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Apr 13, 2012

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier – Multiplayer update

SolidSlug Cool Games, Latest News, Most Anticipated, Previews 0 Comment

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier – Multiplayer update

As the release date of Ghost Recon: Future Soldier draws nearer (May 22, 2012), Ubisoft reveals more and more information on the game and all of its features.

Last week was a particularly exciting week when we learned that Ghost Recon Network would launch simultaneously with Future Soldier. Based on what we know at this time, Ghost Recon Network appears to be a service similar to Call of Duty ELITE, with, hopefully, a less troublesome launch execution. In line with current trends, you will be able to access Ghost Recon Network using your smartphone, tablet or Web browser.

Ubisoft highlighted several features of Ghost Recon Network:

  1. Using GunSmith Mobile, customize weapons anytime, anywhere, and share your best builds with the Ghost Recon community.
  2. Browse the GunSmith Gallery and discover other weapons customized and published by other network members.
  3. Review leaderboards and player statistics.
  4. Receive and send challenges from your mobile devices.
  5. Download the Ghost Recon Network app at launch and unlock attachment credits for Future Soldier.
  6. Earn additional weapons and other customizations by using Ghost Recon Network as the hub of your Ghost Recon experience.
  7. Review game details and heat maps to prepare your next online battle.
  8. Manage your squad, recruits and identify opponents.

All of this is extremely exciting, of course, but we shall wait and see if delivery follows the promise of a fully integrated experience. There is no doubt many gamers are still upset with the way Call of Duty ELITE was released...well, DOA. Some of these features are still a little vague, but we have to assume more information will be released in the next few weeks.

Following last week's announcement, this week, Ubisoft revealed more details about Future Soldier's competitive multiplayer modes:

  • Up to 12 players in online matches ; 6 vs. 6 players
  • 4 game modes: Conflict, Saboteur, Decoy and Siege
  • 3 character classes: Rifleman, Engineer, Scout
  • 10 maps
  • A leveling system based on experience points

Game modes are said to promote teamwork using an objective-based approach. In particular, sharing intel and using suppression fire will be key to ensuring the success of your squad. We still consider 16 maps to be the bare minimum to keep online play entertaining past the first 3 months, but more maps could come as DLC. Leveling systems based on XP have become the norm at this point ; we cannot be surprised to see Ghost Recon adopt the idea. Hopefully, unlockables will not give an unsurmountable advantage to early adopters and hardcore players.

With this latest bit of news, the following video was also released. Alas, it doesn't do a good job at explaining anything about the multiplayer modes and certainly does not cover any of the questions listed in our Multiplayer Strength Assessment:

Age Verification Required

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier still looks highly promising and we eagerly await its release on May 22nd.

Feb 26, 2012

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City – Questions and Answers

Monte Cristo Cool Games, Latest News, Most Anticipated, PlayStation 3, Previews, Xbox 360 0 Comment

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City – Questions and Answers

This week, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City‘s producers answered a few more questions about the game. We still do not have a complete picture on the feature set of the multiplayer mode, but answers are answers.

General Multiplayer Features

Will your game support voice chat between team members?

Yes. Headset chat works between everyone in the game on the matchmaking screen, and then when you get separated into teams, everyone on the team can talk together to strategize the gameplay.

Will your game feature a match recording option?

Unfortunately not. This was very difficult to fit into the memory constraints that we have to work with.

Matchmaking and Public Matches

Will your game have a matchmaking system?

Yes. You can search for both Versus or COOP games to match-make into. Both game modes support drop-in matching so you can join games that are already in progress.

Private Matches

Will your game allow Private matches?

Yes. You can create a private match in both Versus and COOP, and then invite your friends to play.

Several other questions were answered, but they were not part of our more “technical” Multiplayer Strength Assessment. Check them out at Ask the Producers Q&A – February 8th.

In addition, a new gameplay video was released! It focuses on finishing moves available to each playable character. Quite appropriately, this video is titled “Brutality Trailer”. You will find this video behind the following age gate:

Age Verification Required

Our thanks go to Capcom and Slant Six Games for answering some of our questions! We look forward to more answers as the release of Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City slowly approaches.

Feb 9, 2012

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City – Questions and Answers

Monte Cristo Cool Games, Latest News, Most Anticipated 0 Comment

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City – Questions and Answers

Slant Six recently forwarded a number of gamer-submitted questions to Capcom’s Yasuhiro Seto (Director) and Masachika Kawata (Producer).
While none of our favorite questions were answered this time around, we hereby relay a few interesting questions and answers:

Can split-screen be used in all gameplay modes?

There is no split-screen, but there will be online cooperative and competitive modes.

What kind of skills and abilities will the characters have in Heroes mode?

Abilities that suit each character have been included, but please note that there are no special abilities unique to Heroes mode.

Do Spec Ops characters have unique skills that the other characters don’t, or do they have similar abilities in order to balance them with the USS characters?

In the interests of balanced versus play, both sets of characters have the same skills. However, the USS and Spec Ops characters each have a very unique look, which should make for exciting battles.

Do Slant Six and Capcom have any plans to allow players to control BOWs such as the Licker, Hunter and Tyrant in multiplayer mode?

We had this idea at the very beginning of the project, but we found that focusing the concept on versus, co-op and the battle against zombies and creatures allowed us to create a most unique gaming experience.

A few interesting tidbits that are relevant to the multiplayer modes.
While these answers do little to clarify whether REORC could turn out to be a strong competitive online multiplayer game, they are welcome answers and we send our thanks to Slant Six, Seto-san and Kawata-san.

We hope that our more rigorous questionnaire will be answered in a future Q&A session with Capcom’s producers and directors.

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