If the AI companion dungeons are a success, and I think they will be, will we see a future where raids with NPC companions become an option? If you could do any raid in the game as a ten person raid with up to nine AI companions that earned Timewarped badges or some other modest awards, would that get you more interested in doing the content?
Personally, I find the idea much more engaging for older content than steamrolling through with a single massively overgeared player. As an alternative to 25 player LFR, it interests me mostly for the same reasons it does in current content regular dungeons. A chance to familiarize with a tank or healer without having to deal with the expectations of 24 others.
9 Likes
As much as everyone will say no… deep down they all know even this could become a possibility in some shape or form.
5 Likes
I could see it happening. The more people they get to participant in Raids, the more they can justify development costs to the bean counters.
6 Likes
I’d like to experience many of these old raids again, but both guilds are getting quieter and after over fifteen years, I’m reluctant to leave either one because I like the social environment that we have. So being able to go into these older raids alone, or with a handful of guildies and AI NPCs filling out the rest of the spots would be ideal. In fact I think this would suit a lot of older social/family guilds.
5 Likes
From what I understand that would be an awful lot of dev work, but I don’t know the first thing about game development so I’ll stop right there.
That aside, I personally think a story mode version with AI companions would be way more valuable than LFR. LFR gets hated on anyway, so why not.
“What’s that Ebyssian? You want me to go slay Sarkareth? Okay well I’m not in a raiding guild so I guess I’ll wait until that wing opens up on LFR, oh shoot it’s months later and I forgot all about it so there it sits on my quest log, just like the slay N’Zoth quest that’s still sitting there to this day.” Yeah I could definitely see the better value.
2 Likes
Give me a top down view and let me control the entire raid.
…
I think I just described a game I want.
4 Likes
Eventually maybe. First, I’m pretty sure they’re going to add AI to the majority of their 5 mans like FFXIV did. If that’s popular (and it will be), then yeah, they’ll probably add it to LFR.
3 Likes
If they give you 19 other bots to replace players and I could just do my own thing unless i get picked for mechanics, I’d still play,
1 Like
Anything is possible, but I can’t picture them removing the required player grouping aspect of LFR, at least for now. That could change if player numbers dwindle to the point that basically no one on any server can do anything. We’ve probably got a long, long time before that becomes a possibility.
It’d probably get traction if it worked for more recent stuff that’s taking forever to go to legacy one shot everything mode.
Really old stuff people are probably sick enough of to just want to burn down for the most part, but TW badges could be a motivator.
What will really be interesting will be the push to make it available for current content with higher level rewards. Buy stock in popcorn now!
The only player in the group should always get picked for any applicable mechanics.
As long as it stays an option only, I’m fine with it. If it becomes forced, I won’t like it.
2 Likes
“I’m coming for you Onyxia!” (10 points): have a 40-man warband at max level.
My interest in this for raids would be even for current expansion but two patches ago.
I’m a filthy login casual so I don’t guild and pugs for a raid that’s in the same xpac but an older patch are almost no existent. Would like an option to do that raid when it’s still current xpac in some form.
Hope this makes sense.
1 Like
sure, why not?
new raids would have to be designed for it, but you could take something like Hyjal and remove any need for other players with the right NPCs
The reason LFR is a 25 person raid is that the larger the group, the more forgiving the encounter is to mistakes and the less important an individual’s performance becomes. In a situation where NPCs make up the bulk of the team, I don’t think this will be as big of an issue.
1 Like
Companion dungeons is the entire reason I resubbed & bought the xpac. Not only do I work excessive overtime. I got kids to raise. It is very hard to set aside time for a game I enjoy. But also I am not a very good player. I learn better by doing and failing until I get it. I always play DPS because failing at tanking & healing will cripple content for other players. If I can run dungeons & learn mechanics with AI. I can eventually graduate to running them with people. I think there should be an option to chose the AI companions to have crappy gear or appropriate gear. That way you can get used to having to carry others. And this absolutely should extend to an AI LFR. Having my alts as companions would be a cherry on top but not a deal breaker.
4 Likes
idk the ai has to be on point for it to be of a certain caliber. maybe the companion follows a target? like how hots does it. then again, hots ai robots still have problems.
tbh if these bots are stacked to the teeth with gear, almost full mythic, i think that would make it comparable to a normal raider.
Maybe for old raids while leveling.
That way new players can fight Fyrakk when leveling in DF during War Within
2 Likes
