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Bad Co-Op Games/Features?
http://www.runestorm.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=77356		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Black Eagle [ Fri Feb 17, 2012 3:12 am ]
Post subject:  Bad Co-Op Games/Features?
In most cases, when a game has Co-Op it is guaranteed to be better... :handgestures-thumbupright:

However some games(I only really know of one: Loki) manage to make the game worse in co-op than it is in single player, quite a difficult task I would say... :(

While these cases are rare, bad co-op features are not; Many games have poorly implemented features, or absolutely clumsy ways to aid your buddies, and etc.. :doh:

For example: Chunky player-to-player trading, able to ruin your buddies without knowing it, inability to trade weapons you've picked up and want to give, poor FPS level design where you can't fire past/over your buddies... :naughty:

The list goes on, but what in your opinion is the worst crime a game can commit when it comes to co-op gameplay?.. :)
Author:  ShadowBlade [ Fri Feb 17, 2012 3:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bad Co-Op Games/Features?
Worst crime? Not having co-op!
Author:  SX [ Fri Feb 17, 2012 8:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bad Co-Op Games/Features?
Bad Friendly AI: If you don't have a good connection to the internet, then you gotta play singleplayer, and if the team AI sucks, it ruins a good Co-op experience.

Plus the reasons Black Eagle stated. *nod*
Author:  Black Eagle [ Fri Feb 17, 2012 12:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bad Co-Op Games/Features?
Indeed, that's always a bummer, not having decent AI in a co-op game... :(

What about good features though?, anything that sticks out?.. ;)
Author:  DarkCarnivour [ Fri Feb 17, 2012 12:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bad Co-Op Games/Features?
I'm sorry, but what is "Co-op with AI"? There's no such thing, it's just single player then. I can't say I've ever considered friendly AI more than just a bot or NPC. They're little more than fancy props. I'm not saying they're bad as a part of a game and that they don't have a place, just that that sort of game is a totally different sort of game.

I base my mania on the motivation for why one would choose to play a coop game. An ordinary singleplayer or 'with AI' game, the thinking goes like this: "I'm bored, I like video games, I think I'll play one", whereas for a coop game its more like: "You're here, I'm here, Jojo's here, we all like games, lets play one".

Of course, AI can be great fun in coop games alongside other players as well. You can all laugh at their idiocy together instead of just you shouting "God dammit you idiot, get over here!" to the walls.

Oh, yes, worst crime; that would be not putting coop in games that should have it. (Fallout 3 or STALKER, imagine that!) They put it in GTA4, but thankfully it was really buggy otherwise we'd probably never get any work done. An even more worrying scenario is that ShadowBlade may succeed in getting SaintsRow coop working!
Author:  Bulska [ Fri Feb 17, 2012 2:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bad Co-Op Games/Features?
I love the way Co-Op is done in Portal 2. You can mess around and cause each other to die horribly, but that it doesn't cause any real damage to except respawning. At the end after all the messing around, the puzzle needs solving requiring you to work together.

Communication in Co-Op is extremely important, to make it possible to quickly identify points of interrests or where enemies are coming from. Usually, some form of quick-chat system is implemented where you hold a button and can choose one of many things to shout at your allies.
I like how Portal 2 added the option to point to things ingame, and the other player can see what you're pointing at.

Another important part of Co-Op (I think) is the fact that you need to rely on each other. If you can solo everything, then the point of co-op is gone. Watching each other backs, keeping each other from getting stuck and make progress in the map is vital to keep the players working together instead of working against each other.

I do wonder what happens if you give the players seperate goals while they have to work together. For example, you're both treasure hunters and need to work together to get the treasure and carry it out the dungeon. But once you're outside, you fight each other to steal the treasure from each other. During the co-op part, you'll already be finding ways to weaken your 'friend' before reaching the end, to make it a bit easier for you at the end.

People will work together when they require each other to reach their (own or mutual) goal
People will work alone when the other won't prevent or help one from reaching his goal
People will work against each other when they can prevent the other from reaching his goal
Author:  Black Eagle [ Sat Feb 18, 2012 4:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bad Co-Op Games/Features?
Yep, the worst crime is indeed not adding co-op at all, especially in games that would be sooooo awesome with it, Stalker, Oblivion, or Just Cause, for example.. :roll:

Why don't AAA titles make that part of the plan for their games, it makes it much better... 8)

And some co-op games don't have enough reliance on other players, although one can go too far with that, it's generally good if you can't do everything on your own.. :)

Left 4 Dead does this well, break off from your buddies and you're screwed!.. ;)
Author:  ChaosMarine [ Sat Feb 18, 2012 8:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bad Co-Op Games/Features?
I've never played L4D(actually, I heard that co-op was the best thing about it).
Doesn't Killing Floor do the same thing? Or similar, anyway?

@Bulska, that's the only reason my friends and I play Halo on Legendary(it forces you to work together, or you have to restart form a certain point). :)

I don't think I've played many games that have co-op. >.>
This one game, Heroes or something, on Xbox(it could be on other consoles, but I'm not sure), makes it ridiculously easy to make money, as long as you have two controllers(two or more people just makes it even easier). So it's not a problem. per se...

Although... Really thinking about it, there are quite a few games that would be completely kick ass with co-op.
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