Multiplayer vs Delaying the game?

[JojoTheSlayer 35]

Carrier Command:

I am just wondering how other people feel about this. Personally I would think this game would do better if it had MP at launch and would rather get it then than waiting for MP at a later date when the game might be dead because it lacked having it to keep it alive after the single player was done.

Whats your view? :confused:

[.kju 3244]

Too late/too close to the release I'd assume no matter what the personal preference is.

[Gazzareth 1]

I don't see how it would kill the game, especially with it having "Skirmish Mode" as well.

Personally I would not be rushing to play the MP anyway - whether I ever do or not will depend on what sort of game-modes there are.....

G

[TaktiX 1]

Whether you will use MP or not, let's face it, the majority of gamers WOULD need it, and it's very surprising that such a seemingly major release DOESN'T have it included. Also, is it just me or does this game seem to have very few supporters? I'd have thought, for such a pivotal game from the 1980's (can you believe they crammed all of this into 48kb RAM! That and Lords of Midnight blow me away), these forums would be awash with comments. Only 6 people have taken this vote, including me lol.

Got to get the MP out asap guys, or this will be another missed opportunity. People don't want to sit at home and play by themselves anymore (I'm even starting up a games club in my internet cafe shortly).

[maddogx 13]

I always play the single player first and the MP later anyway, so I voted to add MP later in a patch. :)

TaktiX is right about one thing though - there is a surprising lack of hype around this game.

[Astrus 10]

I agree Multiplayer will be awesome for this game, but as they're obviously focusing on the singleplayer aspect right now, i'd rather them get that done and out so I can play as soon as possible. I'm content to wait for them to come out with multiplayer later. It's better than having them delay the game, because i'm really looking forward to it!

As for the lack of community/hype, it IS awfully quiet around here. But many of gamers today come from a period after the original Carrier Command. I was really young when I first played it and I barely remember doing so. So I imagine most don't know what Carrier Command is. And i've seen very little in advertisement off site. I'm hoping that things might pick up as release gets closer, or right after with all the glowing reviews the game will get!

[Gazzareth 1]

It definitely is quiet here even with the articles and videos that have been published.

However, people can only speculate/request so much - hopefully it should get busier when a release date is announced and more media comes available.. .. ..

G

[JdB 151]

BIS has never done much advertizing (if that were even possible financially), but has had to rely on previews and reviews for free attention and word-of-mouth marketing. Individual players of OFP have probably helped sell many times more copies of that game than the advertizing and PR efforts of BIS. Hyping is not good since sandbox games tend to be buggier than mainstream games (so will only lead to disproportionate disappointment), but try telling that to someone who just lost 15 minutes of progress due to a bug ...

I can virtually guarantee they won't delay the release to add in MP unless other problems with the game force a delay, it would interfere with the projected release of ArmA3. BIS has never released two games around the same time.

[SpyderPB6 10]

Wait wait...MP isn't in launch? If that is the case, DELAY DELAY DELAY. Otherwise, what the first post said.

[maddogx 13]

Wait wait...MP isn't in launch? If that is the case, DELAY DELAY DELAY. Otherwise, what the first post said.

In fact, my understanding is that MP isn't actually confirmed at all yet.

The only information we have is:

1. There will be no multiplayer on release.

2. They would like to add MP later in a patch or possibly even DLC.

The wording always seems to be "we would like to add it later". As of now, at least from what I have seen or heard, no BI employee has actually said "yes, we are definitely adding MP post-release", or something of the sort. This usually means it's not yet decided whether or not it will be implemented. Most likely it depends on how well the game sells.

EDIT: Note that this is just my opinion/assessment. I may have missed an interview or announcement where MP was actually confirmed.

Edited March 14, 2012 by MadDogX
clarification

[SpyderPB6 10]

In fact, my understanding is that MP isn't actually confirmed at all yet.

The only information we have is:

1. There will be no multiplayer on release.

2. They would like to add MP later in a patch or possibly even DLC.

The wording always seems to be "we would like to add it later". As of now, at least from what I have seen or heard, no BI employee has actually said "yes, we are definitely adding MP post-release", or something of the sort. This usually means it's not yet decided whether or not it will be implemented. Most likely it depends on how well the game sells.

EDIT: Note that this is just my opinion/assessment. I may have missed an interview or announcement where MP was actually confirmed.

This game looks fantastic, and most BI games are. That said, it also looks like it would be fantastic with a multiplayer component that is able to be modded much like Arma. I reserve hope for MP. Please BI......

[TaktiX 1]

Slightly my mistake, just looked at the start time of the poll and it hadn't been up that long before I posted. We're up to 25 votes now, so that's making me feel better.

I'd really like this to be a major hit, mainly cos I'd like to see an "improved" sequel, but also because I think most games studios are missing out on the "carrier" based resource management, FPS typo game. A real hit in this genre could spark off a lot of interest. Look at what the competition between CoD and BF has done for both titles.

Imagine if you controlled the carrier, 4 team mates each controlled a MANTA, another 4 WALRUSES, another weapons on the carrier...etc., you can really co ordinate attacks/defences. MP is defo the way to go with all games really, AI just can't compete in the fun, tactical, strategic, etc roles.

I voted for option 1 too, release the game pronto, no more delays (I think 20+ years is enough time to wait...bit like Star Wars lol), however, for this to be a real hit, it MUST have MP released at some point. The sooner the better, gamers are notoriously fickle.

I'm like MadDogX, I usually play the SP before the MP, to get to grips with playing the game, thereby not getting my a$$ handed to me by 12 yr olds by diving straight into a MP game (I'm not saying this doesn't happen anyway). My main concern about a lack of MP is that it sidelines this game to the margins. How many major games can you name me that doesn't have MP?

I think the main problem with MP for this title is that the original didn't have it (and this is pretty much an exact update of that classic), and the dynamics/tactics/strategy involved would change the game fundementally? Maybe if it dows well, they will expand on the core ideas of CC and make it into a much bigger game. I have PLENTY of ideas (I played this in the 1980's on a fricken rubber keyboarded ZX Spectrum 48k!), check my next post lol.

MadDogX, maybe we should form a clan based around the letter "X" lol

PS. BI, you're crippling your user base with your insane sign up security. 3 seperate verifications?!?!?!?! It took me over 5mins to complete the sign up...and I'm an IT dude!

[onlyrazor 11]

Screw this post because it is wrong and I now hate it.

Edited March 18, 2012 by OnlyRazor

[Gazzareth 1]

So, basically, you take five minutes of your life to sign up and are not bothered by quasi-totalitarian always-on DRM measures that will revoke the rights to your game as soon as they release an update or you switch machines, and you're upset about it? Get over it, man! ;) Of all the things that ticked me off about BIS's games, anti-piracy protection wasn't one of them. I hope I'm not the only one :p

What has piracy got to do with anything ??

I have to say I agree with TaktiX, the signup procedure is OTT - although you only have to do it once .. .. .

G

[ProfTournesol 956]

What has piracy got to do with anything ??

I have to say I agree with TaktiX, the signup procedure is OTT - although you only have to do it once .. .. .

G

It's an effective anti spam procedure. Get over it.

[Dwarden 1125]

PS. BI, you're crippling your user base with your insane sign up security. 3 seperate verifications?!?!?!?! It took me over 5mins to complete the sign up...and I'm an IT dude!

seen spam in last months around? ... no? ... moderators neither ;) ... now You got answer why it's this way

[onlyrazor 11]

What has piracy got to do with anything ??

I have to say I agree with TaktiX, the signup procedure is OTT - although you only have to do it once .. .. .

G

Oh... Right. I thought you meant the installation, not the forum signup. My bad :o

[TaktiX 1]

Maybe it's my inept writing, but the point I was making, which seems to have been missed (apart from by Gazzareth), is that having such a heavy handed security protocol might be a great way to defeat spam, etc, but severely limits most people signing up that would have a passing interest, are not so IT savvy, console players (haha), etc.

To quote BI (and Sun Tzu lol) "Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat".

It's only 'cos I'm pretty hardcore about this game, and IT stuff in general that I persevered. If I was less technically proficiant or less patient, I'd probably have just left it, which is why I'm assuming there are so few people commenting on, what I hope will be, a major game.

Let's stop it being a niche "tech" game and appeal to techs and non-techs. An "underground hit" is industry jargon for "not commercially successful". Again, if this game proves very successful, there will be a follow up, or even spark a whole plethora of clones/spin-offs in the genre, something, I'm sure most of you will agree, is severely lacking.

As a side note, I'd bet the vast majority of people on these forums are IT savvy peeps? Maybe someone should start a poll on that? :)

Anyway, to bring this discussion back to the original question at hand, I still vote for (and fully expect it to be this way regardless) the game to come out pronto, and the MP "patch" to follow on.

Edited March 18, 2012 by TaktiX

[Gazzareth 1]

Oh... Right. I thought you meant the installation, not the forum signup. My bad :o

LOL, wondered why you went off about that .. .. ..

G

[dcal 16]

I think Multiplayer is an important component however, I personally am more interested in single player. Looking forward to the release.

[PARAKAS 10]

My main concern about a lack of MP is that it sidelines this game to the margins. How many major games can you name me that doesn't have MP?

I feel i should mention TOTAL WAR titles. Very strong SP and not so MP.

SP will depend on how strong AI will be. If it will offer slow learning curve and decent challenge it will be ok for long enough.

I guess it takes ages to develop polished and bug free sandbox. So, better in small bits of good quality then large and broken :)

[Astrus 10]

My main concern about a lack of MP is that it sidelines this game to the margins. How many major games can you name me that doesn't have MP?

Skyrim, Obivion, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 1, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham City, Dead Space, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Portal, X-Universe games...

That's what I can name so far. I'm sure there are plenty of others. But considering most of those are pretty high up there on the list of popular games... Also, multiplayer is not the be all and end all. There are certainly games out there which do multiplayer bad, and this can often affect the quality of the singleplayer too.

The Carrier Command concept is a singleplayer concept first, multiplayer concept second. Hence i'd rather they get it out as a great singleplayer game, then do their best to implement a multiplayer part to it. Will this work? Who knows. But as long as there's a solid singleplayer component to the game, it can still be a great game.

Additionally, as the Elder Scrolls games have shown us, a singleplayer game with a strong modding community can really shine. It's unsure if we'll be able to get that kind of community for CC:GM, but we do know there will be some modding, which is more than some of the other listed games have.

Edited March 20, 2012 by Astrus
Addition

[TaktiX 1]

That's a fair point guys, and I'll even add to it with Donkey Kong (yes, I am THAT old) and Sonic the Hedgehog. However, let's take this deeper. How many of these games were ground breaking, spawned further developement and/or proliferated their genres (I don't mean DK or StH...they were awesome lol). Would Doom or Quake have been anywhere near as groundbreaking and/or addictive without MP? Look at the example of WoW, a game that would be mediocre without MP. Dare I say, would the Battle of Midway, I mean the ACTUAL BoM in 1942 (not a game), have been such a success as a SP? I'm joking of course...

This game is just CRYING OUT for MP'ing!

Don't get me wrong, I think the SP has to be great for this game to be a success, but equally, I would think that this game would need MP to give it the best chance of being a blockbuster. One of the things that let down Hostile Waters (a sort of predecessor to this game and sequel to CC 1988) was the lack of MP. Imagine that game (even revamped) with the addition of MP?

I guess the real question here is: What single thing (other than a great SP experience) would give this game the BEST chance of achieving the mass market, super success that it deserves. That would help it be something that people will come back to over and over. That will build enough of a community that will practically "force" BI to release a sequel, and make other publishers sit up and take note. Really, I'm surprised that it's taken so long for ANYONE to release a remake of this game, or something like it. The last carrier based games I can think of are Janes Fleet Command and Battlestations Pacific, but neither were as satisfying as CC 1988! What's wrong with this picture?! lol

PARAKAS, I agree with you, I would prefer a smaller, higher quality game than a larger, lower quality game (MS Vista anyone?).

I also agree with some of what you say Astrus, however, the CC concept was SP initially as after they crammed the entire game into 48k of RAM (48k!), they thought inventing the internet and adding MP might have been too much...kidding, but you get the point. We've progressed 20+ years since the release of that game, lets up gun this bad boy. I really like the idea of modding, anything that builds a community around this game, get's people passionate about it.

[SpyderPB6 10]

I can confirm, I will not buy this game unless there is MP in it. Does anyone care? No.

[TaktiX 1]

I can confirm, I will not buy this game unless there is MP in it. Does anyone care? No.

You...maybe not so much SpyderPB6, but according to above pop quiz, another 28.57% would seem to feel the same as you. If this is indicative of people that won't buy without a MP option, then yes, it's a concern.

Personally, I'd even be happy with a 1 vs 1 mode (basically where a human can take over the role of the AI carrier). I'm sure that would be reasonably easy to accommodate? Is this what the aforementioned "skirmish mode" will be?