Save Ferris

So we get an awesome game visually and with great gameplay but only 8 players max for multiplayer--Is this hitting the limit of what the system can deliver? Can we expect future games in this generation to allow more people or is this really the ceiling?

What prevents the game from allowing more people? I assume its the graphics. Will we have to trade that for more player games?

DamingR

The limit is the gameplay. The game would be insane with 16. It's not halo and doesn't play that way.

KurrptSenate

yea, Im not sure I would want an extra 4 people on each side. With the way the levels are designed, it makes sense to limit to 8. I see no problem with it

BigDave

Could you imagine 8 vs 8? That would be insane, but fun as hell though.

KurrptSenate

i wouldn't like it. They'd have to change the game around completely to accomadate that many players

tbird2340

I don't think any of the replies are an answer to his question.. It sounds like Prime is asking if they limited to only 8 players because of the insanely good graphics and if that is pushing the system so hard that more then 8 would make it bomb..

All the replies are saying the way the levels are designed is why they only have 8 players.. The levels / gametypes are designed for small groups..

?

Liver&Onions

But Live isn't sending around entire hunks of the level as data - they send small packets updating where & what a character is doing. I would hope that the rendering is done on your local machine.

goLUCKY

IMO, I think the 8 player limit was not because of the graphics, but because of the intended game play. I truly believe that the 360 could have a game look as good as Gears, but have 12-24 players. It just depends on the intended game play. Think Halo 3... You know H3 will look amazing but they will still limit it to 8 v 8. Just something to think about.

CreatureX

I think it's just a timing and money issue. I'm sure they could add more players, but that would require more programming time. Which would increase the games budget as well as delay the release date.

The game needed to be completed, shipped, at a certain time and within a budget. The developers can only do so much working with both time and money constraints.

Save Ferris

Its both, I want to know if its POSSIBLE and if perhaps they can tweak GOW to allow it later (or in the sequel games)

MasterofDVD

I too was concerned about this until I finally got to play it online last night. I don't think we ever had over 6 total playing and that was enough for me. Save the bigger matches for other games because the gameplay and level design for this game fits 8 players very well.

RM811

MasterofDVD it was fun playing last night. That game is pretty damn cool. Eight players makes for a great match.

Giantrobo

For some reason the small intimate nature of the GOW matches and maps is really satisfying and if making the matches smaller to accommodate the graphics was what they did then so be it. It was a great choice because we ended up with awesome graphics, great gameplay, and so far…no lag issues.

Michael Corvin

I think the EGM(?) podcast nailed it best. Gears is designed as a small team game where you can easily order around and coordinate four guys. Bossing around 8-16 people on one team just wouldn't work right for the type of game it is.

KurrptSenate

definitely not!

I have left many of teams due to lack of communication and the inability to work as a team

MasterofDVD

I had a great time last night and I agree that with larger groups comes the inability to work together and function as one. I loved playing Halo 2 online but the team aspect was weak and everyone did their own thing. Maybe last night was great because I wasn't playing with random assholes but it was a nice change of pace to communicate and feel like a part of a team.

KurrptSenate

it really is

there's nothing like formulating a game plan with a team member, only to have it come to fruition and have it go off without a hitch.

MasterofDVD

Which didn't happen all the time last night but I was trying my best. I swear.

KurrptSenate

a lot of times, people just want to be the damn hero, and will even go so far as to steal kills, and what not.

I got invited to a friends game last night. I was stuck on someone's team that couldnt hear me, and it was the 2 of us, versus 4 opponents. We wound up winning every match, but I got booted. My team mate stole my kill, then proceeded to get into a gun battle, in which he died (was on the floor, waiting to get healed). Since it was the last opponent left, it was more logical for me to go for the win, as opposed to healing my teammate, and causing the match to extend even longer.

I think it pissed him off

KurrptSenate

I want to find some people that are actually willing to work as a team. The 2 other people I normally play with, one is a team player, and the other just wants to be a hero.

The hero guy is good, but he has gaping holes in his "game". He's an excellent shot, but totally sucks at using cover/hiding his location, and rarely likes working as a team

jiggawhat

Honestly, I think that the reason the Multiplayer has been limited in options because they will eventually release a multiplayer map pack ala Halo 2 so that they can milk some more money out of us because they know damn sure that we'll buy especially for this game.

KurrptSenate

I think it's a culmination of a bunch of things. limiting the player count cuts down on lag, connection issues, as well as load time. It makes it more condusive to work as a team

Michael Corvin

Definitely. Nothing like when a plan goes off without a hitch. I played with four of my friends against four guys from here and it was a blast. Best moment was on Canal, it was 3 vs. 2 in their favor. I saw all three were close together and told my partner to run out in the middle of the three of them. All three took the bait and came out of hiding. He went down quick, but I popped up from hiding and Bam. Bam. Bam. Three sniper shots to the heads and we snagged the win. All three went down in literally seconds, quick enough for me to hear my fallen teammates reactions when I was dumped into the menu. Good stuff.

Probably my favorite (and best) moment so far on multiplayer.

KurrptSenate

yea, i did that yesterday, but slightly different. I knew my partner had a sniper rifle, and was a decent shot. I saw 2 people down on a landing. I was about 200 feet from them, but wanted their focus on me, and my partner would go un-noticed. I ran down the steps right at them, and as soon as I drew their fire, i ran back up the steps to where i was initially. The 2 people that were watching me on the couch started screaming at me "what are you retarded?!"

"PLAP!" about 10 seconds after they started shooting me, they were shot in the head. You can believe I had a on my face.

SteelgearX

Yeah, last night was really fun playing with you guys. We were all communicating very well. The game takes on a whole new dimension when the team works as one.