How would multiplayer work?

How would multiplayer actually work? Would it be like minecraft servers, with an open world map that players are randomly dropped into and casually build until they inevitably run into each other? And continue on going regardless of how many people are defeated. Or would multiplayer games be short lived like those on Command and Conquer or Age of Empires? There are both pros and cons to both of these. I hope that it’s more like minecraft. Starting a civilization again every few hours would get annoying.

I moved 4 posts to a new topic: How will coop multiplayer work?