SOCOM 4

[ViCe]

list of changes being done to the retail game based on beta feedback

SOCOM 4: RETAIL PATCH NOTES (UPD: MARCH 31, 2011) [ Edited ]
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03-30-2011 04:09 PM - last edited on 03-31-2011 04:06 PM

Hello everyone,

The most common question on the SOCOM 4 beta forums directed at Zipper is easily, “what changes are you guys making based on our feedback with your beta?” While we have answered some of these questions one at a time in various threads, the guarantee that everyone would see those multiple posts is very small. It is with that fact that we’ve put this list together to better inform you of some of the changes and additions you’ll see to the retail version of SOCOM 4 when it hits stores in April.

One note about all changes listed below, these revisions are currently planned for the first patch we will release for the retail version of the game this April, and are not reflective of all planned updates or changes -- just what we can confirm at this time. An exact date for the retail patch has not yet been announced. All listed updates are considered tentative pending Zipper and Sony Computer Entertainment approval, and could be moved to a different patch without notice.

Another patch for the SOCOM 4 beta program is currently not on the schedule, but is possible barring time constraints. Our retail patch is taking priority, however, so an additional patch for the beta will only occur should time allow.

First Patch – SOCOM 4 Retail Version 1.XX
Estimated Release: April 2011

Multiplayer camera pulled further behind character (cuts off at around the mid-to-upper thigh)
Multiplayer camera field of view has been widened by roughly 20%
Firing accuracy has been improved for all weapons and aim modes; first few shots are substantially more accurate (with less accuracy the longer full-auto is employed)
Considerably increased horizontal and vertical recoil to all weapons in ACOG and Red Dot views
Decreased effective range of all SMGs
Reduced throw distance for all grenades
Made improvements to the HUD to make teammate names display above their head if they are onscreen; removed allied names (leaving only icons) when spotting friendlies at a distance;
Made adjustments to XP system  so that it takes longer to gain character and weapon mod levels
More to come, stay tuned...

Deployed Patch – SOCOM 4 Beta Version 1.01
Released: March 18, 2011

(Standard) Suppression game length changed to 10 minutes from 20 minutes
(Classic) Suppression rounds changed to 11 from 7
(Classic) Suppression rounds changed to 5 minutes from 7
(Classic) Uplink rounds changed to 11 from 4
(Classic) Uplink game length changed to 5 minutes from 10
(Standard) Last Defense rounds changed to 1 from 3
(Standard) Last Defense minutes changed to 15 from 30
(Classic) Last Defense rounds changed to 11 from 5
(Classic) Last Defense minutes changed to 5 from 11
(Classic) Bomb Squad rounds changed to 10 from 4
(Classic) Bomb Squad minutes changed to 7 from 10
 
Other Things We're Adjusting/ Changing w/o Details
Estimated Release: TBD (Patch 1 or After)

Improvements to mic communication system to make it more obvious who is talking and who isn't; plus bug fixes associated with this

[woodyear99]

Tried the beta, it works pretty well. Did not experience much lag and maps load quickly. I think I will get this for some more tactical gameplay. I swear this is one of the few ps3 games where people use mics yes. The graphics not all that but I can live with it.

[Arcmanov]

Spent some time with the beta.

Lets just say I WILL be buying this.  I just need a better mouse for my Eagle Eye. 

[ViCe]

new beta patch dropped today which is the release day patch u can expect to see

LOVIN IT
shooting feels more socom now
hip fire and ots have been improved so 1st few shots go str8
ADS has recoil and SMGs are what they should be

havent really noticed a difference in the camera tbh but they said they moved it back and we got 20% wider view soooooooo idk

[ViCe]

using the clan match system last night
ran through 4 clans and only dropped 1 round to 3 of em per game
1st team was a 6-4 win

this was a perfection i dropped on this clan
8-0 on the 1st map
5-0 on the 2nd map

[Berzerk]

[ViCe]

nice review
SOCOM was and will always be more MP focused anyway, campaign is just a bonus
should get my copy thursday next week to hop on and grind lvls and mods and finally test the move out myself

[mouie]

I belive this game has move support,you guys should try it and see what your missing.

[woodyear99]

Ouch this review real harsh, I wonder if the online really is that broken. Didn't have too many issues during the beta but still, not too sure.

http://www.destructoid.com/review-socom-4-u-s-navy-seals-198597.phtml

Summary:

This is SOCOM 4. A game of three parts, two of which are awful/broken and one of which is too shallow because of the time spent developing the others. At best, it could hope to be a functional, if archaic, shooter. At its worst, it's a glitchy, laggy game that seems to be facing the exact same problems as its prequel, released three years ago.

Worse than that, SOCOM 4 just doesn't feel like a game that should exist today. Even without the online problems, you're left with a game that is, at its core, aged and outclassed by so many other modern shooters. It doesn't even look all that great, with graphics far outmatched by other recent PS3 exclusives such as Killzone 3 and LittleBigPlanet 2. There's none of the basic polish and flare that one would expect from a Sony-published title.

It's an antiquated shooter that's trying to hang with the new blood and failing at every turn. The fact that it's thoroughly broken serves only to rub salt in an already stinging wound.

Score: 3.0 -- Poor (3s went wrong somewhere along the line. The original idea might have promise, but in practice the game has failed. Threatens to be interesting sometimes, but rarely.)

[Arcmanov]

Oh gad...and to think I was all ready to buy this...

It makes me want to get back my old PS2 and fire up SOCOM 2,
which is still the best one in my book.  It looks like I wasn't alone either.

I experienced some of those MP issues in the beta, but to see it carried over to the final
game...ugh.  Not cool.

SOCOM 2 had some issues at launch as well, but the single player was SO good, it wasn't
a problem until more and more people started playing (the MP)...and were promptly fixed by
several patches that you had to download to your memory card.

Oh well, no harm in waiting till it's properly patched.

[ViCe]

this review for real? i had no problems in the beta and no lag
only time i got any hint of lag was in nub respawn modes with 32 ppl
but seeing as my time was spent in classic only problems i saw were nades and those were kinda fixed in a patch but still no damn nade arc

pickin up my copy on thur will see if this review is really on point or just bs
oh an btw the review mentioned kz3.....lulz yea kz3 has pretty graphics but the game is dead or already dyin out, Clan system for 1 is dead

kz3 should be a lesson to devs to not stray from what made ur game unique to try and get more $$$ by gettin the cod crowd in

kz3 mp didnt work AT ALL for ppl for 2 weeks after release but got 8s and 9s......just sayin take reviews with a pinch of salt

EDIT: LOL @ reviewer for complaining about move and ds3 users in the same room. these ppl do know that ppl can use mouse and keyboards on ps3 games via fragfx and eagle eye right? swear these type of ppl only complain because the move is in the spotlight

UPDATE:  so accordin to my clan members zipper shipped the game without a party system. Now if anyone was following the beta forum zipper made mention a while back that they ran into problems with the party system and had to make changes hence it wasnt in the beta and on the podcast 2 weeks ago they said its in the game, however it will most likely be the bugged 1 until they fix the good 1 which would be soon after release............well there is no party system at launch (unless u play clan matches)

zipper commented on the forums sayin it wont be long but they felt it was better to have us experience the proper fixed system the 1st time we use it rather than the bugged 1. Now idk about them but any party system is better than NONE. And classic mode is 16v16 ONLY from what i hear.....so if all the maps are the size of the beta maps then 16v16 is definitely too big for classic modes on those maps

dont understand these devs at all na........u have 3D working FIIIIIIINNE in ur game for the 7 ppl that own 3DTVs but no party system at launch? where these ppl priorities does be?

hopefully when they say "soon" its the end of the week but knowing anything sony "soon" cud be weeks...

[ViCe]

http://www.youtube.com/machinima

machinima live stream of the mp
its respawn but i dont see any problems with it so far minus the no party system and no nade arc

[woodyear99]

Checked out metacritic, so far it is at 66%, perhaps things will improve when the bugs are ironed out.

http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/socom-4-us-navy-seals/critic-reviews

[ViCe]

SOCOM is sweeeeeeeeeet
played it lag free, trouble free yesterday

was grinding for weapon mods in respawn with 32 ppl and no lag
one slight problem that is already on the list to be patched is the deadzone and acceleration curve. Currently Aiming is as smooth as can be with the move but the DS3 has some slight problems with the deadzones

Second Patch – SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs v1.03
Estimated Release: Mid/ Late May 2011
Repaired multiple issues related to camera collision
Added controller options for adjusting the dead zone and acceleration curve
Added option to activate a center dot for your targeting reticule if desired
Added option to turn in-game XP displays on or off
Removed Merits and Victory Dances in Clan Challenge Matches
"Ready" Clans are now filtered to the top of the Clan Challenge list
Added Clan Lobby Player Counts to Clan Challenge Invites
Made improvements to camera while in "Spectator" View
Increased Victory Dance animation duration
Multiplayer Gametypes are now organized by category
Added queues for "Classic Small Suppression. Classic Medley" and "Classic Small Medley"
More to confirm…
 
 
Third Patch – SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs v1.04
Estimated Release: June 2011
Activation of SOCOM 4 Party System
More to confirm…
 
 
Patch(es) TBD
Estimated Release: TBD
Mic system overhaul that improves UI, functionality
More to confirm…
--------------------
Jeremy Dunham
Sr. Community Manager, Zipper Interactive
--------------------

this is the updated patch list that went up on the 19th April after the PSN hack
Party system is pushed back to June

[Arcmanov]

Finally got the game and decided to dive right into the online MP.

What followed was a baptism of fire like no other.  I only tried one mode: Suppression
(aka Team Deathmatch), but it was enough to convince me that my gaming dollars
were well spent.  The game plays and sounds bloody fantastic.  Graphical fidelity
isn't quite on par with other shooters, but the gameplay, and the 'hard'-ness is
spot on.

Of course, thanks to the wonderful Eagle Eye (again) I was at least able to snag
a few tangos here and there.  Nothing to shout about, but I've just started.
Definitely need to do some advanced dead-zone tweaking on the EE firmware
to improve the mouse movement.  It's about 70-80% there.

I can play the game with the controller, but with nowhere near the dexterity
required to be seriously competitive.  I don't know how people do it.

I am also happy to report that my latest acquisition also works splendidly with the EE.

This has got to be one of THE sexiest keyboards EVER.  It's only 7.5mm thick,
but it's sturdy enough to do some serious gaming, or typing.  The keys are really soft and silky.
...and the best part?  No need to change batteries...ever.  That right there alone is worth
the price of admission.  GG Logitech.

[Berzerk]

WDA. thats the exact same keyboard i ordered last week. supposed to have it in hand sometime next week.

Glad to hear its working good. which mouse u using with the EE though?

[Arcmanov]

Another recent acquisition...and soon-to-be Sidewinder X8 replacement:

The Logitech G700




You know how I love my wireless.  

[Berzerk]

actually have that in my wishlist, but Sidewinder x8 (with recently found mouse feet) still conducting a scene. So no need for change just yet.