Call of Duty online play problems

[thendis]

Hey everyone,

I bought Call of Duty today, and have been attempting to play online, but I keep getting booted from servers for one of two reasons:

1) My PunkButser software is out of date, even though I went to the website and downloaded the latest updates.

2) I get booted with this weird message:

c var r_nv_fog_ dist=1

whatever that means?!

Has anyone else had these problems?

I presume it's a problem using a Mac on a PC server, but donno.

[applemaz]

The c var r_nv_fog_ dist=1 is a variable you can set via the console menu. I'm guessing you aren't setting this yourself and the game is attempting to do so and it causes a problem. I'm guessing your video card is trying to enable rendering the fog visuals in the game and it is having a problem.

Load up the game and in the menu system bring down the console using the ` key (which has ~ on it too)
type: /seta r_nv_fog_dist 0 (zero turns the setting to off)
press enter

I'd make sure you have the most recent video card drivers installed (check the card manufacturer's website) and the most recent game update for Call of Duty.

As for the punkbuster software, I wasn't aware that it existed for Macintosh. Perhaps you can help me out and let me know where I can download it? I can't stand cheaters in FPS games.

[thendis]

hey applemaz, thanks for the speedy reply. I will definately give that a go. Fingers crossed! I can't find a Mac update for my video card (nVidia GeForce FX 5200), but changing the in-game graphics settings might help.

Punkbuster appears to be in-built into CoD, so I don't think you can download a stand-alone version of it, only updates for specific games that use it. Ordinarily it updates itself upon entering a server, but it doesn't work with a Mac.

[applemaz]

I'm willing to bet the NVidia FX 5200 for Mac doesn't support the fog rendering in Call of Duty. It's probably too old of a card. Turning it off in the console should do the trick for you.

[BlackFlag]

Sometimes you get rogue servers that have their own funny settings, so if you've been playing on only a couple of servers then try other ones and see if you get the same problems. Occasionally if I go to a server I see a message from the Console warning me that I am using an old version of PB, but most servers don't seem to mind.

1) Are you using the latest CoD patch (1.51c)? That may effect things. You can get it from here. Be warned: you won't be able to play your old single player saved games. I haven't updated to 1.51c as I still want to play them, so I'm using something like 1.5 (I think).

Make sure that in Multiplayer Options you have the Punkbuster option set to Yes.

To update PB automatically may require the Allow Downloading setting in Multiplayer Options to be turned on, but I'm not too sure (think this refers to custom maps and the like rather than PB, but I'm not sure).

However, I would try visiting a variety of different servers as it may just be one or two servers being picky rather than a problem on your part that you will have to sort out.

2) As for the fog, go to Options > System > Graphics and switch nVidia fog distance to No. That should fix it! I think it basically just sets that cvar to 0, which you can also do manually via the console as applemaz has suggested.

[thendis]

dude, you guys all rock! worked like a charm - have had no problems since

Great game. Makes me less annoyed that there is no counter-strike for mac.

While I have you here: I've noticed that many servers are offering United Offensive servers, usually more than regular CoD. What does United Offensive offer that is different to CoD? Is it just new maps, or are there special new multiplayer modes?

Thanks again guys,

[BlackFlag]

Hooray! Glad to hear you're up and running again!

United Offensive is, at least in my opinion, really quite different. It does offer alternative game modes, rather than simply being a couple of new maps or weapons.

The obvious difference is that there are tanks and jeeps. The new maps are huge in comparison to the old ones (which means sometimes you can suffer from lag), and there are new weapons too such as:

• anti-tank weapons (Panzerfaust, bazooka)
• machineguns mounted on tripods (takes you a few seconds to get down on the ground and set it up, but then you just mow people down!)
• the Germans have a new Gewehr rifle that holds ten bullets and can be fired more readily than the KAR
• the Russians have a Tokarev rifle, similar but inferior to the Gewehr
• the British pistol is now the Webley, which I love!
• satchel charges that can't be thrown as far as nades but do a heck of a lot of damage!
• smoke grenades to hide you as you run
• eventually, if you do really well, you get to call in artillery strikes!

One aspect of UO I wasn't sure of is that you tend to "earn" things. When you first start, you spawn with your chosen gun, pistol and one nade. After you have got 10 kills you then spawn with another nade and a smoke grenade. At 20 kills you also get satchel charges. You're ability to kill therefore goes up exponentially: if you started well and went around killing everyone, you'd start spawning with more weapons that gives you even more killing potential.

There are also little modifications like when viewing through a sniper scope you don't have a black surrounding covering the rest of the screen but a more realistic effect.

There are new game modes. They are:

• Base Assault - each side has three bases, and the object is to use tanks and artillery to blow them apart, then send a soldier on foot down into the basement to plant charges and blow them up. Imagine Search & Destory, but the objective is covered by a concrete shell that has to be blown up by tanks first! I love this game type.
• Domination - three points to be controlled (symbolized by raising your side's flag) and if you control them you get points. Just like the same game mode from Unreal Tournament, if you're familar with that.
• Capture the Flag - don't need to explain that one!
• All the usual CoD ones exist too, so you can play Team Deathmatch or Headquarters with smoke grenades and the new weapons

When I first got UO I have to admit I was a little frustrated by it. As soon as you spawn, everyone rushes to grab the anti-tank weapons and then grab a tank or jeep. If I was too slow, I'd then trek across the map by foot, which takes ages and I usually would run around a corner into an enemy tank that blew me away!

I went back to ordinary CoD, but recently began to get bored of that and tried UO again. I love it now! If people play fairly then it's great fun, although sometimes the matches turn into stalemates.

Depending upon your monetary situation and how much you like CoD, it could be well worth investment.

[thendis]

thanks for the comprehensive post BlackFlag; exactly the info I was after.

Sounds like UO is well worth it, plus it's only ~$40 (AU) anyway.

I was never a big fan of Domination in UT, but the Base Assault type sounds awsome. Think I'll be dropping down the the appleStore monday...