The big Uncharted 3 update came into effect today (after patch 1.17 was implemented) and in a surprise move (to me anyway) Uncharted 3 multiplayer has been made free to play, that means if you don't own a physical copy of the game, you can download the digital version and play online without having to pay for anything. There are of course limitations to what rank/level you can reach, so therefore the weapons and boosters you can equip/use will be few in number but you can jump online and play with those who have purchased the full game. There is no time limit on how long you can play but once you reach a certain point, you simply won't progress any further rank wise. However, should you end up playing for quite a while after hitting the cap, you'll be glad to know that if you ever decide to purchase the full game, your XP/cash will be back dated.
It's a big week for all you Uncharted 3 multiplayer fans, this latest patch has been teased for a very long time and was even delayed because it took longer to complete then anticipated. Before you start complaining, yes I'm aware that these patch notes are not the complete list, it appears that Naughty Dog have released this basic list along with the preliminary patch. I'll update this article, as and when/if new details are released but for now some of the things already listed in the patch notes are worth discussing, you can find my thoughts and analyses after the notes.
We're starting off the week with a taste of what's in store. This patch will set up everything so we can deploy our biggest update to Uncharted 3 Multiplayer yet tomorrow.
Patch 1.17 Notes Available: Globally - February 25, 2013 before 6:30pm PST.
GAMEPLAY
In an exclusive invite only event, hosted in New York City last week, Sony finally revealed some details about the eagerly awaited PS4. I wasn't one of the lucky few to be at the two hour meet but like many millions around the world I watched most of it via the live stream. Just in case you missed it and want to watch the full show, it was uploaded to YouTube by Sony and you can catch it here. The first 45 minutes or so, outlines details about the console and it's potential, with the rest of the show displaying various gameplay from titles that will go on sale at the time of the PS4's launch. Unfortunately we weren't shown the console itself or any pictures of it but they did divulge some system specifications and the new 'DualShock 4' controller, which was already leaked earlier in the week. So apart from some (very basic) information regarding the internal features, there wasn't actually much news about the new console itself. What we did get however, was quite a few speakers discussing the direction and inspiration behind the units potential capabilities and future goals, though they neglected to actually provide any demonstrations about these, so for the most part we're all still in the dark.
This weeks weekend operation details has been released:
Event Description: A surprise Reaper assault inflicted deeply-felt casualties on our N7 teams and interrupted supply lines to several worlds. Many units will have to rely on standard-issue sidearms and munitions. We must honor and avenge our comrades who fell – and let the Reapers know this was a mistake, not a victory.
Individual Goal - Two objectives are required:
In this final follow up article to my A Beginners Guide To ME3 MP, I'll be talking about the transition to a higher difficulty and in particular what you should expect to face when you do so. (If you missed last weeks articles on my personal tips for buying packs from the multiplayer store you can find it here.) First off everyone is different and will have their own pace of learning, so there is no definitive answer to the question "when?" but if you start to find the difficulty you're currently playing on is an absolute cake walk, that might be an indication that you're ready to move it up a notch. Of course there is no obligation for you to change the difficulty but if you're claiming top score every single match by a huge margin and can quite easily carry a sub-par team, then your time will probably be better rewarded playing the next difficulty up. I can't speak for anyone else but I personally like to be challenged, yes the rewards are greater if you play on a higher difficulty but for me Co-Op matches (in any game) that are too easy, generally become repetitive and then that's just boring. That's not to say that I enjoy taking a beating from the AI with no chance of walking away with a win but having a tough fight on your hands and eventually prevailing after getting battered, often makes matches more entertaining and you get that feeling of satisfaction from doing so (especially if you were lucky enough to be in the game with good team players). So if you think you're ready for a new challenge, there's little harm in testing the water and who knows, you might just end up enjoying the game that bit more. It goes without saying that if you move up the ladder and then realise that it's too difficult or you're just not having as much fun because of the changes that occur with a higher difficulty, then by all means you can just move back down again. I understand that some people play just for fun and so if smashing AI enemies into the next galaxy floats your boat, regardless of XP, Credits and unlocks, then go for it.
