@thomashiatt said in Do you think Sanctuary will replace FAF?:
They've never mentioned anything in their blogs or anywhere else, as far as I know, about improving the steep learning curve and making it easier for new players to transition from single player to online play. Which are the actual design problems needing to be tackled. They just talk about adding even more mechanics, like weather and terrain destruction, to a game that was already too unapproachable from the start. Their focus seems to be on technical features rather than game design.
Ngl I like this. Whenever some "designer types" have tried to make RTS more "approachable" it has ended badly. When I was a kid I just wanted a sandbox with cool toys to play with, and there was a sense of bewilderment and awe that one could play against other people in any way that would be remotely efficient. Whenever you try to streamline the experience in order to attract more players the game loses its charm to some extent. Imo the best you can do is have a good set of single player and co-op experiences that blur the line between single- and multiplayer.