Topic: Randy Pitchford bemoans games with tacted-on Multiplayer components

[MysterD]

Randy Pitchford of Gearbox bemoans games w/ tacted-on Multiplayer components - such as Dead Space 2.

[Cobra951]

He's right, of course.  And it's no help when idiots complain about lack of multiplayer in the few games that manage to keep firmly focused on solo play.

[MysterD]

My problem w/ Dead Space 2's MP was the lack of maps.

They really could've just saved the MP for the next game or a separate MP-only game so they had lots more maps  or something...

[W7RE]

My problem w/ Dead Space 2's MP was the lack of maps.

They really could've just saved the MP for the next game or a separate MP-only game so they had lots more maps  or something...

During the MP beta they had a feedback forum setup and people would spend votes on the ideas/suggestions/bugs that they felt needed attention. The number one item, by far (like 700 votes, with the #2 item having like 300) was the suggestion that they add a horde mode. Honestly, they should have just dropped the existing MP and added that. It's not that the MP isn't fun, it's just that it's too much of something we've had plenty of, sort of shoehorned into a game that didn't need it.

[idolminds]

The whole situation is a mess. Reviewers will dock points on a review if your game doesn't have multi (completely stupid). Multiplayer generally means longevity, and publishers like that*. So they push for it to be included. Tacking on crappy/worthless multi will probably get you worse scores than leaving it off entirely so once that decision is made to include it you are going to have to put some effort into it. We're past the days where a simple deathmatch mode is enough. That effort could have been put towards the singleplayer to make it even better but now its being diverted to a multiplayer mode that will be dead in 3 months.

Some games the mechanics work well in both SP and MP and coming up with a MP component works great. Other games really don't, so don't shoehorn in some crappy mode no one is going to care about.




*They don't actually care that you are playing the game longer, they just don't want you to sell the game to Gamestop 5 minutes after the credits roll.

[W7RE]

I don't think the used market is that big of a problem. I think it's Gamestop + greed. Gamestop pushes the hell out of used games and that makes the used market bigger than it would normally be. Remove Gamestop, and I'll bet more people would buy games new. Developers/publishers have also gotten greedy. Used game sales were never a problem before, so why are they now? What makes games different than books, DVD's, or anything else?

Actually, I'm convinced that efforts to reduce used game sales are a direct result of Gamestop's force-it-down-your-throat used game sales tactics.






BTW, I do think Gamestop is the devil. Not sure if that came across in my post, so I thought I'd add it.

[Xessive]

I really appreciate developers that focus on the singleplayer and put all their effort into making the best job they can on it.

I respect BethSoft for their approach in the Elder Scrolls series; some people keep asking for multiplayer, which is a valid request for any fan of The Elder Scrolls universe who wants to experience it with friends, BethSoft tries and sees no way of doing it the right way so they don't tarnish it with a half-ass multiplayer.