Warning to potential buyers
From IW Forums:
Modern Warfare 2 is a straight console port, except it works much worse on the PC than on consoles. MW2 is currently practically unplayable (and will likely remain so) and the game is not worth your money.
Here are some of the problems with the game that you may encounter if you decide to purchase it:
Installing problems:
Direct crashes:
You may not be able to get beyond the first screen at all (freeze).
Missing or unreadable text on starting screen and in in-game HUD.
link1, link2, link3
General limitations:
Multiplayer issues:
link1, link2, link3, link4
That last point ** is enough to completely kill the game, apart from the generally horrible IW.net connection quality. As it is, the game will most likely be almost completely deserted in a few weeks time. Since you can only get even remotely acceptable connection speeds if there is a huge player-base, this is a self-reinforcing effect after the first hype is over.
On a more general note, you are warned against purchasing Modern Warfare 2 since it is important to send a message to the gaming industry with the only thing that counts, your wallet. Infinity Ward should be punished for:
*** WARNING TO POTENTIAL BUYERS ***
Modern Warfare 2 is a straight console port, except it works much worse on the PC than on consoles. MW2 is currently practically unplayable (and will likely remain so) and the game is not worth your money.
Here are some of the problems with the game that you may encounter if you decide to purchase it:
Installing problems:
- The game comes in two DVDs. Many PC systems will not recognize the content on the second one.
- You may end up with a game from a batch where the first DVD simply does not read.
- You will have to register at Steam and download the release patch and any other missing files -- the download can easily be a multi-hour hassle.
- Generally installing is anything but "easy and casual". Troubleshooting can require hours of research and re-installs.
Direct crashes:
You may not be able to get beyond the first screen at all (freeze).
Missing or unreadable text on starting screen and in in-game HUD.
link1, link2, link3
| HUD Issues | |
- During singleplayer gameplay, the game is likely to inform you that you miss some file, and you can't continue the campaign.
- Game may crash at any time during single-player or multi-player play ("iw3mp.exe has stopped working", random freezes, etc. -- game wasn't tested across the board before release).
- Nonstop screen flashing.
General limitations:
- There is no customer support to help you solve the problems above and below.
- The game does not support Sli (two graphics cards).
- There is no command console. In particular, you can't change the FoV from the default 65. You may end up with a stretched image depending on your monitor's native resolution. You may also end up seesick from the limited FoV if you sit in the normal distance to your PC screen.
- You may not be able to change your in-game resolution and will be stuck with a resolution like 1024x768.
- Lean has been taken out of the game (it is a console port, remember).
- You can only play the game with one profile (your Steam profile), so you can only have your brother or missus have a go on your own profile.
Multiplayer issues:
- Your internet router is likely to prevent you from logging on to the online part of the game at all.
- The game doesn't support dedicated servers. This means you can't have favorite servers where you get to know people and can instantly play the game in your preferred mode and with a preferred social atmosphere.
- Instead the game uses P2P technology and automated matchmaking. This means that players host the games themselves, far from the internet-highway. The result is a much higher average ping for the players. Watch this video to see the typical lag effect (51 seconds video):
| LAAAAG | |
| LAGGGG | |
- The hosting player will have a 0-ping advantage. Meanwhile, you can't see your own precise ping but only a "ping-bar". Expect pings at 100ms and above (100ms is best case). LINK
- All but one game-mode are capped at 6 vs. 6 players or lower (one mixed game-mode is 9 vs. 9.)
- You are thrown into random maps, and rounds will typically only last around 5 minutes. Then there is a 1-2 minute wait before a new round is loaded.
- Frequent pauses during gameplay in case of host-migration, and game may well fail to migrate host at all.
- You most likely can't get into a public game with your friends (invite/party system doesn't work).
- There are no mod tools, so there will be no user-made maps or game-modes. There will be no competitive gaming or realism mods.
- Hardcore is limited to only two game-modes, and they are not unlocked before you reach level 21.
- There is no /record command (remember, no command console).
- Kill streak bonuses are hugely overpowered, destroying any fun if you are still hanging on now.
- All games will be un-admined, meaning you can't kick players from the auto-generated matches. This means that cheaters have a free reign (whereas they would be instantly kicked and banned from dedicated servers).**
link1, link2, link3, link4
That last point ** is enough to completely kill the game, apart from the generally horrible IW.net connection quality. As it is, the game will most likely be almost completely deserted in a few weeks time. Since you can only get even remotely acceptable connection speeds if there is a huge player-base, this is a self-reinforcing effect after the first hype is over.
On a more general note, you are warned against purchasing Modern Warfare 2 since it is important to send a message to the gaming industry with the only thing that counts, your wallet. Infinity Ward should be punished for:
- Repeatedly lying about the PC version ("online same as it ever was", "not a console port", etc. etc.).
- Completely abandoning the PC community that has helped them get to where they are now.
- Insulting the PC community while doing so.
Smugness and disrespect should not be rewarded. The customer is always right. The right thing to do here is not buying the game.
