Modern Warfare 2 to have NO Dedicated server support

[[+Duracell-]]

http://kotaku.com/5384057/new-modern-wa ... -community

Basically, MW2 is only going to have matchmaking and peer-to-peer networking. No custom servers, mods, etc.

I cancelled my pre-order

[SPOOFE]

Don't care, gonna play the **** out of it anyways.

[SNM]

Well, this is interesting. I don't feel like watching a video, though, so I'm gonna wait for more press news. But I wouldn't be surprised if they either backtrack or have plans for integrating the typical dedicated-server stuff into IWNet.

I hope. Given the way that the Zombie mods got whole-heartedly embraced for WaW then simply chucking the whole thing out the window (goodbye PAM4?) seems like it would be a bit of an odd move.

[Skrying]

There goes another reason to own a PC copy of the game. That leaves just one... keyboard and mouse support. Multiplayer games are worthless without dedicated server support. Match making systems suck and peer to peer connections suck even more.

[ReAp3r-G]

There is a petition going around addressing the no dedicated server issue. I would like to know why exactly they're doing this (IW & Activision) but I have a pretty good idea. Didn't pre-order because of the rumor that it might be delayed and stuff. Now, I'll just wait it out. And what's this about buying DLCs?

[TurtlePerson2]

I don't understand why they wouldn't have dedicated server support. They already wrote the code for MW1, how different could it be for MW2?

[Nitrodist]

Well, there goes another game I won't buy.

[yogibbear]

F&*( why does everyone want to rape PC gamers lately?

Oh well.... goodbye modding community and competitive MW2.

[Dizik]

For me, this isn't an issue since I planned on getting it for the 360. When I do play games on the PC, it's very rare that I play on the same servers over and over. So, again, not having dedicated servers isn't a big deal. If the PC version's matchmaking works as well as the 360's does, then I wouldn't think that it would be that big of a deal, though I do see where people are coming from when they say that they don't like it. However, the apparent lack of mod support sucks. There hasn't been definitive word if modding will be thrown out the window, but it's not looking good. I, like many others, love playing custom maps and mods from time-to-time to simply to break away from the tedium that the standard game sometime provides.

[paulWTAMU]

Does this mean they'll put more into the single player campaign? Cause if so, good.

[Chun¢]

Will this mean its like left 4 dead, where you join the lobby with like 20 people and then hop into any server?
Or would it just mean that Clans can't buy servers and change the map cycle or round limit or ... have admins on to kick hackers?
The only online i play is on Source, if that isn't obvious.

[AMD Damo]

Well, looks like I'll just buy it on PS3 now, keyboard and mouse support doesn't phase me but I was looking forward to lag free dedicated servers...

[IAmGhostDog]

I listened to the interview with Rob Bowling aka fourzerotwo here (The Director's cut: BASH 123):

http://bashandslash.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Highlites Lowlites

You are completely reliant on IW.NET. There are no server lists. There are no dedicated servers.

You get match making. Meaning if you and a bunch of your friends want to get together and join a server, forgetaboutit.

However there is this option:

You have private matches where you can customize the game

Except for you better have some serious bandwidth because you're hosting it on your connection.

fourzerotwo said in the interview "We are changing the way multi-player is played"
Understatement. You've killed it.

You're getting same game (as in Console), plus matchmaking and private match.

I'm a PC gamer. I don't do consoles.

There is a petition here:

http://www.petitiononline.com/dedis4mw/

96054 and counting.
96054 x $60.00 = $5,763,240 in potentially lost revenue.

I've canceled my preorder and so has every one in my clan.

[TurtlePerson2]

The thing that I hate about online petitions is that they're so easy and somewhat anonymous.

The real thing to do is to cancel your pre-order and to not purchase the game when it comes out. Flooding IW or Activision with letters might work too, since it shows a lot more effort than e-mail or an online petition.

[Hawkwing74]

Will this mean its like left 4 dead, where you join the lobby with like 20 people and then hop into any server?
Or would it just mean that Clans can't buy servers and change the map cycle or round limit or ... have admins on to kick hackers?
The only online i play is on Source, if that isn't obvious.

No! Left 4 Dead (PC) has dedicated servers.

******* hell why do people not understand the issue?

It is simple.

Host-2-Peer = Listening servers = What we are getting. (i.e. **** pings, crap games, no mods, crap server settings... etc. etc.)

It will not be like BF2, CSS, L4D, TF2, UT2k4, Q3A, etc. or even like COD2, or COD4:MW (NB: ALL PC VERSION, as the console versions do not have dedicated servers for some of these games AFAIK)

WHY IS GAMING GOING BACKWARDS?

[Chun¢]

I read they are making the change for the moderate gamers. I understand the moderate gamer on a $300 PS3 or Xbawks, but a computer that plays COD4 would cost at least 600 before monitor right?

[Richie_G]

The custom servers, maps and mods are what made CoD4 what it is on the PC. If they're switching that off they're shooting themselves in the foot. I, like many others, bought CoD4 and also made a dedicated server - it's part of the fun!
I'm not interested in what console gamers do or do not have, it seems PC gamers are being shat on because of this blanket approach to tackling piracy (I presume that's the chief reason?). Still, on the plus side, I've just saved about 50 euros.

[SPOOFE]

96054 x $60.00 = $5,763,240 in potentially lost revenue.

Bwahahahahahaha!!

I'm sorry, but you actually think the whinings of drama-queen gamers on the Internet are going to translate into matching action in the real world? Over half of all those that signed the petition are going to buy the game, and the other half are simply going to pirate it.

[JdL]

Wouldn't Groups or Clans accomplish the same thing as a dedicated server? Aren't groups / clans supported? Don't they support buddy lists, invites, etc.?

My understanding is that dedicated servers are merely a grouping mechanism. Somebody clue me in as it's been a while since I've played online anyway

[Richie_G]

96054 x $60.00 = $5,763,240 in potentially lost revenue.

Bwahahahahahaha!!

I'm sorry, but you actually think the whinings of drama-queen gamers on the Internet are going to translate into matching action in the real world? Over half of all those that signed the petition are going to buy the game, and the other half are simply going to pirate it.

Yeah you're right, although there's probably a few who'll go from paying to pirating out of defiance. People who pirate games are going to pirate it anyway, so crapping on those who'll pay doesn't seem all that wise to me.

The only other thing I can think of is that they don't want the game to last so long and detract sales from the next release, much like CoD4 did to CoD5 (leaving aside who's actually developing the titles).

Suckers we are.

[IAmGhostDog]

Wouldn't Groups or Clans accomplish the same thing as a dedicated server? Aren't groups / clans supported? Don't they support buddy lists, invites, etc.?

My understanding is that dedicated servers are merely a grouping mechanism. Somebody clue me in as it's been a while since I've played online anyway

What they've done by not offering dedicated server support is taken away the in game server browser and replaced it with a matchmaking function.
Dedicated servers are exactly that. A server dedicated to running a specific game. Either rented from a GSP or like the clan I belong to, having your own box and renting space with a host. It ensures a fast pipe.
They claim that with the Private Match function you can set up your own server, with your rules/parameters. But it is my understanding that this is P2P, limited by the hosts bandwidth.

IWNet explained here. More questions than answers to be sure.

http://www.infinityward.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=128182

[TurtlePerson2]

The dedicated server issue goes much further than just not being able to play on my favorite clan server. The more important issue is the lack of user generated content.

They purposefully locked out user generated content because they know that they can't sell any DLC as long as there's user content out there. I personally think that this entire move was designed just to make it easier for them to charge for DLC.

I didn't care that the game cost $60 because I thought that it would be worth it. I didn't care that they were going to charge for DLC because I wasn't going to buy it. But I do care that they're locking out existing functionality, giving users a worse experience, so that they can sell more DLC.

[drsauced]

http://kotaku.com/5384057/new-modern-warfare-matchmaking-service-will-definitely-reshape-pc-community

Basically, MW2 is only going to have matchmaking and peer-to-peer networking. No custom servers, mods, etc.

I cancelled my pre-order

Just to mention, NOD32 just went off like crazy from that link... auto PDF exploit download!

[derFunkenstein]

Yeah, my corporate NOD32 did the same thing. Kotaku is usually better than that. :-/

[AMD Damo]

This is real bad for us down under because we've got a problem, only people on the real fast ADSL2+ connections will be able to comfortably host a game, which is hard to come by, the rest of us stuck on ADSL are screwed unless we want to host 4 player games.

Same problem in Metal Gear Online.

[Pettytheft]

As usual people are avoiding the real reason why this is happening. Modern Warfare 1 was an amazing game with great multiplayer. Every justification for pirating the game was null and void. Yet it was the most pirated game around. IW servers got hammered on patch day and they released some pretty high numbers for the amount of games that were pirated vs those that were purchased. This is an attempt to decrease piracy. I has very little to do with consoles. To play this game with multiplayer there will have to be a hack to allow private servers. It will force quite a few pirates to purchase the title if they want to play against the bulk of the gaming community.

[TurtlePerson2]

As usual people are avoiding the real reason why this is happening. Modern Warfare 1 was an amazing game with great multiplayer. Every justification for pirating the game was null and void. Yet it was the most pirated game around. IW servers got hammered on patch day and they released some pretty high numbers for the amount of games that were pirated vs those that were purchased. This is an attempt to decrease piracy. I has very little to do with consoles. To play this game with multiplayer there will have to be a hack to allow private servers. It will force quite a few pirates to purchase the title if they want to play against the bulk of the gaming community.

They can have IW-Net without locking out user generated content or dedicated servers. Valve does that with Steam.

They want to reduce piracy, but I don't think that this has a whole lot to do with that. As I said earlier, it's a move to sell more DLC.

[Skrying]

Allowing dedicated servers does not encourage piracy. Did you ever play Battlefield 2? Dedicated servers with extremely high tie into Dice's own servers for the stat stuff. If Dice can do it then Infinity Ward most certainly can as well. It's being aware that their main customer base is in console-land. They've calculated that it is worth the bad publicity to not have this functionality vs coding it in.

[SPOOFE]

I maintain my position that I'm going to play the **** out of this game and not miss dedicated servers in the slightest.

[TurtlePerson2]

Allowing dedicated servers does not encourage piracy. Did you ever play Battlefield 2? Dedicated servers with extremely high tie into Dice's own servers for the stat stuff. If Dice can do it then Infinity Ward most certainly can as well. It's being aware that their main customer base is in console-land. They've calculated that it is worth the bad publicity to not have this functionality vs coding it in.

They already had the code from MW1. This decision is a completely financial one.