Companions are a defining feature of BioWare's RPGs. The band of NPC followers who join your party in games like Baldur's Gate and Dragon Age weren't just a collection of yes-elves who quietly went along with every decision you made. They pushed back and disagreed, and would sometimes leave to go do their own thing. Each of those companions had a distinct personality and voice. That's why there's still no better argument-starter among BioWare's players than asking who the best and worst BioWare companions are. (Jacob defense squad, represent.)
And so, when a group of veteran RPG designers came together for a recent GDC roundtable hosted by PC Gamer, the question of how the writers managed their casts came up. Obsidian's Josh Sawyer took the opportunity to ask Mike Laidlaw, "At BioWare, was there a standard method for the development of the cast of companions and individual companions?"
