• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Why is Call of Duty so popular? ( seriously )

RustyNails said:

Well, I'm an atheist democrat that hates war and couldn't care less about guns. I still enjoy CoD. Because it's fun.
 
beatbeat said:
No...you see...CoD just feels like any other shooter out there...killzone has its own unique atmosphere and art style....and looks leaps and bounds better than CoD too.

Yeah, playing as a midget who is seeminly walking thru knee deep mud is super unique. Come on man, we could could pick on the flaws of any game in the world if we wanted to. Why not just enjoy a game for what it is? A game.
 
MyFaceIsOnFire said:
Well, I'm an athiest democrat that hates war and couldn't care less about guns. I still enjoy CoD. Because it's fun.
Sure its fun. But there are other games way more fun that CoD so I don't think fun necessarily translates to sales. The fascination with war and violence in our culture in light of on-going Iraq war captured peoples' imagination of what it means to be part of a well oiled killing-machine (military). How else would you describe the shift in sales from CoD 3 to CoD 4?
 
Ninja Scooter said:
Because they aren't the same kinds of games?
I'd disagree. Everything you can find in GoW, you can find in Bayonetta. Platforming, puzzles, crappy story, etc. It's just that GoW emphasizes those elements more, but I still consider it more of an action game than an adventure game. There were tons of comparisons between the two games when they released, so I'm not the only one who sees them as similar in genre.
 
g35twinturbo said:
same people who buy madden and nba every year
Isn't that different though? I mean at least they update the players stats, teams, etc. What does CoD update? (Asking cause I don't follow the series)
 
RustyNails said:
Sure its fun. But there are other games way more fun that CoD so I don't think fun necessarily translates to sales. The fascination with war and violence in our culture in light of on-going Iraq war captured peoples' imagination of what it means to be part of a well oiled killing-machine (military). How else would you describe the shift in sales from CoD 3 to CoD 4?

Who are you to say what's fun for other people?
 
Plywood said:
Isn't that different though? I mean at least they update the players stats, teams, etc. What does CoD update? (Asking cause I don't follow the series)

Whole new single player campaign, new multiplayer maps, weapons and game types. I mean, it's an entirely new game running on the same engine as the previous game. That's like asking what's different in Final Fantasy 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14.
 
Positive reinforcement was a correct statement, but more than that, the game's multiplayer pretty much lets people create their own definition of success. There are a ton of people that go into a game like domination or sabotage with no intent of actually playing the objective but are hooting and hollering in the post game lobby because they were +10 in their k/d spread, as if it were a major accomplishment. It has gotten to the point where the meta game overtook any real concern for an individual match (I think some of this is developer's fault since people stop caring about their W/L ratio when you can "lose" a game by appearing in the last five seconds of it).

The meta game can still be fun since unlocking weapons and trying out new load out combinations is cool but I've still got plenty of bars to fill up in MW2 so I got no interest in Black Ops. Nearly every mode being treated like team deathmatch isn't going to remain fun by switching the setting to cold war locales.
 
MyFaceIsOnFire said:
Yeah, playing as a midget who is seeminly walking thru knee deep mud is super unique. Come on man, we could could pick on the flaws of any game in the world if we wanted to. Why not just enjoy a game for what it is? A game.

Yeah actually you do make a valid point....midget view sucked ass.....no arguing there...
 
I've played COD since the first game and I'll sum it up real short and simple. Unscoped Bolt Action rifles (and their ACOG Intervention/L96AW counterparts in the current series). BC2 comes close with the Red Dot M95, but it's nowhere near as fluid as this infantry setup in COD. I miss the days of iron-sight bolt actions in COD1/UO/COD2/W@W, but with the challenge of the ACOG Sway in MW1/MW2/BO, it's still incredibly rewarding. Also, prior to MW1 (and the ability to penetrate walls), proper use of lean and cover really added another flavor to the game that other games are incredibly lacking in. Lean alone makes MW1, W@W, and BO a league ahead of it's more popular brother.
 
Why do people ask questions like this? It's pretty fucking obvious why it's so popular. I don't even like FPS games beyond halflife and can see why people play CoD.
 
Rahxephon91 said:
They just want cool moments. CoD brings that to them better then anything.

Perhaps... They're rewarded with cool moments.


There is a lot of discussion being had here that's been had a million times in the past. Why is everyone playing Counter-Strike when Rainbow 6 is so much smarter??! If you could easily mimic the magic these games have you'd be one well paid individual. I definitely don't believe graphics are that important. The framerate helps, but that can't be the secret sauce.

Ask this guy.

Street Cred: I've had more fun with WW2:O and Operation Flashpoint than any recent 'military shooter.'

Mooreberg said:
Positive reinforcement was a correct statement, but more than that, the game's multiplayer pretty much lets people create their own definition of success.

That would be my best guess. There's some positive reinforcement that is multiplied by online communities. The stronger the online community the more it affects game sales. "I like CoD" becomes "We like CoD."
 
Mindlog said:
Perhaps... They're rewarded with cool moments.
In CoD you aren't rewarded to cool moments, you are just taken to them.

Hell outside of the multi, the general game hasn't changed much since 2, which is pretty pathetic.

careful said:
This COD takes "no skill" myth really needs to stop.
Why because it's true?
 
This COD takes "no skill" myth really needs to stop.
Sure IW got the aiming fine tuned to a point where dual stick noobs can still "get by" without always pointing at the floor or ceiling, but that doesn't mean they won't get destroyed 3-15 on a regular basis.
 
Responsive controls, easy game play and non-stop/ constant rewards is why it's so popular.

Gears doesn't have responsive controls. Halo is too hard (takes too long to kill people) and it takes too long to unlock shit in Killzone. That is why Call of Duty sells better than all of those games.
 
careful said:
This COD takes "no skill" myth really needs to stop.
Sure IW got the aiming fine tuned to a point where dual stick noobs can still "get by" without always pointing at the floor or ceiling, but that doesn't mean they won't get destroyed 3-15 on a regular basis.

The full-autos don't take much skill to use in the current iteration of the series. Semi-auto and single shot are the real challenge. Full autos lost a "skill level" once recoil and spread were reduced in MW1.
 
It's easy, and numbers popping up everywhere + levelling up. Requires no teamwork or critical thought, just shoot twice and get a kill. Insta-gratification.
 
LAUGHTREY said:
It's easy, and numbers popping up everywhere + levelling up. Requires no teamwork or critical thought, just shoot twice and get a kill. Insta-gratification.

That doesn't apply to the highly entertaining single player though.
 
i don't see what people love so much in CoD. in single player i enjoy the cinematic set pieces, but other than that i find the campaign to be really badly designed.
 
Striker said:
Who bought Black Ops for the linear campaign?

I did. I really enjoy the single player portions of CoD games. Of course, the multiplayer is the real meat of the game, but I feel like the single player portion doesn't get enough recognition.
 
MyFaceIsOnFire said:
That doesn't apply to the highly entertaining single player though.
Highly entertaining? 4's is terrible thanks to the repawning enemies. And basicly doing the same thing since 1 with OMG explosions isn't what I'd call entertaining. CoD SPs have nothing to them. Yeah it's cool to see set piece after set piece but you are basically watching a movie where you control the camera. It's pretty meh.

As for the graphics. They are pretty ugly. Low textures everywhere in Black Ops, but you don't notice it because so much pointless shit is going on.
 
careful said:
This COD takes "no skill" myth really needs to stop.
Sure IW got the aiming fine tuned to a point where dual stick noobs can still "get by" without always pointing at the floor or ceiling, but that doesn't mean they won't get destroyed 3-15 on a regular basis.

In any case it takes skill and an understanding of the game's mechanics and map layouts to get good stats, even with kill streaks being thrown in. The problem is when this takes precedence over everything else. This really isn't a Call of Duty issue, it is the leader board mentality issue. I saw the same shit in Halo Reach with people stinking up team objective games by trying to camp with a sniper rifle and just get kills. Only it is worse there since there are no sniper class load outs, you get grenades thrown at you by teammates any time you have the audacity to pick up a power weapon like the sniper.

Call of Duty basically taps into pleasure centers of Xbox Live gamers better than anything else. You can have fun and feel like a bad ass without ever having to care about the outcome of a match since you'll rank up anyway.

Best COD mode for me ever was the way Headquarters worked in COD4. How much XP you got was directly tied to actually playing the objective which would in turn win the match. Then they went and fucked it up by making every couple of seconds of HQ capture worth 1/5 of a Kill in terms of XP and announcing where the HQ was before it could even be captured. It turned into team deathmatch with an extra icon on the screen that most people ignored. :lol
 
MyFaceIsOnFire said:
Whole new single player campaign, new multiplayer maps, weapons and game types. I mean, it's an entirely new game running on the same engine as the previous game. That's like asking what's different in Final Fantasy 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14.
I meant if there was anything different in terms of features/mechanics, besides the obvious(campaign, maps, weapons) and I was curious because I wanted to know how much they could add in a year. Don't be a dick, geez.
 
Rahxephon91 said:
Highly entertaining? 4's is terrible thanks to the repawning enemies. And basicly doing the same thing since 1 with OMG explosions isn't what I'd call entertaining. CoD SPs have nothing to them. Yeah it's cool to see set piece after set piece but you are basically watching a movie where you control the camera. It's pretty meh.

As for the graphics. They are pretty ugly. Low textures everywhere in Black Ops, but you don't notice it because so much pointless shit is going on.

Right, I forgot your opinion means more than mine. My bad.
 
MyFaceIsOnFire said:
Right, I forgot your opinion means more than mine. My bad.
It's a discussion forum. Don't try to be overly sensitive.

Oh wait according to you I'm just trying to be cool and smarter then everyone.

MyFaceIsOnFire said:
I love threads on GAF where people hate on something just because it's popular. The series is popular for a reason, it's a lot of fun. It's like a theme park ride with guns and explosions. Yeah, it's not the most deep game you will ever play but it's really entertaining. The multiplayer is fast with very little downtime. I wonder how many people that are hating on the game in here have even played it. Also, you are not smarter/more intellectual/intelligent just because you don't play CoD. Get off your fucking high horses and enjoy life. If you don't "get" why people enjoy these games then you obviously can't read since many reasons are given every time a stupid thread like this pops up.

I'm sorry. I guess I need to add "IMO" to everything. Need to be in your face with the obvious. Just like CoD.
 
Plywood said:
I meant if there was anything different in terms of features/mechanics, besides the obvious and I was curious because I wanted to know how much they could add in a year. Don't be a dick, geez.

Sorry, wasn't trying to come off as a dick. Just trying to compare it to another long running series that is essentially the same with an updated story and a few new features here and there. Wasn't trying to be mean.
 
Rahxephon91 said:
It's a discussion forum. Don't try to be overly sensitive.

Oh wait according to you I'm just trying to be cool and smarter then everyone.

Eh, let's just agree to disagree. That way we can still be friends.
 
Rahxephon91 said:
Why because it's true?

No, because it's untrue. Yes, a beginner can get a couple of kills but a real skilled player can win the whole match without much need of the team mates.

And, since you somehow think you must play most of the CoD games to justify your opinion, i have played all CoD games except the first one.
 
I think I said it once already, but the answer is simple. Carrot. Stick. CoD is no different from WoW or Farmville. Built around the same concept, catering to a different audience.
 
salva said:
No, because it's untrue. Yes, a beginner can get a couple of kills but a real skilled player can win the whole match without much need of the team mates.

And, since you somehow think you must play most of the CoD games to justify your opinion, i have played all CoD games except the first one.
Eh I don't think that. Have you not read the thread? A lot of the defense is "oh I bet a lot of people hating on it haven't played it". That's not true.

And no. I've seen people who barley play FPS go in and kill quote on quote skilled people. You die so fast that ounce I look down the iron sight you are dead. It doesn't even matter on the weapon. Most maps are super small that you will always run into someone so even things like range hardly matter.

MyFaceIsOnFire said:
Eh, let's just agree to disagree. That way we can still be friends.
Fair enough.
 
Rahxephon91 said:
Eh I don't think that. Have you not read the thread? A lot of the defense is "oh I bet a lot of people hating on it haven't played it". That's not true.

And no. I've seen people who barley play FPS go in and kill quote on quote skilled people. You die so fast that ounce I look down the iron sight you are dead. It doesn't even matter on the weapon. Most maps are super small that you will always run into someone so even things like range hardly matter.

Being a skilled player does not mean that you are good at aiming down the iron sight. There's WAAY more than that. Knowing the map, knowing other player tactics, etc.

And i don't like to brag but i have logged in enough time to know about CoD. Over 40 days in CoD4, WaW, and MW2 combined.
 
Rahxephon91 said:
Eh I don't think that. Have you not read the thread? A lot of the defense is "oh I bet a lot of people hating on it haven't played it". That's not true.

Agreed. I could write a laundry list of things that have gone sour since COD4 and it is all based on having actually played the games quite a bit. I can understand jumping to the defense of games that have been bulletproof critically, but you don't even have to waste your time pointing out how poorly Treyarch has handled some aspects of Black Ops. That thread about the digital foundry analysis is ludicrous. :lol
 
salva said:
Being a skilled player does not mean that you are good at aiming down the iron sight. There's WAAY more than that. Knowing the map, knowing other player tactics, etc.
Fair enough. In my time with MW1 I did not encounter much tactics. I always found the maps incredibly small. To me their entire point is just to funnel me into the killing. Always every battle for me was just running around and shooting.
 
Rahxephon91 said:
You don't need to know the maps in CoD. They are incredibly small and terrible. Their entire point is to funnel you into killing everyone else. What tactics do you use in CoD? I've played online quite a bit. All anyone does is run around and look for people. I've gotten tons of kills. I sure as hell don't know the maps in MW1 and I sure didn't use any tactics other then find people and hope no one spots me.

Maybe it gets better at incredibly higher levels of play. I do not know.

The more you play it, the better you get at predicting your enemies movement. That's the most critical part in using strategies, imo.
 
salva said:
The more you play it, the better you get at predicting your enemies movement. That's the most critical part in using strategies, imo.
Yes. I'm absolutely not good at a face to face gun fight, but I'm extremely good at predicting the enemy and still get them.
 
salva said:
The more you play it, the better you get at predicting your enemies movement. That's the most critical part in using strategies, imo.
Which is what I don't think happens in Call of Duty. I've played a fair bit of these games. I don't need to predict or really know anything. Player loadout or anything. Seriously, a match for me in MW didn't involve much thinking and yet the kills would go up.

What do I predict in this game? Someone is going to come up and shoot me or that a sniper is up in a building window. That's it.
 
Rahxephon91 said:
Which is what I don't think happens in Call of Duty. I've played a fair bit of these games. I don't need to predict or really know anything. Player loadout or anything. Seriously, a match for me in MW didn't involve much thinking and yet the kills would go up.

What do I predict in this game? Someone is going to come up and shoot me or that a sniper is up in a building window. That's it.

Sounds like you just enjoy running and gunning. I guess us hardcore players find a new aspect to enjoy than the mindless running-and-gunning aspect most people play by. Probably explains why i always carry the whole team to victory.
 
salva said:
Sounds like you just enjoy running and gunning. I guess us hardcore players find a new aspect to enjoy than the mindless running-and-gunning aspect most people play by. Probably explains why i always carry the whole team to victory.
Yup. Hardcore is my favorite mode and especially coupled with objective based game types.
 
Who gives a fuck about "skill." It's about enjoyment, which is what CoD offers. Yeah, it's not Arma or 1.6 but why does that even matter?
 
Unlike other games CoD focuses mainly on the KILLS. Sure in any game especially in the mp scene the K/D ration is always gonna matter, but CoD tends to focus a shit ton more on how well you do in terms of kills, and they make it easy for players to get kills. It hits this sort of weird satisfaction button in people.

Which is odd cause if it's so easy to get kills that also conversely must mean that it's so easy to GET killed. They try to minimize the fact that it's easy for a player to die though and maximize the idea that it's easy to rack up a ton of kill points and in turn rewards which honestly don't factor in your deaths. Sure the score does cause even if you get a ton of kills if the other team is faster at it than you they win and the rounds over, but the leveling up mechanic still rewards you for the kills.

This is totally different from other FPS games, and it just hits with a wide variety of gamers.
 
salva said:
Sounds like you just enjoy running and gunning. I guess us hardcore players find a new aspect to enjoy than the mindless running-and-gunning aspect most people play by. Probably explains why i always carry the whole team to victory.
Yeah no, I enjoy teamwork and learning mechanics. CoD doesn't have that at all. You don't have to learn anything in it.

Dresden said:
Who gives a fuck about "skill." It's about enjoyment, which is what CoD offers. Yeah, it's not Arma or 1.6 but why does that even matter?
Because having skill over others is the entire point of competitive multiplayer gaming. Or maybe for some of us, fun comes from something more then the superficial stuff CoD brings.
 
blindrocket said:
Yup. Hardcore is my favorite mode and especially coupled with objective based game types.

Oh yeah, those are fantastic. Hardcore Ricochet Search and Destroy was my absolute favorite mode.


Rahxephon91 said:
Yeah no, I enjoy teamwork and learning mechanics. CoD doesn't have that at all. You don't have to learn anything in it.

Try playing with friends or joining a clan and play modes that encourage teamwork like capture the flag and search and destroy.
 
Just tried the Wii version with dual analog in MP and I'm surprised how high the auto aiming and sticky aim are. Shit is nuts.
 
Top Bottom