gDose: Petition, STICK IT TO THE MAN
Unseen's Corner
Hello internet and welcome to your daily dose of revolution. Here is a picture of Lenin for your contemplation whilst you read this most important of articles.
Why, you ask, WHY, have these bloggers who have slept dormant these past few months returned with such radical notions of revolution. The reason my fellow comrades is that our way of life as PC gamer's is being threatened. But before you grab your rifle and hunt down the evil capitalists responsible for this escapade, listen closely. The internet has been buzzing over an issue recently that is dear to every gamer who has ever joined a server on their PC (or Mac for that matter): Dedicated servers.
It would seem that the people over at Infinity Ward have decided to not include dedicated server support in their upcoming release for the ultra-hyped Modern Warfare 2 (AKA Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2 or Call of Duty 6 OR Call of Duty Modern Warfare Again). What does this mean exactly?
Well every time a gamer plays multiplayer online games they connect to some sort of server. In the case of World of Warcraft and Massively Multiplaying Games the servers are controlled by the game publishers or developers. But in the case of the vast majority of online games, specifically First Person Shooters, games are run on what we call dedicated servers. These servers are actual physical boxes that gaming communities rent out so that they can customize them with their own mods and game modes.
While I'm not one to count out something just because it's new, there's good reason I and many many other people are absolutely disgusted by the removal of dedicated server support. What Infinity Ward is proposing is an advanced match making service where each game is run on something called a listen server. Unlike a dedicated servers, listen servers shut down when the creator leaves which does not help with the continuity that dedicated servers enjoy. With listen servers it is not necessarily impossible for custom game modes or modifications like the capacity of dedicated servers but it is extremely difficult.
So the fact of the matter is PC gaming is run via a community effort. The community is built around dedicated servers in games such as Modern Warfare 2. Infinity Ward has been a huge PC supporter having always given huge support to the community for modding etc. In fact there are several embarrassing interviews in the past where Infinity Ward said they would always support dedicated servers and the communities they built.
Infinity Ward has been digging a really deep hole with their proposed dedicated server replacement: IWnet. Very few details have been released other than the fact that they think it will create a better gaming experience via matchmaking. While it is unfair to judge the system just because dedicated servers are a part of it, it is quickly becoming the scape goat in this disagreement between PC gamers and Infinity Ward. But that's just it, Infinity Ward is trying to tell PC gamers what is better for them. And this is why PC gamers have united in an effort to boycott Modern Warfare 2 until, at the very least, new information is released or dedicated server support is promised.
This has led to a huge revolution against Infinity Ward, and the official petition, now spanning over 160 THOUSAND signatures. This movement is more than just an upset niche of gamers, this is a huge chunk of potential Modern Warfare 2 buyers. So support the movement, sign the petition. Every signature shows that people don't want this to happen. It is a major injustice to every community that has ever existed in the online gaming scene, nay the entire online world.
This is why the PC is superior to the consoles, the abolishment of dedicated servers would bring PC gamers to the level of console gamers... blasphemy. REVOLT!
Hello internet and welcome to your daily dose of revolution. Here is a picture of Lenin for your contemplation whilst you read this most important of articles.
Why, you ask, WHY, have these bloggers who have slept dormant these past few months returned with such radical notions of revolution. The reason my fellow comrades is that our way of life as PC gamer's is being threatened. But before you grab your rifle and hunt down the evil capitalists responsible for this escapade, listen closely. The internet has been buzzing over an issue recently that is dear to every gamer who has ever joined a server on their PC (or Mac for that matter): Dedicated servers.
It would seem that the people over at Infinity Ward have decided to not include dedicated server support in their upcoming release for the ultra-hyped Modern Warfare 2 (AKA Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2 or Call of Duty 6 OR Call of Duty Modern Warfare Again). What does this mean exactly?
Well every time a gamer plays multiplayer online games they connect to some sort of server. In the case of World of Warcraft and Massively Multiplaying Games the servers are controlled by the game publishers or developers. But in the case of the vast majority of online games, specifically First Person Shooters, games are run on what we call dedicated servers. These servers are actual physical boxes that gaming communities rent out so that they can customize them with their own mods and game modes.
While I'm not one to count out something just because it's new, there's good reason I and many many other people are absolutely disgusted by the removal of dedicated server support. What Infinity Ward is proposing is an advanced match making service where each game is run on something called a listen server. Unlike a dedicated servers, listen servers shut down when the creator leaves which does not help with the continuity that dedicated servers enjoy. With listen servers it is not necessarily impossible for custom game modes or modifications like the capacity of dedicated servers but it is extremely difficult.
So the fact of the matter is PC gaming is run via a community effort. The community is built around dedicated servers in games such as Modern Warfare 2. Infinity Ward has been a huge PC supporter having always given huge support to the community for modding etc. In fact there are several embarrassing interviews in the past where Infinity Ward said they would always support dedicated servers and the communities they built.
Infinity Ward has been digging a really deep hole with their proposed dedicated server replacement: IWnet. Very few details have been released other than the fact that they think it will create a better gaming experience via matchmaking. While it is unfair to judge the system just because dedicated servers are a part of it, it is quickly becoming the scape goat in this disagreement between PC gamers and Infinity Ward. But that's just it, Infinity Ward is trying to tell PC gamers what is better for them. And this is why PC gamers have united in an effort to boycott Modern Warfare 2 until, at the very least, new information is released or dedicated server support is promised.
This has led to a huge revolution against Infinity Ward, and the official petition, now spanning over 160 THOUSAND signatures. This movement is more than just an upset niche of gamers, this is a huge chunk of potential Modern Warfare 2 buyers. So support the movement, sign the petition. Every signature shows that people don't want this to happen. It is a major injustice to every community that has ever existed in the online gaming scene, nay the entire online world.
This is why the PC is superior to the consoles, the abolishment of dedicated servers would bring PC gamers to the level of console gamers... blasphemy. REVOLT!
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The Petition
The other side of the story.
The response
Unseen
That's a potential 9,600,000 (read it MILLION) Dollars of lost revenue. Not something the developers are going to just sneeze at (although that's apparently what's happening so far). The hope is that Infinity Ward listens to the community like it has in the past. With its reaction so far... it does seem like a long shot.