Do you think that single player games require less skill than multiplayer games?

Personally, I think that single player games do indeed require less skill, experience, and knowledge than multiplayer games. However, as you know, most single player games have the multiplayer mode, and also in those game I think that the multiplayer mode requires more skill that the single player mode.

For example, I have managed to beat the single player mode of the latest 3 CoD games (on the lowest difficulty level, however :D), and when I tried to play WolfTeam I got my butt handed to me. But my friend plays WolfTeam a lot, and I can easily say that he is a pro. But do you think this makes other shooter games easier for him? And do you think that playing in multiplayer demands more skill than if you were playing in single player?

And do you think that playing a game in multiplayer mode develops your skills for playing the single player mode, so it becomes easier for you? Or do you think that beating the single player mode makes it easier for playing the multiplayer mode?

Last but not least, do you think that ALL video games require skill or experience? I personally think that all real-rime strategy games require skill. But shooters definitely don't require that much of a skill, they require fast reaction in my opinion, and also good aim. RPGs, for example, don't at all require skill... or do you think otherwise?

In addition, do you think that everyone can be good or skilled at a particular game? Or do you think that there are exceptions? How do you think that one can be good at a game?

I know that most of this topic is questions, but I'm just curious about people's opinions, that's all. :P

EDIT: I forgot to mention why I think that multiplayer games require more skill than single player games, or modes. Well, it's because in multiplayer games you're playing against other real players who have different skill levels, and many of them are really skilled. In single player, however, you're just player against AI controlled characters.

Maybe, but a lot of multiplayer games come down to exploiting certain mechanics or glitches (strafe jumping, leaning left and right all the time), so that takes a lot of fun out of it for me. I just find single player to be more enjoyable.

Maybe, but a lot of multiplayer games come down to exploiting certain mechanics or glitches (strafe jumping, leaning left and right all the time), so that takes a lot of fun out of it for me. I just find single player to be more enjoyable.

DraugenCP

... well said ; and it depends on the game, the AI has come a long way in some of these newer games.

Multiplayer FPS's and RTS's require 20x the skill of singleplayer FPS's and RTS's.

Multiplayer FPS's and RTS's require 20x the skill of singleplayer FPS's and RTS's.

megatroneo

[QUOTE="DraugenCP"]

Maybe, but a lot of multiplayer games come down to exploiting certain mechanics or glitches (strafe jumping, leaning left and right all the time), so that takes a lot of fun out of it for me. I just find single player to be more enjoyable.

no1alboogie

... well said ; and it depends on the game, the AI has come a long way in some of these newer games.

Both posts are well-said. Agreed.

Multiplayer is easiest version of gaming

All you're doing is reacting to whatever someone else does, that's it

In a (good) single player game you have to be able to weave and navigate a specific path that's outlined, in multiplayer all you have to do is read your opponent's actions and counter them

I have fun with both but multiplayer? lol that's when you just want some easy gametime after a hard day lol

[QUOTE="megatroneo"]

Multiplayer FPS's and RTS's require 20x the skill of singleplayer FPS's and RTS's.

Ameer27

Perhaps I should've added the word "competitive" to the start of my sentence. I have a lot of experience in the eSports scene and I never once saw players practice hours and hours to get better at singleplayer.

Stuff like timing, speed, micro/macro, aim, tactics, map knowledge, unit/weapon familiarity, knowledge of opponents' tendencies, and even finger warmups are skills you barely need to refine for singleplayer games.

Depends on the game. Overall i can play most games on hard and get my ass kicked at MP. I feel that games like Far Cry on realistic are more stressing and hard than any MP i've played, even the most hardcores like CS or Starcraft.

Depends on the game,the difficulty setting you're playing on and the people you're playing with, therefore you can't say for sure.

Depends on the game, but i play games for fun not skill.

Multiplayer is easiest version of gaming

All you're doing is reacting to whatever someone else does, that's it

In a (good) single player game you have to be able to weave and navigate a specific path that's outlined, in multiplayer all you have to do is read your opponent's actions and counter them

I have fun with both but multiplayer? lol that's when you just want some easy gametime after a hard day lol

Jaysonguy

Genres where there is little to no doubt multi-player is more difficult than single player:

RTS (Never met a campaign I couldn't breeze through, never seen an online scene where I didn't get stomped on for quite a while before improving)
Shooters (Although there are some games where bots are given such extreme advantages that it almost makes up for their lack of intelligence)
Fighting Games (I don't care how hard you think Street Fighter IV is on hard, or Blazblue is during score attack mode, there is no question)
Sports where the participants don't take turns (Boxing & Tennis, virtually all team sports)
Poker games

Genres where single player may or may not be harder depending on AI:

Turn-Based strategy (from chess to wargaming and everything inbetween)
Racing Games (obviously computers are capable of perfection here, and there isn't quite enough strategic variables to matter)
MMO-RPGs (how can anyone really say otherwise when there were literally bosses that none of the 10 million plus WoW community could beat and had to be subsequently nerfed, if it isn't beatable by humans, its harder than multi-player)
Competitive puzzle games (particularly where the humans cannot influence the computer's field and vice versa)
Certain individual sports, especially where the computer has to beat a system, rather than a human (Golf, Billiards)
Rhythm Games

Genres that I haven't had much experience with competitive multi-player:

Combo driven melee action games (obviously wouldn't be much different from fighting games, but Ninja Gaiden 2's master ninja mode has me hesitating in saying multi-player would be harder)
Static and Scrolling Shoot em Ups (The level of human skill among the best players makes me believe multi-player would be much more difficult than single player)

SP games are generally designed to be beaten. In MP the opponent will do his best (lol) to kill you before you give him/her the same treatment.

MP is harder.

SP games are generally designed to be beaten. In MP the opponent will do his best (lol) to kill you before you give him/her the same treatment.

MP is harder.

Filthybastrd

I remember the good ol' days when I used to play SFC series on gamespy. In those games, it came down to who was the better pilot, with the better strategies and better ability to fly his ship, period. Same in FPSs. Having better aim, faster reflexes, better strategies, these are all "skills". With the possible exception to Big Blue regarding chess, I don't think there is a programmer out there that can create AIs that will match the tenacity, cleverness and unpredictability of the human mind and heart.

I have experienced this phenomenon in all types of games, from Starfleet command, to Command and Conquer, to Guild Wars etc, etc. Other "real" people are almost always going to press you harder than any single player, programmed environment will (generally speaking).

All that to say....I would totally say that MP is harder and requires more skill simply because of who you're up against and the fact that you are no longer playing on fairly predictable terms but are now playing on other people's terms.

Just my 2 cents worth. :)

For example, I have managed to beat the single player mode of the latest 3 CoD games (on the lowest difficulty level, however :DAmeer27

for many gamers, playing single player is not about being competitive. Skill has little to do with it. It's all about the experience, and how the game makes you feel. If the game successfully immerses you and makes you feel weak by being really hard, so be it. As long as you enjoy the experience. Gamers should not be comparing performance in single player games, many of which are almost entirely subjective experiences.

for many gamers, playing single player is not about being competitive. Skill has little to do with it.

Brendissimo35

Different games take different skill. Im amazingly good at leveling characters and making gold in WoW, but I suck at arena PVP. I completely own people in CoD games, but I suck ass at Counter Strike. Totally depends on the game, some hard modes are insanely difficult, while others are a joke. Im really good at arcade type shooters.

But my friend plays WolfTeam a lot, and I can easily say that he is a pro.

Ameer27

For the most part, I do think so. However, in certain cases, not necessarily.

The problem with single-player is that AI is not perfect. After a while, it becomes predictable. There are holes in its strategies. You don't have that with human players. Why? Because they can actually think and develop strategies.

However, take into account puzzle games. They're on a preset level, and it's basically you versus the environment. In that scenario, it doesn't matter how many you play with. It's still the same.

I think this is comparing apples to oranges, because as another poster said - single player games are made to be beaten. That is very true, and while they can be challenging, game companies cannot make them too hard or people just won't be interested in playing them. Of course you can ramp up the diffuculty - but that's synthetic, and almost every game developer maintains that the game as they intended to make it and experience is on Normal or medium settings.

PS and MP cannot be compared, due to the above and the fact that the goal of Multiplayer is to keep you online, it isn't to finish the game or end it. It never ends, so it doesn't matter how difficult it is. How difficult is it when you can just respawn and continue? Inany case, that is totally differnet than SP conventions, and therefore cannot really be compared.

You should try Dwarf Fortress.Vfanek

OP needs to play Ninja Gaiden on the hardest difficulty.

As long as single players fun I don't care about the skill involved. Man I remember the ps2 game "The Warriors". Real fun game. minimal skill needed to play but such a fun game

Multiplayer for the most part - id like to say otherwise but still waiting on developers to make better AI.

I mainly say this because human players are capable of using advanced tactics and adapting to specific situations unlike AI.

Computer opponents tend to be consistent and predictable, but sometimes that is part of the appeal. Knowing exactly what to expect can be fun in its own way.

On the other hand, computer opponents can do some things a human cannot, depending upon the game and how the AI is programmed to behave. For example,a computer obviously can aim perfectly every time if programmed to do so, whether the activity in question is shooting at you or it is swinging a golf club.

[QUOTE="Vfanek"]You should try Dwarf Fortress.CaptainAhab13

Although surely multiplayer is harder than single player, as there's some people out there that even if they don't have the basic skills to make it so, do have a lot of time to learn raising themselves to a better challenge.

I've notcied single player challenge have gone a long way making it almost as hard as multiplayer skill at that time (that almost all go away when you learn about the programmed tactics) ; it's impressive.

[QUOTE="Ameer27"]For example, I have managed to beat the single player mode of the latest 3 CoD games (on the lowest difficulty level, however :DCellAnimation

So playing games on the easiest level is harder than playing online - um DUH! :roll:

There are plenty of hard single player games. Maybe you should try playing some games on - oh I don't know - normal or hard.

Well, I do play some games on normal. I mostly play my games on easy or normal on my first playthrough. If I find the game too easy for me on easy though, I play it on normal. But I never play a game on hard at my first playthrough...

But let me ask you this: Were you trying to ridicule me by your last sentence? Or were you just suggesting that I play some games on normal or hard? Just asking :)

[QUOTE="Ameer27"]

But my friend plays WolfTeam a lot, and I can easily say that he is a pro.

gamer620

Depends on the game. If you ever played Unreal tournament you would know.

Playing it on the hardest game mode will make the AI insanely smart, and extremely accurate and the can "sense" you coming behind them.

Another example is Worms: Reloaded. The AI make impossible moves with grenades and rockets. They are extremely accurate.

The AI will never miss.

Unlike the multiplayer. Players with hacks (as known for PC gaming) will only be this "perfect"

I would say that the skill sets required are more different for singleplayer games then multiplayer games. Singleplayer is more about memorizing enemy patterns while multiplayer is about predicting enemy tactics. Although at its core being able to shoot at the target is still held above all and is the launchpad for expanding your skills.contaminated

Definately.

You're competing against other people who probably have already spent a lot of time learning all the maps, weapons, powerupps, vehicles, glitches, jumps, strategys etc. These are never really needed in singleplayer, but are a neccesity in multiplayer to be successful.

[QUOTE="CellAnimation"][QUOTE="Ameer27"]For example, I have managed to beat the single player mode of the latest 3 CoD games (on the lowest difficulty level, however :DAmeer27

So playing games on the easiest level is harder than playing online - um DUH! :roll:

There are plenty of hard single player games. Maybe you should try playing some games on - oh I don't know - normal or hard.

Well, I do play some games on normal. I mostly play my games on easy or normal on my first playthrough. If I find the game too easy for me on easy though, I play it on normal. But I never play a game on hard at my first playthrough...

But let me ask you this: Were you trying to ridicule me by your last sentence? Or were you just suggesting that I play some games on normal or hard? Just asking :)

[QUOTE="Ameer27"]

[QUOTE="CellAnimation"]

So playing games on the easiest level is harder than playing online - um DUH! :roll:

There are plenty of hard single player games. Maybe you should try playing some games on - oh I don't know - normal or hard.CellAnimation

Well, I do play some games on normal. I mostly play my games on easy or normal on my first playthrough. If I find the game too easy for me on easy though, I play it on normal. But I never play a game on hard at my first playthrough...

But let me ask you this: Were you trying to ridicule me by your last sentence? Or were you just suggesting that I play some games on normal or hard? Just asking :)

Yeah they do since multiplayer you are fighting real people and not a computer.