Weekly Digest - 26/10/2009
By Steven Perdikis - Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:00am
Each week, we collate the most popular stories that we published over the past seven days, plus a lineup of the most downloaded files added in the same timeframe. That way, in case you missed something, you can catch up in one helpful little spot, every Monday morning.
Last week, it was all about how much Activision and Infinity Ward have failed us, with Modern Warfare 2 absolutely dominating the news, for all the wrong reasons. As if to illustrate just how PC gaming in Australia is all sunshine and rainbows, we also found out that the uncut version of Left 4 Dead 2 will not be released in Australia. Last week wasn't all that "fun" for PC gamers on the news front, so let us hope that this week will bring some good news.
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Last week, it was all about how much Activision and Infinity Ward have failed us, with Modern Warfare 2 absolutely dominating the news, for all the wrong reasons. As if to illustrate just how PC gaming in Australia is all sunshine and rainbows, we also found out that the uncut version of Left 4 Dead 2 will not be released in Australia. Last week wasn't all that "fun" for PC gamers on the news front, so let us hope that this week will bring some good news.
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Modern Warfare 2 shock: No servers or mods for PC version! Treachery! Call of Duty community manager Rob Bowling, also known as 'fourzerotwo', has confirmed in a podcast that the PC version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will not support user-created mods. Worse, it will not support dedicated servers... |
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Modern Warfare 2 downgrade sparks World War III PC gamers have reacted with horror to Infinity Ward's decision to cut mod and private server support from Modern Warfare 2, and now DICE has entered the fray. The executive producer for the Battlefield series has vowed on his twitter that DICE will continue to back hard-core PC gamers the hilt: "Dedicated servers FTW. What ever secures a better online experience is a given for us." And from Infinity Ward: silence... |
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Infinity Ward responds - and the news is not good Infinity Ward has been surprisingly quiet since the storm of brown smelly stuff that arose when their community manager announced no mod or dedicated server support in Modern Warfare 2 on the weekend. Four days and one hundred thousand signatures on a petition later, and the heads of Infinity Ward have finally spoken about their controversial decision. |
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It's unanimous - uncut L4D2 banned in Australia Sigh. We usually like being right about things, but not this time. We predicted that when EA lodged a censored version of L4D2 for submission to the Australian classification board, there'd be no way in hell the appeal on the original version would be successful. Waddya know. We were right. Read on for the full announcement, and prepare to get angry. |
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Detailed IWNET info for Modern Warfare 2 Robert Bowling, Community Manager at Infinity Ward and bearer of bad news, has made a lengthy post on his personal blog detailing what IWNET means for gamers. He goes into detail on matchmaking by ping, playlists, private matches, parties and friends, and hack-free gaming. Sadly he skips the bit about how IWNET announcements melt the wires the Internet is made of. Read on for the full transcription. |
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Microsoft cracking down on third-party hard drives Microsoft has a blunt message for Xbox 360 owners who have invested in third-party storage peripherals: "Don’t use unauthorized Xbox 360 Storage Devices." In a post at the official Xbox news site Major Nelson, Microsoft has revealed a key feature of the next system update will be the neutralisation of all unauthorised HDD units... |
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Exclusive - Tested: Xbox Video Marketplace in Australia Instant 1080p Video on Demand was the magical promise Microsoft made at this year's E3. So many eyebrows were raised that the roof almost lifted off the venue. When we were told that this service would hit Australia before the end of the year, we wondered how our decrepit Internet could handle the load. Well, we've tested it. From Sydney. Read on to see a video walk through of the service, including the playback of an actual 1080p movie. |
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Modern Warfare 2: Steam hookup confirmed, minimum specs revealed After upsetting everyone with its multiplayer nonsense, Infinity Ward has now confirmed that Modern Warfare 2 will be available to buy on Steam, and anyone who's especially keen can pre-purchase it right now. The minimum specs have also been released, and they're not too bad. Unless you happen to be using Windows ME, in which case you're out of luck. Suck. It. Down. |
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Refried - WoW meets WWII We were rather surprised to hear that the scriptwriter behind Saving Private Ryan, Robert Rodat, will be penning the upcoming World of Warcraft blockbuster. Regardless, this bodes well for some gibtacular WoW battlefield action. Tim Colwill visited the set of the WoW flick, and captured what he saw in this week's edition of Refried. |
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Über Review - Brütal Legend Tim Schafer makes amazing games. And nobody buys them. Brütal Legend is not going to be one of those games. Yes, it is amazing, but after reading our Uber Review (so called because of its length), you're going to do your bit to help make the gaming world a better place. Even if you don't know your Sanctuary from your Judas Priest, you will love Brütal Legend, and you will buy it. Geddit? Good. |
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Economical Gamer's Bargain Bin - how to import and save 50% Our little Aussie dollar is doing us proud at the moment, worth a record 93 US cents. Not only is this reason to hold our heads high and play the national anthem on infinite loop, it also makes importing games a great way to save 50% or more. The Economical Gamer team has put together a little guide showing you the ins and outs of this very easy way of becoming an international importing expert. |
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Über Review - WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 Don't tell anybody, but we've heard that WWE wrestling isn't actually real. Now, this is incredibly hard to believe - haven't you seen how hard those guys slap the mat with their hand when they go down? Some say this is just to make a big noise, but we know that it's a sophisticated way of using Newton's third law to offset the momentum of the fall. But along comes WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010, allowing us to script our own fights, and suddenly we're not so sure how real our world is anymore... |
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Modern Warfare 2 receives 18+ rating in UK Poor old Modern Warfare 2 is causing a bit of a furor, eh? In the midst of all its other troubles, and in the wake of the Left 4 Dead 2 classifications fuss and the ongoing games rating debate, it came as quite a relief when this second major multiplayer release received a retail-friendly MA15+ sticker last Thursday. This was not the case in the UK, where the shooter's "strong violence" earned it an adults only 18+ rating. |
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GTA IV world record broken to general applause World Records of much interest, even when they involve video games, and even when those games are awesome. But when somebody plays Grand Theft Auto IV for forty hours straight and is practically awarded a medal for it, I start wondering where to sign up. Chirantan Patnaik of Mumbai is the proud owner of the new record, and has received flattering media attention for his patriotic endeavours and healthy lifestyle. No, really! |
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Multiplayer Video Review: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Today is a big day for games.on.net. We're taking our first baby steps away from the functional but limiting world of text, into the brave new world of video. Games are an audio visual feast, and we believe the best way to talk about them is via an audio visual medium - hence our first ever video review. Uncharted 2 gets the moving picture treatment, and for this special review we've focused on the multiplayer side of the game. Dig in to see whether the game's amazing singleplayer can translate into a compelling online game. |
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