Magnum50

http://www.ghostrecon.com/uk/newspost.php?id=16188

New screens and information, (for the lazy, copy/paste)

Q.1. First of all, could you please details the big lines of this new MP pack?

A. We have added several playability fixes, notably in the coop mode; we also improved the interface in some cases. For instance the weapon purchase interface in domination has been modified and you will now be able to create custom configurations through XML files. We also included an SLI system which allows an automatic check and update of your drivers. Fans will also be pleased to know that we will introduce a Death Cam, being able to watch through the eyes of your remaining team mates when you are dead and have no respawns left. Last but not least, and this is something fans asked for, we added the possibility to skip intro presentations in coop mode.

Apart from all these we have been mainly working on the two new multiplayer modes, Team Deathmatch and Hamburger Hill. From the beginning our objective was to make GRAW a must have in terms of multiplayer experience and this new pack is a big step in that direction.

Q.2. Can you quickly explain for the new recruits the purpose of the Hamburger Hill mode?

A. Simply, the player / the team who spends the most time in the central area of the map wins. The great thing about HH is that there is no lull; you need to act quickly and tactically in either defensive or offensive situation.

Q.3. Can you detail the new maps present in the Hamburger Hill mode?

A. We developed 3 unique maps and I am sure fans will be happy to know that 2 of them are pretty rural.
HH01-CommStation
This map is an abandoned communication station situated on a cliff near the ocean. It's quite rural, although with some central buildings and roads. A blocked tunnel leads away from the area through the mountains, and the sea blocks the way on the other side. The teams fight for control of the central base, and the area is open and is the most rural map we've done to date.
HH01-The Cape
Again situated near the water, this sea-side barrack complex has only a few buildings situated by hills and the sea. The central cliff is pierced by cliffs running through them to make the map more interesting, and has a "faster game" approach because of the natural choke points.
HH03 ¡V Hollow
This map was already present in the deathmatch mode. This is a valley based map with a central army base/fort like structure. It's got a custom terrain and is in a mountainous area.
Q.4. What is your favourite map and why?

A. My favourite one is the CommStation map and I bet fans will love it since it takes place in a non-urban environment. It was one of the most repeated requests I saw over the net and the forums. It was pretty tricky for us to answer to that specific point since GRAW is, from the beginning, set in an urban environment. But I and the rest of the team behind GRAW are also Ghost Recon fans and I spent nights on the rural maps of the very first episode so I understand how important it is for fans. So I guess you can say this specific map is dedicated to the fans! ļ But to answer your question I have to say I love fighting on a cliff near the ocean!

Q.4. How customizable is the Hamburger Hill mode?

A. We have been working on 4 distinctive HH options that determine the different ways of winning the game. These options can be defined the way the player wants to at start-time.
¡§Classic¡¨ Hamburger Hill (HH)
Team that held the zone the most during a game (ie. earned most points) wins when time runs out.
King of the Hill (KotH)
Team that holds the zone when the time runs out wins.
Complete Objective (CO)
Team first to reach the pre-determined number of points wins.
Tug of War (ToW)
Each team starts with a pre-determined number of points. If a team holds the zone, one team loses a point while the other team gains one. The winner will be the team which is superior in points when there is not enough time for the opposing team to catch up. If a team captures all points, the game is won.
Q.5. Team Deathmatch is the other addition to this package. What can you tell us on this?

A. We have adapted the five original maps from the Domination mode for the Team Deathmatch: Shantytown, Warehouses, Downtown, Avenues and Church. It works absolutely great! In addition we have added 2 maps, ¡§CommStation¡¨ and ¡§Hollow¡¨. With that content, I believe we have a pretty solid DM mode and that fans will surely enjoy it. So I guess I will see you on the battlefield!

__________________
Magnum
www.gettacticaldammit.com

Magnum50

Still... don't these people know what the heart and soul of GR (and GRAW should be)? Have they forgotten or never played...

The priorities IMO should be:

Dedicated server tools
Co-op where if the CO dies the game continues
at least 8 players, preferably 12 player co-op

Do those three and I'll actually play the game again, could become a classic...possible.

__________________
Magnum
www.gettacticaldammit.com

Mateo

They don't care Magnum. If they did, they would have had that at launch. In this case, the money won.

perry

Yep, they promised server tools or whatever, and there hasn't been a peep about em since release. That fact alone has, IMHO, really kept the game from taking off. The demo was fun, but I'm at least one person that hasn't bought the game because of the lack of server files. That's not to say that I'd buy the game tomorrow if server files were released, but I would at least consider it.

__________________

Evo<^|SiNz|^>

They're turning it into bloody counter-strike.

__________________



"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country.
He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."
- Attributed to General George Patton, Jr.

Beatnik

How hard is it to create a @*&($(% dedicated server pack for all of us willing players? I've all but given up on yet another $50 blown on a half-assed implementation of an otherwise promising title.

Humbug.

__________________

Clodhopper

Yeah, I'm getting that feeling now too... game is just collecting dust now...

__________________
|TG|Clodhopper - Intelligence is the key, but I'm locked out!

Timberwolf

It's so sad. I was just telling one of my gamer friends how GRAW never made it out of the gate, it just died. It's so dissapointing, 50 dollars wasted.... I was so ready for a tactical FPS too.

__________________

xTYBALTx

I haven't played the game for some time now, but that's not for lack of quality. I thoroughly enjoyed it but without friends in game it's not the same. I really can't fault the lack of server tools - some servers have very high quality play and excellent custom maps have been flying about... you don't "play" server files. The only person who knows they aren't there is the server admin. As a player, I really couldn't care less.

Of course, the game clearly has not taken off at TG the way many expected it to, but I also don't think that the game delivered any less than was expected. In game VOIP would be nice, but TS suffices quite well. There is at least one server where most people are on TS and communication and coordination are common. (Or, at least they were common when I was last playing.)

Finally, there have been dedicated servers available for rent since day one. They do cost slightly more, as they need a video card capable of turning the game on, but they have been available none-the-less. Not saying we should get one, just saying that people have been getting by quite fine without whatever files we seem to think are required.

__________________
Current good song: Justice - Stress

=Sarc=

Good point on server rentals. However, there's more than just cost holding back the game. If TG had the capability to host a GRAW server (especially COOP), it would be running all the time. Players can go there expecting a certain level of play. Plus, it would be running coop or whatever the admins wanted. It's about the control over the server. GR1 was very popular here and coop was played 95% of the time.

__________________
JO Guides & Tutorials
Team Element - It's who you game with.