CoD Blops is out! It’s launched with a bit of a problem though… there is something wrong with the optimization or engine causing extremely skippy and/or hitching gameplay. This isn’t what I meant when I said it would be different this time! This comes as a surprise since MW2 launched flawless right out of the box. The CM for Treyarch says that they are aware of “the issues”, so here’s hoping the performance improves.
Aside from the performance, the gameplay is excellent. I was livestreaming some earlier.
Here’s a quick list of impressions from multiplayer:
- Leaning is back! This adds additional depth to the game.
- Prone is in, unlike Bad Company.
- A new sprint-to-prone dive is in with an accompanying animation. Is traditional dolphin diving still possible?
- Unlocking stuff by purchasing what you want with points is now my preferred method over that of traditional unlocks (MW2 style).
- Maps are so-far-so-good. I like the snowy one with the warehouses.
- The guns feel really good.
- It’s slower pace than MW for sure. This might be from the maps or from the guns. My verdict is still out on the cause, but I know that I like it.
- Dedicated Servers = a.m.a.z.i.n.g., but you already knew that.
- Some of the new toys are really cool. Placing a camera or a jammer, for example, makes things more interesting.
I’m really bummed about the performance. It’s pissing a lot of impatient people off the deep end (justifiably so, I guess?) and that’s never good for the PC’s reputation. Hopefully a hotfix comes soon. People have been theorizing that it’s being caused by a netcode problem. If you check your lagmeter in-game there are packets being lost when the video stuttering occurs. Is this because there is only one provider of dedicated servers and they’re bogged down or is it a more serious issue? My fingers are crossed, but in the meantime I’m willing to suffer the lag.
The lags alot more managable than it was earlier today, so it seems that in about a week or 2 it should be golden.
To my shame I did not know Black Ops was a “full title” until today, I’d ignored it assuming it was an overpriced expansion.
So while I regretted missing out on pre-orders and their attendant bonuses, at least now I can hang back a bit until they fix the stuttering.
No bonuses for pre-ordering. If you buy one of the more expensive versions you get some coop maps.
I was kind of curious if it had gotten a big upgrade when it comes to PC-customization, as MW2 suffered a horrible case of consolization and was really a “fuck you” to PC FPS players. But seeing as you seemed to like many aspects of MW2 it will be hard to judge how much one can go by your comments on the game.
Customization is MUCH more comprehensive (and better) in Black Ops. Honestly, Black Ops is simply a better game; so much so that I would have rather waited the additional year and never played MW2 had I known this was coming.
As far as customization, you can:
– change your face paint
– whatever weapons you use change your appearance to match what you would wear using those weapons.
– can camo/paint your guns, decal them, etc
– can buy (in whatever order you wish) just about all upgrades.
– You can customize the 3 types of things you carry: Frag-like, flashbang-like, and equipment-like.
– lots more.
Might be just me but it seems that most people take 1-3+ more bullets than they should, and pistols are under par. But this could be just because of the lag.
I went like 25-6 with just a pistol. The asp is an amazing shot.
whats with the f^%$n ADS EVERY 30 SECONDS?
Lag makes this game basically unplayable…
I went with the 360 version, as I always do these days due to RSI in my wrist. I would prefer dedicated servers on the consoles as well (some actually do that!) but it hasn’t been totally horrible so far.
It’s still COD fast game play, which is a turn-off for me, and Bad Company 2 will still be my go-to FPS but CODBLOPS seems just a *teensy bit* slower than MW2. I do enjoy not only the vast amount of customization but also that most things, aside from the weapons themselves, are available for COD Points rather than your level. It makes your prioritize your choices for how to spend those points you earn, and the Contracts to earn extra XP/COD Points just makes things even better.
I don’t have the time or willingness to dedicate myself to FPS anymore to become one of the hotshot players, so the Combat Practice is nice with a few friends to be able to see some of the Killstreaks that I probably would never get to use in a real multiplayer game.
wait.. LEAN?
As in, Rainbow 6 ladder match style ‘peek’? Where you can actually peak around corners?
Say it is. It’s my number one gripe with current FPS. You do better bunny hopping than using cover and positioning cleverly.
Hopes up.
Keen or/and others; what are your preference? Bad Company or Black Ops? I intend on buying one of these two, but I’m in doubt of which.
Thanks in advance!
@Kim: Other than the fact that both Bad Company and Black Ops are first-person shooters, the games are night and day and arguably aimed (pun intended) at different audiences, to some degree. Black Ops (and all Call of Duty games) are very fast-paced, and very selfish (as in, it’s all about you, Mr. Solo Hero, even in team matches) which also attracts the younger crowd. But it’s also very good for quick pick up and play matches then you can put it down and walk away. The Battlefield games — even the Bad Company ones — are more focused on teamwork and accomplishing objectives on much larger maps. The pace is also drastically slower than a COD game, and between that and the teamwork focus, they tend to attract a somewhat more mature crowd. I prefer the slower pace and the feeling (illusion?) of fighting for a more meaningful overall goal for my team rather than leaderboard points, but I also enjoy the occasional romps in the faster-paced arcadey shooters like Black Ops too.
Maybe read up, watch some videos on each one? And decide what your personal preference is for game play style and pace is. COD has constant instant gratification as well, and a very fast leveling pace, which matches the pace of its game play and that also has some attraction to a lot of players who grow impatient with the much slower leveling of Bad Company.
@Kim: If you asked me several years ago I would have said I like the Battlefield model. This was around the BF2/2142 era. Now I would said that the CoD model is far superior. Between the two, if the lag is fixed then I like Blops more. We’ll see which I like more when BF3 comes out, though.
Curious, with the PC version, how do you feel the graphics are compared to MW2? On the PS3, the grapics — at least on weapons — are a big step down. Really, like MW1 era on some of them. The initial M16 looks great on the iron sights but the barrel and stock look almost untextured. Step up if you crank the graphics?
I’ve noticed a few curios downgrades in graphics as well — notable on the M16 like you mention. I’ve also noticed it on some walls textures. It could just be sloppy on their part.
As a whole, I feel the graphics are about the same. Not a big step up or down. Performance is down though, which makes me wonder.
Graphics are Lower than Mw2’s, and if I was going to buy either BfBc2 or Black Ops, I would wait for Black Ops to become stable. Right now its just a headache. If you get BfBc2 prepare to be gustav’d.
Single Player graphics on the other hand, are very good. Been playing it while i kill time for servers to stabalize.
@ Keen: I think why Chris and you feel the M-16 “looks” like it has less textures is not a downgrade in graphics but Because the way the old M-16a1 looks. In MW1&2 they have the New M-16a4(I think a4)in their game. Black ops is 1960+ so it’s the old school M-16. It’s a very dull and very plain looking weapon.
Black Ops graphics look the same as MW2 to me but i’m playing on the Xbox. Anyways I hope this helps
@Scott: I hear people say that all the time… That game over there “attracts the younger crowd” more immature kids and our game has the “more mature crowd”. I have played every BF game(I think anyways)PC & Xbox and I have seen just as many Aholes in BF vs. any other FPS.
I’m not trying to attack you. Just saying every game will have immature players . I don’t feel Cod has it worse then BF.
there is A LOT of drop shooters, almost every other person goes prone during fire fights (me being one of them now) but dolphin diving is impossible due to the determined animation when you dive, for a second or so afterward you cant fire.