How do modes work and rants explanation ? (game not owned)

[DamarusRex]

So I don't have the game and my 2 brus and I are lurking around this one. BUT I've read lot of rants concerning a career mode and a freeplay mode that are somehow unsatisfying depending if you are 2 or more players.
Can someone explain me how these modes work in the game (as of february 2023), and why is the implemented co-op experience so controversial ?
I don't ask in order to judge or pick a side, just want to understand the current situation.
Thank you !

[Vexleigh]

Career mode is limited to two-player co-op, and people with more than one friend aren't pleased with this. I believe this was done to give a specific experience on your first time washing those levels, and having too many people join in would make especially the first few levels pass by too fast.

Furthermore, only the host gets the Career mode level marked as completed, so the friend joining their game still has to wash that level again to progress in their own Career mode. (At least this was the case the last time I checked.)

Every level completed in Career mode becomes available in Free Play, where the co-op limit is, I believe, up to six people. Free Play, for example, allows you to go back to the very first levels with all the new gear you've unlocked in Career mode and blast it all clean in a couple of minutes, which can give a great deal of catharsis if you were struggling the first time around.

I hope this has been informative and what you were looking for! If not, feel free to ask more questions :)

[DamarusRex]

Originally posted by Vexleigh:

Career mode is limited to two-player co-op, and people with more than one friend aren't pleased with this. I believe this was done to give a specific experience on your first time washing those levels, and having too many people join in would make especially the first few levels pass by too fast.

Furthermore, only the host gets the Career mode level marked as completed, so the friend joining their game still has to wash that level again to progress in their own Career mode. (At least this was the case the last time I checked.)

Every level completed in Career mode becomes available in Free Play, where the co-op limit is, I believe, up to six people. Free Play, for example, allows you to go back to the very first levels with all the new gear you've unlocked in Career mode and blast it all clean in a couple of minutes, which can give a great deal of catharsis if you were struggling the first time around.

I hope this has been informative and what you were looking for! If not, feel free to ask more questions :)

Very much so, thanks ! Exactly what I needed

Maybe I have another question : what do you play freeplay for, basically ? Aside from the "enchanced" social aspect of course. I mean is there some kind of progress/achievement/unlock/reward if you redo levels in freeplay ? Or maybe a challenge that is not in career mode ? More "difficult" maps ?

[Vexleigh]

There isn't really any content that's "exclusive" to the Free Play mode, although it is easier to do some of the achievements in Free Play than in Career mode. Free Play just allows the replaying of the Career mode levels, in any order you like, without having to start the whole Career mode over (and losing all your upgrades in the process).

There's also Challenge mode, where you can try some of the Career mode's levels with a time or water limit, and there are Bonus Jobs, where you're given a specific set of equipment to complete four non-Career levels (there will eventually be more of these levels). Bonus Jobs also allow up to six people in co-op.

Then in Specials there's the recently published Tomb Raider DLC (and the upcoming FF7 DLC will very likely be found there, too). It's a mini-Career mode with five levels, with co-op again restricted to two players, and the Free Play versions of those levels, with six-player co-op possible.

[anghellic517]

I want to add that while the host of the game will get 100% of the money earned, the helper(s) will only get 25% of what's washed while they're in the game. And when anyone goes back to do Freeplay, it's 25% regardless, for everyone.

[DamarusRex]

Originally posted by Vexleigh:

There isn't really any content that's "exclusive" to the Free Play mode, although it is easier to do some of the achievements in Free Play than in Career mode. Free Play just allows the replaying of the Career mode levels, in any order you like, without having to start the whole Career mode over (and losing all your upgrades in the process).

There's also Challenge mode, where you can try some of the Career mode's levels with a time or water limit, and there are Bonus Jobs, where you're given a specific set of equipment to complete four non-Career levels (there will eventually be more of these levels). Bonus Jobs also allow up to six people in co-op.

Then in Specials there's the recently published Tomb Raider DLC (and the upcoming FF7 DLC will very likely be found there, too). It's a mini-Career mode with five levels, with co-op again restricted to two players, and the Free Play versions of those levels, with six-player co-op possible.

Thanks for the details, again !
I feel like the challenge mode is the most thrilling to play with several players.
The freeplay mode sounds more like a social break (or group therapy ahah) than a playing experience per say.

Originally posted by anghellic517:

I want to add that while the host of the game will get 100% of the money earned, the helper(s) will only get 25% of what's washed while they're in the game. And when anyone goes back to do Freeplay, it's 25% regardless, for everyone.

Oh I read that often in review. It's a shame I guess. Or a way to artificially inflate the length of the game.

[anghellic517]

Originally posted by DamarusRex:

Originally posted by anghellic517:

I want to add that while the host of the game will get 100% of the money earned, the helper(s) will only get 25% of what's washed while they're in the game. And when anyone goes back to do Freeplay, it's 25% regardless, for everyone.

Oh I read that often in review. It's a shame I guess. Or a way to artificially inflate the length of the game.

The added money was actually added later in early access. Same with co-op. They intended for this to be a single player game, but added co-op cause of demand. So the fact we make any money now outside of career hasn't been around too long. People like me replayed the levels even without the money cause it soothes me, and once you buy everything out of the shop, the money is pointless anyway lol

But back to your original question, if there's three of you, only two will be able to do a career map at a time like Vexleigh said, and you'd have to do it again to move on the career for the second and third person. Anyone, at any point in their career, can join someone's freeplay map but they'll only have their own equipment they've earned, so everyone will sort of have to go through career to do that. Specials/Bonus Jobs you're given gear to use so that's not an issue there. I think in your cases, buy it and try it out separately for under the two hour refund limit and see if you even like the game first. I've got over 800 hours, so my vote is yes, but I also only co-op a little bit and with strangers that come onto the Discord asking for help.

[DamarusRex]

Originally posted by anghellic517:

The added money was actually added later in early access. Same with co-op. They intended for this to be a single player game, but added co-op cause of demand. So the fact we make any money now outside of career hasn't been around too long. People like me replayed the levels even without the money cause it soothes me, and once you buy everything out of the shop, the money is pointless anyway lol

But back to your original question, if there's three of you, only two will be able to do a career map at a time like Vexleigh said, and you'd have to do it again to move on the career for the second and third person. Anyone, at any point in their career, can join someone's freeplay map but they'll only have their own equipment they've earned, so everyone will sort of have to go through career to do that. Specials/Bonus Jobs you're given gear to use so that's not an issue there. I think in your cases, buy it and try it out separately for under the two hour refund limit and see if you even like the game first. I've got over 800 hours, so my vote is yes, but I also only co-op a little bit and with strangers that come onto the Discord asking for help.

Right, I almost forgot it was a single player game at first. You did good to remind it !
I can see why it's not a real priority then.
Still feels like a miss. But again, I don't own the game, maybe doing the career several times for everyone remains a fun experience.

[Vexleigh]

Originally posted by DamarusRex:

Originally posted by Vexleigh:

There isn't really any content that's "exclusive" to the Free Play mode, although it is easier to do some of the achievements in Free Play than in Career mode. Free Play just allows the replaying of the Career mode levels, in any order you like, without having to start the whole Career mode over (and losing all your upgrades in the process).

There's also Challenge mode, where you can try some of the Career mode's levels with a time or water limit, and there are Bonus Jobs, where you're given a specific set of equipment to complete four non-Career levels (there will eventually be more of these levels). Bonus Jobs also allow up to six people in co-op.

Then in Specials there's the recently published Tomb Raider DLC (and the upcoming FF7 DLC will very likely be found there, too). It's a mini-Career mode with five levels, with co-op again restricted to two players, and the Free Play versions of those levels, with six-player co-op possible.

Thanks for the details, again !
I feel like the challenge mode is the most thrilling to play with several players.
The freeplay mode sounds more like a social break (or group therapy ahah) than a playing experience per say.

Oh no, I'm sorry to say that the Challenge mode is limited to a single player.

anghellic is right, you should try the game solo first to see if you even like it. PWS does seem to be a single-player game first, co-op has come as ... an afterthought, almost.

Although I think that the gear available in multiplayer depends on what the host has both unlocked and bought; that gear should be available for everyone who joins. I could be wrong, though, I've played far less multiplayer than anghellic.

[anghellic517]

Originally posted by Vexleigh:

Although I think that the gear available in multiplayer depends on what the host has both unlocked and bought; that gear should be available for everyone who joins. I could be wrong, though, I've played far less multiplayer than anghellic.

If in a career map co-op, the helper uses the host's gear (except only the host can use soap). If in freeplay, everyone uses the gear they have. If in the Special (now named Bonus) jobs, everyone uses the gear the level has dictated.

[Vexleigh]

Originally posted by anghellic517:

Originally posted by Vexleigh:

Although I think that the gear available in multiplayer depends on what the host has both unlocked and bought; that gear should be available for everyone who joins. I could be wrong, though, I've played far less multiplayer than anghellic.

If in a career map co-op, the helper uses the host's gear (except only the host can use soap). If in freeplay, everyone uses the gear they have. If in the Special (now named Bonus) jobs, everyone uses the gear the level has dictated.

Ah, I see. Thanks for clarifying :)