Multiplayer? Clan support?

Hey gents,

 

Since I coudnt find it in the FAQ, anyone has any idea whether there will be multilayer in this game? Well, obviously there will be MP, but is it going to be well-organized, with different game modes, rules, etc? And will there be clan support?

Thanks for the help!

 

27,818 views 75 replies
Reply #3 Top

There will be multiplayer but the game is not going to be balanced for it if it takes away an inkling from the single player solo experience. I personally can't wait for all the MPer whines when the game is released and this and that isn't in their favor. lol I love a game company that doesn't cater to the multiplayer crowd who does nothing but scream balance balance balance. I hope the game is lopsided as hell in the single player game and there are factions that can be more powerful than the human player starts out with.

Reply #4 Top

lol

 

 so poor minds around here

Reply #5 Top

Quoting ddd888, reply 4
lol

 

 so poor minds around here
End of ddd888's quote

Well you could get an education you know. >:)~

Reply #6 Top

Quoting psychoravin, reply 3
There will be multiplayer but the game is not going to be balanced for it if it takes away an inkling from the single player solo experience. I personally can't wait for all the MPer whines when the game is released and this and that isn't in their favor. lol I love a game company that doesn't cater to the multiplayer crowd who does nothing but scream balance balance balance. I hope the game is lopsided as hell in the single player game and there are factions that can be more powerful than the human player starts out with.
End of psychoravin's quote

 

That would be awful.

Reply #7 Top

There is multiplayer. Since it's turned off right now... that's the extent of what we know for sure. From what has been said before though, I'd expect fairly basic stuff at release. I'd check back closer to release to see what's going on there.

That said, if you're looking for a serious multiplayer game, I don't think this is it. That's not where the developer focus is.

Reply #8 Top

Quoting Jarenko, reply 6

Quoting psychoravin, reply 3There will be multiplayer but the game is not going to be balanced for it if it takes away an inkling from the single player solo experience. I personally can't wait for all the MPer whines when the game is released and this and that isn't in their favor. lol I love a game company that doesn't cater to the multiplayer crowd who does nothing but scream balance balance balance. I hope the game is lopsided as hell in the single player game and there are factions that can be more powerful than the human player starts out with.
 

That would be awful.
End of Jarenko's quote

 

Oh, just ignore him. He's always like that. One day he'll figure out that "balance" also covers things like having someone in the warfare tree able to fight someone in the magic tree without completely stomping them into the ground, and thus is a good thing.

Reply #9 Top

I think a lot of us are running on the hope - at least - that the game would be moddable enough that someone could make a mod based and balanced around MP.

 

I am myself in the multiplayer should be first and foremost camp, but I do understand the developers are of another mindset. That is fine, but it'd be great if they just left the door open for the MP community to do something with this excellent looking product.

Reply #10 Top

i would like to be able to play a game on a random map with a friend with the rest being AI much like Civ 4,

i put Gameplay first over multi and Single they are basically the same only one has AI and the other the human player... could always punish people for thinking outside of the game like a DM could..

Reply #11 Top

Quoting Tridus, reply 7

That said, if you're looking for a serious multiplayer game, I don't think this is it. That's not where the developer focus is.
End of Tridus's quote

The genre has indeed regressed when having clan support for a game makes it a "serious" multiplayer game :/

Reply #12 Top

I think a lot of us are running on the hope - at least - that the game would be moddable enough that someone could make a mod based and balanced around MP.
End of quote

It will be. Balance stuff (costs, stats, research, spells, monsters, units) is all data-driven and XML based, so it will be easy enough to tweak however you like. You'd just have to run a custom game because the SD-provided servers will be mod-free.

Reply #13 Top

The genre has indeed regressed when having clan support for a game makes it a "serious" multiplayer game :/
End of quote

Because "clan support" automatically implies ladders, ranked matches, group matchmaking, and a general highly competitive scene.. stuff that, yes, is only present in a game that's meant to be played primarily in Multiplayer. Which Elemental isn't. If you're not interested in any of that, then the only clan support you need is an instant messenger and a bunch of other people to say "Hey, we're in a clan".

Reply #14 Top

Quoting Jarenko, reply 9
I think a lot of us are running on the hope - at least - that the game would be moddable enough that someone could make a mod based and balanced around MP.
End of Jarenko's quote

I am pretty sure tha balancing out MP will be absolutely possible. Want a good example? -> Conceptual Balance mod for Doms3. ;)

..as for clan gaming: It's awesome. Let's hope that many players will play MP in EWoM, because in that case...forming clans will be a good idea. :P

Reply #15 Top

to much work to make things balanced when playing with magic nothing was balanced in FFH2 yet every race had some kind of imbalance over another that made up for the lack of balance.

Reply #16 Top

Quoting Annatar11, reply 13

The genre has indeed regressed when having clan support for a game makes it a "serious" multiplayer game :/
Because "clan support" automatically implies ladders, ranked matches, group matchmaking, and a general highly competitive scene.. stuff that, yes, is only present in a game that's meant to be played primarily in Multiplayer. Which Elemental isn't. If you're not interested in any of that, then the only clan support you need is an instant messenger and a bunch of other people to say "Hey, we're in a clan".
End of Annatar11's quote

Having clan support doesn't imply any of those things if Stardock doesn't want it to. Clans support and augment the multiplayer community especially in a game like this where getting a match going is a huge logistical problem. Have you played Sins of a Solar Empire online? If you have, then you know how hard it is to find a good game when you're all alone. With clan support, you can join a group of people that play at the same time as you, have a stronger commitment to finishing a game and most of all provide a fun atmosphere to enjoy the game together.

Reply #17 Top

With clan support, you can join a group of people that play at the same time as you, have a stronger commitment to finishing the game and most of all provide a fun atmosphere to enjoy the game together.
End of quote

None of this requires any in-game specialized "clan support". It simply requires you to find a group of people that.. play at the same time as you. What's your idea of specific "clan support" features for Elemental, then?

Reply #18 Top

Quoting Annatar11, reply 17

With clan support, you can join a group of people that play at the same time as you, have a stronger commitment to finishing the game and most of all provide a fun atmosphere to enjoy the game together.
None of this requires any in-game specialized "clan support". It simply requires you to find a group of people that.. play at the same time as you. What's your idea of specific "clan support" features for Elemental, then?
End of Annatar11's quote

You're right. While we're at it, let's remove in-game chat because we can just use a phone or an instant messenger for that too.

Reply #19 Top

Civ4 doesn't have "clan support" and seems to do OK.

Actually, I can't think of a single 4x strategy game that has "clan support." 

 

Reply #20 Top

Quoting nipplefish, reply 19
Civ4 doesn't have "clan support" and seems to do OK.

Actually, I can't think of a single 4x strategy game that has "clan support." 

 
End of nipplefish's quote

IIRC DoW has/had clan support.

Reply #21 Top

Quoting nipplefish, reply 19
Civ4 doesn't have "clan support" and seems to do OK.
End of nipplefish's quote

Well Elemental isn't Civ 4 and Stardock isn't Firaxis - I don't see any reason why Stardock has to look up to them and follow in their footsteps. If Stardock decides that clan support will improve the MP experience (and I have given a few reasons why that would be the case) then they will do "great" and not "OK".


Actually, I can't think of a single 4x strategy game that has "clan support." 

End of quote

What does the 4x strategy game genre have to do with clan support? Are 4x strategy games somehow inherently incapable of having it? I don't see why not.

Reply #22 Top

Quoting KillzEmAllGod, reply 15
to much work to make things balanced when playing with magic nothing was balanced in FFH2 yet every race had some kind of imbalance over another that made up for the lack of balance.
End of KillzEmAllGod's quote

So in other words, the race when taken as a whole was balanced against other races? "Balance" doesn't mean everything is a mirror image of everything else, it means any race can beat any other race using some effective strategy.

Reply #23 Top

You're right. While we're at it, let's remove in-game chat because we can just use a phone or an instant messenger for that too.
End of quote

I like how you didn't answer my question and instead tried to make a sarcastic remark. But seriously, let's hear it. What specific "clan support" features do you want? Clan support itself isn't a feature.

Reply #24 Top

Quoting Annatar11, reply 23

You're right. While we're at it, let's remove in-game chat because we can just use a phone or an instant messenger for that too.


I like how you didn't answer my question and instead tried to make a sarcastic remark. But seriously, let's hear it. What specific "clan support" features do you want? Clan support itself isn't a feature.
End of Annatar11's quote

I can think about the following:

- Dedicated website for clans

- The ability to register clan names and tags.

- Arrange matches via website/in-game clan system

- Keep track of matches

- Statistics for clans & players

1. Basically this is something like WoW's arena team system, but it works like a charm.

2. That being said, I doubt that we gonna have a well detailed system like this...or maybe we won't have a clan system at all...ever. EWoM's main focus is on SP afterall. [Even tho it would be awesome to have a clan system like that. :P]

 

Reply #25 Top

The clan system or tourneys for that matter can all be done outside of the game. Perhaps it could be part of the Impulse engine. Or a separate website if some have the inclination to run it.

I only hope for PBEM for multi-player. Online playing is not my cup of tea. I will stick to the single player otherwise. (which is okay in some ways as the focus from the DEVs is there)