New COD3 preview




Posted by Speedfreak

It sounds pretty awesome now, I'm considering getting it.

[quote]
With Red Steel and Far Cry from Ubisoft joining CoD3 for Wii's launch, it's going to be a battle for the FPS throne come December 8. But with the controls being the most prominent factor of Wii, it's down to how developers have used the Remote that will be most crucial. We're pleased to say CoD3 does an excellent job.

The basic control layout is the same as Red Steel's; you control forwards, backwards and strafing with the Nunchuk analogue stick, and use the Wii Remote like a pointer to control the on-screen crosshair and look view.

But even though the principles of the control system are the same as Red Steel, CoD3 feels immediately more responsive and easier to control. Red Steel has a large neutral zone in the centre of the screen which gives your on-screen arm a disembodied feel as you're forced to swing your aim right out to the extreme edge of the screen to make camera adjustments.

In contrast, CoD3's neutral zone is tiny. This means that moving your crosshair even slightly off centre incites an immediate reaction from the camera. The speed at which the camera turns is also more gradual, starting off slow and building up speed the further away from the centre of the screen you aim. This made it far easier to control than Red Steel, having no problems reacting and shooting enemies that appeared above or behind us.

CoD3 also uses the tilt function in the Wii Remote in some interesting ways. As you take cover behind scenery, you can lean your head out by twisting the Remote in the direction you want to look. You can perform a melee attack by shoving the controller forwards, and you change ammo by flicking the Nunchuk. It all works brilliantly which is fortunate because, as you'd expect from a CoD game, the action is brutal.

As dozens of soldiers run around, firing bullets in all directions, planes fly around overhead, swooping low and dropping bombs that rock the ground with huge explosions, which look absolutely awesome. The smoke and dust effects look great in motion, and truly play a factor in gameplay because you have to wait for the dust to clear before you battle on.

Just to make things even more hectic, CoD3 will give you the choice of multiple routes through levels. You've heard that before though, right? This is different; instead of simply giving you a change of scenery, each of the routes will give you a different role to play, but they're always connected with each other to achieve the main goal.

One level saw us storming a large building full of zie enemy. The commander ordered the group to split into three units and advance separately - the first unit to go through the top floor of an adjacent building to provide support for unit 2, who will advance on ground level. And the third unit would go through an underground passage to emerge from a trapdoor for an ambush.

You simply head down whichever route you prefer, and your AI comrades will automatically splinter off down the other routes. So you can be the sniper, covering AI advancers, or run straight in with support from AI snipers. Your choice.

CoD3 also packs the new hand-to-hand fights which have you wrestling to overpower enemy soldiers. It's tense stuff - we walked unsuspectingly into a building only to be suddenly charged at, have our gun grabbed and yanked from our virtual hands.

On other consoles, you tackle these bits by rapidly tapping the L and R shoulder buttons, but on Wii you have to perform a series of bigger, more aggressive motions.

On-screen prompts show you how to move the controllers. First we had to wrestle our gun free by repeatedly punching forward with both hands. Then we had to flick both hands diagonally down and right to make our man pull the pin out of a grenade on our opponent's belt, who then falls back over a wall and explodes.

Your movements in these sections don't directly control your soldier's arms - the Wii Remote wouldn't be able to push your hands back to simulate the opposing force of your foe - but the large, aggressive movements it has you perform better simulate the tension than tapping shoulder buttons.

CoD3 played fantastically on Wii. It looked great and ran at a solid 60 frames per second without a hitch. With the same level layouts as the Xbox 360 version, you've got an interesting choice to make.

Do you play the Wii version with its enhanced control system that delivers a more visceral experience, or do you go for the Xbox 360 version which will cost about £10 more and use conventional controls, albeit looking better in HD?

Look for the review soon.


[URL="http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=148454"]http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=148454[/URL]




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire


Quoted post: In contrast, CoD3's neutral zone is tiny. This means that moving your crosshair even slightly off centre incites an immediate reaction from the camera. The speed at which the camera turns is also more gradual, starting off slow and building up speed the further away from the centre of the screen you aim.


This is what I've been wanting from Red Steel. Nice. Very happy to hear that not every FPS is using such a gigantic invisible box.

Quoted post:
Do you play the Wii version with its enhanced control system that delivers a more visceral experience, or do you go for the Xbox 360 version which will cost about £10 more and use conventional controls, albeit looking better in HD?


Or the 360 version with a massive online feature... they forgot to leave that huge detail out. Meaning, as great as CoD3 might be on the Wii, it'll still be crippled in my opinion.



Posted by Speedfreak

If you don't really care about online multiplayer/don't wanna buy a $400 system then the Wii version definately looks better. Can't wait for COD4 on Wii.

I'm getting a Wii this Christmas, but not a 360, so I could well pick this up.




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire


Quoted post: If you don't really care about online multiplayer/don't wanna buy a $400 system then the Wii version definately looks better.


Yeah... that would only make sense.

But, multiplayer seems to be the big focus with what most of the developing time went into. It's a return to United Offensive after the departure and setback of CoD2's online.



Posted by Dexter

What the heck? The only thing I do with Call of Duty 2 now is play online/multiplayer. That's what I'm looking forward to the most with Call of Duty 3. Online play is the most important thing to me when it comes to this game. I couldn't possibly see myself getting the game without it.




Posted by Speedfreak

Just as I can't see buying the game without decent controls.

On Wii it's an interesting shooter that lacks multiplayer, on 360 it's a generic shooter in a sea of generic shooters.




Posted by Bebop

It sounds alot better. ALOT better. Online play or not Implaying Wii with friends as soon as I get it.




Posted by Dexter

There will surely be other shooters that use the Wiimote. Call of Duty 3 is one for the online!




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire


Quoted post: Just as I can't see buying the game without decent controls.


Because it doesn't already have decent controls :rolleyes:



Posted by Speedfreak

No, it doesn't. Dual analog sucks?

It's not just the fact that you can't aim as well, either. The Wii controls make the game interesting for me, they make it a billion times more immersive than HD graphics ever could. If you desperately want another multiplayer FPS then sure, get it on 360. But if you want a really interesting single player FPS then Wii is the only place to go.




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire

Nah, not really. Improved controls will only do so much for me. I'm not even completely sold on the controls themselves. The aiming should be decent, but will I like everything else, will I like the button layout? I have no clue. But better yet, do I really want to spend fifty bucks on a game I'm only going to play for ten hours, especially when I know there's a better version out there with infinite replay value? No, I don't. I'd rather spend the sixty bucks for "decent" controls if it means I get a better game.

Just like a game can't succeed without good controls, I don't believe controls can succeed without a good game.




Posted by Speedfreak

Good thing the game's fun then lololol.

COD3 Wii: 10 hours

COD3 360: Zero, because I'm not buying such a bland game. Not that any game in existence has infinite replay value anyway.

Whether I get it or not is still subject to review scores. I don't know if this game has any form of multiplayer, either. Be it deathmatch or Co-Op. If it doesn't have either then I'll just get it for Christmas or wait for a 2nd hand copy. Looks like I'm gonna have an abundance of great FPSs to play on Wii for the next 6 months, though.




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire


Quoted post: Good thing the game's fun then lololol.

COD3 Wii: 10 hours

COD3 360: Zero, because I'm not buying such a bland game. Not that any game in existence has infinite replay value anyway.


Fun for about ten hours, then you'll most likely never play it again. Rather than fun for hundreds of hours. But whatevs.

And could I possibly have exaggerate the replay value? lol idk maybe. Point is, it might as well be infinite when compared to ten or twenty hours.


Quoted post: Whether I get it or not is still subject to review scores. I don't know if this game has any form of multiplayer, either. Be it deathmatch or Co-Op. If it doesn't have either then I'll just get it for Christmas or wait for a 2nd hand copy. Looks like I'm gonna have an abundance of great FPSs to play on Wii for the next 6 months, though.


The multiplayer it does have will most likely be very limited. There's only so much you can do with four player split-screen rather than 24 players in various modes.

But, in the next six months, I doubt we'll have very many "great" FPSs to play. So far it comes down to CoD3, Far Cry and Red Steel. The latter being the only real exclusive and fresh game, the other two... well who knows how they turn out. But as I've said before, give it a year and I'm sure all the great FPSs will end up on the Wii. Then it will most likely have fantastic controls, sharp looking graphics, and a solid online component. It's just right now that it's nigh impossible to sell me on any game that's coming out for another console.



Posted by Speedfreak

[quote=Vampiro V. Empire]The multiplayer it does have will most likely be very limited. There's only so much you can do with four player split-screen rather than 24 players in various modes.

Pretty much the main reason I'm going for it, really. I don't like playing online that much, I'd always take 4 player with 3 other people in the same room that I know rather than 24 player with strangers over the internet. I pretty much want a simple FPS that my Dad and his buddies can play with me, COD3 fits that bill nicely. There's no way it'd work on 360.




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire

Ah, makes sense then. It's nearly impossible for me to get four friends together at the same time who want to play something that's not SSBM, so online is the next best thing. Thankfully, it looks to be excellent and really varied and deep.




Posted by Bebop

NGC Magazine are saying this game looks "incredible" when they played it. Hmmm............




Posted by Proto Man


Quoting Vampiro V. Empire: Or the 360 version with a massive online feature... they forgot to leave that huge detail out.


Good things come with time! Take the DS online games for example.

Anyhow I would definately get this for Wii, online or no. My little brother and I would probably play it for hours against each other if the multiplayer is decent.



Posted by Proto Man


Quoting Vampiro V. Empire:
Or the 360 version with a massive online feature...


Good things come with patience. We saw this with the Nintendo Wi-fi connection with the DS.

I myself am getting this game regardless. My little brother and I will probably be playing this for hours, plus the Wii controller makes it all the more interesting.



Posted by Proto Man


Quoting brownoystercult: Getting it for Xbox 360. It'll definitely be better.


Please back up this statement. I don't really see how it could be "better", besides the fact that it will be online. Even then, you have to pay for the service, don't you?



Posted by Axis

Uhhh... How come he can't use online as an excuse? That's the sole reason I'm buying it over the Wii version.




Posted by Proto Man


Quoting Axis: Uhhh... How come he can't use online as an excuse? That's the sole reason I'm buying it over the Wii version.


Fair enough I guess. Although I have been playing games for years without online, so it isn't any difference to me. Sure it would be nice if the Wii version was online, but I am more interested about the functionality than it being online.



Posted by Vampiro V. Empire


Quoted post: Good things come with patience. We saw this with the Nintendo Wi-fi connection with the DS.

lewl. It will never, ever have the experience that the 360 version has. Go play it. It's incredibly.


Quoted post: Although I have been playing games for years without online, so it isn't any difference to me.


Then shut up? The online is the only reason to own CoD3. That, and it looks better, sounds better, and will most likely play better (not necessarily in terms of control, before you jump down my throat.)

Seriously, buying a horribly downgraded version of a next-gen title on the Wii is stupid. The Wii will excel at what it's built for and what's built for it, not what's built for the PS3/360.



Posted by Proto Man


Quoting Vampiro V. Empire:
Then shut up? The online is the only reason to own CoD3.

Seriously, buying a horribly downgraded version of a next-gen title on the Wii is stupid.


That isn't necessarily true in either case. I would imagine that it's regular offline multiplayer is pretty good if everyone is clammoring for the online version. My reason to get CoD3 is because I hear the series is pretty good, and I like military games.

Also, we don't know HOW downgraded the Wii version will be. We don't even fully know the specs of the Wii, so I wouldn't go knocking it that hard.

I am not saying online is bad, I am just saying it isn't the END ALL in games. If I had an Xbox 360, I would probably get that version as well.



Posted by Vampiro V. Empire


Quoted post: That isn't necessarily true in either case. I would imagine that it's regular offline multiplayer is pretty good if everyone is clammoring for the online version. My reason to get CoD3 is because I hear the series is pretty good, and I like military games.


HECK YEAH, 4 PLAYER SPLIT-SCREEN ACTION WOOOOOOOOOO. Live has six classes, tons of huge maps, vehicles, a handful of game types, ranks, and... LIVE. You can't compare offline multi to online Live multi. Unless you're trying to be funny.

Anyways, the single-player is great. But ask anyone why they're buying the game. The vast majority will say "online" because that's the biggest part of the game. It's gigantic.

Quoted post:
Also, we don't know HOW downgraded the Wii version will be. We don't even fully know the specs of the Wii, so I wouldn't go knocking it that hard.

I am not saying online is bad, I am just saying it isn't the END ALL in games. If I had an Xbox 360, I would probably get that version as well.


It's downgraded enough, that's all you need to know. And we know the specs. It's significantly less powerful than either the 360 or PS3. I'll knock it as hard as I please because this game shouldn't even come near the Wii.

Oh, and online is the end-all be-all. Sorry to break the news to you.



Posted by Bebop

I really like split screen multiplayer :(




Posted by Proto Man


Quoting Vampiro V. Empire: HECK YEAH, 4 PLAYER SPLIT-SCREEN ACTION WOOOOOOOOOO.

You can't compare offline multi to online Live multi


Your the only one I've come across that greatly dislikes 4 player split-screen, lol. I agree that online does offer a whole lot more, and can be very fun. I will say though, I have had just about as much fun offline playing Goldeneye with my uncle and brother.


Quoted post:
It's downgraded enough, that's all you need to know. And we know the specs. I'll knock it as hard as I please because this game shouldn't even come near the Wii.

Source please. As for the game, it has every right to be on the Wii.

[Quote]Oh, and online is the end-all be-all. Sorry to break the news to you.


I sorely disagree here. I have played online games before, and I have had equal amount of fun playing on and offline.



Posted by Vampiro V. Empire


Quoted post: Your the only one I've come across that greatly dislikes 4 player split-screen, lol. I agree that online does offer a whole lot more, and can be very fun. I will say though, I have had just about as much fun offline playing Goldeneye with my uncle and brother.


I don't dislike it. I dislike it in new games. In new games that have the potential to be online.


Quoted post: Source please. As for the game, it has every right to be on the Wii.


Google. Use it. or common sense, whatevs. And you missed my point. Read above (or somewhere else) where I said Wii is for Wii games. Not for 360 games. CoD3 shouldn't be on it because it wasn't made with the Wii in mind. Therefore the game suffers.

As for the last part I don't care to quote, that's because you're lame.



Posted by brownoystercult

Oh yeah, campaign for CoD games are pretty much infamous for being short. Uhm, which is also why Live will warrant the purchase for the 360 version. CoD multiplayer is absolutely KILLER on the 360.




Posted by Speedfreak

Vampiro is being an idiot, here's a perfectly legimate reason why the Wii version could be superior to the 360 version:

[quote]
[FONT=Tahoma][COLOR=#90ee90]Pretty much the main reason I'm going for it, really. I don't like playing online that much, I'd always take 4 player with 3 other people in the same room that I know rather than 24 player with strangers over the internet. I pretty much want a simple FPS that my Dad and his buddies can play with me, COD3 fits that bill nicely. There's no way it'd work on 360.[/COLOR][/FONT]


Thread locked for redundancy.

EDIT: The difference between casual and hardcore games is accessibility, not depth.