Re: Why don't you like multi-player games?
For me it usually comes back to bad management.
Turns out, most game devs have no idea how to properly moderate a multiplayer game, but they still jump in with both feet, expecting it all to just turn out fine in the end.
Well, surprise! it almost never does, and as a result the game often dies within the year and is promptly forgotten about a few years after that.
I've seen allot in the past 5 or 6 years or so, like admins that don't react to simple problems in the way that the average person would, who often turn out to be mentally unstable or have constant chaos at home, E.G. freezing up completely when they have to act on their own in a basic matter, or taking light sarcasm or playful jabs very personally, then still holding a grudge later on because of it.
And it seems like there are an inordinate amount of people like that here for such a small community as well, which is probably also why it's so difficult to find those
who can actually do the job correctly in the first place.
Then you have the micromanaging yet entirely socially inept devs, who often attempt to mediate when it isn't necessary, and constantly step on the toes of the people that they specifically asked for help from in the first place.
Some even go so far in their abuse of power as to take away special items and experience points, or to arbitrarily decide to freeze players so they can't do anything in the game for several minutes, which they don't seem to understand counteracts the point of playing their game in the first place, since obviously mistreated people will tell their friends to avoid it...
There is also often a lack of solid, easy to understand rules to follow for both admins and players, or those that have been put forth are far too general and up for interpretation by who ever happens to be around that particular day, but even if something is verbally changed, it's usually not
updated in writing, and has to rely on word of mouth to spread.
I also often see that top level players, admins, and X beta testers tend to get preferential treatment, even if they don't do anything to deserve it, which can range from trusting their word over another player's, even if that other player has given no indication that they are not to be trusted, special zones that can only be accessed by certain people, which can often have more content than the actual playing area but aren't rolled out to the masses for what ever reason even if they are completely free of bugs, policy violations being overlooked or any punishment related to breaking a rule being much decreased compared to that of a normal player, and no oversight by other admins in order to keep others with special powers from abusing them.
I could go on and talk about specific incidents, or lesser issues such as admins who never do their part or are often absent being left on the team, but really it comes down to knowing when to step back, shut the hell up and delegate, how to pick the right people before hand, even if you have to skip over some of your friends to do it, to hold experienced players and staff to the same set of standards as everyone else, and when to grow a pair and just shut something your not sure about right the fuck down when you and the people causing the problem are the only ones who think you shouldn't.
If you want examples of what not to do, just look at Consta Ranta AKA Jack Brooks, the creator of Prometheus Moo, Mason armstrong, AKA Ultrocity, Soundworx, MTG studios ETC, the creator of Ultra Power, Danny Standley, head programmer of the now defunct reality software and creator of Death Match (a new beginning), and Sam Tupy, creator of Survive the wild.
And while I feel no guilt in calling these people out for what they've done, since they are very prominent figures in our community, who not only cho se to be publicly involved but also to make multiplayer games when they clearly weren't ready to do so, I do feel that I should point out that one or two of them have seemingly learned from their mistakes, all be it after several preventable failures, though only time will tell how long that remains the case, and that all of them, without exception, are intelligent, creative, and highly skilled people who can do and have done amazing things when they put their minds to it.
That said how ever, when a multiplayer game is done right, or even mostly right, it can be an amazing experience for all involved, one that you can clearly see impacting peoples lives in the poetry and fan fiction written about them, the friendships forged and loves found, the spontaneous player run events, and the heartfelt sadness when a long standing fantasy world finally ceases to exist.
Good examples of this are Alteraeon, Aardwolf, and Swamp, which even despite their problems will
be remembered by many for a long time after they are gone.
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