Time for my $.02
I think this is insane. I am a console gamer, but had a short stint playing that halo 1 demo every high school in america has installed during lunch break in class. Now, that was server-based, yet I had no problem finding a 'NO BANSHEE NO RCKT LNCHR' rooms while playing. I really think if you cant figure out a server browser you should get some computer lessons at your local community college. Its a wonder you don't have a virus-filled machine if you cant join a game and ask someone what ping means and such, or even better, USE GOOGLE. and why are these computer virgins going to pick up MW2? shouldn't they be playing bejeweled if stuff like this makes them ascared? If IW wants to make it user-friendly, make it so the quick-match is default and you must go to a tiny button called 'advanced settings' to play with private servers. that way the inexperienced will get simple matchmaking and those who grew up on player-servers wont lose them. I dnt play PC games, but I can fully understand your loss and always wished we had a private server browser on the consoles.

WTF tf2 has now a easy choise for casual gamer and they have browser what you prefer.

And I can tell you what is wrong with this how the hell can I have low ping as avarage conection in 1mb, and public server will be far away from my location (quake live has the same and I need 10mb connection to have bellow 100ping and my max speed is 1mb that ISP can give me).

Glad I'm not a raging COD fan then. I can't keep up a rage long enough to wait for a petition to take effect anyway.

Argh i hate the waiting of that match-making rubbish, sitting in a lobby waiting for people to join is fair enough in l4d but in a game with a 16 player deathmatch is ridiculous. Whats so bad about looking through a list of servers til you find one with the game mode and mpa u want then jumping in? Thats the reason i dont play the red faction guerilla multiplayer.

TelHybrid:

Baggie:
SNIP

Couldn't put it better myself.

Why thank you.

I'm kind of suprised that people think that matchmaking is the way to go though, from what experiences I've had in matchmaking games you get people who are annoying to play with, bad servers or just a mediochre experience.
If I want a standard TF2 experience with people I don't normally play with, I go to one of the standard Internode, GA or 3FL that has a good map rotation. If I want, oh, say a community of players that I like to play with and a rotation of custom maps, I go a specific server I frequent. So why is me wanting a different experience that I find more enjoyable a bad thing?

Wait how lacking in IQ must you be to find a server listing confusing? and since when do the CASUAL GAMER have a PC rig strong enough to play this kind of game on PC? WTF people. If your not bright enough to look through a server list and please stick with flash-games and consoles.

Had they actually fixed the lag problems u get from peer-to-peer matching on PC i'd be less pissed about this debacle. Case and point, go play Dawn of War II that has a matchmaking system, and i'm stuck playing laggy games 35-45% of the time.

PC's are also all spec'd out differently so you might run into a guy with an AWESOME connection but has no resources on his computer to run the game, you still end up playing a slide-show rather than a game. Why has no one realized that Consoles all require a broadband connection and are spec'd out EXACTLY THE SAME.

"If it ain't broke, DON'T FIX IT!"

I've canceled my PC pre-order and have no inclination to buy the game now. So its all i can do to show my support to the cause.

So on PC gaming you can actually choose what map to play and just play with your friends on ranked matches? That would make it so easy to level up wank quick.

Freak out because of no server "browser"? Do you even understand the real issue? Dedicated servers provide something p2p networked games can never provide. Consistent ping.

How about this. Have the match making option...but give us our dedicated servers.

Cantfakethefunk you obviously dont understand the PC community as a whole. Because you do not understand how big a freedom is about to be lost.

Can't they just let us choose both?

very disappointed by the author's attitude.

This is a big deal to some people, people actually interested in the game, genre and platform..unlike you it seems. Why do you need to insult them simply because you don't share their frustration?

Forced Matchmaking is a definite deal breaker for me.

the attitude i've gotten from all the writers reporting on this is that it's only another case of "nerd-rage" and "Self-entitlement Complex" which really pisses me off to no end. And here is another case of that. Thanks Funk for confirming that just cause PC is not only 15-25% of the market, we no longer matter because all console conventions must be adhere to because they make so much more money for you guys.

I'm going back to my MMO's and RTS's, screw this crap, at least PC still has those genres left.

Don't try fixing something that isn't broken. This "new" system doesn't fix anything.

I want to choose where I want to play, and with who, not letting some nutjob at Activision/IW do it for me.

It might work in games like L4D with such a small amount of players in each game, but even there it's mindnumbingly stupid and clunky when you compare it to TF2 where you have control over where and who you play with.

Not that I'm buying MW2. The first game was just a crap railshooter anyway.

CantFaketheFunk:
No Server Browser for Modern Warfare 2 PC, Fans Freak Out

Infinity Ward's decision to remove a traditional dedicated server browser from Modern Warfare 2 has PC gaming fanatics going completely berserk.

In the end, though, this is just sound and fury, signifying nothing. Infinity Ward will probably not be swayed, Modern Warfare 2 will come out as planned, everyone who hemmed and hawed over this will still buy the game (though they'll still complain) and it will sell a hojillion bazillion copies.

Permalink

will they really? what a moron. and sometimes people wonder why piracy is big. it's because of shit like this. i encourage everyone to pirate the game as a big fuck you to IW.

i will.

Booze Zombie:
I never found finding a server clunky.

You just click the filters for locked games, full games and high-ping games and press search, how hard is it to do that?

Compared to hitting "find a match," pretty freaking hard. What the hell is ping?

This is actually enough for me to skip buying the game for my computer. I won't even bother. Both are 2 really big nails in the coffin for the reasons I play FPSs. I like choosing my matches, I have friends that run dedicated server for other game etc.

In short it feels like they were too lazy to do a true port for PC and instead decided to keep everything at console level.

a: "We are loose money what can we do to cut costs"
b: "I know lets chop out features from the PC version so we can push to market sooner"
a: "Good idea but what do we chop"
b: "Everything that is different from a console version, we make more money from each console version sold anyways"
...

A hybrid system really would be the way to go with the server selection.

DTWolfwood:
the attitude i've gotten from all the writers reporting on this is that it's only another case of "nerd-rage" and "Self-entitlement Complex" which really pisses me off to no end. And here is another case of that. Thanks Funk for confirming that just cause PC is not only 15-25% of the market, we no longer matter because all console conventions must be adhere to because they make so much more money for you guys.

I'm going back to my MMO's and RTS's, screw this crap, at least PC still has those genres left.

Yes. The MMO writer for this site sure doesn't think PC gaming matters. :P

My frustration stems from the fact that nobody seems prepared to give them a chance. It's a kneejerk "RABBLE RABBLE IT ISN'T WHAT WE'RE USED TO RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE," and smacks of just being forced out of one's comfort zone. Like I said in the original post - are all FPS games from now until the end of time going to HAVE to have dedicated servers? If IW thinks that it has created a better alternative with its own proprietary system, why fly off the handle before you - or indeed anyone outside the company - knows about it?

I'm not saying that they HAVE perfected a model that outstrips dedicated servers, but sooner or later, someone will. And this outrage at someone trying to change things - with a hugely anticipated title no less - means that fewer people will have the incentive to try. I think it's ultimately more damaging to the PC gaming industry, which is already one of the least accessible in the entire space.

heh i half expect the browser function to be sold as dlc now. Jk btw dont take this post seriously.

How is pressing on what game you want to join difficult?

You gain that skill turning the damn computer on.

couldn't one argue that Infinity Ward is simply trying to make one larger community?

Yes, one that is completely under IW's control, and one that allows them to stifle any dissent or content they don't approve or want you to pay for. And before you ask me why I'm not complaining about Battle.net, everything shown so far indicates that Starcraft 2 won't be abandoning the browser.

I won't say that matchmaking is any better or worse than server browsing, but I DO know that I don't want to stare at a "finding optimal game" screen for an hours and then get dropped 5 minutes in after the host ragequits. I don't want to stare at a screen for eons only to find out that no one likes playing this mode or that mode. At least with a server browser and filters, I can tell what people are and are not playing BEFORE JOINING.

Besides, is it really THAT hard to implement some form of BOTH into the same game? Lost Planet 2's co-op demo used a "host browser" and was much more accessible (to me) for it. It even allowed me to see the location of the host, which is great if you want to play with players from your country (or someone else's, if you like to hear obscenities in a foreign language).

Advocating that matchmaking is "simply better" is the same as stating that console-users are too stupid to be allowed to make decisions on what games they want to join.

how anyone can criticise servers browsers amazes me.

cod4 server browser works perfectly well, christ even games as old has mohaa had decent server browsers.

this post by cantfakethefunk smells like its wrote by someone who prefers his console over his pc. dedicated servers will always be better than match making, and saying match making is better technology than a dedicated server.... LOL? has someone hit you on the head?

only point i agree with is that yes, nothing will most likely be done about it.

I actually love the simple systems that console games use. Selecting a server in PC games is a goddamn CHORE at times.

TF2 is a great game, but the server finder thingamabob drags it down considerably.

The Bandit:
Compared to hitting "find a match," pretty freaking hard. What the hell is ping?

A high "ping" means the server has a worse connection with you, so it helps if you set your filter options to find games with a "ping" under 100.

For instance, if you have a ping of 1 to 5, you're seeing everything as it's happening, most likely not even a millisecond of delay between you and the server.

So Pc gamers have to sit throught the horrors of matchmaking because IW are lazy?
This isn't going to work...

... I'm not sitting through ten minutes of 'searching' before the game puts me on a game in California with 450ping (based on experience with CoD4's matchmaking).

icehot:
how anyone can criticise servers browsers amazes me.

cod4 server browser works perfectly well, christ even games as old has mohaa had decent server browsers.

this post by cantfakethefunk smells like its wrote by someone who prefers his console over his pc. dedicated servers will always be better than match making, and saying match making is better technology than a dedicated server.... LOL? has someone hit you on the head?

only point i agree with is that yes, nothing will most likely be done about it.

I'm going to quote here what I said above.

CantFaketheFunk:

Yes. The MMO writer for this site sure doesn't think PC gaming matters. :P

My frustration stems from the fact that nobody seems prepared to give them a chance. It's a kneejerk "RABBLE RABBLE IT ISN'T WHAT WE'RE USED TO RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE," and smacks of just being forced out of one's comfort zone. Like I said in the original post - are all FPS games from now until the end of time going to HAVE to have dedicated servers? If IW thinks that it has created a better alternative with its own proprietary system, why fly off the handle before you - or indeed anyone outside the company - knows about it?

I'm not saying that they HAVE perfected a model that outstrips dedicated servers, but sooner or later, someone will. And this outrage at someone trying to change things - with a hugely anticipated title no less - means that fewer people will have the incentive to try. I think it's ultimately more damaging to the PC gaming industry, which is already one of the least accessible in the entire space.

CantFaketheFunk:
No Dedicated Servers for Modern Warfare 2 PC, Fans Freak Out

Infinity Ward's decision to remove a traditional dedicated server browser from Modern Warfare 2 has PC gaming fanatics going completely berserk.

actually Funk you're missing something even more important than the server browser, it's the lack of a dedicated server for the PC

http://games.slashdot.org/story/09/10/20/0745221/No-Dedicated-Servers-For-CoD-Modern-Warfare-2
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=25691
http://bashandslash.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=745&Itemid=111

this is what i think the fans are up in arms about, is the lack of a dedicated server, not just the browser and frankly will totally kill the game on the PC for a lot of people

See, now THIS is PC gaming news that might be worth complaining about; not fucking delays for PC versions of games.

If you cant figure out how to use a server browser or sort a list you have no reason even using a computer. If you cant do either of these you are computer illiterate and need to go take classes. You are more likely prone to doing more harm to the computer then good and should go pick up a console controller where you can do no damage.

Just because someone can't use a server browser or a sort list shouldn't be restricted to not using a computer. What about the people who don't play PC games and just use the PC for businesses or E-mail?

CantFaketheFunk:
."
I know that we PC gamers like to think of ourselves as an exclusive little club of special kids who hold high reign above those console lowlifes, but really? Are people really complaining about a more easily accessible game with modern matchmaking technology?

No, its a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and dedicated servers ain't broke.

And thats why I jumped off MW2 and bought a server for L4D2. Why in God's name would the take away the ability to own the server you play on? I'll never play on some random server knowning the other team could hack and do whatever they want without the ability to swing the ban hammer.

I can't say I agree with the Cantfakethefunks attitude either, online gaming communities absolutely thrive on things like dedicated servers and mod support. Server browsers offer choice and freedom for people to decide exactly what server they want to play on. I only dip in and out of multiplayer FPS for short stints now and again and barely played CoD4's online at all but I'm seriously considering cancelling my order by the end of the week if there's no positive word on this from IW, I just can't support a move like this.

Call me paranoid but it all stinks of Activision wanting to retain too much control over their product after people have already forked over 50 or so quid for it, with something like this they've stifled the modding community and can easily make (paid for) DLC and map packs mandatory, or near enough.

CantFaketheFunk:
No Server Browser for Modern Warfare 2 PC, Fans Freak Out

At first glance, this seemed to be - and on some level, continues to seem to be - a classic example of "They Changed It, Now It Sucks." I could understand the furor over the lack of mods, since mods are always fun, but - of all things - complaining because we're not using traditional server technology? Are all FPS games going to have to have a server browser from now until the end of time? What happens when genuinely better tech comes along?

Let's face the music, PC gamers: Server browsers are usually clunky and unintuitive. In trying to teach a (non-PC-gaming) friend how to play TF2, the first twenty or so minutes were just spent on how to sort through and select a server. I know that we PC gamers like to think of ourselves as an exclusive little club of special kids who hold high reign above those console lowlifes, but really? Are people really complaining about a more easily accessible game with modern matchmaking technology?

It's definitely not about just changing the server browser, though matchmaking 'sucks a big fat cocksicle' (To quote a certain someone); It takes away all control over your online experience.

It's also about, once again screwing the PC in favor of the consoles. It's either craptastic ports (Saints Row 2), dumbed down games (This), or no game at all (Brutal Legend, Alan Wake, etc.)

Also, no offense (well, little offense) to your friend, but 20 minutes?? He/She must be some kind of idiot... They must've played some video game in their life, so here's how it should've gone:

"Here you have a list of available games to join. Seems complicated, but let me walk you through it and you'll be playing in no time.

-That's the name of the server/game, pretty irrelevant. Use it to know if they're using various game-changing mods.
-There you have the number of players currently playing versus the maximum. Use it to avoid joining an empty or full game.
-Here is the map they're playing. Once you've played for a while you'll start knowing which are your favorites and you can use this to seek them out.
-And finally you have the ping. It doesn't matter whether you know what the number means, just always try to pick the lowest one. It's basically the delay between you and the game; Big number = big delay = no fun.

There. You're all set. Have fun!"

It's longer to type, but that's about a 2 to 5 minutes explanation.

grimmtruth:
Freak out because of no server "browser"? Do you even understand the real issue? Dedicated servers provide something p2p networked games can never provide. Consistent ping.

How about this. Have the match making option...but give us our dedicated servers.

Cantfakethefunk you obviously dont understand the PC community as a whole. Because you do not understand how big a freedom is about to be lost.

One game losing a dedicated server is a blow to PC gamer freedom? I hardly think one game will force all other PC multiplayer games to stop using dedicated multiplayer servers.

No, using a server browser is not difficult, if you can't work that out, you shouldn't be using a computer, and if you don't know what ping is, you're sitting in front of a PC connected to Google, use your brain and look it up. Sheesh, why is it we must always cater to lowest common denominator just because they can't figure it out or dont have the logic to at least ask stuff? I honestly do not believe you took 20 minutes to explain to your friend how to use the TF2 server browser, or if he did, TF2 is likely to complicated for him.

Server name
Map -self explanatory
Players- again self explainatory
Ping- ok fair enough if you dont know, you dont know, ASK.

What exactly did he find complicated?

We've always had dedicated servers, clan wars, clan servers, playing with friends, custom maps, actually picking the map/players/ping/mods/server you want, admins, mods, and that's because we have the tech to do so, it's always been there taking it away is a step BACKWARDS, if you cant handle the browser then use match making, but don't make every PC gamer suffer because of people who are less intelligent than a brick want to play.

And no, im not seeing this as a PC gamer who cant fathom "WHY ON EARTH DON'T PEOPLE KNOW THIS?" Server browsers are incredibly intuitive and easy to get to grips with, if you are one such people who can't do it, you probablly dont play games enough for you to care anyway, and they are not the people we should be catering to, that is Nintendos demographic, not the PC.

Heck it's running through bloody STEAM of all things, the perfect place for dedicated servers.

For those wondering about what a ping is, games with server browsing should just put a tip in the game "Games with lower pings will run more smoothly and less prone to disconnects" .

There, problem solved.

gof22:

Just because someone can't use a server browser or a sort list shouldn't be restricted to not using a computer. What about the people who don't play PC games and just use the PC for businesses or E-mail?

Microsoft Excel anyone?

On the topic itself: I think the editorial written my that PC Gamer editor sums it up nicely; I also find the lack of MOD support a possible fatal decision. I wonder how the competitive player community is reacting to that and if Ifinity Ward is secretly planning to charge for that matchmaking service.