Infinity Ward Responds to Modern Warfare 2 Controversy

[paketep]

That's Activision killing PC gaming for you:

- StarCraft 2's LAN and B.Net controversies. Plus monetizing DLC.
- Wolfenstein sorry ass game, plus no support in sight.
- And now this.

Me, I'm not buying anything more from Activision until they kick out Kotick, Pardo and whoever thought this idiocy at IW.

Yeah, I know that probably means I'll never again buy from Activision. Their loss.

 

[MR T3D]

Well, i'm thinking most of the HC PC gaming community will merely wait 4 months for BC2, and if they hate tanks, simply MOD THEM OUT BECAUSE THEY CAN, and host their own servers.

 

[Nimbus]

...Not to mention here the UK that the average broadband speed here in the UK [http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2008/feb/20/averageukbroadbandspeedis] is 296Kbps, that's around 25KBps...

Capitalisation is important.

Fix'd.
(Sorry, it really bugs me when people mess this up.)

 

[TsunamiWombat]

Funk

I fully agree that this is a -great- way to get people into PC gaming, and make it quicker and simpler. I am not inteirly certain why they cannot allow for individual server browsing in addition to auto-match however. It seems like it would be a simple "Hey, your stepping out of our controlled sphere here good luck buddy" warning label and away you go.

Matchmaking works great for something like L4D which is only played with like 7 other people tops, but dedicated servers are still highly efficient for anything with 16+ players.

I still maintain this is because IW was pressured to have a simultanious release (remember it was originally going to be delayed) by Activision, and they were forced to cut ends to get the PC game out.

Yes, I can blame Kotick for anything.

KOOOOOOOOTTTTTIIIIICCCCCKKKKKKK!!!!!

 

[Amnestic]

That's Activision killing PC gaming for you:

- StarCraft 2's LAN and B.Net controversies.

Once again, Blizzard is entirely autonomous from Activision. SC2's LAN is entirely on Blizzard's shoulders, not Activision. I'm all for hating on Kotick and whatnot along with the rest of you, but blame should go to those who are responsible. Blizzard did the SC2 LAN, not Activision.

On a side note, I love Blizzard games to bits and I'll still be buying and enjoying the hell out of SC2 regardless, but I wish they'd kept LAN in.

 

[Swaki]

first i was just skimming the article and when i saw something whit console, PC version and breaking the barrier i thought they where gonna let us play against people on consoles, finally an opportunity to show all those "1337" xbox players that their joystick expertize don't stand a chance against a razer mouse, but oh well.

i don't really play that much on dedicated servers, i play rarely on some tf2 where they hold special tournaments, but it doesn't really get my knickers in a twist, so LAN for SC2.

"Well, my home will never be 100% clean, so I might as well not do the laundry."

my rule for cleaning.

 

[MR T3D]

Funk

I fully agree that this is a -great- way to get people into PC gaming, and make it quicker and simpler. I am not inteirly certain why they cannot allow for individual server browsing in addition to auto-match however. It seems like it would be a simple "Hey, your stepping out of our controlled sphere here good luck buddy" warning label and away you go.

Matchmaking works great for something like L4D which is only played with like 7 other people tops, but dedicated servers are still highly efficient for anything with 16+ players.

I still maintain this is because IW was pressured to have a simultanious release (remember it was originally going to be delayed) by Activision, and they were forced to cut ends to get the PC game out.

Yes, I can blame Kotick for anything.

KOOOOOOOOTTTTTIIIIICCCCCKKKKKKK!!!!!

why they don't include the dedi server as an option IS the problem, if they had both, i'm sure i'd be fine, but ITS NOT WHAT THEY WANT, hence the outrage, if they merely said, look! we also have a MM system, yeah, you have to play theese to go up in rank, buit you can still do normal server system, then i'd be fine, but this is a step in hte wrong direction, for sure

THEYD TUK UR SERRVESS!!!

 

[Treblaine]

I really want to meet these people who have trouble navigating a server browser.

Surely natural selection should have done it's thing by now.

Here's the thing. The people who have trouble navigating a server browser are people who don't play PC games because the complexity - whether actual or merely just an appearance - is overwhelming and intimidating. It's a barrier that needs to be overcome to start branching out from the "core" crowd - which is something that I think many developers are trying to do.

Frapple speaks the truth.

You're also being a corporate tool if your buy into their BS that it is OK to REMOVE features while at the same time calling it "the most feature laden game yet".

The bottom line that you missed in the thread of your last article was that no one really cares about the presence of matchmaking. What they DO care about is removing Server Browser / Dedicated Server support for no good reason as it is blindingly obvious that millions of people use it and enjoy it intensely and have done with many other games for the past 15 years now.

And about your friend, you lack some basic PC skills yourself if you haven't realised you can just tell your friend to JOIN YOUR GAME if you are both using STEAM. It will automatically open the game and join the same server.

Otherwise just bite the bullet and buy the 360 version of TF2 to play against your PC-incompetent friends and keep your PC version for when you want a regular online gaming session.

 

[paketep]

Once again, Blizzard is entirely autonomous from Activision. SC2's LAN is entirely on Blizzard's shoulders, not Activision. I'm all for hating on Kotick and whatnot along with the rest of you, but blame should go to those who are responsible. Blizzard did the SC2 LAN, not Activision.

On a side note, I love Blizzard games to bits and I'll still be buying and enjoying the hell out of SC2 regardless, but I wish they'd kept LAN in.

The decission may have been Blizzard's, but I really doubt the idea was theirs.

Pitchforks on the way to Kotick's house, anyone?

 

[Treblaine]

Funk

I fully agree that this is a -great- way to get people into PC gaming, and make it quicker and simpler. I am not inteirly certain why they cannot allow for individual server browsing in addition to auto-match however. It seems like it would be a simple "Hey, your stepping out of our controlled sphere here good luck buddy" warning label and away you go.

Matchmaking works great for something like L4D which is only played with like 7 other people tops, but dedicated servers are still highly efficient for anything with 16+ players.

I still maintain this is because IW was pressured to have a simultanious release (remember it was originally going to be delayed) by Activision, and they were forced to cut ends to get the PC game out.

Yes, I can blame Kotick for anything.

KOOOOOOOOTTTTTIIIIICCCCCKKKKKKK!!!!!

why they don't include the dedi server as an option IS the problem, if they had both, i'm sure i'd be fine, but ITS NOT WHAT THEY WANT, hence the outrage, if they merely said, look! we also have a MM system, yeah, you have to play theese to go up in rank, buit you can still do normal server system, then i'd be fine, but this is a step in hte wrong direction, for sure

THEYD TUK UR SERRVESS!!!

Fixed, for great justice.

 

[Croaker42]

Here's the thing. The people who have trouble navigating a server browser are people who don't play PC games because the complexity - whether actual or merely just an appearance - is overwhelming and intimidating. It's a barrier that needs to be overcome to start branching out from the "core" crowd - which is something that I think many developers are trying to do.

This is correct.
In an ideal situation a business will try and grow faster then the natural market. This creates stability for a company as well secures their position in the market. For PC FPS games this means pulling from other genera as well as pulling from console markets. In this case it means adopting a matchmaking system to make the game more appealing to console gamers.

Really no reason to ***** about it. I mean don?t you want Infinity Ward to do well? After all they make that game you like.

Besides the peasant (console) folk could use an FPS beating.

 

[teh_gunslinger]

I like TF2. I want to enjoy TF2 with a buddy of mine who now lives on the opposite side of the country, and whose last foray into PC gaming was... uh, possibly the original StarCraft. If we were playing on the 360, it'd be as easy as putting the disc in and playing together. But we don't want to play on the 360, we want to play on the PC. I think IW taking steps to make the PC gaming process as painless as possible is a good thing.

No, they can't fix everything, but that's no excuse to not try to make things easier. It's like saying "Well, my home will never be 100% clean, so I might as well not do the laundry."

But surely, you must both have Steam and you are presumably friends on said service. So, if you will allow me, you could start a game and join a server you like and feel is good for his level and he could... I dunno... click on 'Join Game' at your icon in the friends list. I can't see the hard part there.

The problem is not the introduction of a match making system. Go nuts for all I care. The problem is the removal of a superior technology that allows for more flexibility and creation of communities.

I honestly can't understand why you keep defending IW and their ass backwards shafting of the people who made them.

Joining a server is not exactly rocket science and a pc is connected to Google, surely?

 

[Dudeakoff]

In an ideal situation a business will try and grow faster then the natural market. This creates stability for a company as well secures their position in the market. For PC FPS games this means pulling from other genera as well as pulling from console markets. In this case it means adopting a matchmaking system to make the game more appealing to console gamers.

Why would a console gamer move from their console to PC to receive a similar product? They may as well stick to their consoles instead of forcing themselves to adapt to a new control method and community for no apparent reason.
The appeal of PC gaming is partly the things IW are taking out in this game (mods, dedicated servers, larger competitive scene)

 

[Compatriot Block]

I not to upset about the dedicated servers, all I want to know is 'will my ping be under 70?' as Im in ireland (eg: the arse end of europe) Im a bit worried. As long as its better than the console version Im happy.

"as long as its better than the console version?" what is that supposed to mean?

It's supposed to mean that he feels a sense of superiority towards those peasant folk who only play on consoles.

I still doubt this will seriously affect the sales of MW2.

i am an as you say peasent folk and i find that offensive, and funny

Woah woah woah, I'm a half-console gamer too, brother. Let there be no hard feelings between us.
i am an as you say peasent folk and i find that offensive, and funny[/quote]Woah woah woah, I'm a half-console gamer too, brother. Let there be no hard feelings between us.

 

[John Funk]

I like TF2. I want to enjoy TF2 with a buddy of mine who now lives on the opposite side of the country, and whose last foray into PC gaming was... uh, possibly the original StarCraft. If we were playing on the 360, it'd be as easy as putting the disc in and playing together. But we don't want to play on the 360, we want to play on the PC. I think IW taking steps to make the PC gaming process as painless as possible is a good thing.

No, they can't fix everything, but that's no excuse to not try to make things easier. It's like saying "Well, my home will never be 100% clean, so I might as well not do the laundry."

But surely, you must both have Steam and you are presumably friends on said service. So, if you will allow me, you could start a game and join a server you like and feel is good for his level and he could... I dunno... click on 'Join Game' at your icon in the friends list. I can't see the hard part there.

The problem is not the introduction of a match making system. Go nuts for all I care. The problem is the removal of a superior technology that allows for more flexibility and creation of communities.

I honestly can't understand why you keep defending IW and their ass backwards shafting of the people who made them.

Joining a server is not exactly rocket science and a pc is connected to Google, surely?

And yet for whatever reason, it wouldn't allow her to join any of my games or vice-versa; we had to manually search for a server she could join. It doesn't always work as planned.

I don't believe I've said anything in this post specifically defending their actions. I'm defending the philosophy of "there's nothing wrong with making PC gaming more accessible," certainly.

 

[Skizle]

actually if there could be a way that the pc gamers could play against the console gamers that would be pretty cool. i mean they HAVE the set up for it now or did this fail with Shadowrun?

 

[teh_gunslinger]

I like TF2. I want to enjoy TF2 with a buddy of mine who now lives on the opposite side of the country, and whose last foray into PC gaming was... uh, possibly the original StarCraft. If we were playing on the 360, it'd be as easy as putting the disc in and playing together. But we don't want to play on the 360, we want to play on the PC. I think IW taking steps to make the PC gaming process as painless as possible is a good thing.

No, they can't fix everything, but that's no excuse to not try to make things easier. It's like saying "Well, my home will never be 100% clean, so I might as well not do the laundry."

But surely, you must both have Steam and you are presumably friends on said service. So, if you will allow me, you could start a game and join a server you like and feel is good for his level and he could... I dunno... click on 'Join Game' at your icon in the friends list. I can't see the hard part there.

The problem is not the introduction of a match making system. Go nuts for all I care. The problem is the removal of a superior technology that allows for more flexibility and creation of communities.

I honestly can't understand why you keep defending IW and their ass backwards shafting of the people who made them.

Joining a server is not exactly rocket science and a pc is connected to Google, surely?

And yet for whatever reason, it wouldn't allow her to join any of my games or vice-versa; we had to manually search for a server she could join. It doesn't always work as planned.

I don't believe I've said anything in this post specifically defending their actions. I'm defending the philosophy of "there's nothing wrong with making PC gaming more accessible," certainly.

Well, in retrospect I would like to apologize for my tone. I was perhaps out of line.

There is always the possibility of something being wrong for whatever reason, but that is not exclusive to Steam. I've had problems the few times I've played online on my PS3 as well.

And I have perhaps interpreted you too black and white and I agree that there is nothing wrong with making gaming more accessible. I don't agree that making a game accessible justifies taking out features or removing options. I'm sure both options could exist alongside each other. Match making and so forth for the peeps that prefer that and custom, privately run and moderated servers for those that prefer that.

 

[Snotnarok]

I like when companies say "We know what the community wants" yet everyone is screaming they want the other option that they're ignoring.