CoD: MW2 will NOT have dedicated servers for the PC

[Munch]

punkbuster is really rubbish... VAC is way better (thats not even to VACs credit though, punkbuster is such fail)

The point is that automatic cheat detection doesn't work, whether it's punkbuster or VAC or whatever. Dedicated cheaters will always be one step ahead of the curve.

The only real way to operate a server free from cheaters is to manually monitor the server for cheats in addition to running an automatic detector such as punkbuster. The automatic method will prevent known cheaters from joining by referring to an online database of offenders, and will stop people with easily detectable hacks from joining by detecting the changes they have made to game files or whatever. The few cheaters that do get through will be found out by the admin (probably clan members who stop playing to spectate suspected hackers), will have evidence collected (we always tried to collect: [1] at least two 'punkbuster screenshots' which for example reveal what the player is seeing if they use a wallhack, which you wouldn't see just by spectating, and [2] a video of the player's cheat-like behaviour), and the evidence will be sent to the central database so that that player is added to the worldwide ban list. The ban will then be enforced in all punkbuster-enabled servers, and will hold even if the player buys a new copy of the game.

I can't possibly imagine that IW staff will have the time or the inclination to monitor servers for hackers, now that they have said that players themselves won't be able to admin. Sure, they say 'you can set up your own peer-to-peer if you want to be able to kick and control the game', but no-one would join such a rubbish match anyway. This is the death of at least half-serious CoD online.

 

[Maniacal]

There are also several 3rd party ban database services for various games as well as punkbuster and VAC's. VAC also does not ban people right away but delays it a few days or up to a couple of weeks after detection in order to catch more people.

If a hacker goes onto a well-admined server, he'll be permanently banned pretty quickly once his hacking is obvious and/or proven.

EDIT: Also, there is still no word from IW (although quite possibly in the podcast they said P2P, not entirely sure) if IWnet will have official hosted servers such as how Left 4 Dead's multiplayer is run (which actually still uses user-supported servers) or if it will all be hosted on the host's machine... which would result in many people being unable to host because of poor internet speeds and/or bandwidth caps.

 

[carmen510]

Well, I never really was gonna buy any more Call of Duty games except for single-player anyways, since multiplayer now is basically explosive spamfest or boring sniping fests.

 

[tycoonist]

Well, I never really was gonna buy any more Call of Duty games except for single-player anyways, since multiplayer now is basically explosive spamfest or boring sniping fests.

not on ps3.... i have never seen this so called explosive spam on console, i prefer bandolier to 3x frag (which is now 2x frag) as do most people. as for the sniping, most people are pretty rubbish at i on console, unless you run predictably. i have never had any problem with either sniping fests or spamfests on console, although they are definitely a problem on pc.

 

[Maniacal]

Yes well it is a lot harder to quickly and accurately aim for sniping on a console for most people.

Different control systems and different people's levels of ability to use them effectively vary vastly between PC and console.

 

[carmen510]

To be honest, I think consoles require more skill overall since its harder to get kills than on the PC. Nonetheless, I will stick with my PC simply because the games are cheaper and the fact that now my hands are unused to a controller.

Its kind of sad how fast you can die and gets kills in CoD: WaW, I died 70% in spawn from artillery/dogs/(rifle) grenade, 10% in spawn from submachine gun fire, 10% from sniper fire, 9% from regular submachine gun fire, and the last 1% from everything else. So 80% of the time I was spawn-killed, and the remaining 20% was mostly from 2 types of weapons. Not the best type of balance.

I also got about 30% of my kills from pressing the left mouse button as soon as I spawned, 60% from (rifle) grenade spam, and 10% from artillery/dogs.

 

[Rub'Rum]

Yes well it is a lot harder to quickly and accurately aim for sniping on a console for most people.

To be honest, I think consoles require more skill overall since its harder to get kills than on the PC.

My experience is that it is indeed significantly harder to accurately aim on a console for most people. I also find that when I play console versions, games end up being more chaotic because of it. I tend to take more chances at running across open terrain, and most people do that too, because you have way more chances of surviving than on the PC version with more accuracy from the enemy fire.

So basically, it depends what you define as "skill". If you define skill as "being awesome at aiming despite using a controller", then you can brag about consoles. But I think positioning, cover, and patience are skills that are *more* useful (not saying it's not useful on the console) on the PC version, which is why I prefer the PC.

 

[Harbringer]

Using a console controller is just more difficult, not more challenging.

 

[tycoonist]

Using a console controller is just more difficult, not more challenging.

more difficult = more challenging

(duh)

 

[tycoonist]

To be honest, I think consoles require more skill overall since its harder to get kills than on the PC. Nonetheless, I will stick with my PC simply because the games are cheaper and the fact that now my hands are unused to a controller.

Its kind of sad how fast you can die and gets kills in CoD: WaW, I died 70% in spawn from artillery/dogs/(rifle) grenade, 10% in spawn from submachine gun fire, 10% from sniper fire, 9% from regular submachine gun fire, and the last 1% from everything else. So 80% of the time I was spawn-killed, and the remaining 20% was mostly from 2 types of weapons. Not the best type of balance.

I also got about 30% of my kills from pressing the left mouse button as soon as I spawned, 60% from (rifle) grenade spam, and 10% from artillery/dogs.

never had that experience on console cod:WAW, although i can relate that to my experience on cod4 on pc. spawn killing and nade spam were actually fairly rare on console on WAW. i definitely didn't die that kinda percentage of the time... maybe you just suck??? although i do agree that certain guns (ahem mp40, ppsh) were overpowered

 

[Munch]

To be honest, I think consoles require more skill overall since its harder to get kills than on the PC. Nonetheless, I will stick with my PC simply because the games are cheaper and the fact that now my hands are unused to a controller.

Console controls certainly are a skill I haven't put anything into since the N64. PC controls are just far more responsive and intuitive, and so easier. A good console player can surely do some great things with a controller, just like a good PC player can master PC controls, but by and large the inherently unresponsive nature of controllers means that PC games are just more rewarding. In my opinion.

Its kind of sad how fast you can die and gets kills in CoD: WaW, I died 70% in spawn from artillery/dogs/(rifle) grenade, 10% in spawn from submachine gun fire, 10% from sniper fire, 9% from regular submachine gun fire, and the last 1% from everything else. So 80% of the time I was spawn-killed, and the remaining 20% was mostly from 2 types of weapons. Not the best type of balance.

I also got about 30% of my kills from pressing the left mouse button as soon as I spawned, 60% from (rifle) grenade spam, and 10% from artillery/dogs.

Wow, that's really not the mark of a great game.

never had that experience on console cod:WAW, although i can relate that to my experience on cod4 on pc.

CoD4 on PC did suffer from predictable grenade spam. This was particularly true on S&D games, and particularly frustrating. However spawn killing really wasn't so bad unless you either played the really small maps and/or played extremely crowded servers. My personal preference is for no more than 16 players on a server at a push. Beyond that it gets pretty silly, and you just don't have so much opportunity for skillful gameplay when so much is going on.

 

[Rub'Rum]

http://www.geeks.co.uk/7282-activision’s-bobby-kotick-hates-developers-innovation-cheap-games-you

 

[Munch]

http://www.geeks.co.uk/7282-activision’s-bobby-kotick-hates-developers-innovation-cheap-games-you

One of the best and most infuriating articles I've read recently. What an enormous diseased c***.

 

[Maniacal]

more difficult = more challenging

(duh)

There's a different between a fun challenge and a purely frustrating challenge that is not fun.


WaW suffered the small map design that CoD4 did, since they were the same maps available to the console which were designed for fewer players.

 

[Kozmos]

There is some talk on the shadier side of the tubular internets of modders bringing the innovation of MW2 into MW, should the situation with no dedicated servers persist.

 

[e350tb]

http://www.geeks.co.uk/7282-activision’s-bobby-kotick-hates-developers-innovation-cheap-games-you

Wow. Only way I could be more angry at the guy is if he came over here and booted me in the crotch.

 

[tycoonist]

There's a different between a fun challenge and a purely frustrating challenge that is not fun.


WaW suffered the small map design that CoD4 did, since they were the same maps available to the console which were designed for fewer players.

so buy it on console... its a console game, it plays better on console, clearly the developers dont care about pc much at all... seems like a no-brainer.

 

[Munch]

so buy it on console... its a console game, it plays better on console, clearly the developers dont care about pc much at all... seems like a no-brainer.

Or don't buy it at all. Particularly if like me, buying it on console first involves buying a console, and secondly getting over how enormous the c***s are who made the game.

 

[tycoonist]

Or don't buy it at all. Particularly if like me, buying it on console first involves buying a console, and secondly getting over how enormous the c***s are who made the game.

fine. thats a good decision. it just pisses me off when people some how feel that games companies are obligated to provide them with exactly what they want.

 

[Harbringer]

more difficult = more challenging

(duh)

no. making something more difficult, is giving an enemy more health and making him do more damage to the player then the player can do to him, making an enemy more challenging, is giving the ability to discern between good and bad cover, and reasonably predict what the player might do, and act accordingly. One is frustrating, control throwing typical game play difficulty curve and slider design, while the other is a legitimate increase to the games challenge while still maintaining a relative level of equality on the playing field, rather then simply being cheated out of game play by sheer muscle alone.