Companion systems

[MetalCraze]

DraQ thinks Black Isle was trying to make it DEEP

 

[janjetina]

You want complete control over your characters' development but you also want them to argue with you, resist you?

Yes. Their "personality" is set, like in PS:T or Arcanum, but, with the exception of the basic stats which need to make sense in the context of the story (you can't give a Mike Tyson type high INT and low STR, for example), their tactical development should be under control of the player. Companions should be under player's (not character's) tactical control both during "leveling" and during combat, unless the order clashes with their personality, which is predefined, in which case they may carry it, but with consequences to their morale, which in turn influences their combat abilities, they may refuse to carry it, or even leave the group or attack the PC. Ordering a "good" character to shoot a civilian, or PC shooting a civilian in front of a "good" character should provoke a reaction from that character. This way companions can act as believable characters in the context of the setting and the story and can still be an asset to the tactical aspect of the gameplay.

 

[Black Cat]

Why the need to have one or the other? Do it as all good game masters do it on pen and paper adventures and have the main party be created by the player with a very developed set of non player characters to join them and stuffies depending on their choices and allegiances, or on their own agenda thingies.

 

[Droog White Smile]

The first option, of course. Who wants soulless dummies?

 

[DraQ]

DraQ thinks Black Isle was trying to make it DEEP

Well, I never really considered FO combat particularly stellar, nor I am terribly interested in whether BIS made FO combat chaotic intentionally, or through dumb luck (I'd wager it was both, bad AI and genuine attempts that behaviour setting companion dialogue hints at).

 

[Azarkon]

#1 for story-driven RPGs, #2 for tactical combat simulators.

But I'm interested in a third option: hybrid systems that combine player-generated stats with pre-generated personalities. The "BG" option, if you will, though with even more customization - like being able to determine the initial race, stats, and starting class, and not just the trajectory of development.

 

[MetalCraze]

BG option? Pfft.
What you are talking about is Wizardry 8 option.

 

[DraQ]

BG option? Pfft.
What you are talking about is Wizardry 8 option.

Wiz 8 plus more consequence to the character personality would be the perfect starting point for Player made, non-zombie followers.

 

[Demnogonis Saastuttaja]

How could the option of creating your own party ever detract from a game, even a story-based game?

 

[Jaime Lannister]

BG option? Pfft.
What you are talking about is Wizardry 8 option.

super-gluing the characters together?