RPG maps, what is an Ideal number of players?

I've made an RPG map called Lucid's Tale, you can check it out here if you wish: http://maps.warcraftiii.net/maps.php?id=4117.

I always wanted to make it 2 player but some friend's convinced me ot make it 4 player instead, i think it was probably just so we could all play together and not really because 4 is better than 2 or 3 etc, or maybe i'm wrong.

Anyone care to share their opinions? Thanks.

4 players. If the map is dependant upon more than that, your game is screwed.

I think 8 is good, why is your map screwed if its good with 8 players?

i say four because a small group is more likely to stay. A larger group tends to get in arguments and leave. And then, if one of them isn't doing the right thing, everyone else has to go back and help him, ect.

I would say 6. Its not too large that it will start arguments. Its not too small that the players wont have any other person to react with (if a person leaves your in the game by yourself). And it is large enough that enough people will get it for it to spread.

If a map is developed for 2 people, the chances of it getting any far is slim to none. The only way that it would work is if somebody distributed the map with observers so more than 1 person can get it at a time.

I'm working on a 5 player RPG, but that's UP to 5; I'm trying to make it viable for 1 player as much as 5.

I'd recommend balancing the map as much as possible by
1) Levelling up bad guys to the average level of the heroes
2) Instead of placing enemies, have triggers place some number of 'em based on # of players.
3) Make quests as player specific as possible, so that each different character has their own unique role.

Keep in mind that, with few exceptions, parties are likely to split up anyway. If you force (by move unit triggers) parties to re-assemble for major events, that'll ensure that the party is together, but based on my experience, the party will break apart if monsters or treasure are too few. Rather than some magic # of players, concentrate on players being equally satisfied, particularly with loot.

Maybe you could make it like Seiken Dentetsu 3 and have a top-down camera and all the characters would have to stay in the same area. The camera would stay focused on the point halfway between the 2 characters that were farthest apart. That would solve the players-breaking-apart thing.

In that kind of scenario though, you're better off with fewer players because it could get way too confusing very quickly.... and disagreements over which way to go could be very frustrating.

4

-wizard
-barbian
-ranged
-midgit dude

standard rpg forumla

Midgets don't normally feature prominently in fantasy, but with the recent LOTR revival, I guess I can see your point. :ggani:

4 players is the ideal RPG length, IMO. The more players in a map, the more likely that at least one of them will be a total backstabbing moron. Besides, if your map is so dependant that it needs over 6 players, it's probably not worth playing at all.

4-12. IMHO

Also, i don't think the map is "dependant" praytel if you need over 4 players. It might overstocked, have creeps that are too powerful, too team orientaided, or too complicated, but not dependant. The number of players (mininum) is what determines how playable the map is.

Ideally.. who knows. I think 4 is a good number, for a couple reasons.

Generally, I believe a lower number is better - so a single player could feasably play by themselves (provided they DO have control of the leaving/absent players' heroes) because there isn't always a lot of people to play with.

I can't think of how many RPG maps I've tried to host and not gotten people to join. They either don't want to wait for the DL (understandable), or they would rather play TD or AoS etc. So, it sucks when I have to start a really hard map with only half the players the map was designed for. But then again, too few players and your map better be REALLY good to compensate for the inability to play with friends ;)

My 2c

4 is good, cause then communication within a party can be nice and simple, its not too team orintated, 4 IMO is the perfect number for a RPG

what about 1 to 8? Just use triggers to make monsters be more strong depending on the numbers of players IN game. so if someone disconnects or leave the others can still play well. Just like Diablo 2...