[phillyman]

Hi Peter,

Thank you very much for clarifying this issue. When I originally looked at the game agent service (when it started), the whole "extra download plan" was confusing. I just reread their FAQ and it seems pretty straightforward. Either they rewrote their FAQ to clarify certain aspects or I was just not paying enough attention at the time.

It seems a pretty fair policy (thank you for the extra information), the whole DRM issue has and should be talked about. I for one like the "immediate use" and ease of a download and I do have a backup regime. I think a comparison of DRM on mac games would be useful. I understand and respect that the whole licensing process is probably a nightmare and has contributed to numerous games being postponed or cancelled.

Two items I wondered about.

1. Why is the digital version more expensive? At Amazon (probably not list price but still) I can get the game $10 cheaper (and have a physical version) that is without the overhead of production, shipping, retail, etc . I would think it should be a little cheaper or at the very least the same price (convenience can cost a little, even though Aspyr should be making more money this way)

2. DRM policies in general. Audible and Ambrosia allow me to redownload the software/book over and over again and have me (re)authorize my computer to play or listen. This way they can keep track of how many copies are registered to one person and automatically block "extras"

I find this very useful so I don't always have to have one backup but can just go to the website, download what I want and (re)enter my information

iTunes and Aspyr put the burden of backup on the user. Since they don't have to keep single copies for every user but only need to keep a log if that user has already bought that product and authorize a redownload (or send them a new license). Why the different policies (probably lawyers)?

It seems like my examples are similar and two companies do the "right" thing and make everyones life easier. The others have to deal with support issues with people having to ask for this or that and decide on a case by case basis. In all fairness I've had download problems or quality issues and Apple has always been straightforward, BUT I had to write and wait for a response. With Audible I just redownload the file and presto....


Again thank you for answering my question, I look forward to playing the game and maybe you or another editor will have some more insight into my DRM related questions.

Enjoy your weekend and root for the Phillies,

Phillyman

[jeffharris]

If a Mac version of a game is released and you want it... BUY IT!!!
Support Mac game developers!
Great game! Played it through it once and have been doing multi-player for the past few days. It's tough.
Just buy the DVD. It's only necessary to have the DVD in the drive to play single-player. No DVD necessary for multi-player.
CoD 2 was awful. Everyone I knew hated it, so I skipped buying it. CoD/UO has much better single and multi-player. I still play it online. It's that good!

[macinlew]

I've been playing with the 3870 just fine, with both 1.5 and 1.7. No problems at all.

[thedudeisnotin]

I was wondering what kind of DRM COD 4 uses. Is it similar to what's in Spore? I bought Spore and was upset to learn later that it modifies my OS. I know I'll probably never notice it, but that doesn't mean I want every piece of software I buy messing with my system. I think that's a terrible way of treating customers. So if COD uses this kind of DRM I probably won't buy it.

Also, I'm a big fan of used games, at least for consoles, what does this kind of DRM do to the used game market. Will it be able to be sold to someone else? I would like to pick up a used copy if that's possible, assuming of course it's not going to screw with my computer.

Thanks

[HalanR]

"I've been playing with the 3870 just fine, with both 1.5 and 1.7. No problems at all."

Great, thank you! I ordered my copy today.

[Rugby]

Great game (on my Intel tower) and it is one of the games that my N52te was designed foe ; ) thanks ....love it. Late or not it's here and it is great (if you have the power. These type of games I prefer on a computer so that I can designate key's

[wardoggie]

Yeah, that is one thing I miss about the PS3 version: being able to peek out from behind cover. You'd think they could've made use of the six-axis feature in the controller for that ?:| Just out of curiosity, what is "N52te"?

[jackdawsson]

jeffharris said:

If a Mac version of a game is released and you want it... BUY IT!!!
Support Mac game developers!

Agreed. Buy Mac versions where possible; PC games when there's no Mac port. Sure, Mac games are significantly more expensive, but so will be any sell-on fee.

The only drag AFAIC: I feel that there's not nearly enough decent Mac games out there to avoid buying Windows stuff altogether. A pity really, because though that's my only motive to have Windows, it's still a big one. I feel that we need many more ports of quality games like this (for eg., Total War titles & similar genre), before Mac gaming alone will suffice (unless one's into console gaming also).

[Rugby]

"Just out of curiosity, what is "N52te"?" this a Belkin game controller that lets you assign (dedicate) key moves etc very handy and works nicely with a mac -
http://www.n52te.com/

to edit my previous "review" - great game but way to short (read this comment for the other sytems/consoles)

[wardoggie]

Thanks, I always wondered how people could switch weapons and stuff so much faster than I could. I figured it was a hack, but maybe it was something like this :)

[MarkDouma]

wardoggie said:

IIRC (and wikipedia backs me up on this), COD 3 was developed by someone other than Infinity Ward. As for the next version, I saw trailers for Call of Duty: World at War and it puts us back in WWII. Not sure I'll get it; I dig the modern weapons :)

COD 3 was developed by Treyarch, who also developed Call of Duty United Offensive, the expansion pack for COD 1, although they were known as Grey Matter Interactive at that time. (In 2005, Grey Matter Interactive was merged into Treyarch).

COD 3 (multiplayer) was one of the glitchiest games I've ever played in my life. I'm not sure if this was due to tight time constraints or what, but it certainly didn't live up to the polished nature of CODUO. By glitchy, I'm referring to such things as parking a vehicle right next to a building that's supposedly defining an outside "edge" of the map, choosing to get out of the vehicle, and because there's technically no room for your body to exist between the vehicle and the wall, the game pushing you through the wall and outside of the map. Now you are behind a wall, no one can see you, and you can shoot people who can't kill you. This same method can be used to get underneath the map, into buildings that have no doors (where you can shoot out the windows), on top of buildings, etc.

I've been playing the COD 5 (WaW, or whatever you want to call it), and it's okay. So far there are only 3 maps, and only one of those has vehicles in it. That's one thing (vehicles) that sets it apart from Infinity Ward, and usually adds a degree of fun to the game. (I have fond memories of Foy in COD:UO, where you'd load up a jeep with your buddies, and then purposely drive into a mine field to blow yourselves up, all before your teammates knew what was happening. Or, as your teammates are loading into a jeep, go prone and lay in front of the jeep where they can't see you, then say "Jeep full. Go!", and watch as the driver drives forward, killing you, and by extension, himself."

[bforcier]

Finally got the game last week. Installed the game friday afternoon. Was done playing saturday night.
Wich gives what? 6-7 hours of playing the entire game?
I love the scenario, the animatics, the AI but come on, less then 8 hours to go trough the entire single player scenario?
Gimme a break.
ps: I'm not an heavy gamer, the last game I played was COD2 about 6 months ago and I was pissed because I got trough it in less then 20 hours.

[wardoggie]

The single-player game in COD4 is very good, but very short. Various perks you can unlock make it re-playable, but the real allure, IMO, is the multi-player online game. I've had this game for almost a year and it rarely leaves my PS3.



You want short? SOCOM: Confrontation has NO single-player game! It's online only--and the only game I've ever returned (or will return... I just haven't gotten around to it yet).

[dalegattis]

I am not a heavy gamer, but bought the PS3 last as my Christmas gift to me and I bought COD4 and I play it almost exclusively. IMHO, it was a short game as a single player, so I have gone back to play each of the increasingly difficult levels and it is still fun. However, the online play is what I enjoy the most - it is a BLAST!!

Since I have played it through on the PS3, why should I buy it for the Mac?? It seem a "Little" late to the game, (pun intended) when "fresh" games should be on the horizon for the holidays.

This weekend it is available for $44.99 at http://www.gameagent...uctID.109120500 but I already own the game for the PS3.

How will the game perform on my NEW MacBook Pro (unibody) compared to PS3 and how will the controls on the keyboard compare to use a PS3 controller?

LONG LIVE THE MAC!