Single Player Game Design - Players per Server

Help and Feedback Game Design Support
#1

I’m curious to hear the community’s thoughts on game design when it comes to making single player games, specifically single player games that do not require a large amount of space.

Example:
A “game” consists of loading a player on a Part A, with a Part B above the player. The player jumps to hit Part B as many times as they can in 30 seconds. The player’s camera’s field of view would include the player as well as Parts A and B.

Design Option 1: Multiple players can play in one server, each with their own independent Parts and camera field of view such that players cannot see each other (ex: if Player 1’s “game” is at (0,0,0) and Player 2’s “game” is at (500,0,0), Player 1 and Player 2 cannot see each other’s “games” in their field of views)

Design Option 2: Limit the number of players per server to one (Maximum Player Count = 1), so that any player playing the game would be in a server of only themselves.

Questions:

  1. Are there any benefits to having multiple players within one server? (Option 1)
  2. Are there any downsides to having only one player per server? (Option 2) This solution is optimal in terms of design as there is no overhead in managing multiple “games” within one server.
  3. Is there some optimal amount of players per server that is a “Goldilocks” amount (not too little, not too much, just right)?
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#2
  1. Potential for players to talk to each other. Possibly ask for help. Though there’s another side to that. If a new (small scale) game launches and someone says in the chat “wow this game stinks” that comment will influence everyone’s opinion in the server and drive away people who might have otherwise liked the game.
  2. This may or may not be proven, but it’s plausible that, when Roblox’s resources are being strained, larger server sizes get the best servers first while the smaller ones are not prioritized. Again, I technically have no proof of this so take it as you will.
  3. It depends. More players means more potential interactions, but also more strain on the server. Different games fall in different places on that continuum based on what their needs are.
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