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EA wrong about single player games video - discussion
SimTrippy
Posts: 7,651 Member
So I was watching this video today and found it kind of interesting given the ongoing discussions whether we'll see a multiplayer / online mode for the sims. The video states that EA has cancelled another game because they felt single player games are dead and people don't want them anymore. I think our community shows that single player games are definitely not dead. And many of us don't want this to become a multiplayer game (only, although I know some of you want it). So I was wondering how you guys generally feel about this? Do you think we'll see an online mode? Do you want it? Do you think EA is wrong about thinking that everything needs to be more multiplayer and less single player? Feel free to discuss away, I'm curious. Oh and be nice 
https://youtu.be/7zS2m2R28Wk
ETA: also EA's initial explanation about wanting to do something that gives players "more creativity" instead made me laugh. Sounds..familiar
https://youtu.be/7zS2m2R28WkETA: also EA's initial explanation about wanting to do something that gives players "more creativity" instead made me laugh. Sounds..familiar
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Comments
#saveplayerone
They shouldn't restrict playing styles just to one group, everyone plays a game for different reasons - don't generalise your audience.
They think that because of the monetization of single vs multiplayer. The thing is, a single player narrative driven experience can't as easily be expanded upon. So once it's released, there's not as much dlc you can make (the sims isn't really narrative driven though so for us this matters less). Also a multiplayer mode next to a lesser story mode, for some players anyway, gives them more to do as they can continue to play with their friends once the story is over (if there is one at all).
For the sims, I really still don't know how a multiplayer mode would work exactly. I'm not opposed to it for those that want it, I'm just personally not fond of thinking they'd devote time to making that instead of expansions for the single player experience. Maybe that's an unfounded worry though, but that's why I'm actually curious to know how many people are waiting for this vs solely single player focused content.
Every EA game moving to MMO is old news. Some CEO cca decade ago said all EA games will have multiplayer.
It killed SimCity. Anything learned from it? I hoped there will be, fans didn't want that.
Killing off Mass Effect for sakes of developing another MMOlike game - Anthem? Really EA? What do you think, that ME fans, of which I'm one, will play that thing? Yea, right.
Etc etc, of course I need to mention Dungeon Keeper on phones. A "smash hit".
No, not all games need multiplayer component. I'm not the only one who refuses to play anything multiplayer. And if EA doesn't want to sell me a singleplayer game, there is always someone who does, for example CDprojektRED.
I believe EA is trying to invent a new MMO cash cow that earns a couple of billions per year like WoW, LOL or Maple Story. Nothing wrong with that. But it doesn't mean existing fans, fans of singleplayer games, should be left disappointed and suffer.
My Simming site: https://peachrenardssims.wordpress.com/
I don't think that single player mode would stop a narrative driven experience from expanding at all. Final Fantasy, for instance, is a very popular single player game that started in 1987 and has been continually updated to this day with new adventures, creatures, and story modes that keep people compelled to keep playing (I would know, my brother is absolutely addicted to it lol). So I doubt that is the reason, unless they feel it will be 'too much money', and they don't want to have to go through all the effort? (Sounds likely, to be honest)
I personally feel like that multiplayer gaming is just a lazy way to make money, and that's not to say that multiplayer gaming is bad - I love it, and play it all the time, but to only create games for multiplayer use is pathetic - it limits the experience for those who can't play multiplayer, as well restricting the creators talents and abilities (because games are always much more fun with friends, but when you strip away the friend part, you're just left with a really basic and unfulfilling game). Of course this is just my opinion.
I don't want to seem like I'm bashing on gaming companies or hating on multiplayer games, I just don't want all games being aimed at multiplayer because some people prefer solitude - to do their own thing and enjoy a world away from the tough realities of life, to create their own story without the fear of judgement, for example. Sorry this was longer than I anticipated.
That's not what I'm saying though. Single player games don't stop narratives from expanding, but it's true that once the story is over, you'll play one particular game maybe 2-3 more times before probably being done with it for quite a while, whilst multiplayer games you'll probably play as long as your (online) friends do. That's the argument anyway. I don't play any multiplayer games at all and I agree that the argument is incomplete, I was just repeating it
@JoxerTM22 you don't have to watch it but it's more about EA's argument than it is about the game
@CalebFillion that does sound fun. I admit I've never tried it before so I'm rather curious about how it would work. Maybe I'm just put off by the idea of my sims woohooing with a friend's sim? xD weirder stories right. I guess if it's done well it could be a nice add on, I just don't want it instead of a cool EP like seasons. Maybe to me personally, a multiplayer feature is the last thing they should add before moving on to TS5, I don't know. Would you say you've enjoyed playing multiplayer or single player more? And why?
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The only multiplayer games which I do play are ones where my family and friends are physically in the same room to participate. I do not have "online gaming friends" and I never plan to get any. My two commonly played video games are best done in single player mode experience.
Oh okay, I must have misread your comment then.
I guess my point is that I think EA should focus on single and multiplayer equally - the game is left bare for single player which makes it really boring after a while. I just don't want them to create effortless games that can only be 'slightly' enjoyable when played with friends, because it won't be fair to those who can't access online features or don't want to play with others, if that makes sense?
Yes I agree 100%. I also wouldn't have anyone to play with and even if I did, I think playing sims with others would stifle my creativity as I'd be aware of their presence in my world, so to speak xD dunno if that makes sense either, but I think we're on the same page here
I have to say awesome because of the Bob Pancakes bit. That slapped a smile on my face!
My Simming site: https://peachrenardssims.wordpress.com/
So no, this isn’t the reason why the game companies are going towards multiplayer for almost all games. But what the video doesn’t tell is that there are two other reasons:
1. Multiplayer games are online which makes it possible for the game companies to show advertisings in the game. For some games this gives the game company a huge extra income.
2. Multiplayer online games are more suited for subscriptions which is a very profitable way to get more money from the gamers.
But the statements in the video are too general because there are huge differences between both the games and their intended target groups. Young gamers are much more competitive than older gamers and much more interested in playing with friends. Generally most games have older teens and gamers in their twenties as their main target group. But the Sims games are instead targeted at preteens and the youngest teens with people over 30 as their secondary target group. Compared to most other games the Sims games are much less popular among the more competitive older teens and young adults.
So EA should be careful not to automatic turn the big Sims games into just multiplayer games just because EA does that with EA’s other games which are M rated instead of T rated because the Sims games aren’t about winning and competing with other gamers.
Also EA should continue to sell packs for the Sims games instead of changing to subscriptions just because EA does that for other very different games.
@CalebFillion that does sound fun. I admit I've never tried it before so I'm rather curious about how it would work. Maybe I'm just put off by the idea of my sims woohooing with a friend's sim? xD weirder stories right. I guess if it's done well it could be a nice add on, I just don't want it instead of a cool EP like seasons. Maybe to me personally, a multiplayer feature is the last thing they should add before moving on to TS5, I don't know. Would you say you've enjoyed playing multiplayer or single player more? And why?[/quote]
You do get used to the woo hoo thing though LOL! OH I WANT NO I NEED seasons! It is the one I have been looking forward to for what now, two years. After toddlers that is all I need. So no, not instead of but as an add on that would be great! Then you can choose whether to play single or multi and that is how both Sims2 and Urbz were. On console. As for moving on to anything more (ts5) I certainly hope not. I really hope that EZ has learnt its lesson in sales and found that money is not what makes the Sims franchise. We just need a "perfect" game. Sims 4 and I NEVER thought I would say this...comes really close. Yes there are things we still dream of and if they would only listen they could make a few more simoleons off us. The downfall of multiplayer is if you are better at some things you can leave the other person behind. This is why Adam rarely plays Urbz with me now. I am really good at chatting the sims up. Sims2 you moved from place to place, had a job, got skills and chatted to make friends. Each career had different things that you worked towards and I would get really frustrated when we couldn't fast forward through the skills. As for which I like better, I don't swing more one way or the other. I do play alone more but only because Sims is not set up for 2 except the above mentioned. But... there are the lego games, the rabbits, tak and lok and I enjoy multi nearly as much as sims.
What we do do a lot is find a challenge and we both do it. It is really a lot of fun to see how our sims differ from each other and to make that happen a lot of time we use the same people. We just did the Asylum Challenge and that was a lot of fun and then there was a person on here who thought up what she called Renovacy (!) Renovation Challenge for Sims 3. I asked her to let me make the changes for Sims 4 and she did so currently I am finishing that one up as Adam has already.
Okay long winded and I hope I answered you. If not give a jingle and I will try again LOL
Anyway, I'd be ok with multiplayer for the sims 4, if they make it optional and it doesn't take time (and creativity) away from the packs.
Maybe there could be a multiplayer world, where everyone could go (with activitys catering to that and every sim would stay in Hotel and can only build/edit its own room) but to get to other peoples personal worlds you'd need to be invited.
I don't know.....but I am not interested in it anyways...
I don't think I worded it correctly, I think I was trying to say that multiplayer games don't need to be as detailed (in terms of storytelling themes, not game processing) because it needs to be catered to a wide audience, and that's not to say that single player games don't need to be catered that way too, but single player games usually stick to a certain theme. I'm worried that by enforcing more multiplayer based games, there won't be a certain consistency with it - unlike single player where you can go on quests or story progression, multiplayer will be more of a repetitive cycle if anything. Unless they find a way to create a game with multiplayer, that implements a story-driven concept.
I don't know if that makes any sense? I find it kind of difficult putting my thoughts into words through a computer, but I hope that what I'm saying makes sense.
So I hope that the game companies soon will get better ideas.
Mobile Sims games are already multiplayer and especially the Sims Mobile is way too repetitive and linear. This isn’t the way if EA wants Sims games to be successful and the mobile Sims games aren’t at the top 100 lists in the app stores. So if EA wants online multiplayer versions of the Sims games to be more successful then EA needs to find a better way.
The Sims Freeplay isn’t as linear and repetitive as the Sims Mobile is though. But it is still too small a game and TS5 could therefore likely become much better if EA chose to make it multiplayer too. Multiplayer vs single player just isn’t the most important thing to me in games anyway.