Thoughts on dogs as online companions?

[Qu3ster]

I just brought this up in another thread. I think it would be a cool feature. Like say you get yourself a dog. It can serve as a hunting partner but also as an alert. Like if someone is nearby and you can't see them in your sight, the dog will start to growl. Like to me, this would be a really cool thing. 

[Cokeyskunk]

7 hours ago, Qu3ster said:

I just brought this up in another thread. I think it would be a cool feature. Like say you get yourself a dog. It can serve as a hunting partner but also as an alert. Like if someone is nearby and you can't see them in your sight, the dog will start to growl. Like to me, this would be a really cool thing. 

I like this. A lot. Dogs were important in the Old West -- as both companions and helpers. It would definitely be cool to be able to befriend a dog (or a WOLF!) and have it accompany you. You could even train it to attack.

Plus, even if it isn't in the game now, it's something the devs could add later in an update. 

Very good idea, sir. 

[Benjo]

Exactly like Far Cry though. I'm not saying it would be anything but a great addition but it's a bit too close to that franchise for me. 

[CMcC]

I'm for it. 100% . You're basically describing Boomer's role in Far Cry 5 but I used him a lot so I'd love to one in Red Dead.

[BropolloCreed79]

I'd actually expand on this idea and propose a myriad of options for a companion: dogs, doctors, harlots, pianomen, bartenders, farmers, or any other relevant role to the old West.

Have each option grant passive bluffs and diverse skill sets (to compliment the different play styles), and really immerse the player. Have the decision made for companion selection matter.  

[Benjo]

It would be bad if your horse died but by golly imagine if your F-ing dog died

[Archbell]

2 hours ago, BropolloCreed79 said:

I'd actually expand on this idea and propose a myriad of options for a companion: dogs, doctors, harlots, pianomen, bartenders, farmers, or any other relevant role to the old West.

Have each option grant passive bluffs and diverse skill sets (to compliment the different play styles), and really immerse the player. Have the decision made for companion selection matter.  

I like the idea of companions, Rockstar could definitely make it work. LOL, for me it would be Pianomen all the way.

[CMcC]

4 hours ago, Benjo said:

It would be bad if your horse died but by golly imagine if your F-ing dog died

I’d cry. 

[Gh0stRyder]

If this is an online thing, how would things work if the dog got shot and killed? Unless the dog doesn't actually attack other players, therefore, the dog can't be attacked or killed. I guess you can leave it open to being killed by other animals though if they aid with hunting. 

[Benjo]

2 hours ago, Gh0stRyder said:

If this is an online thing, how would things work if the dog got shot and killed? Unless the dog doesn't actually attack other players, therefore, the dog can't be attacked or killed. I guess you can leave it open to being killed by other animals though if they aid with hunting. 

If they did have something like this then I don't see why the online mechanism would need to work any differently to the offline mode. Dog gets shot, get another dog. 

In all seriousness though I would bet my house on this not being a feature. They spoke a lot about horses and things in the previews and your relationship with them - pretty sure something would have come up by now. 

[liquidfire]

I don't see it being a thing but I do like the idea. I know Far Cry did it and plenty of other games over the years offered a doggo companion in games but it would be suiting to have it be a think for RDR2, at least online. Maybe have it be something you can buy later on as DLC. 

[CMcC]

At the least, I predict a dog in the camp.

[#SadCowboy]

4 hours ago, CMcC said:

At the least, I predict a dog in the camp.

I was going to mention this. It was a common thing that travelers took a dog for alert purposes. I didn't spot any other than a stray mutt in the trailer but that gives me hope. I do love the idea the OP had here. 

[Hazed0NE]

I would like to see dogs play some kind of role online. It doesn't have to be as in depth as Far Cry or anything like that. Small features like this make online games more appealing longterm for me. 

[Benjo]

5 hours ago, Hazed0NE said:

I would like to see dogs play some kind of role online. It doesn't have to be as in depth as Far Cry or anything like that. Small features like this make online games more appealing longterm for me. 

The pet bears and cougars in FC were a bit silly but your interaction with the dog was semi-believable. It would have to be realistic and as they have done away with the "magic whistle" for your horse I wouldn't expect anything like that for a dog. 

[Reyes]

I never got why that would even be a thing in a game... like a pet bear? Really? I get that it is a game but that is not realistic at all. A cougar is possible but still very unlikely. Maybe a bobcat is as far as they should have gone with cats and wolves/foxes with canines. 

[Fribbo]

I'd like to see companions in the game,  but I'm not sure it will be a good idea to put them online, based on people constantly killing me and my horse in RDR or someone constantly blowing me and my personal vehicle in GTA. I have no doubt that players that do this will refrain themselves from killing your companion.

[BropolloCreed79]

19 hours ago, Fribbo said:

I'd like to see companions in the game,  but I'm not sure it will be a good idea to put them online, based on people constantly killing me and my horse in RDR or someone constantly blowing me and my personal vehicle in GTA. I have no doubt that players that do this will refrain themselves from killing your companion.

True.  I plan on being an incorrigible jackass when I play this online.

[Fribbo]

Ha, I never usually try to troll people and constantly kill them until they quit or I get a hate message, but I will definitely retaliate, unless it's different in RDR 2 where there are different roles which vary from Outlaws, Cattle Rustlers, Lawmen, Bounty Hunters, if it is like that I'm definitely choosing to be an outlaw. And having a companion by my side is too much of liability sadly.😂

[Anc1entC0re]

The only way I wouldn't mind it if it was protected. I don't want to see people running around killing each other's dogs to be trolls. Bad enough we know it will happen with our horses. 

[Glopez]

Maybe I am alone here but I don't think it is a good idea. Like for one, we will already have horses which will likely react to sounds and animals nearby. For all we know, they will alert us of other players being close by so in that sense, why would we need a dog to alert us? Another thing to that comes to mind is what C0re mentioned, people would end up just trolling each other by killing their dogs. I put dogs int he same category as kids getting shot at. I just don't want to see it in a game. It is one thing if the animals are wild but comes on. It will be bad enough knowing your horse can get killed by other players. 

[Cokeyskunk]

2 minutes ago, Glopez said:

Maybe I am alone here but I don't think it is a good idea. Like for one, we will already have horses which will likely react to sounds and animals nearby. For all we know, they will alert us of other players being close by so in that sense, why would we need a dog to alert us? Another thing to that comes to mind is what C0re mentioned, people would end up just trolling each other by killing their dogs. I put dogs int he same category as kids getting shot at. I just don't want to see it in a game. It is one thing if the animals are wild but comes on. It will be bad enough knowing your horse can get killed by other players. 

I think they should make dogs unkillable. Just have them run off when fired at or near an explosion. 

[SNAK3S]

On 8/30/2018 at 4:02 PM, Cokeyskunk said:

I think they should make dogs unkillable. Just have them run off when fired at or near an explosion. 

Oh you mean like how they will likely have the children protected? I know they will but they haven't gone into details about it. 

My only thing with this is that you can kill a horse so it kind of seems unfair especially because we build "relationships" with said horses. 

[LinXX]

I would rather have a cat but that wouldn't be an option for obvious reasons lol 

I like the idea of having a dog as a means to find items, help guard your campsite, and give off warnings. 

[Benjo]

Surely we would have seen a dog in the gameplay trailer at least once if this was a thing?

[Hazed0NE]

10 hours ago, Benjo said:

Surely we would have seen a dog in the gameplay trailer at least once if this was a thing?

This is specifically online though and there were a few dogs in the trailers just not interacting with anyone I believe. 

[Benjo]

6 hours ago, Hazed0NE said:

This is specifically online though and there were a few dogs in the trailers just not interacting with anyone I believe. 

Yeah I saw the dogs, they were in the original screens, but I mean in the gameplay video there was nothing like what we're talking about here. Also, we'd see companion dogs in SP long before online if it were a thing. 

[TheHansonGoons]

I love the idea as a dog for a companion. I used to take Dogmeat with me everywhere. Felt like a Mad Max vibe. 

Being online and having people shoot at or mistreat my dog is a concern. I would hate to have to ride out for three days to track down someone that harmed my dog and burn his camp down.

This does also raise the question of can people harm our horses? Will trappers try to take other animals off us? I picture being very frustrated bonding with my horse for a while and him being shot by a train robber.

Also, say someone does, god forbid, harm man's best friend, how would online tracking work? How can I seek out that gamertag to exact revenge?]

Eye for an eye, mutt for a mutt.

[DaveSpeek]

On 9/10/2018 at 10:14 AM, TheHansonGoons said:

I love the idea as a dog for a companion. I used to take Dogmeat with me everywhere. Felt like a Mad Max vibe. 

Being online and having people shoot at or mistreat my dog is a concern. I would hate to have to ride out for three days to track down someone that harmed my dog and burn his camp down.

This does also raise the question of can people harm our horses? Will trappers try to take other animals off us? I picture being very frustrated bonding with my horse for a while and him being shot by a train robber.

Also, say someone does, god forbid, harm man's best friend, how would online tracking work? How can I seek out that gamertag to exact revenge?]

Eye for an eye, mutt for a mutt.

I am guessing the horses respawn like cars did in GTA, if dogs were added, likely be the same deal. I also expect a charge of sorts to replace the horses but nothing to outrageous. 

[RON]

If I was able to have a dog online, I would name it after my own dog... Thomas. 

Is Thomas were to get hit by a train, it would be an ironic tragedy. If he were to get shot... I would end up making it my life's mission to find that player every time they are online and shoot them dead for months on end.