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"Are you a loner or a team player?"

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Sat 01/06/02 at 22:46
Regular
Posts: 787
So, there are two types of games that come out these days, as they always have done, single player games and multiplayer games. Depending on what type of gamer you really are you either prefer one of these or the other. Each type has a different way around how it lets us play, they go around trying to entertain us using a different route, and for me, one type of game is more succesfull in areas than another.

Single Player gaming:

These are one of the most popular types of gaming. These games are mainly adventure games or RPG’s. A single player mode is the most appropriate for these games as its an ideal way to tell the plot to the player, they can just play through it as you would like.

The mass majority of these games are obviously adventure games as they are suited for the player to play on there own, you get to see the story unfold as it goes on, revealing all the little details that put the parts into place, and that horrifying plot that you never really understood comes to life.

These are the types of games that really show us what the new age of gaming is about, as the time goes on new games come up with even better storylines that are often better than some of the films that are out today, they have the power to make us feel emotions that we often get use to seeing on the silver screen, this is down to the graphics also, but that’s going onto a different subject. In the end, single player adventure games are all about telling us a story, and in recent years the quality of these have improved so much that they leave a lasting effect on us.

There are some downsides to these games though, they are often short and you have done with them in a number of small hours, so the key to have you playing them again is to have a great story line and game play that is repayable, either with the use of many different endings or extra items to be playing again, the only real problem with this is that it can turn out to be rather tedious.

Sport games are mainly made for multiplayer action but always have a 1-player part to it. Very often its you verses the computer, this is especially true for football games, racing, fighting, and nearly all the other types of sport game that there are. However, not all the time do the developers get the computer AI correct, and sometimes it feels that playing them is a lost cause, either they are too hard to play or they are too easy to play which happens in many games even on the hard settings.

The only real problem with sport games though being aimed at a single player audience is that they are often not deep enough to keep us playing over and over again, often there or not many modes to play in, and the ones that are there can be finished in a short time, such as leagues on football games, and then the championships on racing games. Even though GT3 was a long game, many did not finish it as it all got a bit boring in the end. Sport games though are really made for more than one player action, and that’s where they come into their own.

Single player games maybe the most dominant type of games out there at the moment, and there are very good reasons for this, they have the ability to give us some great stories and adventures, they are able to take us to places that we have never would have been able to otherwise go.


Multiplayer gaming:

This is becoming more popular all the time, and in most games is being in some form added to the game. Many games now on the PS2 have a multi tap option, and other consoles already have 4 ports for pads. Online gaming too is now becoming ever more popular especially with first person shoot-em-ups. There are many games that support this, the most well known ones being quake and half-life, but there are many more of these available. There are games soon to come out, and some that are out that are just for online, multiplayer gaming, the next FF game will be an example of this. There are also many small flash games on the net that can be played against other people around the world, and with all the next gen consoles, all online capable soon, the internet is set to be the stage of multiplayer gaming.

Back to console games, there are very few Adventure or RPG games that I can think of that are two player. Spec Ops on the PS1 was a game that had a combined option where both players play the game together with a split screen, however, because the game was poor, this idea did not really work. Other than that I have to go back to the days of the mega drive with Streets of rage, you may know more. As with online gaming, on console there are many first person shooters that have the multi tap option to play with so 4 of you can play, and this is where gaming really comes into its own, this is what games were made for, where 4 human characters can fight it out on a console. These games are loads of fun and are often much more fun to play than single player games.


The multiplayer industry is really dominated by sport games which is understandable as sport is mainly about 2 teams playing against each other. Racing and football are the games that most developers make games based on. Racing games are mainly about racing each other along a track, and as usual the winner is the person who finishes first. However there are some games that are based around racing with cars, but have the added part of having to destroy your opponent with weapons, this is in games like twisted metal which makes use the multi tap.
Football games are one of the best sellers in this part of gaming, and Fifa and Pro Evo are the two brands that dominate this part of the market. Both have the same multiplayer options where you have 2 people playing against each other, all the usual options are always included. However, it is also possible to play with 4 people in these games with 2 players per side. This makes the game slightly harder, but really makes the game more fun too.

For me though, this type of gaming is much more exciting than playing on your own. Having your mates around for a 4 player match on Pro Evo or Smackdown is one of the most fun and exciting things that can ever happen on your console. You have everything there, the friendly rivalry of shutting your mates up as you thump four goals past them, or beating them on the last corner of the race having been behind the whole time, to then just master that last breaking line and shooting them passed them leaving them for dust, and sitting next to you all gloomy.

Single player games are fun, but none of them have you shouting out loud and laughing so hard as you either get tackled so hard it looks like your player is dead or your mate just scored the worst own goal ever. The best thing about multiplayer games is that you get to share the experience of the game with a friend, they can share the joy or hurt of the game with you, this is the true gaming world out there, this is pure fun.

Both of these types of games are going to be around for as long as gaming is here with us, but some like one more than the other, it all depends on how you really like to play a game, and often what type of person you are.

It all comes down to are you the person who prefers to play on their own, or with friends.

Which type are you?
Sat 01/06/02 at 22:46
Regular
"360: swfcman"
Posts: 6,953
So, there are two types of games that come out these days, as they always have done, single player games and multiplayer games. Depending on what type of gamer you really are you either prefer one of these or the other. Each type has a different way around how it lets us play, they go around trying to entertain us using a different route, and for me, one type of game is more succesfull in areas than another.

Single Player gaming:

These are one of the most popular types of gaming. These games are mainly adventure games or RPG’s. A single player mode is the most appropriate for these games as its an ideal way to tell the plot to the player, they can just play through it as you would like.

The mass majority of these games are obviously adventure games as they are suited for the player to play on there own, you get to see the story unfold as it goes on, revealing all the little details that put the parts into place, and that horrifying plot that you never really understood comes to life.

These are the types of games that really show us what the new age of gaming is about, as the time goes on new games come up with even better storylines that are often better than some of the films that are out today, they have the power to make us feel emotions that we often get use to seeing on the silver screen, this is down to the graphics also, but that’s going onto a different subject. In the end, single player adventure games are all about telling us a story, and in recent years the quality of these have improved so much that they leave a lasting effect on us.

There are some downsides to these games though, they are often short and you have done with them in a number of small hours, so the key to have you playing them again is to have a great story line and game play that is repayable, either with the use of many different endings or extra items to be playing again, the only real problem with this is that it can turn out to be rather tedious.

Sport games are mainly made for multiplayer action but always have a 1-player part to it. Very often its you verses the computer, this is especially true for football games, racing, fighting, and nearly all the other types of sport game that there are. However, not all the time do the developers get the computer AI correct, and sometimes it feels that playing them is a lost cause, either they are too hard to play or they are too easy to play which happens in many games even on the hard settings.

The only real problem with sport games though being aimed at a single player audience is that they are often not deep enough to keep us playing over and over again, often there or not many modes to play in, and the ones that are there can be finished in a short time, such as leagues on football games, and then the championships on racing games. Even though GT3 was a long game, many did not finish it as it all got a bit boring in the end. Sport games though are really made for more than one player action, and that’s where they come into their own.

Single player games maybe the most dominant type of games out there at the moment, and there are very good reasons for this, they have the ability to give us some great stories and adventures, they are able to take us to places that we have never would have been able to otherwise go.


Multiplayer gaming:

This is becoming more popular all the time, and in most games is being in some form added to the game. Many games now on the PS2 have a multi tap option, and other consoles already have 4 ports for pads. Online gaming too is now becoming ever more popular especially with first person shoot-em-ups. There are many games that support this, the most well known ones being quake and half-life, but there are many more of these available. There are games soon to come out, and some that are out that are just for online, multiplayer gaming, the next FF game will be an example of this. There are also many small flash games on the net that can be played against other people around the world, and with all the next gen consoles, all online capable soon, the internet is set to be the stage of multiplayer gaming.

Back to console games, there are very few Adventure or RPG games that I can think of that are two player. Spec Ops on the PS1 was a game that had a combined option where both players play the game together with a split screen, however, because the game was poor, this idea did not really work. Other than that I have to go back to the days of the mega drive with Streets of rage, you may know more. As with online gaming, on console there are many first person shooters that have the multi tap option to play with so 4 of you can play, and this is where gaming really comes into its own, this is what games were made for, where 4 human characters can fight it out on a console. These games are loads of fun and are often much more fun to play than single player games.


The multiplayer industry is really dominated by sport games which is understandable as sport is mainly about 2 teams playing against each other. Racing and football are the games that most developers make games based on. Racing games are mainly about racing each other along a track, and as usual the winner is the person who finishes first. However there are some games that are based around racing with cars, but have the added part of having to destroy your opponent with weapons, this is in games like twisted metal which makes use the multi tap.
Football games are one of the best sellers in this part of gaming, and Fifa and Pro Evo are the two brands that dominate this part of the market. Both have the same multiplayer options where you have 2 people playing against each other, all the usual options are always included. However, it is also possible to play with 4 people in these games with 2 players per side. This makes the game slightly harder, but really makes the game more fun too.

For me though, this type of gaming is much more exciting than playing on your own. Having your mates around for a 4 player match on Pro Evo or Smackdown is one of the most fun and exciting things that can ever happen on your console. You have everything there, the friendly rivalry of shutting your mates up as you thump four goals past them, or beating them on the last corner of the race having been behind the whole time, to then just master that last breaking line and shooting them passed them leaving them for dust, and sitting next to you all gloomy.

Single player games are fun, but none of them have you shouting out loud and laughing so hard as you either get tackled so hard it looks like your player is dead or your mate just scored the worst own goal ever. The best thing about multiplayer games is that you get to share the experience of the game with a friend, they can share the joy or hurt of the game with you, this is the true gaming world out there, this is pure fun.

Both of these types of games are going to be around for as long as gaming is here with us, but some like one more than the other, it all depends on how you really like to play a game, and often what type of person you are.

It all comes down to are you the person who prefers to play on their own, or with friends.

Which type are you?
Sat 01/06/02 at 22:48
Regular
"England 5 Germany 1"
Posts: 231
I prefer single player games.
Sat 01/06/02 at 22:55
Regular
"Hmmm....."
Posts: 12,243
Wow, great post there.

Im a single-player gamer because my mates dont come round to my house as they live so far away and because my family wont play on games with me. Well, they dont usually do.

Ive got my dad to start playing on the console though so maybe he will start to play on it with me more.

:)
Sat 01/06/02 at 22:59
Regular
"England 5 Germany 1"
Posts: 231
Sorry pro evo forgot, to comment on the great post.
Sat 01/06/02 at 23:00
Regular
Posts: 23,218
I prefer a mix of both types.

The reason i like multiplayer games is i like to beat my mates at games that they think they are better then me at. "oh yeah im going to beat you so bad yadda yadda" you have heard it before, but then you thrash them 5-1 at Pro Evo or as you said beat them in Gran Turismo, you get better satisfaction from beating your friends then you do from beating a computer controlled player.

The reason i like single player games is once your friends have gone home after you have beat them so much all ou are left with is the good old computer to play against, and admit it you do get a bit of fun from beating your "bogey team" mine was belgium and i once beat them on hard mode ith Italy with a goal in the last few seconds, i got as much satisfaction from that as with beating a friend.
Sat 01/06/02 at 23:44
Regular
"You Bum!!"
Posts: 3,740
I really have no real preference to any particular type of single or multi player games. Of course, I mostly buy games for my own personal experience but if there is a multi-player option than its great-it adds to the lifespan of the title, you can enjoy it with your mates etc. But I do not specifically buy games because they have an option to look up a few controllers together-it is just a nice bonus for me. Ok, games like Pro Evo simply beg you to play them against your mates, but I would have still bought it if it didnt support multi-play.

There is nothing wrong with games like Final Fantasy and Metal Gear SOlid, because games like that really require to be single-player. They are very emotional productions and in most cases require the player to totally immerse themselves into the games world-multiplay could spoil that feeling of total devotion to the game.

That is not saying, however, that I dislike multiplayer games. I would love to see how Fibnal Fantasy XI (11 for those who dont know much about ancient numeric systems) turns out. The idea is absolutely brilliant-team up with people to beat monsters, hold tournaments, chat top your mates online...But it is not easy to implement and we will see what happens with it.

All in all I really dont mind what kind of a game am I playing as long as it is providing me with enough enjoyment
Sun 02/06/02 at 09:53
Regular
"sdomehtongng"
Posts: 23,695
I will play in either types of gaming.

I like to play a Single Player, but when mates come round I've always got Multiplayer games at the ready.

Both multiplayer and single player are great.

Brilliant post too, by the way!
Sun 02/06/02 at 10:02
Posts: 0
Great post, good topic and well written!

I like both sinlge and multi-player games, and have a regular group of freinds who between us we have 2 PS2's and a lot of games, and we quite often go together to look for multi-player games. We had a good laugh last night on Penny Racers, This Is Football 2002, Tekken Tag Tournamount, Airblade (party mode) and NBA (2-player only).

However, I would love to see a decent adventure game that is 2-player. Co-operation is great, there's the whole feeling of support, and dominance, which can all change in the blink of an eye. Streets of Rage was great, because you could work together to complete the game, also Golden Axe. Any kind of co-operative game is great - Time Crisis 2 on 2 player, double gun or i-link is great fun, but there's not much life to it.

There is a time for playing on your own, but its always more fun when you are playing with your mates. Do many people go down the pub on their own, or with their mates?
Sun 02/06/02 at 13:12
Regular
Posts: 460
Yep, good post. I too like a mixture of single and multi-player games.
As well as likeing games such as Dynasty warriors 3 (decent 2 player action) and the beat-em-ups, I enjoy the single player experiences, Final Fnatsy X, for example. Games like Pro Evo can work on both levels. And with the forthcoming online service, I'm sure I will be interested in playing and interacting with multiple opponents at one time i.e Final Fantasy XI.
Sun 02/06/02 at 20:02
Regular
"360: swfcman"
Posts: 6,953
Mr President wrote:
Games like Pro Evo can work on both levels.

True, i have spent many hours on this game playing on my own, and as much as i love playing this game on my own, its so much better playing against someone else, just to watch them suffer over and over again, nothing can beat that. :D


And with the forthcoming online service, I'm sure I will be
> interested in playing and interacting with multiple opponents at one
> time i.e Final Fantasy XI.

Yeah, thats something im really looking forward to (if i can get all the things that are needed). With the PS2 coming online soon many many games are going to be able to be played online, imagine Pro Evo being able to be played like that, its going to be a new experience, you could start up your own world cups for real!

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