Gaming Modern Warfare 2

[SharkyMcShark]

Couldn't find a thread for it.

The PC is getting a hideously gimped version - Infinity Ward have decided that they're going to be doing everything multiplayer through a service called IW.net. What this entails is no dedicated servers whatsoever, everything is done via matchmaking and hosting on listen servers (ie on one of the player's computer). No server browser (because there are no servers), no mod support whatsoever, no development tools.

Essentially as straight a port of the console version as you're ever likely to see. Furthering my nerd rage is the fact that on Steam to download it in America costs $60USD, whereas in Australia on Steam the exact same product delivered via the exact same method (ie downloaded off the net) costs $90USD - an extra $30USD for nothing.

The consoles are getting... well a console game to be honest.

 

[WeasteDevil]

Essentially as straight a port of the console version as you're ever likely to see.

That's a silly statement, what, just because of the lack of servers it becomes a console port? Doubt it seriously, this thing was developed on and for the PC.

 

[Alwyn]

Essentially as straight a port of the console version as you're ever likely to see.

cf. Saints Row 2

 

[SharkyMcShark]

That's a silly statement, what, just because of the lack of servers it becomes a console port? Doubt it seriously, this thing was developed on and for the PC.

Diminished draw distance, MP player limit capped at 16, no authoring tools or mod support, graphics and physics that don't even begin to even approach pushing the envelope.

Weaste in clueless shocker.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

I have already pre-ordered mine. Looking forward to it.

 

[Biscuit1871]

Am psyched about this game. feck you PC cnuts!!!

 

[Alwyn]

I have already pre-ordered mine. Looking forward to it.

feck you
^ just had to say that because I don't like liking any of your posts, but I've done exactly the same. Did it in June/July actually, good old GAME.

 

[datura]

Not too many good value pre orders at the moment..I'm tempted to wait to the day and hope for a cheap supermarket deal.

 

[WeasteDevil]

Diminished draw distance [... blarb ...] graphics and physics that don't even begin to even approach pushing the envelope.

Really?

 

[Alwyn]

Not too many good value pre orders at the moment..I'm tempted to wait to the day and hope for a cheap supermarket deal.

Trade in COD 4 and get modern warfare 2 for 24.99 at gamestation...

 

[Count Duckula]

That's a silly statement, what, just because of the lack of servers it becomes a console port? Doubt it seriously, this thing was developed on and for the PC.

I don't know about all the other bits, but I know that last bit isn't true. The original Call of Duties may have been developed for the PC market, with the console market as a secondary money-earner, but Modern Warfare 1 changed that completely. They sold a lot on the PC, granted, but they sold far, far more on the consoles. The game became a console phenomenon. So much so that Infinity Ward now view the console gamers as their main market, with the PC game just a direct port (focus on the core market first, then appease the others).

Why develop all the others bits when your main market - the consoles - can't use them anyway?

To be fair to them, though, I reckon about 95% of all video gamers play on consoles now, not PCs.

 

[WeasteDevil]

Call of Duty 4 wasn't exactly Crysis in the first place, and I would suspect that they are using exactly the same engine or an upgrade version of it. So the sales of COD4 on the consoles don't change that. Is it being said here that the art budget for the follow up to one of the best selling games of all time was cut here such that it was based on the vertex processing limits, the memory and bandwidth limits for textures etc. of the consoles? All because some people are chucking hissy fits over the lack of dedicated server support, which is probably there to tackle piracy and sell DLC more than anything?

 

[Count Duckula]

Call of Duty 4 wasn't exactly Crysis in the first place, and I would suspect that they are using exactly the same engine or an upgrade version of it. So the sales of COD4 on the consoles don't change that. Is it being said here that the art budget for the follow up to one of the best selling games of all time was cut here such that it was based on the vertex processing limits, the memory and bandwidth limits for textures etc. of the consoles? All because some people are chucking hissy fits over the lack of dedicated server support, which is probably there to tackle piracy and sell DLC more than anything?

Why would dedicated server support promote piracy? If anything the opposite is true - with a dedicated server you can check CD keys, make sure only legit copies are playing. If you take that away and force everyone to connect to their own servers then you're essentially making it so that the pirates don't need to interact with you at all and can play to their heart's content.

 

[WeasteDevil]

Why would dedicated server support promote piracy? If anything the opposite is true - with a dedicated server you can check CD keys, make sure only legit copies are playing. If you take that away and force everyone to connect to their own servers then you're essentially making it so that the pirates don't need to interact with you at all and can play to their heart's content.

When they talk about dedicated servers, and the lack of support for them, I don't think it's about Activision running those servers is it? It's about any Tom, Dick or Harry running a PC server just for this game and installing all sorts of mods etc. on it?

 

[Count Duckula]

When they talk about dedicated servers, and the lack of support for them, I don't think it's about Activision running those servers is it? It's about any Tom, Dick or Harry running a PC server just for this game and installing all sorts of mods etc. on it?

Ach, you may be right. Even so, I don't see how that cuts down on piracy. People'll just use listen servers and personal hosting instead, and still steal the game.

 

[WeasteDevil]

I think now, to get online, you have to go through the Activision matchmaking servers. I could be wrong, I've not really read up on it in any detail.

 

[CassiusClaymore]

Uh-oh. Major controversy alert.

MW2 intro

I'm quite liberal minded but I'm struggling to think up any justification for that.

I'm guessing that the angle they're coming from is that you have the choice to pull the trigger or not but knowing damn well the demographic for this game it's at best irresponsible and in the current climate, in exceedingly poor taste.

Bad form Infinity Ward.

 

[Count Duckula]

I have no idea what the feck was going on in that video other than you appeared to be running through an airport/shopping mall slaughtering civilians. Which for a game that styles itself as modern warfare, surely can't be true?

 

[CassiusClaymore]

That's pretty much exactly what seems to be happening.

I assume either

a) you play that level as one of the terrorists

or

b) you play as an undercover agent behaving as a terrorist

B would seem a little far fetched. Even Jack Bauer draws the line at slaughtering an airport full of civilians. One or two maybe for the greater good...

 

[gaffs]

feck - if true, i wouldnt be surprised if this game gets banned.

Shooting civilians is one thing, like in GTA, but gunning down a big group in an airport is terrorist porn.

 

[SharkyMcShark]

Was talking to a mate about this earlier - I reckon you're one of the terrorists for this intro bit (just like you were the president for the intro in CoD4).

 

[SharkyMcShark]

Anyway, I don't think it will be banned because of this, given that you could literally shoot up a hospital sick people and all execution style in both GTA4 and Saints Row 2, and no one really seemed to care then.

 

[Count Duckula]

Anyway, I don't think it will be banned because of this, given that you could literally shoot up a hospital sick people and all execution style in both GTA4 and Saints Row 2, and no one really seemed to care then.

Aye, but I guess the argument there would be that it was entirely freeform. It was bad enough that they gave you the option of doing it, but you could go the entire game without needlessly slaughtering civilians if you so chose.

In this case, however, it looks like you have to complete this level - I mean, what kind of introductory level would it be if you could skip it? Thus there's no "choice" for people to opt out of being a sociopath; you have to gun down loads of fleeing innocents in order to progress with the game.

One of them is casually setting it up so that if you want to slaughter people you can - which is bad enough - but the other is actively ordering you to or it won't let you progress with the game.

 

[SharkyMcShark]

Aye, but I guess the argument there would be that it was entirely freeform. It was bad enough that they gave you the option of doing it, but you could go the entire game without needlessly slaughtering civilians if you so chose.

In this case, however, it looks like you have to complete this level - I mean, what kind of introductory level would it be if you could skip it? Thus there's no "choice" for people to opt out of being a sociopath; you have to gun down loads of fleeing innocents in order to progress with the game.

One of them is casually setting it up so that if you want to slaughter people you can - which is bad enough - but the other is actively ordering you to or it won't let you progress with the game.

Actually there is, I've found out after further reading. Activision have confirmed that prior to the level there's a warning that some players might find the following level disturbing and are able to skip it if they want.

Activision says controversial Modern Warfare 2 scene can be skipped

Either way, I think it's a pointless PR stunt - the game has already been rated in a majority of jurisdictions as legal for sale, leaking this footage now will only serve to boost interest in a game that's had pre orders slump in the last week or so.

 

[gaffs]

As CD, says, its pretty different.

Plus, COD is like a War simulation so its pretty realistic. So i would imagine that the terrorist level is also pretty realistic.

Its going to cause a huge amount of controversy - especially in the US.

The BBFC have already given it an 18 - the first COD to get an 18.

 

[gaffs]

Actually there is, I've found out after further reading. Activision have confirmed that prior to the level there's a warning that some players might find the following level disturbing and are able to skip it if they want.

Activision says controversial Modern Warfare 2 scene can be skipped

Either way, I think it's a pointless PR stunt - the game has already been rated in a majority of jurisdictions as legal for sale, leaking this footage now will only serve to boost interest in a game that's had pre orders slump in the last week or so.

Come on - who is going to do that?

 

[SharkyMcShark]

Come on - who is going to do that?

Several dozen outraged mothers across the globe?

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

As CD, says, its pretty different.

Plus, COD is like a War simulation so its pretty realistic. So i would imagine that the terrorist level is also pretty realistic.

Its going to cause a huge amount of controversy - especially in the US.

The BBFC have already given it an 18 - the first COD to get an 18.

No FPS is realistic in any sense.

 

[gaffs]

Im not a prude in the slightest, but I just don’t see the point in making a level like that.

It can only be to generate more publicity and controversy.

 

[gaffs]

No FPS is realistic in any sense.

Its as realistic as a War game could be.

 

[Solius]

Controversial stuff but personally I'd have no qualms gunning down loads of innocents in that level. At the end of the day you're just shooting a load of NPC's in a game.

 

[SharkyMcShark]

To be honest I find the random violence in the GTA series and Saints Row series (Hitman, etc etc) on more morally reprehensible level than this (not that I really care about such things), mainly because it's being used to an end in this - you're meant to see how bad the terrorists are because they just killed a concourse full of people for no reason whatsoever with high powered firearms.


I'm not saying I think it's a good idea to have a level like this, as opposed to a cutscene, and I've really got no intention whatsoever of playing MW2 (unless the dedicated server issue is resolved), but from a storytelling standpoint it's easier to justify this than randomly killing people for no reason with a cricket bat or doing something similar to what the MW2 footage shows in Saints Row/GTA/Hitman/whatever just because you can.

My personal opinion is that it is distasteful and was done just to generate a reaction, but to say that it shouldn't have been made, which in fairness isn't an out there comment, would indict a hell of a lot of contemporary games.

 

[The Flying Potato]

The vid has been taken down, any links?

 

[CassiusClaymore]

I was thinking about this a bit more earlier and I have to admit when I first saw it, it genuinely shocked me.

But is that the point? People bring up the GTA games and they're pretty blasee about crime and violence, so much so that you don't really give it a second thought when you mow some hooker over in your sports car.

And there's the earlier COD's and other FPS's that put you in the position of the good guy where you don't even question pulling the trigger against the enemy coz you know, they're the baddies.

I'd like to think that Infinty Ward were putting the shock back into violence to make people question their own morals and motivations but the cynic in me just thinks that they've done it to stir up controversy for more sales (not that it needs it).

 

[CassiusClaymore]

Still up here (for now) -

Modern Warfare 2 - Intro Gameplay

 

[Solius]

I wouldn't really think they would need to stir up publicity considering the success of Modern Warfare.

 

[CassiusClaymore]

Saying all that, I still stand by the fact that it's morally irresponsible.

Let's not kid ourselves here, the game may be an 18 certificate but a large percentage of those that play it won't be.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Its as realistic as a War game could be.

i.e., completely unrealistic in every sense.

Not attacking you in any way, just telling it like it is with FPS games.

 

[Wembley Red]

This game is going to be off the charts. Do I pre-order or just get down to a store on the day?!

 

[Dave89]

Kinell. The meeja will have a field day.