Multiplayer, The Best? The Worst? and New Ideas?

[aperson726]

As a somewhat casual player who plays the popular hardcore games such as MW3, Ultimate MVC3, Halo, etc. there's probably more I'm gonna be yelled at for not mentioning or having no experience playing, but I am starting to see something when it comes to multiplayer and how I just wished it would appear to my better nature.

Now I love playing MW3 and Halo, but there comes a point where I come across players in these games who have no honor or respect for other players who don't have the time to reach 10th prestige lvl 80 in MW3 or Forerunner in Halo. I get sick of falling into place among the gaming community who cant raise his experience more because it gets shot down by those who have the time or possibly cheat/mod their way to the top. I usually cant play MW3 because I'm always in a game with lvl 80s kicking my ass and their just spraying with a shotgun no iron sighting.

I always felt like Halo was doing the right thing with every starting out the same way with the same weapons, maybe different armor abilities, but it was close to equal as it could get. Halo is the game anyone could pick up and not feel like they need the time crunching filled weekend to be good at. Its more casual and feels like everyone is on equal ground. The main problem Halo falls under is the weapons and vehicles.

How many games have there been when a teammate betrays you because they wanted the sniper rifle sooooo badly or wanted to fly the banshee or drive the warthog. It is those gripes that get me that players get selfish over a weapon or vehicle that they might not be good at and the other player may do better with it for the team's sake. Lately, I have tried this method with letting my teammates use the weapons and I feel bad when another player has to be selfish and annoy them for the entire game that they don't get the weapon. I know it would be hard to balance this aspect since everyone wants their shot at the sniper rifle, rocket launcher, sword, whatever, because of their immense power and easy kills, but shouldn't the most powerful weapons have a huge drawback that make them a risk to use. The sword I know has the drawback of being close combat oriented, but put it on a small map with lots of halls with twists and turns and you got a player you don't like.

Shouldn't there be games where its all about the thrill of fighting someone with equal strength and the battle lasts for hours (hypothetically) with the victor praising his competitor with a memorable fight for the record books. Where are the battles that don't require countless days practicing combos when you'll just get defeated by a guy who hides in the corner doing the same move, hoping you don't get any closer? Where are the games where you can tip your hat to your opponent for a job well done instead of crouching over his face with a non animated nut sack?

Ok, I know you're wondering what is the point of this rant. I am just asking what could change in multiplayer to make all the team kills and unequal fights more of a spectacular moment that feels like its going on forever?

My idea is bringing an honor code or respects at endgames for players of the losing team. Each player will be assigned with the dead body of their rival of that match. The player can decide to bury them, burn them, piss on them, w/e the player feels should be done based on their gameplay. I would like to find more big multiplayer matches with a one on one aspect facing off against a player of equal strength.

There's a lot more I would like to talk about adding to multiplayer but I'm not writing an article even though it looks like it. Please discuss what are the good and bad aspects of multiplayer and your ideas of what would make a multplayer match experience more memorable.

 

[Freechoice]

Wall of text, dude. Make it a list or something comprehensible. Then we'll talk.

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

Starhawk might be right up your alley, I'm playing the beta now. Warhawk is also very similar. There is no racing people to weapons or vehicles. The better weapons constantly spawn in Supply Bunkers, so you just run in and get them. Sniper rifles spawn on top of Watchtowers (AKA sniper towers). I wouldn't really consider any weapons "power weapons" in Starhawk because each weapon has certain situations when they are effective. You have no loadouts, everyone has access to everything, there's only one assault rifle, one shotgun, one rocket launcher, etc.; another player is not going to have a better gun they got from leveling. Same thing goes with vehicles, you can get a jeep, jetpack, or starhawk any time you want one. You build everything in starhawk and everyone can build things. You build a launchpad for starhawks for example, and then you just run up, and press a button to spawn a starhawk. Building stuff costs rift energy so you can't be constantly building things, and each team can only have so many structures.

Starhawk is old-school in design, there's no killstreaks. It's just pure chaotic fun. It's mostly you out-thinking your enemies as there is generous aim-assist when shooting. You using the correct gun in the correct situation is more important than say aiming skill. The building element in Starhawk is really a great new idea and totally changes how the game is played. For example, in capture the flag, you can get to the other team's flag, build a garage just before the flag, and then get the flag and hop in the jeep in the garage that you just built. There's great defensive strategies as well; you can wall in your flag, have the ladders of the wall on the outside to let the enemy in to get the flag, but then they have no way to get out except for destroying a wall.

 

[Zhukov]

Ah, yet another poor heathen who is yet to see the divine light that is paragraphs.

 

[aperson726]

Wall of text, dude. Make it a list or something comprehensible. Then we'll talk.

sorry guys. it was a late night cram idea i wanted to get out there before bed. I went ahead and spread it out for everyone, so let me know of your ideas.

 

[aperson726]

Starhawk might be right up your alley, I'm playing the beta now. Warhawk is also very similar. There is no racing people to weapons or vehicles. The better weapons constantly spawn in Supply Bunkers, so you just run in and get them. Sniper rifles spawn on top of Watchtowers (AKA sniper towers). I wouldn't really consider any weapons "power weapons" in Starhawk because each weapon has certain situations when they are effective. You have no loadouts, everyone has access to everything, there's only one assault rifle, one shotgun, one rocket launcher, etc.; another player is not going to have a better gun they got from leveling. Same thing goes with vehicles, you can get a jeep, jetpack, or starhawk any time you want one. You build everything in starhawk and everyone can build things. You build a launchpad for starhawks for example, and then you just run up, and press a button to spawn a starhawk. Building stuff costs rift energy so you can't be constantly building things, and each team can only have so many structures.

Starhawk is old-school in design, there's no killstreaks. It's just pure chaotic fun. It's mostly you out-thinking your enemies as there is generous aim-assist when shooting. You using the correct gun in the correct situation is more important than say aiming skill. The building element in Starhawk is really a great new idea and totally changes how the game is played. For example, in capture the flag, you can get to the other team's flag, build a garage just before the flag, and then get the flag and hop in the jeep in the garage that you just built. There's great defensive strategies as well; you can wall in your flag, have the ladders of the wall on the outside to let the enemy in to get the flag, but then they have no way to get out except for destroying a wall.

I have played the beta for that and I do like the weapons pickups and building aspect. The only problem I have with it is that it sort of has that same problem that Brutal Legend has with the very beginning of the match the easiest to attack. When the beginning of a CTF match would start, the other team would just drive up really quickly, kill everyone, then get away with the first flag point without so much as How do you do? The other parts of the game feel very well done but its just the beginning of the match that needs balancing.

 

[omglazorspewpew]

Anonymity + competitiveness = worst in people

Ok well that may not ALWAYS be that case, but for the majority of people, if you are asked to compete against someone and they have pretty much no idea who you are and vice versa then you wont exactly get friendly matches. When people know that they are relatively safe then they will be come jerks. That is why young children will say the most hateful racist things but in front of their parents I am sure they are "angels"

When it comes to cool multiplayer, I have always liked the Killzone 2 & 3 route of rotating objectives (I think it's called warzone). I don't get why more games don't do it. One minute it's deathmatch then it switches to capture the flag or king of the hill without having to restart the match. It makes for some pretty interesting tug of war with the score since certain people are better at different match types.

I also miss variant matches. I know Left 4 Dead 2 does this a bit and so does Halo, but I am thinking of Timespliters 2 in particular. I remember that game having tons of modes, many of which where tweaks of regular modes but they still changed it up enough to make things fun. Stuff like Vampire mode (constantly losing life, replenish by killing) and Shrink (1st place grows larger while last place shrinks) were two of my favorites.

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

I have played the beta for that and I do like the weapons pickups and building aspect. The only problem I have with it is that it sort of has that same problem that Brutal Legend has with the very beginning of the match the easiest to attack. When the beginning of a CTF match would start, the other team would just drive up really quickly, kill everyone, then get away with the first flag point without so much as How do you do? The other parts of the game feel very well done but its just the beginning of the match that needs balancing.

They actually just released an update that gives each team an already built garage, supply bunker, and launchpad at the start of the match. At least now when a couple enemies drive up at the start in a jeep, you'll have a rocket launcher and shotgun to deal with them. I've never been a big fan of capture the flag in any game. It almost feels too structured of a mode for Starhawk because you have pretty much set offensive and defensive strategies that you kinda have to do like wall in the flag and get a shield up. I've actually been enjoying TDM more (TDM is usually my least favorite mode) because the mode is just open to more strategies than capture the flag to me. I really can't wait to play Zones in Starhawk, it was my favorite mode in Warhawk, and with the new building mechanic, I think Zones is going to be so crazy.

 

[ItsAChiaotzu]

Dark Souls PVP. Level 120 at the Kiln of the First Flame.
You invade or are invaded and then you both bow before you fight, then at the end you typically send a message of "Good fight" afterwards.

 

[vrbtny]

Multiplayer? New Ideas?

 

[Sniper Team 4]

The only multiplayer I've every actually liked is Modern Warfare 2, and it's because I could build a perfect sniper class. Have the damage plus and one man army, then if someone called in a UAV or was trying to track me, switch to cold blooded and disappear. I actually managed to vanish around a corner once because I was switching classes while I was being chased. Switched it, turned the corner, went prone in the grass, and the guy had no idea where I went. Waited for him to walk by, then knifed him in the back.
Of course, it's been brought to my attention that I play cheaply, and the MW2 is horribly unbalanced. I never had a problem, but I guess my opinion is bias slightly?
As for worst...I don't like games where sniper rifles take three shots to bring someone down, but assault rifles can rip you apart from across the map. I like stalking my target, making the one shot count, and being able to escape. So...pretty much any other multiplayer I've ever played I guess? Medal of Honor's was okay.
New ideas? How about World War I style gameplay. Teams start on opposite sides of the map. No man's land in the middle is a killing ground with little or no cover. Teams have to actually pick off enemies, or work together to cross into the enemy trenches. It would certainly limit those players that like to run around with a shotgun wasting people before they can get their guns raised.

 

[Terminate421]

The best:

Halo's multiplayer has always been solid and perfectly balanced, it took a high degree of skill and team work to come out on top.

The worst:

Medal of Honor, wow is this boring.

New Ideas:

Integrate newer classes that feel more like classes. Halo: Reach's armor abilities were a fine example of what I am looking for. One can fire hologram distractors, another can turn invisible. etc.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I haven't got a new idea for multiplayer but whoever it was who suggested and, everyone who has implemented systems in which you need to be online to engage in multiplayer matches should be punched in the face. Of course, that could be the whole inspiration behind the online-only multiplayer thing...somebody watching the other screen a bit too closely...

 

[BlumiereBleck]

Well there is this one aspect I loved about Medal of Honor: Airborne's multiplayer and that it actually at times, had me use a lot of cooperation. The single player campaign was pretty fun on it's own but there was the little things about the multiplayer that made it seem somewhat realistic. Whether it be crouching and using iron sights to move the first person camera to look what's on the other side or the fear you get when you were sniper and two enemies were coming up the bell tower with smgs. All in all I felt it really captured how a multiplayer should feel, atleast until the host booted you just because he felt like it.

 

[godofallu]

I don't get what you want. You want a game where everyone can get the weapon they want, but they all have to start with the same weapon.

You want a game that takes skill (hence a large skill gap), but where both players will be equally skilled so that the game is awesome and lasts forever.

You're just listing things that are opposites!

 

[DyranLK]

Ever played old-school SOCOM 2 back when it was just released?

That right there was the s***.

 

[aperson726]

I don't get what you want. You want a game where everyone can get the weapon they want, but they all have to start with the same weapon.

You want a game that takes skill (hence a large skill gap), but where both players will be equally skilled so that the game is awesome and lasts forever.

You're just listing things that are opposites!

I want a battle to be a battle and your life in the game to be as sacred as your own life, not just a negative point on a scoresheet. I want to there to be a battle where it hinders your character after the victory, like an energy or recovery system that lets you recover your character and make him stronger for future fights. As for skill level, I'm basically talking about just integrating a better matching system so you won't be put up against another team of lvl 80s or just get rid of the leveling system all together (which sounds ludicrous because one reason most people play multiplayer is to get to the top and unlock everything) I understand where you're coming from, I just wish there was an easier way to make the experience for a less hardcore gamer like myself feel as if I'm contributing to the team/game and more as a contender rather than fodder

I know some people's answer to that would be to play more, but there are players who don't have the time like myself to perfect my gameplay. Even if I try, I usually fall into the lines of one of those players who gets killed the most by high lvls using their superior loadout, and the only thing I can do is kill him once in the game just to give him one more negative point that probably won't make a difference. Ya, I'm asking for something that is pretty impossible and definitely hard to explain, but I think with the right execution, the multiplayer experience might be more enjoyable for the hardcore and casuals.

 

[godofallu]

I don't get what you want. You want a game where everyone can get the weapon they want, but they all have to start with the same weapon.

You want a game that takes skill (hence a large skill gap), but where both players will be equally skilled so that the game is awesome and lasts forever.

You're just listing things that are opposites!

I want a battle to be a battle and your life in the game to be as sacred as your own life, not just a negative point on a scoresheet. I want to there to be a battle where it hinders your character after the victory, like an energy or recovery system that lets you recover your character and make him stronger for future fights. As for skill level, I'm basically talking about just integrating a better matching system so you won't be put up against another team of lvl 80s or just get rid of the leveling system all together (which sounds ludicrous because one reason most people play multiplayer is to get to the top and unlock everything) I understand where you're coming from, I just wish there was an easier way to make the experience for a less hardcore gamer like myself feel as if I'm contributing to the team/game and more as a contender rather than fodder

I know some people's answer to that would be to play more, but there are players who don't have the time like myself to perfect my gameplay. Even if I try, I usually fall into the lines of one of those players who gets killed the most by high lvls using their superior loadout, and the only thing I can do is kill him once in the game just to give him one more negative point that probably won't make a difference. Ya, I'm asking for something that is pretty impossible and definitely hard to explain, but I think with the right execution, the multiplayer experience might be more enjoyable for the hardcore and casuals.

I have a feeling I could have used you today when playing the Syndicate COOP demo. One of the things people can do in that game is play support. Healing teammates, buffing their armor, opening secret paths. It's really easy too.

As for versus, I don't think its possible to make bad players do well. How to make them have fun while doing poorly is not something I know much about. I know its possible because i've seen casuals chainsaw people in versus in GOW and laugh their asses off while going 3-16.

How to make lives more precious? Take away respawns. There are tons or pros and cons to that though.

 

[JoesshittyOs]

I'm confused on what you're asking for, so I'll make out what I can.

The best? CoD4 was probably the best multiplayer we've seen this generation. It was truly creative and managed to combine RPG elements into an FPS multiplayer game. Something that will get shit on because of the clones and mess of a series that spawned from it.

Likewise, Splinter Cell Double Agent also had a truly creative multiplayer experience. Hard to explain, so look it up if you've never played it before.


The worst? I don't think I'm at liberty to say. I remember the Darkness multiplayer being all sorts of bad.

New ideas? I think in the future, the competitive edge of multiplayer games is going to be cut down a little bit. I think they're gonna take away a lot of emphasis on winning and skills, and focus more on making a solid and "fun" multiplayer experience, much like Double Agent was.

I think there will be less emphasis on dying in games, and you see less and less of "kill" based games nowadays. Battlefield really just relies on you capturing points. Brink didn't even tally up kills.

But unless a drastic change in the way multiplayer games are played is somewhere in the Horizon, I doubt you're going to get what you want. Kids will pick out the best class and never sway far from it. They will wreck your shit time and time again whilst telling you "it's not my fault the game developers didn't fix it, I'll use it if it's in the game".

I doubt a change is coming anytime soon.