Say I want multiplayer for Alan Wake.

[esfumato]

Well i have read that Alan Wake will not have multiplayer .

So i want to say that it's the time off the community to say that we want multiplayer in a Remedy tittle. We all want it!

I know, that in max payne the bullet time is difficult to implement in multiplayer but it isn't needed, you only have to think how should be playing max payne in multiplyer mode witout it. Totally awesome, better than playing FPS in multiplayer.

For Alan wake they said that is difficult to implement the horror or the story. But it isn't needed for multiplayer. Alan wake could be a good oportunity to have a multiplayer third person game.

Why Multiplayer should be in Alan Wake.

We don't want a horror story or bullet time or nothing new. I think that the most of the community will apreciate that the game includes netcode only to do mods and enlarge the game life.

Introduce deathmatch in Alan wake when the game is finished isn't very expensive, they don't have to do new maps or to do nothing new, they only have to cut some maps off the single player game and introduce some spawn points and let the people killing each other. If the maps aren't better enough the community could introduce new ones using level editors. It doesn't matter!

Alan wake will have one off the better single player sotories and it will be a great game, but to enlarge the game life multiplyer netcode is needed, because doing single player modifications is very hard and after 2 or 3 years home working the community will finish your mod at only half hour!

Modding for multiplayer is easier and because you aren't playing against AI you can replay till the end of days the game beacuse every new match is different. If Alan wake multiplayer isn't good enough the community could moddify it to do it better. It doesn't matter!

So Alan Wake should have an easy to do multiplayer option, not to do great things but to let the people moddify the game and see what happends.

Introduce a Netcode and let the community search what to do with the game in multiplayer.

If you think i'm right reply saying I want multiplayer netcode in Alan Wake! maybe if lot of people reply they will take care off it.

Id did it with Doom 3 and nothing went wrong.

It ins't Expensive!

[Onjoo]

Originally Posted by esfumato

...
So i want to say that it's the time off the community to say that we want multiplayer in a Remedy tittle. We all want it!
...

I disagree with your idea. Ok in general most of the new games should have multiplayer option , thats because usually they are so short ... I mean paying 70e/$ for a 10 hour game is almost a waste of money.

In alan wake you'll be playing the main characters story, so introducing some random geezers wandering around would completely destroy the whole gameplay experience.

Look at for example GTA series... There is no need for a multiplayer mode. Ok, i know there are unofficial online versions floating around, but they just don't work as good as the main story.

I don't need multiplayer for alan wake, if remedy should make one of cource that would be a big bonus. Maybe the next remedy title will have also some sort of online mode, who knows...

just my 2 cents

[ancient]

I'm perfectly happy without multiplayer. I think Alan Wake by definition is a personal immersive touching experience so multiplayer would just ruin it. (Why we are drawn to Alan Wake anyways? )

I don' t know about others but I also view Alan Wake more as a piece of art - not the means to get fun.

Besides, as a side effect, without multiplayer Remedy will be able to focus all available resources on delivering a top notch cinematic world instead of splitting the effort between two gameplay branches.

So NO multiplayer - this is not the right type of game

[guaps]

Personally I don't care for multiplayer. I hate games that don't perfect singleplayer, to make way for some lame multiplayer. Multiplayer can be fun, but it's not a substitute for great gameplay.

Also since the game will be "TV episodes" (see the F.A.Q.), it will be hard to have any multiplayer part make sence.

[Kahr]

No, multiplayer in Alan Wake is pointless. For what purpose should it be there?

[esfumato]

Well Alan wake will be another great game without multiplayer , I knew that, but I have to say that all that means less should be similar to worse.

That the game include multiplayer don't means that single player will be worse, Remedy have Max Payne 1 and 2 and they now how to do great cinematic single player experiences, we all know that the game will have the best in it.

But we don't have to renaounce to multiplayer, I don't know if you have played multiplayer ever but it is very fun and once you give it a try you don't want to play against AI never more.

Replay your max payne games, and think what a great experience should be use your sniper rifles or all that weapons against other real players without AI and what great mods the community could do.

It's and excuse to enlarge the life of the game, look Half life 1 since 1998 till today people is playing it because their mods.

I have to say that another option in the game is moddify it, moddifying is fun, but do mods for single player is harder than for multiplayer, Look at max payne 1 & 2 they have a few good mods and most of them had a very long work process ,years, and you can finish them at only half hour.

So if multiplayer isnt added to the game forgot about any good mods.

[Kahr]

But Alan Wake is not the kind of game that is suitable for multiplayer. The Max Payne games were to some extent, although I've never thought of them like that. Not too much of a fan of multiplayer 3PS (and I somehow doubt I'd like them if they were FPS either. I just liked them as Single Player games).

Alan Wake however, is nothing like the Max Payne games. It's a Psychological Thriller (moving more towards the world of Survival/Horror, although not as far into that spesific cathegory. We'll see when it comes I suppose). I can't really imagine how much fun a Surival/Horror (or the likes) is on multiplayer. Sure, they had Resident Evil Outbreak. And I'm a huge RE-fan. I didn't exactly care much for that one spesific though.

It's just not... fit.

[esfumato]

Resident Evil Outbreak I have not played it never but I think that the idea to survive with other players to an Horror it's great. think that if you need the help of other people to survive, and you alone are insignificant it will increase the terror feeling.

It's only an issue of difficult to desing a good cooperative horror game.

Think a game like the movie "Dawn of the dead" with massive online desing, a city with lots of players trying to survive between zombies trying to cooperate for their lifes, trying to save the lifes of the others trying to communicate using mass media like radio or tv, trying to supply of food, enable and clear the the safe places of the city.

It should be great.

For multiplayer I think that funcom age of conan will be great. but they are breaking their brains a lot to get it.

[Kahr]

Well, a massive thing like "Dawn of the dead" might have been fun, but it would have to be REAL massive, with TONS of players running around the city or something. And it would have to have a point too... Like, you would get bored quickly if you were just fighting to survive for that or that long, with no goal.

The only thing I can say is that RE Outbreak was no fun. And I still doubt that Alan Wake would make a good multiplayer game. I just don't see the point in it.

Perhaps another new game DESIGNED for that spesific purpose, yes. But not Alan wake.

[esfumato]

Well, when Alan wake came out and we have played it yet we could say if multiplayer should did well, if it is missed or if it should have been is unnecesary.

Time will tell. In my opinion every game is better with multiplayer option.

[Morry]

There are quite a few games out there with multiplayer as the focus point. Such games often feature single player that simply feels like bot practice. I would hate to see this happen to something like Alan Wake.
A game like Alan Wake is heavily focused on the single player storyline. It is meant to be a solo experience. I would not wish for the addition of multiplayer to affect the quality of the single player experience like it has done for some other games out there.
Either you make a good single player game or a good multiplayer game. It's quite rare in the industry for both to be achieved in the one title.

CS is one of those games that has grown as an excellent multiplayer game. This was all possible because of the ability to mod Half-Life. As for modding Alan Wake, we are still not sure what modding capabilities the developers will be able to give us. There will most likely be a variety of programs and licenses being used within the game engine that may not be able to be released to the mod community.

Finally, as the FAQ states:

There will be no multiplayer in this game. "We have all kinds of ideas
related to replayability, but we want to prototype them further before we’ll
talk about them." - Sam Lake
"We'd much rather give the players a great
single-player game, than a mediocre single and multiplayer game."
-Petri Järvilehto

[Kahr]

Originally Posted by esfumato

Time will tell. In my opinion every game is better with multiplayer option.

Not in mine. There are a lot of games out there that just don't need multiplayer. It's got no point. Nor is it even much used. If you want a real multiplayer game, it is better to make a game that's purely based on multiplayer rather than just an additional bonus to a single player game.

[esfumato]

Remedy will not release a bad single player game for introduce the multiplayer option, they now how to do it well.

But knowing that the single player will be great, why have we to renounce to the multiplayer experience and mods?

Either you make a good single player game or a good multiplayer game. It's quite rare in the industry for both to be achieved in the one title.

Well, Alan Wake will be focused in single player and the people want it as better as possible but if the multiplayer option is worse or totally a trash the community will not be enoyed with it because they are expecting a good single player their expectatives will not be disapointed and it can be a plus for other players like me (and modders too).

I will buy Alan wake with or without multiplayer I know that it will be great single player but with Max Payne 1 and 2 I have the feeling that multiplayer is an incredibly great potencial in both tittles without "work" and I don't want the same error by third time.

If Max Payne 2 had multiplayer we could still playing it right now with lot of multiplayer mods maps... the community should be more alive.

[Corwin]

From what I know & imagine, implementing multiplayer in a game that has been planned for singleplayer only is "work", a lot of work. Coding the whole system, adding levels to it, testing it, balancing it, correcting it by releasing patches etc... actually involve a lot of work.

As Morry stated, we're not even sure the game will be moddable, or what in it will be, so I don't think begging for a basic multiplayer feature to improve by ourselves is really leading anywhere.

Don't misunderstand me, I do love multiplayer in some games, but I wouldn't like it to come and complicate AlanWake. Max Payne's games were focused on singleplayer and well done that way, I wouldn't imagine them with a multiplayer menu (or even worst a multiplayer executable), 35 patches to install before possibly playing online, some command-line tweaks to improve the ping, etc. I just want it to be focused on what they have to offer and where the talent is involved, I don't think a quickly-drawn multiplayer feature thrown in the middle of this would satisfy me. I also think the whole idea of the multiplayer just doesn't fit in a 3rd person thriller, even more a to-be-improved multiplayer.

[esfumato]

From what I know & imagine, implementing multiplayer in a game that has been planned for singleplayer only is "work", a lot of work. Coding the whole system, adding levels to it, testing it, balancing it, correcting it by releasing patches etc... actually involve a lot of work.

Is not so hard, most of the games use the same work for single player to do multi. Most of the games use the single player maps to do the "multi" maps with the hole city they have done for Alan wake they can cut some parts of the city and tranform it in some deathmatch maps. The 3D models, the sounds, the music, The code (of the game) is already done, they don't need script because is only a deathmatch or capture the flag (no story needed), If the game is a deathmatch they don't have to balance nothing because the players all have the same life, they hace acces to the same weapons that do the same damage.

Patching, they patch single player games too. And they don't have to contantly patch the game.

Doing a great single player with cinematic feeling Sound Track, script... is more expensive than adding multi to one game.

Doing the netcode I think that it can be done in a few months with a few programmers it isn't nothing compared to record in a studio an Original Soundtrack for the game.

I think that what remedy don't want to do is a crappy multiplayer experience, And they Hope that they can do a High Multi experience totally innovative and never seen before, and yes, doing that is very expensive, and maybe they couldn't afford the risk.

So what I should wirite like the title for the Post was

"Remedy, don't take care About The Quality of Alan Wake Multiplayer, it musn't be so high quality innovative and never seen before like the sinlge player experience you are preparing, We will be very satisfied with a stupid deathmatch quickly done multiplayer option for Alan Wake" So

"Say I don't need that the multiplayer experience in Alan Wake must be so High quality than the single player, but please, add some multiplayer stuff to it we will very satisfied".

[Coak]

Well, you will be very satisfied

I don't think I can think of any arguments against it that haven't already been posted here. The major two:
1) the game is supposed to be about Alan, it's him, alone against the darkness, the story is the main thing here. If there would be multiplayer for a story-based game, it would have to be connected to the story. Yes, maybe it might have been possible for Max Payne with the mob wars going on, Valve did it with Half-Life 2 because it had the Combine vs Rebels struggle which fit in with the story, and as for games like Doom or Quake - it's not so much about the story, there's no inner struggle or mental anguish for the hero, those games are focused on the action, and action is what multiplayer gaming is made for, there's no problem there.
2) maybe it isn't A LOT of work, but it's still work, and it would be better for the developers if instead of spending time (and money) on throwing together some kind of multiplayer that most fans would dislike (check this thread), they would rather spend that time working on and testing the singleplayer.

A game is a whole, I don't want AW to become worse because of a crappy multiplayer mode. If it's there, it's a part of the game, it can't be just ignored if we don't like it. When the game finally comes out, I want to go to a gaming site and see "9,4 - Alan Wake is a stunningly beautiful singleplayer adventure with some truly innovative gameplay." (if this comes true, I get a custom title saying "Prophet" )

And this just plain seems like a bad idea and Remedy doesn't do bad ideas, right?

[Kahr]

You said it Coak. Cheers! :cooler:

[Smoke_Tetsu]

Maybe it's just me but having a deathmatch mode would cheapen Alan Wake somehow... kind of like just reducing it to yet another game where you just run around shooting other people and I don't think that's even going to be the focus the game in the first place.
I agree that Max Payne could have probably gotten away with it more but Alan Wake's story is very different so it's probably best kept as single player especially if that means all the developers resources can be focused on making that the best it can be.

[[GNZ]Marc]

Well, I ve tested a lot of games that had an single and an multiplayer Mode. But everything what I can say is. There are many nice Multiplayer Games on the Market, but there are only some great Singleplayer Games. What we need is no Multiplaying game we need a Game that got´s Story, that got´s feeling and that got´s action, I think Alan Wake is going to be one of these Singleplayer Games !

[Neimonster]

I really don't think Alan Wake would be a good multiplayer game. A different game with similar light/dark-elements but made for multiplayer, however, would.

Max Payne multiplayer would be like the viking game "Rune", with firearms. It could actually be pretty good.

[Ranger_]

Actually I do not want multiplayer in Alan Wake.

[Viceman]

Games like this are meant to enjoy alone, alone in cold winter nights.

[afs]

Remedy is handing you gold, and you're saying "Tie a bag of dog shit to the side of it and I'll take it".

Let's face it, Remedy ain't Ubisoft. And, at the same time, Ubisoft ain't Remedy. Remedy does good single player games. It's a combination of story, gameplay, and look & feel. Max Payne without bullet time is just another TPS. A fun one, but another one nontheless.

A big part of Alan Wake, or so I've read, is light. You use light as a weapon, set traps with light, etc. Where would that go in multiplayer? It'd be gone. And Alan Wake would just seem like some cheaper version of the same game, trying to please the death match crowd.

[vividly_pathetic]

I wouldn't complain if they implemented multiplayer. But deathmatch in Alan Wake? Can't see that...

A co-op multiplayer would be nice, though.

[Kahr]

Originally Posted by vividly_pathetic

I wouldn't complain if they implemented multiplayer. But deathmatch in Alan Wake? Can't see that...

A co-op multiplayer would be nice, though.

Depends on how well it would be done.
But then again... Who would be the one working with Alan Wake? Alan Wake's twin brother?

[Raveness]

I cannot see either working or making sense. The context of this game appears to be a frighteningly alone experience.

[vividly_pathetic]

Originally Posted by Kahr

Who would be the one working with Alan Wake? Alan Wake's twin brother?

A hot sidekick...?

[billerr]

well, it could be interesting if there were some optional sidequests were you could team up with another player and unlock something unattainnable in single-player. Like, an always-full battery for your torch, or another proof in the search for your wife. Or team up with more players for a midnight team search in the forest for traces of your wife, or something. Each player could see himself as Alan and the others as NPCs.

This is more like the GBA-to-GC connectivity in Lefend of Zelda: Windwaker, because it's optional, however I agree that traditional multiplayer (deathmatches, servers and stuff) couldn't fit in AW concept. But the above scenario would take advantage of X360's wi-fi connectivity between consoles, so it's not far-fetched.

[vendetta]

i wonder if remedy had announced that there would a deathmath and a Cooperative modes, i wonder if all wussies would be here saying "pls no multiplayer, multiplayer suck! we dont want mp! pls only single player and pls dont make the game complete and make it ala "HL2" without an End."

u people r only saying that, because devs already said there is no MP, since most here are fanboys of AW, u guys says that AW dont need MP.

it sure could have a mp and as Esfumato said, its easy to add, once u have the gamecomplete, all u have to do is netcode nothing more and yeah it could be connected with the story of AW, not that is needed, but it could have the characters from AW and one team could be effected by the light, u could use some stealth skills, etc..

btw most of MP games aint connected with the story of the single player game, so this point is pure bs.

[Morry]

Would you really play a multiplayer that was just gathered together at the last minute?
If you look at the most popular multiplayer games, they usually sacrifice a single player experience. Even if a good single player game provides multiplayer support, how often is it really used? Look at Doom 3, Quake 4 and Prey. All of these were primarily singleplayer with some multiplayer, but who really plays the multiplayer? The devs could have been better off sacrificing multiplayer for improved singleplayer parts.
In my view, Remedy should stick to what they are best at: creating great storylines and gameplay.

[magnus]

MMORPG, anyone? Would be a fun thing, but unfortunatly impossible to implement. A cross between Alan Wake, Cold Fear, Silent Hill, and World of Warcraft, now that would be something to pleasure yourself sexually with.

Some Alan online co-op could work, but it would probably take too much effort and ruin the mastery of the singelplayer.

Nah, even though I would LOVE to see multiplayer in such a game, (never been done before, excellent marking edge )I think it would be unvice, considering the time, and practical difficulties it would introduce. Wonder if it could be possible through an expansion pack though...

[Morry]

Look at the key features of MMORPGs and WoW - grinding through levels and partying with guilds through instances and battlegrounds. How can you keep up the level of suspense with something that is, at its roots, repetitive?
Moments that scare the player are brought about through scenes that are unexpected, this simply cannot be done in a multiplayer setting, where matches are replays of levels with different strategies.

[Dark River]

Replay your max payne games, and think what a great experience should be use your sniper rifles or all that weapons against other real players without AI and what great mods the community could do.

Are you kidding me?

Do you really think that CS is a realistic multiplayer game? what with people jumping 4 feet in the year while changing clips, or how about being shot through a brick wall or running sideways. I mean, who in real life actually runs like that GOD. Get real, when people get involved with Multiplayer games they only care about winning and shooting as many people as possible, its not an immersive uplifting experience, okay sure it's fun but how can imaging little Alan Wakes running around some stupid map shooting lights at each other.

Okay Max Payne was a completely different game to AW, but AW is all about the story and the adventure, it's most probobly not going to be that much shooting involved so please, no more threads about multiplayer being involved with AW, just wait for Crysis or something to come out

[toenail]

Scaring people is the essence of timing and a multiplayer in a game like this would subtract from the whole thriller/horror experince, deathmatch woudn't work because the whole mass killing isn't creepy.

[esfumato]

I only said that adding multiplayer can be done in a few months, every remedy tittle had been a great single player experience but when you finished it the game don´t have nothing to extend the life of the product.

Do you know why aren't a huge number of mods in both max payne's? because doing single player mods are harder than multiplayer ones, so the game will have a great singleplayer experience but the life of the game will be shorter without multi.

That's all I have to say.

When the game comes out, we can easyly think what could be done for multiplayer, and we will miss it.

And about the terror feeling, multiplayer is supossed to be played when you have finished the game only to extend the life of the product not for another purpose.

Another reason is to let people mod the game quickly and easily.

[ancient]

Someone has already mentioned that the multiplayer could have worked for Max Payne as the game was quite close to the standard shooter. Yet I can't imagine it for Alan Wake. No way.

This is a completely different type of game as I imagine it. Hunting your fellow friends in the 10x10 km area of Bright Falls? Even if that could be fun, which I doubt, it would ruin the somewhat mystical aura each place visited in single-player will have.

It's a strategic option to visit those places in-context provided by the Remedy and keep the impression controlled. You are no longer interested in a magic trick when the secret is revealed, right? Same for places where a strong, lasting impression is intended, later to be discussed and spread as Alan Wake mythology (just like Twin Peaks is discussed among its fans). Feeling the mystery, double/triple/quad interpretations is the key for the game's longevity.

Resources is another issue and I fully agree with Remedy's ideology to excel at one core thing at a time. Being good enough (but not perfect) at two things creates a weaker overall impression and this is not the way to go - even though tempting (hey, the public is demanding!). My experience as a software developer again proves Remedy has chosen an absolutely correct and optimal strategy by crossing out multiplayer from the feature list.

My 1.5 cents

[TidalSpiral]

Hell no. Multiplayer would ruin the atmosphere they are trying to create with Alan Wake. It takes time and resources to work out a cohesive multiplayer game, you're acting like there is nothing to be said for balance, weapons, teams, playable characters, etc. And all of that would have to be created - such as if you got to play as a nightmarish being, they would have to figure out how you get to control it, what weapons it can pick up if any, etc.

It would have been a big waste of time for a mystery / horror / adventure game with very realistic nature and weather patterns to suddenly develop into an online brawl. Is anyone going to be stopping to enjoy how immersive the world is when there are six guys with shotguns running around? And they would have to develop smaller maps to play on since the entire Alan Wake world loads while you play. This huge environment would have to be loaded all at once if multiple players were scattered across it, thus adding more development issues. Luckily it appears that they are confident in making the game without it, and I am obviously not the first person who is happy about that.

Now the topic of a co-operative horror game is intriguing. Especially if it were more mystery oriented, and if there were obstacles that required other people to get through (like a vent that's high off the ground, so someone has to boost you; or one player using a crane to lift up a second and third character past enemies). However all that is far removed from what this game represents in my mind.

No MP for Alan Wake! We should make this a campaign slogan.

[Awaken07]

I actually wish there were more great single player games than multiplayer. With Alan Wake, I may get my wish. Please don't ruin it with MP.

[afs]

The best argument for multiplayer seems to be that it doesn't take much time. I would argue that. You don't just throw a bunch of respawn points in an open map. You have to design several maps, play test them, add weapons/health/power ups, play test it. Does it run well on the PC? How about on the 360? Live? Do the graphics resemble that of the game? What about game modes?

It takes time. One hardly has to be a developer to realise that. But the two main questions are:

1) Does it add to the game?

and

2) Is it worth the time/money/resources?

Some would say yes. Me? I'm a little less convinced. A third, and more pressing question, is:

Why?

I can't come up with an answer.

If they do it? Fine. I don't care. Doesn't interest me. That's not to say that I don't like playing multiplayer, but I'm not following this game, of which I don't really know TOO MUCH, because I think it will afford me the opportunity to run around mindlesly and shoot at a bunch of people who couldn't download Team Fortress 2 or buy Halo 3. I'm into the game because (cliche alert) I think it will be a deep and rewarding single player experience.

(By the way- TF2 and Halo3? Just two big multiplayer games. Not a slam or endorsement on my part)

[ng80092a]

I just replayed max payne 2
when i first ended the game i was like, 16 and it was good action for me

now i gotta say, the dialogues, the plot, the way it messes up with your mind and your own angst it's art at its finest

add it a multiplayer mode filled with kids calling noobs at eachother... it would only be ironic, don't you think?