Edit: Note that this initial post comes from my personal bias as someone who seeks to be involved with, and build, online community for gamer, and gets sick of the whole Facebook approach of people not really knowing anyone but acting as voyeurs and exhibitionists. People show no ability to post context in regards to what they share with others from an interest standpoint. Also, I have little room in my life for just doing online. I am dire need of finding work and improving my personal network. And I am frustrated at what I see is not caring. Heck, I am annoyed I can't even get a retro gaming forum here, and if you see me repeatedly requesting myself get banned, it comes out of all that. Anyhow, with this bias in mind, and my interest in having real community, read the post below. This is an edit add to my initial post for clarity.
Sorry, I am not sold on online multiplayer as a big deal.
I wil add here, if you have friends remotely, it is nice to be able to play with them. But beyond this, I don't get it.
Online multiplayer is made out to be some sort of critical feature. But try firing up some sort of minor title or older title and watch there be little people to play online with. If it is a big title, you get a bunch. Otherwise, you could likely not run into anyone.
Then, you do find someone. If you aren't running into immature jerks who throw insults around, you get experience like I did with the original Borderlands. I found a rare person online to play, and did a game. I was then facing abusive language because he didn't like me. Then, he gives me a hacked shield that made me indestructable pretty much, ruining Borderlands for me.
So, pardon me here. I just don't get the big deal with online multiplayer at all. What is the appeal of finding people I don't know online and playing them, and hoping the experience is decent. Apparently Microsoft, and Sony, now feels that I would need to pay for all this. And with Microsoft, I have the distinct feeling that I am to drag my friends into their world, as they do squat to really enable people to meet others through their service. Seriously here, why am I going to bother dragging anyone into their world? Sorry, not in the mood. I would rather play face to face with people and have some sort of social connecting, not this faux Facebook style nonsense of lack of human interaction. Like, I do boardgames with people at social get togethers, and that is rewarding, FAR more than what the online pay to play world does.
Hey, maybe I am missing something awesome here. If so, feel free to post a counterpoint below.
