I don't think he's going to know a thing. He believes that you simply stepped out for 200 years and are now back for dinner. I'm thinking we'll get the 411 in the vault. (I'm assuming that we'll be waking up and escaping from it and learning what happened to it in the process.)

Cogsworth:

"I am sincerely sorry for being able to maintain your garden sir, I can only do so much when the petunias are making my geiger counter warning trigger."

"I have been keeping your house pest free sir, no hooligans or overgrown flies in YOUR property no sir!"

"...I have to confess tough sir, those...things, I believe I heard the locals call them molerats. They have been hounding your prized petunias ever since you left. Day in day out, those vermin keep coming back!"

So what would you like out of Codsworth as a companion or Dogmeat?

What changes would make them better more interesting characters and companions?

Ever play Mass Effect: If so what makes those characters memorable?

What changes or improvements would make Dog meat and /or Codsworth more interesting, useful companions for you?

Is hokey, cutsey, or crazy enough?

If you wouldn't bother with them as companions, why not?

Would you even bother to have the Cogsworth described above as a companion/?

If not why not? If so, why?

Same with Dog meat?

What changes would you see as an improvement?

I would like to have bots as cargo carriers capable of maybe hiding with or defenting my loot, gear and supplies from looters, while i go into dangerous situations and clear the way.

They carry or even help salvage loot for me, as opposed to magical pockets that hold rifles, quantities of ammo and loot like armour and power armor. Maybe upgrade him to ducted fans like the original handy bots, and more manipulators instead of a thruster, on the fallout wiki of found reference of these Mr. Handy bots having about 200 pounds carry capacity. http://s271.photobucket.com/user/Gizmojunk/media/Gizmojunk001/robots_zpsfkky3eki.jpg.html%C2%A0%C2%A0(first bot on left.)

Maybe be able to help me craft or repair my gear or help heal me in the field, as opposed to magical stim packs and potions.

This is what I want of a handy bot. What would you want from bots or Dogmeat to make them worth more to you, or would they even be worth you while, and if not why not?

I'm thinking as a survivor of the old world with those memories fresh in my mind, as opposed to someone who's known nothing but post apocalypse survival.

Well I don't know enough about codsworth to say how it could be better. I already decided my character will be slightly paranoid about that thing (thinking it was always judging and looking down on my parenting skills). I'll probably leave it to guard any loot at the house early game. Then maybe dismantle it later, depending how I feel.

As for the dog, I think dogs are hilarious. They are very clever animals in the stupidest way possible (if that makes any sense). So I hope he's not just an invincible finding, killing and carrying machine. It would be cool if he does dumb dog things then looks at you expecting a biscuit for his efforts.

I don't need them to be anything but a dog and a robot. If I can keep them as companions but have them remain behind at home, that would be the ideal situation for my play style. I get to pretend they're protecting my home and stuff while I go off and explore the world. It also gives me a reason to go back to the home.. to check on my dog and my robot.

I like and respect your points, I have been blessed with nine dogs and out lived seven, I've learned early to watch out for them, they die easy (and all to soon anyways,) and it is loosing family when they do. (Smart dogs know how to make you smile, because they love you too.)

Some life long reflexes are not turned off in a game. I want my dogs fast, smart and manuverable enough to avoid harm if I'm taking them out where that is needed. I have 50 years of protect the children, women and dogs in me, given time most gamers who live will get here. Might as well design that into these games.

The only thing I would want him to carry is K-9 armor (bots are for carrying), make damn sure to keep your dog from fighting anything they can't handle, in the days of the coluseum bettors felt it took 3 fighting Mastiffs to match most bears, 5 most lions.

If he can dodge and distract things he can't kill so I have time to kill it great, if he can easily kill most people, ghouls and adversaries what's up? Are they weaker than the average dog ,or he more powerful?

I hear that in this game the dog can't die, I will treat him like he can, I am more really more comfortable that way, and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this.

Good options,

My choice would be a mobile base camp for looting and salvage, try and fix up three or four pack bots for the carry capability of a small work truck, carry tools and gear to repair my bots, weapons and gear.

I'd like to not have to return home or to a trader everytime to resupply, or repair salvage (bots to help carry have long range and high mobility.) If you can have brahmin caravans why not pack bots?

Any changes you would want to be able the make to Codsworth over time, or abilities that Dog meat should have that you would want them as travel companions?

No idea, but i am surely going to replace him with http://static-8.nexusmods.com/15/mods/130/images/53683-2-1395540252.jpg, for scientific reasons ofcourse.

I would hope tis android has been developed like a Veronica type companion.

I would like Codsworth to be a lead carry bot with maybe some escape and evasion skills gained over two centuries of survival in a wasteland that is allegedly more dangerous than an urban ghetto.

Yes I know "this is just a game" but it has so much potential to be so much more to so many more people. Admittedly at new release prices this is not likely to be a big seller in ghettos. As time passes and the price comes down it could be popular on word of mouth if it is the game it is made out to be, and they bother to make available options for people with the experience and instincts to feel "this looks good, but this doesn't feel right, too much of this doesn't add up, these would be useless here."

For anybody with any life experience in a tough American urban ghetto, much less a third world urban ghetto, how bad is this wasteland even with radioactive mutants easily killed or out done by a single average dog? How does a goofy butler bot evade people desperately scavenging to survive for 200 years without some escape and evasion skills?

How do you develop theses skills? Maybe you learn when you are captured because your skills are not good enough, and you have to learn to escape until you get it right.

So far most gamers responding to this don't seem to feel Codsworth or Dogmeat would be good companions out in these wastelands.

Well I believe the dog can be incapacitated until you heal him. No one wants to see a dog hurt, surely. So I think we can play to avoid that at all costs.

I just hope we have a dog that acts like a dog. I'm sure Bethesda put thousands of hours into modelling and animation for it, but did they put any time into make a doggie personality we can get attached to? Things like:

- He's afraid of some creatures and will run away

- Ghouls smell wrong to him. While you talk to them, he'll hide behind your legs and whimper.

- if a Vertibird passes overhead, he'll chase after it barking

- If you send him off to "find something good", and he finds a ball or stick, he'll ignore all the stuff you want and come back tail waging with what he thinks is important. (the player of course knows there's probably still loot worth having, just that someone didn't do his job properly)

Note, none of those examples help the player at all. But who wants a perfect companion?

What?

A dog that comes up tail wagging with an old toy he or she just found (hopefully not a teddy bear), because he or she obviously wants to play.

Maybe when there is no danger near he finds something like a piece of rope, comes up crouches down in a playful stance. butt high, tail wagging, paws spread in readiness to dart of in any direction and shakes it at you because he likes to tug with you,

They can't talk to but they can come and lie down at your feet, if you get a chance to stop, sit and rest, they sit and lean against your leg, head up, ears shifting in different directions as they listen and watch, speaking volumes without a voice actor. Look up at you with just their eyes, without tipping their head.

Little shows of affection and caring, other characters would not try to convey by word or deed.

They can also show such affection or not to other companions and beings met along the way. Maybe sniff at a ghoul or other mutant who has a dog and "says you must smell my dog", let them kneel down and stroke him and say something a true dog lover would say about dogs.

Probably too late to bring this about in this game, but still a good time to get people to start talking and thinking about such things for DLC, mods, or the next game.

I am suggesting Codsworth had an AI that was programmed to serve and learn.

Handy bots had a gripper for tools and such, a rotary power tool with a saw blade, and a torch for repairing plumbing. They were home maintenance bots that could be programmed for other task like personal servant and cook. To clean house, probably care for family pets, do maid and/or butler work while family out to work, school etc during the day.

Probably left at home with animals while people fled for the shelters, vaults, their lives, fled the radiation, or died. In the years before people came back maybe he spoke to a surviving dog, possibly the family dog, starved for the sound of a friendly voice, and they stayed together until the dog died.

Could have done his best to care for a dog or two until people started coming back probably as looters or raiders. Maybe captured he was but able to escape after a few years when his captors got sloppy. Maybe went through this several times over two centuries.

My hope for Codsworth, more than anything, is that he's sort of the comedic relief companion. I'd love for him to crack an occasional joke or make little random quips once in a while. It would also be cool to be able to upgrade him in some fashion, such as turn him into a Mr. Gutsy or Mr. Orderly (From Old World Blues).

As for Dogmeat... meh. Don't like dogs, so I'm not even going to bother with him.

I agree with the personality modules. Mr gutsy would be great. But even the Mr Handy in FO3 had cool personality quirks. "How May I serve you Master?" and mutters "not that I really want to."

I uh, okay. I'm not getting this whole dog thing.

Chip said

I uh, okay. I'm not getting this whole dog thing.

In real life for their short comings as you get to know each other a dog can easily be the best companion you've ever had if you have the time to come to know what what each of you expects and needs of each other. If Dogmeat is done right you might find yourself replaying the game again because you want to explore more of the game with him or her.

He's been back in every game in one form or another since his introduction for a reason, he is considered one of the top ten companions in gaming for a reason, and probably has the potential to bring enough gamers to the game to give Bethesda the resources to take the next installment to the next level in half the time of this one.

Check him out yourself, he'll probably leave you with a higher opinion of a dog as a companion, possibly start you looking at and interacting with real dogs different.

Eh, I wouldn't count on it. Growing up, my mother loved dogs (Dad not so much, but he rarely said anything.) To make a long story short, I grew up in a household with no less than six "inside" dogs at a time. These varied in size, from yorkies all the way to German shepherds and Saint Bernards.

Needless to say, I've have my fair share of experiences with dogs. And I don't like them. Cats are much more style (grew up with four of those too.) I just have no desire to experience one as a companion in a Fallout game. I may try it once, just for the sake of trying it, but I don't imagine I'll like it. Could be wrong though. As far as changing my opinion on actual dogs though, I don't foresee that happening. Too many actual experiences for that. That isn't to say I hate them or anything of the sort however.

Now, I'm not denying their good companions, and if you like them, more power to you. Definitely not saying they shouldn't be in the game, or they shouldn't be expanded upon, just that I don't really care for them at all. I'm not really an animal person to tell the truth.

Not everything works for everyone, but a lot of people have no interaction with dogs other than from a distance, a digital character isn't a real dog but can be a chance to get a feel for what they are like, without actually hanging with them.

How many sci-fi game characters helped you form a positive opinion about characters, species and races that do not exist, that you wanted them to reoccur in the next release?

Maybe wish they existed like that in the real world?

Screw dog meat Jr and mr handy... Going to find a shed and park them. It's stupid IMO to have them available minute one of the game.

They are apparently acquired early in the game, but who knows yet how much happens between coming out of stasis or whatever, and getting home to Codsworth who apparently is not in great shape to travel and needs repairs and possibly parts. Nor do we know how soon he finds Dogmeat, or gets to where he acquires the power armor.