General / Off-Topic Guardian technology article on single-player gaming

[Jack Schitt]

An interesting, if content-light, article on the appeal of single-player gaming:

http://www.theguardian.com/technolo...ers-destiny-solo-activision-grand-theft-forza

No direct mention of ED alas, but a couple of other space games do get name dropped and the reasons behind some folks' disillusionment with multiplayer reflect much that's been aired in the ED forums.

(Mods please merge or delete if necessary. I did a quick search and scanned through the General forum but -- surprisingly -- nobody seems to have mentioned this article yet.)

 

[Robert Maynard]

An interesting, if content-light, article on the appeal of single-player gaming.

Interesting indeed....

 

[Mark Allen]

Interesting. Personally I'm only really interested in either solo games with awesome stories, or small co-op with people I know. Perhaps I'm just behind the times .

 

[Robert Maynard]

Personally I'm only really interested in either solo games with awesome stories, or small co-op with people I know. Perhaps I'm just behind the times .

You would not be alone in that view - I expect that it is not that uncommon among the players of the original game.

 

[Druid]

On the other side of the coin , people like me who feel loanly in a single player game and crave to play in a game where other real people exist.

I find all single player games (for me) are time limited in their appeal . I even end up looking for the cheat modes to finish the game . This is in part due to knowing I am playing against the software and to me, if that is all there is , is just pointless.

I like playing alone in game sometimes of course . It is theraputic to just be you and the game but there is something intrinsically souless about knowing you wont run into another human player, ever. For me it takes the joy out of gameing.

I recently start playing about with the latest release of Oblivion as it was cheap on steam. Ok for an hour or two but then I started to get seriously bored and wanted to have interaction with someone "real". Ok real is a loose term for avatar in game but at least you know there is someone on the other end of the code.

Do single games have a place ? Of course, the same way that flight simulator junkies like to build a fully working interior of a 747 in their shed. There is a place for all types of gaming .

Will single player games become more popular? IMHO definately not. Humans are social animals , notwithstanding the spotty teanager who thinks everyone hates them. Even the risk of "griefing" , (depends on your point of view and perspective of course) makes your gaming experience , if done right , more exciting (again a point of perspective).

Numbers itself prove that the multiplayer experience is more of a sensory winner . Those that play MMo's tend to play for years those that play single player games look for multiplayer after completing the content in said game,(or is that just me?).

I look at my past 20 odd years of gaming (sad) xwing v tie 2 years , Quake CTF league, jumpgate 4 years , SWG 4 years , EVE ongoing, Lord of the Rings online back every 6 months or so for a few months after 2 years playing, Jumpgate again for a blast and check all pilots going to play ED.

Single player, farcry 3 months total for all releases. Unreal same then a bit off UT. Few other sims totaling months .

The only single player game that ever caught me up and that was in part due to there being no multiplayer was of course Elite on the bbc then the amega. Jeez I lost my late teans early 20's to that game , THANKS DAVE! I should have been getting drunk

 

[Bobbydylan]

Though I have gotten into Battlefield in recent years, it' pretty much the only game I MP. I don;t play MMO's, I found SWTOR a ball-ache as I couldn't go certain places unless I joined a bunch of strangers and "gamed" the system (Tank, DPS, Healer) and not be a character in my story.

I much prefer SP games.

 

[Sir.Tj]

Shame theres no direct mention of ED. I'll move it to the Off topic section with a re-direct.:smilie:

 

[Cmdr Andy B]

Interesting. Personally I'm only really interested in either solo games with awesome stories, or small co-op with people I know. Perhaps I'm just behind the times .

I'm a great fan of solo play as long as its got a good storyline, games like sniper elite can be both fun and challenging.

take them online PvP and an old fart like me just gets stuck in a loop of being shot in the head and respawning - not a lot of fun.

hopefully ED will be a different kettle of fish and there will be areas of the galaxy that being in the all group wont mean restarting every five minutes when you get jumped every time you come out of hyperspace.

 

[HaB1971]

It's a good article and nice to know that the minority of single player gamers isn't so small and it is painful to watch potentially good content for a game be ruined, removed or not even be developed in favor of multiplayer

 

[Mephane]

Interesting. Personally I'm only really interested in either solo games with awesome stories, or small co-op with people I know. Perhaps I'm just behind the times .

If only someone started making an open world space game that accommodated both play styles seamlessly...

 

[AnthonyRV]

I've never found it that appealing. I did play the likes of World of Tanks for a couple of years but, I've pretty much given up with them now because the idiots often rule with the voice of loud mouthed sweariness.

However the likes of ED I think would to be a reasonable compromise where although interactions with other players are possible, it's not going to happen nearly as frequently. And if you want to bug out of that altogether the option will be there.

 

[Druid]

Though I have gotten into Battlefield in recent years, it' pretty much the only game I MP. I don;t play MMO's, I found SWTOR a ball-ache as I couldn't go certain places unless I joined a bunch of strangers and "gamed" the system (Tank, DPS, Healer) and not be a character in my story.

I much prefer SP games.

I hear what you are saying about class specific dungeons. You need certain roles to be successful at some high end content. Unfortunatly when playing certain games with specifics where co op is encouraged , like special instances , that level of gameing is deliberatly included to cator for hard core raiding people. Even casual raiding demands a group of players who have a "job " to do.

This is by no means obligatory to play the game. SWTOR was actually not role specific enough for most people.

I take your point though , if you are not into interacting with others to achieve certain goals this system can seem unduly restrictive. Most online games now have matching systems in game that take all the hard work out of finding a group for these instances . But if it isnt your bag then thats cool of course, each of us requires something from our gaming that gives us our ultimate nirvana.

I have to say though , due to this gaming system I have made very many good friends , who yes, I actually see socially from time to time and have done for many years. We still speak on ventrillo and still game together . Many playing Elite dangerous and many more to waiting to start.

I do think Elite is a totaly different animal . Any game single or multiplayer with an infinate universe (or near as damn it) will work for me .

 

[Count Iblis]

I was thinking that perhaps I was wrong to judge the Guardian for its unrealistic and sickeningly irritating world view until I read this:

"Multiplayer shooters particularly are dominated by young men trash talking each other, often with sexist, racist and homophobic slurs. The experiences some people have had while trying games like Call of Duty and Halo online have put them off forever"

Simple rule of sexism and double standards:
Would it have been allowed to be written if it was the following:

"Multiplayer shooters particularly are dominated by young women trash talking each other, often with sexist, racist and homophobic slurs. The experiences some people have had while trying games like Call of Duty and Halo online have put them off forever"

......