Splash Damage's Brink wants to change your mind on multiplayer
Are you one of these folks who don't even realize there's a "multiplayer button" in your first-person shooters? After spending hours with the single-player campaign, you shelve the game and press onward, eschewing time with multiplayer for other, more solitary experiences? Splash Damage head Paul Wedgwood wants to change your attitude, telling Eurogamer in an interview that his studio's upcoming FPS Brink will do just that.
"It's our goal from the outset to incidentally teach people to be good at multiplayer shooters while they're playing our single-player shooter," he says. Apparently, Brink will offer in-game rewards (double XP, for instance) to players willing to take their game online. "At a certain point in the game we say to them, 'Why don't you just try co-op and see how you go? For this next mission we're going to give you twice the number of experience points if you play co-operatively with somebody else.'" Thankfully though, he assures the internet-less among us (how are you reading this?!) that there's plenty of game in Brink without having to go online. "Your experience through it, imagining you have no internet connection should, for us to have achieved our goal, be as compelling as any other triple-A shooter." We'll find out if his plan works when Brink arrives sometime next year.
"It's our goal from the outset to incidentally teach people to be good at multiplayer shooters while they're playing our single-player shooter," he says. Apparently, Brink will offer in-game rewards (double XP, for instance) to players willing to take their game online. "At a certain point in the game we say to them, 'Why don't you just try co-op and see how you go? For this next mission we're going to give you twice the number of experience points if you play co-operatively with somebody else.'" Thankfully though, he assures the internet-less among us (how are you reading this?!) that there's plenty of game in Brink without having to go online. "Your experience through it, imagining you have no internet connection should, for us to have achieved our goal, be as compelling as any other triple-A shooter." We'll find out if his plan works when Brink arrives sometime next year.














Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
wormania @ Nov 27th 2009 10:03PM
People need to be convinced to play multiplayer in FPS games?
Surely there needs to be some sort of bonus for actually playing the single player.
brian @ Nov 27th 2009 10:04PM
kinda what i was about to say, is this really a problem in FPS games?
Special Agent Steve @ Nov 27th 2009 10:24PM
You know what FPS need? Guns.
StormX @ Nov 27th 2009 10:56PM
Gotta echo this one again.
Has this fucking numbskull not heard of MW2 some how?
Who the hell thinks people don't realize there's online play......fucking idiot.
MystileArmor @ Nov 27th 2009 11:42PM
I think it's even funnier how he's convincing the "internet-less" that it'll be ok....
...
I guess someone's gaming grandma is going to be very excited to hear that?
Bootes @ Nov 27th 2009 11:50PM
There are lots of people like this. You'll always see someone complaining in the comments of a MP only game that doesn't have bots.
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith [ATDF Chairman] @ Nov 28th 2009 11:01AM
It's so stupid and funny that a little boy like "wassup dawg" is trying to get everyone's attention.
CheeziePotato @ Nov 28th 2009 11:30AM
The illiterate "dawg" must be a no-life wigger.
tmacairjordan87 @ Nov 28th 2009 11:44AM
He claims he's black (of course he would), but what he doesn't know is either way he's living a stereotype.
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith [ATDF Co-Founder] @ Nov 28th 2009 12:06PM
Yeah, that post wasn't from me. I've updated my handle and avatar to keep ahead.
When I find this guy, I'm taking his head.
Avatar @ Nov 28th 2009 2:25PM
@Darth (the real one)
Just throwing this out there, but why do you care so much about some idiot flamer who'd only purpose in behaving the way he is to get a rise out of anyone stupid enough to listen? Just ignore him, be the bigger person.
And if that fails then force choke him until his anus bleeds.
Jelster @ Nov 28th 2009 3:12PM
I think they point they are making it that there is a large segment of the game buying public who do not explore the multiplayer part of a game. Whether that is due to ignorance, fear or some other factor I don't think it's stupid for a developer to look at ways to encourage people to give it a try.
As for whether this game is goign to be like UT or Quake. Come on, it's by the same team who did W:ET and ETQW, PLUS they have a ton of new talent from the console development community. The developer has the balls to make Brink the game they want, not just a generic clone of past FPS games with different graphics.
Kyammi @ Nov 27th 2009 10:04PM
How about something really a different? A game with NO online modes at all. God, I miss the old days...
Spartan [Planeteer | Power of Sunshine & Lollipops] @ Nov 28th 2009 6:43AM
lego batman
Space @ Nov 28th 2009 9:52AM
me too, I wouldn't have sold MW2 if the SP was say...3 times longer, and actually had a story and some style. See the thing with shooting games is that they are all essentially the same exact thing, just different graphics and story.
once you take the story out of it you basically have me running through all the motions I did in last years game. On top of that 99% of these games have no artisic thought behind them, they are all just trying to look realistic.
Could you imagine if every comic book had the same artistic style? could you imagine if every movie looked like it was done by guy ritchie? yet 99% of shooters are very very similar
CheeziePotato @ Nov 28th 2009 11:34AM
@Space
That's why Team Fortress 2 is so awesome.
Avatar @ Nov 28th 2009 2:27PM
@Cheezie
That style is already being copied.
Space @ Nov 28th 2009 7:03PM
I'm glad people agree with me on this.
It just bothers me in games, 90% of the studios are trying to go for realistic. I would love for a game to look like a graphic novel or something different. maybe resident evil 6 or something.
Maybe borderlands can start a new trend without being copied too much
futurebiblehero @ Nov 27th 2009 10:14PM
On top of how silly it is to "convince" people to play online, it's reassuring that they're putting a mode into the game that's essentially there to convince you to go play the other one.
mortegro545 @ Nov 27th 2009 10:24PM
Is the JPAG coming out today or is that delayed do to holiday?
Look At This Suit @ Nov 27th 2009 10:28PM
I think it should be the other way around. Players should be encouraged to play the Campaign. I can't tell you how many times you see people on CoD4 or MW2 with absolutely NO achievements because they don't touch the campaign.
nintendo fanboy hater @ Nov 27th 2009 10:44PM
thats becasue most single player sides of FPS suck nut
Maverick Saturn (Igor) @ Nov 27th 2009 11:15PM
Spose, not everyone cares about achievements, dunno when achievements came in to suck the fun out of fun, but I'm guessing the central reason they bought the game was to play multiplayer, especially at a time when everyone or nearly everyone is a freshie, can always play single later, it won't run away, but by the time MW3 comes around, the masses in MW2 will begin to dwindle.....depending on how good MW3 multiplayer is as opposed to MW2.
Look At This Suit @ Nov 27th 2009 11:36PM
I was simply using the achievements as an indicator of whether or not they've actually played the campaign. I know most don't care about the achievements. They're just a really good way to tell if someone picked up a CoD Campaign, considering the fact that none of the IW CoDs have multi achievements.
Dreaded Fear @ Nov 27th 2009 11:40PM
So... what? That is their perogative if they don't want to play single-player. Why would you want people to play a part of the game they most likely wouldn't like, or even want to play?
finnith @ Nov 28th 2009 5:34AM
It doesn't set a good precedent, that's all. It sends the dev the signal that multiplayer is necessary in a game, and that may end up taking away resources from the single-player mode.
kentuckyfried @ Nov 27th 2009 10:32PM
If there's a game that can teach the eternally clueless (e.g. me) how to play better, I'm all for it.
Getting rocked in mw2. If it weren't for constantly bailing out of "bad" rounds, my k/d would be well below 1.00. I suppose it isn't just necessarily me playing badly, usually my team's also getting their asses rocked (maybe one guy at 20 and 10, the rest of us going 0.5 or lower).
It's not that people who play FPS games for the SP are completely oblivious to the MP side, it's just that most people who are like that don't believe they can be competitive and "not suck", so they avoid the experience completely. Alot of my friends and acquaintances are like that.
Granger @ Nov 27th 2009 10:52PM
The absolute best way to play an online team multiplayer game is with a consistent group of people (READ: Friends). You'll be better able to work with each other and build each other up. You'll also be much more likely to play against a similar group if you are doing team based matchmaking games (your full team of 6-8 is much more likely to find another varied skill team of 6-8, worse case scenario you'll run into a clan team). If you lack the confidence, you'll at least be playing with people you won't have to worry about letting down and being ridiculed by afterwords (unless your friends are assholes, in which I'd argue you aren't so much friends as much as punching bags - Don't play with rivals!).
I don't even buy multiplayer games anymore unless I know they'll be good and I know I'll be able to play with someone I know. It's just not worth the frustration of random assholes on the internet. I don't know about anyone else, but of all the randoms I've befriended on various online game services, most of them were already paired with a group... The dicks all play alone and/or travel in packs of 15.
kentuckyfried @ Nov 27th 2009 11:18PM
lol...thanks for the recommendation.
The hard part is that I don't have friends that game on a consistent schedule on the PSN side. And I'm actually beginning to think that I should not play with my few friends on the 360 side of things b/c at least one of them is an asshole who doesn't particularly like me much.
Ben Gilbert @ Nov 28th 2009 2:06PM
If you're looking for a good group of people to play games with on your Xbox 360, head over to the Joystiq Podcast Appreciation Group on Facebook. There's an active community of Joystiq readers/podcast listeners who are friendly and looking for people to play online with (including most, if not all, of the Joystiq editors). Hope that helps!
Granger @ Nov 27th 2009 10:37PM
People don't need convincing as long as the game is good. People play Halo, Warhawk, Battlefield, Call of Duty, Killzone, Team Fortress, Gears of War, Lost Planet, Uncharted 2, and Resistance online because they aren't just afterthought modes tacked on to increase the games longevity. They are well thought out games, with a variety of ways to play, and a reward based system that tracks how well and how often you play giving you incentive to play again / play better / play differently no matter your skill level.
If Brink offers something unique and worthwhile, great, I'll look forward to playing a lot of it. If it's just the same old stuff we've all played before, built on the back of Quake and UT, then it will fall to the wayside and become the bane of cheevo/trophy whores who gamefly the game and complain that no one is playing the mp even a month after release.
Hopefully they'll actually have a product to back up this comment. I'd to see another versatile and functional multiplayer mode thrown in the mix, with enough launch content to carry it for at least six months.
Have to say too: I've been interested in this game. Love the cartoony realism blend, looks like a Team Fortress 2 and Unreal Tournament III love child. Hope it turns out well, and isn't a relic like the other games running on idTech 4.
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith [ATDF Chairman] @ Nov 27th 2009 10:43PM
This game looks wierd
Darkfocus @ Nov 27th 2009 10:47PM
ya I know and I keep hearing sites say it looks like killzone 2 graphically but it looks nowhere near as good I like the art style though.
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith [ATDF Chairman] @ Nov 28th 2009 12:01AM
Someone is copying me...I didn't post that...
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith [ATDF Chairman] @ Nov 28th 2009 12:03AM
Really, it's pathetic. Who is this, really? Marius?
Reuben @ Nov 28th 2009 12:07AM
That is...bizzare.
Someone really took the time out of their day to pretend they were you?
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith [ATDF Chairman] @ Nov 28th 2009 12:10AM
Yeah. I'd love to know why people are so obsessed with me.
Probably the 'darth has no life' person.
Marius Returns @ Nov 28th 2009 12:11AM
nope
Reuben @ Nov 28th 2009 12:13AM
It is fascinating how much attention you draw.
People are incredibly pathetic.
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith [ATDF Chairman] @ Nov 28th 2009 12:14AM
Can we get him banned, please?
Be careful to ban HIM, not ME, please.
Reuben @ Nov 28th 2009 12:14AM
HA!
And Darkfocus was none-the-wiser.
Marius Returns @ Nov 28th 2009 12:17AM
He hasnt said anything wrong to get him banned, maybe he likes your name
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith [ATDF Chairman] @ Nov 28th 2009 12:17AM
One should always note, I'm a bit of a grammar Nazi. Weird is spelled wrong in his post.
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith [ATDF Chairman] @ Nov 28th 2009 12:19AM
Acting as someone else isn't enough to get him banned?
Reuben @ Nov 28th 2009 12:21AM
I think this is pretty ban worthy. It's obviously a form of harassment.
Marius Returns @ Nov 28th 2009 12:21AM
idk, I dont see guidelines for posting
HighFiveJesus @ Nov 28th 2009 12:23AM
blimey you're right! he also shows signs of too much time on his..well ok thats you too.
Darkfocus @ Nov 28th 2009 12:36AM
wait people can have names that are already taken? I didn't know that @.@
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith [ATDF Chairman] @ Nov 28th 2009 12:44AM
I didn't either. I just happened to be reading the comments when I spotted this one.
Blank-Mage (ATDFs Nuker) @ Nov 28th 2009 5:29AM
*Pointing gun at two identical Darths locked in combat, uncertainty and panic etched on his features*
"You know it's me, Blank! Shoot him!"
"Like he'd fall for that! Don't hesitate, Blank! Let him have it!"
"Remember when you joined the ATDF?! I was THERE! How else could I know that?"
"Because it's in my name, you faker! Blank, don't lose your composure, and SHOOT HIM!"
*Closes eyes, pulls trigger*