Jokoro will be glad to hear that we will have droids as companions, at least. There's not a lot of information on whether we'll be able to have more than one on the field at a time, though it's suggested. Good shout, Nord.

Yeah good find

Excellent find Nord! I've been looking forward to a decent article on how Companions work. Let's hope we get a FULL lowdown on what type of companions are available for each class and what they bring to the table.

EDIT:

Never thought I'd see a Jedi and a Trandoshan working together....

I hope it will not be a MUST-HAVE but a possibility... Because I don't see the point of companion when you can group up with real folks ^^'

Ohlen mentions also that companions will fill particular roles in the party, such as tank, healer and DPS. As I understand it, they will be used to fill in the gaps where player characters are unavailable.

I've been really excited about the companions since their reveal. Even though they're not actually considered "Pets" i'd bet my bottom dollar that they have a similar game mechanic whilst actually playing, which to me is a plus as I absolutely love pet classes (Lore-Master & Captain from LotRO spring to mind). I think having the addition of them guide you through your storyline is a fantastic touch on BioWare's part. I just hope that they're ALL individual with their own names. otherwise it'll break immersion for a lot of us RPers. I can't think of anything worse than bumping into Tando for example and saying "Hey, whos your friend? She looks just like my good pal Vette here!" and him responding with "Hang on a sec, my friends called Vette too....wow how uncanny?"

Yeah that could be a big problem, imagine 5 players with 5 exact copies of the same person hmmm

If they don't have a randomised collection of features/hairdos/(ehem)measurements then they're not giving us enough credit (geddit?). And featured named companions work in single player games, but they'll surely have random name generators for companions in an MMO.

I have faith...

I would agree but as everthing is voice acted they would have to make every bit of diologue nameless?

Or have a computer synth making the name and jarringly inserting it in to conversation

They might just randomise the look or make them unequipable in certain areas ie cites towns etc so that only the your companions are shown, or make them invisible just to the player everywhere so you will see yours but not anyones elses or replace everyone elses with random models......

I think we're getting the wrong idea here. In all of the explanations of in-game companions, they talk of a certain character. Their name, though, must just be the name presented to them in their gameplay experience. I'm certain that the stories will be the same, though the models and names will change. I remember that in Kotor, the player character's name was never mentioned, except for when a non-basic speaking character (i.e. Zaalbar) would do so through subtitles.

Aye, have a look back at the previous BioWare games and how they handled "Companions"

Mass Effect 2

Miranda Lawson.
Jack (Subject Zero).
Mordin Solus.
Thane Krios.

Dragon Age Origins
Morrigan, witch of the wilds.
Alistair, the grey warden.
Leliana, the bard.
Shale, the golem.

Jade Empire
Dawn Star.
Sagacious Zu.
Kang the Mad.
Black Whirlwind.

Mass Effect
Tali'Zorah nar Rayya.
Garrus Vakarian.
Jeff "Joker" Moreau.
Liara T'Soni.

Not forgetting KOTOR of course!

BioWare are all about the individual, memorable companions. OK, so they'll probably be a 'bit' less individual seeing as they will have to make thousands of them, but to that end I think Hare's suggestion of a generator is most likely. I can't see them being exactly "cookie cutter" companions.