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Take a tour of Call of Duty XP with IW director of rapid zooming, Robert Bowling
If you take away anything from this video tour of the upcoming Call of Duty XP event, it'll likely be the promise of how "insane" everything will be. But without a Kanye spotting over the entire two-minute clip, we're reserving that adjective for now.
Infinity Ward on the 'natural progression' of Call of Duty franchise development
"I can only speak on behalf of Infinity Ward, but I think it's a natural progression of how things have been going in general," Infinity Ward Creative Strategist Robert Bowling explained. We spoke last week during a Modern Warfare 3 preview event in Manhattan, in a hotel about 60 blocks north of the Wall Street setting in the game's campaign. I'd asked Bowling about the upcoming Call of Duty XP extravaganza, the variety of devs working on Modern Warfare 3, and if those things are an indication of a more unified franchise development structure -- a structure perhaps forged out of necessity, given the staff losses IW has seen over the past year. "We're at a state now in the Call of Duty franchise, where you have several teams working on CoD that have their own very distinct styles on what type of gameplay they deliver," he continued, in reference to Sledgehammer, Infinity Ward, Treyarch, and Beachhead all working on various Call of Duty projects. "And I think that's a great thing for Call of Duty in general, especially if you're having games come out every year. To have very distinct flavors and to have very distinct styles, it allows us to innovate in different ways and not feel forced to innovate in the same ways and build on the same interactions in the other games." Infinity Ward was showing off the newly added Spec-Ops Survival mode at the event as well, where I was handily carried on Bowling's back through eight waves of enemies before a juggernaut murdered us both. Much like Gears of War's Horde and Halo's Firefight modes, Spec-Ops Survival is, by Bowling's own description, an "infinite wave-based mode." A lot like the Treyarch-developed Call of Duty "Zombies" mode that has thus far missed inclusion in any Modern Warfare release. While Bowling won't deny the allure of adding a Zombies mode to the Modern Warfare titles ("It's a stellar game mode!"), he believes that his branch of the franchise wouldn't be the right fit for it. "I think it comes down to design philosophies. Each game has its own personality and voice. Ours typically stick to the authentic/fun aspects, where there's goes in a different directions that's still fun, but unique to Treyarch's voice and their design sensibilities," he explained. He wouldn't outright say whether or not Spec-Ops is exclusive to IW/Sledgehammer, or if Zombies mode is exclusive to Treyarch, but it seems to be heavily encouraged that it stays as such. But then, he's only able to speak on behalf of Infinity Ward.
Infinity Ward on MW2's convoluted story, and how plot is addressed in MW3
At a Modern Warfare 3 preview event this morning 50 floors above Central Park, Infinity Ward creative strategist Robert Bowling spoke with me about a variety of IW-related topics. Ranging from MW2's controversial "No Russian" level, to the importance of the Modern Warfare series' running plot threads in the eyes of both IW devs and gamers alike, Bowling took a proud and optimistic stance on the franchise's less-than-clear "Task Force 141" storyline. "For the single-player campaign, especially for Modern Warfare 3 more than ever -- this is the payoff for the investment that people have put in since Call of Duty 4," Bowling began. Though he explained that IW has been "learning new ways to tell stories and learning new ways to deliver experiences" across the development of all three games, it's his belief that MW3 "is the payoff to all those lessons learned." Speaking briefly to the flawed, often convoluted plot of Modern Warfare 2, Bowling admitted, "Every game we put out, we sit back and we look at 'What can we do better? What areas can we focus on to bump the experience up?' And story was one of those coming out of MW2." To him, as MW3 is the focal point for the series thus far -- especially in terms of plot -- the goal is to tell "one hell of a story." Specifically, "we want it to build up on the key themes that we started in MW2, but really polish that storytelling ability." For me, that aim played out immediately in the single-player hands-off demo I was given. Less than five minutes in, two separate keys were required to launch missiles from a hijacked Russian submarine -- and two separate individuals turned those keys, more or less directly mocking the massively unbelievable nuke launch moment with Captain Price from Modern Warfare 2.
Modern Warfare 2 patch arrives March 8, 'to address hacking'
It appears that whatever Sony did to mitigate security issues in its most recent PlayStation 3 patch has enabled Infinity Ward to address its "unplayable" version of Modern Warfare 2. Creative strategist Robert Bowling announced on Twitter that a patch "will release on PlayStation 3 worldwide on March 8," with an Xbox 360 and PC release following at some point. The patch, Bowling said, is specifically intended "to address hacking." Bowling detailed the process on the Infinty Ward forums, having updated his original post about the PS3 situation as new information was available from IW while staying intentionally light on details, "as we don't want to give out any information that could potentially hinder the security any further." He additionally noted that the patch "will also address a small geo exploit on the map Fuel, which players exploited in order to get inside a rock on the outskirts of the map." Apparently some players were ... rocking that exploit real hard. [Thanks Tom M.]
PS3 hackers make Modern Warfare 2 'unplayable,' Infinity Ward cannot patch a fix
"It's in total shambles and unplayable." That's how one Joystiq reader describes Modern Warfare 2 on PSN. With PS3 system security in disarray, hackers and cheaters have run rampant on Infinity Ward's Call of Duty games. Players unwittingly placed into a hacked server can meet the unfortunate consequence of losing all their stats and, unfortunately, it doesn't appear a fix is in sight. "Games rely on the security of the encryption on the platforms they're played on," Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling explained on the game's official forums. "Unless the security exploit itself is resolved on the platform ... updates to the game through patches will not resolve this problem," he admits, adding, "at this time, we do not have the ability to restore or adjust individual stats." Although Bowling adds that "we are looking at every option available to us to help any user affected," it appears the situation is quite dire, especially when one considers the workarounds Bowling suggests. You can submit a PSN grief report, play exclusively with friends via private matches, or play Black Ops, which does "not rely solely on platform security" -- something Infinity Ward promises to learn from in future games. [Thanks, Jordan!]
Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling to be noob tubed for charity
Is there anything worse than succumbing to the grenade launcher -- AKA the dreaded noob tube -- in Modern Warfare 2? Several scientific studies (not really) have shown that there is not. And yet, Infinity Ward's Robert "fourzerotwo" Bowling has agreed to do just that. As part of an Extra Life charity gaming marathon supporting Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Bowling has agreed to a match of Modern Warfare 2 with Pixel Enemy's BrassMonkeigh. Furthermore, Bowling will actually allow himself to be noob tubed during said match. Bowling is hoping to raise $5,000 with his marathon, with users contributing $1 for each of the 24 hours he will be playing various games. With a degrading noob tubing on the table, we can only hope he reaches his goal. If you're interested in setting up your own charity marathon (with or without celebrity pwning), head over to the Extra Life charity website.
Modern Warfare 2 Resurgence Map Pack detailed [Update: Now with screens!]
Click image to amuse yourself with some new screens Xbox Live's Major Nelson had Infinity Ward "creative strategist" Robert Bowling on his podcast recently to talk about the upcoming Resurgence Map Pack for Modern Warfare 2. Set to release on June 3 on Xbox Live, the pack will be priced at 1200 ($15) -- the same as its predecessor, the Stimulus Pack. Resurgence will feature maps old and new, including two Call of Duty 4 maps and three new locations: Vacant -- the wide open Russian office complex from CoD4 Strike -- the urban town surrounded by hotels from CoD4 Carnival -- an abandoned carnival area with a Ferris wheel, fun house and other attractions Trailer Park -- full of "super tight corridors" and featuring a pool ("Mobile Estates," Bowling calls it) Fuel -- a "sniper haven" based in and around an oil refinery Bowling says that the new maps will be tied to specific playlists, just like the Stimulus maps. With the Resurgence collection, however, it's possible that all of the maps will be available in every playlist, as long as "demand is high." And, as with the previous pack, the new maps will be exclusive to Xbox 360 for a short time before coming to PC and PS3. Update: We've got images of all five maps, which you can check out in the gallery below or by clicking the image in the post. Enjoy! %Gallery-93049%
Modern Warfare 2 'Stimulus Package' DLC coming to PS3 May 4, worldwide on May 5
If you're a regular reader, you probably already know why we use the word "exclusive" in quotes so often. But if you're not, you might not know that it's because of situations like this, where the Xbox 360 "exclusive" Modern Warfare 2 DLC (a five map pack titled "Stimulus Package") is suddenly announced as heading to PlayStation 3 and PC. In fairness, as detailed by Microsoft to Eurogamer back in January, we already knew this particular exclusivity deal had a built-in expiration date. What we didn't know, however, was an official release date for the PS3 and PC versions. Infinity Ward community man Robert Bowling revealed the May 4 US release date for PSN via Twitter, also detailing a May 5 release date worldwide for PS3s and May 4 for PCs worldwide. Though he doesn't specify, we have to imagine that pricing will remain in line with the content's $15 tag on XBLM. We've followed up with Bowling for clarity's sake and will let you know the solid pricing details as soon as we hear back. %Gallery-89046%
Infinity Ward: Modern Warfare 2 glitches affected 'one percent' of players
CVG had a chat with Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling recently, and surprise surprise, the guy is really good at towing the company line (he'd better be, especially when he's getting confronted with Modern Warfare 2 questions even during random PAX panels about Twitter). He easily fended off questions about whether or not the Stimulus Package's two older maps are worth the $15, the ensuing competition from Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and the supposed backlash from hardcore players, saying that MW2's popularity proves the company has done everything right so far. Bowling was especially dismissive of the glitches that plagued what seemed to be most of the game's players, saying that only "like one per cent of our user base" of 25 million players "experienced those types of things and even participate in those types of things." Could have fooled us -- from our perspective, the frustration over the game's widespread cheating seemed significant. But Bowling persisted throughout the interview. According to him, Modern Warfare 2 is doing just fine, thanks.
Modern Warfare 2 double XP weekend starts Apr. 2 on Xbox Live
Infinity Ward community manager Robert Bowling has announced that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will host its first worldwide double XP weekend from April 2 until April 5 on Xbox Live, just a few days after the "Stimulus Package" maps are set to arrive. Unfortunately, in conveying this to Joystiq readers -- many of whom are statistically likely to be interested in the news -- we've expanded a perfectly concise tweet into a pompous, self-referential article and unfairly reduced the internet's available supply of letters and punctuation. we r rly sry try 2 do bttr in futr
Bad Company 2 'F.R.A.G.S.' video continues Modern Warfare mockery
Hey, you remember when Infinity Ward released that unbelievably offensive "Fight Against Grenade Spam" video starring Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels to promote Modern Warfare 2? Yeah, we were trying to forget it too (sorry to remind you!), but Battlefield developer DICE just released its own variation of the video (found after the break) starring New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia to explain why grenade spam isn't so much of an issue in Bad Company 2. According to CC, due to the variety of other gameplay options (destructible environments, a handful of different vehicles and "adrenaline pumping weapons"), grenade spam isn't the same problem that it is in "competing games of this particular genre." (It probably helps that each class only starts with one grenade too, huh?) Rather than being sponsored by the notorious acronym that closed out Infinity Ward's ad, this one ends with: "Friends Really Against Grenade Spam." Oh, and for those of you playing along at home, this is at least the second advertisement for Bad Company 2 that directly parodies Modern Warfare 2 promos. We're still holding out hope that all this culminates in a cage match between Robert Bowling and Patrick Söderlund.
Modern Warfare 2 'care package' patch submitted to Microsoft certification
Considering the Xbox 360 received the lion's share of Modern Warfare 2 purchases, it comes as a bit of a shock to us that the already released on PS3 and PC "care package patch" is just now being submitted to Microsoft for certification. That said, developer Infinity Ward's community man Robert Bowling tweeted as much to Game Informer's Andrew Reiner approximately 24 hours ago when Reiner asked about a possible release for the much anticipated fixes. As Bowling has pointed out before (and details in this forum post on the subject), the patch is set to remedy the following (you might need a pillow for all of this pure, unbridled excitement: Care Package, Emergency Airdrop, and Sentry Gun marker grenades sprint speed normalized. Fix for "infinite care package" exploit. Sentry Guns: Improved placement detection, preventing cases of Sentry Guns inside geometry. Model 1887: Bling using Akimbo and FMJ combination now has same range and damage as non-Bling Model 1887s. Fixes to prevent various XP hacks. And no, there's no date given for when it's coming out. So stop asking. (Seriously.) %Gallery-77537%[Via Game Informer]
Modern Warfare 2 PC mod tool news 'coming in the future'
After a string of disappointments, fans of Modern Warfare 2 on PC may be down, but a ray of hope has emerged on the horizon. Responding to a fan asking about mod tools for the game via his Twitter account, Infinity Ward spokesman Robert Bowling said, "there may be some Mod Tools news coming in the future, I'll pass it along once I have it." We suppose this news could be something like, "We're never ever going to release mod tools ever, so please stop sending us hate mail smeared with Cheeto dust fingerprints," but that would be mean -- even for a company that lets us blow away civilians. [Via Escapist]
Modern Warfare 2 players report matchmaking malfunction
Now that the exploding men and unrelenting rain of crates have been taken care of, it would seem a new issue has arisen in Modern Warfare 2. Specifically, a bug in the Xbox Live matchmaking assignments is reportedly dumping playlist searchers into private matches. (Nothing's worse than being teamed with the lowest ranking players, after all.) Penny Arcade's Gabe tweeted (warning: foul language through link) that he had encountered the issue several times. Meanwhile, Infinity Ward's man in the trenches, Robert "fourzerotwo" Bowling, confirmed the issue is known and that a fix is currently in the works. [Via Gaming Union] Source - cwgabriel [Twitter] (NSFW) Source - Robert "fourzerotwo" Bowling [Twitter]
So long, 2500 Modern Warfare 2 Steam cheaters
digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/30/so-long-2500-modern-warfare-2-steam-cheaters/'; Employing Steam's built-in VAC anti-cheating system, Infinity Ward has dropped the ban hammer on its first round of Modern Warfare 2 cheaters – 2,500 PC gamers, more specifically. In responding to a question on Twitter last Friday, community man Robert Bowling said, "The Steam ban hammer is coming down on about 2,500 confirmed #MW2 cheaters on PC today." We contacted Bowling to find out how frequently the bans will be taking place and have yet to hear back. We'll keep you updated when we have more info, but for now we're going to get back into these hacked private servers to do some superhuman jumping and grenade spamming. You know how much we love our grenade spamming. [Via Big Download]
Initial Modern Warfare 2 budget was 'ridiculous'
During an interview with Develop, Infinity Ward's front-line man, Robert "fourzerotwo" Bowling, recalled the early planning stages of Modern Warfare 2. Unsurprisingly, publisher and owner Activision was eager to pour money into the development of the COD4 sequel, following the basic business formula: more money = better product = more sales = more money. Infinity Ward followed another school of thought: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." "Much like we don't let ourselves get distracted by hype, if you have excess you feel like you should use excess," Bowling said. Even though Activision "estimated out a ridiculous budget" early on, Infinity Ward "didn't let the budget affect [its] mentality." Since Infinity Ward apparently didn't take the money (or, at least, all of it), we do have a pretty good idea of what Activision spent it on: night-vision goggles for everyone!
Infinity Ward pulls 'Fight Against Grenade Spam' ad in light of backlash
After having their game leaked to the planet's pirating populace and catching flak for some of the controversial secrets revealed therein, one could say that the folks at Infinity Ward are having a fairly rough week. However, they brought their latest batch of hardships upon themselves. A recent viral video for Modern Warfare 2, which featured Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels delivering a PSA (video NSFW) about overzealous grenade use, drew the ire of many of its viewers. This wasn't due to the light swearing featured in the video, but rather, because of the name of the PSA's sponsor: Fight Against Grenade Spam, which, when acronym-ized, spells out an offensive slur. Following the inevitable backlash which occurred when the gaming community realized the slur's inclusion, Infinity Ward community manager Robert Bowling responded by Tweeting, "I think the core gag is great, the end is a bit too far from the intent of the joke & can appreciate the concerns. Pulled." True to his word, the video was soon yanked from the developer's YouTube channel. The complaints from those who viewed the offending ad were two-fold: First, they didn't like that the slur (even in its spelled-out state) was used at all. However, the bigger complaint seemed to be that Infinity Ward was catering to the sensibilities of the foul, hateful underbelly of the online gaming community. What did you think of the video, dear readers? Let us know in the comments section, but please -- keep it civil.
Modern Warfare 2 will feature third-person mode for playlists
digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/modern-warfare-2-will-feature-3rd-person-mode-for-playlists/'; You never want to bring a third person along on a date -- not unless that date happens to be November 10th. Infinity Ward's community manager Robert Bowling (A.K.A. fourzerotwo) has taken control and confirmed that a third-person camera viewpoint will be available in this holiday's monolithic Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, though it'll be limited to specifically labeled online playlists. "It's not something you can toggle on and off in ANY game," said Bowling. The special mode can only be played in private matches -- toggled on or off just like "Hardcore" settings -- or in playlists that are designated for third-person play. According to Bowling, everyone playing in a third-person playlist will be restricted to the viewpoint. "This is just another cool way to play the game," he said, "you obviously will still have the option to play gametypes normal as well." Our friend, the internet, has an inscrutable video of some person running around in third person, but you're probably better off waiting for the "awesome trailer" the folks at Infinity Ward have planned.
Infinity Ward's fourzerotwo thinks devs should 'take control' of marketing
With the release of the highly anticipated Modern Warfare 2 just over two weeks away, Infinity Ward's Robert "fourzerotwo" Bowling has been quite vocal with the press. Speaking with MCV, Bowling unequivocally states his opinion that game developers should retain control of marketing and PR for their own games. "I don't think any developer should not have control of how their game is presented or marketed or communicated," Bowling said. "And they should take control of that a lot, lot more." Using his own Twitter account as an example, he points out that he has a "direct line to our audience and the press," cutting out the "middleman" of a publisher handling marketing/PR duties. "Not only do we know the game but we know the gamer," he continues. Then he must know about the 160,000 or so people and nearly 600 Diggers upset over his studio's decision to not support dedicated servers on the PC, right? Ahh, the double-edged sword of control: while IW may be the one making vital decisions on its own game, the blame falls squarely on its shoulders when things go wrong. %Gallery-50567%
Modern Warfare 2 PC won't support dedicated servers
Whatever goodwill may have been garnered by Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling's announcement that the PC version of Modern Warfare 2 wasn't delayed has been stripped away by an interview which surfaced later in the day. On the latest podcast (around the 1:41 mark) of Call of Duty fansite Bash and Slash, Bowling revealed that matchmaking within Modern Warfare 2 would be reliant on proprietary server technology (called IWNet), and wouldn't allow users to host their own dedicated servers. Even without a doctorate in PC gaming affairs, it's easy to see how this fact would upset someone (or some community) who drops a wad of cash every month on renting a private server. Also preturbed by this news are fans of modded game modes and custom maps -- both of which would be unlikely under the IWNet framework. While Bowling maintained that the new server tech would be a boon for the PC gaming community, most hardcore PC gamers aren't particularly thrilled about MW2's server hosting capabilities being brought into parity with those of the console versions of the game. (That is to say, completely eliminated.)
