Searching for the Next Socom

Introduction

Goat Forward

I think we all know by now that Socom has in all essence ran it’s course as to it’s continued play on the older consoles. I’m not saying it’s over, however I believe that it’s days are coming to an end as to a viable choice for Urgent Fury. Of course this is not a issue that is specific to Socom and the main issue is the surge towards the next gen. consoles. We all knew that it would take some time before the majority of members of UF obtained the newer consoles. After a year now, the gap between those that only have a Ps2 and those that now have the PS3 as well is narrowing. There is no doubt Socom will continue to be the main focus of UF. When Socom’s next gen version is officially released I have little doubt the shift to the newer console will become the overwhelming choice.

I won’t deny that the X-box also has a wide appeal and includes titles that granted would be acceptable to the scenario based tournaments that UF provides. However, we can not expect that the members of UF would be afforded the ability to purchase both consoles, we already understand the high cost it takes to acquire any one of the next gen consoles and since we are primarily Socom orientated the obvious choice is to stay within the Playstation consoles environment .

This doesn’t reflect any negativity towards the X-box and I will not debate the already over boarded deliberated issue of which system is better. I have both and use both but the Playstation has been chosen as UF’s preferred console of use. On a side note, I switched to the box for Vegas... I just got the disc and as yet have had a chance to play online with it.. With 50 friends on my PSN account and 1 on the box, I’m reluctant to play with unknown folks. But I continue to evaluate the X-box’s offerings.

Part 1

Recent Releases.

I’ve had the X-360 for a while but only recently signed up to Live network.. the first game I got excited about was Halo.. however for as much as I enjoyed the earlier versions primarily with single play, for me Halo 3 simply wasn’t my cup of tea, (if I had to hear one more kid scream.. Iiiieeee you got me.. whaaa. I was going to Frisbee the disc out the window.) .. it's too much re-spawn, repetition, grab a new gun , out of ammo again.. where the hell am I, nobody works together, nobody communicates, just random run gun kill and be killed no rhyme nor reason stuff.. apply all of that to Warhawk, and to some degree Resistance FOM.. which, despite the initial overwhelming response that spoke of how fantastic the game was, in the long run just didn't cut it and hence it has a seen a drop in the amount of online players who are active

So I will concentrate on the PSN and began with Vegas RB-6. Vegas is a game I became very fond of. The rewards which granted new armor and equipment, although gave the appearance of giving an advantage, were in actuality not much different from what you started with and for those that choose no armor the added agility was in essence a greater benefit than darning armor. The co-op play was very well done and it was simple to host or join friends to play with them, the hunt missions were challenging yet not unbeatable. A nice array of game types and maps made for good team games and although Bluetooth mikes are problematic, USB mikes work well most of the time. Welcomed changes would be pass worded rooms and better clan based design for the community. But it was simple enough to kick unwanted players until both teams could enter and once assembled lock the room. I still have not given up on Vegas and with a much faster pace of releases it seems the Clancy titles have, I believe it won’t be long before still another Rainbow Six title is produced which addresses some of the problems.

Along comes GRAW, (I will skip Warhawk, although sure I got it… along with it’s cheesy Bluetooth head set but I’ve pretty much said all there is to say on the game). GRAW seemed to be a blessing in disguise. Nice graphics, excellent maps, third person views, crouch, lean, prone and heck even roll.. Yet the single play and its online counterpart seemed to be two entirely different games? GRAW however is one that gets a thumbs up from me. Many of the same issues with its’ community online on the PSN are akin to Vegas. Little wonder they are both from Ubi Soft.. Again I believe it won’t be long before another release is issued, since it appears to me that Ubi Soft doesn’t really do patches and instead just waits and releases yet another title version.

On to Call of Duty 4 or as I like to call it "Call of Doodie" yes the graphics are outstanding yet it's online community, lobby's and general clan get together abilities are to put it simply badly done! Heck for the most part you can't even decide which side you are on! so if you and a couple of friends want to play it and set up a room or join one the chances of actually being on the same team are 50/50. This is reduced by forming a lobby and entering a game together but I wished it was more improved. Initially I saw no lag but that's no longer the case as the game gains popularity, lag has entered it's ugly head and for maps such as bog it seems to be laggy as all get out. If you are a FPS fan than this game is a masterpiece.. if not and third person is more your style then like me, it’s appeal is diminished. However, it’s general game play, the wide variety of modes, the fantastic graphics and although not completely absent a much improved lack of lag gives this game a top rating. There are obstacles to overcome with concerns to the community and clan based attributes. But it appears this is how PSN is trying to do things, so we had better figure out a way to make it work since I believe Confrontation may well include the say community system which is now prevalent to every release for the PSN.

Part II

Reward Rank and Skanks

The point system reward based online play, while on paper is not so bad an idea, I will goat ahead and say has created an idiot appeal. The latest rankers ploy is to make a room fill it up get a kill or two up and than close the room taking your now improved points with you, and do it all over again, and again .... The bottom line here is the lack of ability the designers seem to have in terms of predicting the pinheaded, disrespectful and immature length the punks will go in order to circumvent the honest players hard earned effort to play the game the right way.

I'm not putting the blame entirely on the designers. It appears to me what they are trying to do is eliminate the means to which the cheater uses to rank up by use of private self play against a non existent foe or a willing friend. That's admirable, but their method is to give little or no control to the host as to many of the games settings. By disallowing ranked private rooms, and forcing players to sides they are attempting to make it hard for the rank-boy to cheat. Well guess what Cheaters CHEAT and they will always find a way to do so. LET THEM! who cares? As long as I don't have to play with them, than it doesn't concern me one bit. Is there anyone here who looks at the top ten on Socom or any game for that matter and grants them respect for solid play and skill which got them there? Am I the only one who laughs when I look at the stats of the so called number one player and read 10000 wins/ 4 loses.. along with 20000 kills/1 death.. and a hit percentage of 99.8%.. LOL! yea I see that and immediately think to myself.. Man that boy has some skills!! Yeah right? I often wonder why they even bother to kill themselves even once and throw in a merger amount of loses? Do they really think someone is going to say to themselves.. “Well that guy’s an honest player.. I mean look there he got killed… once… in a thousand.. so that proves he wasn’t cheating.”. Pfft!

Part III

Solution or Who Cares?

So let them cheat their selves. it don't matter and the attempt to limit their cheating will not do a thing to stop them. All it serves is to garner frustration and dissatisfaction to the honest player and limit their ability to insure good clean play between friends and block the pinheaded idiots from hampering their game.

To the producers and designers of games; give me greater control over the game myself or my clan mates and friends host and create and if this means you give the cheaters an easy ability to cheat, then I don't care! Honest players will play with honor regardless of the ability to do otherwise.. cheaters will always find a way to cheat and there isn't a thing you can do about it.

The bottom line here is the thought that online Stats matter, when in actuality they don’t. Leader boards and rank has no meaning, can anyone name the ID of the so called first position player on any game's leader board they play? Unless it's you... I doubt it.. why? because nobody cares! When addressing the design of the community, friends network and online game parameters what is important to the majority of players is that it allows friends to easily find one another, assemble together to formulate their choice of game and easily assemble teams to compete either against one another or as a clan team against another clan which they know to be honest.

Conclusion.

They just don’t get it.

The community panels ease of use is what every game on the next gen systems has to this date lacked and given reason to pause in consideration of it's use for clan based battles. The attempts so far to force honest play has only resulted in frustration for the honest player and done little or nothing to halt those that see finding a way to cheat as a skillful ability and as such gives them the right to self proclamation of their perceived higher status. "They don't get it, and never will". Forget about trying to police the game by use of it’s online community design and give the players back the ability to police themselves. Some will not and for them it’s their lost and not anyone else’s, but they are the minority and regardless of the perception the majority of online gamers simply want fair honest play and welcome the ability to hinder the participation with those who have no honor.

For most who purchase gaming systems, games and accessories that are being manufactured designed to be played online as team based shooter competition the importance to incorporate clan and team based options is a foremost concern and somewhat necessary part of the process. The community design should be focused on it’s use by teams and clans and designed in a way that serve to compliment clan involvement and provide a means to formulate and compete with other clans. The use of the PSN’s user’s friend list does not suffice as to it’s use in regards to this. What is needed is to address this from the perspective of easier use by clan based teams and the long withstanding clan vs. clan structure of online shooter type gaming competition. The game design company or console manufacturer that understands this and focuses on improvements in this area will be rewarded by the consumers. Produce a title that gives me graphics as good as COD, control of game characters that rival GRAW and Vegas along with community and clan orientated lobbies and rooms that are geared towards clan involvement and the Search for the next Socom will be accomplished.

Goat-gto

Urgent Fury