Quoting redmattis, reply 32
Quoting Wizaerd, reply 31I would much rather that developmental resources were allocated to tweaking and fixing single player and producing more content so that it was perfect (or as perfect as can be) before even considering MP. In fact, if MP weren't considered at all it certainly wouldn't hurt my feelings any.
On the other hand, adding multiplayer is a perfect way to test game balance because players will use every trick in the book to claw their way to the top.
Since typically MP in these types of games doesn't have the number of players the SP has, your assumption that MP is the best way to test isn't necessarily accurate. There have been countless threads and even polls here, and the people who want MP are in the minority. So to rely on the minority to do the testing isn't really a sound plan.
Stardock rarely makes multiplayer games and represented on the forums are mostly their core fanbase who sticks around here because they are fine with, or even prefer, not having multiplayer in their games. It is far more difficult to count the number of people who read reviews, logged into steam and saw that the game lacked multiplayer and decided to wait, simply because most people will not register on forums simply to request it, and those who do post certainly won't hang around the forums to vote in occasional polls for games they haven't even bought.
I won't be sticking around the forums here either, I haven't bought the game, and so I have little else to do here than ask a few questions and nag about the lack of multiplayer. When and if I do buy the game you'll see more of me.
My concern and fear is that if resources are allocated to creating MP functionality that either the SP will undergo unwanted changes to allow for it, or the SP development will stall and it will be a mediocre game. Not every game has to have MP, a solid and enchanting SP game can be every bit as successful, if not moreso.
A single player (any single player) game can be very successful, but moreso than any multiplayer game? The biggest games in this age are always multiplayer games and the trend goes to more multiplayer-oriented games.
That said, single player games are sometimes altered quite a lot when adapted for multiplayer, most obviously for things connected to multiplayer balance. For good or bad since this can both improve and sabotage the single player mode depending on the change.