Call of Duty: Black Ops

[pureinsanity]

Lawnie, just make another ps3 account for your son, that should take care of his own profile. Than you two can chose what name you wanna use. If he is on yours again, be sure to let me know so I can keep the vulgar language to a minimum.

Profanity is party of my English. I usually catch it, but most of the time I do not even notice I said it!

[pureinsanity]

I do not care about the stats, I REALLY hate the invite system. I think they should just show the people who are online and playing the game not my whole friends list of 30+ people. I also hate that the option to quick invite can only be used internally on the game not when you are in the ps3 friends list.

Also the one other thing that bugged me was when I was the host, my parties name tags and arrows on the map showed up as blue on the first match after that they went back to green. I also do not like how little the names are on the screen but I can see that being beneficial when the enemy is looking at you

I cant wait for a month or two later when everyone stops using spy planes so I can go back to run and gun strategy. Seems like for now every 15 seconds or so there is a spy plane in the air. Luckily I shot down 85% of those as soon as they got up in the air!

[pureinsanity]

I look forward to your commentary on Thursday Dietz. Make sure to eat an early early dinner....

[Larry FlatCaster]

Campaign is sweet....Story is awesoem... were hung up on one spot though....

Can't wait to start up the Multiplay... I guessing I'm already falling behind.

[JP Z]

I also had the problem where Deitz didn't have the right playlist BOOOO. Otherwise thought it was decent. Not sure if it lived up to the hype.....to me the graphics didn't seem as good.

[pureinsanity]

Campaign is sweet....Story is awesoem... were hung up on one spot though....

Can't wait to start up the Multiplay... I guessing I'm already falling behind.

You should have saved the campaign for a rainy day when no one is on , At first it took me a little bit. First couple matches I maybe went 4-10, a couple after that I had about a 50/50 KDR, than I started getting into the higher stats, 28-5, 21-6, than I fell right back into the 4-10 stage haha!

You will do fine, and from what I heard you like to hide and get people so you will do fine!

[Bigbartguy]

hey can you guys tell what this is?

every once in a while I would walk over something and get some icon would flash on the screen....looked kinda like a blue or green? Wii nunchuck or controller?

at least once, I was around a dead body when I saw it.

[pureinsanity]

I also had the problem where Deitz didn't have the right playlist BOOOO. Otherwise thought it was decent. Not sure if it lived up to the hype.....to me the graphics didn't seem as good.

I am curious about this error? What nat type do you guys have? I have open maybe that makes a big difference.

[DTro]

Yep saw that too bbg. Almost looked like scavenger

[JP Z]

I have an Open nat type so that isn't it.........just some weird thing with host migration or the like. Well maybe not migration, but something hosty.

[Shack]

It was odd that I and Jack were able to play with you guys for a while, but then I couldn't get back in with you.

Did you get an error when I tried to invite you last night?

Yeah! At one point last night I bailed to grab some quick food, powered down the Xbox and powered back up when I jumped back on & I could not accept Dtro's invite. An error message came up that his menu data was older than mine and he needed to power down his Xbox. We also had issues with adding people to our party. They would drop as soon as we tried to merge into a match. Figure opening day bugs.

Just an FYI. There was an instant update. If you some how have not done this I would do it.

There are some huge positive points I do like about this game, besides DD's reasons.

1) Two players per console can play on-line. My two boys have gone almost fist to cuff over who gets to play with MW2. Just sick of that, plus I feel like a creep telling my kids to bug off because dad is playing.

2) Change & adjust your class's during the match break period with out having to back out. Instead of just being able to flip between class's, now you can modify your class or class's while waiting for the next match/round.

3) When the host of the party pulls out, the entire party comes with. No more "Backing Out". If you want to pick someone up just say it and the host back out. This is a small thing for right now though. Once you back out, pick up another player, you loose that player when merging anyways.

4) Coordinates on the minimap. Once you gets used to it, it will be much easier to relay to your team where to go and where to watch out.

5) Yes the stats are over kill, but they have done a better job of separating them from the needed stuff when things like kills streaks and class's need attention between matches.

I know there is more and will add them.

Dtro covered most issues I have seen, but what I do not like is:

1) IMHO the graphics and backgrounds are not as good in detail and graphics (ripples and fluid) as MW2 was and still is. I am playing on an LED flatscreen while suing an HDMI cable w/dtr 10.4. MW2 I was living the game. COD BO I am just playing the game. IMHO the graphics are not all that far away from the last game I got really into the release:

2) The background and forward audio IMO sucks. The audio/sound overlay adjustments are pretty poor. I will give them props for the Black Ops' score tracks because some of them are very cool, but they burst in with audio at the beginning of the match which makes you turn it down and you find yourself at a low volume through out the game. Never happened in MW2. Plus during lobby time it is hard to hear others because the back ground music is up very loud. I am sure it is just an adjustment, but with MW2 never needed to figure this out.

3) Sound effects and sounds very poor. As Dtro said the footsteps drive you crazy. There is no clear cut sounds for many of the actions that had these sounds with MW2. A sniper hits you from across the map, no sounds of the bullet hitting you like MW2. The dogs are unleashed you can hear them barking from across the map. The count down timer in the game lobby gives you less than 3 seconds to save your adjusted class (add this feature of adjusting class's but forget to add the proper alert). Many other sound effect issues. I became used to the defiant & clear sound effect that let you know that you made a hit marker, flash bang or grenade toss worth the effort, but things like this are their but almost undetectable. The RPK-74 is horrible. They used the same sound you heard in MW2 as an indication of a hit marker in the sound effect of the gun being fired. You can not tell is you penetrated the enemy anymore until you see the XP points pop up.

4) Too many background actions not pertaining to the match your in. Space rockets going off, test nuke countdown, locking down and opening things. I understand what they were getting at but I feel they should have scaled back the involvement of these not match things just a notch or two.

5) NO DANGER CLOSE! Enough Said! The Perks are weak!

6) I like the idea of the buy your unlocked item, but IMO I would have rather seen more effort put into better weapons than a system that allows someone to buy up. I am an unlock as you go type of guy, but maybe that should be left to the campaign?

7) I feel the accuracy and fluid of motion with the actions like throwing, jumping, climbing are bogus. The double tap and drop ordeal actually caused you bodily harm . The grunts and noises you make when doing this or climbing I still am wondering if the enemy can hear you. Sneak attach would be gone when trying to flank the sniper up on the perch if you grunt your way up while climbing.

There are more and you can bet on me listing them. Even though actually this very cheap entertainment, but I am feeling it should be pretty easy for Infinity Ward to blow this out of the water or maybe the offspring of IW?

I would be pretty wizzed up if I had purchased a 2010 Jeep Wrangler because of this game.

It maybe a plus or a minus, but I hear there are 50 prestige levels to get to the point where you do not level up no longer? So you have to go threw the 10 levels of prestige (like MW2) and then go on to 50 more levels? Might make the modded lobby more popular or maybe not. Most of the modded stuff is being carried over to Black Ops from MW2. Lag switching, programed nod controllers, glitching and hyper crazy junk, I saw most of this last night.

[pureinsanity]

I have an Open nat type so that isn't it.........just some weird thing with host migration or the like. Well maybe not migration, but something hosty.

All the systems are having troubles currently after research. No one has reported my issue with the party up names being blue. But its not that big of deal...

Now people are complaining that the famas is fully auto instead of 3 shot burst. Personally I like the FA way better than 3 shot burst. I would like to see is an option to change fully auto weapons to 3 shot burst or single fire. That would be key in my eyes! Press select or something to change the rate of fire!!!!

M16 and Famas should be FA instead of 3 shot in my opinion

[pureinsanity]

Just an FYI. There was an instant update. If you some how have not done this I would do it.

Quote:

When the host of the party pulls out, the entire party comes with. No more "Backing Out". If you want to pick someone up just say it and the host back out. This is a small thing for right now though. Once you back out, pick up another player, you loose that player when merging anyways.

This will be awesome when it actually works! I only had it work on me once or twice last night.

Quote:

The background and forward audio IMO sucks. The audio/sound is pretty bad. I will give them props for the Black Ops' score tracks because some of them are very cool, but they burst in with audio at the beginning of the match which makes you turn it down and you find yourself at a low volume through out the game. Never happened in MW2. Plus during lobby time it is hard to hear others because the back ground music is up very loud. I am sure it is just an adjustment, but with MW2 never needed to figure this out.

In the beginning when you first popped in your cd you should have been able to adjust this. I always always turn down the game music to about 50% when I play any game. If anything I found this game to be way louder than MW2 (also a setting you can set at the beginning when you put your cd in) When playing MW2 my Receiver always had a volume of about 30 just so I could hear some things. I set the volume to the same and started playing and before you know it I had the people upstairs telling me to turn the tv down. I had to set my volume at 42 for them ..

Quote:

Sound effects and sounds very poor. As Dtro said the footsteps drive you crazy. There is not clear cut sounds for many of the actions that had these sounds with MW2. A sniper hits you from across the map, no sounds of the bullet hitting you like MW2. The dogs are unleashed you can hear them barking from across the map. The count down timer in the game lobby gives you less than 3 seconds to save your adjusted class (add this feature of adjusting class's but forget to add the proper alert). Many other sound effect issues.

I do not like the helicopter sounds either, You can barely hear the helicopter shooting at you and boom you are dead.

Quote:

Too many background actions not pertaining to the match your in. Space rockets going off, test nuke countdown, locking down and opening things. I understand what they were getting at but I feel they should have scaled back the involvement of these not match things just a notch or two.

I personally like this element as it adds distraction to the game, Specially when the rocket takes off and the whole map shakes! I remember deitz going [PoorWordUsage] is going on, what is that, ahhhh.

Quote:

NO DANGER CLOSE! Enough Said! The Perks are weak!

THANK GOD! I only got nube toobed ONCE last night and I LOVED THAT IT ONLY HAPPENED ONCE!

Quote:

I feel the accuracy and fluid of motion with the actions like throwing, jumping, climbing are bogus. The double tap and drop ordeal actually caused you bodily harm . The grunts and noises you make when doing this or climbing I still am wondering if the enemy can hear you. Sneak attach would be gone when trying to flank the sniper up on the perch if you grunt your way up while climbing.

I agree with you here, specially on the climbing, however the jumping over things or out a window I like the fact that you cant stop, that it automatically throws you over the object! This will ensure, or well at least stop most elevator glitches, and or people from finding new ways to get into things. However I was still able to find myself finding some spots where I could get on a roof here and there.

as for prestige. I don't even care anymore, I use to prestige, but now I will just unlock everything and be good to go!

[shnelson]

Yeah, I say give it a few days guys, I really like it actually.

It's a good change. They actually added in a little skill level for shooting people, you just can't give a couple of taps and take someone out on the other side of the map with a pistol.

I'm not a big stats guy either, so I just ignore them.

I REALLY like the contracts and the money system. Very good idea. The wager matches should be fun too. The only problem is that it is like real life for me......I cannot save a dime.

One thing I don't like is the footstep sound effects. I kept finding myself spinning around looking for someone, when it was only my own footsteps I was hearing. For that reason alone, I went with Ninja.

I like the Map voting system and the maps themselves are really cool. The soundtracks are sweet.

For me the overall feel is a little less "acrady" and to me that is a good thing, however I cannot see me getting any high kill streaks without being able to use the rewards to rack them up. That is going to be very tough in this game.

Not sure it tops MW2, but it's right up there and will keep me busy all winter I'm sure. Pretty cheap entertainment actually.

+1 on everything you said! It's no MW2, but I don't think anything will ever live up to it to be honest. BOPS offers changes on many levels, and most of them I like. The graphics do seem a bit weak, I wasn't a fan of the 2d smoke & dust sprites I came across last night.

I do think I'm going to switch exclusively to HC modes only, just like I did with WAW. Going to give it a run tonight to see how I like it - but I think the results will be in my favor.

Some things I learned last night:

1) Ghost and Ninja are a MUST. Like dtro mentioned I found myself chasing my own footsteps all night till I switched.

2) FAMAS + silencer = win. AK74u is a great alternative.

3) Bops seems to have the same irritating network glitches as WaW. I have discovered that joining as an xbox live party you have a better chance at everyone getting in.

4) When using the RC car, your right trigger is not the accelerate button. Not sure where I got the correlation from, but I blew myself up a few times before kicking the habit.

[pureinsanity]

Ghost and Ninja will be a must for at least a month if not more. Until people get better and learn maps all they are going to do is rely on Spy planes and radar looking for red dots and gun shots

[Shack]

Quote:

It's no MW2, but I don't think anything will ever live up to it to be honest.

MW2 was many versions into the Call of Duty series when it came out. Does this mean it is all over? MW2 was the peak? Good luck to those who follow?

Or was Black Ops just hyped up as "The Best" when all relaity it was clipping taken off the virtual editing room floor from MW2 thrown together by Treyarch to scrape up the last Billions to be made on the COD games?

For gosh sakes I was falling asleep/nodding off during game play last night.

Quote:

This is across the board, the biggest investment that we’ve ever made in a launch of a title. And I think when audiences see the product, they’ll see why we’re doing it this way. But the market opportunity is bigger than it’s ever been. The installed base of hardware is bigger than it’s ever been. The product has incredibly broad appeal, but it also has a whole host of functions that are going to be unique to the core consumer. And from that perspective, we feel like it’s the most appropriate Activision product to put these kinds of resources behind. And I think there’s a lot of competition, not just from games but from a whole host of other things that you can do with your leisure times. And this is something that we think has the potential to break through and appeal to a much broader consumer base than ever before.”

Hey thats great! But what about scaling back the launch spending and putting those funds into the game? You make a good addictive game, the launch means nothing. Eventually it will leak out how good the game is on-line and in the media and you will have the following. When a launch is pushed like this, it bring into IMO creditability of how good the game really is.

AH it is just a game. Part of the reason I got out gaming. I got a box filled with about $400-$500 worth of hyped-up N-64 games that bombed but when released where billed as "The Best Gaming Experience Ever".

Very few video games have given me the pleasure MW2 has or instantly did. The key to my point is my use of plural in the word "games". MW2 was not the first or will be the last game to have the title "hard to be topped" used with it. You just have to avoid buying the fluff in between. By the way things look on-line, I have to consider the on-line play of Black Ops as, well this video sums it up:

Click to reveal.. (Click if You Dare. Sensitive People Might Not Handle This Well. )

Pure I never used Danger Close until maybe into Sept... IMO it is the Bomb.

I am however looking forward to using the:

OK that is the end of any review from me. As I say to those who complain on-line, write a letter and that is what I am going to do. I guess that is all you can do besides just not playing it, like the other 20 Xbox games my kids have gotten over the last couple years that they had to have but played for a month and went back to COD 4 or MW2.

[pureinsanity]

In time I bet you will like it once they tweak the game a bit. Thursday night throw downs will be fun!

I am already excited for a little dietz commentary! Hopefully this time he can hold his dinner down.

[shnelson]

For gosh sakes I was falling asleep/nodding off during game play last night.

that explains your negative KD

What this comes down to is Infinity Ward vs Treyarch. IW, in my opinion, put out the best multiplayer versions of the COD series (COD1, 2, 4 & MW2). Treyarch did a bangup job of cinematic and single player experience, but fell short of the online dynamic in all of their efforts. I loved WaW single player, and only played multiplayer when i'd get sick of CoD4 whilst waiting for MW2 to hit shelves. I was only able to check out a couple of the solo missions last night, but it looks like it will not disappoint.

With my previous statement of nothing being able to live up to MW2, I mean it in the sense of the COD series - but that's because I've followed it from the very beginning on the PC. IW losing their two core guys after MW2 is the root of my concern, plus I figure if I keep my expectations low I'm that much easier to please!

[pureinsanity]

Up Next Call Of Duty: Afghan Warfare?

[Shack]

I never really said I do not like BO or will not play it. Really who am I and who cares, but IMO it is not worth the hype that was billed prior. Also just feelin' disgusted with myself and the flashback into the reasons why I will, once again, never pre-order a game based on being/trying to out wow, it turning out to be basically the same as the last one. Black Ops IMO is a $60-$70 vaccination for what a $10.00 map pack would have cured and given me just as much "change of pace" this fall.

Yes Nelson I found myself cutting out (falling asleep) during kill cam. Waking up and boom! The enemy is spawning right next to me. Nuke Town was the worst.

I will admit I have not followed anything with COD prior to playing MW2. I was under the impression Black Ops was the last ever game with a Call of Duty title? I also agree Nelson it could mean a long lull in the gaming experience. Some think splitting the pot is a positive (Activision, IW, TT parting ways with revenge on the minds of everyone) where with other things similar I have been involved with it only leads to spending cash on the basis of hope.

[pureinsanity]

I at first thought it was pretty lame after all the talk, But I still got into it. I think personally I still so far prefer MW2, but I am giving this game a chance, and well I might find myself going back and forth for a while. Only time will tell.

[Deitz Dittrich]

In time I bet you will like it once they tweak the game a bit. Thursday night throw downs will be fun!

I am already excited for a little dietz commentary! Hopefully this time he can hold his dinner down.

LOL @ rat.. god forbid I ever get good at this game.. I might even start talking smack.. as for right now you will have to live with WOOOOOOOOOOWHOOOOO I stabbed someone..".. be vewy vewy qwiet, wewe hunting bad guys..

[pureinsanity]

Hey you were top dog that one round! So maybe the stealing of the carepackage helped you but you stole a couple! That's a couple more than I did! You will be fine! you just need to get past the motion sickness part! As long as we don't hear you hacking up your lunch well be good

[DTro]

Holy cow Shack, they got you you all fired up. LOL

I pretty much knew what to expect after playing Modern Warfare, and then switching to World at War. Treyarch just makes a different game that's all. The best game ever made couldn't have lived up the hype for this game, you just have to take it in stride.

Could they have done better in some things? Yes of course, but IMO they could have done a LOT worse too.

The next couple of weeks, you will be seeing a bunch of glitches and or hacks and then a few patches, rinse repeat.

I also think the game will open itself up more when everyone starts unlocking everything and building their character and working on challenges/contracts.

[pureinsanity]

over 7 million copies of Black Ops for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC were scooped up yesterday. That would best the number put up by Modern Warfare 2 by around 10%. A staggering 4.5 million Black Ops sales came from pre-orders.

That's impressive!

Jeff just go get a new system! Quit smoking for two months and you will be able to afford one!