I’m a new player with around 20h gameplay time on one character. I bought the game well knowing that it currently only contains singleplayer while multiplayer is right arround the corner. I enjoyed most of the time I spent playing the game and it is very nice and refreshing but suddenly stopped when I noticed that the current implementation really is a full offline singleplayer mode besides pretending (in my opinion) to be somehow server-side.
I don’t want to play one or more characters for dozens of hours only to be made obsolte I can’t use any of future multiplayer with them, thus rendering my time investment obsolete (I know that I can just continue to play offline).
This has one major restriction, which by itself is fully acceptable, if 100% known beforehand. Current characters won’t be usable for future multiplayer mode. In comparison to some other ARPG (e.g. D3) or many games in general, leveling and developing a Last Epoch character is a huge time investment. You won’t reach level 100 and won’t reach near its peak in hours (No critique, this is fine). Additionally it is understandable that offline characters can’t be used for multiplayer mode because of possible savegame manipulation.
However Last Epoch pretends that only multiplayer itself isn’t implemented but characters/savegame are stored server-side thus giving the ilusion there won’t be any, at least that is what it felt for me. Why?
In comparison to any other game I am aware of, there is the need to create another account and login (and stay online). Usually only MMO and MMORPG have this necessity (plus Diablo3). I’m not talking about online requirements by digital distribution platforms (like Steam, Ubisoft Connect, etc, as they are different). If any games comes with additional multiplayer (Souls franchise / Elden Ring), being online is optional
It is quite obvious for previously mentioned games or titles to be server-sided
Additionally Last Epoch already contains elements like integrated online chat which adds to this illusion
However it was quite shocking for me to find out that besides the server-sided vibe, it isn’t the case and I’m obviously not able to continue playing my 20h character besides staying offline forever. When there was the time to develop some online elements already (e.g. chat) then the next logical step could be to already implemented server-sided singleplayer mode (like non-season mode in other games) from the get-go or at least make it more obvious that it isn’t the case.
I will probably continue playing Last Epoch once multiplayer and/or server-sided savegames are thing. For the time I will watch from the sidelines. But I just wanted to share my negative experience with the hope it helps about beeing more open about some of the implications your current implementation of features have for the players without require them to dig deep into forums or discord to find some answers.
So keep up the good work and see some of you together in the game in the (near) future.
Unfortunately you have some facts wrong and these have made you jump to conclusions which are not correct or only partially so. It also sounds like you have either misunderstood information or simply not been aware of it - likely because of not participating in the community forums or on discord… something that, imho, is required if you participate in a beta game… I even think EHG directs you to this on the login screen.
*Please note, I dont work for EHG and am human and memory is fallible. *
EHG has always maintained that the current savegames etc will not be transferrable to the online Multiplayer service… When I started playing almost 2 years ago, this was brought up many times… mostly because of your exact concern about “wasting time” or “server wipes” or even regarding people editing savegames and how this would be prevented on the server.
EHG has always maintained the the current savegames would not be “wiped” or made unusable by a future update. Imho, this is a chance you take playing a beta cause even the devs cannot be sure their savegame format will not need an overhaul…
Characters & Saves are currently NOT saved online by EHG… The only online save of savegames is done via Steam Cloud save - which EHG has no access to, its just Steam doing it. Everything is local to your machine.
The only online components right now are game/user authentication (i.e. do you own the game) and to allow the very basic chat system to work. If you dont use chat, then you only need to be online for the auth…
Up until the next patch (see dev blog from today)… the only multiplayer version has been available to internal & community testers… It does exist but is entirely separate from the version we are all playing now.
I understand your frustrations and based on the tone & length of your post, its obviously important, but its important to understand that you may have been misinformed…
There was no reason for you to think that locally stored, offline characters would be ported over as server side, online characters. In fact, there is every reason for you not to think that, because it is perfectly normal, common, and standard not to.
That isn’t stated anywhere. It is a conclusion you jumped to on your own. The only misleading that happened was you misleading yourself, through assumptions that had no basis.
I actually had a similar experience. The game felt like it was server-side when I first started playing. We had online chat and I could switch computers freely and play the same characters. I didnt realize it was steam saving my progress lol
I thought the game was online until all my stash tabs and crafting shards got deleted after a crash. So naturally I took to the forums the ask how could it possibly happen, and it was Vapourfire who informed me the game was indeed offline XD
I can understand how people could come to this conclusion. The game behaves as if it was online already. People being involved here for a long time, following the progress, take it for granted that “everybody knows everything”. Years ago I also had to learn about what is saved where.
The game / the devs are not intentionally pretending this is online. But they also don’t tell you saves are local without being asked.
The good thing is, there are no wipes. If you don’t accidentally delete your saved and/ or have stored them in your steam cloud, you can play these characters forever. But if you are looking for the MP experience you have to start over when MP arrives. This can feel like a waste of time and effort.
But in the other hand you can treat it like a demo where you can get familiar with skills, classes, builds, mechanics… So when MP starts, you are certainly save to start with your favourite char/ playstyle as you have sorted out the others.
I’m currently in for 1,7k hours, playing since EA start. Personally I’m looking forward to a fresh start. It’s supposed to be refreshing and exciting for me.
