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Saturday 9 February, 2008
Gameplay (cont.):
One great aspect about the game is the very critical component of communication. Since the maps are relatively small, with the tide of battle constantly shifting, communication is essential. Many players use headsets and use effective military phrases such as, "flank left," "cover fire," "grenade!" etc, adding to the immersive experience. Players also engage in sportsmanlike banter using the chat function.
Another great aspect is the experience outside of the game itself. Day of Defeat has a rabid fan-base and is played competitively in online gaming leagues such as CAL (Cyberathlete-Amatuer-League) and OGL (Online-Gaming-League). There are many dedicated Ventrilo servers and a huge network of mIRC chat rooms where players can "chill-out" in between games and talk with recently made e-friends (haha...), or where they can find scrimmages (games set up like they are in league matches) to join, and eventually dedicated teams.
Design:
Day of Defeat is different from other WW2 games such as Battlefield and Call of Duty primarily because of its small maps. Though this seems like not such a big deal, it completely changes around the combat dynamics as well as the social dynamics. Because the maps are small, a team of people who have never met or played with each other before can more easily strategize against the other. The key to victory is micro strategizing, like how a SWAT team strategizes to take a house, as opposed to how an Army brigade strategizes to take an island. This brings the combat (and the action) much closer, giving players a large kick of adrenaline.
The levels themselves are also designed well so that they are "balanced." This means that it is not drastically easier for one side to win on a map than another, based on their spawnpoints. There are also many clever sniper and machine gunner spots on the maps, which can be hilariously fun for whoever is in one of those spots, and maddeningly frustrating for those being attacked by them. Each level also comes with its own theme, and each level has completely unique structure each with their own "choke-points" and prime areas where combat may take place.
The fact that how well you do is completely based off of skill also propels players to practice and keep playing to be as good as they can since they cannot often blame being shot down on bad luck. Usually when you are killed in Day of Defeat, it is because it was someone better than you. The movement/aiming system/weapons in Day of Defeat are easy to grasp, but set up to make it clear who is really the best. One can easily tell by spectating another player first-person how good he or she is. This game encapsulates that old paradox: easy to learn (at first), but (very) difficult to master. The more trained your wrist, and the cooler nerve you have, the better you are. This will also earn the respect of everyone else in the game. After I pulled off a particularly long headshot I earned many "ns" comments from the other players, "ns" meaning "nice shot." In short, this is one great game, so pick it up and play!
[An exmaple of an Allies player model]
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