I would say that the DEVS really have it out for solo players. The number of times you have to redo a level because the game just multi-events you. Then, the lost bedrolls that are there when you go back and check, but no, random, which, is not random, it is all the way back at the start location, so run run run, and you bet, it is night and you have nothing so sit through another night. Let's make it clear. If you do not like solo players, yet have the game slanted toward multiplayer, do you DEVS really believe that everyone can find another player to play with. I have yet to find anyone to play and have been looking since weekend 3. So, penalize me. The making it all the way to the snow zone, just get in the snow after having gone through the forest, to be killed from behind by a fresh spawned bear....start at random, not random location, run run run. You DEVS hate us solo players, well you guys sadists.

Did you post something in the looking for groups discussion to find people to play with? I just saw they have one with a lot postings.. Hope you find someone :-) I can totally feel for you and have went thru the same things many times :-) as a solo player.. It is more fun in a group. Good Luck :-)

The ratios b/n solo and multiplayer events need to be addressed.

They hate offline players because when your PC suddenly crashes then all your characters will be gone. I do recommend to play online or you will loose all progress.

In 2022 a game like this can not create backup data and if save files corrupted by crasg then they are gone. Poof! Absolutely outstanding! I hope they know about DB backup mechanics. I really do

Maybe you should fix your computer first. Random crashing and corrupted files isnt a sign of a healthy computer

Originally posted by PhantomDez:

They hate offline players because when your PC suddenly crashes then all your characters will be gone. I do recommend to play online or you will loose all

I am not sure why you are playing in offline mode? I’m a solo player with over 400hrs between 2 steam account and I have yet to ever select offline mode. Just click play and then set prospect to private if you don’t want people to join.

As for OP if you watch a few tutorials and ask we will give tips. Bedrolls are crucial I learned that the hardway on a mission in the Arctic during beta weekends. Roof collapsed from weight of snow and bedroll was destroyed instantly from storm. Since then I am always super cautious about placing a bedroll and I can’t remember the last time I had to deal with darkness. Always just go to sleep. The only real issue I have as a solo player is carrying exotics. I run out of slots and weight issues if I try to extract 2 veins.

Any idea why the "Join Prospect" option doesn't afford an option for an "open" invitation to join, perhaps even with a max # of players? You shouldn't have to perma-friend someone just to enjoy some random playtime with a few folks.

Sent a friend request, because yes....solo sux arse. I live on the East Coast but am up most nights. I do not use Discord for voice ( hearing loss ) so accept if you want to get some game on.

Originally posted by jeandeaux:

Any idea why the "Join Prospect" option doesn't afford an option for an "open" invitation to join, perhaps even with a max # of players? You shouldn't have to perma-friend someone just to enjoy some random playtime with a few folks.

I think it is to avoid the hackers or others that are out there just to ruin others lives. No seriously, I read some discussions where other players were able to hack into your prospect and they would run about destroying everything. I can see their point of " Friends Only "

Thanks for all the replies fellow gamers. GTO, I will add you. I was serious about not having been able to find anyone to do missions with. I never play offline, so I wasn't worried about files. The biggest part, I was only joking about the mean DEVS...lol...I just redid level 65 I don't know how many times, I hadn't died since level 42 before that, which was another multiple penalty do it over again again, again. I end up logging out and laughing when I get gang beared, with a side of one or 2 packs of wolves with a boar thrown in instead of a cherry bush, as you get struck by lightning and burn as you run run run....lol

My two cents: this game is obviously intended to be multi-player-only. Single-player is really just for "my friends aren't available today, so I'm going to go work on my outpost or play around on an expedition mission." I know that sucks for a lot of people, but frankly I can't imagine slogging through any but the easiest/shortest missions of Icarus without at least one other player.

thor, today was the first time I played in multi I am level 70, all from solo. And I did some of the harder missions as well. It can be soloed, my only real wish is that the penalty for dying when solo not be so bad. Instead, they just made harder worms in caves when there is more than one player. Level 66 was 5 times do-over...but I agree that the devs were planning multi but they shouldn't have been so hard on solo.

Originally posted by Robearicus:

I agree that the devs were planning multi but they shouldn't have been so hard on solo.

I don't think it's that they were "hard on" solo players; i think it's just that they put no thought into it at all. They tooled the game for multiplayer, and said "sure you can play by yourself. Here are a few talent trees to help you out if that's all you're ever going to do."

Personally, I think the fact that you only need to earn back 1/4 of the xp after you respawn is a HUGE concession they really didn't need to make. I've played some solo, and I've had to respawn because there wasn't anyone to come rescue me. It sucked. But I didn't agonize over it, because the worst part is just running to pick up my stuff.

Originally posted by thorvindr:

Originally posted by Robearicus:

I agree that the devs were planning multi but they shouldn't have been so hard on solo.

I don't think it's that they were "hard on" solo players; i think it's just that they put no thought into it at all. They tooled the game for multiplayer, and said "sure you can play by yourself. Here are a few talent trees to help you out if that's all you're ever going to do."

Personally, I think the fact that you only need to earn back 1/4 of the xp after you respawn is a HUGE concession they really didn't need to make. I've played some solo, and I've had to respawn because there wasn't anyone to come rescue me. It sucked. But I didn't agonize over it, because the worst part is just running to pick up my stuff.

We definitely didn't want to neglect solo players, so gutted to hear that you've felt it's underwhelming! One of our pillars is actually 'it's fun to play alone' so if that's not happening, then we have work to do.

But you can rest assured, that with this being a pillar, it's not going to be forgotten.

We actively use featureupvote as our site for gathering player feedback to make changes. You may have already left all these great thoughts there, but if not, I would encourage you to! https://icarus.featureupvote.com/

no, i think many people cant play solo anymore.
Everything have to be multiplayer.

If you have to gather wood, you cant gather stone too?
No, you need another player who gather stone.
If not, the game is unplayable for you.

Jeeez.

I play solo since 120 hours and its fine.
Expect Pay:Extraction ALL is doable solo. Payday Extraction too, but its really a grindfest.
Finished it today and....will do it never again :D

Sure it is doable, but it is a lot "harder", and you will need a lot more time and get less reward(/time played).
There is just no balance at all between solo and coop, in all core game mechanics.

Death is a huge pain in the rear solo, loose all gear/armor/weapons/food, XP, without spawn point you get dropped somewhere naked no matter the daytime and weather, you must get back to your corpse, or you will loose workshop items...
(forgot, on top of all that, you also keep broken leg and deep wound debuff...)
Coop, you get revived same place with all inventory and XP still there, put O2 and canteen back in their suit slots and eat half a stack of meat, done.
100% unbalanced

Rewards, Coop everyone gets full reward, no matter how short/litte his participation.
Solo you have to do anything by yourself, much higher risk, will usually take much longer, only get same/one reward.
100% unbalanced
(edit: this is also easily exploited, like 4 friends start Deep Vein independently, then with 2nd char visits prospects of 3 others shortly, everyone finishes his prospect, everyone gets 4x reward for doing it 1 time, poor solo has to do it 4 times)
This for me is worst, i can deal with (even like) it taking longer, being more risk, but that i only get same small reward has killed any motivation to do more solo.
Coop is just sooo much easier and faster.
Completing any mission solo should double reward, any HC mission solo should be 3 or 4 times reward. And that is for R$ AND collected Exotics.


My experience, missions do not scale at all in difficulty, depending on player count.
On the scan missions it seems to spawn always same type and number of predators (2 bears, 3 wolfs, 2 cougars...), no matter if you are solo or 3 in coop.
Same for stockpile, always have to deliver same amount of stuff.
100% unbalanced

HC missions solo VS coop. LOL
3 ship coop, basically zero risk of loosing char.
Solo, very high chance of loosing char, but same reward...
100% unbalanced

And there is many additional things that just make it all a LOT easier when you are not alone.
DPS/fighting power scales up 1:1 with player count, so do inventory slots, G-slots and carry capacity. Same for skills and blueprints. Some missions where you can split up, you can half or 3rd time needed, since you can do things simultanious vs successively in solo.


The solo talant tree imho does close to nothing to help with any of that.
Also you need level up first to get any use out of it, but then you don't have points for other trees. You should get extra/double "solo skill points" just for solo tree, or all solo skills should just always be enabled from start, as long as you have been only one on prospect.

I really don't see any evidence that there has been any thought/attempt to balance solo vs coop play in this game.


Did 70h solo, and 70h coop, solo with solo char(full solo tree) and coop char(nothing in solo tree), so i think i know what i'm talking about.