Do you like single player or multi player content better?

[nonsiccus]

I guess when talking about the driven reason why I buy games in the first place would be because of single player if I wanted to play a game that I truly would like. But to be honest, I don't usually play a single player campaign twice just because I don't feel like doing a 15 hour run through of the game again. Usually, I play game multiple times because of the multiplayer and that's the main reason why I buy games like Call of Duty and such. Multiplayer is really addicting, especially if your friends have the same game and you can play with one another.

Like I mentioned previously, there's no substitute for the variability of human interaction. While a lot of people react in similar ways, being able to adapt on the fly to a situation is what makes a human opponent so much more volatile and engaging compared to AI. Even the best AI out there becomes predictable after enough attempts.

 

[qadassa]

Depends on the game really, If it's FPS I always want it in like multi player because playing with friends is really fun and relaxing (sometimes I guess?), if it's a game like...uuuh.....uuuh....RPG games (ugh.) I mostly want to play it single player because some people if there's a story, they want to skip straight through it and get to the end of the game. Me however, I like to hear the story, play all the quests, etc.

 

[ducklord]

It depends on the game, so the real question should be "do you prefer single player or multiplayer GAMES", not "content". 'cause, the way you phrased it, what would someone answer if the game in question is... dunno, Quake Live?! "Do you prefer single player content in Quake Live"?! Or in games like Team Fortress 2, DOTA, Pong? There's almost no point in having single player in those - and the same goes the other way too, for strictly single player games. "Would I like multiplayer content in The Secret of Monkey Island", or Heavy Rain? Hell no! :-D

So, to answer that transmutated question, I prefer single player games. I'm more of an introvert and don't like to have to interact with others if I don't have to. Leave me alone, people! Play your own games!

That being said, one of my best gaming experiences of late was multiplayer Portal 2. Having to co-ordinate your movements with accuracy with another individual who could be on the other side of the globe, to save a falling cube from falling to its doom, was a stellar experience.

 

[c9h2ua]

I like multi-player content more because it seems to be more challenging. I always get bored on those games which are single player content somehow, maybe I don't want to play game by myself. However, it actually depends on what kind of game it is. Some games are suitable for single player, some are suitable for multi-player...

 

[petrushka]

I tend to play solo because I prefer games where I spend about 80+ hours grinding or searching a place over and over and over just to get a 100% game completion rating and that's not really conducive to a multi-player gameplay.

I wouldn't say no to mult-iplayer if it provides an entertaining way to play the game though. I mean, entertainment is the main goal after all so more entertainment for me is always better.

 

[nonsiccus]

I tend to play solo because I prefer games where I spend about 80+ hours grinding or searching a place over and over and over just to get a 100% game completion rating and that's not really conducive to a multi-player gameplay.

I wouldn't say no to mult-iplayer if it provides an entertaining way to play the game though. I mean, entertainment is the main goal after all so more entertainment for me is always better.

I never really understood the completionist or achievement point of view. Do you gain a lot of satisfaction from exploring everywhere, or discovering every hidden item? Do you derive less enjoyment from the conventional gameplay?

As somewhat of a gameplay purist, you could give me a game composed entirely of coloured shapes, but if it's engaging gameplay, you could have be hooked for hours. It's all about the mechanics for me. I've never really cared too much for completion or achievements.

 

[Goldie]

I like both. Sometimes I'm in the mood to just play solo and not have too much pressure or responsibility in playing as a team or playing against someone else. Other times I like playing multiplayer because it allows for much more variety with the same mechanics, since you'll essentially be playing different games everytime when you play with different people with each run.

 

[petrushka]

I never really understood the completionist or achievement point of view. Do you gain a lot of satisfaction from exploring everywhere, or discovering every hidden item? Do you derive less enjoyment from the conventional gameplay?

What do you mean by conventional gameplay, though? I tend to play RPGs -- discovering every item tends to help in completing a game (unless it's a relatively easy game that you won't need much items to play) and exploration is part and parcel of those games. Being a completionist is just playing a game to the level wherein you get a 100% rating in every category, which creators know otherwise they wouldn't provide statistics on how many and/or what percent of something has been acomplished. It's not something like getting all possible DLCs, etc. It's pretty much conventional gameplay and sometimes, it even helps in making you appreciate the game better because there are games that expand the plot through random collectible items (notes, letters, pictures, etc.) that provide a wider explanation of background and plot-related events.

As somewhat of a gameplay purist, you could give me a game composed entirely of coloured shapes, but if it's engaging gameplay, you could have be hooked for hours. It's all about the mechanics for me. I've never really cared too much for completion or achievements.

Completing a game with 100% rating IS part of an engaging gameplay for others. It's not that different from what you would like to see in your games. It's just a way people play because they like seeing everything a game has to offer through the actual game and not through supplementary materials.

 

[glen]

Well it really depends on the type of game that you are playing. Games like Minecraft, Farcry, GTA, and Saints Row are very fun by yourself. They can be played to their full potential without more people. However, in co-op games like Payday or Left 4 Dead and more competitive based games like Battlefield or COD, it's mostly multiplayer that makes the game. In my opinion, having friends to play games with makes it a way better experience

 

[Cutter710]

I prefer single player games. Campaigns have so much more meaning whenever single player is the main focus of a game. I see videos games as a piece of art, and from such art I expect to receive some moral being hit. It's the best that way. Single player games rock.

 

[ducklord]

@petrushka @nonsiccus Well, although I don't like the idea of looking for virtual thingies artificially "hidden" by a games creators to prolong the time we spend in it, apart from it's "main bits" (the campaign, multiplayer, whatever), I found myself looking for each and every damn flag in the first Assassin's Creed. Searching for days behind rocks, under crevices, trying to think where the heck they thought of hiding them.

I never managed to find them all.

It still hurts me :-D

So, yeah, I HATE it when a game does that, but mainly because I get hooked without wanting it and start spending my time on the useless for the next Golden Whatever the game designers spread on its map.

 

[LitoLawless]

I'm usually playing video games by myself nowadays, so I think that a good single player mode is the most important thing when I'm buying a game. I don't really play online, but if I were to play online it would be after I finished the single player story mode at least twice and I just want to see what the multiplayer is like. I can't even play a MMO if the story mode is lackluster. I gotta make sure I can have fun by myself before I can have fun with other people.

 

[Corten]

Depends, I'll play the hell out of a single player game if it's engaging and has an awesome story or a world that keeps me interested. There is nothing better than getting lost in a game with great lore. By default, though, I prefer multiplayer games, especially if they have some kind of ladder system. I have quite a competitive nature.

 

[nonsiccus]

Depends, I'll play the hell out of a single player game if it's engaging and has an awesome story or a world that keeps me interested. There is nothing better than getting lost in a game with great lore. By default, though, I prefer multiplayer games, especially if they have some kind of ladder system. I have quite a competitive nature.

Competition is really the best way to keep a game fresh. Look at CS1.6, it's so incredibly old now but there was still a decent competitive scene in it up until just very recently with the launch of Global Offensive.

It's really a testament to the fact that engaging gameplay and a competitive core can really allow you to extend the longevity of a game near indefinitely.

 

[Wormeata]

I would have to side with multiplayer content for the most part. I don't live near to most of my old friends any longer and gaming is the way I still see them. I personally believe that providing a sense of kinship over a distance is difficult, multiplayer games help me do that, and i appreciate that.

 

[nonsiccus]

There's nothing quite like hanging out in voice chat and having a few beers while playing your favourite games together. It's a great way to keep in touch even if you're across the country from each other and for the duration you almost forget that you're nowhere near each other.

 

[Catalyst64]

I would say that the singleplayer part of most games is made times better than the multiplayer. In singleplayer campaigns you get a story that you just can't get in multiplayer. Also, multiplayer games are definitely harder to design and create and I'm guessing that games like Grand Theft Auto V with both singleplayer and multiplayer have it the hardest. However, I am a multiplayer gamer myself and I love being around other people.

 

[Maxx Johnson]

Most times, single player is superior to multiplayer. But I usually try to get games with both a good singleplayer and a good multiplayer. I'm a person who loves playing games with his friends, as it's our main shared hobby, especially in the cold, snowy days of December when no-one would go outside, but would rather be nice and warm and play games.

A good balance of both is important to me, when buying a game. I want a relatively good singleplayer that I will WANT to finish, and a good multiplayer that I will WANT to play with my friends. A game with both of these is a good game, in my eyes.

 

[Corten]

There's nothing quite like hanging out in voice chat and having a few beers while playing your favourite games together. It's a great way to keep in touch even if you're across the country from each other and for the duration you almost forget that you're nowhere near each other.

That's one of the best aspects of multiplayer games and I love it. I still talk to the people who I used to play Payday 2 and L4D2 with. Friendships can forge through the internet and that's amazing. When you are playing something and meet another player, you don't care about skin color, or if they are rich or not. All that matter is how you interact with each other.

 

[dillinger10]

I would say that the singleplayer part of most games is made times better than the multiplayer. In singleplayer campaigns you get a story that you just can't get in multiplayer. Also, multiplayer games are definitely harder to design and create and I'm guessing that games like Grand Theft Auto V with both singleplayer and multiplayer have it the hardest. However, I am a multiplayer gamer myself and I love being around other people.

A large part of the appeal of multiplayer games over single player missions for me is the replay factor and unpredictability. Once you have completed a single player game, the replay factor drops immensely, whereas with multiplayer, the game still remains fresh with new experiences possible.