Because Skyrim's companions are designed more like cohorts present to help you.
In New Vegas, companions were actually important characters with their own part in the story.
These are two different but valid design approaches. Bethesda didn't want to bother with storied companions, whereas party dynamics are Obsidian's bread and butter.
The next game, though, I would indeed love for them to go with the New Vegas approach.

TES games have never set up who your character was before play starts. In this way they ensure that you can RP almost any kind of character you want.
Use your imagination.

the horse has more personality than Lydia, i seriously miss Boone :sadvaultboy:

I like this companion system.

New Vegas companion, Raul - "I can't believe I'm going through with this, boss! If I die, tell them I want a band of mariachis to play at my funeral."

Skyrim companion, Lydia - "Yaaaaaaawn."

New Vegas companion, Follows Chalk - "I can't believe that people in the civilized world actually pay money to see someone lay pieces of paper down on a table."

Skyrim companion, Uthgerd the Unbroken - "hmmmmmm."

New Vegas Companion, Cass - "Shh... we're hunting [censored]heads."

Skyrim companion, Sven - "Yaaaaaaaawn."



Oh yeah. Quantity over Quality for sure. :rolleyes:

Different companies.
I still like New Vegas Companions better though. :shrug: so...
What Longknife said. C: :foodndrink:

What? Can't you see how pronounced the "a" is in "yaaaaaaaaaaawn", that's deep man.

When I spoke of back story, I was referring to who the character was or is? We know that he or she a Nord, for example, but we know nothing at all about the character beyond that. IMOP.

Because this isn't a Bioware or Obsidian game that has to rely on deep characters to tell a story. This is a Bethesda game and the focus is clearly on other areas where the aforementioned companies probably struggle.

Maybe they should hire me as a writer. I seem to posses a deeper understanding of storytelling. Plus, I am getting annoyed by the Arnold Schwarzenegger accent.




Bioware did a tremendous job with DA:O, but after being bought out by EA, they have gone down the proverbial tubes. Such is the way of the greedy corporate world today. Catering more to their investors than their customers. That's is what it is these days.

Obsidian botches everything they do, remember KOTOR 2? New Vegas was also the buggiest, most bland game ever and Fallout 3 actually had real atmosphere. Sure the companions were better and a couple other features, but that's it.

Get off Obsidian's nuts, they're really not that good.

/thread