Please No Co-op!

[Flik_Tripz]

I know the devs have said that there are no plans for them to add multiplayer of any kind, but I'm worried that all the people who constantly ask them to add it will pretty much force them to. I feel that if this game got coop it would be like any other early access survival game. But this game is special in the way it isolated you with nature itself. Adding other players to the mix ruins this. Hinterland, please don't be pressured by others into adding this feature.

[Scyzara]

Don't be afraid, just because the Devs listen thoroughly to player feedback (and include what they find reasonable) doesn't mean that they will ever include features that go against their own vision. And I'm pretty sure that multiplayer is one of these things, just like cannibalism or working cars.

TLD's time management system (time acceleration while sleeping/cooking, etc.) probably makes a multiplayer mode impossible anyway. Not even to mention that there isn't an actual player model.^^

[Flik_Tripz]

Those are all very good points, I just worried a bit that it may happen in the future.

[klesh]

Hinterland, please don't be pressured by others into adding this feature.

Customer is always right?

Why not give people what they want? If that doesn't suit your playstyle no one would be forcing you to play a co-op game?

[Bill Tarling]

Customer is always right?

Because the customer isn't always right... perfect example are the players early on who wanted to be able to take scrap metal and the car battery to repair the hydro dam so electricity would be available throughout the maps... or the players who wanted Yeti and assorted paranormal creatures added because they liked them in other games... or the players who use "add this for better immersion whether it fits the game plans or not" requests [which in fact translates to "I want it easier so I can complete the game faster"].

Raph said early on this the studio's job wasn't to add every the players think they want, but rather to interpret what's needed to balance what the player is missing.

Why not give people what they want? If that doesn't suit your playstyle no one would be forcing you to play a co-op game?

The game was very specifically and intentionally designed for single player. They would have to scrap a lot of the game and redesign it from scratch. I was stated very openly from even the first Kickstarter campaign that the game was not being designed for Coop or Multiplayer, and that their vision was specifically for single player mode.

Perhaps if modding is allowed after the final release, somebody might make a multiplayer mod, but the devs have stated repeatedly they are not considering making this edition multiplayer at this time. They know realistically what would be needed to redesign everything, as well as deadline release capabilities - so there's focussed on completing the original vision first.

[tygaslayer]

I think a co-op with one of your friends would be great. You and your friend both survive the plane crash but there isn't enough supplies in the first aid kit for both of you. So one of you must choose who gets the first aid but you can hear wolves closing in so its a rushed decision. Also having co-op would make it even more difficult with supplies. You have to ration food and take shifts scavenging. But I do understand and like the single player survival. It just feels completely terrifying going into the world alone with low supplies and no idea where you are. The idea is brilliant! You cant help but feel completely immersed.

[tygaslayer]

Also I'm not meaning to push I will love the game and play it either way

[coryduran]

Some games are meant and designed as single player experiences, and it's a good thing the game is made that way. I can think of plenty of great games I've played that were single player, and they would not at all be even similar experiences were they co op. Hinterland is trying to deliver a vision they have for a game, and putting in co op would go against their vision. I'm glad they have no intention to.

[elloco999]

I have no worries that Hinterland will try to make this version of TLD a multi player (any kind of multi player) game. And I'm glad about that!

To those who think multi player TLD would be great I say:

How would that work with the current game mechanics? What would happen when player A would start an activity that accelerates time, like harvesting, foraging, cooking, sleeping etc? Would player B be forced to do the same things at the same times? How about sleeping to heal up after a wolf attack? Player A is at 100% condition and the time of day is at it's best to go outside (warmest few hours) and player B is almost dead and needs to heal up? It would suck to be player A and have to go to sleep as well wouldn't it?

Fact is TLD is designed as a single player game and all the mechanics are designed that way as well. To be able to do multi player in TLD would mean changing the entire game. It could be done, but it would take a lot of time and it would no longer be TLD.

[calmheart]

... I'm worried that all the people who constantly ask them to add it will pretty much force them to... Hinterland, please don't be pressured by others into adding this feature.

So because you have no use for it, it actually worries you that others might be given the option (which of course you need not use) if that would please them? You actively petition to deny others access to something they might like based solely on your own preferences?

[elloco999]

... I'm worried that all the people who constantly ask them to add it will pretty much force them to... Hinterland, please don't be pressured by others into adding this feature.

So because you have no use for it, it actually worries you that others might be given the option (which of course you need not use) if that would please them? You actively petition to deny others access to something they might like based solely on your own preferences?

Or maybe it is because to enable multiplayer of any kind would mean changing the core of the game into something completely different? I happen to like the way TLD plays. If it is changed to enable multiplayer, there is no telling if I would like that at all, but I do know it would no longer be the game I helped fund.

[nicko]

I have no worries that Hinterland will try to make this version of TLD a multi player (any kind of multi player) game. And I'm glad about that!

To those who think multi player TLD would be great I say:

How would that work with the current game mechanics? What would happen when player A would start an activity that accelerates time, like harvesting, foraging, cooking, sleeping etc? Would player B be forced to do the same things at the same times? How about sleeping to heal up after a wolf attack? Player A is at 100% condition and the time of day is at it's best to go outside (warmest few hours) and player B is almost dead and needs to heal up? It would suck to be player A and have to go to sleep as well wouldn't it?

Fact is TLD is designed as a single player game and all the mechanics are designed that way as well. To be able to do multi player in TLD would mean changing the entire game. It could be done, but it would take a lot of time and it would no longer be TLD.

Best multiplayer suggestion I see is:

like the Lone TV series. you each player would be in or on a small area/island.

be it 4x players or 6x players? depends on the maps available. last man stands.

[elloco999]

I have no worries that Hinterland will try to make this version of TLD a multi player (any kind of multi player) game. And I'm glad about that!

To those who think multi player TLD would be great I say:

How would that work with the current game mechanics? What would happen when player A would start an activity that accelerates time, like harvesting, foraging, cooking, sleeping etc? Would player B be forced to do the same things at the same times? How about sleeping to heal up after a wolf attack? Player A is at 100% condition and the time of day is at it's best to go outside (warmest few hours) and player B is almost dead and needs to heal up? It would suck to be player A and have to go to sleep as well wouldn't it?

Fact is TLD is designed as a single player game and all the mechanics are designed that way as well. To be able to do multi player in TLD would mean changing the entire game. It could be done, but it would take a lot of time and it would no longer be TLD.

like the Lone TV series. you each player would be in or on a small area/island.

be it 4x players or 6x players? depends on the maps available. last man stands.

And how would you solve the time difference between the players? All players start at the same time. One player decides to sleep for 10 hours while the others keep playing. Now that player is 9 hours ahead of the others...

[nicko]

no idea just thinking

each would be on a timeline of some sort? bit like a poker competition. runs for say x amount of time?

you sleep == good luck waste your time maybe or not.

btw I am fine with single player as it is. Can't wait for story mode.

[FINDarkside]

So because you have no use for it, it actually worries you that others might be given the option (which of course you need not use) if that would please them? You actively petition to deny others access to something they might like based solely on your own preferences?

Good point, but the game mechanics would need to be changed a lot for co-op to be possible/good and those changes might not be good.

E: Lol I was way too slow. But can't delete this :lol:

[octavian]

And how would you solve the time difference between the players? All players start at the same time. One player decides to sleep for 10 hours while the others keep playing. Now that player is 9 hours ahead of the others...

Erm, simple, don't have a time difference, have a global time scale that is not touched and make it faster than SP. Say, one minute for one in-game hour, just saying a random number here.

Sleep eight hours, spend 8 minutes looking at the ceiling. If a dream mechanic, like it was suggested a long time ago, would be introduced, it would completely solve the issue of sleeping without warping time.

Whatever remains, harvesting, crafting, whatever, just don't speed up time, it would already be globally sped up compared to SP, just make it a progress bar, like searching inside a drawer.

[FINDarkside]

Erm, simple, don't have a time difference, have a global time scale that is not touched and make it faster than SP. Say, one minute for one in-game hour, just saying a random number here.

Sleep eight hours, spend 8 minutes looking at the ceiling. If a dream mechanic, like it was suggested a long time ago, would be introduced, it would completely solve the issue of sleeping without warping time.

And then you would have to sleep every 12 minutes. Not so simple anymore is it?

I know you said "just random number", but the time scale doesn't matter. If you would sleep 12 hours a day you would spend half of your playtime sleeping if there were no speedup when you sleep.

Sleeping only 8 hours a day would still mean you spend 33% of your playtime sleeping.

[elloco999]

And how would you solve the time difference between the players? All players start at the same time. One player decides to sleep for 10 hours while the others keep playing. Now that player is 9 hours ahead of the others...

Erm, simple, don't have a time difference, have a global time scale that is not touched and make it faster than SP. Say, one minute for one in-game hour, just saying a random number here.

Sleep eight hours, spend 8 minutes looking at the ceiling. If a dream mechanic, like it was suggested a long time ago, would be introduced, it would completely solve the issue of sleeping without warping time.

Whatever remains, harvesting, crafting, whatever, just don't speed up time, it would already be globally sped up compared to SP, just make it a progress bar, like searching inside a drawer.

As long as this is done only in multiplayer, I'd be okay with that. I would never play it because I don't play a game to be just sitting there staring at the screen for 8 minutes while my character sleeps, butif other people like that sort of thing who am I to keep them from it.

But the development of such a mode should not be started until after the singleplayer part has been released.

[Weyland]

The game was very specifically and intentionally designed for single player. They would have to scrap a lot of the game and redesign it from scratch. I was stated very openly from even the first Kickstarter campaign that the game was not being designed for Coop or Multiplayer, and that their vision was specifically for single player mode.

Perhaps if modding is allowed after the final release, somebody might make a multiplayer mod, but the devs have stated repeatedly they are not considering making this edition multiplayer at this time. They know realistically what would be needed to redesign everything, as well as deadline release capabilities - so there's focussed on completing the original vision first.

Alpha development often makes very serious changes. This is the nature of alpha development, correct? How do yo know they would have to "scrap a lot of the game and redesign it from scratch?" Are you a developer?

So if the devs would have to "scrap a lot of the game and redesign it from scratch," then how do you expect a modder to achieve this? Doesn't make much sense for a modder to scrap a ton of the game and redesign it from scratch. Hell, even the massive Skyrim mods don't go to that level.