So I got myself a new gaming rig, and I need to do some gaming. And I'd love to play online. The last time I was really, heavily into online PC gaming, I was playing multiplayer Return to Castle Wolfenstein. God, I loved that game. The multiplayer was so well balanced and was designed in such a way that it really pushed even complete strangers to work together as a team.
Here's what I loved about it:
1) The weapons were basic, and class-dependent. There was no "whoever gets the better gun/vehicle/power-up first wins." The best all-around gun was the basic submachine gun that every class had (the Thompson or the MP32). The Soldier class had access to more powerful weapons, but they were all only useful in very specific situations (ie, use the flame-thrower to hold a hall-way, use the rocket-launcher to take out a gunner, use the minigun to lay suppressing fire). None of the weapons was all out "better" than any other.
2) The classes fit together perfectly, and heavily encouraged teamwork. A pair of one medic (healing and reviving) and one lieutenant (supplying ammo) working together would beat a pair of two soldier-class players any day of the week, since their class abilities complimented each other and would keep them in the fight much longer.
3) The respawns came in waves. Every thirty seconds or so, everyone who died would spawn together, which meant that all of the respawning players would be in the same place at the same time. No running around the map looking for your team-mates. You have a ready-made squad as soon as you hit the ground. This also makes it much easier to learn the map as a new player. Just follow the veterans who spawned with you.
Obviously with any online, team-based shooter you'll be able to get great teamwork if you play regularly with the same people, like in a clan or with a group of friends. But with RTCW, I found that I would get great team interaction more often than not, even when I was thrown into a server with total strangers.
Anybody know of any current game that comes even close to this sort of experience?
Here's what I loved about it:
1) The weapons were basic, and class-dependent. There was no "whoever gets the better gun/vehicle/power-up first wins." The best all-around gun was the basic submachine gun that every class had (the Thompson or the MP32). The Soldier class had access to more powerful weapons, but they were all only useful in very specific situations (ie, use the flame-thrower to hold a hall-way, use the rocket-launcher to take out a gunner, use the minigun to lay suppressing fire). None of the weapons was all out "better" than any other.
2) The classes fit together perfectly, and heavily encouraged teamwork. A pair of one medic (healing and reviving) and one lieutenant (supplying ammo) working together would beat a pair of two soldier-class players any day of the week, since their class abilities complimented each other and would keep them in the fight much longer.
3) The respawns came in waves. Every thirty seconds or so, everyone who died would spawn together, which meant that all of the respawning players would be in the same place at the same time. No running around the map looking for your team-mates. You have a ready-made squad as soon as you hit the ground. This also makes it much easier to learn the map as a new player. Just follow the veterans who spawned with you.
Obviously with any online, team-based shooter you'll be able to get great teamwork if you play regularly with the same people, like in a clan or with a group of friends. But with RTCW, I found that I would get great team interaction more often than not, even when I was thrown into a server with total strangers.
Anybody know of any current game that comes even close to this sort of experience?