News IW responds to Modern Warfare 2 server snafu

Surely they can make it opt-in?

I'd like the option to "just play" with players around my skill level, but i would also like the option to choose, so that i can partake in clan matches, so that i can choose to join a server with the lowest possible ping and be challenged.

Yes, L4D has this matchmaking system by default, but it also allows some degree of freedom to choose a server to play on, and the ability to take part in with my friends.

 

Yes, but he made it sound like *every* player who wanted to play MP needed to own and maintain a server.

For competitive gameplay, not having a dedicated server sucks anyway.

 

I think that following the decision for PC games to become one with the console versions (which makes perfect sense afterall) that it would continue the trend to produce just one product, leading to the current problem with a working system that doesn't fit the niche of each market its aimed at perfectly (P2P matchmaking works on consoles and to an extent on PCs but not for this style of game, in my opinion). Dedicated servers are the lifeblood of many an online game and provide an environment that many gamers, such as myself, wish to enjoy as it allows a much wider experience of the game be it by mods, clans or just the guys that happen to populate the server and you can pretty much guarantee a good game. The removal of the dedicated servers can be seen in many ways but unfortunately many will be negative. I'm sure this IWnet will provide adaquete multiplayer functions to those who choose to use it but the addage of "it ain't broke, don't try and fix it" should be taken into account a little more rather than the "latest" thing.

As for all those hinting at piracy of this game, I can only shake my head in disbelief as this solves nothing in either the short term or the long term. Sure, you may get the singleplayer but at the same time are merely driving the nail into the coffin that appears to be support of the PC as a gaming platform for developers confronted with an everwider console market with less danger of loosing money spent of producing these games to pirated copies.

I think the much more sensible idea is to go out and buy a game you wish to play that has less controvesy about its elements. Hell, you may even be surprised and stumble on a game you never knew or mod for that matter that means you can support those who do follow your ideals of online gaming on the PC.

Apologies for the rambling and no offence is meant but the need to vent is overwhelming!

 

that gameinformer article you linked to is shocking - talk about biased journalism.
And to be honest the IW statements seem to completely miss the bulk of the issue, and then tried to do a little switch around with "It's a little dubious. Some of the people complaining are complaining with their pocketbook.".
Excuse me? With hundreds of thousands of signatures and complaints, the small collection of dedicated server providers are a drop in the ocean.
And the comment about "insular communities" is also laughable - people form these groups because they like playing with equally skilled people who aren't abusive idiots. That's why people set up their own public servers and why players have a favourite list in every other game. The real players who keep games alive past the first 6 months don't want to have to join a server full of mindless vitriol and unfounded complaints of cheating. Then again, I guess the rate they are churning the COD franchise games out means they no longer care about people actually playing the game.

 

People still play all the previous CoD games to this day Call of Duty 4 still has a huge following. It will be interesting to see what state MW2 will be in 2 years after release I doubt it will have even a 10th of the players CoD4 currently has.

Oh well now I don't really have such a huge problem picking up L4D2 which I wasn't going to initially but suddenly all the annoyance of that debacle pales in comparison.

 

The best thing they could of done, would be to release a multiplayer demo showcasing the matchmaking system a few months ago. They could of then collected the feedback and edited the game. Unfortunatly now its probably too late with only around 20 days left until release.

 

Never too late to include a patch, although that would be super expensive for them, and we know they like their money.

 

On a slightly different approach I'm just annoyed that this IWnet will no doubt require you create an account, Why does every single game these days need to to have ( and remember) a seperate bloody login.

Cod 4 you just ran it and played it. good 'ol days

Microsoft had the right idea ( just shockingly implemented) with the Passport, one login for everything.
Sure enough "all your eggs in one basket" is the downside but still....

Anyhoo, Back on topic with you.

 

This reply, while slightly encouraging in some respects, is utterly insulting to the intelligence of the PC community. The reason why this is such a big issue isn't because we think dedicated servers are "easier" and that matchmaking is somehow "overly complicated" (I'm not sure why we're assumed to work on backwards logic, but thanks for the kind sentiment). In fact, I'd love to see some sort of matchmaking system in place for P2P games, especially for less experienced or more casual players. You could even have servers set a certain skill rating (as an opt-in thing), so that only certain players could join. That'd be perfectly fine! Nothing wrong with it, and in fact I think it'd be a huge success.

The problem is that most of the consistent players of Modern Warfare tend to form their own small communities based on the server system. I know that the way I've always played is that I find servers with low pings, people I play well with, good map selections and enjoyable game modes. Then I add them to my favourites list and just keep playing on them. What is wrong with that? I have found a server that meets my criteria for quality simply by playing on it, and one I've found it, there's no reason for me to find another ever again. There is a certain consistency in there, especially as you start to become more familiar with individuals.

But what happens with a P2P-based system? You have no central servers, which means in general pings will be higher, along with a host advantage (making things totally unsuitable for clan or professional play), a lack of custom maps and mods (many of which players find essential to the game), which is almost assuredly to both discourage piracy and encourage DLC sales, and a lack of control by players over the precise maps and game modes they can actually play (due to idiotic playlists), as well as over individual variables like weapon balance, killstreaks available, spawn duration and location, in-game voice chatter ("OUR UAV IS ONL- UAV ONL- OUR UAV IS- OU-" etc.), violence levels, and anything else that you may want to change.

They want to make it "easier" for the end user, but it was never hard for the end user in the first place, provided that user had played a PC game before, and frankly if you're too stupid to figure out a server browser (yet somehow smart enough to buy/build a gaming computer, hm...), I don't think I want to play PC games with you!

As stated dozens of times, it has nothing to do with ease of use and everything to do with control. I was a bit worried about having to balance playing Modern Warfare 2 and Dragon Age: Origins this holiday, but now I know I'll be just fine with Dragon Age, because Modern Warfare 2 is going on hold until it's way less expensive ($60, **** you Activision, you have enough money already, you fat slugs), and/or until this server ******** gets sorted out. At this point I'd rather burn my money than give it to Activision.

 

It would have taken them 5 mins to go and ask a load of COD4 players what they would have thought about this a year ago, but no IW know better then their customers. Reminds me of UT3 where EPIC managed to p**s off so many people that even the ones that liked the game gave up.

 

Can someone explain how the game will run in MP mode without dedi servers?

Surely the games won't be played by client host?

So dedi servers will still exist?

And these will be connected to by using a similiar lobby system that tragically split the L4D communtiy when it first arrived?

Will the new CoD's lobby system also include a team match making system like the one soon to arrive on L4D?

So clans can still compete?

And will it incorporate a chat system and friends list to help maintain communities?

 

Glad I ordered it on 360, I much prefer FPS' on PC but at least the 360 has native party support.

 

Why can't they have it both ways. You can have custom matches on clan servers and then you can also do quick matches on P2P servers like they want to do. There's no reason you can't have both.

 

It won't be less expensive for a long time. I don't know why people keep saying that they're going to wait until it gets cheaper. CoD4 came out and $50 and now sells for $40 after two years, why would MW2 sell for anything less than $40 after two years?

 

And Valve did it with L4D. We all expected another PC styled FPS with the freedom we had come to expect with HLM CS CS:CZ CSS etc and then we got shafted with the console styled lobby system we use now. Thank god they are releasing the update to allow team-match-making ... if a year too late, but at least it'll help make L4D2 a much better game.

I totally agree with you, Valve should never have changed their system, IW shouldn't have changed theirs.

We are now leaning over the top of a steep cliff and very soon ALL PC games will likely go this route to keep their costs down ... sorry! I mean shareholders happy.

 

If it fails to sell significant numbers they will reduce the price until it sells well enough to narrow the losses or turn a profit.

 

Because this game now looks like it will more likely go the way of COD5:WAW. Which can be found as a shiny tea coaster in many a bedroom.

 

I really don't think you guys will see a reduction in price for this new game any time soon or even in the next year ...

Current prices:

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Steam £29.99 - Play £29.99
Call of Duty: World at War - Steam £29.99 - Play £29.99

 

Couldn't they just add filters for modded or non-modded servers? and if your userbase is that dumb, why don't you release a tutorial with your game, explaining how to use the browser =)

 

It will not sell so little units as to not profit from sales. Call Of Duty has too much of a name built up already.


Too bad.