The lights are on
Modern Warfare fansite bashandslash.com recently reported that Infinity Ward is removing dedicated server functionality from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. With dedicated servers and the server browser that comes with them replaced with custom-built matchmaking, PC gamers will have an online experience functionally identical to console players. Among other things, this means that clans can't run their own servers with their own mods and rulesets for their own private (or public, if they feel like crushing some scrubs for giggles) use. Predictably, nerds across world took to the Internet with a wailing and a gnashing of teeth that would make the Left 4 Dead community proud. An online petition to bring back dedicated servers at the time of this writing stands at 100,000+ signatures. However -- and this may shock some gamers with advanced persecution complexes -- this move was not made to tweak the noses of the PC community. Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella explain the decision as a conscious effort to improve their game for the vast majority of their players. "We're just prioritizing the player experience above the modders and the tuners," says West. He points toward the mounting feedback IW has received from PC fans of Modern Warfare who couldn't find a decent server to play on between all of the cheaters, the insular communities, and huge skill level disparities that the original game's community fractured into. "We thought maybe it would be cool if the fans could play the game," he laughs. IW says that gameplay concerns for the majority of MW2 players are the overriding reasons for the decision. Zampella downplays the obvious piracy prevention angle (IW has cited numbers of people online playing illegal copies of Modern Warfare up to 60 percent). "The Steam stuff helps with the piracy. I don't know that the matchmaking stuff does," he notes. West takes a shot at the motives behind some of the outrage, noting that there's money to made by selling dedicated servers and adspace on them: "It's a little dubious. Some of the people complaining are complaining with their pocketbook." Again and again during our conversation, West and Zampella hammer the point that hardcore PC players lose very little to this change relative to the returns that casual to moderate fans will see. Clans can set up private matches to do their training or what have you; all they lose is the ability to customize the game on a deeper level with mods and such. Infinity Ward sees the addition of solid matchmaking and community support like IW-run tournaments to the PC as a huge win, and not something that could be done under the old system. Why not have both? West does not want to include dedicated servers alongside the custom-built backend, stating that it would just "bifurcate the community."
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PC-Gamers are still gonna be pissed.
Yep. This makes sense, and the points put forward are valid. But that doesn't change the fact that there are going to people that can't handle change and want it to remain the same because the previous way was better for a SMALL portion of the populace, and this will be better for the MAJORITY.
Also, the large 4chan led assault on the IW forums regarding this only proves that the majority of PC players opposing this are nothing more than childish whiners that are scared that their precious "clans" are going to fold because they can't run a locked server or that they're going to lose money due to not being able to rent out servers.
Good for IW. Don't take the heat right. And with dedicated servers they are just one step closer to having PC vs. X-Box (for those who think they can handle mouse vs. sticks). I think this is a good move.
pc gamer has been spoiled. Console gamers has played cod 4 whit out dedicated servers and stuff and we are just fine.
I still say Epic fail. Anyone who doesn't have a problem with this, probably doesn't play games online with the PC. steam games for instance. l4d sucks half the time finding a server that works well with there match making service, and half the time i find one with a good ping there's some duche on there that ruins it for everyone else. Tf2 works great, find a server with a low ping and people in it not a problem, duchebag in the server and he usually gets kicked. yay
This is great, makes room for some competition. Since IW's success with the cod series they seemed to have done everything single thing WRONG. Cod 1 was one of the best games ever created, yet because IW is so focused on getting the newest latest greatest product out the door, there was no support for the game. IW will lose the majority of it's PC reservations and a new company will rise up and be the dominant force in computer gaming. IW = money grubbing whores.
This arguments are OK for the short term view - but for a long-time motivation to play a game, it needs mod-support I think. Probably not in the eyes of the devs - DLC is quite easy on steam..
I'll wait until I read a objective, solid review to decide whether I buy MW2 or BattleField BadCompany 2..
Nevertheless, it is a kick in the Arsch for modders and hardcore gamers. And these are PC players, which get higher prizes and no collectors editions toghether with no mod-support. For sure they will still gonna be pissed. ;)
What about players outside the US? How am I going to find a low ping server? We've all just been forgotten about.
lol wow. Is that their answer? Explaining it? No solution? OK. Have it your way.
We're PC. We own the scene.
Let the boycott commence.
"He points toward the mounting feedback IW has received from PC fans of Modern Warfare who couldn't find a decent server to play on between all of the cheaters, the insular communities, and huge skill level disparities that the original game's community fractured into."
i would like to see the actual numbers on these complaints, i dont believe it
PS: To anyone that thinks this is actually 'workable' go take a look at operation failpoint 2 and see how much *** its getting over the same problem.
"PC Fanboys"
"Predictably, nerds across world took to the Internet with a wailing and a gnashing of teeth that would make the Left 4 Dead community proud."
Who gave this drivel spouting moron a job?
Well than... screw you IW! Skip MW2 and wait for Bad Company 2.
100k+ people are pissed because they will no longer get ad revenue from dedicated servers, right. Way to go IW, show us just how out-of-touch with the PC community you really are.
Talk about spitting in the community's face. (comment from jackal on joystiq.com) "Privately owned servers ensure that, when IW's gets yanked offline for maintenance or goes down because they can't handle the player load they've been given, people can still play the game online. This is why some of the most touted exclusives for the Xbox 360 and PS3 were unplayable online for days (or even weeks) after they were launched. IW and Activision both know this, so their decision to remove a feature just to "streamline" online connectivity in a market that had online multiplayer years before any console did (and did just fine) is simply an anti-consumer act that is nigh retarded. Completely removing mod support from a PC title is, also, an act of unfathomable stupidity. PC games are often bought because they provide the consumer with an opportunity to create their own content in an environment where they don't have the money or technical expertise to do otherwise. Counter Strike started off as a Half-life mod; it is still one the most played games online for any platform despite having been released a decade ago. Team Fortess? It's Quake mod that's had infinity longer legs (and arguable more success) than the very game it was spawned from. The PC port of RE4 looked worse than the PS2 version did when it was released; because of the community, updates were made to the game that not only allow it to easily compete with most current gen titles, but fixed the well documented control issues and even provided others (I'm sure you can now use a Wiimote for the PC version). We could delve into the countless weapons, characters, custom maps, custom levels, and total conversions that the modding community have made. These are all things the console ecosystem often does not provide (sometimes for copyright issues, sometimes to wring money out of wallets in order to sell you things the community could've created in a day) and it's always been a major factor in purchasing a game for one platform over another. Which, I'm sure, is why they killed MW2's modding community before it had a chance to begin; they now have the opportunity to sell us 3 maps at the low price of $10 and there's no way for us to compete with them. With IW pulling the feature from one of the year's most advertised and anticipated games in order to hock **** to us we would've made on our own, they risk giving other developer a precedent to do the same for future titles. ::claps:: Way to piss on the fans that made you a top developer, Infinity Ward. To do all of that while charging us $60 for a game that offers substantially less than its $50 predecessor did while forcing us to use Steam so our games can't be resold after they're played and then to completely hack out any feature that would've made the game desirable to a PC gamer in the first g*ddamn place...well...there's just no point in playing or owning the PC version even if it does look and perform better. To all Infinity Ward and Activision employees (which I'm sure is none) who read this site, I have the following kind words for your consideration. Go **** yourselves, your games, and I hope to see all of your future endeavors flop horrifically. We made you (Infinity Ward) what you are today and you ******** can't even make a clean stab to our backs as a token of appreciation; no, you've got to twist the blade slightly so we actually feel the pain. Your FPS is one of many available to a platform that spawned and still dominates the genre; no matter how anticipated, no matter how advertised, you're just one fish in a sea of many. I hope Activision runs you and your franchise into the ground just like they have to every one of their pet developers; at this point in time, you don't deserve anything else."
"by pubisboy Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 12:35 PM
pc gamer has been spoiled. Console gamers has played cod 4 whit out dedicated servers and stuff and we are just fine."
Wait...really? You have no clue as to how a great PC game is established do you? Go play your 360 and get off of your mothers kitchen computer.
"Bifurcate the community?" Like they just did? IW never ceases to amaze me.
Who reports having these problems? I have never had problems like this. The key phrase there is "solid matchmaking". Currently every attempt at matchmaking on the PC has failed miserably. They suffer from heavy lag and the matchmaking itself pairs you with whoever. I've quit Halo matches because of the other players.
The biggest reason for the outcry is that this plan, which had to be in the works for awhile, was sprung on us 3 weeks before launch and with no details about IWNet at all. In fact to quote from the podcast where it was announced, "Buy the game try it and let us know." You upped the price of the game and now we have to test out some new matchmaking for you? That is why its a slap in the face and people who have never played PC games do not know what this is like so don't pretend like you do.
You just don't get it do you?
How could you score a interview with Infinity Ward and epically fail to adress the concerns of the community? Modders and mappers make the game alot better for everyone and they only get a passing comment?
And you call yourself a PC Gamer! This is disgusting drivel....
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.