Single Player vs. Multi-Player

[Princess Tzelda]

I've hever really understood what makes Multi-Player modes so great. (pardon while I channel Yahtzee) I've always prefered to play alone because you need to really think to solve the in-game puzzles. If you play multi-player than one of three things happens;
A)you are the ball and chain dragging the person who has logged 50 hours on a game new to you.
B)THEY are the ball and chain to your 50 hours.
or C) you are equal and begin to compete to the point where someone rage quits.

other games that offer mulit-player force one player to sit dead until the first player dies or remembers that they are not playing alone and decide to tag you in, example, Donkey Kong on the SNES. this is also a game that the three scenarios above can be applied to because there is a counter that tracks how many levels the person controlling DK has beat and how many the person with Diddy has beat. sorry, lost my train of thought.

anyways, my point is that multi-player makes no sense when so many games have content unlockable only in the single player mode. why would someone want to play with a person who's spent THAT much time on a game that they( the friend) has never heard of?

I'm very curious what others think about this.

 

[thesilentman]

I've hever really understood what makes Multi-Player modes so great. (pardon while I channel Yahtzee) I've always prefered to play alone because you need to really think to solve the in-game puzzles. If you play multi-player than one of three things happens;
A)you are the ball and chain dragging the person who has logged 50 hours on a game new to you.
B)THEY are the ball and chain to your 50 hours.
or C) you are equal and begin to compete to the point where someone rage quits.

other games that offer mulit-player force one player to sit dead until the first player dies or remembers that they are not playing alone and decide to tag you in, example, Donkey Kong on the SNES. this is also a game that the three scenarios above can be applied to because there is a counter that tracks how many levels the person controlling DK has beat and how many the person with Diddy has beat. sorry, lost my train of thought.

anyways, my point is that multi-player makes no sense when so many games have content unlockable only in the single player mode. why would someone want to play with a person who's spent THAT much time on a game that they( the friend) has never heard of?

I'm very curious what others think about this.

I see that you're new. So, welcome to the Escapist, stay out of the basement, and if anything goes wrong, blame Kross. Enjoy your stay and don't let the negativity get to you.

The easy answer is that it's fun, but I'd like to think I'm more professional than that.

Multiplayer like that I haven't really encountered except for the first Mario Galaxy. God damn it was annoying sitting and "helping" whoever controlled Mario on the screen. I guess it all comes down to laziness, which isn't really the case now as everything has some sort of multiplayer nowadays, which I hate...

 

[Keoul]

I think it varies from person to person since you've taken those 3 points and turned them negative but with my powers of optimism...

A) You're new to the game and your friend guides you through the early stages, you are happy experiencing something cool and they get to feel superior to you, both are happy and have fun.

B) You attain a smug sense of superiority and help your friend through the game, they appreciate your help and you both end up happy and having fun.

C) You are both equally experienced, there is no need for guiding each other and your teamwork allows you to make great progress, there is also much more to discuss together when you're not playing such as strategies. Giving you two a stronger friendship and overall had a great time.

So yeah it varies on the person and the game since despite saying all this Portal 2 Co-op made me want to murder my friend, I really do need to find smarter friends... I felt smug and smart for sure but it wasn't worth it man...

 

[AndrewF022]

I actually really like 'C)' when I am playing with friends, I like that competition in co-op.. trying to get the most kills, or get to the end first, or screwing over your friend and making them die. I find that fun, even if I lose its still fun and you still technically beat the game anyway so its really just about having a laugh and some bragging rights.

A) and B) are why I never play with strangers in Co-Op though.

 

[Joccaren]

Really depends on the game.

Most games, I'm not interested in multiplayer as there are 2 levels of player online outside of the friends you know;
1. Those that absolutely suck and that you are always grouped with, and in team based games where one person can do nothing this means you will lose 100% of the time to the other team and not even get to have fun playing 'cause they ROFLSTOMP you into oblivion with 10 players vsing 1 'cause the rest of your team died incompetently in the first 30 seconds.
2. Those that are pro and have played 500 hours of the game, and are always on the enemy team so they always ROFLSTOMP you even if the teams would for once have been even without you, 'cause their ridiculous level of experience gives them a major advantage.

Its not much better when the teams are reversed. I get bored playing with friends most of the time as we'll ROFLSTOMP all the noobs on the enemy team, and it just poses no challenge and there's nothing you can really find fun about that.

The few games that I do enjoy multiplayer on are local LAN games with friends of Unreal Tournament, Quake and the original Halo as a FFA. I'm one of the top few players amongst my friends. You never know who will win and you have to try to have a chance, but you always have a chance. We generally focus on each other as we're the primary threats, which leaves the less skilled of our friends able to fight amongst themselves or try to sneak up on and kill us. That is enjoyable.
That or MMORPGs with actual RPG mechanics, where we'll designate clear roles and go dungeon delving and have our tactic talks and plan things out, and then execute that plan for victory. That is also fun, though its rarer these days as there aren't many great F2P MMOs that we haven't played to death already =/

 

[Twilight_guy]

You're username looks like you accidentally mistyped it. (And that's how I great a new user... I didn't realize I was that much of an ass).

I don't see why there ha to be any competition here. People can enjoy both without having to pick a best one. The collaborative effort is a fun experience for some (or the competition of trying to best each other).

Also, for stuff that you unlock... its possible that both have unlocked the content on separate games on their own, meaning that they have equal skill in the game even if it takes a while to unlock stuff.

 

[Princess Tzelda]

You're username looks like you accidentally mistyped it. (And that's how I great a new user... I didn't realize I was that much of an ass).

I don't see why there ha to be any competition here. People can enjoy both without having to pick a best one. The collaborative effort is a fun experience for some (or the competition of trying to best each other).

Also, for stuff that you unlock... its possible that both have unlocked the content on separate games on their own, meaning that they have equal skill in the game even if it takes a while to unlock stuff.

firstly, my real name IS Tzelda( spelled that way). secondly, I suppose that's true...

 

[Lilani]

-snip-

The fact that you don't like multiplayer is not a problem. There isn't anything wrong with you if you feel that way. Just don't mistake that for everybody else being wrong. Not everybody is you, so not everybody is going to have your opinion on it.

The only way anyone can be wrong here is to think that their personal tastes are "right" and that everybody else who doesn't feel the same is wrong.

 

[AgentLampshade]

My view is simple: It's hard to be immersed in a game if I'm chatting with a friend about something unrelated. Same goes for people online. I'd rather quietly figure out what to do rather than "HEY! HEY! DO THIS! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THIS! HEY! HEAL ME! HEAL ME! HEY!"

Competitive-wise: I don't care about that because that's not what I play games for. Deathmatch can screw itself.

 

[knight steel]

I've hever really understood what makes Multi-Player modes so great. (pardon while I channel Yahtzee) I've always prefered to play alone because you need to really think to solve the in-game puzzles. If you play multi-player than one of three things happens;
A)you are the ball and chain dragging the person who has logged 50 hours on a game new to you.
B)THEY are the ball and chain to your 50 hours.
or C) you are equal and begin to compete to the point where someone rage quits.

other games that offer mulit-player force one player to sit dead until the first player dies or remembers that they are not playing alone and decide to tag you in, example, Donkey Kong on the SNES. this is also a game that the three scenarios above can be applied to because there is a counter that tracks how many levels the person controlling DK has beat and how many the person with Diddy has beat. sorry, lost my train of thought.

anyways, my point is that multi-player makes no sense when so many games have content unlockable only in the single player mode. why would someone want to play with a person who's spent THAT much time on a game that they( the friend) has never heard of?

I'm very curious what others think about this.

Welcome to the escapist ^_^ Hope you have a great stay,don't go into the basement!
Personally I can't play multiplayer [can't afford it] so I default to supporting single player games
P.S.This needs a poll, it's in the bottom right hand corner when you make a thread!

 

[EmzOLV]

Welcome to the Escapist

Personally - I don't play multiplayer, despite paying for Xbox Live Gold - I don't mind playing co-op with friends, or you know, restricted private games across the network, but in all honesty I've never really had a fun time playing multiplayer with a group of people I don't know.

I *hate* to bring in the gender subject, but for example, the last game I played online was Need for Speed: The Run, which I only did so I could get an idea of what it was like, and how it 'inserted you into the game mid-race' and so on, but after playing pretty terribly for all of about 30 seconds, I was getting hate thrown at me left, right and center. After speaking up over the mic to go "guys, chill out, I'm new and it's just a game" there was about 1 minute of silence followed by... "wait, you're a girl?!" to which they all started to a) talk down to me or b) hit on me, and I swear I couldn't leave the game fast enough. That's one example.

The other thing is, the games which are so known for their multiplayer - such as COD, or Battlefield - I'm frankly not very good at them. I enjoy them, I have no problem not being "elite" but if I go online and play say, a random match, trust me, everyone else seems to have an issue with me being pretty lame at them. It's non-stop slating and y'know what, it's not that I'm ignorant as to my skill set, and I don't mind having a joke with mates at how lame I am, but I don't need constant verbal acknowledgement from 20 people I don't know.

I didn't mind GTA IV online for a while, that was fun. And Red Dead Redemption was good for one or two games. But maybe I just prefer being single player or isolated network games. I'm sure there are some good parties and clans out there, but you know, I'll settle for what I enjoy

 

[BrotherRool]

I'd say there's three things which make multiplayer modes great, firstly human competition is much more varied dynamic and challenging in a meaningful way. Generally a designer can only design a game that will satisfy you for so long, MMO makers spend years crafting content and people still run through it in a couple of months.

Multiplayer however is a different kettle of fish, League of Legends and Starcraft have constantly changing metagames with a pursuit of ever higher and higher skill levels. You can play CoD singleplayer and eventually beat it on all difficulties, once you've managed that you'll probably be able to beat it on all skill difficulties forever more and the gameplay becomes stale. Every time you play the enemies will move in the same way, respond in the same way. Everytime you play online is a new person with a new history of quirks, you can never fully guess how he'll interact with you and respond to your tactics, but on the other hand he's human, so you're guess will be a lot more reasoned and useful than guessing what arbitrary decision a programmer made.

Secondly, online play generates stories. In the bigger games with persistent online worlds, or in competitive play, names become familiar, the motivator has a background and reasons, he's had highs and lows. This isn't just some bot, this is The Little One, German hero, European hero, US hero, known for his creative play and always switching it up whilst being a nice guy and maybe if you're good enough you get the chance to play him. Or maybe he's a loudmouth, flipping everyone off and spouting homophobic slurs whilst noobshotting. And then you get behind him and stab him in the back. And that feels good. Would it be the same to kill a soulless computer?

Finally there is a social component, people make friends online playing games, it's something you can share with people even when your locations don't allow you to physically play each other. Partnering up and rocking League of Legends is something that can create a bond between you.


I don't play online much, but I can see why people do

 

[Feraswondervahnn]

I've always been more of a single player person. I do enjoy multiplayer but not really online multiplayer.

Sure with games like Diablo 2 or any strategy games I play that other friends enjoy it's okay, but I take no joy in beating or losing to someone I do not know. Even with Diablo we generally just play LAN, all sat in the same room having a couple of drinks and a laugh. I find more enjoyment in multiplayer when I can sit and chill with the people I'm playing the game with, rather than having to talk through a headset or using a skype call or something.

I've been playing multiplayer since my first console (Megadrive) and have just always been used to playing games with people around me.
Not that there is anything wrong with online multiplayer, occasionally I'll team up with a few friends who are taking Halo online but it's not really something I do often.

 

[Princess Tzelda]

My view is simple: It's hard to be immersed in a game if I'm chatting with a friend about something unrelated. Same goes for people online. I'd rather quietly figure out what to do rather than "HEY! HEY! DO THIS! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THIS! HEY! HEAL ME! HEAL ME! HEY!"

Competitive-wise: I don't care about that because that's not what I play games for. Deathmatch can screw itself.

AGREED!!!

 

[Princess Tzelda]

See, it's not that I am dissing multi-player (maybe a bit) I just don't like people wanting a grudge match against me or shouting at me to heal them or help them. I just prefer to be able to sit and study a puzzle or map without a chat box popping up or someone talking at me and offering unsolicited advice.
"you need to hit that switch,"
thanks Einstein. I figured that out ages ago I'm trying to get the timing of the freaking arrows down so I don't get speared!
If you like Multi-Player than fine. I just prefer to play alone.

 

[00slash00]

i hate multiplayer. competitive multiplayer is just boring to me. its fun for maybe an hour or two but then it just feels like the same thing over and over. co-op is stressful to me. i like to take my time and explore everything, which other people apparently do not want to do and they get mad at me. i will happily stick to my single player

 

[Squilookle]

See, it's not that I am dissing multi-player (maybe a bit) I just don't like people wanting a grudge match against me or shouting at me to heal them or help them. I just prefer to be able to sit and study a puzzle or map without a chat box popping up or someone talking at me and offering unsolicited advice.
"you need to hit that switch,"
thanks Einstein. I figured that out ages ago I'm trying to get the timing of the freaking arrows down so I don't get speared!
If you like Multi-Player than fine. I just prefer to play alone.

In my experience, the whole 'you have to hit the switch' hand holding is way WAY more prevalent in singleplayer than in multiplayer. Hell most multiplayer games give you so little idea on what to do you have to teach yourself to drive vehicles in multiplayer because they don't even have am offline place to learn the vehicles.

It seems most of the problems you list are exclusive to co-op multiplayer. Perhaps you should try competitive multiplayer, but not in a shooter setting. Real Time strategy, perhaps, or a driving game.

 

[SadisticFire]

Most of the time I lean single player, but some games, e.g Saints Row The Third, the game is just better with two people. It starts to feel better when we just get distracted, repeat a mission where we walk ten yards fifty times cause we were being transexual strippers around the STAG.

 

[Dracthor]

AGREED!!!

You may want to add some more meat to this post, short posts can get you suspended I think.

As for multiplayer, I think that in some games it works and some it does not. Games with heavy puzzle solveing can be annoying with other players unless you are with people who understand you and give you hints when they know you want them. This in turn cuts out 95% of most online people I have played with.

I also have to agree with BrotherRool on the point of generating stories. Some people I play with I want to protect or sacrifice myself in order to see them do good, while others I can't wait to stab in the back every chance I get. Also stomping a modder or hacker to the ground so hard that they ragequit is incredibly satisfying.