Going Solo

[Jojobobo]

This seems like the place to make suggestions, so here it goes:

 

I would like to see some benefits included for players who want to go solo, i.e. companion less. I appreciate that having companions increases a player's emotional involvement in the game and also makes the combat more tactical, but personally with rpg games like this I always like to do a solo run as well. The kind of benefits I would like to see are things like magical equipment that can only be worn if you have no companions/followers in your party, a few quests that can only be attempted if you have no companions (or maybe if you've never had companions - to avoid players just ditching their followers to do the quest and then taking them back on after it's finished) and maybe unique skills/perks/whatever Project Eternity's equivalent is for solo players only - which would help balance combat in that you don't have a load of other followers to soak up the damage.

 

Obviously much more time should be spent in making playing with companions and their story arcs more appealing than solo play - because having them there helps to keep the player more in touch with the gaming world - but still a few flourishes to make solo play a distinct and rewarding play style in comparison to playing with a party would be nice. Does anyone else think this is a good idea or am I completely alone (ha!) in thinking this would be fun?

Edited September 22, 2012 by Jojobobo

[Monte Carlo]

No I think you make a perfectly valid point there. However, for most of us I think that solo-ing (a noble aspiration) is something we do as a third or forth run, as a replay challenge.

 

And part of the fun is solo-ing a game designed not to be solo'd.

[Jojobobo]

I suppose you're right - part of the fun of solo-ing is that it is more of a challenge than regular play. Still I stand by that a few little touches would be cool, to reward a player for having a harder time of it without companions.

[Shevek]

The benefit should be bragging rights and maybe an achievement. If there are any other tangible benefits then that takes away from the success.

[The Dark One Avoozl]

You realize they already said that they would make the game soloable?

[Lysen]

I don't think this is a very good idea. Going solo should be hardcore option for the players who want maximum challenge. So there should be no benefits at all.

[Infinitron]

You realize they already said that they would make the game soloable?

 

Read again. That's not what the the poll is about.

[Troller]

Definitely man, nowadays everyone just wanna hang out and get help from other people, just check the threads here, lots of people want multiplayers, companions and all. It's pretty clear the lone wolves are a dying breed, so I think since not many people will play solo, the game must reward it, since it makes it more hard.

[The Dark One Avoozl]

 

Read again. That's not what the the poll is about.

 

That was more in reply to Monte Carlo.

[Monte Carlo]

There was a let's-play on the old boards called 'To Dream the Impossible Dream' where this dude solo'd BG2 with a Jester. Which is a pretty gimped character to solo with. He went on to solo IWD / HoW with a sorcerer.

 

It was awesome fun watching his progress, and working out how to squeeze 100% out of every spell, ability and potion.

[Jojobobo]

I don't think this is a very good idea. Going solo should be hardcore option for the players who want maximum challenge. So there should be no benefits at all.

 

Well even if the "benefits" did not make the game easier, I think maybe unique dialogue options would be fun - just a way of letting you know that the game acknowledges what you're doing and to help solo play feel as if it is a different style in itself rather than simply playing without companions. I guess what I'm driving for is something that sets solo play apart - in most games all you notice when you play solo is the lack of your companions' stories and quest arcs, having something extra even if it's just different options during the story that offer no mechanical benefits would be interesting.

[dan107]

Asking "do you want feature X?" is not a very good way to frame the question, since a lot of people will just say "Yes, why not". In order to be even remotely representative or valid the question should be "would you like feature X, at the expense of feature Y and/or Z". Adding benefits for solo play would take away resources from "benefits" for group based play, so no I don't want too see any.

[Orchomene]

What would be interesting is that the NPCs could react in diaogue when you are soloing with some comments like : Did you really made it that far alone ? Don't you feel lonely wandering alone ? ... Or just even ways to do quests differently

This way, there is something special in soloing the game, but not something material.

Kind of the way of the "stupid" gameplay in Fallout 2.

[Jojobobo]

Asking "do you want feature X?" is not a very good way to frame the question, since a lot of people will just say "Yes, why not". In order to be even remotely representative or valid the question should be "would you like feature X, at the expense of feature Y and/or Z". Adding benefits for solo play would take away resources from "benefits" for group based play, so no I don't want too see any.

 

I don't see how it would detract from group based play, it would just provide gamers with extra options and for me having options is what rpg play is all about. I guess I should make it clear that I'm not after radical time consuming changes that would take lots of effort to implement thereby detracting from the main thrust of the game which is group play; what I would like is just a few minor features that help to differentiate solo play from group play, so that the absence of companions isn't the only thing that is different when playing solo which is the case in all the rpgs I can think of.

[Shevek]

There should be no perks for playing solo. There should never be incentives to ignore party embers in a party based game.

 

This is not to say it should be impossible. They said you can play solo. I would go so far as to state it would be cool if players earned "bragging rights" achievements for downing certain monsters with only one character. However, players should not be encouraged to go that route by tangible in game feats or items.

 

Going solo should be done for additional challenge. Giving players advantages for going solo negates said challenge while discouraging party play in a party based game.

Edited September 22, 2012 by Shevek

[Delterius]

Especial benefits sounds off the mark to me. But that the game acknowledges and changes according to wether you're alone or not is a good idea - things like the shared party experience being funneled to a single person, like in the IE games or quests changing or whatever.

[Luckmann]

There absolutely shouldn't be bonuses for running solo, aside from possibly the accumulation of experience that should otherwise have been divided by the group. It would completely invalidate the entire point most people run solo to begin with.

[The Dark One Avoozl]

Well I for one would be glad if there were options to skip fighting entirely and solve everything through dialogue. So I don't care if I have a party with me anyway. Unless they integrate them in the story so well that it makes the talky bits more interesting.

[Kevin Lynch]

As others have said, soloing should be rewarded with an achievement, at most. Soloing a party-based game is all about accomplishing it and there shouldn't be any help along the way or anything special that sets it apart, aside from increased difficulty (and extra xp, if xp is divided among the party).

[anek]

+1 for adapting dialog trees based on who is (or is not) in your party, but that is nothing that is specific to soloing.

 

-1 for items you can only wear if you're solo, and cheese like that.

 

As others menitoned, the fun of soloing in the InfinityEngine cames came from beating the game in a way it was totally not designed to be beat. (Of course, one would only try it after finishing the game normally at least once!)

[Shaewaros]

Maybe gain experience faster like in BG titles, but no other benefits.

[Andre]

If they're gonna stay true to IE games then being solo in itself is actually a boon. Eventually when you beat early game your character will accumulate enough xp to overpower anything. It's still a challenge of course, but most of the time BG2 solo seemed easier. Not that I encourage it, but cheesing was easier as well due to just use one character to the fullest.

 

Of course this is only true gameplay-wise, being solo usually means you don't get the cool party banter and less quests.

Edited September 22, 2012 by Andre

[deama]

Well, if any of you guys are interested, I made a cheat table that multiplies the exp value by 5 (you can change it, only works when you solo). http://forum.cheatengine.org/viewtopic.php?t=580638

[Cantousent]

Assuming it works as you say, deama, that's great!  I don't intend to solo.  I like having a party for the giggles and grins, but it's always good to see folks making mods to accommodate different desires.

[deama]

Assuming it works as you say, deama, that's great!  I don't intend to solo.  I like having a party for the giggles and grins, but it's always good to see folks making mods to accommodate different desires.

I always play games solo, so when I tried to play this one solo I was kinda disappointed, so I decided to mod it; indeed, it is always nice.