Some thoughts about multiplayer in FTL

[schmidtbochum]

I know that many FTL fans, including me, would like to see a multiplayer mode. I don't want to discuss the technical stuff, just the possible gameplay solutions.

The first way would be a pvp multiplayer mode. That means you would be in an open universe, together with many other players and bots (like an MMO), because fighting the same player again and again would be boring.
I wouldn't like that kind of mulitplayer. It would destroy the balance of the game: How does the game find ships with the same strength, What happens when you die? How does it manage pausing?
The enemies HAVE to be bots to make it enjoyable.

So the second option would be coop, either with multiple ships or together in one ship.

Having multiple ships results in the same problems: What happens when a player dies, how does pausing work?
Also, everything needs to be rebalanced again.

So the last option is: 2 (or more) players controlling the same ship. I think every player should have full control of the ship, and not be bound to a crew members.

That also means that players can enter or exit the game any time, because only one player (the host) is required to keep it going.

The game mechanics and balancing would be exactly the same with only minimal changes (like a separate key for pause and unpause, so when players hit PAUSE in the same moment, the game really stops )

It's just important that there is a text and voice chat, so the players can always communicate and make the decisions, and that all shop screens and text boxes are visible for both players.

The last game i played that included this kind of coop mode was Age of Empires 2 (the best rts ever).
When you selected the same team color, you spawned in the same village, controlling the same player. One player could focus on the army and attacks while the other player did the farming -- Really cool.

[glassofwater]

I'd like to see where each player controls their own crew member, depending on their job, that's what rights they have. Who ever is the pilot controls the buying/selling/etc

[Bafragor]

Multiplayer in this great game would make it nearly perfect! But I don´t want to have another MMO. The rest of my ideas were similar, to what you posted before:

1. Co-op: 2 Players can manage one ship together but to give a challenge, there should be no pause function. This game-mode should be very interesting for a hot-seat session.

2. Death-Match: Players are upgrading and doing everything similar to before. But, at the end, there will not be a rebell-mothership. The Players have to destroy each other. One is playing like before and the other is a rebell and hunted by the federation. Of course, they should meet in the center of the galaxy.

3. Classic Multiplayer: Both have to manage a ship. But the ships are much smaller and they have to think about, who gets what kind of function/system on board. Will they jump together for helping directly or will they do their own and only come together for the big showdown?!
(I think, this would be the most interesting game-mode)

>>Thank you very much, for this great game<<

Please, just make something like an add-on to bring some multiplayer stuff into FTL.

[fat_cyborg]

I want to play this game with friends.

I think a neat Co-op mode where you get two ships that have to jump together would be cool. Maybe the ships are tied together somehow. Maybe one is dragging the other one along because it doens't have it's own FTL drive. Maybe you're dragging your friend's ship that has the information for the Federation.

Your friend would still be in control of their own ship and crew, but enemy ships you find would be a little harder to fight than one player mode.

Maybe you could make it so you can trade with your friend when not in combat. Before getting teleporters you could have some sort of docking system. I think it would be kind of cool during a fight to teleport on to your friend's ship to kill off enemies who were trying to kill your friend's crew.

I think it would be pretty sweet if you could both pick different ships in the begining. Maybe they would be smaller than the normal ships in the game limiting you to pick between having things like teleporters or stealth later on.

When it comes to Jumping you would both have a say in where you go. Maybe have one person put up the jump request and the other agree or change course. Same could go for decision making, but then again there could be all sorts of extra decisions like "Ok, I'll have my crew save them from the giant spiders. You watch our ships!" While one player controls his crew in an actual fight against some Giant spiders in some kind of base the other player defends both ships from some pirates or something. Maybe the second player could launch missles at the base at certain spots to wound/kill some spiders to help the first player while he guides his crew through.

When it comes to pausing make it so when one player hits pause it marks which player hit pause on the screen. If the second player hits pause too it should stay paused and mark that on the screen as well. It should not unpause until they both clear their pause marks.

Just some ideas.

[fodslad]

My idea for a multiplayer mode would be just a simple deathmatch.

to spit ball some ideas and branch off of the deathmatch idea

1. players may use any ship they may have had previously at the end of a campaign. Weather or not it was destroyed or successful. (or only saved ships to save space. eg. after a game weather or not you lose there's an option to save your ship, for multiplayer)
2. Use any previous crew members from previous play throes. perhaps an options to set crew size. (or only saved crew members to save space)
3.stock ship deathmatch and/or mirror match (both players same everything)
4.randomly generated ships for both players. with or with out mirror match option

initially i was just thinking about picking my favorite ship and hitting a deathmatch button. Then i thought it would also be nice if players could create local servers for more options.

[Wilburforce]

I like fat_cyborg's ideas.

I was thinking along the lines of: 2 (or more) players, one giant sector hardcore death match, that increases in risk/reward the nearer the centre of the screen. Start on opposite sides of the sector. FIGHT!
Maybe have a mutually agreed upon battle speed (speed-slider bar?) for the encounter(s) they have.

[zeek]

I think a coop mode could be fun. Limit the power of each ship by lowering the max reactor power. Only giving a couple weapon slots. Limiting the number of systems ships can have. Maybe give you some power of your ships formation. Like have one ship in front of the other so it can tank for both ships. Make it like 25% dodge bonus if the opponent tries to fire around the tank. Allow teleporters to teleport between the two ships as well as to/from the enemy. I don't know how battle rewards would work though. Would you split stuff evenly or each ship gets their own random reward?

Another option would be the option to have quests where you'd be rewarded for splitting up. Like you jump to a store and they tell you there were just robbed but the thieves jumped off in multiple directions and if you can track them down and get some of the goods back they'll give you a reward. You can't get both of them in time if you stick together. So, you either split up or ignore the quest.

Something like that playing coop would be fun. Obviously you could troll your teammate by playing badly or shooting rooms with friendly boarders in them. Pausing forever, etc. I don't see much way around stuff like that though.