[JusR23]

Lifted from the Epic forums

Originally Posted by Mark Rein
Happy New Year!

First of all I hope all of you had a safe and happy holiday season.

As I mentioned before the break we’ve been working on a major title update for Gears of War 2. This update will address bugs and exploits as well as add some new achievements related to downloadable content. We don’t have an exact date for it but all indicators are it will go live within January. If that changes we’ll let you know.

We’re fixing a whole bunch of online exploits. For example we’ve fixed the ability to wield an invisible shield, melee through some walls, gain infinite Lancer ammo and equip a shield and a two-handed weapon simultaneously plus many more.

We’re also making several small changes to improve the overall online gameplay experience. A few of the ones that might interest you are; increased penalties for quitting matches early, adding additional spawn protection against planted grenades and chainsaw attacks, and adding the ability to see the Submission flag carrier destination by using Tac/Com.

We know you folks love achievements so on the achievement side we’re adding achievement progress numbers to the War Journal, increasing the frequency of in-game Achievement progression notifications and adding some new Achievements for DLC.

This is just a very small list of some of the things that will be in the next title update but one more item which has been talked about a lot in our forums deserves a special call out...

About that shotgun...

We fixed the client side hit detection on the shotgun so that in a high-latency (i.e. “laggy”) match, the shotgun will be more reliable. We’ve also fixed another bug whereby shotgun and boomshot rounds could strike the ground when firing from the hip.

So there’s a brief status report on the next title update. At some point I expect we’ll post a more detailed list but I assure you we’re working hard to get this out the door and once it’s done we’ll start working on the next update. We’ll try to do a better job keeping you informed of our progress on future updates and we’ll try to be a little more active in the forums once this is done.

Let the good times roll (or should that be a shotty roll????).

[Zzebedee]

Good news but i notice nothing is mentioned about the lag problems and isn't that the reason people aren't playing it anymore?

[Dawseman]

Thanks mate. Fingers crossed it does sound promising.

[trapdoor berk]

nice1 Jus I've been looking on the epic forums most days, waiting for a post like that. He dose say he can't list all the fixes, so lets hope for more of the same when it dose actually get a confirmed list.

[JimboJetSet]

Indeed, until they get it up to Halo 3 online speed, the major problem to me still exists.

[woffsta]

that does all sound very promising. Especially like the increased penalties for quitters. thats something thats needed. I sick of seeing people with really high ranks quitting all the time. You just think did you earn that or just quit every time you were losing?

[Codehead]

Well, that confirms that hit detection is client side. Still don't understand how it's so badly broken.

[Shin Akuma]

Can someone tell what is hit detection on client side. Great news shotgun getting sorted. will the chainsaw will be sorted as well or is it only for respawning areas.

[Codehead]

GoW1 used server side hit detection.

When you fired, your console told the host that you'd fired, then the host decided whether you'd hit anything based on the position information from you and all the other clients and sent the results back to you. Hence the delay between firing and hiting things.

With client side hit detection, when you fire, your 360 decides if you've hit, and informs the host. This should be a much better system, (but it is open to cheating). However, for some reason it just doen't work very well in GoW2.

Most of Epic's games have been server side, but client side was high on the wish list for improvements to GoW1. Careful what you wish for eh?

[Gazelle]

Originally Posted by woffsta

that does all sound very promising. Especially like the increased penalties for quitters. thats something thats needed. I sick of seeing people with really high ranks quitting all the time. You just think did you earn that or just quit every time you were losing?

Increased penalties for quitters sounds like a good idea especially for the rank whores but there are many reasons why it could go badly wrong. If Epic manage to fix the terrible lag and other MMing problems then fine but if they don't fix those problems then hmmmm. So...if someone ends up in a lag-fest because the MMing put them in there then why on earth should they be punished simply for not wanting to be a bullet-bag for the whole game

I'll wait for the reaction to the patch before I decide whether to pick Gears 2 up again.

[kopchoir]

it cant be as awesome as me but its a start i suppose

[Codehead]

[kopchoir]

you said it bitch

Cant wait for the patch should be good fix the lag then happy days

[woffsta]

Originally Posted by Gazelle

Increased penalties for quitters sounds like a good idea especially for the rank whores but there are many reasons why it could go badly wrong. If Epic manage to fix the terrible lag and other MMing problems then fine but if they don't fix those problems then hmmmm. So...if someone ends up in a lag-fest because the MMing put them in there then why on earth should they be punished simply for not wanting to be a bullet-bag for the whole game

I'll wait for the reaction to the patch before I decide whether to pick Gears 2 up again.

I know what you mean. Just played two games in a row where I got paired up on a team of 3 versus 5. PLayed the first one and got anhilated but as soon as saw the second one I just quit in the lobby. Thought about it then. My mate told me thats the way that the Halo works though you lose ranks even if you lose connection. I may be completely wrong there as dont play it. Guess its which is the better of two evils.

[Shin Akuma]

Originally Posted by woffsta

I know what you mean. Just played two games in a row where I got paired up on a team of 3 versus 5. PLayed the first one and got anhilated but as soon as saw the second one I just quit in the lobby. Thought about it then. My mate told me thats the way that the Halo works though you lose ranks even if you lose connection. I may be completely wrong there as dont play it. Guess its which is the better of two evils.

if you quit the match while it is not started then as far as I know it doesn't effect your record as that doesn't even shows up on the record I don't know if it effects the rank I doubt it will. I have played so many match with 1 or 2 players short and 8 out of 10 you will lose the match if your team is short of player, I personaly think I should have left those matchs where I was on 1 or 2 man short side as there is very little joy in it.

[Raffboner]

The update is sounding good especially with those extra achievements for the DLC but it would of been nice to pick your game type which would fix a lot of the quiting. Anyway my box is on its way back and im looking forward to getting back into Gears

[woffsta]

I think I generally am gonna keep quitting if my team is short of players in the lobby so everyone has the choice to do so. I think once the game starts you should stay in though. Suppose will wait and see what the patch does.

I have a love/hate relationship with the choosing levels idea. think it would be better if it maybe gave you 3 choices rather than 2 but do like the democratic way it works now. At the moment I am sick to death of the river level as its always an option and everyone else seems to love it. I cant stand it. Wish you got the original maps more or got the combustible maps in the main choice section.

[Gazelle]

I was just reading that statement from Mark Rein again and this bit made me think:

"About that shotgun...

We fixed the client side hit detection on the shotgun so that in a high-latency (i.e. "laggy") match, the shotgun will be more reliable. We’ve also fixed another bug whereby shotgun and boomshot rounds could strike the ground when firing from the hip."


That makes me think that Epic know they can't fix the lag in Gears 2 (just like they couldn't in Gears). Which means that their decision to not have server-lists, where people could pick a room with a best connection, or the ability in the MMing to use a regional filter is hard to understand. Basically, if you know your game lags horribly on cross-Continental connections then why force players to experience them

[shagaboopon]

Originally Posted by Gazelle

I was just reading that statement from Mark Rein again and this bit made me think:

"About that shotgun...

We fixed the client side hit detection on the shotgun so that in a high-latency (i.e. "laggy") match, the shotgun will be more reliable. We’ve also fixed another bug whereby shotgun and boomshot rounds could strike the ground when firing from the hip."


That makes me think that Epic know they can't fix the lag in Gears 2 (just like they couldn't in Gears). Which means that their decision to not have server-lists, where people could pick a room with a best connection, or the ability in the MMing to use a regional filter is hard to understand. Basically, if you know your game lags horribly on cross-Continental connections then why force players to experience them

This is the problem with such simplified matchmaking methods. If this was a PC game you would have dedicated servers and a server browser with ping lists for all players so bad players could be auto ping kicked. The trade off you make due to no dedicated servers is you could regionalise the game but that then means people with friends in other regions wouldn't be able to play together. The only solution that works (keeps everyone reasonably happy) is probably an option in matchmaking to limit the match to your region or not. Dedicated servers would help but:

1. It's probably too late now
2. Microsoft wouldn't allow it (not 100% on this)
3. If the servers shut then the online is dead

In summary they're damned whatever they do. The Halo fans will never prefer Gears 2 and a majority of old school Gears 1 fans will never like Gears 2 revisions (this happens in new revisions of nearly all PC FPS games).

[Ico.]

Originally Posted by Gazelle

That makes me think that Epic know they can't fix the lag in Gears 2 (just like they couldn't in Gears). Which means that their decision to not have server-lists, where people could pick a room with a best connection, or the ability in the MMing to use a regional filter is hard to understand. Basically, if you know your game lags horribly on cross-Continental connections then why force players to experience them

Especially when he also said...

We’re also making several small changes to improve the overall online gameplay experience. A few of the ones that might interest you are; increased penalties for quitting matches early, adding additional spawn protection against planted grenades and chainsaw attacks, and adding the ability to see the Submission flag carrier destination by using Tac/Com.

So if you have a laggy match and quit they'll punish you.

[Zzebedee]

but then again how many time have we all been stuck in a game of 2 against 4 in a randoms match because 2 of our team mates didn't like the game mode or map that was selected?

[Horatiogreen]

Haven't stuck GOW2 in the console for ages now - just have no desire to play MP - so will be watching out for this. I actually came in here hoping for some news so this was a nice surprise

[Crovon]

What amazes me is that Valve and THQ manage to run dedicated servers for Left 4 Dead and Frontlines at no extra charge and they perform flawlessly, yet Epic and MS cant do it for arguably their biggest franchise his gen.



There is also no reason why they cannot region lock the matchmaking.
EA manged to do it fine with Army of Two.

Its just a poor effort all round and partly why I hardly play Gears 2 anymore.

[Raffboner]

I had a few matches on Thursday night which weren't to bad, damn that Guardian achievement. I still love Gears but im probably going to put some L4D time in where possible.

[Caveman643]

4 of us tried some MP last night. We couldn't get into any games at all. Once one game was just about to start when it crashed us all back to the lobby. Then we never got a match set up after that. Was just stuck looking for players. After 30 minutes of trying we gave up and just had a private match. This is a damned poor show by Epic if you ask me.

[shagaboopon]

Originally Posted by jimihifi

What amazes me is that Valve and THQ manage to run dedicated servers for Left 4 Dead and Frontlines at no extra charge and they perform flawlessly, yet Epic and MS cant do it for arguably their biggest franchise his gen.



There is also no reason why they cannot region lock the matchmaking.
EA manged to do it fine with Army of Two.
Its just a poor effort all round and partly why I hardly play Gears 2 anymore.

Might I add they got absolutely caned in forums for doing it though.

[JusR23]

It makes me mad but I still play gears 2 I'm just hoping that the patch ignites the touch paper and it becomes the game it should of been in november.

[Gazelle]

Originally Posted by JusR23

It makes me mad but I still play gears 2 I'm just hoping that the patch ignites the touch paper and it becomes the game it should of been in november.

I'm sure after the patch the Gears 2 community will get bigger but it won't bring the players back that don't like the gameplay. The patch isn't going to change the gameplay aspects that many hate.

[Toadus]

Originally Posted by Codehead

GoW1 used server side hit detection.

When you fired, your console told the host that you'd fired, then the host decided whether you'd hit anything based on the position information from you and all the other clients and sent the results back to you. Hence the delay between firing and hiting things.

With client side hit detection, when you fire, your 360 decides if you've hit, and informs the host. This should be a much better system, (but it is open to cheating). However, for some reason it just doen't work very well in GoW2.

Most of Epic's games have been server side, but client side was high on the wish list for improvements to GoW1. Careful what you wish for eh?

I've been playing the multiplayer for just over a week now, and I've also been working late nights, so I've not been getting online until near midnight. As a result, all I have played is matches with and against Americans. I could not believe how difficult it would be to take someone down. Using the hammerburst rifle, I put an entire clip into an enemy, and they weren't even moving, and it didn't take them down! Just when I was about to throw in the towel, I had a game the other night, and it was with and against all UK players, and it was excellent! I could put people down SO much easier, it was like my bullets were more than twice as powerful. I could also take someone down with 2 shotguns bursts, whereas playing against Americans it takes 3 perfect hits when you are only a couple of feet away... I hope this gets sorted, as I cannot understand why it makes the users with the better ping rates so much more powerful.

[Tetlee]

Originally Posted by shagaboopon

Might I add they got absolutely caned in forums for doing it though.

Probably because of the way they forced the region-lock upon people(which also didn't make much sense in the first place for a co-op game even I can host Gears co-op from here to the UK and is flawless).

Regional or Worldwide is definately good to have as search/host options, but it should never be forced upon you IMO, otherwise you get the friends that happen to live in different countries prevented from being able to play together, despite their wishes