Multiplayer

[DeathStorm]

Hey Thomas and all the other of the Factorio Team,

I bought your game and now I'am nearly hooked to play the game. Also a Friend of mine.

Then we read that you spoke about a multiplayer mode in your old roadmap.
Now our questions are, is that still correct that you plan a MP Mode? When do you start with that? When do you plan to release it? Is there an option to beta test this mode?

Thank you so far for your game and hopefully for your answer

greetings
Christian

[SilverWarior]

Yes developers still plan on implementing multiplayer. They mentioned posibility that it might come with version 0.10.0 but this is not guaranted.
It all depends on how 0.9.x goes as it intorduced quite a lot of new features which might be updated and enhanced in next versions.

So a litle patience please!
We are all eagerly waiting to see how Multiplayer will look and feel in such game.

[elkar]

Just two dudes running around, would be enough for ton more fun. Imagine not to worry about fighting biters because your partner would do that... etc

[Darthlawsuit]

Co-op should be done first due to balancing issues with PVP and this game still being in alpha stage with new features being added.

PVP alone could eat up all of the developers time. Multiplayer already eats up a ton of time as communication between machines is quite difficult.

[MaxStrategy]

The promised multiplayer is how I convinced 2 of my friends to buy it so far. Even just co-op would be awesome : )

[Darthlawsuit]

The promised multiplayer is how I convinced 2 of my friends to buy it so far. Even just co-op would be awesome : )

PVP is a task for beta, once new features stop being added and balancing/fixes are the main issue

[slpwnd]

We had some talks about the MP today and the result was that we will start working on the multiplayer after 0.9 is stable. But that most certainly doesn't mean that 0.10 will contain multiplayer even in its basic form. As mentioned before it will be a LOT of work to do all the necessary technical stuff, synchronization, determinism, etc. So we might have a couple of small releases in the meantime (little features, improved graphics, etc.). But yeah, it is coming

[Hogweed]

That sounds like a lot of fun, but I dont favor PVP too much, Co-op sounds great, as people on a hostile world should be worrying about the biters, not each other. I always see other players in PVP who always dominate the game using some trick or cheat they learned. If you plan on doing PVP & Co-op, I hope you will keep them apart from each other.

[Calico]

Co-op, Co-op Co-op.....can't wait for it. My buddy and me spent hours on TS talking about our factory layouts, ressources, building outposts.... yadayadayada. A Co-op mode would finally allow us to build stuff together. It would be glorious!

Pvp i don't really care about.... seems like a lot reworking on the entire game, not just the connection problems, networking, etc. Co-op seems a lot easier to do, with only some numbers tweaking needed for are enjoyable Co-op game that could last for a entire weekend.

When Co-Op arrives, i already have atleast 1-2 more buddys willing to try factorio.

[LoSboccacc]

how much people you plan multiplayer for? 2-8 or upward?

just because we might want more than setting laser to shoot anyone or noone (i.e. factions) if the scale is big enough

(I know, daydreaming)

[DeathStorm]

Hey that sounds so great. And Iam very about that Iam not the only one who wants the Co-Op.

I hope too, that the Co-Op will come earlier than later.

[Nemoder]

I've been looking forwad to multiplayer so much since the indiegogo campaign! Will there be a dedicated server? How will player death work, will they just respawn?

[Noro]

Still waiting for roadmap to be updated.

[Sir Nick]

I for once do not see Factorio as a PVP multiplayer game. Compared to Minecraft (inevitable), a Factorio player is next to nothing without his factory. In Minecraft you require about 1 minute to get yourself a sword, a bit more for armour. But it does not require any infrastructure save a furnace (dirt... whoops, cobblestone cheap) and a crafting table (even cheaper). In Factorio, on the other hand, even for the pistol you require ammo. A LOT of ammo if you are to do any damage. Ammo requires a production line or at least a mine and a furnace.

Now, any production line in Factorio is EXTREMELY fragile. Especially against an opponent with half a brain cell more than a biter A single rocket to an important belt, and the factory grinds to a halt. Roboports, chests full of ammo, pipe-to-grounds leading to steam engines... power poles!!! A player pitted against another player would either have to shadow him, or protect EVERY possibly important building he has with something that can ward off a player. Literally everything. Yes, even that kilometer-long line of power poles leading to the sole outpost with copper remaining. And the whole railway from there to the base. And the trains. In the present setup it means walling everything you have with laser turrets. And even that might not be enough against a determined player in power armour.

[ssilk]

It has been always said, that multiplayer can currently mean only a coop like game.

[Nemoder]

I think you could still have competative play if it was made so players cant damage each other's buildings but instead race to get the highest tech. You could even have a 'pirate' alien that would attack whichever player didn't bribe them enough with certain materials. But really I'd be happy with just co-op play.

[TGS]

Hmm I'm not sure why people think 'pvp' is not possible. Sure the 'balance' will be off, but who says games have to be balanced? If you want balance... you and whomever you are going up against should define your own rules and respect them. Simply not letting an opposing player run up and mine your stuff and instead having to destroy them is really all that needs to be done imo. Don't worry about balance, the only reason you should ever worry about balance in a 'player vs player' game is when you want competitive play.

PVP does not equal competitive play. PvP can exist just fine without it needing to be fair or balanced imo.

[slpwnd]

Actually the tough part of the MP is solving the technical issues (determinism, client synchronization, network communication shenanigans, multiple players on the map, etc.). Then making a PvP or Coop modes will be the same amount of work.

I personally think the Coop is better suited for Factorio than PvP, mostly because of above mentioned balancing issues. But lets see. Once the technical aspects of MP are done there will be plenty of room for experiments. And for instance having a bit faster-paced games of teams with 4 vs. 4 or so does sound intriguing.

[immibis]

Actually the tough part of the MP is solving the technical issues (determinism, client synchronization, network communication shenanigans, multiple players on the map, etc.). Then making a PvP or Coop modes will be the same amount of work.

I personally think the Coop is better suited for Factorio than PvP, mostly because of above mentioned balancing issues. But lets see. Once the technical aspects of MP are done there will be plenty of room for experiments. And for instance having a bit faster-paced games of teams with 4 vs. 4 or so does sound intriguing.

Also don't forget all the features you can't have if you have multiplayer. There's nothing currently in Factorio where it'd be a problem, but you might think of something in the future and think "Darn, this would be an awesome feature, but it won't work with multiplayer!". Maybe an entity that slows down time, for example.

[Deathmage]

Co-op would be the best but only if endgame biters where more of a threat, requiring two players to take down.(Or more )
Hmmm, TIME TO MAKE A MOD!