New to GRAW, got a couple of Q's....

[mobyclick]

Hello Gents!!!

I love this game, and the old GR as well. I still play GR 1 online, but I have found limited (but extremely enjoyable!!!) success with GRAW online. First, do I need to download as many maps as possible, I mean, as many as I can find to ensure I can join the various servers??? I can't seem to get into some servers because "My files don't match the servers", or "can't find that map" messages come up. I am patched up and have played online for the last couple of days with no other problems.

Where do I install the downloaded maps??? Some come with a brief explanation and say to be installed in the custom folder. Do they all go in the custom folder like the first six I have installed, or are there different folders that other maps should be put in??? If so, what kind of maps go where???

Next question... How do I install weapons downloads??? What is recommended (that works properly) that will give me consistent game play without crashes or other problems that I have read about??? The M4 Sopmod sounds like a definite asset to the arsenal, what do you think???

Any other recommended downloads that the majority of you GRAW afficiandos use online as well as in SP mode???

I have been playing GR for about 4 years now with our squad (www.ABSquad.net) and am looking forward to at least that many years with GRAW!

Looking forward to any bones you guys can throw my way, I'll pass the info the info on the the few of us in ABSquad that currently have the game.

GOD I LOVE THIS GAME!!!!!!

Cheers,

C.J. Landry

(AB_Moby)

[ROCO*AFZ*]

Hello Gents!!!

I love this game, and the old GR as well. I still play GR 1 online, but I have found limited (but extremely enjoyable!!!) success with GRAW online. First, do I need to download as many maps as possible, I mean, as many as I can find to ensure I can join the various servers??? I can't seem to get into some servers because "My files don't match the servers", or "can't find that map" messages come up. I am patched up and have played online for the last couple of days with no other problems.

Where do I install the downloaded maps??? Some come with a brief explanation and say to be installed in the custom folder. Do they all go in the custom folder like the first six I have installed, or are there different folders that other maps should be put in??? If so, what kind of maps go where???

Next question... How do I install weapons downloads??? What is recommended (that works properly) that will give me consistent game play without crashes or other problems that I have read about??? The M4 Sopmod sounds like a definite asset to the arsenal, what do you think???

Any other recommended downloads that the majority of you GRAW afficiandos use online as well as in SP mode???

I have been playing GR for about 4 years now with our squad (www.ABSquad.net) and am looking forward to at least that many years with GRAW!

Looking forward to any bones you guys can throw my way, I'll pass the info the info on the the few of us in ABSquad that currently have the game.

GOD I LOVE THIS GAME!!!!!!

Cheers,

C.J. Landry

(AB_Moby)

Check out the mods section. Many online servers also have downloads for there custom maps in game. You have to restart graw to play them after downloading. Welcome to the game mano.

[Wille]

I can just second what ^ said, welcome and hope you will enjoy our game!

[mobyclick]

Thanks for the welcome Gents!!!

And thanks for the help guys, I do really appreciate it. So what I understand so far is that there are or at least should be instructions attached to the downloads on where they are installed, right? And as far as the other mods, like the clean HUD displays and weapons mods, the blood mods etc... I should be able to join servers with no problem as long as I have the same maps previously downloaded, am I on the right track???

I guess I should specifically ask if the mods I choose to download "have to" match the mods being used in the server??? Or do only the maps have to match??? I just don't want to miss out on some great game play because I'm not so computer savvy and miss some of the finer points.

Could anyone recommend the more popular maps or map packs that are mostly used online??? Or should I just download as many maps as I can??? I hope I'm not being a bother but this is all so new to me and I am sort of the go to guy for the new stuff in our squad. Once I get a grip on the protocols for the game then I report back get everyone else set up, usually, so I hope you can understand that I'm just starting out, the learning curve is always a ###### when you can't wait to jump in there and get playing.....

This forum is one of the best I've seen for info and help with just about everything to do with the game, unlike some of those out there. Glad you guys are doing what you do because if not for guys like you, guys like me would be in the dark and miss out on a such a great game!!!!

Cheers,

C.J. Landry

Oh yeah, BTW, my posts become less lengthy as the learning curve straightens out....LOL!!!

Thanks again for all your help!!!

CJ

[JASGripen]

There are many maps online atm. I tend to do a dl spree on the servers with custom maps which I see, before I join another server each time I begin to play. This will make your GRAW load a bit slower as the game loads all the maps, something to take note of.

IrishStout have done a Map manager which still is in beta, but it can be found here Register -> download link -> GRAW): http://www.shadowcompanyelite.com/

Here is one popular map map ready to dl, there are others around:

http://www.ghostaholic.com/page-id-701-a-dl.html

Good luck!

[kram_2006]

Weapon MODS are for chumps, keep the game fun and even without mods and enjoy your gaming! send your maps 2 the custom levels folder in your GRAW directory, BDA server have some real cool new maps, jump on and see what you think.

Edited December 5, 2006 by kram_2006

[RAbbi_74]

Weapon MODS are for chumps, keep the game fun and even without mods and enjoy your gaming! send your maps 2 the custom levels folder in your GRAW directory, BDA server have some real cool new maps, jump on and see what you think.

HOW DARE YOU?!?! lol

Let me offer the dissenting opinion here. Snowfella's M4A1 SOPMOD is THE essential mod for GRAW, at least for SP and COOP. You just GOTTA!

[FI_FlimFlam]

Be aware with of something in regards to mods in GRAW.

1)Mods can/do overwrite stock files so your install may not be the same afterwards. BACKUP your GRAW install before installing any mods.

2)Because of #1, if a multiplayer server has the Anticheat enabled, it will prevent you from joining while you have a mod installed (hence the reason to backup your GRAW install).

3)Becasue of #1, players can use some mods in servers that DO NOT have the Anti-cheat enabled. If done intentionally it is CHEATING. You may get banned from servers if caught or suspected of using a mod in a stock server. Or you may run into people cheating using mods to their advantage.

Just a little heads up.

[NoQuarter]

1)Mods can/do overwrite stock files so your install may not be the same afterwards. BACKUP your GRAW install before installing any mods.

Not true.

The files contained in a mod located in the /local directory supersede, not overwrite files contained within the .bundles. Once they (mods) are removed from the directory the game will run OEM. If you can provide a specific example of this altering, please post.

[ROCO*AFZ*]

1)Mods can/do overwrite stock files so your install may not be the same afterwards. BACKUP your GRAW install before installing any mods.

Not true.

The files contained in a mod located in the /local directory supersede, not overwrite files contained within the .bundles. Once they (mods) are removed from the directory the game will run OEM. If you can provide a specific example of this altering, please post.

I think he may mean a mod that was out there that was used for cheating. the auto sniper. I'm not sure though how it worked so i could be wrong but to play it successfully on a non modded server, i would imagine it would be a modification of the gun.

[RAbbi_74]

I think there was an xml edit involved there. Could be wrong though. Seriously doubt there was any bundle extracting done, and I believe it's picked-up on A/C now. Still not 100% on the details, but I HAVE seen talk of that one before, and have played in a server where it was used in a DOMINATION round or two. Guy was on my team, but I still moved on for sake of the cheat. I have no part in that...

[FI_FlimFlam]

Regardless of how it's done, noquarter, it doesn't change the fact that people are using mods in stock servers still. While in COOP it's not nearly as bad as an impact as Adversarial games, it's still cheating and should never have been allowed to happen by GRIN.

I have had a few players lately in our COOP server bragging about "testing" new weaps and mods. Had one take down a chopper in about 1.5 seconds. It looked like he was using a SCAR-L but it sounded like and had the ammo capacity of the support HMG. Also shot rapid fire GL's.

Had another come into the server who's weapon wouldn't render and the litterally "flowed" across the map at hyperspeed. Crouched they were faster than I was with just a pistol for my loadout. What was interesting was that they didn't seem to have a walking or running animation, they just slid around very quickly. It wasn't a rendering problem on my end either as that everyone else in the server rendered fine and had proper movement speed.

GRIN should have had it to where you had to activate a mod and you would only see servers with that mod in the server list. You shouldn't even be given the option to join a different version server - by the client. Like the tons of other games that handle mods successfully without these kinds of conflicts.

[RAbbi_74]

Sure, THAT isn't a mod. It's a cheat.

Again, I point to Snowfella's fine work. In no way a cheating mod. A very well-executed addition. Nothing more.

Rapid-fire GL's are certainly a no-no. That's the last thing we need...

[FI_FlimFlam]

BUT - it's accomplished the same as a mod from what I have heard.

Depending on your motivation or the conceptualization of the mod. A repeating GL might not be cheating if you are wanting to make an UBER weap for SP or COOP (in the same mod server) for some kind of overkill mod. Yet, if you use in MP on a standard server and you are planning on using it against others then it's a cheat. The problem is you can use it in both rather than the modded server only.

GRIN has allowed it to be a game of semantics rather than designing the mod structure in such a way to prevent it. If they had it structured like other games, then it players wouldn't even be given the option to join a stock/vanilla servers regardless of the A/C being enabled or not.

Edited December 6, 2006 by FI_FlimFlam

[GRIN_Wolfsong]

1)Mods can/do overwrite stock files so your install may not be the same afterwards. BACKUP your GRAW install before installing any mods.

Not true.

The files contained in a mod located in the /local directory supersede, not overwrite files contained within the .bundles. Once they (mods) are removed from the directory the game will run OEM. If you can provide a specific example of this altering, please post.

This is true as long as the mod DOESN'T use the local/english folder. That folder is always used, and there are files in there when you install the game, which are there to override the bundles.

The priority is:

1 - local folder, set in content.xml

2 - local/english folder

3 - patch.bundle

4 - quick.bundle

Also notice that the map editor always uses the local/english folder to look for manager files, even though your content.xml points somewhere else.

[RAbbi_74]

BUT - it's accomplished the same as a mod from what I have heard.

Depending on your motivation or the conceptualization of the mod. A repeating GL might not be cheating if you are wanting to make an UBER weap for SP or COOP (in the same mod server) for some kind of overkill mod. Yet, if you use in MP on a standard server and you are planning on using it against others then it's a cheat. The problem is you can use it in both rather than the modded server only.

GRIN has allowed it to be a game of semantics rather than designing the mod structure in such a way to prevent it. If they had it structured like other games, then it players wouldn't even be given the option to join a stock/vanilla servers regardless of the A/C being enabled or not.

So it's all in the intent. How DOES one know if it's intended to make the game more enjoyable, or more PWNable? Allow me to illustrate...

The semiautomatic M99 looks and sounds EXACTLY like the singleshot M99. Hidden, as it were.

The UBER-GL looks and sounds just like the regular GL. Again, HIDDEN.

The Snowfella M4A1 and 1911 LOOK like an M4A1 and 1911, NOT like a SCAR-L and M9. HE TOOK THE TIME to model the weapon, go through all the crap to take it from 3DS or whatever to a GRAW-reality, and proved what a handy modder he is. The weapon isn't significatnly more or less capable, in either casse, than its stock game counterpart, and therefore would theoretically lend negligible advantage to anyone over the SCAR-L.

Class dismissed.

[FI_FlimFlam]

LOL Rabbi, I'm not even attempting to justify it's use in a non-modded server. But if someone made some over the top mod to host on their server. A server where everyone gets these rediculous damage models and repeating GL's, etc. It wouldn't matter. It wouldn't matter if the weapon had a custom skin or not. Becasue all the other players in the server are using the same thing and are playing on the same level playing field (hopefully). That's not cheating. Maybe you wouldn't like the server but I guess someone would.

It doesn't even have to be a "UBER weapon". It could be a weapon stock weap with modified characteristics or the sniper scope on the Scar. It could be an entirely different weapon like the M4 mod. It makes no difference. My original example is just what I can with 100% certainty say a player was using something that wasn't stock. Who knows what else people have or are using in servers that isn't obvious.

If it's used in a server that is modded with the same mod then the player is not cheating. If the player uses it in a server that is not running that mod then it's cheating. Plain and simple. I really fail to see what's so hard to understand about that?

let me re-iterate - IT'S CHEATING TO USE A MOD IN A STOCK SERVER. And GRIN by design has allowed that possibility. It's possible that players will run into cheating players while playing in multiplayer - even when what they are using may not be a purposely intended cheat like ESP or Wallhack It could be some mod that an honest modder/player created to be used in modded server but is being abused by a cheater. That is the issue and what I was trying to convey to the OP.

Edited December 8, 2006 by FI_FlimFlam

[RAbbi_74]

...IT'S CHEATING TO USE A MOD IN A STOCK SERVER.

On this we do NOT disagree. If the folks who pay for the server and its associated bandwidth specify stock only, then stock it is. And in servers where mods are allowed, I still feel that the UBERGL and UBERM99 should be disallowed or considered cheats. UNLESS the purpose of that server is for testing such mods. Clearly, the word we're looking for here is (same as in EO class) a Reasonable Person's Standard. It's reasonable to see these things tested in a server specified for that purpose. It's UNREASONABLE to see even cosmetic mods in a stock public server.

Question is, where do we draw the line of reason with servers that allow mods in public play?

[FI_FlimFlam]

ROFL - I think we're on the same wave lenght, but we're just wanting to discuss different aspects of mods.

I agree with you but go further to say, that using a mod even a cosmetic mod in a stock or vanilla server should be disallowed. Is a cosmetic mod cheating - well depends on who you ask since theoretically it doesn't alter the performance of the game to give the player an advantage. Still I would prefer that NO different mods be allowed in a server. That is, if a server is stock, the player must be stock as well. If the server is running a specific mod such as a cosmetic skin, then players running ONLY that specific mod should be allowed to join. Otherwise it just opens the door to abuse and as we all know, the internet is full of less than trustworthy players who if given the opprotunity will cheat.

There's a saying that fits alot of situations - locks don't won't stop the determined thief, but they do keep "honest" people honest. In otherwords GRIN shouldn't have made it so people can join servers that aren't running the same mod as you because they will be tempted to do it because it's so easy to accomplish.

[Pritzl]

There is one thing I haven't seen mentioned (or possibly missed) wrt mods. If not properly managed, they divide the online community into infinitely smaller and smaller cliques. I've seen it destroy the online experience in some sims like CFS3. You can only stomach a mach 2 biplane with 150mm canons for so long.

OTOH, changing an aspect of the game to better suit your taste is a natural urge. That is why I'm looking forward to see how Oleg's next sim, Storm of War fares. They're introducing a very interesting concept: two separate online arenas, one stock-only arena for actual competition and one for testing various mods. But they're not only stopping there. Once a mod is deemed acceptable by a wide enough proportion of the community it will then be included into the stock arena. This could just be the ideal solution but may just be one more wild-goose chase. We'll have to wait and see.

Edited December 9, 2006 by Pritzl

[NoQuarter]

With apologies to the OP (and any others)

In otherwords GRIN shouldn't have made it so people can join servers that aren't running the same mod as you because they will be tempted to do it because it's so easy to accomplish.

Wouldn't (or doesn't) this accomplish what you seek.[Rhetorical]

<scan_for_cheats value="true"/>

Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter/Settings/servers/graw_server_*.xml

If it does then its seems Grin has addressed the situation and it would be up to the server admins to activate AC.

Since the latest (1.35) patch are people still being disconnected, and as a work-around for this are admins dis-abling the anti-cheat?

[FI_FlimFlam]

True but people are still experiencing disco's when the AC is enabled. Granted it's not a pervasive as before but it's happening to much for some admins. Which is why we still are not enabling it on our COOP server.

One of the reason I'm harping on it, is that hopefully GRIN will fix this design flaw if they do an expansion/sequel. If they would put in proper mod handling it would really cut down on the headaches of installing and managing mods - prop's to Irishstout for his program that is going along way to addressing that in GRAW. However it should never have been necessary for a third party to do this in the first place as GRIN should have recognized this issue from the beginning. As a result the community is having to deal with the fallout from it.