Any thoughts on how two party coop could work?
My main concern is that the game pauses whenever you interact with anything. This means that if you were playing with someone else, both games would constantly be stopping and starting while the players visit towns, speak to NPCs, open menus, etc. This would create an extremely frustrating, tedious and ultimately, boring gaming experience.
Now, you could of course just keep time running right? But that means fundamentally altering how the game is played and that 10 mins you just spent in a battle has left the AI and the other player unchecked on the world map to do whatever they like...
If the game was turn based or 100% realtime then it might possibly work, but as things stand, the current design of the game wouldn't support 2+ party coop.
The only suggestion for coop I have heard that makes some sense is same party coop. However, this would relegate the second player to a lower role in the game where they don't get to do anything other than join player one in battles and other scenes. Now, I appreciate that some people might enjoy that, but it sounds incredibly boring to me.
I think a compromise could be in order.
For instance, at the menu screen of a city/castle/village, time continues to go on as the player interacts (generally quick interactions for the most part (can be helped by implementing more QOL/UI improvements (like mods that facilitate grouping, trading etc. These micro interactions are the real big time killers, like upgrading troops one by one). Otherwise, most interactions are quick in a city with these QOL improvements (I have tried both, and know that the amount of time spent is totally a function of ease of use (IE bulk trading, etc)
If the player decides to run around the city, let it be. Players should compromise and know that if they enter a city and spend 10-20 minutes in it, the world is continuing to evolve. I think at the early game this isnt an issue, and in the late game neither (mid game when you are being seiged it could F&* u, but the player should adjust their play style for the world).
If the city/castle comes under siege, so be it, the player has a chance to escape after through dialogue menu. Plus, with how sieges work, the whole siege party is not setup from the get go. The first 1-2 days of sieging = setup (before towers/equipment can be built). Let this be the time a player has to get his/her **** together before deciding to stay or leave. And whats better, if the player is neutral to the siege, then they can continue doing whatever they are doing (can leave whenever, can trade etc, and the trading screen fluctuates in real time, big whoop).
For worldmap interactions of speaking to parties
Simply pause the game, and put a timer on (as a variable setting the host chooses or watever, maybe ppl will use it as a pause feature) (most ppl who play co-op, will play with their close friends).
Players rarely interact with parties on the world map, a little bit for questing and enganging in battles and politics, but thats reallly not where the vast majority of interactions happen. (what I am saying is, the game would not be constantly be paused as you mention, its the cities that make that happen, that is where most of the action happens, bbut being in a city while time is moving is SAFE, being on the worldmap is NOT).
Another possibility is a SLOW DOWN of time during worldmap interactions (i like this less for town, but still could be applicable, the main thing is to minimze pauses as you mentioned, and I think that could be accomplished, MOREOVER I think its something the community should have real input on, PLUS the possiblity to choose. Perhaps full pause time applies, perhaps its slow time. Allow it to be customizeable, but give us coop. You will have given the community its number 1 ask, and those who chose to play it will adjust. It can be done, i believe in it and the team can do it.
Player 1 interacts with AI lord, time is slowed to 0.1 for the whole map (how long does an interaction like this last anyways? 10-30 seconds even for intrigue), when dialogue over, return to 1.0 speed - keep in mind, players MOUSE is not slowed, or possiblity to buy/sell or whatever, its movement speed we are talking about...
Why is this good? Game continues, its slowed (can be variably set by the host, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5), the slow down allows Player 1 to interact quickly, or as he/she would. Player 2 continues to play at a reduced speed, but not 0, and not for long (as the map continues slowed, but player 1's interaction happens in realtime, thus diminishing the amount of INGAME time spent paused or slowed). Its a good mitigation strategy.
For battles (this is the obvious approach, because this is also a big part of the game, and happens often)
This is an obvious one, allow both COOP players in the battle (1 can spec, or be assigned a unit that can be respawned from, perhaps in the captain form). Speccing at least is fair, participating is better, and an option to fight as the opposing army would be interesting (if its a versus coop, could really bring a different dimension to the game, but i leave that open to critiques, could be bad if the other player squashes you constantly.
In essence, coop battles, with ability to join/spec - world map pauses of course (as usual), having players in the same arena allows for this. Who doesnt want to fight all the time anyways? Whats better? Auto-resolve still exists, so in late game, with a slowdown the players wont be constantly bogged down with fighting small battles (if they dont want to)
For tournaments
Both players can participate (optional), player 1 (the initiator) can win stuff, player 2 can only be in the first round or 2, and cannot win anything (plays as AI). Alternatively, the tournament goes on in real time while player is in city, thats it then thats all!
Again, let the players adjust to the fundamental new reality - we are humans, we can deal with it. If anything, once again, make the different options open and customize-able so COOPers can chose their experience, but let us experience it!!!!
To summarize, pausing in most instances can be replaced with slow downs, and in others totally eliminated as a player has city protection while he goes about. The worldmap has less interactions, and so is the one that requires slow downs and pauses in some instances (for battles). In battles, both players cooperate & participate.
PLEASE answer this post Callum