Chapter 13: Multi-player

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Chapter 13 Multi-player
by Richard Rouse III

• Aysegül BAKAR
• BTÖ-616

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Overview

• What is the difference?
• Reading books
• Listening to music
• Studying math
• Doing homework
• Single player games

Interacting with another human/a character
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Overview

• In the end, the dynamic interaction that single
  player games provide is far more limited than
  what can be provided in multi-player games.
• But to the non-gaming world multi-player online
  games are seen as just as antisocial as
  single-player games, if not more so.

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Motivations

• The popularity of multi-player games makes
  perfect sense given that they satisfy many of the
  player desires.

AI opponents
Real humans
Much deeper unpredictable adversaries
Increased challenge
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Motivations

• Players learn as they play
• Possible for players to socialize
• Glory and shame
• Emotionally charged alternate realities
• Significantly more interactive

Screenshot of Ultima Online
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The Forms

• Single-system multi-player
• Games that are played by a number of gamers all
  in the same location and huddled around the same
  computer or console
• Online multi-player
• Games that are played online by multiple players
  who are in significantly different locations

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Single System Multi-player

• Pong, Mario Bros, Smash TV
• These games are limited in that both players have
  to be constrained to relatively the same portion
  of the game-world so that they can both stay
  visible
• Multi-player single screen play can be further
  problematic when players have to wait for one
  another to perform certain actions.

Solution
Split screen
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Online Multi-player

• Players need to project themselves into the game
  space much more
• Players interact and form strong bonds with
  others they have often never met in the pyhsical
  world
• Open-ended in design
• Emphasizing multiple paths to success
• Allowing players to spend their time how they
  choose

Screenshot of Dark Age of Camelot
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Design Considerations

• Designer should plan his game so it is possible
  for players to tend to the needs of the real
  world without needing to quit the game.
• Letting players know what they are getting into
  before they start up a game is a good way to
  encourage them to play games all the way through.
  
• Games that allow one player to get extremely far
  ahead of the other players but still require a
  long and tedious end-game for that player to
  complete the win will encourage the losing
  players to drop out, essentially forfeiting.

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Design Considerations

• Your game will need to handle Internet dropouts
  in an elegant way such that the remaining players
  can continue playing if at all possible, with the
  now-missing players having essentially forfeited
  their slots.
• Allowing players to customize their avatar in the
  game-world is also key to making players feel
  that they are actually putting themselves into
  the game.
• If your game design does not allow for a flexible
  enough space for players to develop unique
  tactics to counter other players moves, all but
  the newbies will quickly lose interest in your
  game.

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Protect Newbies

• Newbies are the most vulnerable players, and it
  is the game designers job to do everything he
  can to keep them protected long enough for them
  to become familiar with the games mechanics and
  tactics.
• Online training areas
• Mentoring system
• Simple controls

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Socialization

• One of the primary reasons that players engage in
  multi-player games is to socialize with other
  players.
• Attract a larger female fun

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Socialization

• Facilitate player socialization!
• Interface (chat or symbol based language)
• Emoticons and creative punctuation
• Headset support for voice chat
• Safe places to talk
• Player clans or guilds

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Developmental Issues

• Decide what type of game they are making
  multi-player or single-player
• Keep the game development process as organic as
  possible

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Playtesting and User Feedback

• As you develop your multi-player game and observe
  people playing it, you will quickly find that you
  never can anticipate what players will attempt to
  do.
• However, the flip side of this is that, since
  they are such hard-core gamers who are so into
  gaming that they are willing to play a buggy and
  unfinished product, these testers do not
  necessarily represent the views of more casual
  players.
• When your game is unleashed on the masses, issues
  will come up that you failed to anticipate.
• In the world of massively multi-player persistent
  games, the duty of maintaining the game after it
  ships is even more important.

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Playtesting and User Feedback

• Adjusting the game in any significant way after
  it has shipped can be a delicate process.
• The fact remains that, though invaluable, the
  feedback offered by players, whether in a beta
  test or after the game has launched, is
  problematic at best.

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Thanks for listening