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  | width=420px style="color: #202020; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border:none; font-weight:normal;" | '''This article has extremely old and outdated information.'''<br />''This information will need to be updated as of Release {{Release}}.''<br />''You are welcome to help in its construction by [{{fullurl:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|action=edit}} editing] it as well.''
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'''Selective Multiplayer''' is a system, first introduced with [[Shroud of the Avatar]], that allows one environment for all players and fills the players' instance favoring their friends over strangers ('''FPO'''). It also allows Ad-Hoc private instances for story telling ('''SPO''').<ref name=ksmultiplayer>Shroud of the Avatar - Selective-Multi-Player Means Multiple Ways to Play! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/portalarium/shroud-of-the-avatar-forsaken-virtues-0/posts/429763</ref>


=Selective Multiplayer:=
==Matchmaking Preferences (Selective Multiplayer Modes)==
 
In the [[options]] menu, select the Multiplayer tab. At the top of this screen are three Matchmaking Preferences options you can select:
==Traditional MMOs vs Selective Multiplayer==
'''Traditional MMOs:'''
*"Shards" Players away from each other.
*The vast majority of players ignore each other.
 
'''Selective Multiplayer:'''
*One "Shard" for all players.
*Fill YOUR instance favoring friends than strangers.
*Allows Ad-Hock private instances for story telling.
 
Shroud of the Avatar is neither a traditional Massive Multiplayer Online Game aka MMO (Uses a Client that connects to a Server which tells the Client what content to display at all times) nor is it a regular Single Player RPG (however there is a full single player offline mode that doesn't update with an online persistent world). Shroud of the Avatar is a Selective Multiplayer Online RPG or SMORPG.
 
==Selective Multiplayer Modes==
 
{|
[[File:Build44_Login_Screen.png|thumb|400px|center|Release 1 Pre-Alpha Build 44]]
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On Shroud of the Avatar there are currently 4 modes listed on the Login Screen. These are subject to change because this is from a Pre-Alpha Build.
===Open (Multiplayer Online (Open Play Online or OPO))===
In OPO players will see everyone that the server thinks they should see. This will not necessarily be all people in the area but should be people you care the most about based on what we believe is their relevance to you.  For the most part, OPO will feel like an MMO. Lots of social interaction options with friends and other players. We are trying to distinguish ourselves from traditional MMOs only in that, unlike a normal MMO players are frequently connected directly to each other instead of all data flowing through our servers. We believe this will provide numerous advantages to both players and our service, but does differ from a traditional MMO in that the upper limit of players simultaneously on one map may be restricted.<ref name=ksmultiplayer/>  <ref name=Build66Login> Screen Shot: [[media:Build66Login.jpg]]</ref>
===Party (Friends Only Online (Friends Play Online or FPO))===
In friends play online, you only see people you have flagged as friends in the game and only they can see you. Like single player, this is just a server side filter. For those who prefer the quieter game with friends or maybe for those who prefer a more focused role playing experience, this lets you enjoy a more limited online experience. You can switch to SPO or OPO modes whenever you like while in a city or in the overland map.<ref name=ksmultiplayer/>
===Private (Single Player Online (SPO))===
In the SPO mode you connect to the server, receive content updates, and can see the long term changes others are having on the world. However, you are not visible on anyone else’s screen, nor for grouping, and you don’t see anyone else in the world. You can switch from SPO to FPO or OPO modes whenever you like while in a city or overland map. Some parts of the main storyline quests may temporarily force the player into SPO mode for some parts of the quest.<ref name=ksmultiplayer/>
== How it works ==
*The game uses a dual scale map meaning everything in the actual game in the zoomed in map is Instanced when you enter it after everyone leaves the instance disappears but the data is synced across to all the other players to maintain the online persistent world. Each player of the game runs their own instance of the game and connects via ad-hoc to other players based on an algorithm which takes into account your settings, play style, who is closed to you, and who it thinks you want to play with.<ref name=aboutinterview>Warren Schultz interviews [[Richard Garriott]], http://gameindustry.about.com/b/2013/11/30/shroud-of-the-avatar-selective-multiplayer.htm</ref> Although most of the game is running locally on the players computer all network packages will go through a main server that forwards them to the individual player clients because of this ip addresses are never exposed to other players.<ref name=MultiplayerHangout>Hangout of the Avatar ~ 1.30.14 ~ SotA Multiplayer, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGowcsskbjk</ref>
*There are several modes that determine who you want to see in the game that you can set at the login screen Single Player Offline, Single Player Online, Friends Only Online, and Multiplayer Online. There is a main server that everyone connects to that maintains the persistent world by syncing and verifying data between players the server also uses your friend graph to choose which players will appear in your instances. So the server handles things like player housing, items trades, and verifying game save data.<ref name=aboutinterview/>
*The majority of the game itself is running on your computer this is why you can run it offline as opposed to being required to be connected to a server to even play at all. There will be differences with the offline version because you are not synced up with the persistent world that other players interact with this is why you're encouraged to play Single Player Online as opposed to Single Player Offline.<ref name=aboutinterview/>
*When you enter an instance if someone you know has an instance for that hex on the map you'll enter their instance of the hex otherwise your game will create an instance and anyone that enters the hex after you will enter your instance of the hex on the map. Because of this there is only one server that runs the persistent world by syncing data across all the players instead of multiple servers running the entire game like most MMORPGs do.<ref name=aboutinterview/>


*Single Player Offline
== The Persistent World ==
*Single Player Online (SPO)
Everything that happens in [[New Britannia]] will be synced across player clients (unless you're in Single Player Offline Mode) this data will be authenticated by a main server and includes but is not limited to things such as [[Housing]], Trading, Shops, and Player Venders. Your game save data and the environment around you in each instance will be synced through a main server to all the players to maintain a living world around them. For example if you have a house with a vendor even though you may be in a separate instance as someone else they can still see your vendor and make a purchase.
*Friends Only Online (Friends Play Online or FPO)
*Multiplayer Online (Open Play Online or OPO)


==How it works:==
<!--=== Temporary Offline for your Online Characters ===
The first thing we need to establish is that the game uses a dual scale map meaning everything in the actual game in the zoomed in map is Instanced when you enter it after everyone leaves the instance is disappears but the data is synced across too all the other players to maintain the online persistent world. Each player of the game runs their own instance of the game and connects via ad-hoc to other players based on an algorithm which takes into account your settings, play style, who is closed to you, and who it thinks you want to play with.
*Richard Garriott talked about in an interview that he wants to make it so eventually we'll be able to play offline temporarily for short periods of time (48 hours or less). How this would work is if it's enabled when you play your game would automatically put XP, Gold, and other items aside for you to "earn" on the temporary offline mode. This would prevent cheating because you already earned those things previously and can't earn more than you have already saved up. Also things such as buying or selling items will be restricted especially for special items.<ref name=aboutinterview/>
There are several modes that determine who you want to see in the game that you can set at the login screen Single Player Offline, Single Player Online, Friends Only Online, and Multiplayer Online. There is a main server that everyone connects to that maintains the persistent world by syncing and verifying data between players the server also uses your friend graph to choose which players will appear in your instances. So the server handles things like player housing, items trades, and verifying game save data.
*This is Richard Garriott's idea and not an officially announced feature. It will not be in Episode 1 of the game but may make an appearance in a later Episode.<ref name=lumchat181213/>
The entire game itself is running on your computer this is why you can run it offline as opposed to being required to be connected to a server to even play at all. There will be difference with the offline version because you are not synced up with the persistent world that other players interact with this is why you're encouraged to play Single Player Online as opposed to Single Player Offline.
-->
When you enter an instance if someone you know already has an instance for that hex on the map you'll enter their instance of the hex otherwise your game will create an instance and anyone that enters the hex after you will enter your instance of the hex on the map. Because of this there is only one server that runs the persistent instead of running the entire game like most MMORPGs do.
== Shroud of the Avatar Friend Graph ==
==Temporary Offline for your Online Characters:==
Richard Garriot talked about in the interview that he wants to make it so eventually we'll be able to play offline temporarily for short periods of time (48 hours or less). How this would work is if it's enabled when you play your game would automatically put XP, Gold, and other items aside for you to "earn" on the temporary offline mode.
This would prevent cheating because you already earned those things previously and can't earn more than you have already saved up. Also things such as buying or selling items will be restricted especially for special items. This is just Richard's idea and not an officially announced feature but it sounds really cool and would be awesome if it was introduced at after the game has been released.
==Shroud of the Avatar Friend Graph==
   
   
Based on what the developers have said there are resources that may be used to form your Friend Graph:
Based on what the developers have said there are resources that may be used to form your Friend Graph<!-- LINK PUT A REFERENCE HERE: who/where was it said? -->:
<!-- omitted speculation..??
(Please note these have not been officially announced and are speculation)
(Please note these have not been officially announced and are speculation)
* Google+ using the Google Play Games API.
* Social Media (Examples may include Google+ & Steam)
* Steam which has APIs for chat and social support.
* Email Address books.
* Email Address books.
* The Forums Friend list in-game which should be possible.
* The Forums Friend list in-game which should be possible.
* Those who you manually search for and add in game.
* Those who you manually search for and add in game.
* Who you interact with most in game.
* Who you interact with most in game.
-->
   
   
Because of API restrictions Facebook may not be supported, Chris Spears has mentioned this in a several of the videos. Facebook no longer allows apps except Mobile applications to access your friend list. Twitter will also most likely not be supported because they only allow 100,000 users to login from any given application and SotA will hopefully have a lot more than this. Of course these things are subject to change depending on Facebook and Twitter.
*Neither Facebook or Twitter will be supported because of API restrictions on both services.<ref name=lumchat181213>Lum, [[media:LumConversation12-18-13.png]]</ref>.
 
==Player VS Player==
== External links ==
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=966jm7EIy54 Shroud of the Avatar - Richard Garriott's Panel from NYCC 2013]
* There won't be a simple PVP On/Off Toggle.
* Young Players won't be able to be PKed and will have PVP turned off by default.
* If you PVP you will be grouped with PVPers otherwise you will be grouped with Non-PVPers.
* There are areas that will be considered "Dangerous" where PVP will always be enabled.
* There will be PVP quests for example, you may be required to hunt down another player or be the one hunted by players because you are carrying an illegal item across the map.
* If you are a PKer there will be consequences perhaps being marked as a murder or serving jail time if you're caught. If PVP is enabled in towns there may be guards this has not been officially announced.
* Anything is subject to change the game has only been in development for a few months and most of this has not been programmed yet.
* There is no PVP in Single Player Offline/Online.


== Sources ==
==See Also==
*Single Player Offline ([[Offline]]) - This is the DRM free, completely off-line version of the game. Your character is stored on your computer and can not be used in any of the online modes.<ref name=ksmultiplayer/>
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:SotA 01-28-14 16-13 1.jpg|First Online screen shot with [[BurningToad]] & [[OneAndOnly]] during a development test in 2014
</gallery>
== References ==
<references/>
<references/>
Notice: This page is a work in progress also this article is based on various streams and videos as well as interviews of the developers some of which is formulated theory and/or opinion that is subject to change once these features are officially announced or launched.
[http://gameindustry.about.com/b/2013/11/30/shroud-of-the-avatar-selective-multiplayer.htm Shroud of the Avatar Selective Multiplayer]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=966jm7EIy54 Richard Garriot's Panel from NYCC 2013]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8YYrOc-n3M Shroud of the Avatar Live Dev Chat! April 5th 2013]
[http://forsakenvirtues.com/2013/03/15/combat-pvm-pvp/ COMBAT – PVE & PVP FAQ]


== See Also ==
[[Category:Terminology]]
*[[MORPG]]

Latest revision as of 01:45, 10 July 2023

File:SotA Pickaxe Prosperity small.jpg
This article has extremely old and outdated information.
This information will need to be updated as of Release Template:Release.
You are welcome to help in its construction by editing it as well.

Template:Infobox Template:Tocright

Selective Multiplayer is a system, first introduced with Shroud of the Avatar, that allows one environment for all players and fills the players' instance favoring their friends over strangers (FPO). It also allows Ad-Hoc private instances for story telling (SPO).[1]

Matchmaking Preferences (Selective Multiplayer Modes)

In the options menu, select the Multiplayer tab. At the top of this screen are three Matchmaking Preferences options you can select:

Open (Multiplayer Online (Open Play Online or OPO))

In OPO players will see everyone that the server thinks they should see. This will not necessarily be all people in the area but should be people you care the most about based on what we believe is their relevance to you. For the most part, OPO will feel like an MMO. Lots of social interaction options with friends and other players. We are trying to distinguish ourselves from traditional MMOs only in that, unlike a normal MMO players are frequently connected directly to each other instead of all data flowing through our servers. We believe this will provide numerous advantages to both players and our service, but does differ from a traditional MMO in that the upper limit of players simultaneously on one map may be restricted.[1] [2]

Party (Friends Only Online (Friends Play Online or FPO))

In friends play online, you only see people you have flagged as friends in the game and only they can see you. Like single player, this is just a server side filter. For those who prefer the quieter game with friends or maybe for those who prefer a more focused role playing experience, this lets you enjoy a more limited online experience. You can switch to SPO or OPO modes whenever you like while in a city or in the overland map.[1]

Private (Single Player Online (SPO))

In the SPO mode you connect to the server, receive content updates, and can see the long term changes others are having on the world. However, you are not visible on anyone else’s screen, nor for grouping, and you don’t see anyone else in the world. You can switch from SPO to FPO or OPO modes whenever you like while in a city or overland map. Some parts of the main storyline quests may temporarily force the player into SPO mode for some parts of the quest.[1]

How it works

  • The game uses a dual scale map meaning everything in the actual game in the zoomed in map is Instanced when you enter it after everyone leaves the instance disappears but the data is synced across to all the other players to maintain the online persistent world. Each player of the game runs their own instance of the game and connects via ad-hoc to other players based on an algorithm which takes into account your settings, play style, who is closed to you, and who it thinks you want to play with.[3] Although most of the game is running locally on the players computer all network packages will go through a main server that forwards them to the individual player clients because of this ip addresses are never exposed to other players.[4]
  • There are several modes that determine who you want to see in the game that you can set at the login screen Single Player Offline, Single Player Online, Friends Only Online, and Multiplayer Online. There is a main server that everyone connects to that maintains the persistent world by syncing and verifying data between players the server also uses your friend graph to choose which players will appear in your instances. So the server handles things like player housing, items trades, and verifying game save data.[3]
  • The majority of the game itself is running on your computer this is why you can run it offline as opposed to being required to be connected to a server to even play at all. There will be differences with the offline version because you are not synced up with the persistent world that other players interact with this is why you're encouraged to play Single Player Online as opposed to Single Player Offline.[3]
  • When you enter an instance if someone you know has an instance for that hex on the map you'll enter their instance of the hex otherwise your game will create an instance and anyone that enters the hex after you will enter your instance of the hex on the map. Because of this there is only one server that runs the persistent world by syncing data across all the players instead of multiple servers running the entire game like most MMORPGs do.[3]

The Persistent World

Everything that happens in New Britannia will be synced across player clients (unless you're in Single Player Offline Mode) this data will be authenticated by a main server and includes but is not limited to things such as Housing, Trading, Shops, and Player Venders. Your game save data and the environment around you in each instance will be synced through a main server to all the players to maintain a living world around them. For example if you have a house with a vendor even though you may be in a separate instance as someone else they can still see your vendor and make a purchase.

Shroud of the Avatar Friend Graph

Based on what the developers have said there are resources that may be used to form your Friend Graph:

  • Neither Facebook or Twitter will be supported because of API restrictions on both services.[5].

External links

See Also

  • Single Player Offline (Offline) - This is the DRM free, completely off-line version of the game. Your character is stored on your computer and can not be used in any of the online modes.[1]

Gallery

References