Forum:Terminology: "Followers"

I think we should settle on an "offical" term for NPCs who can join your party; the current setup is somewhat confusing. At the moment, the respective category is called "joinable non-player characters", the links in the sidebar are labelled "companions" and the overview pages are called " followers" (e.g. Fallout 3 followers).

So, which of the following would you prefer:
 * Companion
 * Follower
 * Joinable non-player character
 * Recruitable non-player character

-- Porter21 (talk) 07:47, April 20, 2010 (UTC)

Recruitable NPC seems most fitting to me, since the can "recruited" by the PC at nearly any time. Also, most of the time they are not real "companions" (with the exceptions of good karma NPC's), just fellow travelers. Thats just my opinion. Ghouly89 (Talk)07:58, April 20, 2010 (UTC)

I favor "Followers." It is brief without being imprecise. "Recruitable NPCs" would also be acceptable, if that gets more support from folks. I object to "Joinable NPCs," because they are not joinable; the player character is. They join you, not the other way around. I also object to "Companions," since that term caters to the roleplay crowd, is imprecise, and has unwanted connotations.--Gothemasticator 08:12, April 20, 2010 (UTC)


 * I think the terminology should be thus:
 * Joinable NPCs


 * Temporary followers
 * Party members
 * Or just Party members, divided into regular (no prefix) and Temporary party members. The advantage of that approach is that the games (at least the classics) use the term "Player party" to refer to the player and his followers. http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/fallout/images/0/08/Personal_Sig_Image.gif Tagaziel (call!) 08:19, April 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * I could go for Grizzly's approach, with the note that I still object to the backwards usage of the word "joinable."--Gothemasticator 08:22, April 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * Never said it should be used, I just included it as a sort of master category :) However, I think the division "Party members"\"Temporary party members" is succint enough. http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/fallout/images/0/08/Personal_Sig_Image.gif Tagaziel (call!) 08:30, April 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * How can I resist when Grizzly uses a smiley?--Gothemasticator 09:30, April 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * I agree with Party members. It is the most general way to put it. Also agree that joinable is the worst option. Ghouly89 (Talk)23:44, April 20, 2010 (UTC)


 * Well, personally I'd favor "followers". "Joinable NPCs" is somewhat imprecise, "companions" seems somewhat unfitting for the Fallout setting, and "recruitable non-player characters" is a bit too lengthy for my liking. "Followers" is also the standard term used in the game files of FO3 (and likely FNV as well). "Party members" isn't bad either, but at least for me, it's not as clear (I can foresee quite a few issues stemming from people not realizing the term is supposed to refer to the player party). Just my 2 cents. -- Porter21 (talk) 17:36, April 22, 2010 (UTC)
 * I'm in favor of "followers" as well. Ausir(talk) 20:06, April 22, 2010 (UTC)
 * On the other hand, while "followers" is used in game files of FO3, "companions" is used in the user interface (companion wheel) of FNV. Ausir(talk) 13:15, May 1, 2010 (UTC)
 * Yeah, I was thinking about that as well. I think right now we can't be sure it'll be called that ingame though. The only mentions I've found of it were in the previews, and the magazines might've used the term since it's more familiar to the general RPG-playing populace (and the reviewers themselves). The title used in one of the previews was "wheel of friendship", but I don't think that's the official name either.
 * For FO3, the official term is definitely "followers": it's not only in the game files, the official game guide calls them "followers" as well.
 * Of course, we could call the master category "Recruitable NPCs" and then name the game-specific category whatever is most appropriate for the game in question, but I think one term used consistently would be clearer. -- Porter21 (talk) 13:28, May 1, 2010 (UTC)
 * Actually, we are sure that they're called companions in-game in FNV. See: File:FNV screenshot companion wheel.jpg. Ausir(talk) 18:59, May 1, 2010 (UTC)
 * Ah, that's a newer version of the wheel than the one I've seen (the one I saw didn't have the text at the top). You're right then. Doesn't change our options much though. -- Porter21 (talk) 19:07, May 1, 2010 (UTC)
 * Considering this new info, I'm in favor of "Recruitable NPCs" as the master category and main overview page title, with "Followers" being the FO3 specific page title and whatever is appropriate for the other games.--Gothemasticator 19:08, May 1, 2010 (UTC)
 * I dislike using different names for each game. Whatever name we choose, I'd prefer it to be used for all games, since otherwise it will just be confusing. I'm in favor of companions now, since it's the only name that's actually used in-game (as opposed to just game files or guides), but I'll be fine with either of the proposed names, as long as it's applied consistently to all games. Ausir(talk) 19:27, May 1, 2010 (UTC)

I still think Party Members is the best option, as you cans imply make it "Player's Party Members" and apply it without much problems. http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/fallout/images/0/08/Personal_Sig_Image.gif Tagaziel (call!) 19:25, May 1, 2010 (UTC)
 * "Party members" is used in the official Fallout 2 guide, written by lead designer Matt Norton. Ausir(talk) 19:44, May 1, 2010 (UTC)
 * Well, I'd say that if we discount the FO3 guide the same is valid for the FO2 one. Like Ausir, I'd prefer one term to be used; currently I'd lean towards "companions" as it's the most commonly used term in RPGs in general plus it appears to be the only one actually used ingame. "Party members" I'd consider counterintuitive for players of FO3 and FNV, as the companions/followers are nowhere referred to as the player's "party". Sure, it's not incorrect but it's certainly not the term those readers would be searching for. -- Porter21 (talk) 20:48, May 1, 2010 (UTC)
 * "Party members" is actually used in FO2 in game files as well, just like with "followers" in FO3. But anyway, "companions" is also more politically correct term than "followers". :) Also, with followers there might be confusion when someone talks about the Followers of the Apocalypse (who will reappear in FNV). Ausir(talk) 21:41, May 1, 2010 (UTC)
 * If I could chime in for just one moment, I would suggest the term "Companions" over all the rest, as it simply has a better ring to it than all the rest. Considering the fact that the term isn't a part of any preexisting convention, it would make sense to go with the term that best fits the description. Party Members and Followers both work, but they detract, somewhat, from the reality of the game and seem more like the terminology of game mechanics than how the characters who follow you would be referred to by others in the game. Beyond that, other games use it, too -- and it sounds nicer. Sol Invictus 21:44, May 1, 2010 (UTC)

By the way, I wouldn't change Fallout Tactics recruits to whatever the consensus is here because of major differences between how they are recruited, used, etc. Ausir(talk) 21:48, May 1, 2010 (UTC)

I just checked and Fallout 2 uses "companions" in-game as well. Magnetic Personality perk in-game description: "You get 1 extra slot in your companion limit, but don't forget that more than 5 is always a crowd.". Ausir(talk) 21:55, May 1, 2010 (UTC)

If we just get one name for consistency's sake, then I'll go along with "Companions." Not to my personal liking, but, it's got in-game usage in more than one game, it's understandable by wiki visitors, and at least it's only one word.--Gothemasticator 03:34, May 2, 2010 (UTC)

Quick note
(made the heading so it would be noticed)


 * One last note to add before the descision is made: In Fallout, quest names refer to "Recruitable" as the favorable terminology, like in Recruit Ian, and Recruit Tycho. If there were to be separate terminology by game it applies to, I would choose recruitable for the older games, and companion for the newer ones. Ghouly89 (Talk)05:38, May 2, 2010 (UTC)
 * Edit: @Ausir Unless you still feel that there should be a single, unified term for the games, I stick by my statement.
 * Yes, there should be one word for all games. And the term "recruitable NPC" is not used in-game, the verb "recruit" is, which does make a difference. You can still recruit someone even if you call him a "companion". Ausir(talk) 09:16, May 2, 2010 (UTC)
 * For what it's worth, the questnames in FO3 are "Hiring XYZ" in the game files, despite the terminology clearly being "followers" otherwise (the quests' editor IDs are "FollowersHireXYZ" even). I don't think we can derive much from the verb. -- Porter21 (talk) 09:29, May 2, 2010 (UTC)
 * Understandable, I just feel like it fits for Fallout regardless, considering the overall difference in atmosphere from the other games. Very well, recruitable NPC is off the board. Ghouly89 (Talk) 04:47, May 3, 2010 (UTC)

Recruitable NPC
May be lengthy, but used in-game in Fallout. Vote for strictly Fallout terminology.
 * Yes - Ghouly89 Talk

Companions
Used in-game in Fallout 2 and Fallout: New Vegas, as well as in some Fallout 2 game files.
 * Yes - Ausir(talk)
 * Yes - Sol Invictus
 * Yes - Gothemasticator
 * Yes - Ghouly89 Talk
 * Yes - Porter21 (talk)
 * Yes - Telos Talk

Followers
Used in Fallout 3 game files and official guide. Not used in-game.

Party members
Used in Fallout 2 game files and official guide. Not used in-game.
 * Yes - http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/fallout/images/0/08/Personal_Sig_Image.gif Tagaziel (call!)

Poll finished
Consensus: "Companion" should be used as the standard term for a recruitable NPC (with the exception of recruits in Fallout Tactics). Categories and overview pages will be renamed accordingly. Thanks for participating in the discussion :) -- Porter21 (talk) 07:54, May 11, 2010 (UTC)
 * Yay! The system works. :)--Gothemasticator 12:42, May 11, 2010 (UTC)
 * Is there currently an overview page for Fallout 1 and Fallout 2 companions NPC's? If so, I will see to changing around the names of the templates for those games, and such. Ghouly89 (Talk) 01:43, May 13, 2010 (UTC)
 * These overview pages didn't exist, but I've created them now. I've also gone ahead and updated the navboxes, hope you don't mind. Thanks for making me aware :) -- Porter21 (talk) 07:07, May 13, 2010 (UTC)