Infinity Ward Launches New Site

_{by Russ Frushtick}

The makers of what is still one of the most popular Xbox Live games (more than a year after its release), Call of Duty 2, have gone ahead and launched a brand new website with a collection of nifty features for fans of the WWII FPS. Infinity Ward's newest site, allows for users to create squads, listen to podcasts and read up on modding tutorials. For the full list of features, here's the official release from the developer:

Calling all soldiers...for the latest intel on all things Infinity Ward head to the company's new website located at www.infinityward.com. Re-launched from the award-winning developers, the updated home base offers a virtual armory of community-focused features, including social networking, podcasts, developer modding tutorials and more.

"We worked with our fans to create a web site that speaks to their interests," said 402, community manager for Infinity Ward. "We've put an emphasis on communication, networking and support tools in order to create an environment where fans can stay informed, express themselves and connect with one another."

The re-launched website offers a bevy of new features, including:

• Squad-Building: Users will be empowered to create and build their own squads for Call of Duty 2. The customizable Squad mini-site profiles will include private squad chat rooms and forums, along with rosters, photos and profiles and the ability to set up events, send out challenges, recruit and more.
• Social Networking: Users can set up personalized accounts and create/update their profile, build a network of friends, upload photos, send email, post events, create/manage clubs, maintain a personal calendar and more.
• Podcasts: Download regular interviews straight from the team at Infinity Ward. They'll address questions and comments from the community, as well as offer featured interviews.
• Developer/Modding Tutorials: Tips and tricks for modeling, scripting, mapping and modding in all forms are available here.
• FAQ/Suggestion System: Got a question or suggestion? Community members can search for the answer here; if the answer can't be found, questions can be posted.
• Server Admin./Modding Sections: Tips and tricks, plus useful information and help for the more proactive player.
• Montage Mayhem: A forum for members to show their skills on film by posting their own tricked-out gameplay movies.

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To the Call of Duty Community:

As you recall, back in December, we announced plans to incorporate Punkbuster, as well as offer some MP maps to the PC version for Call of Duty 2.

We're happy to report that this PC update is currently in testing and all is going well. In fact, we are testing these now and will be releasing them soon, so stay tuned.

With regards to the update, here are a few things to look forward to:

• Punkbuster functionality
• Two new multiplayer maps.
• HTTP redirect in multiplayer, which adds an option for modders to send players to an external website to download their maps and mods.
• Repair of multiplayer exploits and minor bug fixes
• We're also putting finishing touches on the map editing tools for the game and will have those out very soon as well.

On the Xbox 360 side, we're also happy to tell you that we're very close to releasing our second Title Update, improving the Xbox Live multiplayer functionality. Here's what's coming in that update:

•  Player Lag has been addressed
• Private Game Lobbies / Reserved Slots
• Enable Live Host to set custom game options
• Map Preferences setting
• Post Game Lobbies (players at end of match will return to lobby)
• Enemy Player Name Notification
• Kick Player (host ability)
• Lobby Game Type, Map and Host Notification

Again, thank you for your support and stay tuned for future updates!

- [IW] jRandom (aka Grant Collier) - Infinity Ward

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Airplanes, mortars, anti-aircraft effects etc. A great mod from Astoroth.

This final version of ExtremePlus 1.3. has some nice features to add to CoD2.

GJ.

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Santa Monica, CA - Dec. 21, 2005 

Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) and Infinity Ward today announced plans to release new multiplayer maps as part of a Call of Duty® 2 Windows® PC update that will also include PunkBuster anti-cheat software and additional support enhancements.

The download is currently scheduled for release in early 2006.

Our team at Infinity Ward is committed to supporting Call of Duty fans....said Grant Collier, president of Infinity Ward.

We've worked hard to deliver the most epic and immersive experience ever with Call of Duty 2 and look forward to delivering new content such as multiplayer maps, tools and anti-cheat software that will further enhance the gameplay experience.

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Although an offical mod/mapping tool isn't released yet, already all players in CoD2 get, automaticly, dozens of extra files when playing on the various CoD2 servers out there.

All these downloads are going directly into your Cod2 folder and also in the main folder.

But, as we already know from CoD:UO, it can be that recieving all kinds of x.iwd files or x-folders can lead to all kinds problems.

CoD2 Problem update 21 dec 2005:

- Severe lag - It needed a re-install of CoD2 to solve problem
- Shotgun switch in a pistol - It needed a re-install of CoD2 to solve problem

To be sure you are running your CoD2 with a 100% performance check your CoD2 folder on any bogus files regulary.

Click on read more to see the picture-screens of how a clean CoD2 folder looks like.

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Although we first stated that we would support the planned strike on 17th of december 2005, organized by CCA, we now, after some re-thinking and a own investigation, came to the conclusion that all information that was given on iwnation-com-forum was mostly one-sided.

And the following IW statement, also on IWNation, was never mentioned  :

I am reading all of the threads made about bugs/requests.

We will patch if there are issues that warrant it. It benefits no one for a panicked response on our part.

We want to fix bugs, not introduce them. The more wisely we consume our budget, the more we can bring to the community in the form of dev tools and future games.

We are investigating our own persistent anti-cheat solution. Cheating and exploiting are not condoned by Infinity Ward. Any cheats/hacks should be mailed to cheats@infinityward.com. You can PM me with requests/bug issues. When writing your request/bug/hack report, remember that we are going to respond positively to concisely stated criticism/suggestions.

Flaming us, while it may make you feel better, runs the risk of making us see your anger instead of your point. It's easier to get behind a request which treats us with some sort of professional courtesy. Being angry is fine, but make sure the strength of the message is in conveying the issue. If we cannot get a bearing on what you feel is wrong, we cannot address it.

One last thing before I address some issues, we're all humans here at IW. We don't think we're game-dev gods; we don't schedule time during the day for self-worship. We realize that our fate is closely tied to the success of Call of Duty 2. We owe it to you guys and ourselves to make the best game that we can. Please help us to make this game hack/exploit/bug free.

Thank you. Cheers, Sarah

We (all SeF members) believe in more adult and civilised way of communication. So above post from Infinity Ward makes us not support the CCA strike or their future actions.

ArchiveGreat news!

The extraordinarily popular German Front Mod will be releasing a version of their game for Call of Duty 2!

Not only will they support the typical multiplayer aspects of the game, but plan on making a small 3-level singleplayer campaign as well.

Here is more from the GFM team:

----- After the great success of our mod in COD:UO, we will continue our work on the German Front Mod for COD2. This time, we want to concentrate on the main idea of the German Front Mod and want to create a short three-mission SP campaign. We decided to make only three missions because we know that you don't want to wait years until we can get a first release. We might be able to continue the campaign later to a greater extent. But this does not mean that we won't work on multi-player! We can use many of our old files from the COD:UO GFM and port them to COD2.

In the last month and years, our mod team got smaller and smaller. Now we need some fresh blood for our COD2 project. Please contact me - gamalucker@lycos.de - if you are a mapper, SP scripter, modeler or skinner and want to help us in making a never-before-seen German SP campaign and a successor of one of the most popular mods for COD:UO.

The story and planning is already finished, and we can start as soon as the editor tools are released. You will find more information about our new SP campaign when the GFM2 homepage is launched.