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Dragon Age: Origins PC Toolset Now Available

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 16:38:00 -0800

BioWare’s epic fantasy RPG Dragon Age: Origins has been out for almost a week now, and just in case the game wasn’t occupying 100 percent of your time, BioWare has gone ahead and released the PC toolset to give all you skilled community members the chance to tell your very own mythical tales.

Thanks to camera, voice and lip-synch controls, the combat and creature AI tools, and a full character creator, you can create your very own cut-scenes, quests and campaigns. Once you're ready to share your epic fantasy stories with other players, you can upload them via BioWare’s Social Network. The toolset is only available for the PC, and it will remain so for the foreseeable future.

Have you tried out the toolset yet? How are you finding it?

Five Favorite Call of Duty Moments

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 15:58:00 -0800

Infinity Ward has made only 3 games in their 7-year history, but you can't deny the impact that those games have made -- not just from a financial perspective, but also on the first-person shooter genre. The battle scenes in Call of Duty, Call of Duty 2, and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare played with our expectations, put interesting twists on conventional shooter design, and ratcheted up the intensity level. As evidence, we submit to you our Five Favorite Call of Duty Moments (as developed by Infinity Ward). By clicking on this story, we're going to assume that you're not averse to Call of Duty spoilers, so no complaining!

COD Videos | COD2 Videos | COD4 Videos

Number Five: "Car Ride" -- Call of Duty

The opening of Call of Duty has you go through the requisite movement and weapons training, and then drops you right into the fray of France. The first few mission objectives, while intense, are standard enough…that is until you hop into the car with Pvt. Moody. This is our first glimpse at IW's ability to design those rollercoaster moments, with the car careening through the countryside, weaving through German defenses and narrowly avoiding the business end of a Panzer tank. The opening statement was clear: "This is what we're doing with Call of Duty. Enjoy."

Number Four: "Shock and Awe" -- Call of Duty 4

It's not so much the mission itself, but what happens at the end of it. There are few images more dreadfully awe-inspiring than the flash and billowing mushroom cloud resulting from a nuclear explosion. When presented as the primary threat in a work of fiction (like say 24, or various Tom Clancy books), the day is usually saved in the nick of time. But when it's not (like in that one episode of 24, or that one Tom Clancy book), the impact is enormous. The end of "Shock and Awe" was completely unexpected, and because IW gave you control as you spent your final moments crawling futilely toward help that wasn't there, it didn't just change the tone of the game, but it told us that the safeties were off for all IW games going forward. If you're willing to set off a nuke, then anything goes.

Number Three: "Death From Above" -- Call of Duty 4

The move away from World War II meant that Infinity Ward had a brand new set of military toys to play with. In the mission preceding "Death From Above," your squad was trying to get clear of an area infested by enemy troops. Capt. Price calls for air support, which came in the form of one of those new toys: the AC-130 gunship. But instead of remaining on the ground and marking targets for the flyboys, IW throws a curve and puts you in the plane's gunner seats. The intense ground combat was suddenly contrasted by the calm and cool black-and-white cameras and the nonchalant chatter of the AC-130 crew. And whether or not it was an intended effect, wiping out enemy defenses from the safety of 10,000 feet while your pilot makes wry remarks struck a realistic chord for some players (who compared it to YouTube videos of actual AC-130 combat footage).

Number Two: "The Battle for Hill 400" -- Call of Duty 2

Part of the conclusion of Call of Duty 2 was a grueling ascent to the top of Hill 400, taking it forcibly from the entrenched and overpowering German forces, and then holding the peak while they mounted an epic counter-attack. There are quite a few missions in Call of Duty that have you holding your ground for a set amount of time, but scrambling around the top of Hill 400 and defending it from all sides is probably the most intense of these scenarios. And because it was a lot of work getting up there in the first place, you really felt possessive of the bunker area, in that "this is mine, I've earned it, and I'll be damned if I'm letting you take it" sort of way. Seeing your P-51 air support scream overhead and clear out the German forces was sweet relief.

Number One: "All Ghillied Up" -- Call of Duty 4

"Shock and Awe" was, well…shocking, and "Death From Above" was an interesting creative twist on an otherwise typical combat mission. But "All Ghillied Up" was COD4's design high point, and probably the best beginning-to-end sequence in the Call of Duty series to date (unless you played on Hardened or Veteran, where the Ferris wheel finale was pretty frustrating). Concealed head-to-toe in the ghillie suit and moving behind the enemy lines undetected created a genuine sense of tension, which peaked with the "please don't see me, please don't see me" moment in a field filled with advancing tanks and troops. Nailing the signature sniping objective was extremely satisfying, and the ensuing retreat was frantic and exhilarating. "All Ghillied Up" was the Infinity Ward sampler platter: story progression, infiltration, a signature set-piece, and intense combat. (And lots of grenades.)

So what are your most memorable battles? There's a lot to choose from...

Star Trek Online Launch Date: February 2, 2010

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 14:59:00 -0800

Attention all Vulcans, Wookiees and Midi-chlorians: The launch date for Star Trek Online is officially February 2, 2010 in North America, and February 5, 2010 in Europe, according to developer Cryptic's website.

More than any other sci-fi property I can think of, Star Trek is perfect for an MMO. The shows' main themes of exploration and inquiry fit in perfectly with a no-real-plot MMO, and the interchangeable nature of the crews of the different ships on the Star Trek TV programs means it makes sense for different personalities to live in the Star Trek Online universe.

That show has always been about a collective (The Federation) as opposed to being about individuals like, say, Star Wars or The Lord of the Rings. The game allows players to be members of alien races, as well as human, so Klingons are in luck!

Anyway, I'll be there at launch, pretending my desk chair is the captain's throne and yelling "Engage!" at my cat. What about you? Are you tired enough of World of Warcraft to give Star Trek Online a go?

Medal Of Honor "Revitalization" To Be Unveiled Soon

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 14:29:00 -0800

Electronic Arts has been quiet about the Medal of Honor franchise for a while, allowing Call of Duty to remain the leader in that genre of the shooter. That's going to change soon, however. On an investor call today, EA Games label head Frank Gibeau teased a "revitalization" of Medal of Honor to be revealed soon. No other details were revealed about this new take on Medal of Honor.

Gibeau said the company's approach to Need For Speed kicks off a new initiative to "revitalize blockbusters" experiencing creative stagnation. EA considers the Need For Speed experiment a success and will extend the concept not only to Medal of Honor, but other "core IPs" from EA.

Gibeau made it sound like we would hear about these in 2010.

Electronic Arts Looks Toward More Price Cuts, Digital Sales, Motion Controls

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 14:17:00 -0800

It was originally believed the economic recession wouldn't affect video games much. That prediction proved to be very, very wrong. Electronic Arts is one of the companies that's been deeply affected, prompting the company to announce plans to layoff 1,500 employees. Discussing these issues and how EA will react to them going forward, EA CEO John Riccitiello outlined several areas the company sees as advantages in 2010 and beyond: price cuts, digital sales and motion controls.

Riccitiello brought up digital sales a number of times, declaring EA a company that needs to move beyond just delivering packaged goods at retail and achieving a balance between these traditional sales and digital sales. The executive believes gains in the digital side in 2010 will actually offset dips in the retail sector, encouraged by EA being a "leading layer on the digital direct side of the industry."

Most digital sales come from the PC side right now, sans some experiments by both Microsoft and Sony on their respective services. But EA sees opportunities there with further iterations on the price cuts introduced by Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo in the past few months.

"[There is] room on the console price points," said Riccitiello, pointing out that most hardware sales take place once consoles have moved to the $199 and below price point.

Additionally, Riccitiello believes both Project Natal and Sony's motion controller will extend outreach.

"[These add-ons will] bring new consumers to the market ... and extend the cycle."

This Week's New Releases -- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 14:11:00 -0800

It's Monday, and that means it's time once again for us to take a look at some of the new releases hitting store shelves this week.

Well, the wait is finally over, and what could end up being the biggest game release ever is just a few hours away. Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 arrives tonight at midnight, marking the potential end of jobs, relationships, and pretty much all other forms of responsibility that devoted gamers might have. For Wii and Nintendo DS owners, you’ll be feeling the Modern Warfare love as well in the form of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex and CoD: MW Mobilized.

If the whole military combat thing isn’t your style, then there are a few other titles coming out this week that you might want to check out. Chaotic: Shadow Warriors could be worth a look, just because it's one of Activision's other games being released this week. If you're looking for a little nostalgic gaming with modern console upgrades, then you'll be pleased to know that the classic Nintendo racer Excitebike hits WiiWare in the form of Excitebike: World Rally.

PlayStation 3

Click through to see new releases for Wii, Xbox 360, DS, PSP and PC.

Wii

Xbox 360

Nintendo DS

PlayStation Portable

Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble

Electronic Arts Acquires Social Games Creator Playfish

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 11:58:00 -0800

Electronic Arts has added another cog to its already impressive wheel of mobile/casual gaming domination, as the publisher announced today that it has acquired social gaming creator Playfish for $275 million. If Playfish hits certain “performance milestones” over the next two years, the deal could end up closer to $400 million.

Senior vice president and general manager of EA Interactive, Barry Cottle, said in a statement, “EAi has been successfully leading the charge for EA, and with the addition of proven expertise from Playfish, their broad consumer base and strong game brands, we're moving ahead aggressively in our plans to lead in the category of cross-platform social entertainment.”

Playfish has seen over 150 game installs and boasts over 60 million active players per month across a number of platforms including Facebook, MySpace, Google, Bebo, iPhone and Android. Some of the Playfish’s most popular titles include the Facebook games Pet Society, Restaurant City and Country Story.

As a result of the acquisition, the company will now operate alongside EA Mobile and Pogo beneath the EA Interactive umbrella. Considering Pogo’s dominance of the casual online gaming market and EA Mobile’s control over the mobile gaming space (a 34 percent market share according to EA), Playfish is in mighty good company, and the move will only help EA more firmly shore up its mobile/casual/social gaming presence for a while to come.

Any Playfish game fans out there? What are some of your favorite games, and why?

First Wave Of Borderlands Downloadable Content Slated For Nov. 24

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 11:40:00 -0800

If you've already pushed through the content on the Borderlands disc, 2K Games and Gearbox Software are happy to provide you with more...for a nominal fee, of course. The very-cool-looking first slate of downloadable content, The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned (complete with zombie hordes), will be released on November 24 through both Xbox Live and PlayStation Network for $9.99.

There's no mention of when the content is coming to the PC in the announcement release. I've asked 2K Games to clarify whether it's arriving on the same date or sometime later.

Valve Still Considering Mods For 360 Version of Left 4 Dead

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 10:55:00 -0800

With the launch of the 360, I made the transition from PC gamer to console gamer, and I haven't looked back. While there are definite advantages to PC gaming in terms of graphics and customizablity, to me, the ease and consistency of console gaming is much more important than the benefits PC gaming offers. I'm glad to be able to just play without having to think about the difference between system requirements and system recommendations, whether my graphics card is compatible, whether the install will screw up my system registry, etc. But, on the negative side of the ledger, I miss mods a lot. So Valve's plan/vision to bring user-created levels and mission to the 360 version of Left 4 Dead is tantalizing to me. It's the best of both zombie-filled-worlds.

"Just put all the PC mods up on Live!" I've thought to myself (I have a rich inner life.) Apparently, it isn't that simple. According to Valve's Chet Faliszek, mods currently aren't "standard" enough to run consistently on the 360, or even lower-end PC.

"One of the problems now when you look at a lot of the mods that are made is they can't run on low-end PCs, they can't even run on mid-end PCs often - they can only run on high-end PCs. They can't run on Xbox 360," Faliszek said.

This doesn't mean it's not going to happen, of course. Bringing mods to the 360 is still in Valve's sights. Faliszek says the company is planning to work with the mod community, maybe at some point after Left 4 Dead 2 comes out on November 17th.

"The coolest thing we could ever do would be to take something that was made by the community and share it with everybody - including Xbox 360 owners," Faliszek said. "How that happens and what work needs to be done is a little bit complicated."

Complicated for the 360, but, apparently, not the PlayStation 3. As far as I know, the only console game that has thus far allowed for user-made mods is Unreal Tournament III for the PS3. Okay, it didn't exactly set the world on fire, but it's a first.

I have never played around with UT III's mods, but Patrick Klepek tells me that while some of the user made content is pretty cool, the lack of a filtering/rating system for mods means you'll be doing a lot of sorting of FPS chaff before finding the gaming wheat. It's not mentioned in the article, but you have to figure Valve's Left 4 Dead 2 mod plan is different than UT III's policy of "just put up whatever people make!"

How do you feel about mods? Are you looking forward to Left 4 Dead 2 mods hitting your console, or are you content to stick with the (excellent, no doubt) material Valve plans to release?

Source: Computer and Video Games

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Sparks Debate In British Parliament

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 10:09:00 -0800

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For those dozen or so gamers out there gearing up for the launch of Infinity Ward’s uber-mega-funtime-anticipated Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, you might want to brace yourselves for some serious anti-violent video game advocate backlash. We haven’t even come close to hearing the end of the game’s already infamous airport sequence, and that’s just one aspect of the game that will likely cause many a discussion regarding violence in video games in the near future.

So, if you feel like getting a head start on showing your support for Modern Warfare 2, and the artistic merits of its content, depictions and experiences, then, as the BBC reports, there’s a Facebook group just waiting for you to join.

British Member of Parliament Tom Watson founded the Gamer’s Voice group after fellow MP, Keith Vaz, told the British publication the Daily Mail he was “absolutely shocked” by MW2’s level of violence. Watson spells out his intentions on the group’s page, saying:

“Are you sick of UK newspapers and (my fellow) politicians beating up on gaming? So am I. The truth is, UK gamers need their own pressure group. I want to help you start one up. I don't know how it should work yet but please register your interest if you agree that gamers need their voice hear [sic] in the corridors of power.”

The group’s motto/official description similarly declares, “This group is unashamedly pro-video games. We aim to discuss how UK video gamers can find their voice in newspapers and government.” Keeping good on his word, Watson has promised to make MW2 a point of discussion in Parliament on Wednesday, the day after the game is released.

Given the UK's history with violent video games, it's encouraging to see someone standing up for the medium in such a public way. Whether it will actually result in anything remains to be seen, but at least it's something.

Source: BBC

Launch Primer -- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0800

Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
MSRP: $59.99 (all versions)
ESRB Rating: Mature

All Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Content

Videos | Previews | Screenshot Galleries | News Stories

What kind of game is it?

Modern Warfare 2 is a first-person shooter set in the near-future. Previous games in the Call of Duty series took place during World War II, but that changed with 2007's Call of Duty 4. It is also unscientifically the most popular game in the world at the moment.

Who's the Developer?

Infinity Ward is a game studio based in Encino, California (just north of Los Angeles). It was founded in 2002 by former members of the Medal of Honor development team, which was Electronic Arts' World War II shooter franchise. They have put out four games to date: Call of Duty, Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Other games in the series, such as last year's World at War, were developed by Treyarch.

What's the story?

For the first time in the Call of Duty series (because this is the first time it actually makes sense), MW2 is a direct sequel to the first MW. The Russian ultra-nationalists have a new leader and renewed vigor, and five years after the events of Modern Warfare, they set their ultimate plan into motion. (Hint: They're pissed at America.)

Multiplayer/Online?

Like its predecessor, Modern Warfare 2's online multiplayer features are robust. The same experience and perk system returns, with the level cap expanding to 70. There are new kill streak rewards (special abilities granted to players who rack up consecutive kills), including being able to call in the AC-130 gunship for temporary air support.

Standard multiplayer modes include Free-for-All, Team Deathmatch, Capture-the-Flag, Demolition, Search and Destroy, and Domination. The maximum number of players is 18 (9 vs. 9 teams)

New to Modern Warfare 2, however, is the cooperative "Special Ops" mode. In Special Ops, you and a partner must complete a specially-designed mission in the same spirit as COD4's epilogue mission (the quick run through the jet). You can play Special Ops online, or split-screen on the same television.

But if you're a PC gamer, those features aren't quite as robust as they used to be. Infinity Ward has eliminated support for dedicated servers in favor of their custom-built IW.net matchmaking system. They've also lowered the maximum allowable player count (it used to be 32 on the PC) and removed support for custom mods and maps.

What'd we say?

Stay tuned to G4tv.com and X-Play for our review!

See it in action:

Watch Larger Version of this Video

Activision Gives One Million Bucks To Vets

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 09:16:00 -0800

To coincide with the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 this Tuesday, Activision/Blizzard has set up a million-dollar foundation aimed at helping returning soldiers find employment.

The Call of Duty Endowment (CODE) will work with other veteran's groups to assist soldiers in finding work, and they definitely need it: The unemployment rate among veterans was 11.6 percent in October, as opposed to 10.2 percent for the population at large.

"The joblessness rate that [veterans] should have should be far less than the national average, not more," said Activision Blizzard chief executive Bobby Kotick in an interview with The Washington Post. "How do you expect people to actually join the military if when they leave the military they can't integrate back into the free market they're supposed to be protecting?"

CODE definitely seems like a good endeavor, but how weird is it that people who make a video game are donating money to help the people who defend the nation find work? Shouldn't it be the other way around or something?

Source: The Washington Post

Abbie Heppe Takes A Tour Of Valve's Studio

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 17:10:00 -0800

X-Play's Abbie Heppe recently got to visit Valve Software to get her hands-on Left 4 Dead 2, bringing you some amazing interviews and gameplay walkthroughs. While she was there, she also got a guided tour of Valve's offices from Left 4 Dead 2 writer Chet Faliszek. She was kind enough to bring a camera crew so you could go on your own little virtual tour of the offices.

Won't you go on that virtual tour with me?

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What Do You Play First, Single-Player or Multiplayer?

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 16:14:00 -0800

Call this an Afternoon Hangover after a Friday beer lunch (man, I miss those)...

Obviously this is spurred by Modern Warfare 2's release next week, but it's a question applicable to any game with multiplayer. When you boot up a new game for the first time, what takes priority...playing through the story, or hopping online and getting a jump on your stats?

Personally, I can't do anything multiplayer until I play through a significant portion of the single-player campaign. This is for a couple of reasons:

I'm a little sensitive when it comes to story spoilers, even in bad games. (And bad movies, and bad books, and bad TV...) Better to get through the experience myself before co-workers casually mention that character/event/location either died/happened/exploded. I've heard enough chatter about MW2 already, and the game's not even out yet.
I need to get familiar with the basic control scheme of a game before I embarass myself in the public arena. Movement speed, aiming sensitivity, weapon familiarity...I need to know the particulars of all of these things so I can properly blame them for finishing second-to-last in the round.
I always forget to recharge my headset, so I need a few hours alone anyway.

So this Tuesday...perks or plot? Render thine opinions!

Randy Pitchford Criticizes Valve For "Fanboy" Attitude Toward PS3

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 14:27:00 -0800

Gearbox Software head Randy Pitchford has a long history with the folks at Valve, which is probably why he’s able to speak with just candor when it comes to what he believes are serious missteps on behalf of the acclaimed developer.

Coming off a series of comments criticizing Valve over their digital delivery platform Steam, Pitchford recently told the UK gaming publication OPM that Valve’s avoidance of PlayStation 3 support bears similarities to the kinds of “childish and narrow minded” attitudes that fanboys are famously known for having for or against a particular console, AnalogHype (via Develop) reports.

"I noticed something on the net not too long ago. Doug Lombardi (Valve's VP Marketing) had to take a swipe at the PS3 again, and I thought it was foolish. I read it the same way I read fanboys. Like there's a guy who brought the Sony platform and he's a Sony guy, so he decides he's going to spend a certain percentage of his time bashing Microsoft. And there's a guy on Microsoft doing the same thing,” Pitchford explained.

As for his own stance on the PS3, Pitchford said, “The PS3 is awesome. I think Valve...I don't know why they are doing that. It's weird. But yeah, the PlayStation platform's really cool. It's different to others and it's certainly a challenge to be able to develop software for. But that's where the fun is, right?"

Valve has rather famously criticized the PS3 for being too difficult to program for, and as such, Sony’s console has received very little in terms of support from the developer. Then again, I don’t think anyone would criticize Epic Games or Insomniac Games for having “fanboy”-like attitudes towards the 360 and/or PS3 because they work exclusively on their respective consoles of choice. When developers say things like, “We prefer working on the 360 because we find it easier” and “This game could only be made on the PS3,” it doesn’t strike me as fanboy-ish; it just sounds like developers expressing their personal technological preferences (which are oftentimes dictated by exclusivity deals, but those deals wouldn't have been agreed to in the first place if the developers didn't feel some kind of reasoned draw to a particular console).

I’ve contacted Valve to get their take on this, so I’ll let you know if I hear anything.

Do you think Pitchford’s characterization of Valve’s attitude toward the PS3 is fair/accurate?

Source: AnalogHype (via Develop)

Reply to All: Call of Duty, Sexy Games, and I Don't Even Know What

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 14:04:00 -0800

I stopped playing Madden after I left the confines of college housing, as I was no longer forced to provide human competition to my addicted roommates. And even then, using the term "competition" was a stretch. Even though I love watching the sport and I know how the game works, the deeper strategy of football play-calling has always eluded me, which is why I was one of those guys who always called a fake punt on 4th and 12. It usually didn't take longer than halftime for me to be excused back to my room and Unreal Tournament. I bring this up because I had to endure last Sunday's Packers/Vikings rematch, and watching Aaron Rodgers (whom I still kind of believe in, kind of) go down sack-after-sack reminded me of my own struggles on the gridiron. Slamming my fists repeatedly on the table wasn't a show of frustration, no…it was me frantically pressing the A button to get him to throw the damn ball already. I mean, how could he not see that Driver was wide open? What camera angle is he playing with?! And shame on Mike McCarthy for not attempting a 73-yard field goal. You can't win if you don't score.

In that spirit, let's get started with this week's Reply to All, which has absolutely nothing to do with the story I just told.

* * *

Sex in video games has become much more prevalent (especially in BioWare games). I've been reading reviews for Dragon Age: Origins and most of them mention awkward sex scenes, which I felt was awkward in Mass Effect. My question, I guess, would be do you feel sex in video games really contributes to the story telling aspect of the game or is it just there to bring about some notoriety or attention to the game? -- usemeup

How much or to what effect a sex scene contributes to a story, regardless of the medium, is entirely dependent on the skill of the writers, directors, and actors involved. If done properly, it can contribute quite a lot...the ultimate expression of human love is indeed a powerful thing, but its meaning and impact is heavily dependent on the relationship of the participants. That's why it's much more challenging to get right in video games, where action frequently trumps meaningful character development, and it can easily come across as awkward or done simply for the shock value.

That's not to say that it can't be done in action movies, as anyone who's seen Shoot 'Em Up can tell you. The scene with Clive Owen and Monica Bellucci was shocking in an over-the-top way, but because it fit in with the unrestrained insanity of the entire movie, there was a certain frantic and satirical artistry to it. The closest analogy would be Kratos' exploits in God of War, which could explain why it slipped by the mainstream media relatively free of controversy.

Keep your eye on Heavy Rain, though. We recently interviewed Quantic Dream's David Cage and asked him about sexuality in games, to which he replied, "It is what two adults in love usually end up doing, it is a way to express feelings. I don’t think there is anything wrong if you deal with it in a non-gratuitous way and in a tasteful manner." Basically, if you're a developer who wants to put a sex scene in your game, it behooves you to first ask "Why?"

THIS LETTER HAS MODERN WARFARE 2 SPOILERS!

It seems that Infinity Ward is repeatedly shooting itself in the foot when it comes to the media hype around Modern Warfare 2. Back when the trailer was released that revealed there was conflict on US soil, it felt like a huge spoiler in my opinion. Then with the leaked video of terrorist gameplay and now the recent ad against "frag spamming," it feels like this media coverage has ruined a portion of the game for me. Do you guys think that the hype revolved around Modern Warfare 2 has become detrimental to the game and possibly its sales? -- jsleibold

Patrick Klepek and I talk about this on almost a daily basis, but the way Activision and Infinity Ward are handling the traditional PR run-up to Modern Warfare 2 has been utterly baffling. The amount of goodwill that Infinity Ward has accumulated over the past few years could easily put them at the level of a Valve, a Bungie, or a Blizzard: gamers believe in your brand so devoutly that you can just sit back and let the game speak (and sell) for itself. Instead, we get something new to be confused about every week.

1) We still lack the context for the scene of a destroyed Washington D.C., but regardless, that image will have lost a lot of emotional impact by the time we encounter it in the game -- just as if we saw the now-famous mushroom cloud in a commercial prior to COD4. Simply knowing that something like that exists is enough to damage the experience.

2) The airport scene is a wait-and-see thing for me. That, too, is lacking context, and since you can't fully blame Activision and IW for a leaked video, they deserve the benefit of the doubt (though it is surprising that something that controversial was allowed to get into the wild). It could be a daring and thought-provoking perspective on the blurry lines of modern-day war. Or it could be mindless shock value. We'll find out and debate it next week.

3) However, the grenade spam video was a complete public relations failure. Infinity Ward's most-outward facing employee Robert Bowling, aka "fourzerotwo," described the video as a "social commentary joke" on his Twitter feed. But what that actual commentary was still isn't very clear. That the bulk of their own audience consists of foul-mouthed adolescents? Yeah, we already know that, and it's not that funny. That the design of their game allows for poor play experiences? Also not humorous. Even in the hands of comedic masters, socially-charged humor has a lot of baggage attached, especially when you start throwing around damaging slurs (in acronym form or not).

It may not have been a "fist-bump of acceptance" of the behavior as Bowling claims it wasn't, but officially endorsing it sure as hell wasn't the condemnation it deserves.

4) That's not the only evidence that IW is having a community communication breakdown. PC gamers who were previously looking forward to Modern Warfare 2 have been getting bombed with a constant barrage of bad news. First was the $59.99 price tag (on par with the consoles, but $10 higher than the PC version of COD4), then came the news that there'd be no dedicated game servers, no mod tools, no custom maps, a reduced player limit for multiplayer, and no console commands ("console" in this instance meaning finely-tuned game and technical settings). They even took out the "lean" ability. The omissions themselves speak volumes of IW's attitude toward PC gamers, but that wasn't enough. In a recent online chat, Infinity Ward representatives treated PC-related concerns with vague answers and visible disdain:

maniac1969
Vince, there are 178,000 voices that say you need dedicated servers for the PC. COD4 is the bigest online game in history! Why in the world would you take away dedicated servers and change the whole MP experience for us? And Mackey, the PC version with dedicated servers is already the best experience the way it is!

Vince-IW
All I can say is that we changed it to make it a better and easier experience. Also, not all of the names on that list are legit. ;)

Mackey-IW
402 signed it 4 times I heard.

And:

Moriarte
Ignoring IW.net, is the PC version a direct port of the console version?

Mackey-IW
No, PC has custom stuff like mouse control, text chat in game, and graphics settings.

Here's the thing, though. Modern Warfare sold millions and millions of copies. Modern Warfare 2 is GameStop's most-preordered game of all time. While it makes a difference to industry observers like you and me, the truth is that the summation of these PR blunders does not amount to a hill of beans in the grand scheme. Call of Duty sells. And outside of the peripheral marketing noise, the games themselves are generally very well done (there's a reason 99% of people in the office can't wait to play it, even the Style Network girls).

END SPOILERS!

Are you not planning a review of Torchlight? Sure, it's PC only and has to be bought through Steam or directly from the developer, but it's becoming a really hard choice for me each day of whether to fire up Borderlands or head back into the Ember mine. At $20 it's probably the best value in gaming right now. I have a lot of respect for what you guys do on X-Play and g4tv.com, but I wish you'd give Torchlight some love. -- Brad

Torchlight isn't currently on our official reviews list, but I recently downloaded it from Steam because it's been getting such good worth of mouth. I haven't had much time to attack it yet due to other assignments, but I can easily see it eating up hours and hours of my free time just based on the 45 minutes I've put into the intro. I'll try to make more official coverage happen in the near future. In the meantime, if you like the loot, definitely check out Torchlight.

Will they make E3 open to the public? -- Michael

Probably not, but honestly...you don't want to go to E3. You want to go to Penny Arcade Expo (PAX). More and more publishers are showing their games there, there's more that's playable, and guys like me don't get to cut in front of you. E3 is properly enjoyed from the comfort of your den, office, or living room, streaming videos, reading previews, and arguing on forums while drinking tasty beverages and wearing loose-fitting clothing.

In fact…Adam and Rob, if you're reading this, I officially am choosing not to attend E3 next year. Let me know if you have any questions!

What classic Sega games would you like to see remade? Jet Set Radio is the main reason I bought an Xbox, and I'll be damned if it doesn't get another game. -- DreamingDarklyRobin

I came from a Nintendo family, so my appreciation for Sega games is based mostly on the Dreamcast. That part of me wants to see Jet Set Radio, Chu Chu Rocket, Crazy Taxi, Sega Bass Fishing, Skies of Arcadia, Virtua Cop…but another part of me wants to let that era of Sega live peacefully in the past. Their development studios aren't the same, their publishing philosophy isn't the same…and as much as we'd all love Jet Set Radio Future Perfect or Get Way More Bass!, it'd be awfully difficult to recreate that turn-of-the-millennium magic. They tried with Crazy Taxi 3, and it didn't work.

But there's no reason we can't get those games re-released on Live Arcade or PSN. You hear that, Sega? No. Reason.

I was wondering whether I should get Left 4 Dead 2 or Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City. Can you give me your opinion? -- Julian

To me, these questions are just as ineffective as "What should I have for dinner, grilled cheese & tomato soup, or a delicious steak?" The answer, always, is to satisfy the immediate craving. L4D2 has you killing zombies with your friends. Lost & Damned and Gay Tony are really well-done Grand Theft Auto stories. If you can only do one, which one do you want to do first?

If that doesn't help, I'll flip a coin. Heads is L4D2, Tails is GTA.

….flipping….flipping…flipping…

…enjoy Liberty City!

What do you think about a G-Police remake? I think that was a title ahead of its time and suffered from lack of technology. I think with multiplayer (good guys vs. bad guys) and open world gameplay the opportunities would be near limitless. What's your take? -- ghostflesh

You know, the near-complete disappearance of space shooters has been baffling me for quite a while. It doesn't make any sense: people like shooting things, people like space, ergo, people should like shooting things in space. I know that G-Police didn't even take place in space, but its cousin Colony Wars did, and both are two PlayStation era franchises that I'd love to see come back. The developer that made them, Psygnosis, is now a part of Sony's internal studio system (renamed as Studio Liverpool). They've been busy updating their other other PSone classic franchise, Wipeout, so it's not a complete stretch to think they could do the same for G-Police and/or Colony Wars. If you put G-Police type vehicles in an open world in the vein of say, Crackdown? I would buy.

We can also hold out hope that "Starhawk" comes to fruition soon. Remember that? All we have to work on is a trademark filing from earlier this year, which includes the comment "Operating a real-time game for others over global and local area computer networks."

In the meantime, I'm going to check out Shattered Horizon for the PC. It's an FPS and doesn't involve spacecraft, but it reminds me so much of the battle room in Ender's Game that I cannot resist. I'll also continue to harass LucasArts' official Twitter feed (@lucasartsgames) to get them to re-release the X-Wing and TIE Fighter games. And...and...the great Freespace 2 is available on Good Old Games for $6.

Is there any possibility that Brutal Legend will come out for the PC? -- Gorlioth

Possible? Sure. Probable? Doesn't seem like it. Double Fine's Tim Schafer did a live chat with Eurogamer back in July and shot down the idea, stating that the game "was meant to be on a console." It's one of those situations where the door isn't locked, but it's been securely closed, soundproofed, and somebody's blocking it from the other side.

But who knows? Maybe one day you'll try to go through the door, and as you grab the handle it opens outward and almost smacks you in the face. Then you awkwardly apologize, even though it's ridiculous to feel guilty for trying to go through a door. Yes, this has been happening a lot to me in the office.

F7 Letter of the Week

need for speed sucks again heres why again they suck at making games not everyone wants to steer with the L3 button or the joy stick or the anolog stick there are those that are fine with using the direction buttons you know the buttons with arrows and here is the big one not a two player game on the ps3 internet only 2 or more forget that i want my friends in the same room to play games with and not every one has cable internet because they live to out in the striks so take your game and stick it were the sun does not shine

-- Eric M.

I sympathize with your plight, Eric, in regards to the lack of local multiplayer. We've been hearing a lot about that in Feedback and mailbag questions lately; it's something that we're going to look into.

But I am curious about your aversion to analog technology (as well as your complete aversion to punctuation, nice job on that). Especially since we're talking about a racing game. I'm going to assume you are not yet of the driving age, so believe me when I say that when you get behind the steering wheel of a real automobile, you're going to want a little more control over where you're going. There's a reason the government outlawed those giant "Left" and "Right" buttons in cars built after 1992.

WEBMASTER DOESN'T UNDERSTAND YOU

Monkey scribbles,

Corrupted illumination, banana feast. Ark house demolishing carnauba. Surfing kaleidoscope blasted noodle; abrasively down plentiful renderings child-like miasma.

Drowning intellect?

Dave
Ann Arbor, MI

Sanitized stapler,

Dwindling water supply, the sharpest of knives. Sun going down, then up, but sideways. Falling technology eats all of the cake -- phosphorescent memories reappear with severe tire damage. Three hundred and twenty-six.

Ya dig?

Webmaster
Los Angeles, CA

* * *

Send your letters to webmaster@g4tv.com. Correspondence will be edited for sanity.

Several Digital Distribution Services Won't Sell Modern Warfare 2 Due To Steam

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 12:30:00 -0800

You won't be able to purchase Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on Direct2Drive, GamersGate or Impulse when it's released next week because of the game's integration of Steam. Infinity Ward integrated the Steam client into Modern Warfare 2 to support Steamworks, prompting all three digital distribution chains to decide the game will not be available in their stores.

"At Direct2Drive, we believe strongly that when you buy a game from us, you shouldn't be forced to install and run a 3rd party software client to be able to play the game you purchased," reads a statement on Direct2Drive's website. "Because COD MW 2 requires you, the consumer, to do that, we aren't able to offer the game via Direct2Drive at this time."

Direct2Drive is also offering a $5 coupon off any other Activision title in its marketplace.

"Impulse will not be selling Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 either," said and Impulse spokesperson in a statement to Voodoo Extreme. "We share some of the same concerns as Direct2Drive over the bundling of the Steam client with the game. The most obvious issue is the forced inclusion of a competitor's store that blocks us from carrying the game."

I've contacted Activision about these developments. If they comment, I'll let you know.

Were you planning to buy Modern Warfare 2 through any of these services?

Feedback -- Potpourri Edition: DJ Hero, Tekken 6, Ballad of Gay Tony

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 09:40:00 -0800

Can you guess what everyone on Feedback was talking about this week? Hint, hint: we're one week away from the highly anticipated launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. However you feel about Infinity Ward's latest entry in its shooter franchise, it's shaping up to be a monumental day for games. Chances are everyone could have talked about Modern Warfare 2 for an entire show, but as it turns out, there's a bajillion other games being released right now. So, we talked about those, too.

Watch Larger Version | Watch HD Version

Here's what else Adam, Abbie, Sterling and I cover on this edition of Feedback:

That controversial Modern Warfare 2 viral video that showed up last weekend (and has since disappeared) sparks some heated discussion...and harsh words for Infinity Ward.
Even Nintendo's not sure what to do with the Wii these days. We look at where the Wii's come in the past few years and some up with some easy ways Nintendo can patch things up.
Game of the week? How about games of the week? DJ Hero, Tekken 6 and Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony -- batter up!
As more casuals join the ranks of our fellow gamers and achievements encourage players to venture into harder difficulty settings, a reader probes us about difficulty settings in games.

Feedback: doing a poor job of hanging signs with scotch tape since mid-2009. Sing our ballad and subscribe:

Video: iTunes | XML | Audio: iTunes | XML

(And yes, we are aware that Sterling's microphone is underperforming this week. Top men are on the case. Top. Men.)

Morning Hangover -- Dedicated To Dedicated Servers

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0800

Welcome to Morning Hangover -- an excellent way to start your day with the crew at TheFeed...no matter what you're recovering from. Every morning you'll hear musings from our editors and have the chance to share your thoughts on what's going on in the gaming world.

The fact that Activision isn’t “overly concerned” about the frustrations expressed by gamers over the lack of dedicated servers in the PC version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is hardly surprising. And while irate PC gamers could probably argue on and on about Infinity Ward’s “abandonment of the community of gamers that made it the developer it is today” and all of that, I’m more interested in finding out just how dedicated gamers are to dedicated servers.

So hardcore PC gamers, why do you think IW decided to favor a more console-ish infrastructure for MW2’s multiplayer? (And, “Because they’re a bunch of back-stabbing jerks!” isn’t an acceptable response.) Is a dedicated server more important to you than gameplay, design, graphics, etc.? Are you going to play Battlefield: Bad Company 2 simply because it offers dedicated servers, even though you might have loved Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and would have preferred playing MW2, if not for the lack of dedicated servers? What will hardcore PC gamers do if more and more developers take a book out of IW's multiplayer playbook? Stop playing multiplayer games?

The other question I’m interested in finding out about is this: For those PC gamers who are still playing COD4 on PC, and consider it one of the best games of the generation, are you seriously going to avoid playing what will undoubtedly be the biggest multiplayer game of the year (next to Left 4 Dead 2)? Do you detest matchmaking so much that you’re willing to pass up playing the juggernaut of a game that MW2 most likely will be? If so, I totally respect that, and I would love to hear what you plan on playing while millions of gamers are enjoying MW2.

TheFeed gang wants your thoughts on gaming, tech, PhD's in spaceship repair, and more. Let everyone know what you're thinking and chat it up with your fellow readers. Leave comments on anything and everything that's on your (gaming/tech/nerd) mind!

Split/Second Offers Gamers A Whole New Way To Race

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 16:20:00 -0800

Watch Larger Version | Watch HD Version

Explosions, cruise ship collisions, and all around mayhem: Not what you'd expect from a racing game. Split/Second, the upcoming racing game from Disney Interactive Studios and Black Rock Studios, has a new trailer, and it's shiny.

Split/Second was the winner of the Game Critics Awards for Best Racing game at E3 2009. The game takes a unique spin on the racing genre, as the trailer clearly shows. Rather than being based on simple competition, Split/Second revolves around a reality television series, so the courses are lined with explosives, crashes and towering structures just waiting to make you go splat. If this trailer is any indication, look forward to an action-packed game in 2010.

Split/Second will be released for the Xbox 360, PS3 and the PC.