Networking OR Bust!

Guys, nowadays, I find myself attracted to only multiplayer games, no matter the size. In fact, I wont buy a single player game, it must have a minimum of two players (no matter if its turn-based or real-time).

This has become a delima for me. So much in fact. I've considered writting my game with an entirely Fake Network. A Fake Network complete with fake logins, fake dropped players, etc. The players are all Bots with AI control, with a massive list of Phrases to choose from and direct at real-worlds and other Bots.

Have I lost my mind???

Yes.

@Torrente: Are you sure, I'm starting to see lightbulbs. Perhaps, I'll integrate the Fake Network with a Real Network, a player wouldn't know the difference. Now thats crazy! HAHAHAHA

I'm going to side with Torrente on this one.

When I first played Quake III it was single player against all the bots.

@FlameDuck: Can you kindly explain why?
@Grey Alien: What was the best experience for you - Single player or Multiplayer?

Well plenty of reasons really. First of all, you're never going to be able to get the bots to be even remotely as good as real players. The closest I've seen yet is Unreal Tournament - and even that was a bit far fetched. Even games like GRAW and R6 - that are built for all-multiplayer, plays out differently if your team is bots versus if your team is real people.

Secondly the basic design for a multi player game versus a single player game, and the underlying mechanics that make the game enjoyable, are vastly different.

In my mind, that whole setup looks like a fix for a problem that doesn't exist in the first place.

I don't think it would actually *add* anything to the game play when compared to a regular "player vs. computer" game...

Other than the hassle of having to fake-login first, and the added annoyance of the computer players randomly disconnecting in the middle of a game.

It sound very disruptive to the flow of the game, adds needless 'requirements' such as the logging on, and for what? you're still playing against bots.
A good portion of the fun of a real network play is that your opponents are *better* to play against than bots, since they can adapt, use strategy, (normally) can't cheat. And especially: should you present them with an odd situation, the A.I. literally can't think outside of the box to respond to such things, unlike human players.

The *problem* is mediocre or predictable computer A.I. , not the need to pretend to be online. It's the A.I. that needs to be improved to give you the rush of playing against other humans.

I know that when playing Warcraft 3 - Frozen Throne, I liked playing the campaign. But on the standard head-to-head maps, the computer doesn't keep my attention for very long, simply because you get to know it, and it pretty much takes the same approaches and predictable patterns each time. After a while, you know very early on if you're going to win or lose a level, there's not much room for surprises. If you play against humans it's different -- especially if you don't always play against the same person..
That's why I play it over the network. But if the computer A.I. itself was less predictable, I could easily see myself playing more often against it.

without some fundmental improvement in the A.I. gameplay, you're still not going to feel that it's a real equivalent of an actual network game -- at least, not for very long.

Yeah, the bots in U.T were pretty good. Decent skill levels.

But you can't beat the feeling of fragging a real human. No matter how good the bots are, blasting your mates head off with a single shot while he's just a dot in the distance has great satisfaction :)

@xlsior: I'm totally kidding bout the Fake Network. However, I am taking a slighty different approached to multiplayer strategy in my FPSRPG. The strategy is based on seamlessly interchanging between Human and AI Control.

Just realized that the first Video Game ever --> PONG, was multiplayer!!!

Check out the The 24 Hour Pong Making Contest!

I think it'd be easier to just code the real network than to try and fake it. IMHO.