Epic clears up some Gears of War 2 confusion
by Dustin Burg 
{ Nov 10th 2008 at 6:00PM }
Gears of War community manger SixOkay just posted a Gears of War 2 Q&A over on the official Gears forums. The Q&A answers a few generic questions regarding the Lancer and Hammerburst DLC, a player downing explanation and a quick fix for those who are having troubles starting campaign. We're sure the biggest question Gears gamers have is how Gears 2's slow matchmaking can be fixed. Sadly, there is no answer at this time, but we've been comforted with the knowledge that "Epic and Microsoft are both looking into it." Feel those warm fuzzies?
[Image Via Wurban83]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mark @ Nov 10th 2008 6:10PM
yeah my only concern with gears is that slow ass matchmaking and the lack of a party system with friends
Kevin Gass @ Nov 10th 2008 6:30PM
Uhh are you playing the same game I am? I wait like 10-30 seconds, and can group with friends easily
B @ Nov 10th 2008 9:08PM
You must be playing a completely different game, finding players can take anywhere from 1 minute up to 5 or 6.
Inexcusable
Anticrawl @ Nov 10th 2008 10:25PM
Yeah matchmaking is slower than Shadowrun's before the patch. I just wish they would do away with these forced playlists and matchmaking and go back to a lobby system, but allow parties. Lobby system + parties = win. Player's choice is the best.
AND if they are worried about host advantage of the room host there are games out there that allow a lobby system but still set the person with the best connection as the server.
Ghostbuddy @ Nov 10th 2008 6:28PM
"the lack of a party system with friends"
Um, don't know what game your talking about.
Gears of war 2 has a party system.
What I have found, is that the matchmaking is significantly slower then Halo 3 in normal circumstances. But if you go in with a full group, or close to a full group its a lot faster then Halo 3. If they can do anything to speed it up, that will be great though.
mark @ Nov 10th 2008 6:54PM
i meant playing with a guest...you can't play the public xbox live playlist. you have to play the private xbox live playlist. which is the same as playing a private game on halo 3 (the only way for someone to join that game is to go through the friends list.) there's no social playlist for gears.
Arnon @ Nov 10th 2008 8:29PM
No durr lol.. it's considered matchmaking in this game. When have you ever been able to play ranked matchmaking with a guest?
darley @ Nov 10th 2008 6:31PM
Yes! What is the deal with finishing a round and then being booted back out to the lobby? I had a group of 10 and when the match was complete, poof, back to the lobby. No easy way to rejoin or group us up again. The Y button is supposed to offer stats, inclusing showing the last people you played with, but I have NOT figured out how the button gets enabled.
MDJ2010 @ Nov 11th 2008 2:41AM
If you want to see the last people you played against you can go to the tab next to your friends list tab. Personally I dont get how other people are having such issues with th live system. I literally havn;t had to wait longer than 30 seconds to get into any pf the game modes. It's a massive shame others are having these issues as I think they've done a great job. It's better than Gears 1 and deserves to be played a little differently and learnt but as far as I'm concerned theyve got the weapons balance spot on and all the little additions work a treat. The smoke grenade pop can be a little annoying but it adds to the tactical atmos of the game. It truly is EPIC!!!!
gekiwolf @ Nov 10th 2008 6:37PM
I have noticed that in flashback playlist the wait is short compared to the one with the new maps. My guess is that most ppl are playing the old maps instead of the new ones.
NBA Kirkland @ Nov 10th 2008 6:57PM
Q: I downed a guy, but I can’t kill him – I knocked an opponent down-but-not-out, but when I ran over and shot him, he wouldn’t die. Is this a bug?
A: Make sure you look at the gametype you’re playing before the match starts. There are some gametypes – Execution, Wingman, and King of the Hill – in which you can ONLY kill an opponent by executing them… even if they’re down-but-not-out. To kill them, you MUST perform one of the execution moves, blow them up, or chainsaw them.
Wait, I could swear that you can shoot people dead in Execution. You just have to be close to them. Is that right?
Arnon @ Nov 10th 2008 8:31PM
If they go down, then you can not shoot them. But if you pull off a 1-hit kill shot, then yes, they will die instantly lol.
B @ Nov 10th 2008 9:10PM
If you're close enough with a shotgun you can kill someone, don't know about anything else.
MabusRex @ Nov 10th 2008 7:14PM
Only issue I'm having is the slow matchmaking. I had the Golden Lancer issue, but figured it out on my own and waited for their servers to fix the download issue.
But DAMN is matchmaking slow when you're by yourself.
Gemini Ace @ Nov 10th 2008 7:14PM
Spawning in zoom in mode or your chainsaw starting for no reason.
Also, no 4-player split screen Horde mode.
Graeme Q @ Nov 10th 2008 7:38PM
Didn't Cliffy B recently state that Beta's were a bad thing?
I think he might want to rethink this approach.
Oh, and GoW2 online sucks. Its got too much lag, too long to connect and the menu system is from the 90's. Did COD4 not happen or did Epic take no notice of a "lets do multiplayer correctly" game?
Flame suit on against the oncoming onslaught :P
Arnon @ Nov 10th 2008 8:32PM
Lol yeah right.. The online is only laggy from your own damn connection. I hardly lag at all, and have no problems.
Graeme Q @ Nov 10th 2008 8:45PM
Yes Aaron, it must be my connection mustn't it? I'd never have thought to check...
oh wait...
Works fine with COD4, COD5, GTAIV, Burnout, Castle Crashers.
Yeah, must be my connection. That also explains why there is no one over on the Epic forums complaining about having shitty connection times and lag.
Oh wait.... there is.
Aaron, please never breed.
B @ Nov 10th 2008 9:15PM
The online doesn't lag at all.
Do you even know how a router works? If you're not lagging in other games doesn't mean it's not your connection.
Please, never breed. If you do at least put the bastard up for adoption because we already have enough douchebags in the world.
Whitedragon101 @ Nov 10th 2008 9:20PM
If anybody got the multiplayer menu thing right, its halo 3. certainly not cod
Graeme Q @ Nov 11th 2008 4:58AM
yes, I do know how routers works and technically its a gateway anyhow. And yes, NAT is open.
Before commenting you might want to browse through the Epic forums. There's a ton of issues at hand. The fact that if you're in a group of 4 or more, its not a problem kinda indicates that it could be a problem with the netcode and we all know how netcode works don't we.
Oh, and don't steal my insults. At least come up with your own.
giddyup @ Nov 10th 2008 7:56PM
Whats with the ranking system?
No way to tell how far you are way from the next rank as far as I know.
Or am I missing something.
Mazrael @ Nov 10th 2008 8:18PM
I never noticed there was a ranking system in Gears 1... Halo 3's is obvious.. I win a few, lose a couple, by then I'm bored.. I don't play it that often anyhow.. at least the online chieves are better this time (ie no stupid weopon kill chieves)
No AI bots for Horde... :S though they probably wouldn't last long.. my 'team' are usually backwards & can't kill one enemy between 3 of them..
Kevin @ Nov 10th 2008 10:21PM
Why would you take something that wasn't broke and break it? Unless they fix the shotgun, chainsaw, matchmaking, etc. I will be renting GOW3.
Nick @ Nov 10th 2008 11:23PM
they changed a lot. I get a lot of the things they've done, whatever.
The things that REALLY bug me is not being able to quit in MP.
Not being able to continue on as per usual with the people you were playing with.
OR - more importantly - player matches. That was one thing I enjoyed about Gears 1, and about almost any MP game. Why does it need to be ranked all the time?
Have ranked - don't get me wrong - but allow casual people to just play casually with people OTHER than those on their friends list.
GPX2 @ Nov 11th 2008 12:12AM
TOTALLY AGREE!
First off I suck (didn't play much of 1 online), and I HATE bring down the entire team because I suck, so I am forced to play offline against bots until I get better. I would like them to add a causal, and allow you to drop from that (not from rank however), also allow players to join in mid game (not in ranked however).
I really have no idea what they worked on from GOW1 to GOW2...atleast what took this long.
GPX2 @ Nov 11th 2008 12:12AM
I agree with you, I have a 60 MBPS connection and don't get much lag, but when I do it is a TON! In COD4/every other online game, they just drop the game or change host, not GOW2. You are stuck playing 5 rounds of the Laggest game of you life!
Also COD4 doesn't have the best online...it has NO matchmaking, I would say Halo 3 has the best from what I played. And YES GOW needs Matchmaking it is such a skill intensive game with a HUGE emphasis on teams, so you want everyone to be the same level.
Shenocide @ Nov 11th 2008 1:03AM
Long story short: GoW2 multiplayers really sucks.
I could go on and on to explain why, but having already done so on several forums already. I'm kind of tired of doing it...
Key problems:
- Lack of freedom in the matchmaking system
- Chainsaw is overpowered (people chainsaw rush instead of shotgun rush)
- Shotgun is a little too nerfed (practically useless)
- Sniper is needlessly nerfed (maybe I'm a minority, but I think the way that the sniper was in GoW1 was sometimes annoying, but it made sense and was balanced)
- Invincibility frames are still a huge problem (now, moreso with added invincibility frames, such as the knock down state from smoke)
- Glitches from the first game still exist verbatim
- New glitches/cheat arisen, most importantly, the infamous "lag switch" as seen in Halo
Bitter Kevin @ Nov 11th 2008 2:16AM
The 2 biggest but fixable problems for Multiplayer:
1. Slow ass matchmaking. Even with a full team of 5 it can take 5-10 minutes to get a game going. Try to find teammates for your own team as well, you're definitely looking at a 10 minute hunt. I hope it is just a problem with their servers, be they overloaded or just coded poorly.
2. Chainsaw rev not stopped by being shot. I tested this myself. Since the great equalizer is supposed to be you shoot a chainsaw rusher and it forces him to lower it, I can only assume this is a glitch. Should be easily fixable, and leave the shotgun alone- it works great.
Besides those 2 issues, I think online is excellent. The only other thing I would change is remove the Hammer of Dawn and Mortar from Jacinto- they kind of ruin the map.
SadisticHam @ Nov 11th 2008 6:03AM
Fix the BS chainsaw and all will be good again, fucking sick of having some retard run at me rev it up and even though i shoot the living hell out of him he keeps walking.
Whoever made such a stupid fucking decision needs to be fired, did they not play this before they launched it? Anyone must of realized no stun on chainsaw = rushing idiots.
Mazrael @ Nov 11th 2008 11:17AM
But doesn't the rev stop or slow down?... and remember about stopping power - just keep shooting them while moving away, maybe in the legs to drop them, or get your lancer out & face them - I thought it was stupid dropping the lancer when getting shot, a blast yeah..
I'm rubbish online, I can beat the game on Insane (GoW1), yet people who've only done casual will kick my a**, it could be just a Lag thing, because I'm sure Britains XBL users still connect to the servers in Redmond, Washington (If that's the right state), but all the more satisfing when beating someone in the US..
Tried Horde online last night.. took it 6 tries to get a game - is everyone just playing the old maps then?
Flame @ Nov 11th 2008 7:43AM
Epic should fix that broken system they call "Matchmaking" ive waited for damn near 8 min for a match switching on and off "FOUND PLAYER" "SEARCHING" in the background you hear me saying "WTF!" Horde doesnt lag bad but when playing a 5 vs. 5 I lag like hell. They really should have stuck with Gears 1 online system.
Aero @ Nov 11th 2008 8:12AM
I just hope this isn't a Castle Crashers style "We're looking into it".
Wise Guy @ Nov 11th 2008 9:07AM
This game is phenomenal!! I like to try a lot of shooters.. but I don't really make a habit of commiting to a lot. Halo 3 was my brand of addiction after Gears 1. I never really played a whole lot of Gears 1 online... just wasn't ever really good. Then came this game. I think the best and most valuable feature in this game are training with bots. Why don't more developers use them? I love the fact that you don't even have to play online if you don't want. It's nice that the option is there... but like a lot of people out there.. I don't have a whole lot of time to invest and get good at online shooters. I find a lot of times that the matchmaking system and ranking is broken. Sometimes I just want to play for fun and not have to be frustrated on immature, trash talking, team killing, quiting jackasses. The enemy bots in this game are ruthless. This game is a blast and will hold a lot of replay value long after the campaign is finished.
Graeme Q @ Nov 11th 2008 9:59AM
You might also want to check out Unreal Tournament 3. Thats got decent bots in it (far better than GoW2) and was a fairly good blast offline.
Probably pick it up cheap nowadays as well.
Wise Guy @ Nov 11th 2008 10:15AM
Actually, I was going to look into that one next. Thanks for the info.
Timerider @ Nov 11th 2008 11:22AM
I can't get that 48-hour Gold code to work. I just keep getting an error message.
Sackolantern PSN ID: johnnynumber5 @ Nov 11th 2008 4:25PM
check your download list. Thats where mine was as well as my 5 maps for some reason after inputting the codes.
Mazrael @ Nov 11th 2008 11:23AM
The new NXE party system may be what solves the public games.. there's a link on Major Nelsons blog....
GPX2 @ Nov 11th 2008 12:41PM
After a pretty intensive online gaming session last night I can to some conclusions.
- Matchmaking system VERY slow, but once I got a couple matches it, it worked quite fast. The party system with friends is just annoying, however I like player's choice the best since it gets me to play some stuff I would have never played.
- Chainsaw is overpowered (like the shotgun was), but I don't understand how people complain about the chainsaw, but excepted the GOW1 shotgun. Anyway a Melee hit will stop a chainsaw on one hit, but it is iffy if you get sawed or not.
- Shotgun...works like a shotgun should 20ft.< it sucks, however 20> it is better then your lancer/hammerburst. Now it isn't the God stick it was, and just because you have it out doesn't mean cover tactics can go out the window...Now is it useless, NO!, but with the power of the chainsaw gets alot less use.
- Sniper is better no more active down shots, now that have to actually aim.
Overall I like this version of Gears. It fixed many of my issues I had with the first one (you had to play hundreds of hours to compete). I HATE user hosted lobbys (if you don't play what people want nobody will come). Main gun was useless now it is overpower and I'm fine with that.
Alex @ Nov 11th 2008 2:40PM
I love this game and I don't know how far into the story I am (Just after when Dom finds his wife) but my Go is it FULL of bugs. Generally little things like getting stuck to walls and not being able to go up a small step, but they irritate me nonetheless.
So far, 8/10.
Randy @ Nov 11th 2008 8:31PM
yo whats up with matchmaking in mp? slooooooow as hell finding matches - need a fix on this pronto
john b @ Nov 11th 2008 10:13PM
Does anybody else have problems with flickering on the screen, it is constant. I have waited until today to play it as I had some work due, now I can't because the flickering is putting me off so much.
I hope you don't have this issue, but if you do let me hear about it.
thanks