When we first announced the follower feature we revealed that these unique characters would accompany your hero on an adventure to save Sanctuary, but that they would only be able to survive in Normal difficulty. The amount of positive support the follower feature received, as well as the number of players who wanted to be able to keep these companions throughout the game -- even into the toughest difficulties -- left us wondering if it would be possible.
At BlizzCon we announced that we had taken that player feedback and were indeed working to make the single-player followers (templar, scoundrel, and enchantress) viable in the later difficulty levels.
We want to share some of the details surrounding this change and what it will mean for the single-player experience.
A lot of us wanted to see followers become viable throughout the game too, and agree they really add something to the experience as a whole. One of our main driving forces in making this decision was the benefits of the co-op experience, and the disadvantage of playing alone in the Nightmare, Hell, and Inferno difficulties. Followers won’t follow you into co-op games because you’ll already have the superior firepower of your friends to help you, but playing alone you’re going to want to take advantage of their benefits. We’ve made the later difficulties of the game brutally difficult, and we realize that for those attempting to tackle these later difficulties alone, they’re really going to actually want some additional support in the form of the followers.
Some players didn’t like their experience with mercenaries in Diablo II. We took feedback regarding mercenaries very seriously when designing Diablo III followers, and they differ from mercenaries in a few key ways that we think set them apart and resolve many issues. First of all, there is no resurrection or cost to your followers’ deaths, which makes their upkeep far less intrusive. When a follower takes enough damage to “die”, they simply take a knee, catch their breath, and after a few moments are back in the fight. That downtime could potentially have an effect on your own survival, but it’s unlikely to create a situation where you’re worrying about them or constantly working to keep them alive. We don’t want to turn what could be a fun benefit into a punishment by making players pay for their followers’ poor combat choices.
Secondly, when you die, so does your follower. These aren’t characters that can hope to compete or continue on without you. While some players prefer to be the lone wolf taking on the forces of evil, our intent isn’t to dilute the hero aspects by adding more wolves to your wolf pack. We want followers to be an extension of your bad-assery, not a liability. The followers could almost be considered automated buffs/damage skills, but of course with quite a bit more flavor and customization options.
We still have some tweaking to do with the followers, including their skills and end-game balancing. We continue to discover cool little ways to improve how each follower performs and the complements the different heroes. Our intent is to ensure players who take followers along find them to be helpful additions to their single-player experiences.
In the meantime, we’re interested to hear what you think of followers at end game and what your intent will be. Will you ever play alone, considering the benefits of co-op (personal loot drops, increased killing speed)? If you do play single player will you bring a follower? Or do you intend to challenge yourself by not bringing one?
I'm failing to see any new information that we haven't known since blizzconn? Or are they just posting this as a bit of confirmation of what they are working on right now?
I just hope it will still be possible to solo it. Not that I necessarily want to, but I want to have the choice.
What I get from this is that it will still be possible to solo the content in later difficulties, but it will be "brutally difficult". The Followers will help ease situations but probably not a necessity.
So, if a follower dies when you die, what happens to all the loot that you equipped him with? Is it gone forever?
Secondly; how will the AI of these followers work. While playing solo inferno (with a follower) it will be likely that you'll need to kite monsters to avoid getting annihilated. Will your follower be smart enough to do so too, or will it charge in like attacking is the only thing they know, and get slaughtered? They said they don't want them to become a liability, or give the feeling that they need to be taken care of all the time, but this would certainly create these two scenarios. Are there commands set up for the followers (i.e. stay, follow, attack, passive, etc)?
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Playing a Wizard. Looking for Demon Hunters to play with.
I'll give followers a chance, I never used mercs in anything D2 besides pvp once and a while when I was rich, because you're going to die eventually anyways and poof there goes half your gold.
I still don't think i like the concept, if followers are viable late game I don't see how this can possibly result in you/your character feeling more powerful and immersed.
So, if a follower dies when you die, what happens to all the loot that you equipped him with? Is it gone forever?
Secondly; how will the AI of these followers work. While playing solo inferno (with a follower) it will be likely that you'll need to kite monsters to avoid getting annihilated. Will your follower be smart enough to do so too, or will it charge in like attacking is the only thing they know, and get slaughtered? They said they don't want them to become a liability, or give the feeling that they need to be taken care of all the time, but this would certainly create these two scenarios. Are there commands set up for the followers (i.e. stay, follow, attack, passive, etc)?
Based on current beta:
1. Nothing is lost, EVER, on a follower due actions other than a player removing the items manually.
So, if a follower dies when you die, what happens to all the loot that you equipped him with? Is it gone forever?
Secondly; how will the AI of these followers work. While playing solo inferno (with a follower) it will be likely that you'll need to kite monsters to avoid getting annihilated. Will your follower be smart enough to do so too, or will it charge in like attacking is the only thing they know, and get slaughtered? They said they don't want them to become a liability, or give the feeling that they need to be taken care of all the time, but this would certainly create these two scenarios. Are there commands set up for the followers (i.e. stay, follow, attack, passive, etc)?
His post said when they "die" on thier own they step out of battle for a few moments and come back by themselves. When you die they die to a point where you need to get him in town again.
Neither myself or follower died when i was playing the beta so my above comment on how to get him back after he dies is not based on experience.
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http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/3871218074?page=1#3
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What I get from this is that it will still be possible to solo the content in later difficulties, but it will be "brutally difficult". The Followers will help ease situations but probably not a necessity.
Thats like saying your forced to play co-op because it will be easier. Your not forced to do anything.
YESSSS!
Secondly; how will the AI of these followers work. While playing solo inferno (with a follower) it will be likely that you'll need to kite monsters to avoid getting annihilated. Will your follower be smart enough to do so too, or will it charge in like attacking is the only thing they know, and get slaughtered? They said they don't want them to become a liability, or give the feeling that they need to be taken care of all the time, but this would certainly create these two scenarios. Are there commands set up for the followers (i.e. stay, follow, attack, passive, etc)?
anyway, isnt this OLD news?
I think we've known that they were going to be very difficult, but when I read it put this way, with the word "brutally" it got me excited.
I still don't think i like the concept, if followers are viable late game I don't see how this can possibly result in you/your character feeling more powerful and immersed.
Based on current beta:
1. Nothing is lost, EVER, on a follower due actions other than a player removing the items manually.
2. Followers are stupid
His post said when they "die" on thier own they step out of battle for a few moments and come back by themselves. When you die they die to a point where you need to get him in town again.
Neither myself or follower died when i was playing the beta so my above comment on how to get him back after he dies is not based on experience.