*Legion*'s SOCOM: Confrontation lust thread

Great info Legion. S2 was released back in 2002 and it still has a solid crowd of 10k people playing at any given time. It's been 6 years and I still haven't seen an online setup that is as organized, efficient, and user-friendly as S2. I don't understand why devs haven't copied this awesome setup yet.

I agree on most parts, but I don't think there was anything elegant about having to scroll through a million full US East/Central/West servers, etc. The friends list functionality wasn't great. I did, however, love the Medley rooms like no other, and the self-policing with the simple voting scheme was second to none. Dedicated servers were great too.

I can't wait for September to come.........I have both of you on my friends list so we will have to play together that night guys. I already took the week off of work:)

My copy of the May issue of EGM arrived!

Some neat details:

* PARTY SYSTEM. Even neater - your party has open-mic chat among each other, with push-to-talk chat on L2 for talking with the entire team. This will be AWESOME for my wife, who likes talking with our group but doesn't like talking with the unwashed masses so much.

* Every map will have a smaller, 16-player version of itself, for smaller games. (I imagine there will be 16 player medley rooms and such)

* Leaning can now be done using SIXAXIS tilt, which is probably the first use of SIXAXIS tilt that has sounded good to me (primarily because it's not taking control away from the sticks and shoehorning it into SIXAXIS, but rather it's something that you previously had to remove your thumb from the left stick and use the D-pad for. Now, not only can you keep your thumbs on the sticks, but you get analog leaning instead of the D-pad's all-or-nothing lean. Useful!)

* Non-clan members begin the game with two characters: commando and mercenary, and the weapon customizations each has access to. Each clan gets to choose from one of five special forces branches (US Navy's SEALs, Britain's SAS, Germany's KSK, Spain's UOE, and France's 1er RPIMa), and members of that clan get access to that special ops character and loadouts. Obviously intended as an incentive to get people into clans. More special forces groups are promised in future content updates. (The magazine includes Italy but 1up.com corrected the error online before the mag's release)

* Clans now have a chain of command, no longer is all clan functionality the sole responsibility of the clan leader. Special camo patterns and insignias are part of the clan package (as EGM says, "the result is clans who look like teams")

* "Right now, we don't ever see the need to add vehicles. We want to make it feel like there's a gunfight right around the corner, or at least there could be. At the scale of the levels you'd need to accommodate vehicles, you lose that." -- Seth Luisi, director of development for the SOCOM franchise at Sony.

* To deal with larger maps, a sprint ability has been added, but players can't fire when sprinting, and gun accuracy is severely hampered immediately after you come out of sprint. Slant Six describes it as something for running from cover to cover, or getting to a different part of the map quickly, not for movement in fire fights. "If you start traveling that way [all the time], you're going to get yourself in trouble really fast."

* View distance is forever, unlike the old SOCOMs. For classic maps where this would create overly powerful sniper angles, some additional cover has been added, but they claim to be tinkering with the old maps as little as possible.

* Like Warhawk, the retail package includes a Bluetooth headset, but one they claim is higher quality than the Jabra that was packaged with Warhawk.

* Player health and bullet penetration are tweaked back to classic SOCOM levels.

* Invite-only beta coming soon.

Man this sounds good. I probably won't have the PS3 in time for release though Still this is officially on my list to get when i do.

Thanks for saving me $8 on the EGM, Legion. Any thoughts on who will be invited to the beta? I'm assuming it'll be users who are registered with Socom.com or the official playstation forums.

New preview from 1UP.

For Electronic Gaming Monthly's May cover story, freelancer Joe Rybicki interviewed Sony's Seth Luisi and Slant Six design director David Seymour to get an update on what to expect from SOCOM: Confrontation. And now that all eyes are looking to EGM's next issue, we have the full transcripts of those interviews available for the first time here on 1UP.

Head over to our screenshots page to check out new images from the game, and look out for exclusive new video footage on this Friday's episode of The 1UP Show. But for now, the uncut interviews...

New info HERE on the closed beta!!

I take issue with the sprinting, one of the reasons socom 2 was great was because of the maneuverability. I wonder how hampered that will be. Realism doesn't usually == good gameplay.

"I wish I had shoehorns for hands" - Kramer.

Damn I wish Socom was PC.

A 'retro' question if I may. Is SOCOM still a good game on the PS 2? What version?

Donan wrote:

A 'retro' question if I may. Is SOCOM still a good game on the PS 2? What version?

SOCOM II is the pinnacle of SOCOM. Still has plenty of players online.

t0W wrote:

I take issue with the sprinting, one of the reasons socom 2 was great was because of the maneuverability. I wonder how hampered that will be. Realism doesn't usually == good gameplay.

Who said anything about realism? Adding sprinting does not mean doing anything to the normal movement.

t0W wrote:

I take issue with the sprinting, one of the reasons socom 2 was great was because of the maneuverability. I wonder how hampered that will be. Realism doesn't usually == good gameplay.

"I wish I had shoehorns for hands" - Kramer.

Damn I wish Socom was PC.

I'm fine with sprinting in Socom because you can't shoot while running and after you stop, your accuracy is nerfed for a short period while you steady yourself. It's only used to cross open areas quickly (aka elude snipers).

I hadn't actually read the 1up article yet.

It sounds good, but what the heck is up with the 32 player limit? Why isn't it smaller than that? Socom, based on my (admittedly brief) experiences with it focused on smaller scale squad level engagements. Does anybody actually want the high player count?

This is one of those things I just don't understand on some fundamental level. More does not always mean better.

My understanding is that the max is 32 but it can be scaled down to 16 a la Socom I & II.

If there are ranked/playlist games that are limited that way and easy to get into with friends I'll be perfectly happy.

As it is though, every other game with high player limits generally sees those limits used. CoD4 on the PC is a good example. How anybody plays those maps with more than 16 people I'll never understand, but probably 90% of the game's servers are 24 players or more.

This is one thing that has me a bit confused. I always hear about how klunky and laggy Sony's Network is, yet SOCOM has been extremely popular on the PS 2 for years and now folks are gearing up for the PS 3 version. Is the network bad depending on the game (i.e. I hear complaint's of lag etc. for the baseball game MLB: The Show)?

Donan wrote:

This is one thing that has me a bit confused. I always hear about how klunky and laggy Sony's Network is, yet SOCOM has been extremely popular on the PS 2 for years and now folks are gearing up for the PS 3 version. Is the network bad depending on the game (i.e. I hear complaint's of lag etc. for the baseball game MLB: The Show)?

That's just it.. every game will be different because it's up to the development house to have servers up for the game. PSN doesn't actually host anything themselves except their worthless friends list and their store.

Just to revive this thread momentarily with a reminder for those who want to be in on the beta from the beginning. I was at Gamestop to get my pre-order MGS, when the EB (I mean GS), after I again(!) asked him if SOCOM was in their queue yet (and finally it is! 40$ for game and $60 for game and bluetooth), reminded me that the new PSN mag (that Parallax mention in another thread, AND said the following too), Qore, gives you access to the beta from the get go. You can subscribe about the time of the beta (if there is a warning) for $2.99 an issue, but I went ahead and just subscribed for a year to make sure I'm covered for the beta, period. It also had some designer reviews etc. (which no doubt is elsewhere) that got me excited again(!) about all the features that Legion has pretty much covered. The Party aspect is going to be awesome. I've very(!) excited about this title.

Here's a more clear and 'official' announcement from the SOCOM page:

'...

Public Beta Announcement
Posted by David “Point Man” Brothers
Listen up folks, 'cause I've got some dirt on the Public Beta for SOCOM: US Navy SEALs Confrontation! We're not quite ready to say when it will come out, but let's just say that it's gonna be a hot summer... better to spend it inside, just in case.

There'll be a couple of ways to get in. One will be through a radically different pre-order program (think ‘team’) the team is working on with one of our retailer friends. It’s currently in planning mode, but I should have some more info soon. Trust me-- all you clan guys are going to love it. Stay tuned.

The second option will be to go through Qore™: Presented by PLAYSTATION®Network, SCEA’s new interactive monthly program. It goes up for purchase and download on the PLAYSTATION®Store on June 5th. Subscribers to Qore will get the opportunity to participate in the Public Beta when it’s available, but you can occupy your time watching some of the cool SOCOM behind-the-scenes videos that will come exclusively with Qore.

I see a lot of talk on the forums and comments about how this person or that person is the biggest and baddest SEAL around. Soon, you're going to get a chance to put your money where your mouth is!

Confrontation | Public Beta

Posted on 06.03.08 // 10:00 AM Digg Comments (248)

...'

I can't wait for the beta. I already snagged Qore episode 1, for my beta invite. I'll probably preorder the retail copy for my wife (need the additional Bluetooth headset anyway) so that should cover her beta invite.

Did the beta start yet? I'm working so much right now, I'm way out of the loop.....

*Legion* wrote:

I can't wait for the beta. I already snagged Qore episode 1, for my beta invite. I'll probably preorder the retail copy for my wife (need the additional Bluetooth headset anyway) so that should cover her beta invite.

So, is it just $2.99 to get into the beta? Any start date announced?

Gametrailers has four new videos of Confrontation. Check 'em out:

Quarantine MP gameplay
Kasbah MP gameplay
Crossroads flythrough
Quarantine flythrough

I have to say it's looking pretty good so far and they seem to have captured what the S1/S2 fans have been asking for all along. Can't wait to pick this up!

Thanks for the links!

Well it is $2.99 for each issure of Qore. But the deal is, you will have to guess the issue the beta will be included on, as far as I can tell. No telling right now. But Legion will no much about it all then I. And from his post it sounds like issue one might be all you need. But I'm still unsure if that is the deal as far a 'per issue' as opposed to the yearly subscription.

The PS Store shows the Qore subscription with an advertisement for the Socom Confrontation beta and I hear online rumors (taken litely of course) that the beta starts on 7/5/08. Has anyone confirmed whether this first edition will have the beta key?

IGN has some nice videos up: http://ps3.ign.com/dor/objects/90607...

The extraction mode on Crossroads is looking really nice - particularly with what appears to be improved hostage AI and the cool entrance of the transport chopper and particle effects.

Donan wrote:

Thanks for the links!

Well it is $2.99 for each issure of Qore. But the deal is, you will have to guess the issue the beta will be included on, as far as I can tell.

Issue #1.

I'm hearing that Qore subscribers don't get access to the beta until two weeks after everyone else (people who Slant Six picked, people who pre-ordered, etc.).

I'm trying to contain myself, but I'm getting very excited about this. (and I know 5 July is just 'wishful thought', but only if it truly was...:>) (just remember, I'll be forever your loyal 'red shirt' on the squad, mates;>)

93_confirmed wrote:

I'm hearing that Qore subscribers don't get access to the beta until two weeks after everyone else (people who Slant Six picked, people who pre-ordered, etc.).

According to Veronica Belmont, the preorder beta and Qore beta are "not the same beta"

It's somewhat confusing. All I know is that I grabbed Qore issue 1 and that I will be grabbing a couple of retail version preorders too (I'd much prefer to buy online, but I need them headsets)