multiplayer?

[MrSweecorn]

me and two of my closest friends got this game because it looked fun and wanted to play together. we were kinda bummed out to see there wasnt a multiplayer option. we all still really enjoyed the game and are having a great time. but it would be a revolutionary game with some multiplayer options. it doesnt have to be anything crazy just a way to place some rails with friends. i know it would be hard to do but just make like a free mode game but you could invite friends. there could be a fast and long mode where you could choose the months you place like regular game. me and my friends could compete for best company. i dont make the rules so this might never happen but i think it would be a great idea. just have it so if a player leaves they get replaced by a bot. maybe there could even be online games where you play against real people randomly. that would eliminate the issue of hearing the characters talk for 4 hours straight. i think this would be a great idea and would bring alot of fun into the game. do with this information as you shall;. just thought i should spread some ideas.

[chaney]

It's too late for RE, but it might be in the upcoming RE2. I wouldn't count on it, but maybe.

[genemead]

+1, chaney.

I hate MP, and here's why:

1- It's hard to get all your "friends" together at the same time to play. They've always got something else to do or some place they just "have" to go to. Or I do, So the game sits, waiting for us to play. In the meantime I'll start another game and play it solo. I end up playing the game by myself 98% of the time anyway, so MP is no big deal.

2- I won't play with "friend" A. He beats me every time.
I won't play with "friend" B. He's too easy to beat.
The result is I have very few "equal" playing partners, if any. Playing with other humans is NOT what it's cracked up to be. The best competition or playing partner is yourself.

3- It's not "my game" (and my friends are just helping me build or whatever....) it's "our game". And no matter how "like minded" we are, we don't always see eye-to-eye. Sometimes I don't approve of what he does. But it's a "shared" game so I can't say a word. MP games never seem to go how you envision them......

Maybe some of you think MP is "fun" or a "must have" for virtually every game out there, but not from my experience they're not "fun" at all, and more of a PITA.

[MrSweecorn]

genemead, those reasons all seem like you problems find better friends

[Tsubame ⭐]

Maybe in RE2. There is AI and key core mechanics enabling competition in RE, so it is not too farfetched.

Problem on sandbox games like this is that relatively few people are interested on it, vs. the work required to implement it.

[chaney]

Another barrier is keeping in sync. Some love Trainiac, many of us hate it. All players would need to agree to tolerate each others' pauses or play Trainiac. Not a feature killer, but an issue.

[steven272]

Originally posted by chaney:

in the upcoming RE2

Railway empire 2 when?

[chaney]

We don't know anything official or unofficial except that the project got substantial funding. I'd guess probably some time this year, but that's pretty speculative.

[gardlt]

I actually don't think there are solid competitive elements in the game. How would it be determined who is going to be awarded a piece of cargo if both have a train loading at the same time? There is no mechanic that I know of for that with the current AI. Often times the AI would try to bring in some commodity from way across the map, through it's inefficient system. That mean I can't deliver it from a local source. There is also no way for the human and AI networks to be linked together, which would mean much duplication of track.

The core of the game, running trains was designed originally to be done without pausing. Speed of the game is normally a concern for MP. Some people will feel rushed, pressured or whatever. But we see that this game was actually designed that way. Why do that, but no MP? It's not logical for me.

I'm not sure people will make many friends through this game. But often I think there is a group of friends who play various games together and they would sometimes enjoy this game as well. I think some of the issues that genemead described are age dependent. For example, younger people are better at working together in positive co-operation.

The publisher seems to have a fascination with the console market. I guess that this would complicate any MP implementation. I would have to assume that they also make the sequel for consoles, I wish they put effort into gameplay rather than that, for example MP rather than consoles. Reality is, I would be highly surprised if they add it.

I played Railroad Corporation in MP quite a bit. It also suffers from the problem that groups of friends can't play together since it's only 1v1. Allowing more players remains one of the most requested features. As 1v1, MP is one of the best ways to bring your competitive level up. You can learn so much even in just a couple of matches.