Over the past year I have personally become consumed with Modern Warfare 3 and the Call of Duty series as a whole, learning the intricate details of what makes the series so appealing to the mass market, learning the tricks of the trade and scrambling for inside information on the future of the series and how the next instalment will differ from the one I spend quite a large portion of my current gaming time playing. It’s been quite an arduous process sifting through all the apparent ‘in the know’ leaks that have emerged, with lists of possible weapons, perks, maps and a bunch of ideas and features that were claimed to be coming to the final code. Thankfully, with the multiplayer trailer coming out earlier this month and now a tonne of gameplay streams readily available from Gamescom most of it can be pieced together and with that I’ve compiled a list of what I feel you guys will be most interested in and my opinions on the direction they’ve chosen to take.

* Any of the items and features listed here are subject to change as they’re not based off of the final code, but most - if not all - are highly likely to be included.

Lethal & Tactical Equipment

Sometimes when you need that extra something in battle it’s time to pull out a piece of lethal or tactical equipment to turn the tide of battle and with Black Ops 2 it seems Treyarch are giving us more equipment than ever to play around with. All the usual stuff returns, such as your Semtex that sticks to enemies and surfaces, Claymore’s that lay in wait for the next unsuspecting victim, and the good ole’ Tactical Insertion that spawns you in a place of your choosing.

Here is a list of currently confirmed Equipment that should appear in the multiplayer.

Lethal Equipment - Grenade, Semtex, Combat Axe, Claymore C4, Bouncing Betty

Tactical Equipment - Sensor Grenade, Flashbang, Concussion, Shock Charge, EMP Grenade, Tactical Insertion, Smoke Grenade, Black Hat PDA

There is a few that stand out me in that list, the Combat Axe primarily, which will act as the Throwing Knife and get you an instant kill upon impact. The Shock Charge once thrown will stick into the ground and detonate when somebody runs by - much like Bouncing Betty’s - and temporarily disable the enemy’s movement and vision. Sensor Grenades will most likely act in the same way as Recon Pro did by painting enemies on the mini-map upon impact, whilst the most interesting has to be the Black Hat PDA. This gem sees you pull out a data pad and allows you to hack into enemy Care Package and Scorestreaks and such to convert them over to you. Now is it just me or does this sound stupidly awesome?

Maps

One of the more common things from the feedback is the fact that the new maps are less smooth than they have been in the past, with many hilly areas with jagged edges. This makes it harder to Head Glitch as there are far less straight edges to peak your head from behind. This is clearly an intentional move to help make the game more flowing and less about duck and cover tactics and I’m all for it. A prime example of this is with the new map Turbine, which is set in a canyon with many turned and unturned wind turbines littering the map. This map in particular features many ways to travel, meaning a lot of flanking possibilities. Cargo will be a more centre-focused map - set in LA - with most of the action drawing to the centre and only a few alternate routes to take. Yemen is the Counter Strike type map with battles taking place in its dusty streets.

The last map on display at Gamescom was Aftermath, which also takes place in LA, but in an area that has been destroyed as a consequence of war. Each one seems to offer something a little bit different, with Turbine the one that I’m most interested in running around. I feel I could do some real damage there, especially on the sections with bridges where defensive tactics will really come into play. I should also state that all the maps on Black Ops 2 while stunning and the best visually to date, they are still non-developing, meaning that the environment and such isn’t destructible nor are there real-time events as such that alter their appearance in anyway. I’m glad they’ve opted for this route because usually you have enough to worry about without a change in your surrounding’s becoming a further deterrent.

Modes

One of the more exciting thing’s to emerge in recent days is the inclusion of Multi-Team game modes that allow for a maximum of 18 players in up to 6 teams. This is a first for the Call of Duty series and the potential tactics involved in having many smaller units whets the appetite. The only two modes revealed to allow this thus far are Hardpoint and Team Deathmatch, the former a brand new mode in itself, similar to Headquarters where players must capture and defend a certain zone of the map. Now think about this and then think about 6 different teams all vying for that one position and you can imagine the chaos that is bound to ensue.

Online Ranking

In an effort to push Black Ops 2 into the eSports market they’ll now be introducing an online ranking system that offers matchmaking based on your skill level. This will determine your most recent performances, seemingly based off of your win-loss ratioand place you with similar abled players in a more competitive match environment. Obviously the better you become the harder the opposition and as you progress and move up you’ll be placed in a league and be rewarded with various emblems that reflect your current position. These ranked matches aren’t compulsory if it’s not really your thing, but it is nice for those who want to be recognised as a skilled player amongst their peers.

For those just looking to play the game in its original ranking format each player will also be required to navigate the standard 55 levels found in Black Ops with the option to Prestige at each plateau. The way to unlock weapons, equipment and such this time around is based around a token system that provides you with one per level in order to purchase your desired item for that Prestige. However, there will be more items to purchase that there are levels so if you want to complete your collection so to speak then you’ll need to enter a new Prestige to do so.

Streaming & Commentating

More firsts for the series are the abilities to stream from your PC or console, and to enter any match and commentate on it freely. The streaming system does away with the need for a PVR in order to get your full gameplays up on YouTube and sends the file directly to your PC or tablet device ready for editing. This is a huge step for Treyarch and if the system is successful from day 1 then it will really be a big draw for those looking to make a name for themselves in the online community. The new commentator tools will work hand-in-hand with these streaming abilities, allowing someone to watch the game as a spectator, move the camera around, display the scoreboard at key times and all the while narrate over it. This can then be saved and uploaded for the world to watch and enjoy.

That’s it for our Black Ops 2 Multiplayer Blowout for now. I’ve tried to cram as much information as possible into it so that you’re bang up to date on all that has been happening in quite a hectic week where a lot of jumbled information has been floating around. Here you have it all in one nice, easy to navigate place and that was my aim when I began writing this. I’ll be sure to post any more major details as and when they’re leaked closer to the time of release, but for now, peace out and happy gaming.

Black Ops 2 Multiplayer Blowout – Part 1

Black Ops 2 Multiplayer Blowout – Part 2



Craig Bryan, NoobFeed

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