TowerFall Ascension creator discusses local multiplayer-only approach
TowerFall Ascension creator Matt Thorson speaks to the virtues of the game's local multiplayer-only approach, talking about how it leads to more personal interactions with others.
If you could comprise an FAQ for TowerFall Ascension and its creator, the question most likely to be at the top of the list is, "Hey, Matt Thorson, why no online multiplayer?" The answer, according to Thorson, is that local multiplayer is simply a more personal experience.
"Local multiplayer is just a great way to bring people together," Thorson told PlayStation.Blog. "These games can allow players to express themselves socially through play, and get to know each other by interacting in the game. And those interactions can bleed into the real world. It's really simple, but so powerful. Being local rather than online makes those interactions even more personal — these are actual people sitting right next to you, not a vague representation of a person somewhere else in the world. The energy in the room is a big part of TowerFall."
There's certainly a lot of fun to be had in a local four-player game of TowerFall's 'Versus' mode. Even going back to the game's Ouya days, the game proved to be a competitive experience, with the potential for tense showdowns and genuine laughs. Thorson likens it to another local multiplayer favorite from the past: Super Smash Bros. Melee.
"I’ve played thousands of hours of [Super Smash Bros. Melee], and studied every aspect of it. TowerFall draws inspiration from a lot of places, but the influence from Melee is most apparent once you know to look for it. Unlike Smash Bros., I designed TowerFall with the hope that it would develop a hardcore player community, but I wanted to capture the same pick-up-and-play instant fun, the focus on spatial positioning, and dramatic kills."
TowerFall Ascension is available now on PlayStation 4 and on PC through Steam.
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replyOzzie Mejia posted a new article, TowerFall Ascension creator discusses local multiplayer-only approach.
TowerFall Ascension creator Matt Thorson speaks to the virtues of the game's local multiplayer-only approach, talking about how it leads to more personal interactions with others.-
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Seriously one of the greatest games ever. Did you guys figure out the super jump that lets you jump all the way across a level? (I don't know the true name for it.)
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To see the super jump in action, watch the pink player in these gifs:
http://i.imgur.com/pjQpH1R.gif
http://i.imgur.com/GeaZjY9.gif
http://i.imgur.com/3TKAKYG.gif
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it's the indie equivalent of 'synergy'
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I played Brawl locally and online and he's absolutely right. There's something more fun about playing a game like this with people next to you. And you never have to worry about things like lag or rubber-banding when playing on the couch.
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Maybe that was his artistic vision? The technical factors possibly play a role too, but he doesn't have to list out every single reason for every single decision. "Oh yeah, that pixel is green, because I like the colour green, because i like peas, I like peas because it reminds me of my child hood picking pea pods with my grand father, I miss my grandfather because he was kind to me as a child. He was kind to me as a child because he was the father of my mother..."
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What's the difference? If your artistic vision ends up being a game that mechanically wouldn't work well over the internet, what are your options other than to release it as-is or to change the mechanics to be more gooey and lag resistant?
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I don't like the title of the game
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Local multiplayer is just a great way to bring people together
Yeah? Well online multiplayer is the only way to bring him and my money together. -
I'm not going to go into the details, but without online, multiplayer isn't possible in my current living situation. That's my reality, and without that, this game is not worth investing in for me. It's too bad, but I don't begrudge others who can have friends over regularly and play it locally. Maybe they'll consider adding online into Towerfall 2.
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