Treyarch: We Never Wavered on Dedicated Servers for Black Ops

[DSK-]

Well Treyarch are smarter than Infinity Ward... having a PC game without dedicated servers is like having a Console game without controller support... it just cripples the experience...

Could you explain what dedicated servers are? I never firgured it out, since 85% of my gaming in on consoles and handhelds.

Basically when you play a game on a dedicated server the server runs the game, and thats it, no one else is playing through that server or anything, this cuts down on lag and keeps things fairly even.

I can't remember what the other type is that COD4:MW2 uses but that actually selects one of the players to act as the host, the host usually has vastly reduced/no lag creating an unfair advantage, when that person quits the game either kicks you or tries to transfer data over to a new player to act as host, fails and kicks you anyway.

MW2 uses a peer-to-peer setup. Basically, there is no server and all PC's are 'equals' (peers). The game calculates which peer has the best connection and uses that as the peer server. If that player leaves, the game again calculates which peer has the best connection and the process continues.

OT: I have my doubts about the dedicated servers for Black Ops. It seems you can only rent one via GameServers - whereas on pretty much any other PC game you can use any number of server providers.

It makes me wonder as to whether or not GameServers has enough redundancy if things go wrong or if GameServers does not server boxes globably - what will the connections/pings be like?. They might also hike up prices somewhat in the near future.

Whilst I do think that having the dedicated servers back is a step in the direction, this is still a limiting factor.

[Added]

After checking out their website and server locations, I have my doubts on whether so few location would handle it. But I may just be talking a load of rubbish.

See for yourself here, at the bottom right of the page.

[link]http://www.gameservers.com/[/link]

 

[The Last Parade]

why is infinity ward getting the blame, it's activision that caused this dedicated server fiasco last year anyway. 'Treyarch : We never wavered on dedicated servers for black ops'

>>wavered
as in they were being pressured?

 

[loadingdread]

If it really was a "PC developer making a PC game" then why make PC the only platform not to have any form of special edition?..I want my metal box damn it.

 

[AndyFromMonday]

What you're describing is how it may hurt the gaming community, not the industry, the industry is really doing quite well with CoD.

Actually, it will hurt the industry. As I've already said before, stagnation isn't and never will be pretty. Eventually the industry will overflow with the same games over and over again. EVENTUALLY, people will stop buying them.

Whilst I do think that having the dedicated servers back is a step in the direction,

Actually it's a step back. We've had dedicated servers for quite a while now.

 

[Dommyboy]

Black Ops is a cash cow for Treyarch with the PC version. Dedicated servers will once again intrigue the community and seeing as a key is required to play the good, legit servers, people will wish to buy to game in order to play online.

 

[Adultratedhydra]

So, not giving users the choice of free dedicated or paying dedicated servers is a good thing?

I shall not re-pre order this. Dedicated servers have been free in the past and i dont really feel like giving any money to activision these days.

 

[The Imp]

And he is not saying a word about LAN support. Looks to me like a cry for attention.

 

[Uber Waddles]

Awww, Treyarch is so cute trying to smack talk Infinity Ward to bolster sales.

But atleast Infinity Ward didnt release an unfinished, shoddy product from launch, then try to make it better with patch after patch.

Lemme tell you something about games. Having a few bugs is alright. But World at War was blatently not finished when it was released: there were cases of it destroying consoles, corrupting hard drives, and a MULTITUDE of issues that would probably exist today if the game was not as well purchased.

Reliable companies NEVER release unfinished materials. Go ahead and support Dedicated Servers, I still wont pay for your game.

 

[vrbtny]

Could you explain what dedicated servers are? I never firgured it out, since 85% of my gaming in on consoles and handhelds.
OT: I have my doubts about the dedicated servers for Black Ops. It seems you can only rent one via GameServers - whereas on pretty much any other PC game you can use any number of server providers.

It makes me wonder as to whether or not GameServers has enough redundancy if things go wrong or if GameServers does not server boxes globably - what will the connections/pings be like?. They might also hike up prices somewhat in the near future.

Whilst I do think that having the dedicated servers back is a step in the direction, this is still a limiting factor.

[Added]

After checking out their website and server locations, I have my doubts on whether so few location would handle it. But I may just be talking a load of rubbish.

See for yourself here, at the bottom right of the page.

[link]http://www.gameservers.com/[/link]

They have provided servers for loads of the best games - Like
Counter-Strike.
The BattleField Series.
COD 4
COD 5

I know they probably didn't do those games exclusively, but I imagine Treyarch did their homework into which provider was the best -- and not just the cheapest.

After all, they must have seen how close dedicated servers are to PC gamers hears when the MW2 shitstorm blew up.

 

[The Great Zegrool]

You know what I wish....

I wish Console players could get themselves some dedicated servers too. And could play with other platforms on said dedicated servers. That would be awesome.

But more on topic, I think that Black Ops is looking better with every news piece on it. If it weren't for some of Activision's policies and actions, then I would probably be getting this.

 

[Valiance]

Why are companies treating dedicated servers like some kind of special feature? It should be in every multiplayer game... I should be able to host any game on my platform at any time.

And he is not saying a word about LAN support. Looks to me like a cry for attention.

I noticed that too. I hope they aren't mentioning it because it's a standard that all games should have, again, but I doubt it does.

 

[Logan Westbrook]

*sniff* They really DO care. I Love you Treyarch!

Infinity Ward, I thought It was going to work out, but I guess Cod4 was a one time event. Its not me, it's you I'm sorry, I'm leaving you for Treyarch now. But i guess, We will always have the Cargo Ship.
So long Infinity Ward, you had some good set pieces.

Let's be fair, CoD 2 was a pretty good game.

 

[Nukeforyou]

Well bully for them. I'm glad at least one developer loves the PC gaming community.

I don't think that has much to do with love, as it has with money.
PC is the only market they could potentially significantly expand upon.

Probably in relation to Battle.net. Mark my words, I'll be very surprised if no CoD games released on PC by the end of 2011 use Battle.net in some form.

While Treyarch has been making the right noises (i.e. dedicated servers and modding tools), the small fact that that said dedicated servers are only available from one single provider does question their motives. I mean, even EA got three providers involved for some resemblance of competition. Plus, I really can't see multiplayer mods working if there's no dedicated server software.

yes this is why im skeptical.. giving ONE company exclusive rights

 

[WanderingFool]

Geuss its a good thing im considering buying this for my PC.

 

[JeanLuc761]

Well bully for them. I'm glad at least one developer loves the PC gaming community.

*looks at Valve, Bioware, Blizzard and a lot of the EA-backed developers*
Hmm?

And he is not saying a word about LAN support. Looks to me like a cry for attention.

Once again proof that no matter how much a company tries to appeal to the consumer, it's never enough.

 

[DazBurger]

AWWW!! Treyarch.. You know just what to say!


All hail Cesar Stastny?

 

[DSK-]

Could you explain what dedicated servers are? I never firgured it out, since 85% of my gaming in on consoles and handhelds.
OT: I have my doubts about the dedicated servers for Black Ops. It seems you can only rent one via GameServers - whereas on pretty much any other PC game you can use any number of server providers.

It makes me wonder as to whether or not GameServers has enough redundancy if things go wrong or if GameServers does not server boxes globably - what will the connections/pings be like?. They might also hike up prices somewhat in the near future.

Whilst I do think that having the dedicated servers back is a step in the direction, this is still a limiting factor.

[Added]

After checking out their website and server locations, I have my doubts on whether so few location would handle it. But I may just be talking a load of rubbish.

See for yourself here, at the bottom right of the page.

[link]http://www.gameservers.com/[/link]

They have provided servers for loads of the best games - Like
Counter-Strike.
The BattleField Series.
COD 4
COD 5

I know they probably didn't do those games exclusively, but I imagine Treyarch did their homework into which provider was the best -- and not just the cheapest.

After all, they must have seen how close dedicated servers are to PC gamers hears when the MW2 shitstorm blew up.

Oh I don't doubt it or their capabilities. I just don't like being limited to a sole provider. I just hope my fears end up being nothing.

 

[The Imp]

Well bully for them. I'm glad at least one developer loves the PC gaming community.

*looks at Valve, Bioware, Blizzard and a lot of the EA-backed developers*
Hmm?

And he is not saying a word about LAN support. Looks to me like a cry for attention.

Once again proof that no matter how much a company tries to appeal to the consumer, it's never enough.

Wrong. The list of things i want to hear from a developer is pretty damn short.
1. We scrapped the DLC idea and are now focusing on big expansion packs.
2. The game will ship with mod tools.
3. The game will support private dedicated servers.
4. The game will support LAN play.
5. We clocked the single player part at around 12 hours on veteran difficulty.
6. We decided to add more realistic recoil to the weapons.

If they come out with these statements i'll be waiting in line to get the game.