Do you think ut2004 will increase # of players?

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gramps

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Worst case:

The game is more of the same for the existing gametypes. The new ones fail to attract new players and existing players (who even upgrade) are split among a couple more gametypes.
sounds like the most realistic scenario to me, because UT2k4 IS more of the same, whichever way you wanna turn it. so no, i don't expect a sudden surge of new players. in fact, i expect more and more UT2k3 players to pick up other games instead.
 

fart2000

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IMO, the last thing they should do is release another version of ut. The only thing it's going to do is split, disjoint, fracture an already weakened community. Instead of having one large community (like the old days of UT), they'll have 3 small groups (ut, 2k3, 2k4) with a lot of empty public servers...nice job epic/de/whomever, you thought this one out.

As a side note, i know a lot of people who feel duped into buying 2k3 with 2k4 coming out so soon after...even if it has vehicles..whoopty fn doo!
 
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If the box that UT2k4 comes in is attractive and *pops* off the shelf, then we'll get more players.

If it's another fugly white box like UT2k3 then people will walk right on by.

That's my take, I didn't want to repeat the same old: "teh maps", "teh weapons balance" "teh gameplay".......... :p
 

Renegade Retard

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[Off topic] Hey Hanover, haven't seen ya in a while. Busy summer, huh? I was about to send you a pm to make sure you were still alive.[/Off topic]

I'll buy 2K4, probably not the day it's released, but as soon as I can.

I dunno, I think I'm loyal to the UT series becuase UT was the first FPS I ever REALLY played. Because of that, to me the UT series just feels right. I've played many many FPS's since then, including the bog dogs like CS and Doom, but the UT series is what drew me into FPS's, and the other's, yet fun, don't have the same appeal to me. Some thing with other game types. Civilization was my first real strategy game, so I'm loyal to the series. Others like Command and Conquer: Red Alert are fun, but my first love is what I go back to and stays installed on my PC.

I know, I'm weird.
 

Thrawn70

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ditto. Every other FPS I play I wish it had the pacing and Unrealism of the Unreal series. Day of Defeat is cool and fun on a LAN, but I still wish I could get my friends to play UT2003 instead.
 

SealClubber

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The key is gonna be in the upcoming patch to reduce server bandwith by 40%, not UT2004!

If this patch fails to help have this game become mopre playable for people without the latest hardware, this gmae - and UT2003 will be even more split.. and will fail!

Do I think Ut2004 will bring more players? No, I think its gonna flop over big time!
 

sharpfish

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Agree with DOc_Edo, Hal and Fart2000 - basically:

"No.
It will split the community into those that stay with ut2k3 (or leave), and those that move over to ut2k4.
Vehicles and other news won't help much since there are other games with the same stuff. Most ppl that liked ut200* bought ut2k3, and those that didnt probably wont be back.
There are HL2 and Doom3 comming out soon. Those will also reduce the numbers of ppl."

this will be the first Unreal game since the original that I`m not hyped up for and will not be purchasing on day of release (if ever).. it seems `more of the same` to me not enough UT99 like to appeal to me in that way, too U2k3 like to get me overly excited, with only more dilution between the `UT Communtity` as a whole.

Bad decision, seems desperate, maybe as a bonus pack would have been GREAT (and I`m not about because we have to pay - I think Epic deserve their money) but because it feels like damage limitation releasing so `soon` after 2k3 (when originally we were not going to hear anything until 2k5).

Yes I think more and more players will move on to other games, until EPIC come back with the be all and end all of the unreal series - the KILLER UNREAL game that blows everything out of the water tech wise *and* gameplay wise.. this may need both retro inclusions, current ommisions and future innovations in gameplay, balance and indentity (ie just `WHAT` is the core game/Not so much dilution of a million gametypes/mods/muts)


Oh and the whole UT2kX naming convention sucks wrinkly vinegary tits in my opinion, talk about ****ing boring.. whoopy `UT2k9`... Drop the delusions of a `sports game` get back to what you did right in the first place. The inital for Epic is a solitary `E` not an `E` followed by an `A`.

... it`s in the game... :(
 
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Sir_Brizz

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Well I will get ut2k4... to be honest Doom3 looks like crap...I mean nice shadows and all but other engines doing the same or better (usually better) exist. @ Doom3's release you'll be wondering what all the hype is about.

not talking about the alpha...I saw a new gameplay demo from E3 and it looks exactly the same as it did a year ago at E3. Are they still working on the game?? Half life 2 intrigues me more and I've known about it for 2 years less...talk about irony.
 

BobCobb

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The #1 problem with Ut2003 for me is that it is not 56k friendly. If I go on any DM or TDM server, I will get raped. If I go on a CTF server I will get slaughtered. Not because I suck at FPS games, but because UT2003 is freakin hard to play with 56k. And its a huge pain in the ass finally finding a non-IG server and then discovering that you have to download about a megabyte of stuff just to play on the server. Maybe when I get broadband I will return to UT2003, but until then, no new gameplay will entice me. Also, while I'm ranting, I agree with Sharpfish. Why doesn't Epic make sure the time tested gametypes, like CTF and DM, have maps that make me want to play over and over and over, like Face did for me. No new ADD gametypes will keep me happy for long.

When Emachines and Dell start selling computers that run UT2003 well cheap, we will see a rise in the community. Until then UT2004 won't be a big hit.
 

EvilDrWong

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BobCobb said:
...When Emachines and Dell start selling computers that run UT2003 well cheap, we will see a rise in the community. Until then UT2004 won't be a big hit.

Ive been using the same (slightly modified) Emachines p3 900 for the span of 2k3's existance, and aside from slowdown during the later waves of Invasion I have no other problems.
I think the problem is that people put too much faith in game reviewers to tell them what sucks and what doesnt.
 

sharpfish

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Well I recently got Broadband (600k cable) and my machine is enough to run 2k3 (gf4ti4200 128 overclocked) though my cpu is a little undewhelming (1ghz o/c), when I got broadband I thought `at last - FUN online with 2k3`, and while I can grin at my low pings, I still can`t find as much fun factor, or atmosphere. If I read good things about the bonus pack, sorry, about 2k4 ;) then I may be tempted to pick it up but I can`t see how they will radically alter it from 2k3.

I am looking forward to Hl2 more than doom3 (and UT2k4) as well - different kettles of fish. HL2 is going to have to be really special after all the waiting, and if it is, UT is going to have pressure like never before to compete. Remember I`ve always been an Unreal junky, never played HL/QUAKE online (only offline) and it takes a lot to make me consider `another game` over the engine/game that introduced me to immersive PC gaming back in 98.. though it may not take `that much` if the new Unreal games we have do the job of turning `me/us` away instead.
Also Quake4 will be here eventually, even with its crappy P2P network play the game seems like it could be a blast to play, and of course, all these games SHOULD also have better graphics than our beloved UT/2k3/2k4, which while not the most important thing in the world, will tempt a LOT of impulse buys and drag people in to see the new tech.. if it has FUN gameplay, basic DM that you can play for 3 hours without it feeling repetative, unintersting and a chore then it will win.
 

Renegade Retard

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BobCobb said:
The #1 problem with Ut2003 for me is that it is not 56k friendly. If I go on any DM or TDM server, I will get raped. If I go on a CTF server I will get slaughtered. Not because I suck at FPS games, but because UT2003 is freakin hard to play with 56k. And its a huge pain in the ass finally finding a non-IG server and then discovering that you have to download about a megabyte of stuff just to play on the server. Maybe when I get broadband I will return to UT2003, but until then, no new gameplay will entice me....

I feel your pain, dude. I'd give my left testicle to get broadband in my area. As many know, I play while connecting at 26.4K, thanks to my location. Some nights are good, some nights are just not playable. We really have to play at a huge disadvantage, not only dealing with the lag, but locksups, rebooting, etc. It sucks when you whip out the LtG, fire, dodge forward, and end up getting a headshot on yourself due to the 1-2 sec delay. Getting a score that is average on the board is something to be proud of.

I do have to say, though, that UT2k3 has been one of the more playable online games I've tried. Games like SoFII or Return to Wolf. are just not playable at all for me. However, I've noticed that since the last patch came out, there seems to be more and more lag, high pings, and getting booted out of servers. I used to be able to play FragBU every week with only minor inconveniences, but since I installed the last patch, playability has been pretty much hit and miss. Also why some of you haven't seen me on the pubs as much as I used to. I want to play, but can't.

Anyhow, that concludes this novel.
 

Sir_Brizz

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Scumgrief said:
eh, hype doesn't phase me. I'm a diehard Doom fan & loved the series to death, so I'm pumped just to play the next chapter, suck or not. I also still have a 3.5" floppy w/a full ver of Wolfenstein3D I play now & then too, if that tells ya anything.

Well actually I can understand from this viewpoint. To be honest, I might buy Doom3 just for the nostalgia...but from looking at it I can't see how they could make it anything like the old Doom games were...meaning dozens of monsters pouring out from everywhere...in this game they are going for the "look into a mirror and sudenly an Imp appears behind you that can kill you in two hits" kind of horror-film type thing. That really doesn't interest me. The sad thing is, with the innovation Doom made, iD has managed to do very little to innovate past anyone else anymore.

Regarding HL2, yah they are doing some pretty amazing things with it, but the problem is that just about every engine available to third parties today (with the exception of Quake3 and older) can do what Half-Life 2 does. Amazing? Yes. Innovative? No. Like with D3 I'm sure I'll buy it because of nostalgia and also because I love the storyline...but I doubt I will play it online any more than any other game I have besides UT2k3.

Ren: I'm in the same boat as you. I almost never play UT2003 online anymore because my lag and warping seems to have quadrupled since about 3 weeks ago.

...and they lived happily ever after. THE END....
 
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[MUTTS] Hiteche5

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Wow this is an interesting thread. I will get UT2K4 because I am also into the Unreal series and this is the first FPS were I was really involved in the team play gametypes.

But I would venture to say people don't like the sports theme. I look at Bombing Run. I think it is awesome yet I don't see many people or servers for it.

I also think the Sci-Fi theme for games is dead. Everyone wants a CounterStrike clone or Allied Assault clone. Even in our Unreal world half of the mods are realism mods. Hell, I'll say 3/4 of the mods are realism mods. And 1/2 of the servers out there run instagib. People like the one shot one kill stuff.

With UT2K4 vehicles and such the comparisons to Halo will be inevitable and because of Halo's hype it will win. Remember that is coming soon.
 

Bleuchamp

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I'm not worried that the Unreal community will be choked when games like Doom3 and HL2 is released. We don't just get more "good" games people will play, there is a constant flow of new gamers that gets introduced to online gaming. :)

I watched a gaming documentary a couple of weeks ago, and if I remember correctly they said that there is 5.9 million people in Europe playing online games.... an 100% increase since last year. :eek:
 

Thrawn70

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I personally Halo is gonna fail for the PC because Microsoft has taken so long to release it, Battlefield 1942 has done vehicles, only more and (IMO) better, and the Desert Combat mod provides even more vehicles. Sure, Halo may have nice co-op and/or single player, but I dont think the PC version will have such a huge following a few months after it is released.