Single Player and PvE Discussion, 2013 - 2015

[MrPiggi]

Multiplayer presents a number of problems for me in any game, it oft means that I will be outclassed by everyone I face because I don't have the time or focus to practice and learn the game the way they have, I can't save my game and leave and pick it up later in multiplayer, in sim games especially you often have to roll with a group in a clan or squad otherwise you get jumped and destroyed by other clans and squads and in my experience this just adds hassle to the game that I don't like dealing with. But ultimately I like to be the harbinger of my own experience and multiplayer is a case where I play in a world made by all the other people in the game and that just isn't what I play games for.

 

I don't feel you'll be outclassed by everyone just because you don't have the time to invest into the game. It's ship combat, based loosely on realism meaning that even if someone has grinded all the way up to a massive ship of the line, does not mean it will easily kill you in your smaller brig or whatever.

[maturin]

Eh? Of course a ship of the line will kill a small brig. In one broadside, most likely.

[MrPiggi]

Eh? Of course a ship of the line will kill a small brig. In one broadside, most likely.

 

There are many, many more factors to take into account with ship combat. If a ship of the line cannot maneuver itself to pull off a broadside against a smaller, faster ship - how does it win?

[maturin]

There are many, many more factors to take into account with ship combat. If a ship of the line cannot maneuver itself to pull off a broadside against a smaller, faster ship - how does it win?

If the smaller ship is a modern speedboat with a high-HP gasoline engine (which is what would be required), then I suppose it will have to be sunk with bow chasers.

 

With the game as it is now, it is no longer possible to use silly stern-camping tactics anyways. Superior maneuverability can be used to get in more broadsides in more damaging places, but the larger vessel will still get shots in. In a battleship vs frigate match-up, one or two broadsides will leave the smaller vessel in a sinking state, forcing it to take damage control measures. And the instant it stops maneuvering at maximum efficiency, it gets hammered instantly.

[MrPiggi]

Nonetheless, smaller ships still have a part to play in battles. Perhaps not a 1vs1 if bigger ships can maneuver that easily.

 

 

I would hate for the game to be a case of whoever has the highest number of the biggest ships wins.

[BroodingPhobos]

With open world looking so compelling, can this game also appeal to people who want to play without other gamers interactions?  I was wondering if the developers can make the case for single player and how are they going to implement it? 

[Capt-Pugwash]

Love the game as it is going at the moment. Next year however I will not have access to the internet and a complete offline mode would be great.

[Prince of Whales]

I concur.  I spend months at sea aboard a submarine.  Internet access is simply not possible once submerged, which denies me access to many of my favorite games.  It would be very nice if I could spend a couple hours a week pretending I'm in the sun and wind, rather than spam-in-a-can hundreds of feet below the surface.

[maturin]

There's no way this is in the cards for the foreseeable future.

However, I hope the devs see the ENORMOUS potential for a mod-friendly SP version of the game. No special content needed, just a wide open testbed for the community to craft their own whaling sims, Erol Flyn fantasy adventures and kraken hunting minigames.

[LeBoiteux]

At the moment, a PVE mode (on dedicated servers) is considered by devs :

http://forum.game-labs.net/index.php?/topic/5251-this-game-is-all-about-pvp/?p=101528

Admin wrote : "If PVE server happens it will be exactly the same as existing one with one difference. You can't attack other players."

[BroodingPhobos]

So for all intents and purposes, this will only ever be an mmo correct?  I know from Steam Greenlight and watching youtube videos that this seems to be case.  This game is almost what I want, but not quite.  I really was looking for a solo experience.

 

At the moment, a PVE mode (on dedicated servers) is considered by devs.

Game-Labs dedicated servers or our own dedicated severs?

[Rafael]

Sid myers pirates is still good if you looking for single player age of sail.

[Sir Madoc]

No thanks. I'd rather them focus time on the MMO aspects of the game then worry about a single player mode.

[BroodingPhobos]

Sadly no Sid Meier's Pirates! wont do.  I should say that I came about finding Naval Action by chance.  I went to google and typed in "Age of Sail" .  I was looking for 1996's Talonsoft's published realtime naval combat wargame.  (The second AoS looked better, but the first one had a special place in my heart.)   I found it at Matrix Games after a lot of looking.  But the first link google put atop of my search was for Naval Action so I went to the website and saw an amazing game. But funny, as I look through the website now I do not see the anywhere the words PVP or even multiplayer on naval.  It's not till you get down to the forums that you see whats the game is really about and since it's in alpha so I understand that.  The title of this thread should have been "The case for solo play or co-op PVE style"

 

 

No thanks. I'd rather them focus time on the MMO aspects of the game then worry about a single player mode.

And I agree with you on this just as long as the game will be a fun, rewarding, and enjoyable experience.  just like the AoS games were back in the day.

[LeBoiteux]

So for all intents and purposes, this will only ever be an mmo correct? 

I guess yes, but time will tell... 

Game-Labs dedicated servers or our own dedicated severs?

Game-Labs' servers.

[Macjimm]

I would just love to see a single player version of this game.  

 

Perhaps then we could have a time lapse toggle that would allow realtime gameplay.  Would this be so difficult?  Would it not be a easy as tweaking the existing game just a bit?

[Henry d'Esterre Darby]

I would just love to see a single player version of this game.  

 

Perhaps then we could have a time lapse toggle that would allow realtime gameplay.  Would this be so difficult?  Would it not be a easy as tweaking the existing game just a bit?

 

It would involve releasing the entire server-side code to the public, since all calculations, physics, locations, etc. are handled by the server itself.  It's a little more involved than just repointing the location to which the client is looking for data.

[Jack Feathersword]

It would involve releasing the entire server-side code to the public, since all calculations, physics, locations, etc. are handled by the server itself.  It's a little more involved than just repointing the location to which the client is looking for data.

Also means that hackers/cheats would have their own servers and source code to write/R&D against.

It would need to be a packaged game installation, that requires a publisher and or dev work to make it happen.

[BroodingPhobos]

I think we will have to wait till NA is well into Steam Early Access before we see where the community at large wants the game to go.  I mean the game is still in alpha, it needs to be feature complete before its considered beta.  When it comes to multiplayer this game really shines.  A single player or solo component, while opening the door for players who would otherwise never play a pvp game is a safe bet for revenue,  wont mean a hill of beans if the core concept of the game is lost in translation.  Get the core game done and we will worry about what else we want out of the game later. 

Edited May 29, 2015 by BroodingPhobos

[LeBoiteux]

I think we will have to wait till NA is well into Steam Early Access before we see where the community at large wants the game to go.  I mean the game is still in alpha, it needs to be feature complete before its considered beta.  When it comes to multiplayer this game really shines.  A single player or solo component, while opening the door for players who would otherwise never play a pvp game is a safe bet for revenue,  wont mean a hill of beans if the core concept of the game is lost in translation.  Get the core game done and we will worry about what else we want out of the game later. 

I'd love to have a solo mode but, IMHO, it would need lots of additional features in comparaison with a PVP MMO game : RPG components, storytelling, missions, scripts, mini-games, management gameplay... 

Edited May 30, 2015 by LeBoiteux

[Henry d'Esterre Darby]

Effectively, the Devs have stated their intent is to have a PvE only server. This doesn't help people who have internet connection problems, such as the gentlemen above who works aboard a submarine, but it takes care of 99% of the "Single Player Only" crowd if done correctly.  

[BroodingPhobos]

I think it will be interesting to see how far the developers push the game aspect.  How do you gauge success in this game.  Granted in naval encounters that is pretty easy (I sunk you, so I win!).  The game needs to reward the player in some way for the accomplishments they do and keep track of that to build reputation that can be seen in the community.  You could have this whole meta game built around the actual tactical combat.

[LeBoiteux]

But funny, as I look through the website now I do not see the anywhere the words PVP or even multiplayer on naval.  It's not till you get down to the forums that you see whats the game is really about and since it's in alpha so I understand that.  The title of this thread should have been "The case for solo play or co-op PVE style"

Go to the Steam page : http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=259130636

Type Ctrl + F + "multi"

4 results : "open world multiplayer sandbox" "Genre : massively multiplayer" "Player : multi-player, co-op" "multiplayer combat" 

[BroodingPhobos]

 

Go to the Steam page : http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=259130636

Type Ctrl + F + "multi"

4 results : "open world multiplayer sandbox" "Genre : massively multiplayer" "Player : multi-player, co-op" "multiplayer combat" 

 

Now go to http://www.navalaction.com/#ageofsail

 

This is how I came across the game while looking for talonsoft's Age of Sail.  Look at that web site and tell me if you see pvp or even multiplayer anywhere but the forums.  That is what I was getting at. 

[LeBoiteux]

Now go to http://www.navalaction.com/#ageofsail

 

This is how I came across the game while looking for talonsoft's Age of Sail.  Look at that web site and tell me if you see pvp or even multiplayer anywhere but the forums.  That is what I was getting at. 

I didn't mean to sound judgmental, just to show how much this game is primarily MMO and PVP-oriented. It was just a way to answer your initial question  . No harm intended  .