Fallout 76's multiplayer "is not what everybody expects"

Pete Hines says some have the wrong idea about multiplayer in their game.

[MuddyWaters]

A lot of Fallout fans like myself like the immersion of playing alone and don't like the idea of other people in my game because let's face it, lots of people online are grievers. So while I respect they can make any game they want to and it might end up being very good with friends or those who enjoy PVP games it's not for me.

To be fair we just had a Fallout game, Fallout 4 so it's not like we really have much to complain about. With that said I will look forward to Starfield and Elder Scrolls VI.

[fiveby9]

That's a fair statement to make that perhaps FO76 is just not for you. While I also like the SP experiences, I do think I will give FO76 a good look and perhaps play it. I like it that Bethesda is trying new things. Will it be a good gaming experience? I don't know. I won't pre-order but I will see what it's like upon release and make a decision then. I myself am not worried about griefers. Being that FO76 is not a traditionally numbers FO release as if it were FO5, I expect this game to have different systems and mechanics. And for me, that's just fine. It does not appear that BGS is abandoning SP gaming since Starfield and likely ES6 will be SP.

[MuddyWaters]

These interviews are putting them on the spot and I can see how they are trying to reiterate it's not thousands of people online but rather dozens and dozens. Which to me is not the answer I'm looking for because he never flat out said there would be no griefers online.

It could be fun like you said so we will see. What it boils down to is I actually don't mind playing online as it can be very fun but the problem is many play online with no intentions of playing games as they were intended to be played. They get their kicks grieving others and looking for ways to break the game to make winning easier.

[fiveby9]

Yes I agree it is very true griefing is a thing. I'd be lying to say it's not. Could the game at times degenerate into a grief-fest? Perhaps. It may truly matter the systems that BGS has in place along with map size, etc. I am willing to wait and see how their game design works out in reality. I guess the question is, is there a middle ground between all-out unbridled pvp and an SP experience? It seems BGS wants to try to replace NPC AI with true human 'intelligence'. I use the term intelligence loosely. ;) I can enjoy playing against other real people. Of course what nobody likes is someone camping over your corpse and looting everything you collected. I am cautiously optimistic. However, I stress the cautious part.

[getbacktogaming]

Good for you if you will enjoy Fallout 76... I myself would have been much happier if they had invested that energy in ES6.

[morganfell]

"These interviews are putting them on the spot and I can see how they are trying to reiterate it's not thousands of people online but rather dozens and dozens. Which to me is not the answer I'm looking for because he never flat out said there would be no griefers online."

This isn't the late 90s where we would game and everyone was so much fun to bump into. Look at current online games where you can run into other players. How have any of those every worked for people that do not want rabid packs of players hounding them. Answer? They do not work. Look at The Division. "Well we set it up where they can only attack you in the Dark Zone"...where you find the best loot. And then of course you had better go in with a bunch of very capable friends because it becomes pack on pack.

I worked hard. I am now in a position if I want to game all day and night...for weeks I can. But some people do not have that luxury. They go to grab 30 minutes before work and suddenly they are being attacked and harassed when they wanted to avoid this. It doesn't matter if you do not lose loot or progress. That time you wanted that morning to game and game how you want is gone. It should concern players that a system which should be in place at this time is being left unexplained as the devs dodge questions concerning how the griefing will function. That should be a warning flag there.

[TheDriz]

Yeah and I’m not try to be a jerk but this isn’t supposed to be a regular Fallout you know? I honestly would have no interest if it was a regular Fallout simply because it seems to be Bethesda’s Star Wars and I’ve fallen out.

[Omnisonne]

I hear you. Though they've mentioned a few times that the game simply won't "allow" players to constantly kill you if you're against it. So I'm curious to see how exactly they'll handle these things, what systems they've put in place.
I'm still on the fence, not that I don't believe Pete, but in my experience people will almost always find ways to troll or be a nuisance in MP games.. he might be a bit too optimistic about online gaming.

[JackBNimble]

They may simply have PvP and PvE servers.
I play ark on PvE servers, no one can mess with what you're doing or kill your animals or anything like that.
Thing is I play alone and do my own thing, but I find it's cool to know that there is a population of other players that you can run into or even help other players who are low level trying to figure the out the game.

[neutralgamer1992]

Muddy

Agreed

just bought fallout 3 and new vegas and will enjoy them. I really wanted these games to be remastered for next Gen that way Bethesda could appease to everyone

[NecrumOddBoy]

So when they first announced it all I heard was they took everything in Fallout 4 the majority of people didn't like and made a game based around it. Then they added a multiplayer component which makes it seem like everything is going to be a trollfest.

It would be kind of cool if we shaped the landscape by setting off nukes and building settlements in some capacity but truthfully that breaks the immersion of the overall Fallout story and I just hate online multiplayer. I even think Fallout 4 was just too damn big to really enjoy and it wasn't a solid game. I'm going to wait for more information but this sounds like a skip.

[DJStotty]

Its quite simple, you can also play the game solo.

Didnt they state that at E3?

[MuddyWaters]

He said you can play solo meaning you don't have to team up with anyone or play co-op. It doesn't mean there won't be other online players while you're playing. This is a online only game and it does not allow PVE.

[DJStotty]

Could you provide a source where it is stated as an online only game and it does not support PVE?

I need more facts about the game

[BoneMagnus]

I'm confused. They don't want to emphasize PvP, but they allow you to build a nuke to annihilate someone else's base. I'm afraid that without NPCs and any semblance of a story, people are just going to kill anyone they see on site - especially if you are a lone player and encounter a group of a few friends. I doubt its going to be "Hey, come help us kill this Supermutant."

I guess Bethesda will see how people play when it comes out - and how it sells. Bethesda may have to make some adjustments.

[Lighter9]

I don't think destroying someone's base is the main reason for a nuke. I believe Pete or Todd said that you can't even see people on the map when you're choosing where you're going to nuke. That would suck.

The main reason is that a nuke brings out more dangerous enemies and makes more valuable resources available to you than you would normally find. So, while everything is irradiated and more powerful enemies show up, it's up to you to get there, get the resources, and get out.

[-Foxtrot]

“I believe Pete or Todd said that you can't even see people on the map when you're choosing where you're going to nuke“

Before you launch a nuke, check where people are on your normal map, then press the launch button.

Doesn't seem hard to get past

[moomoo319]

@-Foxtrot
They said a warning appears when someone launches a nuke and people have a time to leave that area. Whatever you build is also blueprinted so if it gets destroyed you can throw it back up right away, assuming you have the resources

[kitano1947]

you can only nuke certain areas. you think Bethesda's engine could handle dynamic nuke damage anywhere on the map? lol

[Baza]

Bethesda keeps saying “this isn’t the online game people think it is”.. well what is then?? Seems like an MMORPG... What am I missing??

[morganfell]

Here is another piece of deception. Why say Fallout 76's multiplayer? What they really mean is Fallout 76's gameplay. It isn't like the game has anything except multiplayer.

[UnHoly_One]

What if you play for an hour and never encounter another player at all, is that still multiplayer?

[MorpheusX]

@morganfell

My thoughts exactly.

Saying,......."
Fallout 76's multiplayer "is not what everybody expects "

Whats that suppose to mean? It's a "Multiplayer" game, it's an online (only) game.

What am I missing?

Alot of Fallout fans are grieved because the basis of what makes Fallout what it is, is the fact u go it alone.

Taking the "basis" away, & turning it into a Multiplayer/Online game pretty much destroys what fallout is suppose to be about @its core.

There's no way for Pete Hines or Todd to sugar coat it, you took a traditional single player open world rpg/action game that fans loved, & turned it into a "Live Service" game that you can make more $$$ on. That's what you did.

Fans are either going to play it or not play it.

I have 0% interest in this game.

If I want to play a "Live Service" multiplayer game, I have many options, why does Bethesda feel the need to make 1?

Answer: Greed/$$$

What other "legit" reason could there be? Fallout fans in general didnt ask for a Multiplayer/online Fallout.

We thought we were getting Fallout 3 remake, another single player offline story driven game, not some multiplayer fallout spin-off.

[morganfell]

"What if you play for an hour and never encounter another player at all, is that still multiplayer?"

Yes it is. It is in the code of the game. If I do not purchase a newly launched multiplayer game at all is it still a multiplayer game? If there is a glass of poison on the table and I do not drink it is it still lethal?

Not encountering certain facets of a game does not free it from those characteristics. Just because you do not encounter bugs in a poorly coded bug filled game does not unburden that title from the nature of being a buggy game. Such simple deductions but it eludes some people.

[UnHoly_One]

My point was, if they are saying something like what you mentioned, "Fallout 76's multiplayer", they are saying it because it has something specific to do with grouping up with another player or encountering another player.

That is why they say it that way.

Yes, the game is always multiplayer, but not every aspect of the game revolves around that, hence the specificity.

[morganfell]

The other issue that remains is you might not encounter another player for an hour. That might indeed occur. Then you encounter 5 in the next hour. Or what will likely occur in a few days is you encounter 4 or so together that have basically formed a bandit pack and they spend their entire experience moving around maps attacking people. It is a small consequence that you do not lose any items or progress. The fact remains you were pulled out of the moment. Immersion in most games is key and the mechanism they have constructed is a self defeating design.

This of course is in addition to the fact that then core of what attracted people to Fallout is gone. The game has been lobotomized in favor of this cheaper design. A shame. And like many others I will pass.

[Elwenil]

@Morganfell,

So getting attacked by a human player takes you out of the immersion? I guess it was real hard for you to stay "immersed" while getting attacked by raiders, Brotherhood of Steel, or any of the other human factions in the other Fallout games.

[morganfell]

You completely miss the point. You still choose those actions. I have played Fallout games for hours on end and avoided combat because I was doing other things. If you cannot avoid combat in those situations you are incompetent. I can tell by your remarks you have never had to actually deal with griefers before. Plenty of people here are very well versed in Fallout titles and those same people understand fully the difference between this coming version and previous titles.

You have been in one thread after another on full defense of this game and it isn't working. You can "guess" all you want but you are completely clueless as to how I game Fallout. Your assumptions only make your flailing defense of this game laughable.

The fact is they are also being very dodging concerning some exact details of mechanics on a game that should be well into beta in order to meet the announced launch window. Beta means all major features are in the game and have core functionality. They know full well how this griefing situation is going to operate and the only reason to withhold the truth is the public will see it in a negative light.

[Elwenil]

So when you are sneaking through downtown Boston in Fallout 4, you "choose" to walk around the corner into a raider or super mutant camp and fight them? Do they ask you to shoot at you? Because when I was playing the other day, they basically shoot on sight, or even at a loud noise. Hell, the turrets target you as soon as you make LoS. The "choice" to fight only happens if you see them before they see you.

And yes, I've played with griefers, I still play ARK and it's pretty much the most toxic playerbase there is, though it is getting better with some of the new rules Wildcard is finally implementing. But yeah, griefing is sort of a way of life in that game.

Also, I never said there wasn't any differences between Fallout 76 and previous Fallout titles, but if you look at the history of Fallout, about the only two really similar games are Fallout 1 and 2. Every other Fallout game has introduced some pretty big changes to the gameplay, most good, some bad.

And I am defending this game against morons who are jumping to conclusions and assuming a lot of things without actually knowing any of the answers. If I am in "full defense mode" then they are in "full ignorance mode". Even when given the answers straight from the devs I still get disagrees and they keep on babbling about nonsense, much like you are. You don't like griefers? Then wait until the private sessions are introduced after release and then pick up the game. It's not that hard, but instead of taking the answer to your problem and being happy, you still want to hate on the game because you think it's not what you wanted.

And please, please tell me a developer who give everyone who asks whatever and all details of their upcoming games, months and months before release. No developer does, they all want to leave some things to be a surprise and other details are still being tweaked and they don't want to get locked into something because of some interview. With the way you people are hating on this game, is it any wonder Bethesda is being cautious?

Bottom line is this is a "different" Fallout game. The devs have been about as forthcoming as any in answering all the questions and there is a beta coming up that everyone can play. I can hear you crying already that you have to preorder to get in the beta, but we all know there are very easy ways to preorder and then cancel without any cost or penalty to you, so get over it. Instead of constantly hating on the game and making wild assumptions about the gameplay, play the beta and find out for yourself. If you are still cautious about it, then wait and buy it a few weeks after it releases or maybe after they release the private sessions so you can play solo or co-op with friends. It's not that hard and no one is forcing you to buy a game you don't want to play. But they way you people are in here whining and bellyaching, you would think it's bad medicine and you are being forced to take it. Relax, if the game isn't for you, then don't play it. You don't need to jump to conclusions about what you "know" is going to happen when in truth, no one really knows how it's all going to work out except for what the devs have told us. If you don't trust the devs, they why even be interested in this game? Wait and play it and see for yourself then and draw your conclusions based on facts then instead of whining like a spoiled child because you didn't get the game you wanted.

[morganfell]

"So when you are sneaking through downtown Boston in Fallout 4, you "choose" to walk around the corner into a raider or super mutant camp and fight them? "

I chose to go in there. I chose to go into downtown Boston knowing what would occur. Downtown Boston didn't come looking for me.

"And I am defending this game against morons who are jumping to conclusions and assuming a lot of things without actually knowing any of the answers. "

My conversation with you is over. Personal insults are the last line of the defeated. I do not have children. I actually despise the human ones. I love animals, but I abhor juveniles. And since you cannot discuss these issues in a mature, adult manner and resort, out of frustration, to adolescent remarks then enjoy talking to the wall because you are not worth my time. There is zero intellectual return on such an investment.

Be aware that you are privy to no more knowledge than those that dislike this game. Since the developers are being dodgy with such core aspects then you are the one jumping to conclusions that everything will be a Utopian society when no such title that has allowed for griefers has ever avoided their impact. It simply deteriorates into a gang fight.

Paging The Division, paging The Division...

[Elwenil]

I use the term moron not as an insult but factually. Perhaps you should look up the definition. Someone who is jumping to conclusions based on nothing would fit the description indeed. And I am certainly not "defeated" as this discussion will not end with a winner, just like most people trying to convince other people about politics or religion. If you walk away thinking about this more rather than just randomly feeling disgusted about Fallout 76 as your posts imply, then it was time well spent and nothing more.

Also, I am drawing no conclusions other than what the developers have stated. I certainly do not think it will be any sort of utopia, again I play ARK. People do what people do and 90% of the time if they are put in a situation with no restraints and little to no consequences, they will act on their most self-serving and violent instincts as we have seen in many games, The Division's "Dark Zone" is a good example. However we have been told that there will be restraints placed on random killing and griefing. What they are exactly remains to be seen. Again I doubt Bethesda wants to lay all their cards on the table just yet as it's very likely we will be testing several of these restrictions when the beta comes out. If you and I were making a game, we would be drawing the most idea conclusions about how the game would play out since it was our game and we knew the direction we wanted it to go. Give it to someone else and they will find a way to break it in ways we could never imagine. This is what Bethesda is most likely doing. It IS their first multiplayer game, but not the first for Zenimax but will still need mass testing as well as a fair amount of patching to get it right. I seriously doubt Bethesda has everything planned out so that there will be no problems since they don't know how many ways people can break it, nor do we know exactly what they can do to fix it.

So again, rather than hate on the game just sit back, relax and wait to see how it unfolds. Surprises can be both good and bad, but I think we both know it's a rocky road ahead for Fallout 76, but I think it will be a worthwhile experience in the end and I am keeping an open mind to that end.

[Elwenil]

There is nothing "massive" about Fallout 76. At the most, it will have 36 people on a very large map, 4 times the size of Fallout 4's map.

https://bethesda.net/commun...

[Baza]

36 players at once with a map 4 times the size of Fallout 4 is massive for console standards.

[gamer9]

This wild new thing where you have to wait longer than 4 seconds to know every part of the game.. it’s like they are holding some things back for release or something.. weird

[lex-1020]

"This isn't like what people expect" but won't explain what it actually is.

Address the direct concerns. I'm not going to buy it until I know it's not another Rust, but if Bethesda could explain how they learned from what happened with Rust and are addressing it then I'd be more willing to buy it.

[xPhearR3dx]

Because it's not like Rust. Your base and save data isn't tied to a single server. You don't lose all your items when you die and you and your base go with you when you log out of the game, and is rebuilt automatically when logging back in. If you get in a server where someone placed their base in the exact spot you did, it will "pack up" your base and you can re-doploy it elsewhere. While they haven't shown much, they have explained a lot . There will also be a beta prior to launch, so it's not like were all going to buy the game blind and found out everything in Novemeber.

[lociefer]

Sooooo, not disappointment ?

[FloydianAndroid]

I’m not the kind of person that demands certain things of a developer. The art they make is up to them, but this game isn’t for me. I have no interest in it at all, but I hope others love it. I don’t want to build anything, I don’t like the absence of npcs, I can’t imagine the questing will be layered and rich, and I just have no interest in it. That being said, I’m still excited for elder scrolls 6 and Starfield.

[morganfell]

I do not demand a developer make the game I want but I do ask that they be honest about the game they made. And as the old axiom states, some of the biggest lies are often told in silence.

[Elwenil]

There are NPCs, just no human NPCs. Robots, terminals and found holotapes will give you quests.

https://bethesda.net/commun...

[FloydianAndroid]

Yes I realize that their are robot npc’s and probably ghouls too, but that’s not gonna hold interest for me for 60 hours. It’s just not gonna be narrative driven so it doesn’t appeal
To me.

[TargusX]

It is, after what they did with FO4's GOTY :/

[Nacho_Z]

Something like passive mode from GTAO would appease people not wanting to PVP would it not?

[TheDarkArtisan]

To be honest, Bethesda had to come out and make this statement, with the amount of grief and doubts regarding the always online aspect of Fallout 76. I certainly hope that the comments made come to fruition, but I cannot help think that whilst Peter Hines has enjoyed his single player online experience with a mere few dozen other players, I highly doubt that those other players currently privileged to test the game, would act in any anti social or malicious way. Can the same be said when the game is properly live? Sadly and predictably knowing base human nature, trolls and all manner of annoying players WILL be there with you. Its been rife in practically every online game. People get a kick out of being nasty, without the real world face to face consequences. The idea that these players are to replace the human NPCs absent from the game to add to the story and flow of the game.. a selfish player totally absorbed in causing as much nuisance as possible is not going to be trading with you! Still think they need to add an offline mode for those who cannot access internet.. there are a lot of people worldwide, including ironically the games setting West Virginia. I am sure the first BETA will show the games true colours. I await in hope.

[Razmiran]

Then give us a clear picture instead of just selling it when we have wrong expectations?

[gamer9]

Why is everyone so impatient? They revealed the game a few weeks ago and have already answered a lot of questions. They are still fine tuning it. And there’s a beta coming up. I don’t understand this generation of gamers/humans..

[Razmiran]

Because they are already taking pre orders, they were taking them even before the first gameplay footage hit

[gamer9]

So because they are taking pre-orders, they have to release every single detail about the game and how all of the systems work? That is ridiculous. Pre-orders are optional and can be cancelled

[Razmiran]

Whatever you say corporate warrior

[lex-1020]

No. They don't have to release any details if they don't want. But if they expect people to believe the line "this is different then people think" then they should probably actually address what people are saying.

If someone just told you "Nope you're wrong" on something without explaining why would you believe them?

[LordJamar]

Just wait for the beta people

[fonduktoe]

I'm on board. Fey Victus!

[chris235]

i don‘t care. their base franchise got destroyed with fallout 4. i will not pay to see what abomination they created this time.

[CrimsonWing69]

i'm not a fan of the whole online griefing so I'll probably pass.

[Zenbaby369]

We will see. Modes can change everything. Pitchforks down please.

[Tzuno]

Same setup in the same world gets boring.

[EpicFruityPie]

I like playing this singleplayer I won't ever bother with others I remember borderlands so many ppl ruin it online