Common Behaviors

=Disclaimer, please read first= This is a huge topic. There is no in-game chat or speech option, other than using chirps and body language to reach an understanding; understanding/interacting with other Companions often requires a fair level of nuance and it may take multiple Journeys to develop a better understanding of possible behaviors/meanings on a collective level. This article is about behaviors that were observed by Journeyers or Journeyers explaining how they behave. It's like a scientific paper about movement and chirping behavior seen in the game.

It might help you to find the answer to the below scenarios:
 * You met a companion and they "behaved weirdly"
 * "My companion did this/that and I want to find out what they were trying to communicate"
 * You want to express something, but don't know how to convey the message

Additionally, it's up to your companion's understanding/skill/willingness to understand you.

People are different and behave differently. Enjoy being an investigator! Write your observations or favorite acts into this article!

"There are no mean companions"
It's a dogma, don't question it!

There are many reasons why a companion might seem to ignore you, doesn't want to follow you, is just running in circles or sitting down and never coming back. Reasons may be:
 * The cat previously on their lap is mysteriously on their keyboard.
 * "Hurr durr companions aren't real"
 * Forgetting they are in the game after tabbing,
 * Their house is burning.
 * Their resident forest is burning.
 * Being disturbed by a nearby child, or perhaps it is a child playing who may not fully understand the game.
 * They are tired and can't concentrate.
 * They don't know what you want to show,
 * They don't want to go in that glitch.
 * They haven't sufficiently mastered game controls / can't keep up with you, possibly due to an empty scarf
 * They want to explore the area alone or in a different manner
 * They get nervous when companions are present and starts failing at everything
 * Thinks you are a bot
 * They are eating and can't play with both hands at once, leading to slowness

What to add here
There are some common behaviors almost everyone shows, to communicate a message to their companion. Add: forms of communication possibilities.


 * Write down what you do, to show "i need to quit/having a break", "wait here" etc.
 * Gather information about common politeness.

General info
It's considered nice behavior to try to stay with your companion, fly quickly to a place together and then spend the saved time there (for example), warm each other in Snow, etc. --> better together :)
 * Of course, there are situations when you need to leave your companion, see above
 * Or your companion is busy training flying in Broken Bridge
 * Wanted to check on other things, alone

Just keep in mind, there are many longtime players out there who want to show stuff the know, so you might leave a disappointed companion behind or worse: missing out on new secrets!!

Just treat companions as you want to be treated.

If one starts to lead the other somewhere, it doesn't mean the other person doesn't has to show something. So keep in mind, even when you are the leader, give your companion a break to enjoy the scenery or indicate that they want to show you something now. Also, especially if they are a Red Robe, be mindful of whether their scarf is charged, as that may slow them down. It's about companionship and making the journey for your companion a good experience!

It's also considered nice behavior to wait before you go into the light circle. If your companion is too far behind and can't reach the circle in time, a disconnect will occur. Additionally, they might think you can't wait for them or perhaps aren't interested in them, so they might give up on following you.

The best approach is to think how you journey and what you'd like to see in companions... like the common saying "treat others like you want to be treated".

Chirping, singing, chime
The chirp-language is very intuitive. Some chirp a lot, some almost never chirp, others chirp continuously, yet more others only when needed for flying, etc.

A big chirp is often used to signal one's location when the players are trying to find each other. Not to be confused with the big Chirp to help with Tandem Flying or big chirps as protest... A Chirp has to be seen in context of the situation and the Companion's behavior, and often requires some nuance and practice to interpret.

Steam Guide about different meaning for chirps, to give an idea what people commonly might mean with some chirps :)

I need a break
Especially if you formed a bond with your companion, they might wait 15 minutes or even longer for you to come back. Assuming you don't know who your companion is, please don't let them wait forever. If you know you will not return within a certain time, quit the game! You can select continue and start at the same level where you quit next time you start the game. You will still receive the name at the (CMATW).

To show that you need a short break, get the attention of your companion, then sit down, maybe even several times until they chirp in a comprehending way.

To sit, press the menu button, keyboard: Enter or activating the screensaver and moving camera. See How to play guide for Journey.

Your Companion might sit down too. Some Companions use the break to jump around, push you somewhere or train their flying. As long as they are not angrily chirping at you, they know how to entertain themselves for some minutes. On the other side of things, if a break is taking too long for you and you want to go on, you can try some big chirps so that the other person might hear them and realize you want to go on. If they do not respond, it's on you to decide: either wait longer, or move on and leave your friend behind.

Toilet breaks, etc. can be done during cutscenes and the following moments after. Your companion might guess you went away and if you don't move immediately, they will know you are not back yet. The cutscenes breaks are normally rather short, as you also have the time of the HL video where none can move anyway.

Saying goodbye
Often happens right before or after a Cutscene. Companions would know they can't go on longer, but might still go to the end of the level with you. They may give you hints before the History Lesson by sitting down. They might exhibit related behavior such as stopping to walk, sitting down several times, accompanied by sad small chirps and then dusting (quitting the game).

Wait here / Stand sit stand sit behavior
Often used by "pro-players" to show certain glitches or by anyone to be able to push you off a ledge (it's funny, not mean at all). They will make you go to a certain place and sit down. When you sit down there too, they will stand up. You can stand up too, to make sure what they want. If they sit down again and stand up when you sit, it's rather clear. STAY SEATED!! until they come back or something happens ;-)

Where do you want to go? Who leads?
Often it's hard to know who is the more advanced Wayfarer; even RR can be very advanced players in disguise. 2 WR standing and just moving a little when the other does, is a sign for "who wants to lead? Not me...". Standing some steps behind your companion shows them you are willing to follow them closely. Moving some steps in both relevant directions (further on or "that-thing-i-want-to-show") and/or chirping at the ends of the path could be seen asking "Here? Or here?".

Lag?
Yes it exists. It seems to happen on all PS3/PS4/PC/IOS. You will see your companion just standing and then very fast moving. Maybe they seem to fly, but not moving from their place and then being suddenly somewhere else. This is normally how it looks like, but to a newcomer it could be confusing and also they might also confuse "this is a lag" with Fancy Flying stuff :)

Here is a video how it can look: Please see the Talk:Common Behaviors page if you can explain why the companions scarf just didn't charge on the chirp.

Quote on "ignoring companions", we all get them from time to time.
Many people try their best to stick with their Companion. Having an ignoring companion is a test for your patience. Sometimes Companions start to recognise that you are a nice person, that it's fun to walk together and chirp to charge each other.

You probably will not find out what they had in mind and why they "did not see" you."Well. I just had my second companion experience—but my first frustrating companion experience. :/

I think they were new, judging by their robe, so they may just have not known what they were doing

But they kept charging ahead and ignoring me, which led to them getting hit by guardians twice while I was trying to show them a safe route. We were together for a bit and I kept charging them up when I could, but I got briefly turned around in a waterfall at the end and they just completely left me behind.

(I also waited for them each time they got hit until they made it back to me.)

I also skipped the last glyph--I haven't gotten white robe yet--because i was trying to help them. Hrmph.)"

- Thistlefoot, discord 2020-03-01 "this is a quote"

- by me

Further guides

 * Companions
 * Problem:Losing Companions
 * Companions Met Along the Way (CMATW)