nakedtech

MW2: Don’t fix what isn’t broken *Spoilers*

In the past couple of days there’s been a spill out of huge spoilers and MW features we had no idea about. FourZeroTwo, community rep for Infinity Ward called a media blackout for those not wanting the game ruined because of early games being released by accident.



One leak was an early copy that hit the streets that streamed the single player over ustream.com and leaked the Russian terrorist airport level. The level has you playing as one of the terrorist mowing down civilians in a airport. Hundreds of civilians trying to crawl away, pulling injured friends to safety, while you steadily walk up the halls and blow them away. Bad taste much? We know were suppose to step in the shoes of multiple characters this time according to 402 but why would you put a player in that situation, it’s a bit disturbing but meh, it’s a game, remember that.



One thing that’s actually incredibly surprising is that Modern Warfare 2 will include a third-person mode (confirmed). Now 402 has been very clear where this will be included so it doesn’t cause confusion. Third-person will be like a game mode. Much like a mode that’s been set to Hardcore TDM where you have less health and bullets hit harder on everyone, these modes will be exclusively third-person. You and everyone else, if you choose this mode will be in third-person and if you don’t like it you can switch to another mode, much like any other mode.

“It’s not something you can toggle on and off in ANY game,” said Bowling. The special mode can only be played in private matches — toggled on or off just like “Hardcore” settings — or in playlists that are designated for third-person play. According to Bowling, everyone playing in a third-person playlist will be restricted to the viewpoint. “This is just another cool way to play the game,” he said, “you obviously will still have the option to play gametypes normal as well.”
-joystiq

There’s been a lot of talk of MW2 everywhere lately, and no doubt because it will be the biggest game this year. But don’t fucking fix what isn’t broken. I’m not going to complain about additional features in a new game that only add to it but I do wonder if they did think at all how third-person would drastically change the fast pace flow of Modern Warfare. I’m not going to compare it to Gears of War because in MW2 you can die in two shots. I’ve played other PC third-person and peering around corners and just waiting slows game play down and a lot of the time it completely ruined the game for me. Don’t even get me started on dedicated servers either, I’ve already been there and I still suggest you sign the petition which is now 163k+ and still rising rapidly.

If any of the videos are brought down it’s Infinity Ward trying to stop the leaks.
Updated: Video removed, added a new one, a little more content.
Updated: Removed again, added a new one.

Links:
FourZeroTwo confirms 3rd Person modes
Single player mode - Russian terrorist in airport (video)

___________________________________________________________________________________

2 years ago

Xbox Update: Facebook, Twitter, and Last fm.

Back in June at E3 Microsoft announced social networking giants Facebook and Twitter appilcations and also music platform Last fm for Xbox LIVE. About a week ago Microsoft started allowing people to update and preview the new features and so far as far as I’m concerned it’s nothing really special.

Facebook
First things first, if you already hate Facebook your really going to hate it now and all you shut in’s and your not to people much into having people know everything your up to are really going to be displeased. I’m happy to have Facebook and the option to have it just about everywhere, like on my phone, and music player but at home, when your computer is right beside you or in the next room I have to ask: Do you really need this?

For the most part it’s just Facebook, it’s really nothing special about it. Think Facebook and the Xbox menu and turn it blue, ta da. Pictures look bad if your on a large TV. They look grainy and really messy. Overall it’s really clean looking and completely underwhelming.

Twitter
Twitter being one of the most useless things in the word can actually fine some use inside the Xbox. But I’m all most positive some asshole developer is going to have achievements or multiplayer scores auto-tweet and twitter and trending topics will be spammed with nothing but redunant crap that maybe only a few people will care about.

The UI is clean and includes all the features of regular Twitter unlike some mobile and desktop applications. Also I suggest using a keyboard or one that connects to the controller because typings a bitch even if it’s 140 characters.

Last fm I’d love to talk about it but you can thank the CRTC and our useless copyright laws because Canadians not allowed to use it.

___________________________________________________________________________________

2 years ago

Modern Warfare 2 PC Dedicated Servers

FourZeroTwo, community manger at Infinity Ward recently broke the news that Modern Warfare 2 PC would have it’s online functions be identical to the consoles version. This means match making, random people, random maps, and map packs being pushed harder on the PC.

First off, what the hell is wrong with the way PC dedicated servers work? Has there ever been a problem? What does dedicated servers offer? Choice. First of all every other server has a community, usually backed by a website or a clan that operates inside the game and it’s server, so scratch those, they are all gone now. This means that server that’s in your favorites with the set of 4 maps that cycle all day that happen to be your favorite are gone. This means servers with people you enjoy to play with but you might not be on a first name basis with or even know won’t be there either.

Just the other day I was wondering to myself what was the major differences between the console and PC version of games and really it’s come down to controls and online play, and online has always been so much better on the PC with dedicated servers. Dedicated servers offer the best ping for online scrims and tournaments where some even have huge cash prizes or even money, YOUR money on the line. Not to mention customization with maps, game-types and mods.

FourTwoZero was greeted with an amazinly pissed off PC community that has gone as far to sign a 120k (Yes, 120,000) petition as of right now and growing rapidly every minute. He recently tried to answer “questions, assumptions, and speculation” on his blog post and really he didn’t answer much. Like for example if IWNET would work off the hosts connection, and if so how exactly do you expect for any tournament player to be happy.

“How does it work when we have a CEVO match worth $3,500 and we have players from Oregon, Florida, and New Hampshire in the server and no players that live in a central location? Not only would the host get close to zero ping but the players that live 1,000+ miles away would get 150+ ping which is unplayable in a league match where money is on the line. You said that it will connect you with people in your area to achieve smooth gameplay and while that’s all good and fine it simply does not work for scrims or matches.”

Going through the reasons players should feel this is a huge upgrade to PC players, 402 lists Matchmaking & Smoother Gameplay as a positive point, stating that players in the past would have to browse server lists looking for a game, and that’s apparently hard and really confusing to the new player that cannot figure that THIS IS THE SERVER NAME, THIS IS THE MAP IT’S PLAYING, THIS IS HOW MANY PLAYERS ARE IN THE GAME, AND THIS IS THE PING. I want to meet these mythical creatures who have difficulty navigating a server browse and slap the shit out of them.

Another reason is that it will be easier to pick what game-types and modes you want. Was this ever an issue? Sorting for a game-type or filter game-types, modes, maps, and pings? So this is it? I can sort what game mode I want and that’s it? Why don’t you just package a fucking controller with it while your at it Infinity Ward?

402 also points out that now servers will be “hack free”. Not a server “full” off hackers, aim bots and cheaters because of V-A-C, Valves famously poor anti-cheat software that was on par with Punkbuster when it comes to who can serve more bullshit. Really I have hardly ever seen a cheater, I think in the two years I played Call of Duty 4 I encountered maybe a hand full of hackers because DEDICATED SERVERS and usually already have Punkbuster and/or admins and the hackers are usually gone in seconds.

“The response to “PC Fanboys Woes” posted on bashandslash.com is downright offensive, considering that if PC gamers hadn’t given you success with your first game, Call of Duty, you wouldn’t be here today. honestly it really just feels like you’re giving the finger to the people who made you. and the fact that you’ve been deleting the petition threads on the callofduty boards is just stubborn and childish.”

If you wish and I actually urge you to sign the petition because I’ve actually canceled my MW2 PC pre-order at EBGames cause I rather play this on a console cause this effectively ruins any reason why I would like to own a PC version.

Links:
Online Petition - 120k+ and rising
Original IW response article
FourTwoZero blog response

___________________________________________________________________________________

2 years ago

Modern Warfare 2 Infamy Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0KupzdQ4Wc
___________________________________________________________________________________

2 years ago

MW2 and NBC’s Sunday Night Football

Connection? A multi-million dollar advertising campaign from Activision to sell it’s upcoming Modern Warfare 2. So watch out this Sunday, the show starts at 8pm Eastern.

I’ll see if I can get a copy up right after.
___________________________________________________________________________________

2 years ago

PSPGo and Digital distribution prices

The PSPgo is over 50 percent lighter and 43 percent smaller than the first generation PSP. It is also more expensive, priced at $249.99 US. If you were an “early adopter” of the PSP then you most likely have a very large collection of UMD’s, and possibly even movies. You’ll also know that there is no way to possibly use those UMDs as it stands right now and no plan to allow any sort of transferring or trading in of these UMDs to acquire digital copies for the new PSPGo.

Also, Is it wrong to expect a downloadable game to be priced lower than its boxed retail equivalent? Seriously think for a second here. Think about a UMD copy of a game. They have to manufacture the UMD, box the UMD, package the UMD, ship the UMD, store the UMD, and then once again ship the UMD to retail. That costs money, a lot of money. But forget all that, better question is why would the digital copy in fact at times be more expensive than a freaking UMD copy? Most UMD games cost around 35$ compared to a consistent $40 on PSN, that’s bullshit.

Now 5$, I know what your thinking who cares. Wrong, some people do, I do. I don’t want one, and I can’t understand how the price could, if it was 35$ on the PSN with shipping, manufacturing and warehouse savings being completely cut from the price of the game. How about explain why the PSP Minis cost more than the EXACT SAME games on iPhone?

Not to mention for 50$ you could buy a PS3. I cannot even begin to tell you how over priced this junk is.
___________________________________________________________________________________

2 years ago

Sony’s ‘Alternative controller’?

For now, Sony’s motion control device is simply the “wand”. Sony says that it most likely won’t remain like that so theres room to speculate and according to Shuhei Yoshida the head of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide, “There are several candidates for the name of the controller.”

Also, at the moment Sony’s equivalent of Nintendo’s Wii Nunchuk accessory is the DualShock 3 controller but I would put money on an attachment much like the Nunchuk.
___________________________________________________________________________________

2 years ago

Modern Warfare 2 Official Monster Drinks

Ahhh! Promotional energy drinks, and this time it’s not freaking Mountain Dew. Yay! Monster Energy will be putting out 4-packs and 6-packs of Monster ASSUALT and inside lies possible goodies including:

- 1,000 copies of the Modern Warfare 2 Hardened Edition
- 5,000 map pack codes for a pack planned for a spring 2010 release
- 10.000 Modern Warfare 2 premium themes for the Xbox 360 or PS3 
- Free cans of Monster Energy

All codes inside the cases that can be entered at Monster Energy: Modern Warfare 2 (Hasn’t gone live yet).

At least it won’t taste like that shit Mtn. Dew put out for Halo and World of Warcraft.
___________________________________________________________________________________

2 years ago

DJ Hero 2 already being planned out

Typical fucking Activision. Shoving sequel after sequel down peoples throats. Bobby Kotick, the CEO of Acitivison Blizzard has been quoted as saying that people don’t want knew IP (completely new and original games) they want sequels to their favorite games more.

Excuse you. I can now tell you have never touched a controller you brainless twat, how dare you tell me what I like and to say I don’t like anything new and original that maybe a new game is a hard sell for you so why bother. You got some nerve.

Not only is DJ Hero 1 not out yet but they are already approaching and looking for developers in the UK for a freaking sequel to the game. I hope this is the biggest flop in gaming history. The game and this publisher deserve to burn.

Acitivision has has become worse than EA. I really didn’t think it was possible.
___________________________________________________________________________________

2 years ago

PSN Game cards

As far as we know an UMD exchange program isn’t happening and in light of this Sony has produced specific PSN Game cards. These cards will be able to be purchased in stores for the odd people out there without credit cards. On top of that 16,000 pieces of digital content for gamers to download to the portable device. But only 225 being games, 1.4% of the launch total digital content.

Has anyone ever heard of the PC gaming market? Or Games for Windows? See this is a really old trick that is played on the console market a lot. ‘Buy this here first cause it’s the only way, and later we’ll butt fuck you because released it here, where you really wanted it’.

Example: Gears of War was released on Xbox and was denied and denied and denied that it was ever going to be or part of the upcoming Games for Windows platform Microsoft was pushing. They released it 6 months later saying they wanted as many people to buy it on the console before the PC because of piracy. They did the same with Halo 2, and Halo 3 isn’t on the PC yet, neither is Gears of War 2.

Whoop. To make it worse, anyone buying it on the console got screwed over on the extra content that the PC versions had. What I’m getting at is theres all this content out there, and there no way to legally transfer your UMD onto your PSPGo except rebuy it over their network for the same price as an actually UMD copy (Wtf?). I’m just saying I wouldn’t be surprised that sometime soon a UMD xfer program will pop out of thin air.
___________________________________________________________________________________

2 years ago

OnLive Closes Major Investment

OnLive just closed a major deal yesterday and posted the following statement. If you don’t know what OnLive is or what it is about yet check out http://www.onlive.com, very exciting stuff.

“Big news today—OnLive has closed a major round of funding with participation from AT&T Media Holdings, Inc., Lauder Partners, Warner Bros., Autodesk and Maverick Capital. The funding is much larger than our previous rounds and gives us a serious jolt of rocket fuel as our Beta progresses and we look forward to launching the OnLive® Game Service”

Anything with AT&T makes me very nervous.
___________________________________________________________________________________

2 years ago

Who wants to playtest EA games? (Canada)

EA Canada is looking for gamers to playtest all their upcoming releases. Sounds pretty exciting, probably for focus groups in the bigger cities but still pretty sweet gig if you can get in.

- Want to get a sneak peak at unreleased Electronic Arts games, before anyone else?
- Want to help craft the next big releases from Electronic Arts?

“Now you can have all this by participating in an Electronic Arts Canada focus group session. If you would like to give your opinions on how to make better games, sign up to Playtest Electronic Arts games as part of a focus group. We need all types of gamers to help us make better games. If selected to participate in a focus group, you’ll receive dinner and your choice of a free game from our EA video game library.”

Register at https://eacplaytester.ea.com for more info.
___________________________________________________________________________________

2 years ago

DEALS: Get a Xbox 360 Elite for $200!

Dell is offering a pretty nice deal on gaming consoles taking 15% off and on top of it with $50 mail-in rebate from Microsoft you can get a Microsoft Xbox 360 Elite 120GB which is usually priced at about $300 for 100 less!

Tech Bargains: List of deals
Dell Xbox 360 Elite: Enter this coupon code: 6FWJ247J1P44CK
Microsoft Mail-in rebate: 50 Rebate on Xbox 360 Elite Console Purchase
___________________________________________________________________________________

2 years ago

Beta Watch! Star Wars: The Old Republic

Probably one of the biggest MMOs that is up and coming is BioWare’s baby, Star Wars: The Old Republic. They have just announced sign ups for it’s closed beta. You must be a member of the community and not just a squatter and not bug test, so sounds good! Link below.

Star Wars: The Old Republic Beta
___________________________________________________________________________________

2 years ago

Mod Warfare 2 no demo/beta

Developers Infinity Ward have said there are “no [plans] for a Demo before launch”, because “the entire team is focused on polish all the way up to ship of the full game”. Also no beta.

A lot of people are taking this personally, as an insult to their intelligence. That Infinity Ward Is just pushing this as fast as possible knowing people will buy it no matter what. Well sure people will buy it, they have released videos through the past few months and the game is beyond polish.
What pisses me off the most is people bitching that game won’t be ‘great’ because of no beta. I’m sorry but are you going to be part of that large 95% group that doesn’t treat it like a beta in the first place? People constantly confuse a beta for some free version of the game and don’t bother helping developers test things or get rid of bugs and just frag and are a complete waste of space.

Well I’m very glad IW told told that 95% to go fuck themselves.

402: Source
___________________________________________________________________________________

2 years ago