God Damn MP!

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January 26, 2010 at 1:13 am #15332

Doc-B
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Why is it the new trend to add a lack luster MP experience to otherwise very strong AAA single player games? Not all games are being affected by this move yet, but with an ever growing trend towards online gaming how long before developers feel that MP is a must have and games start suffering?

MP has reared it’s head in a few games to date with mixed success… We’ll start with the obvious and look at MW2, a game built on MP to be honest. Prob. the biggest online console game on the market and pretty strong on the MP front but for that the single player dies a quiet death… It’s pretty pish, no?

Then there’s the Uncharted 2, Res. Evil, Wolfenstien. A single player experiance with MP built in MP… Already known games trying something new, does it work? I think for the part you forgive them there sorrows because of their predecessors. The Uncharted 2 MP is pretty good if a little under-populated, the wolfenstien reminds me of the N64 (good or not you decide) and i didn’t play Res Evil to comment…

Finally there’s your Unreal III, Borderlands and Civ. Rev. Pretty much MP only with a slice of afterthought to single player thrown in. I’d say these games, with exception to Borderlands, might feel it necesary to fit in with the other console games? Borderland on the other hand i fell benifits greatly from the MP, making the game less boring. The greater diff. and better loot made the game take off. Borderlands would have suffered more with a weak MP rather than no MP.

Is the growing MP trend a good thing? What do you think? With the ever escalating trend for seemingly obvious single player campaigns to have MP, is it just to fill space on the disc… All with furiating trophy’s, meaning playing one game for months at a time or solid for a few weeks… Fine for the poorer of us gamers, but not me. I’ve to work, Plat games and have a life… And yes the MP trophies bug me… In my opinion, that doesn’t count for much i know, is that MP should be treated like DLC and not needed for the Plat, just boasting rights.

Give me your feedback and comments on MP and the future of MP, where do you think itm will take us and do you think developers should think more before adding MP, or taking more time to make MP a more polished experiance? Please let me know…

Don’t pick on any mistakes i may have made or things i have overlooked, My big NO for MP is Dead Space 2.

January 26, 2010 at 1:14 am #56253

Doc-B
Member

It didn't look look like this before i posted it. I apologise for how it reads… Have patience and read it all

January 26, 2010 at 1:19 am #56254

Ratchet525
Member

Theres are games that fit will with Mutliplayer and there are games that dont. For example, inFamous doesn't need multiplayer and god forbid it does get it. Uncharted did the right thing and has the best of both worlds with an hella awesome SP and an amazing Multiplayer.

Yes, developers should think before adding MP to games like inFamous cause do you really think it'll work?

Then theres games that don't really need multiplayer like Ratchet and Clank (but it would be nice if they brought it back :P) and God of War. Multiplayer isn't really necessary if you make a long laster single player expierence.

January 26, 2010 at 12:48 pm #56262

tridon
Member

I share most of your thoughts. Multiplayer can be fun at times, but for the most part, I usually find it boring. I'd much rather have my brother or one of my friends over to play with me in the same room than play against some stranger half-way across the globe. I especially love the people who display vulgarity and rudeness towards you because they didn't want you in their game, or they don't think you're good enough. I can't even begin to tell you how many times this happens to me. Probably for every one out of three times I play online, I'll receive this experience. Sorry, but I have better things to do then be called “a worthless f*#ker” because I missed a shot.

If the game is based around multiplayer, then all the power to that game. But it shouldn't be shoved down people's throats by being placed in game that should've been a single-player game only. It seems like every single AAA title coming out now has multiplayer. This is why 'Heavy Rain' and 'God of War III' will be a breath of fresh air. I especially hate it when to receive a platinum in some games, you have to do a bunch of stuff in online multiplayer. This is stupid because not everyone has the best connection, plus, if you buy the game a year or two down the road, chances are, you won't be able to receive a platinum because there'll be no one to play against online in that game.

If I want to play on online game, I'll stick to my 'Battlefield 1943'. That is literally the only online multiplayer I've truly 100% loved (I was a huge fan of '1942' on the PC back in the day). Chances are, if you want to play against me, that's the only place you'll me online. The rest of the time, I'll be playing a single player game because my favorite thing about video games has always been the storyline of the game. I can't receive that online.

January 26, 2010 at 1:41 pm #56263

Antony19
Member

i have to say that in some games mutiplayer is not going to fit. In Bioshock 2 is going to fit but in Assassins creed and Dead space 2 it will not work

January 26, 2010 at 6:33 pm #56274

Doc-B
Member

– I don't see how you can say that MP will suit Bioshock 2 but not Dead Space 2? What's the great big diff like? I'd like to see more co-op MP put into games as it's not a giant step away from the single player modes… Uncharted 2 co-op is well done.

It's the competitive modes i dislike, not on all games obviously, just those unsuited to MP… With Res. Evil the MP was DLC meaning they had more time to refine it… More and more i feel the MP experience is just there to steal my time… Stop me from trading my games… I mean doesn't it drive you crazy all the – kill 10000 players, get 1000000xp etc.

The riddick trophies' were a crock of sh!t, the Avp MP not being too far off… And if it's not a popular game you can struggle to even find a match… As Ratchet525 said, make games longer. Don't just slap on a repetitive MP with grind-fest trophies…

Longer more epic game play is the answer, not a dull, repetitive, half-assed attempt at MP!

January 26, 2010 at 8:13 pm #56276

Antony19
Member

Dd space is a TPS and also how are we going to run it doesnt have a cover system beacause in the SP they are never shooting you. Co-op mode will be fine they also could put something like survival. Where you and other you truy to survive as long as you can

January 26, 2010 at 8:33 pm #56280

Doc-B
Member

They could easily implement a cover system into DS2… And Uncharted 2 is a TPS… If they wanted to they could do anything they want to butcher a sequel, people will still buy it if the first was good. I'm sure we've not seen the best MP experience just yet but on the flip-side we surly ain't seen the worst.

And i don't even mean the worst playing MP, I'm talking about the worst use of MP in a game however nice it looks and runs… Adding a no point MP can sometimes ruin the feel you get about a game, and make you think twice about parting with your money. I only played Uncharted 2 because my friend gave me a shot and that was sweet game… The MP was good and the trophy's were the best I've seen – play one co-op game, play one competitive… Ideal in my mind, no get to level 50 pish I've come to expect nowadays…

Good MP will sensible trophies, not ok MP with horrable grind fest 20+ trophy lists…

January 26, 2010 at 9:55 pm #56287

BigWoopMagazine
Member

Ok so… this is a complicated topic. In general, almost all games benefit in some respect from multiplayer. That respect is sales. When a game has multiplayer, it gives players a reason to own the game, rather than renting, because it will last beyond the single player campaign, and give seemingly infinite replayability. Without it, you beat the story, ok I'm done on to the next game. However, many games that benefit in sales, take a hit to the SP experience, because time money and people have to be invested in developing that portion. I'm glad when a company takes the apropriate steps to ensure this won't happen, like Uncharted 2, which was top notch in all respects. They were able to do this because it was Sony's clutch game, and they threw all kinds of money and resources to make sure it came out the way it did. Bioshock 2 has two completely separate development teams, to make sure the SP comes out as epic as the first game. Thats awesome. Other games are not so lucky… Brutal Legend for example, while it has a great and humorous single player, has MP that seems totally tacked on. Its very lackluster, and the matchmaking function is horribly slow, and the games themselves are full of lag, even with only two people and good connections. Basically it comes down to an industry standpoint vs a consumer standpoint. To the industry, saying “hey, we have multiplayer, this game has hundreds of hours of gameplay!” means automatic sales. The uninformed consumer agrees. The informed consumer is more skeptical. Upon playing, both sets of consumers usually realize they got screwed, but its too late. I for one like MP that extends the life of the game, as long as enough thought and effort went into it to make it a fun thing that I want to play, and not some crap ass extra section that I could care less about. I'm really glad GOW3 isn't MP, this series never was about this and shouldn't be. I would be upset if they added it. Borderlands was built from the ground up to be cooperative MP, which is why it shines in MP mode.

Dead Space 2 seems to be getting some good thought in it. They are definitely putting a heavy focus on making sure single player is as crazy and scary as ever. I don't think there will be a cover system – I could be wrong, Isaac is supposed to be more mobile this time. The skimpy MP details I've read point to a L4D style thing, where some people are humans, and others are necros on the hunt. I could be wrong, but thats what the signs point to.

However – to answer your original question fully, you have to look at where the games industry has been at for the past 20 years. Up until fairly recently, the only true MP games were split screen or on PC. Its only within this console generation that the majority of owners not only have broadband internet, but consoles that can make use of it. Thus, the multiplayer uprising. Most games with a strong multiplayer basis are extremely addicting, and have been ever since 56k connections and Quake came out. Video game developers have been well aware of this, and with consoles that can get online, they're going to tap that market like a fat chick eats in a cake factory. Of course, in this process we will see a lot of horrible crap happen, but with that, we'll see a lot of awesome MP games. I for one am really looking forward to the soon releasing Bioshock 2, because I'm curious how it will turn out with two different developers working on the seperate style of gameplay. It seems like a great idea to keep epic SP intact, but will it work out well? Only time will tell.

January 26, 2010 at 10:06 pm #56288

parnakas
Member

I'm fine with multiplayer, as long as the single-player is awesome. Thats how i roll.. SP first, then MP. Might be the reason that im not crazy for CoD.

January 26, 2010 at 10:23 pm #56291

d4h8a15r16m23a42
Member

parnakas said:

I'm fine with multiplayer, as long as the single-player is awesome. Thats how i roll.. SP first, then MP. Might be the reason that im not crazy for CoD.

I completely agree. If someone makes an awesome enough SP then they have the right to do whatever they want! Who knows if AC2 MP will be any good, but even if its not that doesn't take anything away from the game itself.

January 26, 2010 at 10:25 pm #56292

Doc-B
Member

I may be in the few, but i want single player epic's i can finish and forget… You usually have to play a game to get all the trophy's anyway, if the games that good I'll keep it regardless of MP… It's all part of the “bigger is better” and the “more is more” mindset some consumers and developers have…

A L4D style MP on dead space could work, give us a slice of what we're missing… If a game does it's job – like GOW3, then no-one want's a single player even if it is co-op… It's long enough, epic enough, intresting enough and hard enough to give you a feeling of satisfaction that when it's done it's done. You've had your fill and now you can move on. No pissing about with MP.

It is all about money really, and it suck's… Stuff they could easily put on the disc – The Dead Space animated “film”, the upcoming Dante's Inferno animation's, pic's, vid's, diary's etc. – they don't so they can rip you off later…

MP is fast becoming a poor man's extra content…

January 26, 2010 at 10:41 pm #56293

BigWoopMagazine
Member

On another note, to add to my previous essay, I also feel that consoles are still missing out on some of the best MP that video games have to offer. When it comes to the slews of FPS games out there, none of the consoles can get you the degree of control you get on a PC, with a full keyboard (thats over 40 buttons you can map) and a mouse (talk about accuracy with an incredibly fast response time). On a PC playing quake doing a rocket jump, switching weapons and firing a chaingun straight down at your enemies and flipping a 180 in the process before you hit the ground was cake. Its near impossible on a console. This definitely effects the speed of gameplay and intensity. On the other end of the spectrum is RTS games, like StarCraft, which consumed about 8 years of my life. First off, you can map squads to one of the ten number keys on the top of the keyboard. A mouse allows for easy unit selection, and quick use of the mini map to designate an objective. And then hotkeys galore for calling in troops, building a base, using unit abiliites, etc. All of this – while now possible on a console with USB ports – has yet to be seen. Maybe soon a developer will take advantage of the ability to use these accessories that have always left PC ahead in MP games.

Having made that point, another control scheme is coming our way that also has potential to revolutionize MP gaming – “Arc”, or whatever you want to call it. From the original demonstration we can easily see the application of this to the RTS genre can solve many issues that have been facing it on consoles. I can see many other possible uses for this controller style with MP games, and I'm sure theres lots I can't think of. I don't see it doing much for FPS games though, unfortunately. I still think mouse and keyboard are the ultimate scheme for those. However… multiplayer sword fights anyone?

MP is here to stay, but its not all so bad. Just be a smart consumer – for every 10 bad products, theres probably one really good one. Make sure you buy the right one, so we don't encourage half assed entries in the MP market.

January 26, 2010 at 10:59 pm #56295

Doc-B
Member

I hear what your saying BigWoopMagazine but those are some of the reasons i don't own a Gaming PC… And you need a fair power horse of a PC to pull off all the things you talk off… Much money i don't have… An age spent mapping keys, no thank's… A quick flick of the book and 15min of play time is all i should need to get the hang of a game. A mouse is faster on the draw though.

Ther will always be better PC games, but then again there will always bee new graphics cards, sound cards, Ram etc… More money… The next trick for the Ps3 is 3D gaming. And with dev. teams learning more and more about the Ps3, i think in a year or so we'll see those flips with a bit more yet… Imagine the bosses in a year or so…

MP is a stale format… It's been done to death, there's no new idea's to come. There's no evolving it…

And no one's mentioned the sh!tty trophies… There a grind! And i do like my trophies!!

January 26, 2010 at 11:50 pm #56299

r23drummer
Member

Dead Space 2 MP could be fun, but it could also be quite fun. I was skepticle about Uncharted MP, turned out it was fun. Time will tell, time and 'leeked' videos
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