SMP vs. SP?

[Azdoine]

So I was planning on starting a new world to get the 'full experience' (I last restarted in the middle of the early game rebalances) of BTW, and I have some friends new to the mod who want to give it a try.

My question is: would I be better served by continuing to play on single player, or by restarting on a server with friends? I, personally, have never played BTW on a server.

[jorgebonafe]

I have done both, and what I found was that there are some differences of gameplay on each of them. There are some advantages in SMP, because you can protect each other in cave expeditions, build and gather materials faster, and explore faster. If you die of course, you'll be on your own. Also its a bit more challenging to maintain food supplies for more people in the beginning. But in the end I think playing by yourself would probably be more challenging. If it would be more fun or not is probably personal though...

[johnt]

If you have only a few friends on the server, you're going to playing alone alot anyway-- every time you die you're going to end up in your own area.

[DreamsofFury]

If there are 4 or less of you seems to be a nice number, anything more than that and things that should be easy get real rough real fast unless you spit into two smaller groups and stay a decent distance from each other to not only exploit a few server mechanics to lower overall spawn density around both groups and it also allows for each groups food stores to last longer. It also has potential to start a psudo-war if you guys get bored.

Otherwise unless you have that loner type personality SSP gets dull after awhile, I'm to the point I cant play more than an hour at best alone before I start bugging the girlfriend to lan with me.

[sin6il]

I say playing on a server would be a good idea. Playing on a server with your friends would allow all of you to experience BTW together at first, so you can see what its like with friends. If you die, then you can basically experience the single-player aspect of the game while still being able to chat with your friends. You also don't have to play with your friends while you are on the server. You could go off on your own right at the beginning if you want. I usually like servers just because I can chat with other people while I do my own thing.

[DaveYanakov]

Even the dying can be part of the smp experience. Everyone who kicks it will end up making a shelter and landmarks around that point. It leads to the world getting built up to the point where even if they die before getting redstone there will be a stocked outpost ready and waiting a couple kilometers out in every direction.