Blackrazor-Mass-Assembly-Online-Go-To-Game #2

[NukeHavoc]

If BFBC2 has split screen mode we could try it out on Friday before or after the game.

ken

[Hardcorhobbs]

If BFBC2 has split screen mode we could try it out on Friday before or after the game.

ken

Other people can try it... you and I have a starship throw-down!

[Jonkga]

My personal preference would be to avoid MW2 - and I know it isn't really for any reason other than it's the one 25 million people are playing, and that naturally makes me want to *not* play it.

I echo what Lance and Cory have said - while we are looking for the game to spend more time together with, for those times we can't get together, I'd prefer buying a game with a more robust single player option.

Also, I'd prefer a game that has more fantastical elements - Halo, Gears, L4D, etc. vs. a more realistic military experience. I've played some of the earlier CoDs and MWs, and while they are fun, they're really not my thing.

Of the two, I'd choose Battlefield Bad Co 2 over MW2 simply from some of the reviews I've read/listened to.

[Hardcorhobbs]

My personal preference would be to avoid MW2 - and I know it isn't really for any reason other than it's the one 25 million people are playing, and that naturally makes me want to *not* play it.

DEFINITELY part of my hesitation to play MW2.

[Lars Porsenna]

My personal opinion, I found Gears of War franchise to be not-my-thing: not especially fun and the story was not gripping at all IMHO.

Incidentially, I had GoW2 for months: I played it once, put it back in the case, and never played it again. Eventually I traded it in...

Damon.

[Hardcorhobbs]

My personal opinion, I found Gears of War franchise to be not-my-thing: not especially fun and the story was not gripping at all IMHO.

Incidentially, I had GoW2 for months: I played it once, put it back in the case, and never played it again. Eventually I traded it in...

Damon.

I mostly agree with you Damon. IMHO the story was lame, the gameplay wasn't anything special, and the damn marines are too damn big and un-inspiring. The exception is I'd be willing to play it with the group. I played the first one with MC all the way through and had a blast simply because I played with my buddy. Otherwise I would never have beaten it. So the same would go for playing with the rest of you guys. (Also despite the fact the story was lame, I'm a sucker for scifi games, even bad ones )

[erilar]

I ditto Damon and Cory's sentiments re. Gears of War. There is little that's compelling here, story-wise - it's a total throw-away. Still, like Cory, I played half of the Gears1 campaign with Bob and half with Zack, and had a complete blast. Hell, I recently sourced two copies of GoW2 through Goozex trades just so Zack and I could co-op through the "story".

In this case though, I'm talking about Gears2 multiplayer. The reason it's compelling to me, and maybe a bit more than R6V2, is because it's scifi. I just love cover-mechanic games, and would prefer my multiplayer to feature both cover and an iron-sights shooting option. Jumping around like a fool in Halo 3 is fun - don't get me wrong - but completely unrealistic and silly. It's more like a superhero game. It's kinda doofy that it takes 5 shotgun rounds to center mass to take one of these Spartans out.

Bringing it back home, if someone's shooting at ME, my first instinct is to effing DUCK! (My second instinct is to pop back out and blast 'em in the face with a rope of paintballs...)

[Lars Porsenna]

It's kinda doofy that it takes 5 shotgun rounds to center mass to take one of these Spartans out.

I dunno about that Lance. Modern body armor can resist a hit from an AK or Draugunov sniper rifle at relatively close ranges (there's footage of an incident in Iraq where a US soldier was nailed at close range...and then got up to find cover! all the while you hear in the terrorists' camcorder "Allahu Ackbar!"). Extrapolating a few hundred years into the future (where defense developments far outstrip weapons development), and considering Spartans wear top-of-the-line powered armor complete with energy shields (or at least John 117 does), not so doofy at all IMHO.

Damon.

[EvilGenius]

Ditto re:GW2. I haven't done the multiplayer games so I don't have a judgement on that, but in single and co-op the marine guys seem huge and difficult to move around. It's a stylistic thing and it's not a dealbreaker but I'd like to explore other options (MW2 and Battlefield).

[erilar]

considering Spartans wear top-of-the-line powered armor complete with energy shields (or at least John 117 does), not so doofy at all IMHO.

That's certainly true - it does make perfect sense in canon. I guess it's just the Quake/Halo I-can-take-a-full-clip-and-keep-running style of play that's no longer my fave. It's certainly still fun though - Tuesday was a ball.

[erilar]

I feel like a character out of Big Bang Theory doing this, but here it is:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key ... 5ZEE&hl=en

Damon, as per SOP you've avoided providing us with much info. Care to join the party?

Bob, still need you to fill in blanks too. I think that I've given you permission to edit.


Highlights, so far:

Shooters
All of us have Halo 3
4 of us have ODST, Borderlands, and Team Fortress (via Orange Box)
Runner-ups are GTA4 and Left 4 Dead

Other Retail:
4 of us have Forza 2

XBLA:
4 of us have Carcassonne, Magic: the Gathering, and Ticket to Ride
Runner-up was Catan

[erilar]

I'd like to suggest that we try Team Fortress (Orange Box) this Tuesday night (3/23). Most of us have it, and for those that don't, it should be available really cheap. Any money you spend will also get you Portal and Half Life 2, both of which are easily worth the price of admission. If you haven't played Portal, I can't recommend a single game more highly. It's charming, funny, innovative, and navigating each puzzle/level is sooo much fun. Plus, there's cake!!

As Ken said, ODST is also highly recommended for those that don't have it. Firefight should be a hit, and you also get a second disk that contains all the Halo 3 map packs and serves as a Halo3 multiplayer-only disk. If you are no longer interested in the Halo 3 story mode and co-op, you could even trade in H3 for credit towards ODST. The story campaign is really enjoyable, playable in 4-man co-op, and I personally preferred the ODST character's Visor ability to playing as a Spartan. The lack of shields also made the Covenant a more palpable threat and added tension to combat.

For those that don't have Borderlands, all I can say is that every one of us that's played it loves it. It adds RPG elements as well (quests, level progression and talent trees, and of course phat lootz), which seems a global appeal for our group.

[Lars Porsenna]

The only games I have are HALO 3, ODST, and MW2. I also have CoD 2 & 3 FWIW.

Damon.

[Jonkga]

I'm in for Tuesday night goodness. We can try out team Fortress 2 and then go from there.

[erilar]

FYI, Bob and I have settled on Modern Warfare 2 as a military shooter to play for a while. I happened to get a trade from Goozex, so I got my copy in for "free". Bob can also get MW2 for cheaper than BC2 right now (it's been $40 at Best Buy IIRC), so it's the bargain choice.

I know some of you have had a negative reaction to the popularity of MW2, but I greatly enjoyed the campaign in the first MW, and the second adds the 2P co-op Spec Ops mode. In addition, several of my paintball friends have MW2.

I will definitely be getting BF:BC2 at some point soon, and that timing depends on how much I like MW2's MP modes. Seeing as the game's been out for so long, I fully expect to get my ass handed to me online.

I also have BC2 in my queue on Goozex, but the waiting list for trades is very long.