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From: Justisaur <justisaur@gmail.com>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action
Subject: Re: Single Player FTW
Date: Wed, 9 Oct 2024 19:57:18 -0700
Organization: i2pn2 (i2pn.org)
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On 10/8/2024 8:16 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
> 
> 
> A recent study reported that most gamers prefer single-player! Take
> that, multiplayer nerds! ;-)
> 
> Of course, the reality is that, if you look into the study, the
> single-player advantage is minimal; it's along the lines of 53% to 47%
> in favor of single-player. And the breakdown is predictible; the old
> fogies like the single-player, whilst the brats go for the online
> stuff. Honestly, the study doesn't really tell us anything that we
> didn't already know.
> 
> Still, for years publishers parroted the line that multiplayer was the
> only way to profitablity, and strictly single-player games (or even
> single-player modes) were often given short-shrift. There have been
> numerous reports of attempts by developers to push forward
> single-player games that have been shot down by publishers, who told
> the devs that single-player games 'just don't sell'.  And why not?
> Multiplayer games sold tremendously well, and you could attach all
> sorts of live-service features onto the games to rake in even more
> money
> 
>     [that the audience of the games trended younger, less sophisticated
>      and less discriminating probably didn't hurt either]
> 
> But what this study shows is that there is a huge market --over half
> the gaming population-- that has a clear preference for single-player
> experiences. There's also a lot of proof that single-player games _do_
> sell (see "Wukung" or "Baldurs Gate 3" for recent examples), and an
> equal number of examples of high-profile multiplayer games _not_
> selling (see "Concord", for instance). The deciding factor isn't
> multiplayer versus single-player; it's whether the game is good or
> not. Good games sell, bad ones don't.

Correction:  Baldur's Gate 3 can be played online multiplayer like a 
real D&D game with the computer as DM - possibly even like NWN with a 
real DM/Level Designer.

I'm to understand the makers just put out a modding kit and someone 
leaked/hacked a way to actually change the levels (which apparently 
involved changing one bit, seems like someone left that in the game on 
purpose.)

But there's multiplayer and there's multiplayer.  It's a single player 
offline game at its heart. I'm fine with that.

The multiplayer games I like aren't hardcore multiplayer ones.  I don't 
like the time and commitment level (generally) required for MMOs with 
raids (and grinding or p2w.) I don't usually much care for competitive 
multiplayer like Fortnight or other MMO FPS' (though I did play about a 
6 month stint of Counterstrike with a friend and strangers.)

What I do like are things like Dark souls/ER where you just get summoned 
to another's game or summon yourself, only for the time commitment of 
trying to get to and defeat 1 boss.  It's generally not a lot of time 
commitment (though some areas can be.)  There are the invasions which I 
don't care for, but grudgingly accept too.

Vermintide, Warframe and it's like where you make a small squad to play 
PVE for one mission.  You can get further into those and end game seems 
a bit much in that regard in Warframe (also with grinding eventually.)

EDF with both online multiplayer and local split screen.

If you want to talk about old-school multiplayer, I even played Master 
of Magic online 1-on-1 at least one time (with a mod to do so) and it 
and other games hot seat with friends at my place or their's many a time.

-- 
-Justisaur

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