# For those w/ no friends, how do feel about multiplayer games?



## dead24 (Sep 24, 2011)

*For those w/ no friends, how do you feel about multiplayer games?*

For those w/ no friends, how do you feel about coop/multiplayer games? Do you enjoy playing online games on your own with random strangers e.g. Destiny, SW Battlefront, For Honor, The Division, Rainbow Six Siege etc. I personally feel sad and disappointed when they reveal such games which focus on the multiplayer experience rather than creating a single player campaign. I've tried playing online shooters and it just felt pointless and boring to me. I wish I could play these online games too with people I know in real life but having none makes me just completely avoid those games and miss out on all the fun.


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## firewatch93 (May 7, 2017)

I like playing MP games. I also don't use my Mic. Most online games you can do your own thing and your team will still win. My problem is 1 on 1 Co Op games. Now my partner and I have to work together by communicating to figure out how to beat the misson. If it's offline Co Op or only play with online friends Co Op i'm done.


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## That Random Guy (Jan 31, 2015)

*Eh...*

I've actually never been bothered by this.

I currently have BO3 loaded on my Steam account.

I don't play the campaign but I do play online. The game isn't as fun after the first 200 hours have gone by.

Every single match seems to be biased in some way which just means it's really inconsistent in terms of fair play.

The same can be applied to any other game, I suppose.

Splatoon and Smash for Wii-U are the same. If you get cruddy teammates, you're just going to lose.

It's worse when they don't leave, but even then, you wind up alone.

So, yes, it has its faults, but it's probably the only real time "interaction" that I get.


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## mattmc (Jun 27, 2013)

I generally avoid the multiplayer aspect of games which means a lot of games I won't bother with because the multiplayer is most of the experience. Like you, I find myself wishing the single player content was more the focus.


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## 1ShyKid (May 16, 2017)

It doesn't really bother me. Plus, a lot of times you can go off on your own. 
It is sometimes nerve-wracking when the game is solely based on multiplayer gaming.
Yes, it would be nice to play online with friends, but playing with strangers isn't too bad usually.


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## ScorchedEarth (Jul 12, 2014)

Oh yes, I play them all the time but never join clans, and feel uncomfortable teaming up with people I know. I feel much better playing with random strangers. I'm also much more sociable than IRL but this diminishes the more I get to know people. Kinda the same IRL actually, I'm okay in a crowd but small groups ain't for me, let alone pairing with someone.


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## Scrub-Zero (Feb 9, 2004)

I feel the same as I always felt about multiplayer games. They should always come with single player campaigns. And SP games should always have some kind of multiplayer or co-op if possible.

And I don't play many games that require player interaction. That's how i deal with online games. I like the pop in and out MP aspect of arpgs like Diablo 2 and Path of Exile. No need to really talk, just team up to kill and loot.


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## Excaliber (May 16, 2015)

I tend to play a lot on PC these days and I rarely do anything multiplayer, I am more focused on single player campaigns, the problem is not that I am afraid to play against other people on PC, but for some reason any games I play tend to lag really badly on my end so I get booted or I get annoyed because its slow. I have enjoyed multiplayer on Xbox, but the older games I play hardly no one joins and others have hackers that ruin the fun.


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## Aribeth (Jan 14, 2012)

Long time ago, multiplayer games used to have dedicated servers. This allowed communities to form with the players that were frequently playing on that server. You would make friends with some of them etc. and being a jerk was against your best interests. I have a couple of close friends that I've met in Jedi Academy more than 10 years ago. We still talk almost every day. I used to have a lot more but they stopped coming online.

Nowadays, every online game puts you in a queue with random strangers that you'll never see again after that match. And you are penalized for leaving the game (if it's ranked or whatever). This encourages toxic behavior such as flaming, especially against your teammates. I'll never play these kind of games; they're completely pointless.


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## awayfromhome (Jun 9, 2017)

Aribeth said:


> Long time ago, multiplayer games used to have dedicated servers. This allowed communities to form with the players that were frequently playing on that server. You would make friends with some of them etc. and being a jerk was against your best interests. I have a couple of close friends that I've met in Jedi Academy more than 10 years ago. We still talk almost every day. I used to have a lot more but they stopped coming online.
> 
> Nowadays, every online game puts you in a queue with random strangers that you'll never see again after that match. And you are penalized for leaving the game (if it's ranked or whatever). This encourages toxic behavior such as flaming, especially against your teammates. I'll never play these kind of games; they're completely pointless.


This is something I really miss as well. Playing online used to be good for me socially, but whenever I try now I just can't find communities like that anymore. Since you've had that experience too, do you have any recommendations for places online that are still a bit like that? : )


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## penguinbeak (Jun 5, 2017)

When I was younger I used to love playing online, but now I get disappointed whenever I see multiplayer pop up on the screen. Who plays video games to mingle? Video games have always been and always will be anti-social, and that's how I like them,honestly. I play video games to escape reality, I know that's not healthy, but that's just what I do. I don't know why, but I feel a bit anxious whenever someone talks to me in an online game, I feel as if they can see me and it's just really awkward for me, so I hate playing multiplayer games. Although I do enjoy playing co-op with a friend, I'm also generally very bad when playing in a team which I don't know. I play LOTRO, which is an mmorpg, but I rarely ever interact with people, even though that's the whole point, and I try to single play it every time.


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## mt moyt (Jul 29, 2015)

i can't play single player games, so i only play multiplayer. Single player games are too depressing for me - i remember watching people play the game Portal and i got really depressed. Diablo 2 especially looked very depressing (i know many will disagree). I guess the idea of being alone inside a world is not something that i like, even if there are npcs, because they have programmed responses. 
Campaign games are okay when i play them, but after i finish, i get very depressed. i dont know why lol

so i steer clear of single player games and i only play multiplayer.

p.s. RTS games are fine, even if I'm playing alone, because they are not focused on you playing a specific character. you control a base/army or build towers (tower defence) and i guess that doesn't really affect me negatively. can't explain it too well.


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## Aribeth (Jan 14, 2012)

awayfromhome said:


> This is something I really miss as well. Playing online used to be good for me socially, but whenever I try now I just can't find communities like that anymore. Since you've had that experience too, do you have any recommendations for places online that are still a bit like that? : )


If by places online you mean video games, no. I haven't played an online game in a very long time.


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## TuxedoChief (Jan 11, 2015)

I play almost only SP now.

The only multiplayer I'll play is something old like L4D2 or something indie like Magicka or Alien Swarm (which is top-down L4D2), And only then if someone wants me to play.


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## ShadowOne (Jun 27, 2016)

i usually just fly solo, and if the game is like overwatch then i just hang around my people's. It's like playing with AI that's human-like lol

But one game I'm worried I'll miss out on is Sea of Thieves. Looks really fun but needing 4+ friends playing at one time wouldnt be do-able. I play with my brother but it's rare that we both are online at the same time


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## Zozulya (Mar 24, 2016)

Aribeth said:


> Long time ago, multiplayer games used to have dedicated servers. This allowed communities to form with the players that were frequently playing on that server. You would make friends with some of them etc. and being a jerk was against your best interests. I have a couple of close friends that I've met in Jedi Academy more than 10 years ago. We still talk almost every day. I used to have a lot more but they stopped coming online.
> 
> Nowadays, every online game puts you in a queue with random strangers that you'll never see again after that match. And you are penalized for leaving the game (if it's ranked or whatever). This encourages toxic behavior such as flaming, especially against your teammates. I'll never play these kind of games; they're completely pointless.


Oh yes... just because the game is labelled as "Competitive" it just scraps the ol' (but loved by many) server browser, to replace it with (sh***y) matchmaking system and premade games where only "friends" in your list can participate. That really sucks, as a trend...


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## jim11 (May 23, 2011)

No problem at all playing with random strangers. No need to feel awkward knowing you're playing with someone who knows you personally.


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## Moxi (Nov 24, 2015)

I don't like playing with strangers, really. I play with a consistent group of ~50 people who drift in and out of a handful of games, mainly as part of an MMO guild. Hearing about what people do in real-life or their plans in the game is one of my favorite things actually, as is having people to actively play with.

Smaller groups are better than bigger ones and MMOs are preferable to MOBAs if you enjoy community, as are games that aren't big e-sports titles. Try games like Heroes of the Storm or Paragon instead of Overwatch or League of Legends. Final Fantasy XIV or Lord of the Rings Online over World of Warcraft.


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## harrys (Jun 8, 2017)

I used to play Halo 3 all the time with mic on, I didn't give a ****. But as with most people my mental issues only became severe around 14 and after 7 years in the hole now socializing over a mic is much more difficult for me than going out and talking to people formally.


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## Jermster91 (Oct 25, 2015)

Aribeth said:


> Long time ago, multiplayer games used to have dedicated servers. This allowed communities to form with the players that were frequently playing on that server. You would make friends with some of them etc. and being a jerk was against your best interests. I have a couple of close friends that I've met in Jedi Academy more than 10 years ago. We still talk almost every day. I used to have a lot more but they stopped coming online.
> 
> Nowadays, every online game puts you in a queue with random strangers that you'll never see again after that match. And you are penalized for leaving the game (if it's ranked or whatever). This encourages toxic behavior such as flaming, especially against your teammates. I'll never play these kind of games; they're completely pointless.


Some online multiplayer games you can actually make squads so that you can play with people that are close to you. I am not sure of how it is for Xbox or PC but on the Playstation 4, it keeps a list of those that you played with for most multiplayer games for a day or two (depends on how many games/sessions you play) so that you can look up if you find someone that you might have a connection with.


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## sugarsnappea (May 23, 2017)

I personally love games that have both a campaign mode and a multiplayer or pvp option. So much variety. I never pvp. You can come across terrible people. I can't play most multiplayer games anyway because I get motion sickness easily. The thing about having no friends is that you can always make online/ gaming friends and play multiplayer that way. If you post on r/steamfriend or here even you're bound to find someone that has a game in common


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## zanemwarwick (Jun 18, 2017)

I can't play games like DOTA or League of Legends because those kinds of games are brutal to the incompetent. 

Or maybe I'm freaking afraid of criticisms.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## unemployment simulator (Oct 18, 2015)

I play against randoms each time. 

I could probably do both teamspeak and regular online gaming with people I actually know in real life, if I actually had irl friends that is..


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## Typhoid Mary (Apr 28, 2017)

I used to like MP games, but I have a hard time with them these days. If I get a good group of friends I can rely on, it fine, but ending up with pugs is hellish. People get downright nasty if you make even the smallest mistake. I get so self conscious of messing up, that I'm afraid to join groups. 

So many games have these intricate instances where everyone has to be coordinated, and if you don't know what to do, you're screwed, yet how are you ever supposed to learn?

My of my favourite old games, Aion, used to be PVPVE, so you could either group up, or go off and do your own thing. Then it became open world PVP, and unless you have a group of geared friends around you, you can't play. It's sad that the game lost its community and became a coliseum.


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## scott83 (Aug 10, 2014)

Scrub-Zero said:


> I feel the same as I always felt about multiplayer games. They should always come with single player campaigns. And SP games should always have some kind of multiplayer or co-op if possible.
> 
> And I don't play many games that require player interaction. That's how i deal with online games. I like the pop in and out MP aspect of arpgs like Diablo 2 and Path of Exile. No need to really talk, just team up to kill and loot.


Yeah kind of annoying when games don't have a single player campaign. To be honest though the actual social aspect of online gaming doesn't bother me, it's the moron's that are encountered all too often. The ones who cheat are the most irritating, there's no real satisfaction in winning by cheating so why bother?


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## DustyShinigami (Jun 18, 2017)

Not a big fan. Not the competitive type. Plus constantly losing just frustrates me. Some are okay, though I prefer single player and a bit of co-op.


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## Gurii (Jun 9, 2017)

I'm not a people person, and I don't really have any friends. But multiplayer games, it just depends. Sometimes I enjoy hanging out with people, other times I like to play by myself.


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## 870945 (Jun 23, 2017)

I stopped playing due to lack of "right" friends to play with and also everytime you play a game, no matter what game, trash talk or anger in some way occurs constantly. It's really annoying listening and reading people whine all the time.

So I said **** it, no more online gaming for me. Only play story games from time to time.


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## Scrub-Zero (Feb 9, 2004)

scott83 said:


> Yeah kind of annoying when games don't have a single player campaign. To be honest though the actual social aspect of online gaming doesn't bother me, it's the moron's that are encountered all too often. The ones who cheat are the most irritating, there's no real satisfaction in winning by cheating so why bother?


I've always been disappointed in multiplayer only games. Especially when they use to be single player. Learning that Quake 3 was going to be multiplayer only pissed me off quite a bit way back when. I was expecting a nice sp campaign with the nice new engine. Same for Nosgoth(rip Legacy of Kain) and Survarium(rip Stalker) later on. While they may not be bad games on their own, I just don't see the point of wasting a popular brand name on just multiplayer. I guess it's just laziness and using a good name for gain.

And yeah, the cheaters can be terrible. You get them quite often in Dark Souls. Immortal guys running around and you can't damage them. But it's still funny when you try(and succeed) kicking them off a cliff.


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## Aribeth (Jan 14, 2012)

Scrub-Zero said:


> And yeah, the cheaters can be terrible. You get them quite often in Dark Souls. Immortal guys running around and you can't damage them. But it's still funny when you try(and succeed) kicking them off a cliff.


Oh man I can't find that video anymore. Some hacker in DS3 was flying up in the air and shooting like 5 soul arrows per second towards the guy that played. It was like a barrage of arrows coming from the sky lmao.


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## DazedSpore (Dec 27, 2016)

Lonely, playing with online people just isn't the same as with friends. Although... when I was more.. filled with social anxiety, mmorpgs did get me to be more brave with people.


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## AffinityWing (Aug 11, 2013)

I've shyed away from them alot because I've freaked out that the experience seems to simulate real life for me too much. I couldn't even keep them open for more than a few minutes most of the time, when I connect to a server because I start to feel I'm getting very judged even on there by how my character is moving, battling, etc. It seems most people with SA actually have MMOs as a place of comfort, so I've felt odd about it.


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## Twilightforce (Aug 7, 2016)

Multiplayer is cool when everyone works as a team and not talk **** to each other.


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## Scrub-Zero (Feb 9, 2004)

Aribeth said:


> Oh man I can't find that video anymore. Some hacker in DS3 was flying up in the air and shooting like 5 soul arrows per second towards the guy that played. It was like a barrage of arrows coming from the sky lmao.


Too bad. I tried finding it after your reply and couldn't. But I saw one with a bow user firing many shots a second lol. That was funny.


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## Tymes Rhymes (May 28, 2014)

It certainly annoys me how most modern games not only necessitate friends to achieve a full experience but REQUIRE an online connection in order to even play.

About the only multiplayer game I play is Halo 5: Guardians. I can be comfortable playing that but since I have no friends, I am playing with randoms and when you play with randoms, your team will suck 90% of the time while the other team will always seem like pros. This is true for pretty much any team based game, not just shooters.

Even with Halo 5, you cannot not access anything but Campaign without an online connection. Forge? Theater? all available offline in prior Halos require an Online connection in Halo 5. Ridiculous.

I mostly do single player stuff though. Editing rosters in NBA 2K, Speedrunning Hitman Absolution and Hitman (2016), Playing Banjo Kazooie and Dead Rising et cetera et cetera; ALL of which do not require friends or online connection.

It sucks because most modern games again, will sell you the idea that friends are needed in order to achieve the full experience but those of us without friends have to find a way to indulge in our hobby in this ever so connected existence. I hate this heavy focus on multiplayer in modern games.

It is only going to get worse, I won't be surprised if in the future, games will stop you from playing if you have say less than 5 friends on your friend's list.


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## railcar82594 (Mar 1, 2016)

If you people like the sci-fi spaceship genre, and like the idea of playing out a ship pilot like in a sci-fi movie, I'd recommend Elite: Dangerous
It's now out for PS4 and was previously released for PC, XBox, and Mac(basic only)
http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f14/elite-dangerous-updates-1959185/#post1090082161

Pros:
single player mode (choice of single or massive multiplayer at the start of every session) - the galaxy and the background simulation is still affected by all the players whether in single or multiplayer but in solo you only have npc ships besides your own.

most players are of the INTJ or INTP type. The game is very intellectual, yet there is plenty of action combat. many players are over 30 because Elite Dangerous is actually Elite 4, with Elite 3 being back in 1997 , a single player game with vectored and fractal graphics. There are some idiot griefers yes, but they're easy to stay out of the way.

You can switch between solo or open(multiplayer) mode anytime and your ship character (and stored items and extra ships, credit balance etc.) are always saved in any instance.

inconveniences: game "world" is massive,practically the whole galaxy. Even confined to the civilizized part of the galaxy, there are thousands of systems player ships could be at . So it's hard to congregate as you can only fly ships currently, but they are working on "spacelegs" where you eventually have a character to walk around. However with id'ing "friends" and also using multi-crew you can easily find others to "wing" up or multicrew a host ship.

For people who want more of a personal rpg but with SA may be feeling too conspicuous there are a few old "MUD" games still out there where some are text only yet some of them still have dedicated services where hundreds can still be in the same "room" .
http://www.topmudsites.com/


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