet.

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Quote
- During the game, they should have a predefined list of things to say, like in BG1/2.
-> The trigger to those sentences could be, i.e when you click on a portrait, or every 10 real time minutes. They could have things to say related to their personnalities "I like the smell of flowers" or "I hate this sunny sky".
-> They could also have things to say when they hit or kill an ennemies or when they are hit or killed. "HahahA see you in hell" "Take this ! "


There's been a thread on this specifically. And I agree, (more of) this would be great. Of course, like others say, within reason - enough to make a character seem alive/express its personality, but not often enough for it to become annoying. Not repeating ad nauseum (so maybe have timers or the like).

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Was that a problem to you in the old BG ?

The characters have a pretty good variety of dialogs for different situations. I'm not really sure how and when it was triggered but even with their short background and/or side quests, the companions were very important and everyone remember them.

As you said, I probably don't have the same experience than you Tzelanit because except two or three times all arround the map exploration, they just don't open their mouths... But of course I cross the map more than once...
They definitely shouldn't only react once when you reach a specific point. Their reactions should look way more natural to make them memorable. They won't look like real characters without talking.

But yes, it has to be well done...

Last edited by Maximuuus; 17/10/20 05:40 PM.

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'Astarion do you have someone waiting for you back in Balders Gate"

'Someone waiting for me?'

'You know like a sweetheart.'

'Oh there is a feast of sweeties waiting for me in Balders Gate'
between Ast and Shadowheart as you walk cut down cause I can't remember all of it.

'Lae'zel what would you do if someone wronged you. Like in murder, or theft.'

'Murder is great it weeds out the weak. Theft would be severely punished.'

walking with SH and Lea'zel again cut down version of the dailogue.

So how are they not seeming allive? They are constantly chatting back and forth in my playthrough.

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Originally Posted by Maximuuus
Was that a problem to you in the old BG ?

Gods yes. I generally murdered Imoen early on because of her inane chatter. And her voice. I think it was the combination.

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Originally Posted by Sadurian
Originally Posted by Maximuuus
Was that a problem to you in the old BG ?

Gods yes. I generally murdered Imoen early on because of her inane chatter. And her voice. I think it was the combination.


Seriously... You're talking about the most irritating character of the game...

What about the 24 others ?
You murdered her, but after 20 years you still remember her. That's exactly what I hope for BG3.

Last edited by Maximuuus; 17/10/20 06:02 PM.

French Speaking Youtube Channel with a lot of BG3 videos : https://www.youtube.com/c/maximuuus

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