Online or Offline? Future of gaming

[wxkid23]

You know, the last few days, discussing how cheesing has taken over a lot of online sports gaming.. OK... hasn't taken over but has made it that much harder to find a sim experience if that's what you are looking for.. made me wonder about the future of sports gaming and gaming in general.

A few years back, I thought by now enough people would be interested in online gaming that game AI would be starting to take a backseat to enhancing the experience to onliners. Really, game AI is getting just as much attention the last couple years with no sign of stopping. EA, unlike 2K, has not even introduced online leagues. A few years ago, I thought enhancing game AI was going to be a thing of the past and online gaming was the future. I am starting to notice numerous shortcomings to online gaming... a few...

1. Cheesing, rather it be in FPS games or sports games.

2. Most online leagues are a joke, I would say less than 10% finish and owners just quitting for no reason at all is alive and well.

3. All/both parties must set a specific time to play if it is for a league game, which can be quite difficult to do some times.

4. Lack of innovation of online gaming. The enhancments to online gaming has really been much slower than I expected.


Im not really sure what to expect in the future. I don't think online gaming is taking off near as fast as some at Microsoft and Sony would like you to believe. Now some games, namely strategy games, like Roller Coaster Tycoon, or suspense games, or GTA type games will likely never have a place online. The majority of games are made where they could have a significant online element if the publishers decided to do so.

I think gamers are really split into 3 catagories right now.

1. Offline gamers- For whatever reason, some people just enjoy sitting back and relaxing and playing the computer.

2. Offline AND online gamers- I would consider myself in this group. I play online a lot and am in a few leagues. I also play offline some, especially sports games, due to the fact I still enjoy messing with the sliders and playing the game to my liking. Offline, sports games are usually much more realistic, due to the fact you can tweak the sliders, most online games do not allow that as of yet.

3. Strictly online players- I know of some people that never, ever, play a game against the AI. Some people just enjoy the experience of playing a real human.

I think the online aspect and how it develops in games the next few years is going to be very interesting to watch. I think however that the effect of online gaming on the offline crowd has been overblown. I don't think we are going to see an end to AI or offline enhancments for a while. I am however seeing a reduction in the number of "story" games that are pure offline that used to be so fun.

Just something to chew on..

[Graphik]

Re: Online or Offline? Future of gaming

I think online gaming will be huge in the near future. MMORPGs and Sports MMO's have yet to reach its full bloom. And this is coming from a guy who prefers the offline, single player experience. It only takes 1 game to be addicited to online gaming. Some ppl haven't found that game yet.

As for cheesing, like I said before, games dont create the cheese, its the ppl who play them. If every company adopted a Halo style matchmaking system, cheese would be less of a problem because your opponents would'nt be so random.

MMORPGs are a major sucess on the PC and there have only been a few attempts at console versions. Once more companies drop more titles, this market will thrive for many years. MMO games are the next big market IMO. As for MMO Sports titles, one has yet to be made besides UBO and thats not even complete yet. I sent a letter to the creator one day and told him how I see the potential of these type of games. You thought sports games were huge, MMO sports games will be even bigger. You say GTA cant be made for online? They're already planning an online mode for the next GTA. Or was that Saint Row? A GTA rip off. Anyway, almost any and every genre is being converted to online multiplayer nowadays. Online gaming is taking a precedence over single player in terms of development cycles.

AI will be more advanced but the trend I have reconized is that every game that comes out has to have some online function. I look around alot researching games and my prefrence is usually a solid single player mode that long and indepth. To bad, the best games to come out are usually skimped on the single player in order to add multiplayer. The best example is the Splinter Cell series. What once started off as a great single player game, its now half and half with its innovative online multiplayer game. Even Metal Gear is following suit.


Speaking on innovation of online gaming, we haven't even begun yet. If you're talking about online functions, the addition of voice chat, friends list, online aware games.....XBOX Live is as innovative as it has been for online gaming and that has yet to reach its zenith. There is already plenty in store for the service. But back to innovative gameplay. As I mentioned MMO Sports games are one innovation many has yet to experience. There are a few XBOX 360 titles that promise innovative online aspects. (Cant remember that FPS game) And they're is also a game slated to be a living, breating world where you can become etheir the authority or you can be the criminal......Dont worry about the innovation, its coming.

And this is coming from a guy who prefers the offline, single player experience.

[Skerik]

Re: Online or Offline? Future of gaming

I primarily fall into category 1, but my exceptions are FPS and MMORPG games on PC. I play a lot of COD2 online on my PC and I like it for three main reasons.

- No steep learning curve. You get online, you play with people. Everyone has the same equipment and the same opportunity, so the winners and losers of each match are determined by the skill level of the players, not by who has accumulated the best weapons, armor, items, etc.

- No predetermined playtimes. You jump on a server and start playing. If there aren't any people on that server, you find another server. But unless you're in a clan and only play clan matches, you can always find a game against good opposition if you play on the right servers. And there are always people playing.

- No cheaters. Most servers run PunkBuster, or something similar, which removes people's ability to cheat by using aimbots and things like that. Plus most good servers are monitored pretty closely by admins, so if someone joins and starts headshotting everyone through smoke and bushes after somehow circumventing PunkBuster, they'll get kicked pretty quickly.

I've never really cared much for 1-on-1 online gaming, and that extends to the console sports arena of today. I'd rather just be on my own gaming schedule and play against the CPU, or be able to join FPS online games as I wish and play for however long or short a time as I wish.

[Dame]

Re: Online or Offline? Future of gaming

i was strictly offline until last year i joined an online league for college football. I started out enjoying it but so many people started quiting it wasn't fun no more. After college football i stop playing online until December, I played one game on NBA live online and it wasn't fun at all. I haven't been online since.

I feel with more structure it will eventually be even with offline gaming and I'm expecting in the next few years that more and more people will fall in love with no matter what genre of game you are playing, I may not be in that group but i still see online gaming becoming big without me

[NYJets]

Re: Online or Offline? Future of gaming

I think both will always be around, but I do think online gaming is growing. When Xbox first came out, I knew barely anyone who played online. Most people I knew just had a PS2, and wanted to play GTA. Now I know tons of people who play online. And I think with the way Microsoft, and hopefully eventually Sony is pushing online play, it will continue to grow.

[Stu]

Re: Online or Offline? Future of gaming

I'm mostly an offline gamer, but I'd like to start into some online gaming with sports leagues. I am starting an Out of the Park Baseball League, which will be my first real experience. This is more appealing to me since it doesn't require as much time and the game usually only attracts people who will stick with it.

There are a couple reasons why I never got into any other leagues. Most of the online leagues started by guys on here were on Xbox, while I have PS2 so obviously couldn't participate. I think more importantly though, the aspect of the games that appeal to me (franchise, realism, etc) don't usually exist in online leagues. This is also what makes my upcoming OOTP league perfect for my tastes, even though I won't be playing against other people live.

As far as non sports games, I don't think I'll ever get into them. I used to play America's Army quite a bit, which was a blast but I just don't have the time to invest in it regularly anymore. By not playing all the time, I always have a feeling of being "behind" the majority of other gamers.

[Graphik]

Re: Online or Offline? Future of gaming

i was strictly offline until last year i joined an online league for college football. I started out enjoying it but so many people started quiting it wasn't fun no more. After college football i stop playing online until December, I played one game on NBA live online and it wasn't fun at all. I haven't been online since.

I feel with more structure it will eventually be even with offline gaming and I'm expecting in the next few years that more and more people will fall in love with no matter what genre of game you are playing, I may not be in that group but i still see online gaming becoming big without me

You'll find that game. Believe me. As much as a sports fan I am, I dont like playing head to head because of cheese and quitters. Sooner or later, a game will drop where those thing wont be a problem. Its just amatter of time.

[ehh]

Re: Online or Offline? Future of gaming

I'm probably the only (or one of the few) person on this site that has never played a single online game. Not on Xbox Live, not on PS2 online (whatever the hell it's called) and not on a PC. The only thing I've ever done is play Halo 4 vs 4 over my college's network against kids across the hall.

I never understood the hype of it. I'm still all about dynasties in sports games.

[aukevin]

Re: Online or Offline? Future of gaming

I've never gotten into online games either. I've played a few here and there, but nothing ever made me want to play online again. Of all the games I've had the most fun playing online, it is Animal Crossing Wild World. Cheesers and lag always took the fun away from sports online.

When a new sports game comes out I play it online a few times to see how it is, but I always just go back to my dynasties. I'm happy there.

I'm sure in the future online gaming will continue to grow bigger and bigger, but I think there will always be a large portion of people that just like to play offline. But I think the new gamers out there that are introduced to games online from the beginning will probably not be interested in offline gaming to the level as those that grew up when there wasn't much online gaming.

[Brankles]

Re: Online or Offline? Future of gaming

I'm still waiting for 5 on 5 basketball where each person controls a player and an online GTA-type game. That would be fresh.

[aukevin]

Re: Online or Offline? Future of gaming

I'm still waiting for 5 on 5 basketball where each person controls a player and an online GTA-type game. That would be fresh.

that would be awesome. Now I could get into that if I knew all the guys.

[Dame]

Re: Online or Offline? Future of gaming

I'm still waiting for 5 on 5 basketball where each person controls a player and an online GTA-type game. That would be fresh.

or being able just to have a pick up game of 21 with up to ten players i think that would be fun as well

[SPTO]

Re: Online or Offline? Future of gaming

I've never played a game online in my entire life. So I can't say one way or another if i'd like the online experience. I do think there will always be an online component but it's not going to be nearly as huge as some people think.

That being said, I plan to get an X360 and get the online package.

[Brankles]

Re: Online or Offline? Future of gaming

that would be awesome. Now I could get into that if I knew all the guys.

Yeah... imagine the possibilities. You and four of your friends playing in leagues and tournaments, running plays, playing help defense, etc. You could essentially do this in football too, where each person controls a QB, RB, WR, WR/TE and WR/TE/FB and on defense controls whoever they want. Hell, in every sports game you could do this. If done right, it would be revolutionary and tons of fun.

[Graphik]

Re: Online or Offline? Future of gaming

Yeah... imagine the possibilities. You and four of your friends playing in leagues and tournaments, running plays, playing help defense, etc. You could essentially do this in football too, where each person controls a QB, RB, WR, WR/TE and WR/TE/FB and on defense controls whoever they want. Hell, in every sports game you could do this. If done right, it would be revolutionary and tons of fun.

Like I said, UBO(Ultimate Baseball Online) already is trying this concept with a RPG style character creation. Its hella fun but to bad the beta is buggy as all hell. I sent a letter to the creator and told him how I see the future of not just his title but the future of sports gaming in general. Having a person control each position in a sport is the ultimate fantasy gaming. After playing the baseball for some while, I'm geeked for a developer to tackle other sports such as basketball and football, even soccer.

Only downfall of it right now and it was discussed already, is finding the right teammates to play these games with. For example, in basketball where the action is so freeflowing, it'll be tough for everyone to get in the right positions, run plays, have good comunication and more importantly, not be a gun. If a good ratings system was in place for every person, it'll be possible to find good players to play with.