COD 4 to difficult???

I find COD4 online to be pretty brutal. It's a game you really have to hang in there with. First, you start off with weapons without any red-dot aiming reticules. Makes it very hard (for me, anyway) to aim with any accuracy. These weapons, by the way, have limited fire rates, as well. Shoot off a few rounds....gun jams....you're dead. You also start off without a whole bunch of other perks all the dedicated players have...perks mostly to do with your weapon strength and accuracy. Plus, I find the match-making system to be pretty unfair. I think I'm a level 8 player, and yesterday I was matched in a room with a whole bunch of 50+ ranked players. And someone said a guy on the other team had a golden gun! Whatever that is. (Can't be good for me, I'm thinking.)

However, having said all that, most dedicated players will likely tell you that if you put the time in and get past the early rank levels, the game is a lot of fun. I've yet to get that far. And likely won't. Warhawk, or RFoM, is a lot more manageable for me, competitively speaking. I much prefer everyone starting out with equal weaponry. Starting out with COD4 is like playing a game of chess with only a row of pawns and your king angainst a full board on the other side.

I found the learning curve online to be gentler than Resistance. It took me a long time to get good at Resistance, but in COD4, I was positive in most matches within a week. Play a bunch of games like Domination and Headquarters, but don't bother going for flags and HQs at first - just concentrate on finding guys to kill

initially it's very tough you'll likely die a lot without even knowing why you died(even with the kill cam) but the newly submitted patch is supposed to help with that. The best way is to get in on team games. any perks unlocked in one lobby works in all of them. and even so you still get EXP just for plauying so if you can't quite finish guys try giving someone else back up and racking up assists or clean up kills. The longer you stay alive the more XP you gain so be smart about moving and your health. it won't take very long to get some nice perks.

My experience is the opposite of Kess. Well, it's actually my brother's experience. He's had COD4 since launch but just now has started to go online with it. It was frustrating for him at first but more because he didn't really know all the maps rather than not having the perks or weapons that everyone else has. He's been doing pretty well since we spent about an hour the other night just walking through the maps so he could get to know them. Now he's begging me to get off work early so we can play...LOL (damn college kids).

As for the XP system, you level up extremely fast in the early stages. Red dot scopes aren't that hard to get (once you unlock the challenges at Level 5, you just need 25 kills with the particular weapon you want a Red Dot for).

The XP system will keep you coming back for more. It's highly addicting and is why so many people have gone Prestige (started over) many times over. It feels like you have a reason to play beyond just having a good time.

Spend about 2 hours just playing some Free For All matches (Deathmatch - every man for himself) and you should be at a point where you can hang with the more advanced players. From that point out it's more about weapon preference and fine tuning your perks to suit your style of play.

I think CoD4 online is FAR easier than Warhawk. Of course, I've put a lot more time into CoD4. But it's easier. There is less going on, you don't have to learn how to deal with vehicles, etc.

Kess is right though, the matchmaking is as bad as Halo 3's is good, you will get placed in a lot of high ranking rooms when you boot up and you will get destroyed. But you'll get the hang of it. The early weapons are not that bad at all and the Juggernaut perk helps (I still use it, actually, level 42, with the M16. Good combo there!).

Not only you'll get placed with high ranking dudes, but it has happened to me that there we 8 people in their 40-50+ level and a few noobs like me and all the noobs got put together on the same team. Those matches end up quickly though (max score limit reached by the other team).

But the game is good, and after a few hours you'll know what to do. I'm pretty solid with my assault rifle so now I'm using shotguns in some maps that I know there's going to be some nasty close range shooting and so far has gone good.

dont be scared by high ranks. its just an xp total, not a representation of skill

i'm looking to renting cod4 and trying it out this weekend... warhawk is a lot simpler and easier to play i'd think (still just a airman first class or 3rd rank after 1 month of actual playtime)... 2 of the 3 wh vehicles are a cinch to operate (jeep and tank) but the WH plane will take a lot of practice.... its pretty satisfying sometimes when i get a kill with just the handgun...

Just thought I'd mention the the first reply...guns don't jam in this game.

Alot of the weapons you have at the begining I still use. I like the M16 but once I unlocked the M4 I stick with that mostly. You definately shoud use anything that helps you stay alive at first then once you get better and more perks, start switching them up. A good one to have is double tap especially for team deathmatch, it allows the gun to fire faster which means you can kill faster in turn you can check your surrounding more often.

Stick with the game. I say this because I, myself was never a multiplayer kind of person. If I did buy a FPS I would complete the single player and then trade up. With COD4 I was so impressed with the gameplay and perks system that I stuck with it. I am now a pretty good player and the game brings hours of fun. Another thing that made me keep playing was finding other people to play with that did not care how good I was. www.*******.com

And last the rank icon you see means nothing. Sometimes it is an indicator of how good someone is other times it just means that they have alot more time to play. To give you an example I am 55 on first time through prestige (eagle in yellow hex) I have been this way quite sometime. I chose not to do prestige after my second time through. I play against people who have alot higher rank and can exceed thier skill, sometimes keep up sometimes not.

Play against people of all skill ranges this only makes you a better player. Also watching the kill cam it can give you a one up on how people play the game which will help you become a better player. Stick with it you will get better.

True dat, I think our soldier is level 54, but we sometimes get rocked by level 30 players. You'll be fine, just gotta stick it out in the early going and when you start getting the perks, you'll find it more enjoyable. This is really the only game my wife plays, and she accounts for at least 80% of our leveling up. I wouldn't say she's great at the game either, just gotta put in the thumb time.

Agree 100% ^^^

From my perspective (First ever FPS played) I will tell you that it is not that dificult. As far as the weapons go some of the better players keep on coming back to the early guns. Just find a gun you like from the starting guns or as you level up and stick to it so you get better with it. Personally I use a signle fire rate gun and I love it.

As far as matchmaking I don''t know hos the system works but I would prefer that they match you with same skilled players and not only based on rank. There will be high ranked players who are good but there are also high ranked players who are average or below but have taken the time to level up like me . I have been killed many times by people with lower ranks and I have killed many with higher ranks.

One thing that helped me the most was learning the maps and I mean memorizing spots and learning how to take corners. Make a private game by yourself so you get to know the maps better.

This game is addictive and it is the best online game I've ever played even though there are some issues I love it.

If you want to level up there are some game types that provide more experience than others so stick to those if you qant to quickly level up. I mostly play TDM and I am at 42 and been playing since late Nov. I have about 23hrs of online game play

Correct. Kess is referring to the M16. Which is in real life has two modes of fire. Single round and three round burst. Thats what you get in COD4, available to you as a newbie. Spray and pray doesnt work with that weapon.

Yeah, technically I know the gun doesn't jam...It just stops firing really fast. So jamming up is kinda what it feels like to me. Meanwhile, I'm getting mowed down by guys who seem to be able to fire forever.

I just want to remind everyone that the OP asked if the game was too hard if one only has limited time for it. I think any game is very difficult if you're just a casual gamer. From Motorstorm to Warhawk....doesn't matter. If all you can get on a game is a couple times a week, chances are you're gonna get rocked. And when it comes to COD4 specifically, my feeling is that a casual COD4 gamer is going to be especially challeneged...and only because early ranked players don't start out on even terms with the higher ranked players. Say what you will about getting used to even the first guns, but when someone else can shoot me through walls, I'm at a disadvantage.

Not if you don't give your position away

Meaning, don't shoot where you're hiding, and if you do then immediately move to another location -or- if you're at a level to get the UAV perk, then use it along with a silenced weapon.

I'd say just take it slow at first. I was way too eager in the beginning to run out and shoot some fools, Rambo-style or RFOM style. But start out camping a bit -find a spot and nail a couple guys when they run past you -then move on, keeping out of the open. Take your time and walk around each map, finding the nooks and crannies. Before long, you'll start noticing patterns people get into on each map that you can exploit for more kills.

Like previously said, if you don't care about your Kill/Death ratio, play a lot of Domination and HQ -it will get you used to how chaotic COD4 online can get, and give you practice shooting a lot of people at once. i.e. going for flags or the HQ.

Most importantly: HAVE FUN! My best matches have always been when i'm calm and relaxed -the guys just seem to always be in the way of my bullets when i'm in that mode. When I let the game piss me off, I start sucking bigtime.

IMO it helps to know the maps..... which just takes game time... Also if youre first starting out pick up other guns you see on the ground..... M4, G36 very accurate and mobile.
Also "build" up a gun. Like the MP5. Very accurate gun, mobile and fast shooting. Work with it and try not to switch that much to other guns..... dont use a RPD and then try the MP5 again. It throws things off. You run a lot slower and it takes more time to raise that heavy gun to get your sights. So pick a gun and stay with it. And shoot in bursts... helps keep the gun stable

Watch the kill cams, to see how you got shot and why. You may have thought you were in cover, but were not... Also stay out of the open areas.

Oh and about the jerks with the golden guns.... I might be one of them
I have the gold uzzi, AK47, shotgun (forget the number) and the M60

The two biggest issues when you first start.
1. MOST IMPORTANT, until you know the maps, you'll have a hard time. Get to know them quickly, either through custom games or just going for it right away in matchmaking.

2. Lack of weapon perks. This one is nowhere near as important as #1. I still use the MP5 without any sight adjustments, its very precise and accurate. The M16 is a bit tough to use without red dot but you can still rack up kills pretty quickly with it.

One thing I can't stand on this game is when I'm shooting (especially with a machine gun) that thing is all over the place. Then I see some guy run by me and start lighting me up with a machine gun and when it shows the killcam that damn thing isn't even moving. Pisses me off. Oh, and the guns need more stopping power because when I shoot people that are running towards me and end up getting killed with a knife.. well that just isn't fair.

And the 50 cal isn't a one hit one kill weapon? I should be blowing people arms off with that thing.

It is kinda weird how in this game, and in Warhawk as well, that the knife has the strength of a bazooka. Then again, maybe it's actually pretty realistic. Whenever I cut myself at work, I drop everything and cry like a little school girl! I'm thinking getting shot would send you into shock almost immediately, if it didn't kill you instantly. Where as a knife wound really kinda freaks me out.

I do think the knife is a bit overpowered..and slow. UNLESS you are in Hardcore matches, then it takes two stabs to kill someone with a Knife..still a bit to slow for me.

Are you playing on maps on normal settings or choosing hardcore games? I only play hardcore due to using a full clip to take someone down. It just seems more realistic when a person receives two bullets to the chest or head and drops like a sack of potatoes. I have gone back to the normal games and see how hard it is to kill a person. And the 50 cal has done that to me where a person get shot in the shoulder and keeps going. In real life his body would be swiss cheese but making the 50 cal too powerful would unbalance the weapons and game. Maybe turning up the damage a notch on the 50 cal would be appropriate.

I just thought I would say that this "slow firing" weapon is the best in the game! With stopping power and deep impact on all you have to bring to the party is aim A triple tap in the head region will take all but people with juggernaught down. Two sprays to the chest will also suffice.

I find the key to online COD4 is memorizing the maps and matching the perks to your playing style. For example, I use extreme conditioning because I'm always running around. I never stay still, and i get a lot of kills by catching campers off guard. I've never used any gun except for the MP5 for more than one match. I feel that i'm the fastest with it, and with the red dot scope, I don't need anything more for my close combat style. I'd say you have to invest 24 hours into online play before you start getting good.

anyone else think the LMGs are pretty cheap? I understand spray and pray, but these guns take it to a whole new level. I typically run out of ammo on assualt/SMG unless I have the bandolier perk (usually because I can stay along for a decent time). I just think the LMGs are both too powerful and have too much ammo.

I just starting playing online after beating the single player game a few days ago, and I have to say, its rather impressive.

The single player game does a good job of getting you prepared for what lays ahead in the online game. Just knowing the controls are the first step to holding your own when facing other human AI.

If you're use to shooters (I'm a Socom player my self) you shouldn't have to hard of a time to picking things up. I would suggest starting out with Free-for-all, as it's the easiest way to learn the maps and level up. I've only logged in about three hours so far and have won about five games, which I don't think is too shabby. The key is to learn the maps, which I'm still in doing, then find the weapons that you like and stick with what works for your play style. It's really no different than another other really really good shooter.

Also get a mic if your going to want to take on any of the team-based modes. Your useless if you can't communicate there.

I really believe that people on this site have a distinct advantage when playing online because most, if not all of us are gaming with a nice surround sound system. I know that when I'm playing online, hearing gun shots and foot steps from all angles lets me know right away that I need to be prepared for what's around the corner.

That extra speaker behind my head in my 6.1 setup has saved me a bunch of times already. I can't believe that some people listen to music while trying to play. I can hear their tunes through my Bluetooth headset and all I can do is laugh as I sneak up and shoot/stab them in the back.

Just regular games. Maybe I'll have to try some hardcore matches.