How many of you actually would/will play multiplayer?

[Dewm 177]

So one of the premises of what we know about what has been deemed SC5 is the fact that it will have online multiplayer, sharing regions, trade, utilities.. etc..

Here is ONE of my problems with it. While I am an avid fan of the SimCity series, (starting off with 2000 back in the late 90's) and still playing to this day, but I do not have a single friend that would play with me.

Now don't get me wrong, I know tons of people that I play games with, we do almost weekly LAN parties for AoE2. I have friends that I play Halo and Modern Warefare with. I host a Minecraft server and I've played a few MMO's like FFXI or World of Warcraft. So I wouldn't say I'm "sheltered" when it comes to the gaming community, But still.. I do not have a single person that I know, in real life.. that would play a SC game with me..

So I guess my question is, do any of you have friends that you would actually play SC5 with? I think the devs are really missing the target on this one.

Anyways, it will be interesting to see what the poll comes out with.

[LivingInThePast 364]

I voted for random people. Not that I'd like to play multiplayer all the time, but I would say it would be worth giving it a spin.

[Benedict 3,119]

Hopefully I'd get to play with some of my ST friends. Nobody in RL, though.

[piccboi824 1]

I don't have friends who would play the game with the commitment required for multiplayer. I know that I play in cycles where I play intensively for a few months that back off until I have another creative spurt. With the global economy aspect, you would have to play at least weekly seeing how it would be very likely that you would have different economic conditions that could either advantage or disadvantage you whenever you next opened the game. I know because my friends and I lead busy and spontaneous lives, we wouldn't be able to schedule a weekly "SC Night" to all play at once.

Another thing I always think about is the idea best friends don't always make the best neighbor/roommate. You know how you have those friends that you like, but know if you ever lived together you would probably end up resenting them? That's how I would feel playing a region with my friends. We don't have a hive mind and would probably disagree a lot on so many things and spend too much time on conflict resolution than building cities. I know that because I'm so particular, I'd rather just go and do my own thing without having to compromise or get approval from someone else.

[Dannibee 138]

To be fair if I even ever used the multiplayer I'd just use it to screw everyone else's cities by polluting them or building massive eyesores everywhere. I prefer it when it's my region where I can do what I like and nobody can stop me...and the multiplayer will just add a new dimension to greifing as it is.

[catty-cb 4,392]

I voted "I would not play with other people in my region" and its not because I couldn't find a group of people to play with, but to do that we would have to organise a time, have a plan, make decisions on stuff, etc

I go to work and have to do that ... that's not why I play or would want to play, playing SC4 is my end of day time when I want to de-stress or the weather is bad in the weekend

I don't think this new game will be for me

[Hampi 54]

I have a few friends that play Sim City 4 hopefully they will start playing SC5 with me and we can create a region. Or maybe I will play with some people here from ST.

[2farnorth 26]

As good as multiplayer can be, an inactive player in a region could let down the entire system. I, for example, can be away for long periods of time. If a neighbour city needed more jobs, resources, ect, it could lead to unemployment, blackouts, ecetera. This would deter me from playing. I think single player is the way to go.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

From the poll at this time, it seems the noes have it.

[cirugo 1,889]

Sandbox with mods is how I play...not interested in participating in multiplayer even it it's just being part of the "global marketplace."

[Mootilda 76]

I have friends that I could play SimCity with, but I'm not sure that I want to. Different people have different playing styles and I perfer to play alone (at least, most of the time).

[Timmystwin 201]

To be fair if I even ever used the multiplayer I'd just use it to screw everyone else's cities by polluting them or building massive eyesores everywhere. I prefer it when it's my region where I can do what I like and nobody can stop me...and the multiplayer will just add a new dimension to greifing as it is.

I agree, SC is a single player game.There better be anti Griefing measures too.

[Ocram's Razr 963]

If multiplayer will not cost extra, I know 2 or 3 friends who might want to play with me.

[Mark Waybill 242]

I voted random because while most of my cities/regions would be autocratic it would be interesting to have a multiplayer SC experience just to see what would happen. I don't have any friends who do anything with me, the last time someone came by for a cup of coffee was a month ago and before that in December. I am very weird apparently, so naturally I don't have any friends who want to play games with me of a serious absorbing and thought provoking nature. One or two friends (facebook friends I mean) play CityVille but that game got old fast.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

I voted 4+. I can think of plenty of people who it would be fun to play in a region with. Probably not all in the same region, and I'd also have my own private regions as well. But the multiplayer aspect of the game sounds like fun to me.

I think when the game comes out there are going to be tons of people on ST starting regions, so if you're involved with the community at all and know anybody it should be a lot of fun.

[jacksunny 741]

There's nothing stopping members of the community from creating multiplayer regions. Providing it doesn't cost anything or costs very little, I would definitely play multiplayer.

[ZirconiaWolf 7]

...Different people have different playing styles and I perfer to play alone (at least, most of the time).

My thoughts exactly.

I have no qulams about a game like SimCity (or any other game) having a multi-player option, so long as a single player mode exists as well. I play games to *escape* from RL & to me multi-player gaming is NOT escaping, it's being thrown head first into an arena full of angry bees (aka "12-year-olds-with-no-parental-supervision") & being forced to dress as a flower. (Opinionated? Me? Surely you jest...)

I much prefer *sharing* the gaming experiance via pictures/stories/blogs/etc, rather than one-on-one.

That said, I am sure there will be many folks for whom "SimCity Multi-Player" is a dream come true & that's cool. I however shall remain happily non-social. (Dang you kids! Get off my lawn!! Don't make me let the dogs out!)

[Moskva 75]

I'd play multi with random people, however i'd also bring on my solo region. Anyway, i don't think i am getting this game immediately, i fear it will be *trash* for me, like Societies. I hope i am wrong, anyway i am sure SC4 is king.

[Mr_Maison 2,426]

If multiplayer is the only way to play and I end up buying this game I would want anti-griefer defence mechanisms such as nukes that I can send to the idiot next door to flatten their city. I would also make sure all my borders are dangerous ghettos whith a mod that causes all outsiders to get beaten and robbed. If someone in the region is messing things up financially or environmentally, I want to be able to conquer or take that city from them with all manner of unpleasant agents. Might as well make it a real MMO because it won't be about creating cities anymore but dealing with an environment of conflict of interest.

But on a serious note, I am curious about multiplayer and find it interesting but only as an option to my "real game sessions" which would be solo.

[lazy tiger 22]

I myself couldn't sustain a steady amount of playing time to commit to a large community based region. This was an issue I hope they address in the new game. If i am trading partners with another city in our region, and I miss a large amount of time, or he/she does on their end, what happens to the cities?? Is it "inferred" participation, to keep the other city humming, or would a lack of attention in one area doom the entire region and trade webs? I don't know anyone personally that would even buy the game due to lack of interest (stupid call of duty..lol) so more than likely, I would rather keep it sandbox style, one player like SC4. What I would like from an online aspect, is maybe realtime ebbs and flows of commodities, or things like when another city (implied..) finds oil... this would have a trickle down effect on all the cities. But we don't need an active player to simulate that scenario. For the money, I want a complete game, without needing online support to play it. (Aside from mods, updates, and of course, general market dynamics..) I want to create my own region, maybe closer to a small nation sized region (we got the tech now to do this...), and work multiple cities.

This is looking somewhat like Civilization from Sid Meier. We have all our cities, controlling power, resources, water....till one city conquers them all. (looks that way in that one trailer I saw..). Is this version going to be open-ended? Regardless if so-and-so's city has all the wealth, my city will still exist, just maybe slummier, but it still has people and things humming in it. Or is this SimCity going to have (gasp!) and end game.

Make the online connection for simulated tourism, market events, maybe some Llama news...but keep solo play what has always worked for Sim City.

[MINIggy03 227]

I'm definitely going to play online. I'll eventually tackle my own region, but for a while I'd like to play with others and get to know the game that way.

[samima 92]

I wouldn't if it was an option, but it is not.

I think it is too extreme that we have to be online every second of our playing.

[Jim14409 448]

If multiplayer is the only way to play and I end up buying this game I would want anti-griefer defence mechanisms such as nukes that I can send to the idiot next door to flatten their city. I would also make sure all my borders are dangerous ghettos whith a mod that causes all outsiders to get beaten and robbed. If someone in the region is messing things up financially or environmentally, I want to be able to conquer or take that city from them with all manner of unpleasant agents. Might as well make it a real MMO because it won't be about creating cities anymore but dealing with an environment of conflict of interest.

But on a serious note, I am curious about multiplayer and find it interesting but only as an option to my "real game sessions" which would be solo.

LOL! Cracked me up! Nuke those idiots! NOW!

---

I would not be playing multiplayer for a number of reasons most of which have been cited here. Another limiting factor for me is my satellite connection which has bandwidth limits and does not do well in online games.

Having played since SC2 I think it is more suited to single player. It might be allright if each city in the region was built by an individual instead of by several people. I just don't see folks agreeing enough to really create one city together. Everyone has different playing styles and ideas which are not always compatible in one city. Also all cities should be downloadable by the mayor of that city.

If SC5 is multiplayer only I'll just keep playing SC4.

  Edited April 17, 2012 by Blue Lightning  
Merged two posts

[Ocram's Razr 963]

Each city tile will be built by a single person but the city tiles are so small that they are really like districts and a portion of a region could be a city so people working together can build one coherent city, one district at a time.

[Alexof 3]

I really like multiplyaer games, and for tis reason i would be inclined to play SC5 online, however it would be more "for fun" instead of "building a great city", i would do the latter playing "offline".

As having friend to play with, i am in the same situation as Dewm, lots of friends on XBOX for Rock Band, MW3, etc.. but i don't know anyone willing or even having any Simcit game to play with.

[RyanMorgan95 144]

It's too early to make a judgement, so let's just wait for some more details from Maxis.

[stuifje 5]

I am not very excited by multiplayer.

People tend to grief in online games, which would greatly reduce the fun of playing the game.

I might have a brief look on the multiplayer, but 99.9% of the time i will play solo.

[The_City_Builder 299]

I voted for the first one. I have a number of friends so that most likely wont be an issue.

Hopefully, joining random games will have filter options.

[Mark Waybill 242]

One could have a warning system like here, but with Maxis/EA, so that an account could be blocked if it was found to be griefing say three times. Or there could be a system like Facebook with a social forum/portal so that you add friends or SimBuddies, and can only play with SimFriends.

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Yeah, playing a region with a bunch of random kids or trolls doesn't really sound like fun if you ask me. If I were to try out multiplayer, it'd only be with people I know from ST.

But I still think I'd prefer to just do it myself...