What what what?! CONFIRMED ON GAMERSYDE FIRST! What what?!

LMAO Pants!

Man i still hope europe get's cleared for the beta....
Else we will have to sent some complementary claymore's by mail to Infinity ward

Ruin? i think it deepens the whole MP experience. It's always nice to be able to customize your character especially if it will compliment your playing style!

Same thing goes with all the weapons/attachments and perks.. Seems like a reward system for playing a lot of the game... Battlefield 2 did it and i thought it did a great job of rewarding the player without unbalancing it 2 much (allthough i still don't like the rocketlauncher and "noobtube" (grenadelauncher) )

I think this will be awesome!

How do you know it's not balanced? Is anything with class based gameplay automatically unbalanced? You don't have to play the game with customized loadouts/unlocks. There will be a "pure" server mode as well. Don't get in line for a beta key if you're not interested, more for the rest of us.Some people want a more straight forward experience, I guess. I actually don't like the idea of RPG elements in my shooters either, but IW seems to be paying a lot of attention to the games balance, so I won't assume anything.

Battlefield 2 did a decent job balancing unlocks to some extent, but I actually prefer the game without them. Now the noob tube on the other hand.. I loves me some noob tube.

Anyway, I think it will be awesome too. A big improvement over COD2 multiplayer, I think. I hope I get into the first round of the beta.

EDIT: I am giddy with anticipation.. I really hope that I make it in tonight. I also hope the beta isn't too much of a tease. I know we'll be limited in what game modes, weapons, attachments, and perks we'll be able to use.. I hope Hardcore mode is available at least.. and custom game types. But I'll take what we get!

Well, THAT was lame. Way to be prepared, IW!

http://www.fourzerotwo.com/

Oh well.. I'm pretty pessimistic at this point, but I still hope I get in. Guess it's time to just wait and see. Best of luck to everyone who entered the lotto.Are they going to be prepared for the traffic this time?

Yeah. I find the best SP games are the ones that know the limitations of AI, and then design with that in mind. HL2 comes to mind where the AI is smart (see CS:S), but obviously in a more robust SP scenario are not going to work out. ESPECIALLY with a theme of, "You are a super hero". It is easy to make AI with great eyes, ears, and aim. It is more difficult to make them "natural, believable, and human". So they went the route of increasing the odds in their favor, but making you a "superhero". So when you trash them it makes sense--you expect as much. Further, they set a background: the combine beat down humans. They show how they do it: thug style. Billy clubs, radioing in for help, and intimidation with some brute force. So when you resist they use the same basic tactics that work against the beat down citizens... but it don't work against you (because duh, you are human, and a superhero). So they set a scenario of HOW the AI SHOULD act, which just happens to be NOT effective against you.

AI technology really sucks at this point. Utterly dissappointing how little it has progressed in 5 years. Every game touted as great AI... I cringe. Far Cry, Halo, FEAR, etc. Not that they had AI worse than other games (typically it was relatively better) but in the grand scheme of things it was still poor. Give me AI that is mapped out to the world well in a fashion where they can act "believably" -- even if confined -- without all sorts of hacks, dependancies, misbalanced abilities, etc any day. My experience is a lot of gamers tend to associate uber aim, sight, etc with good AI. Those are the easiest things to do. As an aside, this is why I actually enjoy watching CS:S AI. When they go around a corner they will check around -- and not always the way the enemy is. They move and play like humans. Yes, the game is limited to TDM and Assault/Defend, but within those confines the AI actually can act very human like. Yeah they will do flanking, back tracking, cover, push and rush, and vary it all; but the big things are they will make stupid human mistakes. Not dumb AI mistakes, but human ones based on human tendancies.

IW seems to be aware of these issues. Their shooters tend to be scripted to create a theme -- intense action. The AI isn't as dumb as some have suggested, but they are not designed to be tough *individually*. Sure, they can ratchet it up (hello PC mods) but the design is more nuanced toward the gameplay. It is heavily scripted (note: nearly all games are scripted in SP, hence why some companies don't port their AI to MP because theya re broken without scripting), but it works and you don't end up with a gaggle of action figures in the open shooting totally exposed. That said, CoD4 interviews have indicated a trend toward more "sandbox" areas in regards to progression. Instead of rails, the gamer will enter more sandbox areas. Think of hopping pool-to-pool instead of on rails. We will see if this is true, but I am sure, based on former IW games, the emphasis is FIRST on experience and second on technology.

So like you Firewire, I much prefer MP. AI stinks at this point. Even the best AI is pretty sad. The SP games I enjoy the most are the ones that recognize the limitation and then design a fun experience focused on a "believable" experience with the limitations of the technology.I think humans online can be very unpredictable -- in a predictable fashion. They also learn, have varying skill levels in regards to strategy, tactic, mastery of basic approach skills, defensive counter measures, and in aim / response time. While there are people who are lemmings (another human trait! you get a leader and followers in small groups -- people even run away when overwhealmed) the key is believability. They are predictable, but also predictably unpredictable. Varied yet conform to basic parameters of skill and thought.

But you are right. Humans are going to do some basic things: They are not gonna lay down in a building in the middle of nowhere "scoping out" the enemy. No, they are gonna go for the weapon, go seek and destroy, defend and plot you demise. If there is a nice big turret they are not gonna lay down next to it, no, they are gonna hop in! Got a big powerful vehicle? They are gonna take it... unless they take the quick jeep to quickly flank you for a surprise attack :PPart of this is driven by a.) game objective and b.) the staleness of the worlds breeds "tried and true methods". You won't try new stuff if the old stuff works.

This is a fault of games with limited focus / styles for winning (always TDM for example... what about team elimination and territories/conquest and other variants to change the onus?)... the other big one is the world is so stale. Things don't change. Things don't break. Once you can destroy buildings and terrain -- hence "this always work" DOESN'T! -- I think you will see humans react in kind. There is no reason for me NOT to pick my favorite sniping spot if the game design dictates it will succeed.The best FPS gamers (top 15% in my estimation) are unpredictable by nature of design. There is a good "field manual" out there for good FPS play -- seek elevation, be unpredictable, etc. Both in strategy -- take new routes -- as well as gameplay. If they expect you to go right with a rifle, go left with your noob tube. Someone chasing you into a building? Instead of waiting for them -- CHARGE BACK OUT!

Always nice to surprise someone who is reloading and getting ready to one-on-one with you inside the building and you to catch them with their pants down :)Oh yeah we could :) Team modes are great because you get an ameba effect. Will everyone fight to the death? With the squad splinter? Will the last guy run or will he take his last stand? Are the squads well balanced? Do they use their various kits well?

@ Those who think classes are unbalanced: Again, asymetric class design does NOT mean unbalanced. That is a stale and linear way of thinking about games.

There are so many examples that prove that asymetric design works -- and adds immense depth -- but a single game proves this beyond all doubt:

Starcraft.

I like both sorts of games, but like Firewire said, I am drawn to class based FPS because it opens the doors to different play styles AND skills -- and skill focus. The beauty of a game like BF1942 is it opened the world to pilots, medics, engineers, tank drivers, etc... all sorts of people who

a. may lack traditional FPS skills but

b. could be invaluable to the team game without those skills because of other skills OR the willingness to be role/team players

This is a MAJOR shortcoming of "Look at me, a quake clone!" games where you either are good at shooting or you are not. The games only reward a limited play style and skill set.

Classes also neutralize a lot of CHEAP "broken" tactics that exploit the game design flaws of games. Take a noob tube. Some games are just broke if it is included, but a class system often offers a counterbalance.

I personally like skill based shooters, but being able to play with my friends and them ENJOY the game, even if they are not killing a lot, beacuse they can contribute meaningfully from the moment they get in the seat and can even win because they are selfless players means a lot.

This is the hurdle between online gaming being a cannon fodder zone and it opening up to all "gamers". Not casuals, but gamers. Because the reality is: If you have 100 gamers, only 10-20 are going to do well, and 50% are gonna be absolute fodder with no hope.

That isn't smart design for most games, and isn't fun for most of those gamers.

There is room for all sorts of games -- we do need the pure twitch competitive / "pure" games -- but class based MP has a LOT to offer in gameplay design, dynamics, and balanced. And notably asymetric design is NOT unbalanced, just asymetric.

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Hail to the king!

Man that was exactly what i wanted to explain, too bad I'm busy with work or I would join in on the MP huge post based discussion :D

One little thing:
What i meant with predictable:

The scenario you named: You run in a building or around the corner and a guy comes chasing you:

90% of the gamers tend to wait around in the building or around the corner...
And i think 70% gets slaughtered by the guy who chased them (either by some good shooting or nifty grenade throw)

Doing the unexpected is the thing that separate the "fragmeat" from the killers

One more, one more thing..

I hate it when people insist that MP only titles have less value than SP only titles. The fact is that people that play multiplayer games generally put many more hours into them than any single player game. Isn't that an indicator of high value? It's lead to games that generally speaking should be MP only (UT3, possibly FFOW) having campaigns that don't really feel like they're as valuable as a game with a more thought out story driving single player mode--and in the end it probably detracts from their value in critical reviews.

Alternatively, I also hate the concept that every single player game needs multiplayer. It also leads down a path where they have tacked on MP, which isn't as valuable as games with well designed MP, and detracts from the overall image of quality.

If you're not going to put effort into MP, don't make a MP mode! Likewise.. if your not putting serious effort into SP, make it MP only!

Now.. where the hell is my beta key? :(

Well I didn't get in

Guess thats £300 gone eh dcd ;)?

From the Cod4 boards:

"Hey Everyone;
Yesterday was a loooooooong day. I was at the studio till 3 - 4 in the morning sending out Beta Invites to the very small lucky few who got into the early first wave of the beta.

Tokens are still going out randomly to the Charlieoscardelta.com members who sent in emails to the First Wave during the 24 hour period. However, keep in mind that the First Wave was just a bonus early chance to get into the beta. So all of those upset you missed the first wave, it was simply an EXTRA way to get in on top of the Charlie.com exclusive sign-up coming via the Countdown which will be posted today.

So be on the look out for a new SitRep coming along very shortly which will give you full details on the CharlieOscarDelta member exclusive Beta sign up, updates on International participation in the Beta, as well as heads up additional planned ways to get a token outside of CharlieOscarDelta.com.

In Conclusion:

Don't get all crazy over nothing, all we did yesterday was allow you a bonus and to top that off, EARLY chance to get your hands on some beta. If you got in, that's fantastic, congrats and enjoy, if you didn't then you still have hundreds of thousands of other ways to get in coming up very shortly. "

Us Europeans get fucked over again! Jippee...
Anyway good luck to the US guys with getting in! would appreciate a full beta "review" once you guys get to play :D

I just wonder how they plan on doing this "massive" distribution of keys on Monday. I expect CharlieOscarDelta.com and Activision.com will be crashing once again next week. I really want to play. All of the impressions I've been reading have been very favorable.

Although it seems the snipers are way too easy (AGAIN).....

COD2 became a sniperfest after a couple of weeks... It was either people playing with a sniper or with that fast semi-automatic gun (m1-garand) I didn't like that shit....

I still kept playing but it became pretty frustrating after a while that absolutely nobody used any other gun....

If the SVD is just as powerful as the other rifles, than I'm not surprised. But still--it's a beta and I'm sure they are continuing to balance it.. plus there should be custom server rules that mold the gameplay experience further, which aren't yet available. The COD2 I play doesn't even support snipers, or M1's. :)

Tell me something about the weapons u used? :D

Clearly..Jealous! And good.. I fully expect to whore out that noob tube ;)