Call of Duty: Black Ops

NeuroticSarge · May 01, 2010, 06:53:46 AM

Black ops eh? I'm sure someone will go on about 'racist' overtones?

markav · May 01, 2010, 08:21:57 AM

Teaser trailer
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/exclusive-debut-call-of/64933

GamerMan316 · May 01, 2010, 10:12:11 AM

Failed · May 01, 2010, 11:11:17 AM

Quote from: NeuroticSarge on May 01, 2010, 06:53:46 AM
Black ops eh? I'm sure someone will go on about 'racist' overtones?

They should have used a more neutral colour like .... beige $:-\$

markav · May 01, 2010, 12:29:19 PM

It seems that the over zealous retailers are keen to offer us more insight into Call of Duty before GameTrailers get their moment in the limelight.

According to GAME's website in the UK, Call of Duty: Black Ops will take you to Cuba, the Arctic and of course, the widely rumoured Vietnam.

According to the site...

"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!"

Sounds like a well travelled affair this one.

The alert ones out there will also have noticed the price on the GAME site if you clicked through the link. Yes, an RRP of £54.99, with it selling for £45. Looks like they're taking no prisoners... again.

Failed · May 01, 2010, 12:53:25 PM

Quote from: markav on May 01, 2010, 12:29:19 PM

The alert ones out there will also have noticed the price on the GAME site if you clicked through the link. Yes, an RRP of £54.99, with it selling for £45. Looks like they're taking no prisoners... again.

£20 in all major Super Markets

nCogNeato · May 03, 2010, 02:35:04 PM

[changed thread subject to "Call of Duty: Black Ops"]

GamerMan316 · May 11, 2010, 08:40:05 AM

COD: Black Ops detailed in USA Today

American newspaper USA Today has gained an exclusive look at a level of this year's Call of Duty: Black Ops, and has confirmed that the game's co-op mode will support four players.

The level, previewed in the paper and on its games blog, is called "WMD" and is set in Russia's Ural mountains in 1968.

Players begin by looking down on the action from an SR-71 Blackbird spy plane, directing a group of four black ops soldiers on the ground to guide them past a convoy of Russian troops. You won't be piloting the plane directly.

Then the action switches to the team on the ground as the four operatives infiltrate a Russian radar station. A scoped crossbow provides a stealthy sniping weapon, but by changing ammo on the fly - a new feature for the Call of Duty series - it's used to accurately place explosives.

Despite these touches, Treyarch's game isn't going to rewrite the series' rulebook. "The firefight that ensues is textbook Call of Duty," says USA Today, chaotic and intense, and cinematic moments include a dramatic rappelling scene and a cliff-hanging close.

Confirmation of four-player co-op comes in USA Today's interview with Treyarch head Mark Lamia. The article, ambiguously, describes this mode as "beyond the single-player story".

The game's story will encompass "at least two main characters in multiple covert international conflicts" over quite a long period of time during the Cold War. "We are not getting into the exact period of time, because it is part of our story that we are going to reveal later, but it does cover a longer period during this era," said Lamia.

Lamia revealed that it has done extensive research into the secret warfare of the period, consulting with a veteran of the innocuous-sounding Studies and Observations Group, a CIA-led black operations unit that fought in the Vietnam War. A former Soviet special forces soldier also contributed to the game. The modified crossbow, and its use to place explosives, is an example of a gameplay element that came directly from their accounts.

"Variety of gameplay. Variety of setting," are Treyarch's watchwords for Black Ops, Lamia said.

Call of Duty: Black Ops is due for release on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on 9th November.

GamerMan316 · May 14, 2010, 10:22:27 AM

Call of Duty: Black Ops: New gameplay details out
First look at new CoD in OXM and PC Zone

The first details on Call of Duty: Black Ops are in, via new issues of Official Xbox Magazine and PC Zone.

As reported, Black Ops is a Cold War-era deniable-ops shooter that tackles Vietnam, the frosty Russian Mountains, the Loation undergrounds and everything in between. Developer Treyarch hopes the locations will inject some much needed variety into the CoD series.

OXM describes Black Ops as "unbelievably gorgeous", with snazzier smoke and fire effects, better draw distance, more convincing character animation and "incredible" lighting in some scenes.

You play as a member of the Studies and Operations Group (SOG), a pocket of CIA-sanctioned forces whose methods are unconventional and actions deniable.

SOG missions the mags saw include rappelling out of a helicopter into Hue City to verify that the Russians are setting up shady backroom deals, and a stealthy operation in the Ural Mountains called 'WMD' which has you repelling down the side of a ridge, Modern Warfare style.

Another level, which kicks off with a helicopter crash into the Huong River, has you swimming a diving through the murky waters - with only your knife for company.

New weapons include the Crossbow, which can be used for both stealthy kills and an explosive tip secondary fire shot, the M202 rocket launcher and an incendiary shotgun.

Of course as you'd have seen in the debut trailer that Black Ops also features pilotable vehicles, including the SR-71 Blackbird (which has you guiding troops on the ground past guard patrols - a bit like Modern Warfare's own air missions) and the helicopter, which OXM stresses is fully controllable - you even have helicopter-on-helicopter gun fights.

As far as multiplayer goes Treyarch is staying quiet, though vehicles will return (but "not the way you remember them"), some kind of co-op mode as well as increased character customisation.

For many, many more details - and the world's first screenshots - pick up issue 60 of Official Xbox Magazine and issue 221 of PC Zone magazine, on sale from today.

GamerMan316 · May 14, 2010, 10:29:15 AM

Treyarch has 'taken risks' with CoD: Black Ops
Lamia says it's time for change

Treyarch head Mark Lamia has said that the studio is stepping out into deeper waters when it comes to Call of Duty: Black Ops in order to make it stand out from World At War.

"We've taken some creative risks," Lamia told OXM. "We want to do something different than we've done before. We want the game to speak for itself."

Having had a good hard look at the next edition of the CoD series, OXM seem to think that Lamia's team have achieved what they set out to do:

"Without letting much slip about the single-player campaign plot, Treyarch demonstrated the sheer bredth of experiences you'll have in Black Ops," said the mag.

"Without mincing words this is guaranteed to be one of this year's very biggest and best Xbox offerings."

GamerMan316 · May 17, 2010, 06:12:13 PM

Treyarch reveals COD: Black Ops details

Developer Treyarch believes Call of Duty: Black Ops will finally put the studio on level pegging with IP pace-setter Infinity Ward.

"We've taken some creative risks," studio boss Mark Lamia told Official Xbox Magazine. "We want to do something different than we've done before.

"It's time," Lamia added. "We want the game to speak for itself."

Those creative risks Lamia mentioned included letting players pilot helicopters and empty rounds of missiles (the series has previously limited players to manning a mounted mini-gun).

Other vehicles will return but "not in the way you remember them from [World at War]," according to the preview.

In Black Ops, you're an elite soldier on a hush-hush mission with orders to get the job done under any circumstances. The magazine preview mentioned that you will come into contact with North Vietnamese troops at some point.

Another headline new feature is four-player co-operative play. Treyarch revealed that there will be dedicated co-operative servers to power this.

Multiplayer will of course return, and Treyarch appears keen to gain ground in this area. Internally multiplayer was up and running very early, and feedback from World at War has been fastidiously researched.

Matchmaking has apparently been altered to make playing with friends easier, and character creation will use kit and perks to offer more customisation than before.

Treyarch changed the subject when OXM asked about a wave-based Nazi zombie mode.

A multiplayer beta is being "considered".

Last week USA Today took us through a similar opening portion of Black Ops. Details spilled from that preview include the double-viewpoint storyline, revelation of a crossbow weapon and a spot of cliff-hanging.

Call of Duty: Black Ops is due for release on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on 9th November.