Youve made it clear that you care greatly about the wellbeing of the streaming community, but what about the rest of us?
You take streamer feedback far too seriously. 95% of us dont stream or care at all about streamers. Most of the people Ive met in game enjoy the game because it can be very relaxing and you can accomplish things solo even while other pirates fight around you.
Things lately have been pushing solo players further and further out of the game. Sure its fun to encounter the kraken and survive the dangers of a volcano but if youre alone its just a death sentence.
This games greatest strength is NOT in its ability to be entertaining to watch but in its ability to give people something other games cant! I love adventuring in this game, taking in the beautiful scenery and narrowly escaping certain doom... without being randomly screwed over by something beyond my control.
Make a mode specifically for solo players if you have to but dont ruin the game for us because you think twitch ratings are of utmost importance...
Stop forcing people to play with crews!
The game isn't oriented toward a solo play style and it never will be, sorry to say. This game has always been designed to play with other people and that is largely what makes this game what it is. You are supposed to play with crews.
No matter if you choose a random crew on the front end or if you use the official Discord to create a crew, there is always a way to get a crew together.
With all of that said, this game is most definitely still playable as solo. I've had many successful voyages as a solo player. You have to calculate your risks more cautiously and understand that there are certain parts of the world you may not be able to successfully engage with without a crew.
I haven't had the chance to engage with the Kraken as a solo sloop yet, but I'm sure if a re-balance for that particular area is needed, they will handle it.
I just recently started playing Sea of Thieves. I was always interested in the subject matter of the game, and was very impressed with the way everything looked when the game was released.
However... When I learned that the game was "Online Only" my desire to purchase it evaporated. It was only the Black Friday $30.00 sale that got me to pull the trigger. Even with 50% off, I was still very reluctant to make the purchase because my 16 years of Xbox Live membership has demonstrated time an time again that your average XBL Rando is a[mod edit]
Over those years I have come to literally HATE multiplayer games. Especially the ones that force you to play outside of a private group or in a Solo Mode. Like the OP, I am also a Solo player and much prefer to enjoy a game on my terms, at my own pace, and not be constantly interrupted or ganked by random [mod edit] every 15 minutes!
I was on my second session tonight on PC and had my ship sunk three times by three different[mod edit]while I was on an island attempting to dig up a mission chest. Of course I lost everything on my ship the first time, which was a major setback. The second and third time I didn't bother collecting anything on my ship and so in the end, I accomplished very little forward progress as a direct result of these totally unprovoked attacks. Attacks by members of what appears to me as a new player to be a VERY TOXIC online community. Nothing new here. Most XBL Online games are dominated by Toxic people. It just sucks that such a beautiful game as this is being wasted on one dimensional[mod edit]who generally couldn't care less about anything in a game other than where the trigger buttons are.)
What does RARE have against giving players like myself a SOLO MODE? Or at the very least a "Friends Only" or "Invite Only" option? The game is gorgeous! Sailing the very well modeled ship mechanic around has been one of the coolest and most immersive/relaxing video game experiences I have had in decades.
But all of that is wasted when you are forced to share your game with a bunch of [mod edit] who have nothing better to do than go around screwing over other players for the fun of it! Players who were innocently going about their business of trying to learn and progress in a game they have only played for a few hours. (First Impressions and all that)
I can hear the "Git Gud" and "Its a Pirate Game" comments already... Listen! I don't give a c**p! If RARE wants this game to reach a wider audience, then they can't just rely on a niche group of players who actually enjoy playing with sociopaths and a variety of other miscreants.
Based on my first two sessions... Everything I have come to HATE about Multiplayer Only Games is unfortunately on full display in Sea of Thieves. And as much as I am impressed by what I have seen so far, I seriously doubt I am going to be putting much more of my free time into the game in its current state.
The chances of having hours of progress wiped out in a matter of minutes by a random [mod edit] is just too high.
If I wanted to mix it up with a bunch of [mod edit] I would play Call of Duty.
This game could be so much more and appeal to a much wider audience if RARE would get off the Multiplayer Only Fad bandwagon and make a game for everyone!
@goldengoose7 I am a mostly solo player. Made PL that way.
I don't think fighting AI is all that exciting. Sunk by AI first two times out. As though I didn't have enough trouble with larger ships. They are making it really hard to like this game.@cochise1980 said in Stop forcing people to play with crews!:
@goldengoose7 I am a mostly solo player. Made PL that way.
I don't think fighting AI is all that exciting. Sunk by AI first two times out. As though I didn't have enough trouble with larger ships. They are making it really hard to like this game.I generally don't have a problem with AI and NPC enemies in games. Its the random human griefers I have been forced to deal with in this game that I have a problem with. They should be allowed to play the game the way they choose just like anyone else. But for God's sake! Don't "force" me to share my game session with them by providing me with no alternatives!
I actually managed to sink one of these Skeleton Ships in the game tonight. It was a tough boss to kill, but I managed it.
Veteran gamers like myself can still dish it out! Much easier to do when I am actually onboard my ship and not half an island away with a shovel in my hands! ;)
I never said that any of the jerks that sunk my ship tonight were skilled players. Doesn't take any skill to sink an anchored ship with no one aboard. Just grants these idiots well deserved induction into the XBL Losers Hall of Shame.
I had two Kraken encounters as a sloop and one as a galleon.
While we were fighting the Kraken on a galleon, he didn't really do much damage, didn't even grab anyone of us. One or two minutes and it was done, plenty of drop.
While I was on the sloop, he grabbed me and also he damaged the ship badly (3 - 5 holes per attack), I did it, but it felt much harder than on the gally.
I thought it should feel the same, wheter you are on a gally or on a sloop.
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Sounds like this game isn't for you. It has always been billed as a "Shared World Adventure Game" amd that's what it is. Multiplayer is core to the game's identity and you sound super entitled demanding a game that was never offered.
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People aren't losers for enjoying PVP. People aren't losers for enjoying multiplayer games. People aren't losers for playing a game the way it's intended to be played.
If you want a single player game, buy a single player game.
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For me there is plenty you can accomplish in game as a solo player if you are so orientated.
I know this, as I mostly solo play.Yes there are tasks that ideally (or do) require two or more crew to accomplish.
I have accepted this, and since achievements/commendations aren't going anywhere... this doesn't bother me one little bit.These are easily achieved when I choose to crew up with others.
Yes, it can result in a 'longer game' to achieve such commendations if you choose solo. But personally I'm in no hurry.Solo for me is the most exciting aspect of the game.
Having to keep an eye on that horizon.
When you encounter a foe, trying to out wit them.
I certainly feel I have chartered my own course in this game, my fate is in my own hands, I get a lot of satisfaction from this.The game is intended as a "Shared World",
I accept this & love that it's.
I'm also very pleased that much of the game can be experienced solo.But as in life....
Nothing beats crewing up with others & sharing your experience in good humour & laughter, then celebrating with a pint of grog afterwards.
SoT accommodates people with different play styles, backgrounds, expectations.
So if you decide on the "Solo" life, that is your (my) choice, no-one else choose this for you (me).
SoT would be such an empty experience in the end (IMHO) if we all played solo.I personally value both.... I enjoy Solo... and love crewing up.
I do both solo and random crew. Solo mostly because I often only have a short window of time to bang out a quick mission.
I don’t mind the skelly ships. I will handle them if the dial down the effin Kraken. I had my butt whipped by that p***k twice in one hour tonight.
Random crew is rough for me due my blatant confusion regarding discord.
@mith-bosevem this update wasn't for the streamers or the crews. The players wanted a reason to fight the meg, the kraken, and the skeleton ships to be free roaming. We asked for more purpose to the silly mermaid statues. We wanted to decorate the ships. We have been asking for many of this since launch.
After an update, everything is harder. It will calm down soon enough. Relax.
As for the others in the world, we come back for each update. It will also calm down again, and we will ask if the servers are empty.
For solo mode, join the discord fleets. They sponsor days where they take over servers (alot of work for this) and help one another out. You may enjoy that as they help others go up in rank.
I no longer solo as it makes for longer play sessions. If we could stock our ship up quicker, I would be more interested in playing solo again. It adds an element as we must keep our head in a swivel.
Enjoy the seas!@chronodusk Youre saying everything is fine because YOU dont mind playing with randoms and because YOU dont have an issue even though you havent tried recently. Uhh
I love being able to play this game solo, and choose to do so the majority of the time i play this game, i also enjoy time with friends on the seas.
I'm sure we will adapt to the new items and learn to avoid them where needed.
No one is being forced to crew up. You just need to make sure you have plenty of supplies and you can pretty much survive any encounter you might happen across.
It's very rare i get sunk whilst sailing solo now days.
#FEARLESS@mith-bosevem sagte in Stop forcing people to play with crews!:
And that IS what is happening.
I don't think so. Solo was always mentioned by Rare as a possibility, which is not recommended, it is hard, demanding, but who wants it that way ...
It is now harder, more demanding, and finally exciting again. In former times I didn't care if a Megalodon was circling around me, the Kraken also left me alone.
The only problem is, I can't go to the toilet between two islands anymore ;(
@goedecke-michel said in Stop forcing people to play with crews!:
@mith-bosevem sagte in Stop forcing people to play with crews!:
And that IS what is happening.
I don't think so. Solo was always mentioned by Rare as a possibility, which is not recommended, it is hard, demanding, but who wants it that way ...
It is now harder, more demanding, and finally exciting again. In former times I didn't care if a Megalodon was circling around me, the Kraken also left me alone.
The only problem is, I can't go to the toilet between two islands anymore ;(
100% this. Solo has always been in the game as "hard-mode" for those that REALLY want to play without people. The entire game is meant to be played with other people, but the option to play without other people is there for those who choose to set out on that adventure.
Earlier I saw someone mention he lost his ship because he had to deal with the Kraken, which he previously didn't have to. Welcome to the Sea of Thieves. The Kraken is a thing, you may not have encountered it because you were in your solo bubble but it's out there and now it's coming for you too.
@murkrage This is my point. There is a difference between "Hard Mode" and "nope your done and there is nothing you could have possibly done."
Im athena 8 done 95% solo Im aware of what its like.
All the new emergent elements make it feel less like hard mode and more like "you need [mod edit] help mode."
I love the challenge and I love to do my actual "grinding" solo but the parameters cannot be the same for 2 person sloop as they are for solo sloop its not fair and can lead to impossible situations. Impossible, not hard.@murkrage Im finding TONS of people complaining about the kraken specifically and that was what first got me too...
I can understand what you feel to have lost. I love the solo experience in this game; varying degrees of action interspersed with bouts of calm and serenity. I dont think the streamability of the game is a factor in why or how it has changed. It has changed for the better and you need new eyes and expectations for the solo game. That said let me make a recommendation; get on the discord and meet some crewmates. Pressure your real friends to join you if they havent yet. There is so much you are missing by going it alone. Every pirate needs a mate or two. In fact you can add me and join in with my crew some time if you like!
@goldengoose7
Hello Sir , i have been reading the whole conversation but your honest opinion has hurt the most. No, i don't mean you have attacked me or offended me ,on the contrary , i see a lot of common things between you and me...
First i want to tell that indeed a whole new Pirate Bunch have made it on the Waves and...this is not bad.Most of these Pirates came forward because of the Price reduction and ...that's good. They also came because they want to pursue the " ideal" lifestyle of the Pirate, spoonfed by movies like the Pirates of the Carribean and series as Black Sails and...that's fine again...But the more frequent Pirate is about to discover that Sea of Thieves is much more than attacking every Ship on the Horizon. They will soon or will already be amazed how much tenacity they will have to show into defeating a strong AI...
i can understand you love Solo Slooping, count me on your side on that one, but not purely for Solo Slooping, i absolutely love playing with a crew as well...Your story doesn't hide your hate towards Multiplayer games and sadly, certainly on the Xbox, there aren't many multiplayers that demand some form of co-operation from players. i , too , hate the shooters and racegames on Xbox, certainly as i'm a foreigner " gifted" with a toecurling accent...
That had lead in the past to...silent years. For seven ,bloody, long years i wasn't able to speak anymore. Out of fear , yes , i admit that a guy from his early thirties till his fortiest couldn't talk with a microphone around his ears...
i was one day in an Elder's Scrolls online village,minding my own affairs ,when i walked in a bunch of people who had laughs and joys for silly and simple things without the usual namecalling...i activated my microphone , because i felt that these persons wouldn't judge me for something stupid as an accent...But no sound escaped out of my mouth...it didn't worked anymore...Then i knew ,that i was going the absolute wrong way and after many months of even more mental darkness ,i finally stumbled upon this Forum...
THe game wasn't released there weren't Beta's nor Alpha's, there was only writing...Here on these very Forums and i will tell you honestly that my writings were riddled with so many writingmistakes , even more than today , but the Pirates here , embraced me , accepted that i was a foreigner who wrote their language with millions of mistakes...These people had the perfect weapon to write me towards a mental destruction , and believe me i didn't need much more to snap and breakdown completely , but on the contrary they embraced me and they accepted me for who and what i was....Ever since then i have been growing and i have promised myself to pass through this wonderful gift that has been given to me...
Thanks to the inner child in me ,i have been able to cross massive generation gaps and bring laughs and smiles upon young and old...If i was still hating and being afraid i probably wouldn't be here anymore but now , i have seen that there is a total new world in Multiplayer games ,one in wich people speak and don't immediatly snap your head off verbally...
"Are you a hippie zealot or something", i hear you ask...No, i'm fully aware there are toxic Pirates , have met them and gave them 5 minutes of my time and then i simply searched for a new crew...Give yourself an half an hour to go "crewhopping" and you will see that within 30 minutes , the most ,you stumble on a crew ,where you only want to walk away from if you have thrown a Friendsrequest upon their doorstep...Now to come back to your Solo adventuring, you need to keep an eye on the Horizon at all time , ships may come for you and yer loot , i know you find this a horsepile but it is what it is ....Have you tried raising a white flag or yellow flag, these flags mean that you're doing a mission and some Pirates will leave you alone if they can see it , others don't , not every Pirate honors the flags...
And some crews of bigger ships have an inborn care and stand aside the Sloop if a Galleon or Kraken tries to destroy it , there is honor amongst thieves , in some...And they will come to help you ...
i can see that you are a new Pirate so may i make one last advice ? Cash in often , so if you lose somethiing in a battle ,it doesn't hurt that much...And one more thing Mr Goldengoose 7, give it a try ,mate ...The crews i mean, not every Pirate is a Mushroom thing. You will be amazed how many Pirates are there to give you a splendid time...Not convinced , do a shout out to one of the many Fleets , no don't enlist, just try to join one of their crews without enlisting and you will see what i mean...
Sea of Thieves is indeed a Multiplayer Game but a whole lot of us , have been touched by it's Magic and our common goal has become to give every crewmember, new or experienced , young or old, black or white , yellow or red, blue or green ( * Blue or Green ? what have you been eating, moron?) to give all a great enjoyable adventure filled with laughs , joy's ,goofs and misshaps...Give it a try, Mr Goldengoose 7, i'm not selling you a horsepile ...Playing alone while missing out on so much goodtimes isn't healthy, take it from somebody who almost gave up on...everything.
Take the jump, you don't like it , do it again, you will find people that suit you fine, promise....
for me its not that hard fighting the kraken solo....
when the lift up move comes in...just use the cannon nothing will happen to you ,or just stay under deck....its impossible get all the loot solo.i feel yout topic they should balance as well for solo players....and when u get into kraken fight and a skelli ship spawns and maybe a megalodon too,we are lost solo;)@Goldengoose7 @Mith-Bosevem
Abhoy!Parts of your posts have been edited as they go against the Forum Rules and Pirate Code
Obscene and Vulgar Language
Swearing is not permitted on the Forums and a profanity filter is in place to block it. Attempts to bypass the profanity filter will result in a temporary ban from the Forums and a final warning. If the action continues, a permanent ban from the Forums will be issued.Please keep the Forum Rules and Pirate Code in mind in future.
Thank you.
@mith-bosevem yes it's ok but there should be some lore behind the solo mode like the arena might have?
@timeoftheyear said in Stop forcing people to play with crews!:
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Sounds like this game isn't for you. It has always been billed as a "Shared World Adventure Game" amd that's what it is. Multiplayer is core to the game's identity and you sound super entitled demanding a game that was never offered.
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People aren't losers for enjoying PVP. People aren't losers for enjoying multiplayer games. People aren't losers for playing a game the way it's intended to be played.
If you want a single player game, buy a single player game.
Thank you Captain Obvious!
I basically acknowledged most of that that in my replies. The gankers and griefers you are giving a free pass to may be playing within the allowances of the game design, but that can hardly be considered a healthy projection towards new players. This kind of behavior instills the complete opposite emotion, and will eventually prove destructive to the long term health of this game. It always comes down to that with this FAD of a game genre. A model that by its very nature is unsustainable in the long term. Just check the player counts for some of the first games to use this model. Not a pretty picture compared to all the sky high predictions when those games first came out.
My point was that RARE would sell a lot more copies of the game if they provided solo gamers with a valid reason to invest their time and money into the game as well. A demographic made up largely of older, more mature gamers with plenty of disposable income and free time. A group that has shown time and time again to be one of the most, if not the most game loyal collection of players out there. The folks that often rack up multiple thousands of hours into their favorite games of choice.
I still have a decent number of friends on XBL. None of them have purchased SoT because like me, they are tired of the boring and predictable BS your typical forced matchmaking with randoms sessions have been since the early 2000s. If anything, the situation has gotten much worse than it ever was back in the day.
Failing to appeal to such a large single player demographic adds up to a lot of potential sales RARE is leaving on the table.
Not a very smart or sustainable business model if you ask me. And if you value this game, you shouldn't be so quick to blow off the first impressions and observations of new players. Veteran gamers who see a lot of lost potential on display in the current version of Sea of Thieves. Gamers who will not recommend the game to their friends. Gamers who will not provide a positive review. Gamers who will leave the game permanently after several negative game sessions in a row.
Your typical ganker is not known for game loyalty. They go where the newest shiney object is. If you and Rare want to die on that hill, it's ultimately your funeral.
So much for the SoT community. I've seen enough. Too bad I bought a digital copy.
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It's a co-operative open world pirate game. Sure you can solo it but that's an option that's also labled as "hard"
When the game was launched people were complaining about the kraken wouldn't attack sloops and the (solo)sloopers didn't get to do all the content. Now everyone gets to attack and be attacked by kraken.
Rare doesn't force anyone to play with a crew. They want you to play with friends yes, that's the Ideal way of playing this game. It's like playing an MMORPG and complaining you're forced to find other players to do dungeons with, well yeah you bought an Massively Multiplayer Online game. You're going to need other people for certain content.
Want to do Certain mermaid statues you'll have to be either creative or have some friends/randoms. Want to navigate fog? It's better with friends. Want to take down a shark? Get some friends it'll be better. Take down a fort? Friends will help you.
Guess what? Life is just better with friends and this game too. It's not impossible to play this game solo and rare doesn't make it less possible, they just make more things to do with friends because that's the focus of this co-operative game.
@goldengoose7 said in Stop forcing people to play with crews!:
@timeoftheyear said in Stop forcing people to play with crews!:
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Sounds like this game isn't for you. It has always been billed as a "Shared World Adventure Game" amd that's what it is. Multiplayer is core to the game's identity and you sound super entitled demanding a game that was never offered.
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People aren't losers for enjoying PVP. People aren't losers for enjoying multiplayer games. People aren't losers for playing a game the way it's intended to be played.
If you want a single player game, buy a single player game.
Thank you Captain Obvious!
I basically acknowledged most of that that in my replies. The gankers and griefers you are giving a free pass to may be playing within the allowances of the game design, but that can hardly be considered a healthy projection towards new players. This kind of behavior instills the complete opposite emotion, and will eventually prove destructive to the long term health of this game. It always comes down to that with this FAD of a game genre. A model that by its very nature is unsustainable in the long term. Just check the player counts for some of the first games to use this model. Not a pretty picture compared to all the sky high predictions when those games first came out.
My point was that RARE would sell a lot more copies of the game if they provided solo gamers with a valid reason to invest their time and money into the game as well. A demographic made up largely of older, more mature gamers with plenty of disposable income and free time. A group that has shown time and time again to be one of the most, if not the most game loyal collection of players out there. The folks that often rack up multiple thousands of hours into their favorite games of choice.
I still have a decent number of friends on XBL. None of them have purchased SoT because like me, they are tired of the boring and predictable BS your typical forced matchmaking with randoms sessions have been since the early 2000s. If anything, the situation has gotten much worse than it ever was back in the day.
Failing to appeal to such a large single player demographic adds up to a lot of potential sales RARE is leaving on the table.
Not a very smart or sustainable business model if you ask me. And if you value this game, you shouldn't be so quick to blow off the first impressions and observations of new players. Veteran gamers who see a lot of lost potential on display in the current version of Sea of Thieves. Gamers who will not recommend the game to their friends. Gamers who will not provide a positive review. Gamers who will leave the game permanently after several negative game sessions in a row.
Your typical ganker is not known for game loyalty. They go where the newest shiney object is. If you and Rare want to die on that hill, it's ultimately your funeral.
So much for the SoT community. I've seen enough. Too bad I bought a digital copy.
So what you are saying is: If you, as a single person, decide to buy Monopoly then shame on Hasbro for not adding features that allow you to play Monopoly by yourself because now you won't buy Monopoly.
Exchange Monopoly for every multiplayer game, be it digital or physical. Honestly, you can't barge into a room and go: Hey, I know this is a multiplayer game and all... but, and hear me out, what if it's not. What if it's a solo player game with multiplayer elements?
It was advertised as a multiplayer game, it was advertised as a cooperative game. When you decided to buy this game, you decided to buy a multiplayer cooperative game. Yet you started playing and complaining about how you aren't able to properly play it solo?
There's some odd reasoning behind this.
Rare has made the decision a long time ago to create an online multiplayer game. That was a proper business decision as it appeals to a different audience than a solo player game. They won't and really shouldn't provide solo gamers a valid reason to invest their time, because this game is just not for those players. The option is there, but it is not the core of this game and it won't ever be.
Get over it.
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@theunionjames I hear ya. Sounds like my play session yesterday. I met Karen for the first time yesterday, twice, in one hour. Both times I was dead in the water. I chalked it up to inexperience, since prior to the last update, sloops were ignored by Karen. So I had it easy. Now, Karen seems hell bent on tutoring on the finer aspects of running around like a chicken with my head cut off, while sinking.
So my question to you, or anyone who can answer - is there a time when you can run away from Karen? Both times I was attacked it seemed my ship was dead in the water. Couldn't move. Is that what happens every time, or is there a window of opportunity where you can say, Hi Karen, Bye Karen, and sail the hell out of there?
Or, once she has you in her grasp, is it do or die.
@goldengoose7 I appreciate you respecting me enough to call me "Captain", but you misspelled my name.
@mith-bosevem said in Stop forcing people to play with crews!:
I love the volcanoes and kraken but I think if you are completely alone the perameters should be different. You cant repair and bail if the kraken has you in the air for 45 seconds.
The parameters are different, you're just not thinking about it logically.
Change your point of view a little. The game is not designed to cater to every single type of play at the same time, and if it was then it would be something far less interesting.
I do agree with you 100% that the twitch streamers are poison to the game industry, but your problem is more akin to trying to take things head on rather than find creative ways to deal with those problems.
You have at your disposal, kegs, row boats, other players to do the work for you that you can exploit, turn against, or just rob like I do.
I don't typically play solo, but when I do I still manage to have quite a lot of fun and never run out of things to do. Heck, I am not even really that good, but it's still a great game solo or not.
I think that you're taking things too a bad place by asking for special treatment on the raid encounters like the Kracken or NPC ships..
Today I watched a single dude clear an entire skull fort by him self.. thanks to that guy I both learned how to do it solo, AND in addition got his treasure because he did not know I was waiting for him to finish.
So long and thanks for the loot.
@mith-bosevem There's another pirate game coming soon from a gigantic company. You can bet they are monitoring all feedback coming from this player base and adjusting their plans accordingly.
And as you I see allot of people wanting to be able to have fun alone or with friends. To have the option and not be held back by game design that dont care if you are 1 or 4 players.
