Coop vs Single how does it play out?

[Slayer Seraph]

I have been eying this game for a long time now.
I am mostly curious about the Cooperative story mode.
I have used to play Neverwinter Nights along with my Bro on LAN back in the good old days.
Today, in order to play together one must purchase two distinct copies and play online.
So before I make a choice I would like to hear how this game plays in Cooperative vs Single Player in Story mode.

I hear this game has several characters you can add to yiur party Baldur's Gate style.
Also heard you can have 4 characters at any given time when travelling, and that you can control each on combat, turned based.

I heard it's a story driven game, so my questions are:
1. How exactly does the cooperative play matches up with the single player experience? Is it 1:1 identical?
2. What are the Pro/Cons in Coop vs Single? Are there any added/Removed Gameplay features?
3. Which slot does the added player take? Does he/she replace an NPC party memeber?
4. How does this works in combat?
5. Would you miss interesting party banter?
6. Can each player interact with one another in any way - story or roleplaying wise?
7. Can all players take part in coversations? Or only the party leader?
8. Will NPC even refer to and regard other players or only the Host/leader?
9. Does cooperative detract from the story in any way - or does it make it better?

Thanks!
Waiting fo a sale in this game, 50%+ off - will be a nice way to get 2 copies in the price of one.

[Slayer Seraph]

Edit: just found out about the dynamic split screen mode. It sounds terrific. Can anyone tell me more about it?
Knowing this it sounds like a great way to play together

[Purple]

The way the game is designed is that you get control of not one, but two main characters, as well as two companions. The host of the game can choose to destribute main and side characters to each player, and you can have someone join you as early as the character creation screen.

Pros: A second person, it's always better with friends
Con: It's harder to min/max the (mostly uselss anyway) personality buffs.

I'm not sure how the game works with two people at the same computer as all my playthroughs have been on different ones, but in terms of freedom you could split the party at any time go mostly anywhere, minus having to regroup at certain points to enter dungeons and such.

You don't miss any witty banter since you get control of both main characters in singleplayer anyway, if anything it's even better in co-op since you have another person builidng their main chracters personality while you build your own. All players take part in conversations, minus the companions. NPC's only regard the main characters in terms of story proession, unless the NPC is tied to that specific companion, as the companions all hae their own side stories and achivements.

If anything co-op makes things much better, I remember when i was going through the campain and my friend has the great idea to go stealth and lay explosive barrels everywhere before engaging the big boss in the center of a room, I then cast toxic sludge everywhere and shot the barrel. The whole room went up in flames. I wuld have never had that idea and the battle would have tottally gone a different way if I was to be playing solo. The game was clearly ment to be played with friends.

[Qiox]

Originally posted by Ransom Seraph:

Edit: just found out about the dynamic split screen mode. It sounds terrific. Can anyone tell me more about it?
Knowing this it sounds like a great way to play together

Split screen co-op can only be done with 2 controllers on 1 computer. Although you can use just 1 controller along with a controller-emulator program that would allow the 2nd player to use keyboard and mouse.

By default when both players are near each other you get a single full screen view. When you walk away from each other the game automatically splits into a left-right half view for each player. You can set in the options for it to stay split all the time even if you are close together.


Any save game be loaded and played by either 1 person controlling all characters, or with control split up between the two of you.

Characters created in 1 game are permanently tied to that save game. You cannot take a character from your game and jump into someone else's game with that character.

[Slayer Seraph]

Originally posted by PurpleFox:

The way the game is designed is that you get control of not one, but two main characters, as well as two companions. The host of the game can choose to destribute main and side characters to each player, and you can have someone join you as early as the character creation screen.

Pros: A second person, it's always better with friends
Con: It's harder to min/max the (mostly uselss anyway) personality buffs.

I'm not sure how the game works with two people at the same computer as all my playthroughs have been on different ones, but in terms of freedom you could split the party at any time go mostly anywhere, minus having to regroup at certain points to enter dungeons and such.

You don't miss any witty banter since you get control of both main characters in singleplayer anyway, if anything it's even better in co-op since you have another person builidng their main chracters personality while you build your own. All players take part in conversations, minus the companions. NPC's only regard the main characters in terms of story proession, unless the NPC is tied to that specific companion, as the companions all hae their own side stories and achivements.

If anything co-op makes things much better, I remember when i was going through the campain and my friend has the great idea to go stealth and lay explosive barrels everywhere before engaging the big boss in the center of a room, I then cast toxic sludge everywhere and shot the barrel. The whole room went up in flames. I wuld have never had that idea and the battle would have tottally gone a different way if I was to be playing solo. The game was clearly ment to be played with friends.

Thanks for all the information! Really helps.
Can you please give more detail on the part about 2 Main characters in Single Player or COOP?
Do you create two characters at the beginning of the game?
If I am to play this game with a friend or my brother, I would like us to have 2 custom made characters.
Did you mean that the 2nd player can make his own character or does he just takes control of some NPC party memeber?

Sounds like cooperative play will make adventuring, questing and combat very interesting, smoother and flexible in many ways! The game sounds really well thought out - especially mechanically.

Also, what about companions you "store" away outside your party. Do they get experience and gain levels even outside of the party and combat? I wonder if it's possible to switch AI party memebers without them going under-leveled..

Originally posted by Qiox:

Originally posted by Ransom Seraph:

Edit: just found out about the dynamic split screen mode. It sounds terrific. Can anyone tell me more about it?
Knowing this it sounds like a great way to play together

Split screen co-op can only be done with 2 controllers on 1 computer. Although you can use just 1 controller along with a controller-emulator program that would allow the 2nd player to use keyboard and mouse.

By default when both players are near each other you get a single full screen view. When you walk away from each other the game automatically splits into a left-right half view for each player. You can set in the options for it to stay split all the time even if you are close together.


Any save game be loaded and played by either 1 person controlling all characters, or with control split up between the two of you.

Characters created in 1 game are permanently tied to that save game. You cannot take a character from your game and jump into someone else's game with that character.

Fortunately I have 2 - XBOX360 wireless controllers and 1 XB1 wireless as well. The dynamic Split Screen is one of the coolest brilliant yet simple ideas I have heard of, very impressed.

Initially I thought about playing this game over 2 PCs, but I was looking for something fun to play together at home for a long time, and couch coop - sounds pretty good. Sounds like it has some benefits - namely seeing what the other guy's doing and planning together -
and will be more amusing too. Couch Coop ftw!

[HugsAndSnuggles]

Originally posted by Ransom Seraph:

1. How exactly does the cooperative play matches up with the single player experience? Is it 1:1 identical?

Not exactly: you can be in different places of the map doing diffrent things, but content is identical.

Originally posted by Ransom Seraph:

2. What are the Pro/Cons in Coop vs Single?

Really depends on a person: can be faster/slower and more/less fun... main problem: finding enough time to play it. Generally, single is more about exploration/completionism, while co-op is more about action/fighting. After all, you don't control all aspect of co-op play.

Originally posted by Ransom Seraph:

3. Which slot does the added player take? Does he/she replace an NPC party memeber?

One player supposed to control one of the source hunters (mening player can end up with nothing to control at first when he connects, say, during combat), everything else decided by host (esc menu).

Originally posted by Ransom Seraph:

4. How does this works in combat?

Same as single player: if you're too far you won't be 'dragged' into combat.

Originally posted by Ransom Seraph:

5. Would you miss interesting party banter?

Possible - depends on how you play.

Originally posted by Ransom Seraph:

6. Can each player interact with one another in any way - story or roleplaying wise?

Apart from game chat and whatever voice program you might use? Same as base game: several 'pointless' dialogues.

Originally posted by Ransom Seraph:

7. Can all players take part in coversations? Or only the party leader?

Depends. One does convo, another can listen to it. If descision needs to be made - second player is asked for opinion when appropriate (if close enough). UI on listener side is not exactly intuitive either, but it works.

Originally posted by Ransom Seraph:

8. Will NPC even refer to and regard other players or only the Host/leader?

They regard everyone in party as normal: will only talk to source hunters (companions can still trade).

Originally posted by Ransom Seraph:

9. Does cooperative detract from the story in any way - or does it make it better?

Depends. If you separate for speed - might miss few dialogues (usually sidequests, since main story generally requires fighting/going to the shelter and you, most likely, will be in one place when you turn quest in/get it).

[Raze_Larian]

You do start by creating the 2 main characters. If a second player joins during character creation, you would each customize one of the main characters; if joining later, they would take over one or more of the host's party.

You can dismiss recruited companions or henchmen and replace them, and swap them back later (as long as both main characters don't take the Lone Wolf talent). The 4 companions in the world that you can recruit will get an experience boost when hired or re-added to the party, if they are less than the character asking them to join, so they won't be under levelled if you don't use them. The mercenaries that you can hire do not get such a boost (but you can always hire a higher level replacement, up to a maximum number of henchmen [10 IIRC]).