Multiplayer Expectations: We Should Lower Them

Considering that CA spent 4 years making this game (and then another year or so adding content), I completely understand him laying low for a while. Let him rest and enjoy the fruits of his labor, he deserves it.

Chucklefish on the other hand, we would love an update, even just to see what they're working on.

 

I didn't say that there is something wrong with it. I just said, that I don't think, multiplayer will come out this year.

 

Never said you did. I'm just putting in a defense for CA since a couple people mentioned he was missing in action.

 

My people! What wonderful discussion and feedback!! Yay I thought i was going to get a lot of disagreements and dislike, but it seems as though you guys are kind of with me? Right on!

 

I mean, whatever he is planning I believe in him...this game was miles better than harvest moon. In HV it took too long to get to the fun part, the beginning is just too slow. In SV you jump right in.

 

The only way I could lower expectations is to forget it was even mentioned lol. I don't even assume it's going to come out for sure. ((Not a jab more of a crap happens and I'm not assuming it's set.))

 

Oh I trust Concerned Ape, but I am certainly taking the mentality said above - "forget that it's coming out"

 

All I can say is, don't create a post saying It's Here, and NOT be talking about Multiplayer... people get... errrr... disappointed.

 

Yea, I certainly think there were some mistakes made in regards to the early communication about multiplayer and the withholding of additional information, because in all reality, I'm positive we are all happy with the game, and we aren't upset, I think we all just want to know what is happening. Rather than waiting for it, I think I'd rather assume that it will be not good.

 

Totally agree with you. I wouldn't hołd it against CA if he would say that there is no multiplayer. But I would really like to hear something.

 

CA isn't involved in multiplayer as far as I know, I know he handed the reins off to Chucklefish but not sure if he's completely stepped back or keeping track at all.

So it's not really on him to communicated this at this point.

 

Oh....well then goodbye multiplayer.

 

This is not the case. CA has given the /technical/ issues of multiplayer over to others to help with-- the issues of networking/protocols/etc-- but he never said he was stepping away from the design aspects of it. There are still game design elements to multiplayer that I fully expect him to be involved in. As I've pointed out on other threads, he already /had/ a working prototype of networked multiplayer as far back as 2014, and there are videos online of him doing a little farming and house decorating with another player helping him.

I am not particularly worried about the delays. Nor, I think, should anyone. Chucklefish still advertises the console versions of the game with multiplayer as a near-future addition. Just let the folks work behind the scenes and see what happens.

 

Thanks for the clarification!

I knew that he'd passed off the nuts and bolts of it, but I wasn't sure it that meant he'd stepped back or not. Which is what I was trying to convey but apparently failed.

Since I knew he'd passed off that part, I don't really feel like it's on him when it gets completed. As for whether or not he could tell us any info I was unsure before.

Since he's not the one doing the mechanics basically I didn't feel it was fair to pin this on him I guess. Poor guy has already gotten enough flack for things he's actively worked on.

 

Sadly true-- even if he gets his part done quickly, there's no guarantee that Chucklefish will be handling the technical aspects with as much diligence. He may not have anything to report if they're still working on things.

 

@Lilliput
I am somewhat still in the camp of thought that "nothing to report" is "something to report"

 

That being the case, I have 'nothing to add'. *pop!*

 

*pop!*

haha!

 

I'm not expecting much from multiplayer. I've sunk 100s of hours into the game. I feel I know how, more or less, to break the game. Now factor this into multiplayer and you get a situation where your gang of 2-4 players quickly runs out of content.

And that is the real problem for multiplayer: how do you ensure there's enough stuff for players to enjoy that they don't run out of content? For casuals, I'm guessing the content in 1.1/1.2 will be fine.

CA has kind of put himself into a bind by announcing the game will have multiplayer at some point. I doubt this will be a popular notion but... I think it would make more sense to start developing SDV2 than keep dragging out content for Stardew Valley. But that'd cause a massive shitstorm so that's probably not going to happen.

 

I hope, there will come new things with multiplayer: The main problem is, that now the background stories should rely on player char backgrounds (Chosen at start?). If CA solve this problem, the game can be improved from multiplayer. I think it is possible. Most of the game will work on multiplayer without problems. Missing time stop in inventar is imho no problem. But the background stories and the bachelor system are some of the charming elements of the game. I think, there are possibilities to do these charming options even in multiplayer. But for that there is some work for CA.