Skywind Followers [UPDATE]

Maybe it could have mercenaries that you can hire, but I'd say they should be followers that make sense, as in they are actually fighters rather than just random people you help. Just my opinion on the matter :).

While traveling through Vvardenfell I've met a few NPCs that might be good as followers. Someone should start a list, and maybe do the work of making them potential followers. It's not too hard to do.

"it is something that we would have liked to see in other elder scrolls games"

Nope, not at all. "You" maybe, but definitely not "we". Such content should stay as addon in separate plugin(s) imho.

There are a few people you have to escort as part of the quests. During that time, they are in effect followers.

Hmmm, I like the idea of having a companion but preferably someone with fighting ability, a mercenary or a warrior type person that you may have helped out. I think it could work well, but I agree with the fact that in Skyrim you could get Sven to follow you, what a waste of time that was. But someone like the woman in the bannered mare wearing steel plate, that would be good. 

Getting this started while dialogue recordings are in their infancy is a good idea as well, would allow for some npcs to be voiced as followers and have some lydia (if not Serana) amount of dialogue.

I look forward to following you guys around on all of your adventures!

I support the project, Rebelzize, I like traveling with company. If I see anyone who might fit the bill, I'll add their name.

LASentry

Hmmm, I like the idea of having a companion but preferably someone with fighting ability, a mercenary or a warrior type person that you may have helped out. I think it could work well, but I agree with the fact that in Skyrim you could get Sven to follow you, what a waste of time that was. But someone like the woman in the bannered mare wearing steel plate, that would be good. 

This was what I was thinking, most followers in Skyrim (apart from Sven) all had some form of combat experience, even if it was just as a hunter like Faendal, which is something we should look to do in this.

Although, maybe it would be better to have it different as it is in Skyrim like when you do a little job for someone (or you beat someone in a brawl) and then suddenly they're willing to die for you, so maybe you should have to help them a little more before they'll follow you :P.

Please please - make Fjorgeir a follower!! :D

sincerely hopefully ;)
Kyrilla

Make it a disposition thing, if u have disp of 100 then they will be more likely to follow u. Also try to make it so your speech has to be above 50 or 60. Just to make speech useful.

alexanderb

Make it a disposition thing, if u have disp of 100 then they will be more likely to follow u. Also try to make it so your speech has to be above 50 or 60. Just to make speech useful.

I'm not even sure if disposition will be in the game. I think it could be implemented rather easily for guilds and houses. You're a senior member of the fighters/mages? Here take an apprentice under your wing to teach them the ropes. Got some important house business? Here's a bodyguard. Then there could be mercenaries in town's taverns ready to follow you if you pay them. Other more developed companions could come along later. 

Absolutely this. I can't agree more with the mercenaries and stuff. Having short-lived followers in a sense will make Morrowind a more harsh environment. Followers should be pretty hard to get or expensive.

I don't think every character should be available as a follower, but I do agree that followers should be in Skywind. It's a great system that's already in the game so it would make sense to take advantage of it. I like the mercenary idea, maybe an optional plugin that adds a few of them to the game would be the best option, that way purists can have the option of having followers in the game or not.

A few notes and thoughts:

Fargoth, if he is going to be a follower, should only be one if you don't steal his ring, if you do may I suggest Hriskar Flat-foot as that is his enemy.

Since Ajira gives several quests, I don't know if she should be a viable follower, it might destroy several quests should she die.

Consider Freeable slaves as potential followers, you freed their lives, they owe you a debt

I agree with the mercenaries idea, if anyone has character ideas, please post them along with major skills and possible backstory or personality

Finally Milo from the main quest who is an informant freed by the hero from the temple, after her part of the main quest why not have her help you more

Definately go with the house followers, such as your mouth from telvanni you recruit

This is not Skyrim, this is Morrowind. Adding in a bunch of followers would be a significant change. I DO NOT support, if someone wants followers, it should be contained in a separate mod so not to damage the games integrity.

 That said, there are some followers already in morrowind. You can purchase slaves who follow you around. I would be in support of adding more slaves, or having killed slaves respawn at the slave merchants location (as in him restocking).

 Why not just stick to the slave followers that are actually suppose to be in the game? 

[External image]

Denevir

Also don't worry about integrity, having someone following you around is an entirely optional aspect of the ES games. You could play Oblivion and Skyrim solo.

In fact, I DO play Oblivion and Skyrim solo (followers be crampin' my style, yo). And Morrowind likely didn't have followers because of a limited engine, not an artistic decision. There are plenty of NPCs that would make great followers that otherwise don't do anything.

They were for that quest? I never actually did the Twin Lamps quests. I always bought three or four and used them as companions until they died.

I still don't see why we can't focus on just adding new companions as slaves, so as not to encourage having followers. Morrowind was not designed to have followers, and quests and dialogue will assume the player is alone.

 I still stand by my opinion.  Your welcome to yours as well though.  I just hope to see this game being as close as possible to a revamped Morrowind with Skyrims combat. Adding new characters, be they followers or etcetera, I am against.

KryptonianBlood no need to be overly dramatic with caps [External image] . Alright first off most likely this will be a separate plugin and secondly i don't understand why you think you have special privileges to decide development you just joined 2 hours ago at February 6 2014 2:44 AM est and you're already using "we" [External image].

I actually did have an account at some point, but over the years forgot the username/email I used here. Been lurking since the start.

Two words bolded for emphasis doesn't quite seem "overly dramatic" in my opinion. It would seem that bringing this up was simply an attempt to take a stab at me, classy.

Where did I give orders or demands? Mind showing some quotes? I believe I actually did the opposite " I still stand by my opinion.  Your welcome to yours as well though." Is having different opinion a negative in your eyes? I personally don't believe in forcing my opinions on others, that's really more of a Thalmor/Nazi/Inquisition/Dalek type thing and not my vibe at all. (Of course if this is how you roll, go for it, I like diversity)

Oh god mate you got a little upset about my jab at you [External image]... I suppose my question is when are you going to focus on adding slaves as companions. But besides that why don't you Simmer down my friend no need to imply that im a part of the nazis, thalmor, inquisition, or dalek however flattering it is. [External image]

Shushine

Oh god mate you got a little upset about my jab at you [External image]... I suppose my question is when are you going to focus on adding slaves as companions. But besides that why don't you Simmer down my friend no need to imply that im a part of the nazis, thalmor, inquisition, or dalek however flattering it is. [External image]

 You are derailing this thread in some sort of flawed attempt to start a flame war. You may enjoy making rude remarks and acting childish, but I refuse to further derail the OP's thread. If you want to continue to make jabs at me, please do so in PM.

back to the OP: I feel this would better fit as a mod, seeing as these new companions have the potential to seriously effect the difficulty of Skywind.  As a separate mod I believe it would be a great addition for those who like playing with followers. Left into the core game though, I feel it would subtract from the wonderful sense of being alone in strange land that many of us felt when we first played Morrowind, and for new players, if the option exist to bring along friends, even if they choose not to, just knowing their there if needed I believe would take away that feeling for first-timers and casuals who never experienced the original.

Alright mate, but anyways i think companions are fine, implementing of companions will occur most likely through a separate plugin and will implemented on the part of the individual user.  Though i highly doubt companions will destroy skywind gameplay (seeing as the Skyrim and morrowind gameplay are completely different) if it does it will be by the admission of the user. 

I'm not interested in starting a heated argument or such but I'm always surprised when people are totally against an optional feature being implemented (i.e. fast travel). Are you guys not able to resist temptations ? I, for one, play the way I like, don't use features I don't like and don't really care if other people do. To each their own.

However, back to OP. Followers are not very high on the to do list. In the course of quests (or when buying slaves). I have people follow you/you need to escort. Whether you take them to their destination directly or you take them on adventures is up to you :)

That does make sense in theory Digitalparanoid but I think what people are talking about here is the standards of the game and the original standard of the game changes the way people play the game, and the standard effects what the game fills like well playing.  It seams that people like to be challenged because morrowind was challenging and people base the difficulty level based on the original standard. So yes we could just not use the tools but people will not have the same vision of the game if we have them there.

I don't think you should change people who were already in the game to followers. Just add some generic npcs in taverns and inns, much like the mercenaries in Skyrim. 

I liked the followers in skyrim, and I would like to see some npc's that will become your followers after a quest. Unique npc's that are sort of special and have their own story.

I don't like the generic mercenaries, they are really boring (although I don't object them being in the game). Npc's like Serana made it like you had a real companion that adventured with you.

This was also something I really mist this when I played Oblivion (that's why I got the companion Vilja mod) and Morrowind. It just felt lonely.

TheBusStop

I liked the followers in skyrim, and I would like to see some npc's that will become your followers after a quest. Unique npc's that are sort of special and have their own story.

I don't like the generic mercenaries, they are really boring (although I don't object them being in the game). Npc's like Serana made it like you had a real companion that adventured with you.

This was also something I really mist this when I played Oblivion (that's why I got the companion Vilja mod) and Morrowind. It just felt lonely.

I agree that would be better but that also takes more work and would anger the Morrowind purists. 
 

However that been said to hell with the purists! :) If this is going to be optional I don't see why they have to object to it so much...

digitalparanoid

I'm not interested in starting a heated argument or such but I'm always surprised when people are totally against an optional feature being implemented (i.e. fast travel). Are you guys not able to resist temptations ? I, for one, play the way I like, don't use features I don't like and don't really care if other people do. To each their own.

However, back to OP. Followers are not very high on the to do list. In the course of quests (or when buying slaves). I have people follow you/you need to escort. Whether you take them to their destination directly or you take them on adventures is up to you :)

Slaves have been implimented? Awesome job DP!

As to simply not using them, I try to. For example, in Skyrim I try not to use smithing, that way the gear I find while adventuring is actually useful. I have never got smithing above 20 on any of my Skyrim Characters so it doesn't bother me.   Fast traveling though, while I have done a few no FT games, its hard not to occasionally use it when I really want to get somewhere fast. I know I shouldn't, but its just so easy to do and saves so much time, its hard to resist the temptation when I get frustrated or don't have much time before work/school or what have you.

Another issue is the sense of community. Even though I avoid Smithing, the fact that its there still takes something away from the game. I get a cool daedric artifact, or find an awesomely weird sword and start using it. The new gear seems amazing and I log on to forums to see if anyone else has found said weapon/equipment and literally no one has anything good to say about. The people I encounter in forums and so forth simply dis all unique equipment in the game because they can craft better.  Back in Morrowind and Oblivion this wasn't the case. Who didn't get Umbra Armor and love it during at least one playthrough? How many people have fond memories of taking down the guard in Morrowind who wears glass armor as a low level char? You don't see it as often in Skyrim, because almost everyone except a few of us, simply smiths generic gear/weapons and have no reason to bother with the unique things, just thrown onto a mannequin and forgotten. 

 So see, when you avoid things you don't like, you are a lone wolf, with few other gamers who you can relate to.  I havn't had my coffee yet today, and hopefully someone will get my ideal and word it a little more eloquently, but I hope you get the gist of what I am trying to say.

 And again, thanks for your work on the game, super excited about the next release.

I agree.  Nothing is as special in Skyrim as it was in Morrowind.  Crafting as implemented in Skyrim is like sanctioned console commands.  You become a veritable Walmart of unique goods.  I'd rather see armorer's skill improve quality/maintain quality of existing items instead of just crafting them perfect from scratch.

I'm for generic NPCs/mercs. It would just feel weird IMO to have someone who didn't used to be a follower in the original game be a follower. I'm also casting my vote in hopes of a slightly easier workload for VAs.

@ kryptonian and SmiteHammer, I heard they are going for a separate launcher where you can configure your skywind, maybe the smithing can be something you can turn of. I for one love smithing, everyone of my characters is a pro smith, but I'm more of a skyrim fan than a morrowind fan. Morrowind is a great game, but I missed a lot of the thing that I could do in skyrim.

An other solution for smithing is to make the unique items you find in the world better than the Thing you can smith. I like hoarding unique weapons, but in my opinion nothing is better than wielding your own homemade blade.

I do think still that a fleshed out followers mod would be awesome, and if someone want's to make it I fully support that. If you don't like it, don't get it.

As for fast travel, I used to fast travel everywhere, but in my recent playthroughs I've managed to only use carriages, horses and just running/walking everywhere. I don't use it anymore, but it is nice that it is there. Because I do use it to quickly try out a mod on like the other side of the map, and than reload and continue where I left of.

I'd like some hirelings and stuff but they'd need people to voice them and there's still plenty of vanilla characters left to voice. More advanced followers with quests is basically out of question unless people volunteer to voice them and some one good at making quests isn't busy.

When the main game is done, I wouldn't mind helping out with a follower mod for Skywind.  In the meantime, I'd say the focus should go to making the NPCs already in the game have more character to them.  Not 'follower' grade, but we have lots of voice actors for certain races, and those characters tend to have one or two lines, and that's it. Make up some stuff for them to say and let's start to get it implemented so we can have a better vanilla experience!

Vivec

I'd like some hirelings and stuff but they'd need people to voice them and there's still plenty of vanilla characters left to voice. More advanced followers with quests is basically out of question unless people volunteer to voice them and some one good at making quests isn't busy.

They could always just use the original Skyrim voice acting for the followers at first.

I agree, The folower mod should only be fully worked on when the Vanilla Skywind NPC's are done

Why don't we just put optional generic NPCs in with standard follower dialogue from Skyrim in and integrate that into the esm? People who don't want followers don't have to recuit them, especially if we put them in fairly out-of-the-way places.

I just think we should reduce esp count as much as possible, so that people with large load orders aren't turned off.

ZeroSbr

Why don't we just put optional generic NPCs in with standard follower dialogue from Skyrim in and integrate that into the esm? People who don't want followers don't have to recuit them, especially if we put them in fairly out-of-the-way places.

I just think we should reduce esp count as much as possible, so that people with large load orders aren't turned off.

We would still have to see them. Beyond that, followers don't die unless PC kills them, totaly messing with Morrowinds balance, if say an enemy wandered into town. That would effect me even if I didn't use them, as well as make Skywind as a whole seem less well done. Adding lots of low-quality companions with no unique dialog drops the quality of Skywind as a whole. Quality over Quantity.

 If some players want generic Skyrim followers in Skywind, why not have it as an add-on? I would hate to see new players who never played Morrowind, assume followers were always part of the game, and thus assume Morrowind was an easy game that had generic followers.

 I like the idea of having it as an option, just not included in the base game. It lowers the difficulty of Skywind for those who never played the original, because they assume the dungeons and enemies were designed to be faced with magically invincible followers.  Even if I and others ignore followers, that solution wont help newcomers who have no idea that the game was designed to be solo'ed. 

Maybe it is even possible to remake the follower thing so it isn't that overpowerd (like AFT for skyrim). I do agree that it should be optional. I personally like playing with a companion with at least a little bit of personality and back story, and would like to see a number of npc's in the game becoming a hired or voluntarily follower, or maybe some completely new characters with voice acting and personality. I don't object to generic follower npc's, But I don't think it should be only that. I liked followers like Serana who had something to say about almost everything, but with maybe a bit more variety in the lines.

But like I said earlier, a optional like this should only be fully worked on after most of Skywind is finished. But I would really like to see the option, It would take away from the game for me if it isn't available, and it is a shame because the potential for it to be there is present.