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First off I can’t knock this game too much.  It’s a real blast to play with friends; especially the Co-op missions which is what we look for in a game first before it’s even released.  So far since Modern Warfare (the first one) each one has been the same.  Play more, level up, unlock, restart.

Since the first release each Call of Duty game has been really good.  Not only that, each one has spawned other games that attempt the same concept of leveling up while blowing opponents away.  There is just something about games that you gain levels in that makes them addicting.  Maybe it’s the increases in power making you feel like a monster?  I don’t know.  It’s a new phenomenon that has emerged with some of these games.

With the recent release of of the “Stimulus Map Pack DLC” comes 5 new multiplayer maps.  Think about what you are paying for.

I can think of a few reasons off the top of my head to not buy this extra content.

• No Dedicated Server Software – This is one of those things that separates PC Gaming from consoles.  From what I have read there are millions of PC gamers that are quite frankly, pissed off, about this.  When joining a game it chooses the “best host”.  This is a bad idea considering I have ended up with some of the laggiest games ever conceivable.  I was once connected to a host that was running on wireless using a laptop with an AMD @ 1.8 ghz.  Imagine how quickly this game ended once everyone left.  Another point that needs to be made is the fact that since you can’t join a specific server/game/map, you don’t get to play where you want.  YOU ARE LIMITED to what the game gives you.  You wanted to play Terminal?  Too bad.  Oh there’s a cheater in your game?  That’s also a shame because you can’t kick, ban, mute, etc.  Which brings me to the next bullet.
• Hackers – Need I say more?  Of course Valve is responsible for the anti-cheat side (I guess..) running VAC but how up to date is that?  Get this, my roommate and I decided to play one Saturday afternoon.  We were put into a game with 2 players using aimbots.  We left and clicked “Find game” again.  It put us in the same game.  We left again and did the same thing but this time picked a different game mode.  We were put into another game with another aimbot that had just launched a nuke.  Wonderful.  This happened a (not surprisingly) SEVEN times.  Would you like to be level 70?  Maybe you’ll get put into one of those hacked hosts that instantly gives you 10e-11 experience points.  With that happening you’ve unlocked everything so why play anymore?  Waste of money if you ask me…
• IWNet does not care. – Welcome to earth.  IWNet’s forums have been flooded with numerous posts like this very one you’re reading.  Everyone is complaining about the hackers, lack of software and updates, glitches that need to be fixed, etc etc.  This goes on for pages and pages and there will be no response to them since, well, we are still giving them money.  The lack of response to the *needs* of the game are sickening.
• You are paying for maps. – The reason I made this post.  You’ve already payed $50 for a game that has been saturated with cheats, fails to release updates to fix reported glitches, etc.  You are giving them an extra $15 for something that should be free in the first place.  I can understand if you get bored with the maps it already has but guess what you can do with dedicated servers?  THAT’S RIGHT! Custom maps!  One of the biggest things that brings someone in the PC Gaming is not only the look at flexibility but the ability in itself to play maps that have been contributed by the community.

I’m sure there are a million reasons TO buy the game.  It’s fun, fast, and it’s good for LAN’s.  Problem is : this was a game that was to be made for the console and should have had major changes in it for PC release.

I’m sure the screenshot at the top of this post looks very familiar to console and PC gamers alike.

Update : Apparently there have been numerous reports of hackers being able to send trojans to other players machines..

“It’s possible if you host a game for a hacker client, and it’s possible if you don’t host a game, but are connected to a hacker hosting the game. If the game’s net code is not 100% secure then it could be possible to craft special packets of data to cause buffer over-runs (stack smashing). This injects hackers code into your computer, which executes it, and hey presto you have a remote code execution hack. If the code’s written well it’s possible to make it secure, but stack-smashing bugs are so often overlooked.  Yet another reason we need dedicated servers.”  -  Quoted from IW Forums ( Link )

Link to Steam Forums post stating this discovery in the IW Net Forums.

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This is more of a rant on the problems I have encountered and why I will never purchase another “Games for Windows” title.

1.   SecuROM

• I have never liked this system at all. Sure it’s a way for game producers to “fight” illegal copying but it doesn’t really work. As soon as a game comes out, it is already on major P2P networks and is already cracked. Installing GTA4for PC also installed SecuROM which has actually been looked upon in the community as a type of spyware because of it’s hidden code that you just can’t get rid of manually.
• After installing I created an ISO of Disk 1. Why? Because I tend to not take very good care of my discs. Most of all, I hate swapping discs every time I want to play a different game. I mounted the ISO and viola! “EMULATIONSOFTWARE DETECTED!” … thanks guys.

2.   Register TWICE to play Multiplayer

• That’s right. Twice. Once for “WINDOWS LIVE!” and another for “Rockstar Social Club” or whatever it was.
• Special Note : You CAN use your XBOX Live account to play “WINDOWS LIVE!”

3.   “WINDOWS LIVE!” Issues

• Again, make it complicated. Microsoft came up with the idea that if you use Windows Live Messenger (MSN Messenger) to play the games, it will log you OUT of your messenger and log it into your new account. I discovered thiswhen I used my XBOX live account to sign into the games panel (So I could play multiplayer of course) and recieved messeges on MSN from people I didn’t care about. Lame.
• Windows Live wanted me to update the game. Let me rephrase that.
• Windows Live wanted to update my game automatically. Why is this a problem? Check my next reason not to buy their games!

4.   Crashes

• Once. (during an update)
• Twice. (during an update)
• Three times a lady. (during an update)

5.   Resource Hog

• I have never owned any game that consumed so much all of my resources.

6.   No Cross-Platform Gaming

• I must admit I had my hopes up on this one.
• Upon signing into my Windows Live account/Xbox Live account I noticed that some of my friends were online, but were playing on the 360. I messaged them and even noticed that, OMG I CAN INVITE YOU TO MY PC GAME OFGTA4!!!
• It didn’t work. Apparently they need to “Insert Grand Theft Auto IV PC CD”.

My Opinion : I’m not buying any more games that say “Games for Windows” or have a “Windows Live!” picture on the back next to where it says whether or not you can have multiplayer. The games should be kept simple in terms of CD KEY REQUIRED ONLY. My reason for this? Installations on several PC’s and being able to play on LAN without actually having to be connected to the internet.

While trying to make it simple for people who don’t know how to open google and search for “How do I update my PC game,” they have in fact complicated it more. These people that don’t know how to effectively use google aren’t going to pirate your game anyways.

Oh, did I mention it crashed my computer? Three times.

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