Jimquisition: Defending Call of Duty

[ultimasupersaiyan]

I don't hate the Call Of Duty games that much, I just don't like FPS warfare games where I'm killing people. Stick a space pig, covenant or zombies in the game and I'm happy. I also live in Australia where guns aren't popularised or a huge part or our culture so war games aren't really cared about.

What I do hate about Call Of Duty is the online community. The community target new players for easy kills and don't give them a chance. Ever since I played the first Modern Warfare game online I just despised the player base that permiated the arenas. I play the Halos online and even though I have a low skill level for the most part (since the FPS genre is not my primary genre) I can still have fun because it's a little better balance and I can filter the quote Yahtzee "Hooting Dickhole" from my games and play with fun focused players.

Oh and in case you're wondering my primary genre is the JRPG. The genre almost no one seems to like.

 

[CD-R]

Well I can't say that Call of Duty is not a absolutely horrible series (I, myself, adored CoD:MW) but I really don't like where Activision is taking the game.

And my problems with the game are (I'm limiting this to the Multiplayer):

1. The players are too bullet-squishy.

I play Team Fortress 2 and Brink, which is probably where this complaint comes from. In the CoD series, if someone is under another person's crosshairs, they're dead. Nevertheless this happens in real life, but it's important to give players a chance to fight back if they're ambushed.

So in CoD, no one really bothers to venture out in groups, because three bullets to the leg can kill you. So people usually just sit in a corner, waiting for some unlucky sort to pass by.

2. No sense of teamwork.

I never get a feeling of teamwork in CoD games. People always seem to go on their own, because there's no real way of defending your team-mates because of how easily they die (See #1)

3. Everyone looks the same.

There's no real differentiating looks between enemies and allies alike. The classes in TF2 are all easily recognizable, as you're near always able to tell what weapon they have and what team they're on (classic red/blue contrast). I can never see this in CoD games.

4. Health regeneration.

Yep, this little nugget again. Another problem with the lack of team-work is this. Medics on multiplayer games are always important, and games winning or losing can be determined by Medics. People will protect them, making an objective for both teams, helping ensure team-work.

But when you can just sit in a corner, suck your thumb for 4 seconds, and grow both your legs back, this can deter team-work and have people go own their own, not needing anyone's help.

While I'm slightly okay with it in single-player games (begrudgingly so), multiplayer games never work with health regen.

Luckily each issue you named is clear in the battlefield bad company games

So

Ehm

[sub] guys I don't know what to do now!
you tell 'm to clap
Like this?
yeah...no but nevermind[/sub]

There are Medics in BC2
Squads create a heavy sense of teamwork
People look different based on their class and faction
Players don't go down nearly as fast as they do in CoD

I think he was trying to say that Bad Company 2 didn't have any of those problems mentioned.

 

[Canadish]

I understand the spirit of what Jim is saying here, but I have to mention a few points where I disagree.

I have in the past criticized the COD fanbase, even though I myself am apart of it to an extent. When I do attack it, I'm referring exclusively to the little twelve year old turds that spew racist remarks(I know you get them from all ages, but the maturity level is about the same), rather then the whole fanbase. After all, I'd be referring to nearly every gamer out there by this point.

I'd also add, that while I agree with your examples of the moving moments within the games were accurate, they were all from Modern Warfare 1. You know, the good one? Before the story reached James Bond levels of absurdity? Before the multiplayer was infested by the hoard of hate spewing ex-Halo fanboys? Yeah.
See, while the basic COD system is still there, its really lost the spark of originality that made the Post-Modern Warfare games great.
That isn't even getting into Activision's abuse of the games popularity, which Jim mentioned.

The main thing that pisses me off about COD though is not the games fault itself, but rather a problem with the economy and industry as a whole.
My beef is with the follow the leader attitude.
And this ain't just effecting other shooters, oh no. It's it's damaging games of all genres.
See Dragon Age 2's attempt to dumb itself down enough so the hoard of morons that play COD would "get it". Again, let me reiterate that I am not calling all people who play COD morons. Just the people who are already morons and happen to love COD.
The game just makes so much cash that other developers can't argue when marketing teams pull out the statistics and have to compromise themselves. This leads to homogenization, kills originality and creative flare and ultimately destroys what could be a great new culture.

However, having looked at Jim's other articles, reviews and videos, I can tell me and him just don't see eye to eye on gaming as a whole.
He see's it as a means for entertainment exclusively, and mocks the idea of it being anything more.
I'm more on the "Extra Credits" side of the fence.

 

[Ariseishirou]

Wow, for the very first time I agree with Jim. I turned my nose up at CoD for ages for basically the same reasons he outlined, but when I finally gave it a chance it was surprisingly excellent. (Of course, I hadn't invested myself in hating as part and parcel of my online persona either, as I suspect many people have.)

And again, why all the Battlefield rivalry? They're two very different things. When I want to play as a team I play BFBC2, when I want to run and gun I play CoD. The larger maps allow for more intricate tactics, the smaller ones more visceral combat. If you prefer running and gunning or you prefer team play that does not make the other one DURR HURR STUPID.

But that's what the arguments always boil down to. In other words, Jim's right.

 

[bdcjacko]

Ok, anyone who is saying Jim is just trolling isnt listening. This is a lot more watchable than his first few episodes. Also I could actually make out the points he was making with out being horribly obnoxious. I chuckled a bit. Maybe I will give this series another chance.

 

[Vault boy Eddie]

I haven't seen the video yet, but having just seen the Modern Warfare 3 gameplay trailer I can safely say that It looks the same as Modern Warfare. I didn't get MW2 and didn't plan on getting this one, the trailer just confirmed that it was more of the same.

I was listening to the vid while I wrote, and he says that people say it's shit because it's popular. No, it's shit because it hasn't changed, yet they keep charging 105-120 for each one(i'm including map packs even tho they aren't an obligation.) And the gameplay trailer looks like MW2. Having been a fan since the first one, and having played and finished them all(didn't buy MW2 but I did play it) I believe that generalizing that people hate it cause it's popular is completely unfair, I loved it, but i'm done playing the same game over and over.

 

[LostCrusader]

Gotta say I've been trying to decide whether I liked this series or not, and this episode has pretty much sealed the like.
I have to agree with your arguments here. I personally stopped liking the series for a different reason than the examples that you gave. After playing every game in the series (excluding COD3 which I hated), the multiplayer got a bit stale. After modern warfare they seemed to have less balanced weapons in the game, and they put too much emphasis on the zombie modes. The single player for black ops was too conspiracy centered for me so I never finished, and at this point I don't intend to get the next game.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Agree 95%.

Only thing I would add is that a lot of people hate the game for the imbalances and broken features in the multiplayer.

-a 30 year old COD fan.

 

[Master Kuja]

By no means do I see eye to eye with Jim on the medium as a whole, particularly because of Canadish said, in that he sees gaming as merely a form of entertainment, and never anything more, however, I do agree with him on this point.

The last CoD game I enjoyed was the original Modern Warfare and I poured several hundred hours into that, since then, I just can't honest say I like the CoD series after that game purely because playing it feels like I'm just playing Modern Warfare again, just gussied up with slightly shinier graphics, new guns and new perks. At the core of it, it's still the same game I've played for several hundred hours before.

Frankly, while CoD has helped gaming, particularly online play, become more popularised and mainstream (YES, this CAN be a good thing), I think there's certainly some damage being done because of it. Like Jim says though, you can't really blame IW/Treyarch/Activision for this, instead, blame the companies that seem to be going entirely out of their way to copy and paste the CoD formula and dress it up in a new skin to try and steal that sweet, sweet CoD fan money that FPS developers seem to be clawing for.

Blame them for the stagnation of FPS' in general, it's not necessarily CoD's fault that god knows how many developers refuse to take risks and innovate nowadays because CoD's method has proved itself to be so reliable at raking the money in.

[small]Luckily we've still got games like Brink and developers like Splash Damage for our innovation...Even if it is buggy and has received some very mixed reception.[/small]

 

[Weasker]

-Beacuse it's bankrupt on the originality department
-Beacuse the story is awfully done and the characters unintresting
-Because it's another point and shoot game that wastes your time and doesn't give anything rewarding back, so if you're not a 12 year old you shold have better things to do after level 15
-Because it's popular the same way Halo is, wich is all of the above
-Because No Russian was narratively stupid, with plot holes and on propouse

Because you're not funny and especially not funny when you praise yourself.
And fat. Work out.

 

[Moffman]

*sigh*

Y'know... when this guy is making points and arguing his case he actually comes across as intelligent, reasonable and articulate.

But then he goes and peppers it with that juvenile strawman crap. It's like a kid in a playground going "nyah nyah nyah". He is not helping his case. Because now when I think of CoD fans, I'm not going to be thinking of swearing 12 year olds, I'm going to be thinking of this guy in his flower hat saying, "Ohhh, all games have to comment on the human condition" in a stupid voice. Which is hardly an improvement.

And yes, I am aware that he does it on purpose and it's not meant to be taken entirely seriously. But at the end of the day, intentionally juvenile and annoying is still juvenile and annoying.

...

PS. Black Ops has a well paced narrative? That's the funniest thing I've heard in quite some time. CoD:MW? Sure. MW2? Eh... pushing it. Blops? Ha!

Agreed this episode was good till he put on that stupid voice with the flower hat on. Almost buried my hands in my face, it was just embracing. That's coming from someone who quite likes this series... when Jim isn't desperately trying to be funny.

 

[kroldok]

However, having looked at Jim's other articles, reviews and videos, I can tell me and him just don't see eye to eye on gaming as a whole.
He see's it as a means for entertainment exclusively, and mocks the idea of it being anything more.
I'm more on the "Extra Credits" side of the fence.

How does he mock the idea of games being anything more than simple entertainment?

"Of course Modern Warfare gave us the iconic post-nuke scene, where players get to experience first-hand the results of a nuculear explosion, in a manner that still sends a shiver down most gamers spines almost four years later. Even at it's most ludicrous the CoD series delivers it's
story with enough style and confidence to make it work. There is even quite a bit of commentary on the nature of war hidden underneath for those artsy types who need a story with a message.
Yes on the surface it's a popcorn-munching action story, but there is more beneath there, about how modern warfare can be shockingly dissaffecting"

That statement sounds to me like he is well aware of the 'Artsy' value of CoD and games in general, he might prefer ignoring it while he himself is playing, but he doesn't deny it's there.

 

[Aulleas123]

Any viewpoint that sticks it up to the video-game-snobs that are starting to pop up is fine by me. Way to go Jim.

On another note, are there actually people who ***** and moan about the 'typical player' of a particular game? I'm sorry but this is shameful. We're supposed to be a varied society of gamers who all come together to play a huge variety of games. Personally, I never got into the CoD series but I can see people being both polite opponents and teammates as well as tools and idiots in other multiplayer games all the time. It's not only seen in CoD and it won't go away, so please, stop being snobby and get over the fact that people like CoD.

Prejudice based on game choice, very sad indeed.

 

[saber152]

As horrible as i am at Call of Duty games and shooters in general, i honestly still like the games, mostly because of the fact that there is a lot of different things to do, plenty of game types, guns, equipment, and a pretty solid story through out the games history. and when i play online i usually mute a player if they get annoying or rude.

 

[Fidelias]

My problem is with the games AFTER COD4. They had crappy story. And yes, they did, don't lie to yourself.

That by itself wouldn't be a problem though. They sell for their multiplayer, but the lag is so incredibly bad! I don't care if I win or lose, but even I get frustrated when I watch bullets going through my enemy and they aren't dying. And don't tell me that doesn't happen.

I used to be blissfully ignorant, but then my dad got his own xbox and a copy of Blops and we'd play together over the internet. I kept on killing him so easily, I thought I was just good. Turns out, I was wrong. We recorded a couple of battles against each other, and the videos were so completely out of sync, it seemed like they weren't even the same match. And this was in THE SAME HOUSE! Imagine how bad it is against people who are 100's of miles away!

And the developers don't even fix it! Lag has been a problem since World at War, and with each new installment it just gets worse.

But everyone is entitled to their opinion. I just wanted to point out the biggest reason why people hate the new COD games. It's not because we want it to be art or think that popular is shit, it's because a major problem has been prevalent in the series for 3 entire games, and it doesn't look like it's going improve.

 

[00slash00]

i dont hate cod, i hate online multiplayer. since the focus of cod definitely seems to be more on the multiplayer than the single player (not that the sigle player campaign is bad, but most people who buy cod probably arent buying it for the 5 hour single player campaign), there isnt much reason for me to spend money on it. there also seems to be a trend where the single player mode seems to act more like a way to get ready for the multiplayer mode, rather than a way of extending the games life, after you finish the single player mode (which i have always felt should be the meat and potatoes of a game). while i cant really blame cod for this, cod and halo do seem to have started this trend (though in halos defense, they at least have a decent single player mode...or so i hear. ive never been able to get in to halo)

 

[GaltarDude1138]

I like think that despite the ire that Call of Duty attracts, I think that all we hear are the hundreds if not thousands of people who disagree on the nature of Call of Duty, while the thousands if not millions of people who LOVE Call of Duty are too busy PLAYING the damn game to even give a rat's ass about people hating what they love.

But that's just my opinion. *Flameshield activated just to be safe*