[multi] Homefront,dedicated server on consoles hooray

[Prophecy2k]

From what I can tell the only thing that could potentially outstupid this is a game about Iran and Israel allying to take over the Earth from a secret military installation on the Moon.

Do want

Dunno much about this game though. It looked a it bland in the trailers and stuff. I'm keeping an eye out for the reviews as i reckon this could end up being a sleeper hit

 

[kagemaru]

I don't get all the hub-bub over the story, it's a video game, I thought we were supposed to suspend our belief when playing them. Besides IIRC the Japanese version of the game is more unbelievable.

Spoiler

Canada is the invaders instead of Korea

Also looks like Homefront is the most pre-ordered game in THQ's history.

THQ has its figurative fingers crossed that the launch of Homefront will make it a serious contender for the modern combat championship belt.

When it comes to military shooters, the undisputed king of the castle is Activision. The Call of Duty series is an absolute monster, with each new release setting even greater records than the one before it. Electronic Arts made no bones about its desire to seize the crown with the Medal of Honor reboot, which is presumably an ongoing process, but now it looks like we may have a new player in the game: THQ.

THQ isn't a heavyweight publisher like Activision or EA but Vice President Danny Bilson is hoping to pick a fight with them anyway. "When we started Homefront, I said, 'Guys, if you want to build a first person shooter that deals with modern combat you're competing with Call of Duty'," he told Eurogamer. "The mission is - we just want to be in the conversation. With Battlefield, with Call of Duty, with Medal of Honor. And I like to think we're in the conversation."

"Can we beat them? Those are insane numbers for fantastic games, over many years," he continued. "This is a franchise launch but so far so good. I think we have a really good game. And I think in particular in the multiplayer battlefield is as much fun as anybody's."

Bilson clarified that the 200,000 pre-orders he talked about yesterday, which made Homefront the most pre-ordered game in THQ history, were strictly from GameStop and didn't take into account other retailers or European pre-sales. "They're not Call of Duty numbers," he said. "But we're also a more nimble company, so a moderate hit will mean a lot to us. And a blockbuster hit would be ridiculously huge for us. All we can do is make the best game we can, sell it as well as we can and hope for the best."

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108223-THQ-Wants-a-Shot-at-Activisions-Shooter-Crown

 

[dragonelite]

nice they deserve all the money they can get like every game.
Still hope someone topples cod franchise it takes way to many money from the market.

 

[RenegadeRocks]

S I also didn't know until a recent cliffyb tweet that it's a UE3 title, which also implies better than average graphics.

Is it really UE3? Was Frontlines UE3 too?

 

[nightshade]

yep frontlines was ue3 as well

 

[Tap In]

dedicated online servers, 32 player MP (consoles too) and a unique twist with Battle points and Battle Commander Mode.

Pre-ordered for Multiplayer alone... SP story could not care less about

 

[kagemaru]

Is it really UE3? Was Frontlines UE3 too?

Not only was it UE3, but they were doing things with the engine that weren't so common back then. HUGE open play areas and a decent level of destruction was pretty rare on the engine. I thought it looked good and was a great achievement for the studio's first game.

 

[nightshade]

Not only was it UE3, but they were doing things with the engine that weren't so common back then. HUGE open play areas and a decent level of destruction was pretty rare on the engine. I thought it looked good and was a great achievement for the studio's first game.

True..I remembered being extremely impressed by the level size and the fairly dynamic and decent level of destruction as well as how cool the game looked with respect to what it was doing and the engine it was using. IIRC it was the first UE3 game where I saw real time shadows for environment. I still remember that level where we witness a nuke explosion, that level was extremely huge.

Another point to note, it had 64 player online on PC and 50 player online on xbox 360 with dedicated servers.

 

[(((interference)))]

I don't understand why they didn't just have China invading? Too much of a sensitive topic?

It's as stupid as having Cuba, Iraq or any of the other "Axis of Evil' countries invading - they just wouldn't be able to do it.

 

[RenegadeRocks]

Not only was it UE3, but they were doing things with the engine that weren't so common back then. HUGE open play areas and a decent level of destruction was pretty rare on the engine. I thought it looked good and was a great achievement for the studio's first game.

Thats exactly the reason I was surprised on hearing it was UE3. Even Homefront has huge draw distances from the youtube playthrough video I saw. And then people say UE3 can't handle outdoors well.

 

[makattack]

I don't understand why they didn't just have China invading? Too much of a sensitive topic?

It's as stupid as having Cuba, Iraq or any of the other "Axis of Evil' countries invading - they just wouldn't be able to do it.

Because China invading would have been too easy a scenario? This strikes me as somewhat more creative.

As unlikely a scenario it is, in the real World, it is interesting to note that Japans economy is now at risk in the wake of the tragedy that's ongoing there. I made my Red Cross contribution...

 

[kagemaru]

Thats exactly the reason I was surprised on hearing it was UE3. Even Homefront has huge draw distances from the youtube playthrough video I saw. And then people say UE3 can't handle outdoors well.

Back when Frontlines was first released I believe this was the case with the engine at the time, now however I think UE3 can handle outdoors very well. Looking at the changes made from Gears 1 to Gears 2 alone demonstrated this rather well IMO.

 

[(((interference)))]

Because China invading would have been too easy a scenario? This strikes me as somewhat more creative.

As unlikely a scenario it is, in the real World, it is interesting to note that Japans economy is now at risk in the wake of the tragedy that's ongoing there. I made my Red Cross contribution...

Creative but implausible.

Japan's economy has been sliding for the past 20 years or so

 

[Tap In]

CVG gave it an 8.6:

sounds like the SP brought it down a notch (although they liked it) but MP shines


****WARNING**** some spoilers in the review

The 'Follow Connor' prompt is symptomatic of our main gameplay gripe - another indication of Kaos' lack of confidence in the Modern Warfare generation to work things out for themselves. In each section, you'll have to wait for one of your unlikeable accomplices to reach ahead of you; to open doors or kick over obstacles. The power is therefore whipped out of your hands at various crucial moments, which kicks back against the 'Me vs. The World' enjoyment that other layers of Homefront nail so well. Whilst we're talking Half-Life, a 'zoom' feature would not have gone amiss in a game that leans so heavily on inter-character discussions and "My God, look over there" observations.

Throw in sprawling Ground Control missions, a fierce Skirmish mode and an impromptu priority-based mission generator in the form of the Battle Creator, and Homefront's multiplayer really packs a punch. We'd go so far to say that this is the classiest, best value multiplayer shooter on the market, comfortably bettering both recent CoD monsters and edging ahead of Bad Company 2. It deserves a wide, fully engaged audience.

OVERVIEW
At times, too creatively conservative - but an engrossing, cleverly realised shooter with CoD-beating multiplayer.
Uppers
Refreshingly domestic environments
Stunning last mission
Some very cool set pieces
Intelligent enemy
Well defined NPCs
Outstanding multiplayer
Little campaign 'filler'
Downers
Team-mates are plebs
Too much hand-holding
Short campaign

midnight tonight

 

[RenegadeRocks]

Recently my interest in Homefront has skyrocketed ! Seems like the studio has delivered a masterpiece.

Bye Bye Crysis2, Hello HomeFront ! You get my money !

 

[Antan]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-03-15-homefront-scores-cause-thq-stock-crash

 

[BoardBonobo]

Is it just me or is this game quite hard in places? I can't make up my mind whether I like it or not. The story is well crafted and told but then ruined completely with button prompts flashing on screen, well the immersion is anyway.

It's also quite easy to die. Which, whilst erring on the side of reality, is a bit off putting in a game.

Already hating automated turrets!!

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Is it just me or is this game quite hard in places? I can't make up my mind whether I like it or not. The story is well crafted and told but then ruined completely with button prompts flashing on screen, well the immersion is anyway.

It's also quite easy to die. Which, whilst erring on the side of reality, is a bit off putting in a game.

Already hating automated turrets!!

Button prompts as in QTEs? If it had required QTEs to defeat enemies or something that's going to prevent me from getting the game. Absolutely hate any game that features QTEs.

Although the easy to die part makes me want to get it. Almost all FPS games these days are just ridiculously easy.

Regards,
SB

 

[dragonelite]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-03-15-homefront-scores-cause-thq-stock-crash

It's kinda disturbing if you ask me.

 

[NRP]

Hopefully it sells reasonably well. I'll pick up a copy just to show support.