Multiplayer

[Ferrante]

I think it is a good moment for us to start thinking about this. Do we want Multiplayer coming into the (next) expansion? Of course, my answer is a big YES.  Baldur's Gate multiplayer was underused but back in 2000, network connections were bad and multiplayer was not that popular. But, in 2015, I bet a lot of new players will love it (several steam friends have asked me if the game has multiplayer and they are sad when I say no) and still old players (like myself) will be happy to replay this with a real people party (Right now is even easier to find 5 guys to play). I want to know what other players think about this and if we can make this possible. 

Edited April 21, 2015 by Ferrante

[Jojobobo]

Honestly, I like that it's just single player - tacking on multiplayer is always a massive sink of resources that I'd rather see spent on more single player content.

[76prophet]

Absolutely zero interest in multiplayer. I would much prefer they spend resources refining and enhancing the single player experience.

[Tigranes]

If you could just add MP, why not? But designing with MP in mind almost invariably has a negative impact on the overall design of the game, as testifeid by developers over the years - e.g. Swen Vincke of Larian talking about the co-op centric design in Divinity: Original Sin. 

 

The reason BG/BG2 MP never really took off was because the game didn't do this, and didn't really design anything with MP in mind. Invariably, MP was very clunky and not worthwhile.

[Rosveen]

Just like in every other single player game with multiplayer component, I would ignore it to the point of forgetting it exists. A waste of resources IMO.

Edited April 21, 2015 by Rosveen

[Bryy]

Just like in every other single player game with multiplayer component, I would ignore it to the point of forgetting it exists. A waste of resources IMO.

If you forget it's even there, I would say that's not a waste of resources at all.

[Rosveen]

 

 

Just like in every other single player game with multiplayer component, I would ignore it to the point of forgetting it exists. A waste of resources IMO.

If you forget it's even there, I would say that's not a waste of resources at all.

What do you mean? It's a separate game mode I never use, it looks like a waste to me. Of course, it might not be to other people.

[Lady Evenstar]

No, thank you.

[eimatshya]

I sympathise with those who want multiplayer, but since I don't have any gamer friends, it's not a feature I would ever use. As such, I would rather see Obsidian's efforts spent on single player features that I can actually benefit from.

[Namutree]

No multiplayer. 

[WebShaman]

I would love to see MP for this game!

 

With a GM client (Game Master).

 

Whooooweee!

 

Now add in a toolset...so that we can make up our own adventures for a group for some real RP...and not this synthetic crutch of a half-paralyzed game...

[Night Stalker]

I would rather not have multiplayer in the expansion - I would rather like to see the effort go into new features and content.

[WebShaman]

So...you would not like to be able to create/join a group of like-minded fellows, with a Game Master (you know, Dungeon Master) who can literally be any role, and just...go...have...fun?!?

 

Why would you not want this?

 

Don't you realize how many hours of fun you can multiply that into?

 

In essence, you get UNLIMITED gaming sessions. 

[Night Stalker]

So...you would not like to be able to create/join a group of like-minded fellows, with a Game Master (you know, Dungeon Master) who can literally be any role, and just...go...have...fun?!?

 

Why would you not want this?

 

Don't you realize how many hours of fun you can multiply that into?

 

In essence, you get UNLIMITED gaming sessions.

 

"Technical" reasons:

 

1. NWN 1/2 already exist, and do exactly that. PoE is a different type of game.

 

2. PoE was built to be a single player game, trying to make it into a multiplayer game would most likely result in a half-baked multiplayer solution.

 

3. Trying to fit a DM system into PoE will be incredibly hard, if not practically impossible. as the game was not designed with it in mind.

 

4. There would be a need to create a standalone tools, which would be a major drain on OE's resources, that could otherwise have gone into the game.

 

5. Due to the use of prerendered backgrounds, it will be far harder to create maps than it was in NWN 1/2.

 

 

Personal reasons:

1. I already have a real-world gaming group, so that need is filled.

 

2. I am at a point in my life where my free time for computer games is limited, but my gaming budget, and list of unfinished games that I mean to play, is inversely expanded. So I value 80 hours of professional authored experience in my CRPGs over 1000 hours made by well-meaning amateurs.

[Bryy]

 

 

Just like in every other single player game with multiplayer component, I would ignore it to the point of forgetting it exists. A waste of resources IMO.

If you forget it's even there, I would say that's not a waste of resources at all.

What do you mean? It's a separate game mode I never use, it looks like a waste to me. Of course, it might not be to other people.

 

A good use of MP should be complimentary.

[Jimmious]

If they could do co-op as well as D:OS did it, then I would love it. I don't think I've ever had more fun in a game with my spouse ever. D:OS was absolutely magnificent in that aspect(and many more in my opinion - bar the mediocre story)

[76prophet]

So...you would not like to be able to create/join a group of like-minded fellows, with a Game Master (you know, Dungeon Master) who can literally be any role, and just...go...have...fun?!?

 

Why would you not want this?

 

Don't you realize how many hours of fun you can multiply that into?

 

In essence, you get UNLIMITED gaming sessions. 

Yuck. That sounds an awful lot like social interaction. How very tiring.  

[Raz415]

I'd love MP, at least to have someone controlling the companions. Or at least a decent AI.

[manageri]

Ugh, no. MP just doesn't work with pausable games. If Obsidian wanted to do a proper MP game with the PoE universe, something that played more like Dungeon Siege 3 for example, then ok, maybe, whatevsies, just don't cram that **** into PoE expansions/sequels.

[Galaen]

If my PnP days are any indication a MP session would go somewhat like this:

 

Me: Ok, we're at the door to the next room, what's everyone doing?

Fighter: *passed out drunk*

Wizard:  *got picked up by his mom early*

Cleric:    *out picking up pizzas*

Barb:     *drawing **** on fighter with a magic marker*

Rogue:   I'm ready

Me:        Ok then

 

How this translates to a CRPG:

 

Me: Ok, we're at the door to the next room, everyone ready?

Figher : AFK

Wizard: AFK

Cleric:   AFK

Barb:    AFK

Rogue:  RDY

Edited April 22, 2015 by Galaen

[Kanasuke]

So...you would not like to be able to create/join a group of like-minded fellows, with a Game Master (you know, Dungeon Master) who can literally be any role, and just...go...have...fun?!?

 

A game like this is already in development, it's called Sword Coast https://swordcoast.com/

 

 

But of course I would love to have multiplayer. Just that, this game has already 100% geared its design towards the single player pause/click/pause campaign experience.

 

To add multiplayer, you'd have to go back to the drawing board and find a way to create a game play that does not need to pause, which means you would need to go back and rebalance all spells and all abilities. So basically I suspect it will end up something like Dragon Age inquisition's multiplayer? In the same time I bet you you could create an entirely new game from scratch taking the same amount of development funds, and design it with multiplayer in mind. Therefore you may as well just create a whole new game.

[Ferrante]

 

 

To add multiplayer, you'd have to go back to the drawing board and find a way to create a game play that does not need to pause, which means you would need to go back and rebalance all spells and all abilities. So basically I suspect it will end up something like Dragon Age inquisition's multiplayer? In the same time I bet you you could create an entirely new game from scratch taking the same amount of development funds, and design it with multiplayer in mind. Therefore you may as well just create a whole new game.

 

 

No, they did it in Baldurs Gate 2 and it was great. No idea why people says it was not polished. I discovered it last year and It is almost perfect. So, people posting "It would be hard" is wrong. Well, of course it needs resources and time, but it can be real if the players want to. Unity is clunky to manage multiplayer but it cant be worst than IE in the earlies 2000.  

Edited April 23, 2015 by Ferrante

[Alweth]

Obsidian should definitely add MP, ala Baldur's Gate 1, 2, Icewind Dale 1, 2. After they fix the major existing bugs, of course. Choosing not to include MP was a below-the-belt move for Obsidian to pull, given that they primarily billed their game as a successor to those titles which all had it out of the box. Heck, the first time I ever heard of Baldur's Gate was when my brother told me, "Have you heard about the RPG that lets six players each create their own character and play through the whole single-player campaign coop?" My response was something like, "That's awesome!"

The naysayers are dominated by people who never played BG1/2/IWD1/2 multiplayer and/or have no friends and so spend all their time on the internet whining about the idea of other people enjoying games with their friends. (Hey, maybe if you weren't so eager to ruin someone else's day just because it doesn't benefit you, you'd have more friends.)

The "development resources" excuse doesn't really fly, as most of what PoE needs after the bugs are ironed out is not coding intensive, while adding MP would mostly require coding.