BioWare considers storytelling challenge of multiplayer experiences
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ Nov 16th 2009 at 2:00PM } 
Among the things to be decided is how best to incorporate your party of friends with, well, your party of in-game friends. "It's hard to weave a great single-player storyline into a multiplayer experience," Muzyka said. "It's not impossible." The good doctor insists that it's been done and points to the developer's anticipated Star Wars MMO as proof. "We've done it, and we're doing it again now in Star Wars: The Old Republic. But it is challenging."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shignami @ Nov 16th 2009 2:05PM
Is that jedi killing a ghostbuster?
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 16th 2009 2:14PM
That backpack looks nothing like an unlicensed nuclear accelerator!
Courtney @ Nov 16th 2009 2:43PM
Jedi and Sith, living together...mass hysteria!
Katana Master @ Nov 16th 2009 3:05PM
Haha that's an awesome win right there.
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 16th 2009 2:09PM
If ANY developer can do it, it's BioWare. In my opinion, they're the best damn developer around.
Temidien @ Nov 16th 2009 2:14PM
Don't let Kotick hear you say that...
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 16th 2009 2:15PM
I hope he does.
Petebot330 @ Nov 16th 2009 2:33PM
I'd agree to a point--they have one trick, but that one trick is AWESOME.
I nominate Valve.
Temidien @ Nov 16th 2009 2:56PM
I'd rather developers stick to what they do best and innovate within. Bioware excels in this area and I commend them for it.
Jason @ Nov 16th 2009 2:12PM
To be honest.... I would pay 800 Microsoft Points to enable a co-op mode for the full Dragon Age game....that would be a blast to play with friends.....
Vadrix @ Nov 16th 2009 2:28PM
Can't wait to be playing The Old Republic this time next year...I hope
Phix @ Nov 16th 2009 2:43PM
All I have to say about SW: ToR...
pleasedontsuckpleasedontsuckpleasedontsuckpleasedontsuckpleasedontsuck
(1st day purchase)
ducttapeBigSexy (PSN&XBL: ducttape12) @ Nov 16th 2009 2:44PM
This has occurred to me too - a proper story telling means the player is involved from the start to the end. The problem with multiplayer, though, is that it's kind of unrealistic to expect two or more people will be able to get their schedules in sync for 30+ hours of gameplay. As a result, most multiplayer games support adding people to a game whenever, but then the story will be lost on those new players.
Heck, developers need to be extra careful with online multiplayer. Just imagine some touching scene, where a character you cared about was just killed. Now imagine some 12 year old joining your party right after this, and he does nothing but teabag the dead character and argue with his mom over taking the trash out.
Phix @ Nov 16th 2009 2:45PM
Hook, line, and sinker etc. etc.
They sure do have gamers by the balls...
Phix @ Nov 16th 2009 2:45PM
whoops, that was meant to be a reply to Jason.
LegendaryRedass @ Nov 16th 2009 2:48PM
This wouldn't work for me in an rpg. I'm much to slow paced when it comes to RPGs. I prefer to explore and discover all there is in a game, savor it if you will, versus runnin and gunnin. That's why I stayed away from borderlands mp until after I finished the game. Plus I want all the loot for myself lol.
Steven Smith @ Nov 16th 2009 3:05PM
Having played the abortion known as Dragon Age I can honestly say they didn't care about multiplayer or story telling, so what was their excuse?
Huey2k2 @ Nov 16th 2009 4:01PM
The abortion?
Do you mean the abomination?
Steam:Lennoko| Whats PC Gaming? @ Nov 16th 2009 7:50PM
What game did you play? I know you cant be talking about the Master Piece of game that I played. Best story telling I've seen for years.
Katarn @ Nov 16th 2009 3:08PM
"It's hard to weave a great single-player storyline into a multiplayer experience"
That's BS and he knows it. Baldur's Gate 1/2 anyone? Neverwinter Nights? People need to give them crap for saying stuff like that.
thain @ Nov 16th 2009 4:24PM
Those games dont really have a MP story line. They have a single player story line, that another player gets to watch, and participate during combat/dungeon crawling.
That said, origins would stand a fair chance at allowing a multiplayer story, IF you assumed each person had a different origin, lots, and lots of work however.
All of that said, theres nothing wrong with playing a game multiplayer just for the fun of the action and not making any changes.
Mats @ Nov 16th 2009 4:45PM
Read the article: "Its hard, but we have done it and we are doing it again"
yo Naturale @ Nov 16th 2009 6:21PM
Muzyka said. "It's not impossible."
Not according to Infinity Ward.
destrin @ Nov 16th 2009 7:57PM
"It's hard to weave a great single-player storyline into a multiplayer experience,"
You did it perfectly fine in Baldur's Gate 1 and Neverwinter Nights...The lack of it in Dragon Age is, frankly, criminal considering Bioware history
iHavepants {SteamPSN: Arkanti} @ Nov 16th 2009 10:14PM
Neverwinter Nights was built around multiplayer and creating modules for it, so the single player campaign was terrible whereas they just slapped another player in to act as an NPC in BG therefore missing out on what made the game good- tactical control of multiple party members and dialogue.
I would really like a Dragon Age expansion built soley around the idea of co-op however, especially if it comes with appropriate upgrades to the toolset.