NPC Followers

[Battlegrinder]

I was thinking maybe STS could create a system where you could get a NPC follower to help you in the game. You would complete a quest/buy with gold, and then you would get a NPC assistant thematically linked with the game, so PL would be a golem or something, SL could be a robot, and DL could have a ghoul or enthralled human. The follower could then follow you around on missions and attack whatever enemy you are currently attacking. The NPC could be equipped with weapons and equipment from drops just like a normal character. It would be easy it implement, STS would just clone the AI for enemies, change the code so they could use equipment, set it to target enemies instead of you, set it to follow you using the pet code, then either make it equipped as a pet or in a new tab. For balance, the followers will have these rules:
1. No abilities, can only use the items it is given.
2. Can only equip gear that is at same level or lower than the player (can use item from different class).
3. Can equip gear regardless of class or other equipped gear. In SL, you could have a robot with commando armor, an engineer helmet, and duel pistols.
4. Respawns with the player. If it dies before you, it doesn’t revive until you do. If you die before it, it respawns beside you.
5. Cannot be healed. Respawns with full health.
6. Cannot be used in PvP.
7. Levels with the player, gaining health, hit%, crit %, and regen at a similar rate.
8. Cannot get drop or elixirs.
9. Maybe: can carry items other than its equips, acting like a mobile stash.

[iAmPain]

then if this is approved everyone would just solo every single map and lots of ppl will be encouraged to farm vanities and stuff all by themselve and economy will crash cus whats the point of stims and enh?

[Battlegrinder]

then if this is approved everyone would just solo every single map and lots of ppl will be encouraged to farm vanities and stuff all by themselve and economy will crash cus whats the point of stims and enh?

Not really. You couldn't sole every map with the followers. They don't have abilities, can't fight on their own once you die, can't heal, and just aren't very powerful on their own. They can make a run easier, but not to the point where you can do it unaided. At best, if everyone had one, it could turn a five man raid into a three man raid. And it would only duoble your drop rate, if the followers are allowed to get drops.

[flashbackflip]

I think sts just should make different pets with different abilities (attack, heal, buff dmg etc.)

The idea with followers is fun but too complex for pick-up-and-play style. Also, this will lead to new/additional gui design

[CATterrain]

Maybe an Alien Oasis IV cross-over world where the NPC is from Pocket Legends (Bird/Bear/Elf), only has melee weapons, and can't port back to the SL base. Sort of a cross-over multi-marketing venture between the two games. (Truth be told, I sort of presumed the little blue aliens from PL would have played a minor roll in SL from the get go ... I miss their funny little sound effects. /s )