So what do we know about multiplayer? Is the persistent multiplayer like the GalCiv2 metaverse, or actual "true" multiplayer? Will there be support for simultaneous turns?
We know that it exists.
We hope for head to head games over impulse.
We may face the 'spore-like' metaverse they've come up with for this game.
I think it has been stated in several places there will be multiplayer modes, including your typical "skirmish" or "sandbox" mode.
Not putting multiplayer in this game would be sheer insanity (although, people said that about GalCiv2 also )
Thanks for the update BoogieBac, that sounds awesome!
The common error is to assume that Stardock does not possess said sheer insanity. Once you grasp the truth of that, all the rest makes sense
One request I'd make is to keep cooperative multiplayer vs the computer in mind. My girlfriend and I like playing games together, but not competitively (mostly because I always win, but don't tell her that ). What would be really cool for us would be if there was a two-player campaign mode available that we could play through as a team.
QFUT (Quote for Ultimate Truth !!)
My wife also don't want to play versus me (same resasons). A coop mode would be a total blast.
CO-OP campaigns?
Now that is insanse -- and brilliant!
Co-op play is extremely important to our group, it's generally the only type of game that shifts us from MMORPGs to stand-alone type games. Alliances are great. I would highly recommend going that route.
Co-Op campaigns are one of the things we'll have.
One thing to remember is that this design is being made for the long-haul. So we envision settings where a group of friends could play together against the Fallen on maps so large and so many techs and spells that it would take months of weekend get togethers to finish if they want (or they coudl play a smaller map and be done in an afternoon).
Good news !!!
But .. are you sure they're will be enough spells for so long games? In most games they're only a handful spells, and the others are too dependant of the context to be usefull. Maybe spells will be used to do.. everything (or almost)?
That is really sweet news.
How about co-op on the same team? For instance, in Age of Empires you and a buddy could control everything together as one empire (rather than two separate ones). That might not be as practical for a TBS vs. an RTS, but just wondering.
I know only 3 semi-successful MP TBS - Civilization 4, The Battle for Wesnoth and Massive Assault Network 2. Civ4 is being played competitively with a turn timer, sudden death (2 cities lost) and ~120 turn limit - about 3 hours per game, 5 hours maximum. Wesnoth games are relatively fast anyway, it's a hex wargame with a relatively small number of units. So, the only game that can't be finished in one session is MAN2, hex wargame with a lot of units. However, MAN2 generally can be finished in no more than about 30 turns so players may make one turn at a time (server stores game state for other player), that way it will take no more than 1-2 months to finish one game.
So, Elemental MP game can't be finished in one session and it can't be completed in a small number of turns so it's not a true internet game, it probably targets a play-by-email audience and maybe games between friends. I'm not interested in that MP All that talk about Impulse support, but what is it for if it's effectively not playable? There is enough trouble playing one-session Civ 4 games - non-ladder games are almost never being finished. Multi-session games with random people will not work at all, period.
Also, if devs absolutely can't reduce micromanagement so to make it internet-playable, then IMHO it's a sign of a bad game design - game is too bloated. I prefer games with a meaningful strategic decisions instead of too much meaningless micro. Well, i'll buy it anyway but it's a disappointment
When you say impulse will be the backbone of multiplayer games, are you saying that there is no way to connect to others PC, direct or otherwise, than through Impulse? No offense to stardock, but there are and have been dozens of these type "services" available and not a few of them just flopped or ended, making games forced to use these "services" unplayable via multiplayer sometimes just a couple years later (without resorting to work arounds which shouldn't be necessary).
Don't get me wrong. So far, I have no problems with Impulse, and it works fairly well, UI could use work, I just don't want to wind up with a game I bought for multiplayer purposes (i rarely play campaigns in games like these, just play with my friends), and be unable to play with them.
2 questions:
1) Will there be hotseat multiplayer available (1 computer, switching turns)? I use this feature quite a lot with my friends.
2) Will Impulse be able to be used for pitboss like games (where the games data is actually all on impulse, people just have to log in say once a day to take their turn)