Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Official Thread

Have you guys seen this video? It's the leaked intro to MW2 that Activision apparently doesn't want you to see. And for good reason. They've removed it from most video sites but somehow it survives on LiveLeak.

From what I can tell, you're in an airport gunning down innocent civilians. I'm an FPS lover, but even I think this is too much. What are your thoughts?

Originally Posted by Drew

Have you guys seen this video? It's the leaked intro to MW2 that Activision apparently doesn't want you to see. And for good reason. They've removed it from most video sites but somehow it survives on LiveLeak.

From what I can tell, you're in an airport gunning down innocent civilians. I'm an FPS lover, but even I think this is too much. What are your thoughts?

It's not done for enjoyment. It strikes me as similar to the section in 4 where you piloted the unmanned aircraft; it's designed to make you do something that doesn't feel right at all. Unless everyone but me enjoyed that bit...

Yeah... I saw that video last night and it's definitely a bit off putting. I'm really not sure how I feel about playing a terrorist that's mowing down innocents in an airport. It really got to me when the people that were dragging their loved ones away were also getting mowed down.

Definitely some really powerful imagery. I was borderline offended by it, and that's saying something.

It's a lot like Coup, Death From Above or Aftermath in that it offers a jarring perspective.

From what I've gleaned reading various commentary,
the level puts you in the shoes of an agent (CIA?) working within Makarov's terrorist group. In order to gain the group's trust, the agent participates in the attack as an 'initiation' of sorts. You're not playing as a terrorist, per se, which actually makes the whole sequence that much more disturbing. I think IW wants you to be thinking, in complete horror, "Our guys would do this?"

Big deal if you cap some civilians or not. I mean it's a game. God forbid you're not killing real people. It's all in the interest of the story.

Originally Posted by Deckard

Big deal if you cap some civilians or not. I mean it's a game. God forbid you're not killing real people. It's all in the interest of the story.

I understand where you're coming from but it's still a conscience matter for the player. Even though it's a video game and always will be, your conscience is still there.

Originally Posted by V99

I think we're the only PC gamers in this thread.
I was super hyped for MW2, I have played over 300 hours of COD4 online.

No Dedicated servers = no promod = no competitive play = no ladders = no point.

I canceled my pre-order soon after hearing and investigating why they did it. If they ever release a patch - I'll consider buying it.

I'd buy it if they patched in dedicated servers (and mod support) as well. That's not happening though. I wouldn't be surprised if they are doing this so they can charge for content. If people had access to dedicated servers like we've had in the past not many people would pay for their DLC considering all the great free fan made content that would be available.

The problem is it's not even worth playing if I can't get on servers with custom content, good pings, and familiar faces. I can't count how many people I've got to know simply by playing in the same servers over and over again. That kind of experience simply can't be replaced. I like the friendships/rivalries you build from playing in favourite servers more than playing the actual games a lot of times.

Originally Posted by Deckard

Big deal if you cap some civilians or not. I mean it's a game. God forbid you're not killing real people. It's all in the interest of the story.

The matter of fact is, why are you killing civilians (especially so brutally - you're walking over many many corpses in that level) and what reason does Infinity Ward have for putting that level in the game?

It certainly doesn't look like an interesting setting, nor does it really have anything special about it except the civilians and the ending. It's as though they simply want you to have this cinematic feeling by making you kill innocent people. That, or they really want to stir some sh** up before releasing the game.

Or you didn't read my post explaining the context and purpose.
I'm not saying anyone has to like it - Just that there is indeed a reason they put that in there.

Originally Posted by F3

Or you didn't read my post explaining the context and purpose.

Context - you're a CIA undercover agent. Purpose... well, what? What were the terrorists after, found in an airport, that was so important that you had to mow down anyone standing in the way (or watch your team shoot them down for you)? And why does Infinity Ward feel that you should participate?

Honestly, I'm just stumped at what purpose a stage like this has.

That's like asking why you shoot down civilians in GTA or Crackdown.

Originally Posted by Abyss Master

Context - you're a CIA undercover agent. Purpose... well, what? What were the terrorists after, found in an airport, that was so important that you had to mow down anyone standing in the way (or watch your team shoot them down for you)? And why does Infinity Ward feel that you should participate?

Honestly, I'm just stumped at what purpose a stage like this has.

I think IW wants you to be thinking, in complete horror, "Our guys would do this?"

Consider how much more impact the scene has when you have to pull the trigger. If this were just a cutscene, we wouldn't even be having this discussion right now. I could just as easily ask what the point of 'playing' as Al-Fulani was in Coup. They're forcing you into an uncomfortable perspective and it's intended to shock and dismay. It forces out questions about how far do you go to get the job done, or can you get sucked so far into an objective you lose sight of the bigger picture? Or perhaps worst of all, does the agent/agency think it's okay because it's on foreign soil with foreign victims? Remember, the real-life CIA exists to systematically violate other countries' laws; we really don't give a ♥♥♥♥.

And yeah, what's so much more awful about this than mindlessly killing civilians in GTA? At least MW2 is trying to make some commentary about what it means.

Also note IW has made the sequence completely optional, with an explicit warning and skip option.

It reminds me of the part in Splinter Cell DA where you have to choose whether to shoot or not shoot the innocent helicopter pilot.

Like I said, it's meant to feel uncomfortable. I'm excited about it to be honest; It's using interactivity to enhance the story in an original way.

Originally Posted by F3

Consider how much more impact the scene has when you have to pull the trigger. If this were just a cutscene, we wouldn't even be having this discussion right now.

Probably not. If this was a cutscene, it would also have made a little more sense. What exactly does IW want you to experience in such a scene? How the victims feel? Or how the terrorists themselves feel?

I could just as easily ask what the point of 'playing' as Al-Fulani was in Coup.

Roll credits and make it look cool at the same time.

They're forcing you into an uncomfortable perspective and it's intended to shock and dismay. It forces out questions about how far do you go to get the job done, or can you get sucked so far into an objective you lose sight of the bigger picture? Or perhaps worst of all, does the agent/agency think it's okay because it's on foreign soil with foreign victims? Remember, the real-life CIA exists to systematically violate other countries' laws; we really don't give a ♥♥♥♥.

I was, honestly, surprised at this level. However, it was a case of "why is this in the game?" It will most likely spawn a whole crapload of media coverage also - it has already grabbed the attention of the Norwegian newspapers, for example.

I simply do not see the point. There's nothing great or exciting about it, and if it's just there to shock you then I deem that a waste of space. The nuclear bomb in Modern Warfare was a shock. This just feels tasteless in comparison.

And yeah, what's so much more awful about this than mindlessly killing civilians in GTA?

As far as I was concerned, no mission in GTA was centered around going through a public place gunning down civilians. And I do know that while you yourself do not have to pull the trigger, your team-mates will.

Also note IW has made the sequence completely optional, with an explicit warning and skip option.

Well, that's fine and dandy, but I still feel perplexed at why it's there. Apart from the cinematic experience, naturally.

I explained it in detail, just going in circles at this point.

Arguing will get us no place.

Who here thinks the campaign will be amazing and awesome.

Vids down...

I've never had this much trouble finding a vid.

So it looks like this game might get banned in Australia because of this.

That's extremely scary, A- that the Australian game's board picks and chooses which games it allows in the country, and B- that it's decisions might be made redundant by the citizens who shout loudest. Not a good moment for 'free speech'.

Jesus christ. You watch they're gonna have to take it out and the game will be delayed.