Pause/Unpause in Co-op

[Nuclear Wessel]

I noticed in the co-op mode that it seems to be impossible to actually re-pause the game after the mission has kicked off; either player pressing the pause button seems to simply result in their units pausing in position whilst the world continues to move. This causes problems, as it basically forces you to play the game either in real time or with everything planned out at the start, surely this couldn't be the intention?

[c-x-n]

its very playable where you can only pause your own fireteam and not other fireteam or tangos.

there is no timeouts in real life either lol

[No Nōryoku]

Originally posted by Vulpe Nebuna:

we have considered that but haven't actually tried it ... in DK if you need pause you need it NOW so we think it might be frustrating to get it couple of seconds later.

I'd say for most people talking about the issue, it would better to have the ability to pause after all. Considering that I struggled massively without being able to pause at all. A friend and I tried clearing some level with a huge open area and some indoor sections. There were about 20 enemies plus hostages. After we've gotten through the first set of corridors all hell broke loose. The vast court, which seperated the first from the second set of corridors, lead us to micro-manage a single officer only, because we couldn't cope with everything going on. It ended up in more casualties than necessary. In the end it just resulted in us yolo-ing altogether.

Now you could argue that it's still okay, since we managed to succeed after all. Yet I find it hard to call it "okay", when we overshot the time limit by almost 5 minutes mostly due to failed coordination attempts. Especially when facing casualties greater than half your team being dead.

See... on the one hand there are some like Repo that enjoy this RTS-type of gameplay, oddly enough. But on the other hand I quite the amount of players complaining in the forums about the issue at the same time. All I suggest is providing us with a box that reads "allow pausing mid-game" before starting a co-op session, regardless of how "frustrating pausing endelessly" could be. I mean you could turn it off by then, right?

Edit:

Originally posted by c-x-n:

its very playable where you can only pause your own fireteam and not other fireteam or tangos.

there is no timeouts in real life either lol

That real life comparison falls quite flat considering that the game's officers shoot every target on sight. Immediately. Without warning. It's still a game, take a hint.

[c-x-n]

then there should be time limit on how long can one permanently pause game.

maybe 10 seconds only or less.

time limit and a cool down.

to prevent abuse

[Nuclear Wessel]

Originally posted by c-x-n:

then there should be time limit on how long can one permanently pause game.

maybe 10 seconds only or less.

time limit and a cool down.

to prevent abuse

Honestly, since we are talking about a cooperative mode, I wouldn't be so worried about abuse; if someone is pausing too much, just tell them to stop.

The problem is the games interface isn't really suitable for use in real time, drawing up plans whilst the enemy frantically moves about.

[No Nōryoku]

Originally posted by Nuclear Wessel:

The problem is the games interface isn't really suitable for use in real time, drawing up plans whilst the enemy frantically moves about.

I second this so much.

[zuff]

Originally posted by Vulpe Nebuna:

No, I'm very adamant not to step on Frozen Synapse's toes, esp. for a coop game :)

How would this be stepping on their toes? Because you both use a similar method of turn-based, real time tactics? They're not the first to incorporate it either.

If it works, it works. That's how you should view development. No one's going to run you across the coal because you happen to have a similiar mechanic to another game which is also a top down pause and play game.

[Vulpe Nebuna]

I was mostly kidding. I just don’t think such a dramatic restriction is needed in a cooperative game, as opposed to a conpetitive game like Frozen Synapse

[c-x-n]

hehe lets no make super-pause be the go-to-toilet-mid-session-button

i dont want to just sit there waiting when you decide to suddenly meditate on porcelain lol

so far i had zero problems with current system and im enjoing new coop mode very much

[quadZe]

Originally posted by c-x-n:

its very playable where you can only pause your own fireteam and not other fireteam or tangos.

there is no timeouts in real life either lol

Then why is this function available in the single player?

For most people (including me and my friends) the co-op is currently and unenjoyable mess.
If I wanna play a top-down view shooter with fast non stop action I'll go and play Crimsonland or Counter-Strike 2D. This is a tactical game. We had the option to pause in single player for a very valid reason: to make every step, every action and every bullet count. Why should this be any different when it comes to the multiplayer?

[Borschik]

Please add pause to coop mode, pausing won't frustrate anyone if you add 2 coop modes (with and without pause). Without it cool tactical game with planning turns into random version of hotline miami with very clunky controls.

[Enji or Not]

I understand both sides.

In the beginning I've had my problems with the lack of a pause button too. But I got used to the "Halt troops" replacement quickly. I think it's not unplayable, it's quite fun, it differs from the singleplayer mode (only thing that annoys me is the low framerate, I'm unsure if this happens because I have to play on a laptop atm or if it's the game).

As for how a pause option could be implemented, I think everyone should be able to pause at will. Unpausing could work like this: If both players change their plan while the game is paused, have them agree to resume. If only the guy who initially paused the game changes his plans, have him be able to unpause as soon as he's done.

As suggested before, there could be a checkbox that enables or disables this.

[c-x-n]

Originally posted by Joshua Benson:

That real life comparison falls quite flat considering that the game's officers shoot every target on sight. Immediately. Without warning. It's still a game, take a hint.

its a game about american police swat. thats how they operate in real life. take a hint.

[c-x-n]

Originally posted by quadZ.:

Then why is this function available in the single player?

For most people (including me and my friends) the co-op is currently and unenjoyable mess.
If I wanna play a top-down view shooter with fast non stop action I'll go and play Crimsonland or Counter-Strike 2D. This is a tactical game. We had the option to pause in single player for a very valid reason: to make every step, every action and every bullet count. Why should this be any different when it comes to the multiplayer?

hm i wonder why starcraft multiplayer cannot be paused and starcraft singleplayer can be.

one must take into consideration annoyance of other player having to wait while some ppl start to plan like 15 seconds into future while they die 4 seconds in.

but if ppl really want it i guess it can be sort of power up where you can activate super-pause once a round or so. i do not want to be in permanent pause every 5 seconds because someone thought that game is not going as one planned

[Nuclear Wessel]

Originally posted by c-x-n:

hm i wonder why starcraft multiplayer cannot be paused and starcraft singleplayer can be.

I think you are forgetting that Starcrafts controls are rather different and are very much more suitable for real time gameplay. I should also point out that Starcraft does have a pause function in multiplayer.

[c-x-n]

Originally posted by Nuclear Wessel:

Originally posted by c-x-n:

hm i wonder why starcraft multiplayer cannot be paused and starcraft singleplayer can be.

I think you are forgetting that Starcrafts controls are rather different and are very much more suitable for real time gameplay. I should also point out that Starcraft does have a pause function in multiplayer.

some maps are done in less than 30 seconds. how much of that time you want to spend paused?

do inform others which starcraft multiplayer mode round lasts less than a minute