Call of Duty: Black Ops Megathread

[jefXfree]

Looks like that earlier report wasn't quite on the mark, as the next Call of Duty game from developers Treyarch now has a name, and it's not Vietnam. It's Call of Duty: Black Ops.

The game's website has accidentally gone live, and while no content of worth can be accessed aside from an empty blog, there's a big logo sitting there for you to stare at.

The "Black Ops" name certainly falls in line with our earlier guesswork, which was that the game's action encompasses much more than Vietnam, taking you on a tour of various Cold War hotspots. Or...it could just be a Black Ops team in Vietnam. We don't know, and won't know until later tonight when the game is officially revealed.

That giant date seems to suggest the game will be out on November 9.

Website: http://www.callofduty.com/blackops/home/agegate

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Pre-Order Trailer:

​

GameStop lists the Prestige Edition at $150 USD and the Hardened Edition for $80, but Activision has not released official pricing. The Prestige Edition features a working RC car with a camera that provides TFT color video and audio. The package also includes the Black Ops medallion, a PlayStation 3 Home Avatar, four co-op multiplayer maps, and of course, the game. You can also opt for the Hardened Edition, which includes everything in the Prestige Edition minus the RC car, sadly.

Spoiler

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Screens:

Spoiler

Last but certainly not least, we'd like to touch on some of the multiplayer/Co-op details that we were able to get our hands on. Although Treyarch isn't ready to rip the top off of the competitive side of things, we were given the chance to talk with Dan Bunting and David "Vahn" Vohnderhaar, who both are working extremely hard on the multiplayer portion of Black Ops. Instead of attempting to thread their words into a neatly woven paragraph, we're giving you bullet points. Dig in...

* The Black Ops mp team is twice the size compared to the mp team of World at War
* Work on multiplayer began on day one
* There is no time period for multiplayer, giving us access to more toys and tools
* Vehicles will return for mp, although not how you know them in CoD's of past
* The mp team reads the forums, blogs, Twitter, etc. and are sensitive to what the community says
* No mp maps have been taken from sp, although some sp maps have been taken from mp
* Create-a-Class customization is deep and includes many new features
* Focus is being put on varied playlists, including those for old school gamers ala Barebones
* The team is also focused on how to extend the game once you leave your console/PC
* Many of your favorite weapons will be seen, although we can't speak specifics
* Region filter will return
* Leave with party feature sounded to be making a return
* Host migration will be included
* Auto-aim ("Sticky Aim") will have a toggle on/off option
* Focused on preventing hackers/modders with a dedicated "security team"
* 2-4 play Co-op will return, and it's not Campaign Co-op, rather a "really fun co-op mode that you and your friends will love to sit on the couch and play". Speculate away people.
* It looks like dedicated servers will be returning to the PC version, although mod tools are still in question.

 

[Off_contstantly]

I'm amazed how they like to release war related games around Veterans' Day.

 

[BlueCali]

Call of Duty returns this November, but this is a Call of Duty like no other, this is Black Ops.

Now you will witness the birth of the Elite Special Forces and take part in off-the-record missions using unconventional weaponry to get the job done! From Cuba to the Arctic and the jungles of Vietnam, Call of Duty: Black Ops features stunning cinematic graphics and intense gameplay that puts you right at the heart of the action!

 

[Tek-1]

Although I'm getting real sick and tired of Activision, Infinity Ward (even though this is Tryarch) and Call of Duty in general this is actually turning out to be somewhat intriguing.

 

[BlueCali]

Looks INSANE!

 

[Wreck]

Treyarch > IW lol (no competition anymore eh?) I cant wait though, I love the old wars.

 

[iNCREDiPiNOY]

CODBO!!!!

 

[thunda123]

Treyarch > IW lol (no competition anymore eh?) I cant wait though, I love the old wars.

yeah, i'm def interested in this. It better have some more zombie modes too though.

 

[Wreck]

sweeeeeeeet Amazon just announced release date delivery.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003JVCA9Q/?tag=hidefnin-20

 

[Wreck]

* Treyarch are not fans of Commando, the extended melee range perk in Modern Warfare 2, and it is unlikely to return.

* They’ve tried a ‘manned’ version of the Sentry Gun killstreak, but weren’t fans.

* We may well see a return to pistols as the only available sidearm, or perhaps a choice between pistols and launchers. Vahn and many of the team are not fans of shotguns and machine pistols as secondary weapons – it gives a player ‘too much firepower’.

* The knife may well become a secondary weapon – although Vahn didn’t want to say too much.

* Finally, don’t expect the nuke to return as a killstreak. Vahn says they are not fans of a game-ending killstreak.

 

[DaMexiRican]

I hate Commando too...

 

[BigRick]

 

[DaMexiRican]

lol

 

[Wreck]

TROLL!

 

[BigRick]

 

[mobius387]

Call of Duty: Black Ops then. Looks exciting, does it not? Shame that we know bugger all about it, officially. But all that is about to change very shortly. This very month in fact.

Our sister magazines, Official PlayStation Magazine and Official Xbox Magazine (UK versions) have been over to developer Treyarch, and have scored the exclusive big reveals on the new Cold War CoD. New gameplay, new locations, new story details, apparently they've got the whole lot, but unfortunately we haven't been able to get a damn thing out of them. Not even with the promise of cake and fine wines.

We have our own theories on Black Ops of course. Tyler did this extensive trailer breakdown when said string of promotional moving images was released, and George has been looking up Vietnam on Wikipedia for details on weapons and battle tactics (Current theory is Call of Duty: Child Soldier Edition. Check out the last UK podcast for more details). But it looks like we'll have to wait for OPM and OXM's reports before we can confirm or deny any of this.

When will that happen? The mags are out on the 17th and 14th of May, respectively. In the meantime, we'll be buying more baking ingredients.

gamesradar.com/f/first-big-call-of-duty-black-ops-reveal-coming-this-month/a-2010051010247196059

 

[BlueCali]

A few more details on Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops popped up today, answering a few of the more pointed questions arising from the game's debut trailer.

Intrigued by the presence of an SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft in the clip? According to this report there'll be another "C-130" sequence in Black Ops, with a level tasking the player with manning a camera in the recon bird while issuing orders to troops on the ground.

Wondering about the kind of guns that will be in the game? There aren't just guns, there are also crossbows. And yes, all that snow you can see means that you won't just be fighting in the jungles of Cuba and Vietnam; you'll also be blowing stuff up in Mother Russia as well.

The game will also feature 2-4 player co-op, with the game's main story focusing on two characters over "multiple covert international conflicts"

 

[Scoot87]

this game is looking good, wish it was a world war 2 game though

 

[BlueCali]

These are from the Official Xbox Magazine article that hit news stands today. We’ll summarize and quote what’s written in the article. Feel free to click on any image to enlarge and read word-for-word. *Note the MAC-10 in the above image*


“We’ve taken some creative risks,” Lamia confides. “We want to do something different than we’ve done before. It’s time.”

“We want the game to speak for itself,” Lamia says repeatedly.

“Without mincing words, this is guaranteed to be one of this year’s very biggest, and best, Xbox offerings.” OXM

- We’ll be fighting the North Vietnamese Army in certain missions.
- You’re an off-the-grid, best-of-the-best badass with a more important secret agenda.

Spas-12 confirmed with Dragon’s Breath incendiary rounds

“You’re not just relegated to mini-gun man who holds down the trigger and nudges the aiming reticle around the screen. For once, you’re flying the helicopter. And firing the missiles. And the mini-guns. That’s a lot better, eh?” OXM

“The start of “WMD” sees you climbing into iconic Cold War spy plane, the SR-71 Blackbird. You take off, the screen fades out and you’re then providing recon from space to the troops down below.” OXM

“As you pick your way through the Huong River, you have to get past the huts and villages built upon the water. This means diving and swimming through the murky river with only your knife for company.” OXM

“So we’re stretching the rules a bit, but you have to see it in action. With a vertigo-inducing viewpoint and wach crash back into the cliffside felt with a bone-jarring thud, it’ll make you feel queasy.” OXM

- Vehicles will return, but “not in the way you remember them from WaW”.

- There will be “dedicated co-op” with separate levels. Treyarch changed the subject when we asked about World at War’s hugely popular Nazi Zombies.

- A multiplayer beta’s being “considered”, Lamia told us with a literal wink.

- Treyarch will be improving mulitplayer by taking on feedback – even going so far as to openly acknowledge the under-the-map glitches that initially plagued World at War.

- Changes are being made to the matchmaking to “make it easier for [players] to get into games with their friends.”

- Multiplayer was up and running so early that some campaign levels were actually built from multiplayer maps.

- Create-a-Class 2.0 will allow you to customise yourself like never before. This should include kit and appearance items as well as perks.

“Payback – This sees you clearing out a helicopter crew before jumping into the helicopter, take off and…you’re controlling it! It would be easy to slide into cynical gamer mode and expect to be relegated to mini-gun duty, but by god, you’re actually controlling the helicopter.” OXM

“The evolution Treyarch has undergone between World at War and Black Ops feels very familiar. In fact, we don’t have to look far to figure it out. We saw this exact kind of “oh-ha!” corner-turning in game design and execution from this very franchise back when Infinity Ward leapt from A-list to the AAA-list between CoD2 and the first Modern Warfare.

“We’re all-in on this,” affirms Lamia, noting that for a studio who previously had three games in development at once, their entire 200-plus roster is now focused on Black Ops.” OXM

As you can see from the excitement in this article, Call of Duty: Black Ops definitely looks to be impressing the industry. Judging by the comparison to the leap from CoD2 to Modern Warfare, it looks like we’ve got something great in store for us, something that we have yet to see from the Call of Duty franchise.

http://playstationinformer.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/oxm21.jpg[/IMG
[IMG]http://playstationinformer.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/oxm4.jpg

 

[Wreck]

+1 Crossbow FTW!