Hydroneer 2024 - Multiplayer and Coop Explained
Bringing friends to Hydroneer is possible. Here you will learn what multiplayer and coop functions are available in this game.
We like playing old, well-established games. There is a reason why Steam has “Labour of love” category in its awards. Thanks to developers dedicated to their fanbases, responsible for their productions, we can see not-so-fresh titles thriving and being updated, just like it happens with Hydroneer. This production from 2020 has just recently received a new DLC entitled Journey to Volcalidus, adding a lot of extra content. As the interest for the game has been reignited among the players, many ask the creators about co-op and multiplayer modes. Will we see them in this production? Let’s find out.
- Multiplayer and co-op in Hydroneer explained
- In depth explanation of multiplayer solution in Hydroneer
Multiplayer and co-op in Hydroneer explained
Hydroneer is not an original game by any means. However, it has at least one feature that differentiates it from similar titles like, for example, Satisfactory – advanced physics systems. It is also this production’s undoing when it comes to implementation of multiplayer or co-op.
If you would like to bring in your friends to help you out in with cornerstone, employ them as a smith and work with an anvil, or a plumber to take care of clogged hand sorter, there is a way. The developers explained in a FAQ thread on Steam’s Community Hub that the only available option is (and most probably will remain) co-op in the form of Steam Remote Play.
This is the tl;dr version of the explanation, yet if you would like to know why is that from the technical standpoint of view, you are more than welcome to continue reading.
In depth explanation of multiplayer solution in Hydroneer
If you are reading further, that’s great! Let’s dive a bit deeper into the problem that the creators are facing in the case of Hydroneer’s multiplayer feature.
It all comes down to the game engine that the title uses – UE4. Its implementation of physics is non-deterministic, which means that the same inputs can produce different outputs. This greatly affects the potential synchronization between players, as Hydroneer relies heavily on physics, unlike many other games in the genre.
This, however, is not the only hurdle that prevents the developers from implementing the classical version of multiplayer. The no less important matter is the fact that Hydroneer is in hands of relatively small group of creators, who have to manage their resources carefully. Thanks to adopting Steam Remote Play, they can focus on adding more interesting content to the game, while still having multiplayer feature available.
