Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (November 2012)

[sven]

Originally Posted by Rival11

I'm honestly just sick of leveling up....I really am. And yes, I am one of those types that believes games have evolved past the standard obejective formula....people are now starting to want to hang out in their games so to speak (i.e. the shows in GTA IV, The night springs shows in Alan Wake, etc...) but I honestly think developers just don't know where the hell else to take things right now (and yes I am useless in this regard as well - I have no f'n clue how they would evolve the hang out portion) but it's the direction games are heading in and it's awesome.

For a COD, I would prefer to just start up the console, have every damn weapon at the ready and just go out and have fun.....I honestly think the Elite premium system hits on this as you can by weapons in advance upon your first prestige but the downside to this system is that you have to pay.

But either way........COD is such a powerhouse that I think it's kinda obvious that they don't need a leveling system to keep their fans around.

Is it really that hard to level up once?

[Rival11]

Originally Posted by sven

Is it really that hard to level up once?

It's not and the game is still fun even if youhave to but put it this way........I don't have much time to play anymore and it took me like 7 damn months to become a level 80 - I want them higher level guns sooner damnit!!!

[foxdvd]

I am one of the few people that just does not "get" the zombie mode. I really don't get ANY horde type mode in games. I usually find a few hours of fun with most...with Gears being one of the few horde modes that hold my attention more than 1 day. Even that gets old quick.

I think about the terrorist hunts on RSV 1 and 2. In a way it goes for the same type of co-op experience as a horde mode, but with a set number of enemies and a goal. They were simple, but so much fun. We spent many hours doing those over and over. GRAW was another. By putting simple mission goals, and making each kill harder, it just seemed to have purpose.

The idea of a zombie mode in the next Black Ops that played out sort of like Left 4 Dead (where you work toward a goal) or even mission based (get into a building with zombies to retrieve data/people and get out) would have a lot more appeal than another horde mode.

It is the reason I loved the spec-op missions in mw2 and 3. I wish those were expanded to include 4 players.

[sven]

Originally Posted by Rival11

It's not and the game is still fun even if youhave to but put it this way........I don't have much time to play anymore and it took me like 7 damn months to become a level 80 - I want them higher level guns sooner damnit!!!

That is why I like prestige tokens and the ability to unlock gear. Prestiging in MW3 is pretty painless cuz I've unlocked everything I need. It generally takes 1-2 matches to get to level 4. Then it take 2-3 matches to unlock the attachments and proficiencies I need for my guns.

Originally Posted by foxdvd

I am one of the few people that just does not "get" the zombie mode. I really don't get ANY horde type mode in games. I usually find a few hours of fun with most...with Gears being one of the few horde modes that hold my attention more than 1 day. Even that gets old quick.

I think about the terrorist hunts on RSV 1 and 2. In a way it goes for the same type of co-op experience as a horde mode, but with a set number of enemies and a goal. They were simple, but so much fun. We spent many hours doing those over and over. GRAW was another. By putting simple mission goals, and making each kill harder, it just seemed to have purpose.

The idea of a zombie mode in the next Black Ops that played out sort of like Left 4 Dead (where you work toward a goal) or even mission based (get into a building with zombies to retrieve data/people and get out) would have a lot more appeal than another horde mode.

It is the reason I loved the spec-op missions in mw2 and 3. I wish those were expanded to include 4 players.

I loved Zombie mode in WaW but got very tired of it in Black Ops. The more complicated they made it the less interest I had in it. Never really got into the spec ops missions though. They were just smaller versions of the campaign missions which were already pretty boring to me.

[Michael Corvin]

I prefer the open endedness of zombie mode. Minor objectives are good but I prefer them to be a secondary focus. Kinda like a bonus. I.e. do objective X and get kick ass weapon Z. That way objectives are optional on nights you don't feel like doing them.

I am worried that with 8P zombies that the maps will be too big for a group of 4 to manage.

[Matthew Chmiel]

Originally Posted by Boba Fett

Considering MW3's sales numbers are still below Black Ops and the game is now $40 new (in comparison, until MW3 came out, MW2 was still holding at that price point, a few years after release), I'd say people are getting tired of it.

As of March 11th, 2011, Black Ops sold 13.6 million units across all platforms. By that period in time, Black Ops was out for four months.

As of the first week of sales, Modern Warfare 3 had already sold over 12.6 million units across all platforms.

So tell me again where MW3's sales are still below Black Ops? In fact, as per the last NPD, video game sales were down 25% to this time last year... but what's still in the top ten games being sold?

MW3.

[atrium]

Originally Posted by Rival11

But either way........COD is such a powerhouse that I think it's kinda obvious that they don't need a leveling system to keep their fans around.

I don't know, I think a lot of the more serious players live by the leveling system, and no doubt Activision puts it in there as a reason to keep coming back to COD, so customers don't forget about it. Personally, I've never been a fan of the leveing system. I like ones that actually reward you for doing good (Halo 2 f.ex.), not just for how much time you waste in a game. Seriously COD leveling seems like the most unsatisfactory system ever to me, not sure why people like it.

Also, it's dumb that they put complete noobs at a disadvantage to pros because they start with such crappy guns. The system seems backwards, making it hard for noobs initially?

Originally Posted by sven

I loved Zombie mode in WaW but got very tired of it in Black Ops. The more complicated they made it the less interest I had in it. Never really got into the spec ops missions though. They were just smaller versions of the campaign missions which were already pretty boring to me.

Same. Play it enough and you'll realize it pretty much plays out the same just about every time. And yeah some of the later maps with the easter eggs were a bit much. I did 'em once for the achievements and that's it. Beyond that, I couldn't be arsed. It's kind of weird people will only buy BO2 if it ships with zombies. If it's anything like the last games, it'll ship with 1-2 maps. I can't see how anyone could justify $60 for 1-2 zombie maps.

I've been to level 45 (I think?) in Der Riese, so I can safely say it's preparation from around levels 1-20, and boring repetition beyond that. Kiting around in circles for hours, yay lol.

[fumanstan]

Originally Posted by atrium

Also, it's dumb that they put complete noobs at a disadvantage to pros because they start with such crappy guns. The system seems backwards, making it hard for noobs initially?

I mentioned this earlier, but I disagree with this. People can hold their own with the early guns without an issue, at least from my experience. And since people prestige regularly, you see people with all sorts of levels for the most part.

[Michael Corvin]

Originally Posted by atrium

It's kind of weird people will only buy BO2 if it ships with zombies. If it's anything like the last games, it'll ship with 1-2 maps. I can't see how anyone could justify $60 for 1-2 zombie maps.

I not only buy it only if Zombies are included, I buy it and only play zombies. Never touched the campaign in BO1 and only messed around in MP for a single night.

Sure Black Ops only came with 2 maps, but we played the shit out of them. We're talking, 4-5 hours a night multiple times a week. At first I was annoyed at the cost of entry since I don't play the campaign or MP(like my friends), but in a few nights(launch week) I'll easily put in as many hours as it takes to beat a Bioshock or Tomb Raider which also cost the same. Also annoying buying a $15 map pack for one map, but the hour per dollar ratio works out okay. It took awhile to rationalize that though. Still can't rationalize putting WaW maps in the Prestige & Hardened editions of BO1 for an extra charge though. I already bought those maps once, kind of a bullshit tactic.

I thought for sure they would spin off Zombies into it's own game this time around but I'd much prefer a Zombie "shell" on the marketplace for $10-$20 then just purchase single maps for the shell. I have a shit ton of wasted hard drive space dedicated to COD maps I've never even seen.

Originally Posted by sven

I loved Zombie mode in WaW but got very tired of it in Black Ops. The more complicated they made it the less interest I had in it.

I can agree with this to an extent. They added something to every map and just built on everything prior so at some point it's just too much. I think Moon was that point for us, and maybe ShangriLa. We didn't bother with the Easter eggs in either, but the shit with having your helmet on in certain areas, little devices to carry around, unlock shit here, go over there, etc. It ceased to be fun on Moon. Law of diminishing returns I guess. Up until that point, it was still just "kill zombies & survive as long as possible."

As for the mode itself, it's just getting together with friends working as a team to get progressively further each time out that is a blast. We have a lone wolf in our midst though that inevitably kills it for us many times, but it keeps it interesting. And yeah, the first levels are all about prep and sometimes that doesn't go smoothly either. It's a good "hang out" mode.

[foxdvd]

the evil vgchartz says MW3 is the best selling in the series...

[Matthew Chmiel]

A new trailer dropped yesterday:

Originally Posted by foxdvd

the evil vgchartz says MW3 is the best selling in the series...

Modern Warfare 3: 28M units +
Black Ops: 27M units +
Modern Warfare 2: 24M units +
World at War: 14M units +

Crazy to think MW2 is really what set the stage for the CoD franchise to really hit the mainstream. It'll be interesting to see how many copies Black Ops II moves. I know most of my friends have already pre-ordered the game simply to get the Nuketown 2025 map.

[glassdragon]

Holy shit, is that the candyman at the beginning?

[slop101]

Originally Posted by Matthew Chmiel

Crazy to think MW2 is really what set the stage for the CoD franchise to really hit the mainstream.

It actually started with CoD4:MW, which ended up selling almost 20 million, though it wasn't "huge" right away. I remember getting it the day it came out, and I was thoroughly enjoying the multi-player, that is for a few month, until sometime in January when I noticed that the online community for the game had gotten, not just considerably larger, but far younger and WAY more annoying to play with. That's when I knew the game was a huge hit.

[Rob V]

^^ I remember the hacked games

I've yet to experience that garbage with MW3 (that I know of).

[TallGuyMe]

my only complaint in MW3 (and MW2) is the ricochet feature. sure it was often annoying, but team killers and how to handle them were an interesting twist to a game.

[Rob V]

[quote=TallGuyMe;11304503 but team killers and how to handle them were an interesting twist to a game.[/QUOTE]

As someone who mostly plays Kill Confirmed and Infected, what are team killers?

[TallGuyMe]

Originally Posted by Rob V

As someone who mostly plays Kill Confirmed and Infected, what are team killers?

previous versions before MW2 I believe, did not have the ricochet feature, meaning if you were playing hardcore, and shot at one of your team mates, you would actually kill them without any real penalty (save for a deduction in points) on your part. of course people also took it to extremes and armed themselves with an RPG, and the moment the game started shot it into the ground killing as many people on their own team (and themselves) as possible. Dick move, but it still was a cool twist on the game, IMO. They should allow an option to play hardcore with ricochet off.

[Osiris3657]

[sven]

About time they add a fire select option.

[Boba Fett]

I really hope the MP is more Black Ops and less MW3

[Osiris3657]

^thought you were done with CoD games?

[redrum]

looks good

Treyarch runs this series now

[Boba Fett]

Originally Posted by Osiris3657

^thought you were done with CoD games?

I still like Black Ops a lot and if this is a return to that, I'll give it a try. But yes, as far as the MW series goes, I'm done; I didn't even keep MW3 a month before dumping it.

[redrum]

the maps on MW3 are just turrible, haven't played any of the expansion packs though

[Matthew Chmiel]

Originally Posted by redrum

the maps on MW3 are just turrible, haven't played any of the expansion packs though

DIS-A-FUCKING-GREE.

Out of the original maps that came with MW3, Dome and Hardhat are a blast. I also dig Arkaden, Bakaara, Resistance, Village and Underground. The other maps I could care less for. However, the DLC maps have added some great maps like Liberation, Piazza, and Oasis. Again, there's also a lot of mediocre maps that have been added too (like Sanctuary).

I haven't been a fan of the Treyarch-produced COD games, but I'm really digging the UI changes to multiplayer. With the addition of the fire select option, I'm now a little bit more pumped for BOII.

... and if it sucks, well, we have Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in less than two weeks and Halo 4 a week before this.