[total noob question] sooo, how does multiplayer work?

[IcyMike]

Just got the game, and digging it immensely. Reminds me a lot of BG2 and some killer older RPGs, with a ton of very complex aspects lurking below the surface.
Have been wandering around in single player, and don't understand, frankly, anything about the multiplayer experience.

Do you create a new character for multi, or use an existing?
Is it like Diablo3 style where you just run through a section fast, or more like NeverWinter where you team up with a group to help progress you on main storyline?

How does it even logistically work, as in, what buttons to click to even get into a group? Like I log in and do what after selecting multiplayer? Do I connect with any open team (again, thinking like the D3 example), or are there going to be like guilds or...

Any advice or help welcome :)

[Tally]

When you create a multiplayer session, you start the game from the very beginning. Whoever joins you in the lobby can create a character together with you (take an Origin or make a custom).
That session will ONLY be saved on the host's PC. The only opportunity to make characters is at character creation - if other people join that game when you play next time, they will have to play these characters. You CANNOT bring your previously created character into another person's multiplayer session.
In short, every time you start an MP game from the beginning, it's a new separate world.

[KreatureFeature]

I've only played multiplayer but I'm able to load my game up and it play single player. Don't see why you couldn't do it the other way. You'd have to play as one of their party members though. But you can create a character within their party if you join their game while their still in Character Creation.
If you want to let people join your single player game, load the game, go to connectivity and select anyone can join. If you only want curtian people to join you can select invite only.
To join someone elses game, to to multyplayer and just look for an open game.
That's what I understand of it.

[Matty1Monopoly]

Does this mean if you have mods other people can't join your game?
I'm asking if it's similar to Europa Universalis and other Paradox games where if you don't have the mod, you can't play with a friend without having the same mods.

[SimranZenov]

Originally posted by matty1monopoly:

Does this mean if you have mods other people can't join your game?
I'm asking if it's similar to Europa Universalis and other Paradox games where if you don't have the mod, you can't play with a friend without having the same mods.

If the host has mods, then it will automatically download those mods as you join (which can make the first loading screen take a while - just fyi), so yes, you can play together with mods.