bid said:
I blame AntiTCC for destroying the UT2004 player base.
No. First of all UT2k4 isn't dead, it's online player base just isn't as large as you'd like it to be. For one thing, there are probably more people that play offline rather than online and that aren't visible in the community.
I think what hurt UT2k4 the most, and by hurt I mean why it doesn't have as many players as it does, is the fact that the game is too much. The game appeals more to the power user, like you and I. We are used to, and desire, the kind of nearly limitless options this game provides. The average user feels overwelmed.
The average computer user, and by average I mean, for the most part, none of us, will buy the game, install it, and click the icon ready to instantly play. But when he clicks that icon he is confronted will more crazy options that he wants to deal with. Adjust settings? Oooo there's like nearly 10 different tabs worth of stuff to configure and get confused with. Starting a game? Choose from like 10 different game types, then choose from 100+ maps. In game now? Omg there's like 10+ weapons with alt-fires. What weapon do I use to counter that other weapon? What is the moving spot in the distance? Omg it's a bot. If online, wait for 5 minutes worth of server-side mods to download, then what are all these things bouncing and zipping all over the place and why do I die every 5 seconds? Oh they're other players.
While I do love the game, it is somewhat overwhelming for the rookie players. That's why the online player base doesn't grow as much as it does. How would you feel to just have started playing the game and everytime you go on a server you get utterly destroyed by that guy who repeatedly snipes you with the LTG then finishes you off with the mini, all before you realized what happened? I consider myself a decent player and even I get frustrated.
Look at CS. Why is it so popular? It's not because anybody's computer can run it (like I hear so often and even have said so myself in the past). It's because it's very simple and has pretty much remained unchanged through out it's lifetime. People love that. Spawn, pick weapon, do single objective, kill other guys. Simple, solid, reliable. Q3A has kept it's player base the same way. It's game mechanics are simple enough to the point that the rookie can easily get past the technical parts of the game and focus on the game itself and out-smarting the opponent. With UT2k4 there is so many little technical things to learn if you want to play competitively or at least on par with most other people online. A lot of people try it, fail, and just go back to playing bots offline. It's sometimes just too complex and offers too much.
UT is; logon to server, oh noes toilet map, logoff, logon to next server, ohnoes 150 gamespeed googun only, logoff, logon to next server, oh noes 10 minutes to dl mods, logoff, logon to next server, oh noes it's all bots, logoff, logon to next server, oh noes pwned by superplayers, logoff. Exit game, load something else.
In short, AntiTCC didn't "destroy" UT2k4. UT2k4 "destroyed" UT2k4. People liked UT(99) so much because it wasn't as complex as UT2k3/4. I hope this new UT takes the franchise and simplifies it back down to it's beginnings.
Sorry for the rant.
