How new multiplayer gameplay inclusions could work

[Gonzophotography.co.uk]

Hi all, I'm new to the forum - just come here after completing TR:U and have had a brief nosey through what people have been suggesting/liking/not liking about said follow-up title.

Multiplayer seems to have you split down the middle, but I can imagine how it could work successfully...

EXCAVATION TEAM

In a mode similar to what has worked in Left 4 Dead, team co-operation and awareness is essential to succession and survival. Imagine as a team of four, delving into deadly chasms that have been left untouched for centuries. Some doors only open if two people are stood or activating two door switches (that's if they're activating the correct door and not a booby trap or sleeping ancient enemy). Maybe rope swings would have to be created (throwing rope over one side to the other of a gap for a team mate to attach).

Ammo is scarce, leaving firearms limited to one or two members of the team. Would also be ideal if each individual had a unique skill that would be essential to completing the level, or finding treasure/relics/etc. You could also grab onto someones hand as they missed a jump, or give someone a bunk-up to a higher ledge.

So, if a team member died, how would the remainder of the team progress and adapt?

And where would they have to advance to in order for the team mate to respawn?

One idea I'm fond of is when the team finds the treasure, one player has to carry it. That then leaves it open for double crossing - eg, player with treasure decides to keep the goodies for him/herself and so, activates a door or a trap to delay the others whilst he/she makes their escape. In the same way, other players could bump off the treasure holder to horde for themselves.

Other dynamics of this are, pretending to be a novice player until the treasure is found, then using your practiced skills to wipe the floor with them - maybe a team of two that agree to betray and split the reward.

END OF LEVEL POINTS

So, the treasure would be the main way of bumping up your custom created character level (yes, I did just say that) - you would also be rewarded for co-operation and honesty, stealth, melee and use of firearms. Point also awarded for least amount of health loss, or least amount of deaths/team mate abuse.

CUSTOM CHARACTER

I think using Lara or other characters from previous titles would be confusing and possibly ill-representative of who and what the characters are capable of. I can't imagine Zip doing what Lara can, so that wouldn't work. Instead, you create the look of your character. Items found in the single player story mode would unlock outfits, hairstyles, weapons, accessories, voices - as would experience gained through points and end of multiplayer level awards. Levelling up would also give you access to new vehicles or increasing health and adrenaline bars, clip size, running speed.

ESCAPE

Just to add to the intensity of a treasure find, levels would fall apart once the main treasure is found - so team co-operation would be the best way of ensuring survival, whilst betrayal would often spell doom for at least one member of the team.

VEHICLES

Motorbikes in, but buggies would be cool (I'm straying for mentioning a certain animal named vehicle here) to hold two or more members of the team - imagine driving over ramps into massive drops and landing it successfully, or having to jump out of the buggy at last minute to grab onto a ledge - or a team mates hand to save them.

RIVAL TEAM MODES

Self explanatory, team vs team (4 against 4) - race to find, set up traps, grab weapons, vehicles, treasure.

So how does this sound to you?

[a big house]

those are all very good ideas but i think that the idea of multi-player for tombraider was just for two people to play, not four. using for four players would force the use of online play or system link, therefore creating difficulties for many players that dont have the things needed to do so. other than that, every idea is great and hopefully taken into account. :-)

[Brodie]

Agree with A Big House, all great ideas. But I disagree that the idea of multiplayer was for 2 people. Multiplayer is usually something separate from the single player campaign and usually online. Online co-op is one of the biggest selling points for next gen games and the only reason Tomb Raider would think about including it would be to get in on this market.

I agree with the OP's points on customizable characters, or even just a set of characters that you can't customize but are not a part of the single player campaign.

There are so many ways multiplayer could work. I definitely see a 'capture the flag' (or capture the artifact) mode fitting perfectly with the TR gameplay. A reasonably sized map with 2 bases on either side. Some people on your team will have to stay and defend your own flag while others go for the other teams (if that's the strategy you choose). A lot of climbing and strategy could be involved. I don't think guns would work too well in this mode but the primary tool could be the grapple. Being able to wrap it around pillars and pull them down in-front (or on top) of the people coming for your flag would make for interesting gameplay. You could even set traps and edit the map with the grapple, like for example, using it to smash structures, obstruct some pathways and create new ones. You could also be able to snare the other teams flag with your own grapple from a distance (making it harder for them to guard it). Even grappling the people who are trying to steal your teams flag and pulling them off a ledge would be possible.

I think a capture the flag mode where guns are replaced with grapples would make for insanely fun and original game-play that keeps in the tradition of Tomb Raider. I mean just think about all the ways the grapple can be used in TR and imagine how these could be used in a competitive, fast-paced online co-op mode.

Races would also be good.

[Gonzophotography.co.uk]

"i think that the idea of multi-player for tombraider was just for two people to play, not four. using for four players would force the use of online play or system link, therefore creating difficulties for many players that dont have the things needed to do so"

Usually, I'd agree - however the difference with Tomb Raider as opposed to other IP's is that a major part of Tomb Raider's grandure is it's sense of scale and geological marvel. If the screen is split amongst four players, details diminish and the wow-factor is reduced too. Two player co-op/split screen would be the maximum offline multiplayer I'd be happy with without it affecting the nature of the game. I only imagine that four player split screen would make it difficult to get your bearings or see exactly where to go and what to work on..

"There are so many ways multiplayer could work. I definitely see a 'capture the flag' mode fitting perfectly with the TR gameplay. A reasonably sized map with 2 bases on either sides. Some people on your team will have to stay and defend your own flag while others go for the other teams (if that's the strategy you choose). A lot of climbing and strategy could be involved. I don't think guns would work too well in this mode but the primary tool could be the grapple. Being able to wrap it around pillars and pull them down in-front (or on top) of the people coming for you flag would make for interesting gameplay. You could also be able to snare the other teams flag with your own grapple from a distance (making it harder to guard it). Even grappling the people who are trying to steal your teams flag and pulling them off a ledge.

I think a capture the flag mode where guns are replaced with grapples would make for insanely fun and original game-play that keeps in the tradition of Tomb Raider."

Grapple the Flag? I do like the sound of that - if there are indeed guns in multiplayer, I'd like to see them used minimally. Also, I think the gun/melee combat/evasive ratio in the main game would have to carry over into the multiplayer. Speaking of grapples though, it would work marvellously in a team game - one can hold the weight of the cable, whilst the other is lowered into the void. Maybe scaling walls and mountains would work in the opposite way - especially if everyone is tied together, and one slips he he - that would be fantastic.

I think in the way of combat, using mechanisms, and environments would be far more rewarding - not to mention frightening if you have no stronger means of overcoming foes.

[Error96]

I think there is two routes really being described.

For a story co-op think two players would be best (either two controllers or internet based). One plays Lara and the other plays Kurtis/Amanda or somebody like that. Give the second player slightly different abilities to Lara so they could solve other puzzles and get to certain different areas. Could be great but it's hard to design the game to be the right difficulty in both single and multiplayer. The climbing together idea does sound good.

The other is 2-4 player VS. Always imagine the TR2 venice area for this one. Could be shootouts or capture (grapple) the flag. The ideas sound a bit like the timesplitters series of games in that sence but still good. Also think races might be great like the TR4 'race for the iris' level where you could activate traps to disrupt the other player. These could be great games but the multiplayer wouldn't really be that central to the main game without story co-op.

[jtr7]

Great ideas won't come into being without time and money and people. Unless the MP version's outsourced to another company, the game would be better made to serve its core design principles and strengths, and reducing its weaknesses, rather than building two or three diluted games in one.

[Black_Alchemist]

In a mode similar to what has worked in Left 4 Dead, team co-operation and awareness is essential to succession and survival. Imagine as a team of four, delving into deadly chasms that have been left untouched for centuries. Some doors only open if two people are stood or activating two door switches (that's if they're activating the correct door and not a booby trap or sleeping ancient enemy). Maybe rope swings would have to be created (throwing rope over one side to the other of a gap for a team mate to attach).

Ammo is scarce, leaving firearms limited to one or two members of the team. Would also be ideal if each individual had a unique skill that would be essential to completing the level, or finding treasure/relics/etc. You could also grab onto someones hand as they missed a jump, or give someone a bunk-up to a higher ledge.

So, if a team member died, how would the remainder of the team progress and adapt?

this reminds me of how resident evil outbreak online was were you worked in a team of 4 survivors and have to accomplish objectives to ge out of raccoon city lol

[dark7angel]

Originally Posted by jtr7

Great ideas won't come into being without time and money and people. Unless the MP version's outsourced to another company, the game would be better made to serve its core design principles and strengths, and reducing its weaknesses, rather than building two or three diluted games in one.

I agree with you! CD should mainly focus on doing a very solid/strong main game. MP shouldn't be a priority...

[Pulse]

VERSUS

Treasure Hunter:
Race Your Opponents through a tomb to find the treasure first. 2-4 Players locally. 2-16 online

Shoot-out:
Remain the last one standing. (Time limit, Life limit options) 4 Players locally (2 per team). 16 online (8 per team)

Duel:
Battle and Chase your opponent through the environment. 2 local. 2 online

Escape:
Escape the crumbling ruins before your opponents. 2-4 local. 4-16 online.

Speed:
Use vehicles that appear in-game and beat your opponents to the finish line. 2-4 local 8-16 online.

Speed Attack:
Battle your opponents while riding vehicles that appear in game. 2-4 local. 8-16 online



COOPERATIVE


Survive:
With your teammates fight against hordes of enemies until the clock runs out. 2-4 local. 4 online

Cooperative Escape:
With your teammates help get out of the crumbling ruins. 2-4 local. 2-4 online




*NOTE* CD was seeking a MP designer. http://kotaku.com/5420070/tomb-raide...r--tomb-raider

[Love2Raid]

Some great ideas here!

I am one of the people who isn't against multiplayer at all, it could really be fun! I hope they'll do it right, with multiple options, based on both cooperation and competition. People say Lara always works alone, which is true. But like you said, why not leave her out of it and create your own adventurer?

Keep it apart from the story, and it's a WIN.

[NightRain]

Personally, and honestly, I do not wish for a MP component in this series.

Generally why should games constantly have MP added just because SP experience lacked in previous game(s) ? Feels like a cop-out.

What if the focus is more on multiplayer than single-player ?

Just keep TR single-player only, as it always has been, and and create a better game.

[Rexie]

This isn't Perfect World!, go play the game, Make a Lara, make Your character, Squad Up, and raid.

Gah, I miss the old TR. I'm going to kidnap CD and eidos staff, and make them play TR untill they memorize the whole game, and know what we want.

[Danielsun]

Originally Posted by Rexie

This isn't Perfect World!, go play the game, Make a Lara, make Your character, Squad Up, and raid.

Gah, I miss the old TR. I'm going to kidnap CD and eidos staff, and make them play TR untill they memorize the whole game, and know what we want.

but thats the thing, no one knows what they want people said no more bosses in TR:U so there were no bosses which sucked imo as TR has always had some form of a boss, i generally think that CD do need to appeal to a wider gaming industry and not just the die hard fans, ive always loved TR since i played the first one when i was 7 but it cannot be held up by just the fans support whats so wrong about MP? it adds to replayability of the game, just because it has multiplayer doesnt mean the SP will be lacking in any area, like its been suggested you could possbily create your own character who is not lara or it would be using other characters in the game other than lara simular to uncharted 2 (yaay i had to mention a game that keeps getting mentioned in this forum )

true MP shouldnt be the main focus but we cant get rid of the idea because its a change, theres nothing wrong with change, things need to change and evolve to survive


theres no point in living in the past it accomplishes nothing, and we must keep in mind this is very vague rumours going on nothing has been official confirmed and until it has we cannot flame everything that MIGHT be happening,

sorry if ive had a go a bit

[Ants_27_]

Originally Posted by Rexie

Gah, I miss the old TR. I'm going to kidnap CD and eidos staff, and make them play TR untill they memorize the whole game, and know what we want.

And so CD create the same game Core created and thus makes the problem even worse and have fans complain even more which in the end grinds everyone bloody gears!

Can someone explain one thing to me?

Why must CD create the game Core created...? They aren't the same, they have different views on what a game is, how they should be played and what is the most important part.

CD do not have to follow what Core did just because they got in there first.

Originally Posted by danielsun

theres no point in living in the past it accomplishes nothing

I am also sorry if this sounds harsh.

[Danielsun]

Originally Posted by Ants_27_

And so CD create the same game Core created and thus makes the problem even worse and have fans complain even more which in the end grinds everyone bloody gears!

Can someone explain one thing to me?

Why must CD create the game Core created...? They aren't the same, they have different views on what a game is, how they should be played and what is the most important part.

CD do not have to follow what Core did just because they got in there first.




I am also sorry if this sounds harsh.

haha not at all thank you ants im glad to see someone agrees with me and feels the same way

[Ants_27_]

Originally Posted by danielsun

haha not at all thank you ants im glad to see someone agrees with me and feels the same way

It's like lets say Harry Potter 8 is being written, not by JK. Granted you'd feel worried (that's if you read them like) about how it would be. But lets say the new writer turned it into a horror but kept a fair amount of what JK set up. You would probably want it to go back to how it used to be but you'd know that the new writer could do what they like as it would be their version of a 'world' that has already been set up.

Like if your ever given the chance to continue with a series/franchise that is on-going, then that new person (writer, director whatever) should be allowed the right to create it how they see it and fans should not expect it to be the same.

As for your MP idea Gonzophotography, I'd have to say that I don't really think that their is anything wrong with it. To me, the online could be better if it features a different experience than the single player offers.

[Bampire]

Originally Posted by Rexie

This isn't Perfect World!, go play the game, Make a Lara, make Your character, Squad Up, and raid.

Just to show that this is true. ^^^