Looking for Low Commitment Online Multiplayer

potaco

So, due to some life events, I've been finding it less and less possible to sit down and commit a solid 2-3 hours at a time to gaming. My sessions may last that long, but will be broken up by frequent AFKs and breaks. This becomes somewhat of a problem in many games (MMOs with dungeon/raid groups, MOBAs with long matches, etc) and I don't like feeling like I'm abandoning or inconveniencing other players.

 

To put it simply, I'm looking for online games that require low time commitments and erratic breaks (even if it means taking substantially longer to proceed), but that provide the ability to play for longer periods. They don't have to be MMOs and I would actually prefer to stay away from the traditional "endgame" of raiding or running dungeons nonstop. I would enjoy some kind of meaningful progression, though.

 

Two examples that I have, and do, play:

- TF2... I can easily jump onto a public server and play without worrying about truly ruining anyone's experience by taking a short break or leaving suddenly. This is my go-to time waster, but it eventually starts to get stale... and I suck at it.

- Path of Exile... I can quickly do my own thing solo, or jump in and out of public groups, as desired. Portalling back to town allows for quick breaks. The desync issue has ruined the game for me, though.

- Defiance... It's fine for what it is, but there's only so many times you can do the same arkfalls before it gets old.

 

Some possibilities:

- Rust or maybe Day Z.. These seem interesting, though I'm not sure of the time commitments. Both are also "early access" and buggy.

- I tried PlanetSide 2 when it was first released and didn't care for it a whole lot, but would be willing to give it a second chance.

- Some newer FPS with an active community. I tried Warframe and didn't care for the aesthetics... maybe something else?

- Just stick to single player games. I have a pretty large backlog, but I do enjoy the human element of online games and these don't hold my attention for long.

 

Any other suggestions? Thanks.

ViperDragon

Based on what you've said, I suggest Day Z.  It's utterly brilliant.  And must be good - it's earned $12,000,000 in the first month.  Amazing game.

potaco

Originally posted by ViperDragon
Based on what you've said, I suggest Day Z.  It's utterly brilliant.  And must be good - it's earned $12,000,000 in the first month.  Amazing game.

Thanks for the recommendation. I was leaning towards Rust based on some really basic research, since I liked the building/gathering aspect more than pure survival. Then again, I also bought Xyson a year or so ago which had a somewhat similar concept and it was a real dud.

SirPKsAlot

I'd really suggest King's Road, it was designed for playing in short bursts. It's basically a browser-based Diablo type of game, but each level / mission lasts around 5 - 10 minutes. Basically you can log in and do a few quests in like a half hour then go back to work or whatever.

potaco

Originally posted by SirPKsAlot
I'd really suggest King's Road, it was designed for playing in short bursts. It's basically a browser-based Diablo type of game, but each level / mission lasts around 5 - 10 minutes. Basically you can log in and do a few quests in like a half hour then go back to work or whatever.

Thanks. The advertised "drop in, drop out" multiplayer is exactly what I'm looking for, in theory. Unfortunately, after playing for 30-45 minutes or so, it remained a little too simplistic for me. The short levels are nice in a sense, but give it a very disjointed feel. I just can't see myself investing time in it over a more complete and satisfying game like Diablo or PoE, even with its desync issues.

syntax42

Minecraft, Terraria, and Starbound come to mind.  I understand if you're not into building games, though.

Runescape and Eldevin are easy to play in a casual style.  I never reached "end-game" in Runescape because there was so much to do.

Kanester

Originally posted by ViperDragon
Based on what you've said, I suggest Day Z.  It's utterly brilliant.  And must be good - it's earned $12,000,000 in the first month.  Amazing game.

^That 1000%.

Brilliant game.

Would also recommend battlefield 4 now all the bugs and crashes have been sorted.