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Video: Call of Duty 4 3D screenshot
Infinity Ward released a cool 3D screenshot from Call of Duty 4, similar to what Bungie did for Halo 2 all those years ago. This one depicts some soldiers deploying from a helicopter into the battlefield below. The High Definition torrent for the Quicktime VR file can be found at Xboxyde and is definitely worth the look, along with some screen captures of the scene taken from multiple angles. So what do you think of the lighting, models, etc? Do you think modern combat is a step in the right direction for the Call of Duty series?
First look: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
As promised, the new Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare trailer (embedded above) aired on ESPN and hit the intertubes with a vengeance. And after watching their little teaser, you can color us impressed. Not only is the modern warfare theme a welcome change to the COD franchise, but the shear amount of action and destruction makes us want to go out and preorder Infinity Ward's little gem right now. And if you are interested, they also released an extended HD version of the trailer on the game's official website CharlieOscarDelta.com. Take a look, think it over, and judge for yourself as we know COD fans are eager to see Infinity Ward take back the developer's reigns.[Thanks, to everyone who sent this in]
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare confirmed
Word on the intertubes is that Activision has officially confirmed upcoming sequel Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare earlier this morning. This of course follows suite with Infinity Ward's news post last week, as we'll be treated to the very first CoD 4 video footage on April 28th during the NFL Draft airing on ESPN. Which is exactly what the advertisement to the right confirms. So guys, let's recap. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has been confirmed, it's being developed by Infinity Ward, and is leaving behind the WWII storyline. Remember, tune into ESPN on April 28th for your first look to what CoD 4 has to offer ... we dare you to not be excited.
Infinity Ward announcement coming next week
Yesterday, in a post on Infinity Ward's official forums, admin fourzerotwo hinted at a major announcement that will be coming next week. More specifically, fourzerotwo listed important events in history that occurred on April 28th (like the discovery of a vaccine for the yellow fever) and followed by saying that "what goes down this April 28th is equal to, if not surpasses, the magnitude of any of those". Yup, Infinity Ward's April 28th announcement is going to be bigger than James Monroe's birthday! So, will the news be something as simple as some more Call of Duty 4 details or are you thinking something on a much more grand scale? Speculate away ...[Via Arrogantics, Thanks zizzy]
Call of Duty 4 to ditch World War II?
Amped news is reporting that an inside source has confirmed the existence of Call of Duty 4. What is more, the source claims that Call of Duty 4 will forgo the World War II setting in favor of more modern warfare. Many are speculating that Call of Duty will shift its focus to the Middle East, as EA did with its Battlefield series. This would seem to confirm a similar rumor reported by Joystiq way back in March.Development of the 4th installment of Call of Duty will be handed back to its original developer, Infinity Ward. Call of Duty 4 will also mark the series' return to the PC. According to the source, a deal has been made with Activision regarding future titles. Supposedly, Infinity Ward will now handle the development of all even numbered COD games, and Treyarch will develop all odd numbered COD titles. If true, this maneuver was probably executed to decrease the gap between sequels, though it will be interesting to note the future differences between Infinity Ward's and Treyarch's entries. Also worth noting, Call of Duty 4 is reported to have many technical improvements, including 16 critical points mapped to the head of each character. This allows for very detailed hit detection -- for example, shooting at the side of the head will tear off an ear or make a soldier's helmet spin. Finally, multiplayer is rumored to support 54 players.[Via Joystiq]
More hearsay about modern Call of Duty
Back in March, some reliable intel informed us that the Call of Duty franchise was splitting off in two directions. We learned that a studio other than Infinity Ward was working on another WWII-based CoD entry. As suspected, this turned out to be Treyarch's Call of Duty 3. Our sources also detailed Infinity Ward's next CoD effort, dubbed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, which would introduce the series to the 'war on terror.'Some eight months later, Amped IGO reports its sources have re-confirmed Infinity Ward's modern-day CoD installment. The major bullet point posted in this report is that each rendered head will feature 16 critical points of contact, allowing players to experiment with trick shots like spinning an enemy's helmet by shooting the corresponding point. Allegedly, you'll even be able to blast off your enemy's ear.Amped also claims that Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 4 (what Amped refers to the game as) will bring the franchise back to PC (in addition to consoles) -- Treyarch's Call of Duty 3 is currently console-only. Sources have placed multiplayer support at up to 54 players.
Next Call of Duty answered, previewed
If the mention of World War II still compels you to go about shooting things (typically Nazis) from a first-person perspective, you'd best check out 1Up's weeklong feature that promises to detail every pixel, polygon and private that constitutes the upcoming Call of Duty 3. Taking over from Infinity Ward, developer Treyarch is keen on capitalizing on next-gen technology and the creative freedoms it provides -- with any luck, that means we'll actually be able to open doors in this one. Oh well, we suppose loads of on-screen enemies and trampled blades of grass are just as useful.The screenshots and video provided are enough to convince us of the game's technical gravitas, but we're quite interested in the Wii version and how it looks to take advantage of the unique control system. A small blurb in the first part of the preview suggests how, while at the same time suggesting that the other two versions of the game are the main focus here. "The Wii version, in development outside Treyarch, shows some potential to bring the player into the game during the Battle Actions in a way the PS3 and 360 won't be able to. Actually wrestling with a German for his gun or actually disarming that explosive are things only the Wii will let you do this gen."Battle actions are Call of Duty's answer to Shenmue's Quick Timer Events. At certain points during the game, you're required to press certain buttons in order to escape a cinematic struggle or situation. Failure is likely to result in far more unpleasantness than getting smacked in the head by some Japanese kid's soccerball. These sound particularly intriguing if done correctly for the Wii and should make up for some of its inevitable graphical shortcomings. Even then, we have to wonder how long it'll take before we grow tired of crawling through trenches and taking out tanks. Is World War II the new Hoth?[Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]
New Call of Duty 3 details highlight immersive environments [update 1]
'MaK10' over on the SteakNBJ forums has posted a rough transcription of new details of Call of Duty 3, which were taken from a recent article in EGM. According to the post, Treyarch is focused on crafting immersive environments, adding new effects like: Interactive foliage (e.g. grass remains flattened when walked over) Scorch marks left from grenades Surface-specific reactions to bullets Destructible cover Wind-altered smoke (from smoke grenades) Smoke clinging to tanks Bullets manipulating smoke clouds There's a tendency to write off the hardware power of Xbox 360 and PS3 as simply creating 'prettier graphics.' But that hardware allows developers to build realism into physical environments, which in turn, greatly enhances player immersion. It's hard to imagine that these improved environmental effects will be carried over into the Wii version of COD3. With that said, let's turn back to yesterday's topic, and ask a new question. What's more critical for player immersion: real world physical movements (i.e. the Wiimote's motion-controlled functionality) or in-game environments that not only look realistic, but exhibit realistic occurrences (e.g. interactive foliage, wind-altered smoke, etc.)?Update: corrected developer (Treyarch not Infinity Ward).
First Call of Duty 3 image [update 1]
The first image of Call of Duty 3 has begun making rounds on the web. As expected, the shot features some stunning details, from the rendered water, to the billowing smoke, to the debris flying from the exploding building. Of course, it's difficult to know what the final game will look like, considering it's being developed for a variety of different platforms. Interestingly, there are no plans to release this next Call of Duty installment on the PC.(Update: Activision has requested that we remove their image, writing that it was "not approved for online use" and that they're in the "process of asking all sites to pull it down." They do offer a conciliatory note: "We'll have plenty of screens to share soon enough." Until then, check out the trailer for 24 screenshots per second. All real-time, right fellas?)
Call of Duty 3 announced; leak confirmed [update 1]
Call of Duty 3's just been confirmed, and it looks like we were right on the money with our early leak of the WWII-related game.Back in early March, we printed the following information (and a whole lot more) on the focus of an upcoming sequel: "'CoD 3' ... is being produced by Big Red One dev Treyarch. ... The next Call of Duty World War II-based title will return gamers to the battlefields of Normandy as the Allies take on Nazi Germany to drive them out of France once and for all. This time around, American and British forces are joined by Canadian troops, Polish tanks, and French freedom fighters in a reenactment of the bloody Normandy Breakout campaign spearheaded during the summer of 1944. In the push to Paris, you'll get to choose how you approach each mission, free of menu screens and jarring non-interactive cut-scenes."Here's what IGN quoted from Activision for the announcement yesterday: "Through the eyes of four Allied soldiers, Call of Duty 3 brings players closer to the fury of combat as they fight through the Normandy Breakout, the harrowing offensive that liberated Paris and changed the fate of the world. Developed by Treyarch, Call of Duty 3 is the follow up to the #1 next-generation game and is scheduled for a 2006 release." Fingering the developer and the setting? Not too shabby -- while Joystiq pats itself on the back.Check out the IGN trailer below for a first-person look somewhat reminiscent of the FPS sequence in the Metal Gear Solid 4 trailer from TGS. At the end of the "official E3 teaser" trailer, a number of platforms are listed, with the major manufacturers (including a small "Nintendo Revolution" in text) and publisher/developer combo listed. We suspect that versions for the PC and possibly the current-gen consoles will be covered with ports as well. Now all we have to do is wait for the word on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. (Infinity Ward, we're looking at you!) More info obviously hitting at E3.[Thanks, icemorebutts, jason, & Hiro Protagonist][Update 1: Had to fix a verb. Thanks, Hiro Protagonist, John Q, & Jiiiiihad!]See also: Official E3 teaser trailer for Call of Duty 3 Next Call of Duty leaked: Modern Warfare tackles terrorists Rumor: Call of Duty joining the Revolution Kojima interacts in real-time with MGS4 trailer at TGS
Call of Duty 2 multiplayer finally patched
Most of us were too busy GRAW-ing to notice, but yesterday, Infinity Ward quietly released the long overdue auto-update for Call of Duty 2's online multiplayer. Xboxic confirms that the following features have been added: Can actively host a game Lobbies fully implemented including game options and pre-game smack talk Hoster can kick players Private matches are allowed You can select any map of choice Score and time limits configurable Post-game lobby after the game is over Can invite players to the game You can see enemy names in-game No noticeable lag continuously disrupting games [Thanks to everyone that sent this in]
CoD2.1: The Big Red Whatever
Reports from the western front confirm that the long-awaited Call of Duty 2 multi-player patch has finally been released—just in time for war-weary fans to not give a flying frag. The saga of this patch is as long and ugly as any WWII slog, including delays, fired forum moderators and pissed off PC gamers. Booting the game on your 360 now results in an auto-update that supposedly fixes CoD2's multiple issues. Initial testing by the Xboxic staff discovered the following improvements: Can actively host a game now. Lobbies fully implemented including game options and pre-game smack talk. Hoster can kick players. Private matches are allowed. You can select any map of choice. Score and time limits configurable. Post-game lobby after the game is over. Can invite players to game. You can see enemy names in-game. No noticeable lag continously disrupting games. Unfortunately, the patch fails to address the one gameplay issue that will continue to haunt CoD2's field-dressed XBL experience, namely, Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter. Old games never die, they just fade away. Are you finally hearing Infinity Ward's call to multiplayer duty? Who else thinks this patch is a day late and a dollar short? [Thanks to multiple tipsters]
CoD2 patch leaker canned by IWN
An update to my previous post on the Call of Duty 2 patch debacle: Tally, the brave source who leaked info on the reasons behind the the patch delay won't be hearing the call to duty any more. He has since been relieved of his status as a moderator at Infinity Ward Nation, "the official Infinity Ward forum":"We've (Admins) discussed the current situation on IWNation.com. We all agreed that we would do best to remove Tally from moderator status here on IWNation.com.The current problems and situation had reached it's top, and it's causing us a bad reputation. We've had to deal with many problems in the past, so this was something we could definately not use. Plus, we did not like the way the 'patch-topic' was posted.We reckon this measure was not a simple one, but we hope it's for the best. Tally, we wish you the best in the future, and are looking forward to play with you on the online battlefields.- Major PainOn behalf of the Admin team."Should Tally have expected this kind of response from his fair weather forum friends? [Thanks, Curry]
Next Call of Duty leaked: Modern Warfare tackles terrorists
We've heard from a reliable source what the next two Call of Duty titles will be about: one will focus on the Normandy Breakout campaign in WWII, while the other moves into the modern age, taking the fight to Middle Eastern terrorists. Yikes!The big release news is that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and the other WWII-themed game will be released for PC, PS2, PS3, Xbox, and Xbox 360--and they will be released only 3 months apart from one another. This would follow the pattern of releases for Call of Duty 2 on the PC and 360 and Call of Duty 2: Big Red One on current-gen consoles, only this time both would be released on both generations of hardware (minus the GameCube and Revolution).What follows below are brief descriptions of each title, though Infinity Ward was explicitly fingered as the developer of Modern Warfare, while the as-yet untitled WWII game had no such designation. This would lead us to believe that "CoD 3" (or whatever that WWII game ends up being called) is being produced by Big Red One dev Treyarch. Whatever the case may be, just remember, folks: you heard about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare here first!
Call of Duty 2 update will include anti-cheating software
The battle between Call of Duty 2 players, Activision and Infinity Ward has been almost as heated as the battlefield itself. With the players resorting to strike action in order to see some form of anti-cheating technology incorporated into the game, the seriousness of this problem seems to have finally reached the developers. The next game update in early 2006 will include new multiplayer maps as well as PunkBuster anti-cheat software, finally answering the players' demands. Of course, this doesn't solve the problems with the Xbox 360 release, but PC players should be a little happier.
