CoD: Black Ops Preview

Call of Duty: Black Ops (also known as simply Black Ops) is the seventh main installment of the Call of Duty series and is currently being developed by Treyarch.^[2] The confirmation of the game's development was leaked by David Kim, a senior animator at Treyarch, in May 2009. Black Ops is said to be set in various locations, including Vietnam and Cuba, ^[3] and judging from weaponry and dates given in the trailer, it is set between 1960 and 2010. It is planned to be released on November 9, 2010.^[4] Treyarch has stated that Black Ops will be much grittier than Modern Warfare 2 and that the differences between World at War and Black Ops will be as significant as the differences between Call of Duty 2 and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.^[5] The trailer released on May 18, 2010 indicated that the game will be significantly more story-oriented and will focus on military cover-ups during the Cold War. Treyarch has also said that Black Ops will feature considerably more stealth than any previous entries in the Call of Duty series.

Settings

Vietnam, Cuba, the Arctic, Laos and Russia have been confirmed as locations in the game.^[6]

Factions

Friendly

• Studies and Observation Group
• 1st Cavalry Division
• USMC

Enemy

• North Vietnamese Army
• Viet Cong
• Russian Forces

Characters

• Frank Woods - Member of the Studies and Observation Group
• Hudson - Playable character and a member of SOG.
• Mason - Playable character and a member of SOG.
• Reznov - Returning from Call of Duty: World at War and a member of SOG.
• Thomas - Playable character and the pilot of the SR-71 Blackbird in "WMD".
• Weaver - Character in "WMD".
• Swift - Character in "Victor Charlie".
• Brooks - Character in "WMD".
• Harris - Character in "WMD".
• Kravtchenko - Antagonist conducting a black operation in Laos.
• Bowman - Member of SOG.
• Campaign

Missions

• "WMD" - "WMD" is set in 1968 in the Ural mountain range. "WMD" features the SR-71 Blackbird and a new weapon, the Crossbow.^[7]

• "Payback" - In "Payback," the player is able to pilot a helicopter.^[8]

• "Victor Charlie" - "Victor Charlie" begins in a crashed helicopter, where the player must swim up the Huong River with only a knife.^[8]

• "Slaughter House" - The action-packed mission "Slaughter House" takes place in Huế, Vietnam, in 1968.^[8]

Co-Op Missions

• Black Ops will feature a dedicated co-op campaign, supporting up to four players, which uses different levels than the single player campaign.
• The 4 existing zombie maps from Call of Duty: World at War will return as part of the Prestige and Hardened retail editions. ^[9]

Multiplayer

General

• Highest level of rank is level 50 and prestige mode is still in online ranks.
• Vehicles will return, but they will be very different than those in Call of Duty: World at War; some are now killstreaks as opposed to map items, such as the Chopper Gunner.
• Some campaign levels will be based off multiplayer maps instead of the typical vice-versa. This change is because some multiplayer maps had been made before the campaign was finalized.
• The PC version of Call of Duty: Black Ops will feature dedicated servers. ^[10]
• Players can now record, manage, edit and upload in-game video clips to their file share via "theatre mode."
• Matchmaking is being changed so that it is easier for friends to play together.
• In-game currency will be used to purchase weapons and upgrades.
• In the Black Ops rank system, the player must level up to unlock weapons for purchase.
• Split screen online for the Xbox 360 has been implemented.
• Unlike in World at War, submachine guns will have full movement speed while aiming down the sights, as they did in most other Call of Duty games.

Maps

• Summit
• Launch
• Radiation
• Cracked

Gametypes

• Team Deathmatch will return; however, points for headshots and other bonuses will be added to the team's score.
• Capture the Flag
• Search and Destroy
• Demolition
• Hardcore Team Deathmatch
• Headquarters
• Sabotage
• Domination
• Combat Training: Fight against enemy AI in a training mode.

CoD Points

CoD Points are a new major feature of Black Ops. CoD Points will become the new in-game currency and will allow players to buy weapons, attachments, and Contracts. In addition to this, players are also allowed to wager these points in certain game modes.

Contracts

Contracts are a new system in addition to the classic challenge system in Black Ops. A player is able to buy a contract with CoD Points, which will then direct them to complete an object. Completion of a contract will yield a higher CoD point payout than what was originally paid for the contract itself.

Wager Matches

A new mode with a separate ranking structure than the standard online modes, will allow players to gamble with their money. However, only the top three will receive the prize. They will be placed into one of four random modes:

• One in the Chamber - each player is given a pistol with one bullet and a knife. For each kill achieved the player will receive one more bullet. However, each player will only have three lives.
• Sharpshooter - each player is given the same random weapon. The weapon will be used for 45 seconds before being switched out for another one. Kills will award the player with perks and score multipliers.
• Sticks and Stones - each player receives only a crossbow, ballistic knife, and a Tomahawk. The catch in this gamemode is that if the player was able to hit an enemy with a Tomahawk, the enemy player will go "bankrupted".
• Gun Game - players start out with a pistol. For each kill they move up a level, granting them a better gun. First person to achieve kills with all 20 weapons wins. However, someone who is knifed will move down a level.

Create a Class

• Create-A-Class 2.0 will allow players to customize their appearance in addition to their loadout. Players may see what their character looks like while choosing a class, as the player's basic appearance will be determined by their Tier 1 Perk. Players will also be able to choose a Facepaint pattern.
• Some sights such as the Red Dot Sight can use custom reticules which includes choice of shape and color.
• Gun camouflages will be featured in Black Ops and will be far more numerous than in previous Call of Duty games.
• Players' clan tags are engraved onto their guns.

Killstreaks

• 3 kill streaks: Spy Plane, RC-XD
• 4 kill streaks: Counter-Spy Plane, SAM Turret
• 5 kill streaks: Care Package, Napalm Strike
• 6 kill streaks: Sentry Gun, Mortar Team
• 7 kill streaks: Attack Helicopter, Valkyrie Rockets
• 8 kill streaks: Blackbird, Rolling Thunder
• 9 kill streaks: Chopper Gunner
• 11 kill streaks: Attack Dogs, Gunship

PC-only information

• The PC version of Call of Duty: Black Ops will feature dedicated servers.^[11]
• Modding tools and the leaning feature will return, though it is likely that the modding tools will come out a bit after the game has been released.
• The PC version will be using Steam as DRM and will be using VAC as an anti-cheating tool.
• Players can choose a server via a server browser screen or use matchmaking to send a lobby to a server chosen by the game.
• Dedicated servers must be rented.
• Unranked servers are completely customizable while ranked ones let the renter choose levels and gametypes.

Console-only information

• Treyarch has confirmed that it will be close to impossible to use any kind of mods in Call of Duty: Black Ops.
• Matchmaking is being changed so that it is easier for friends to play together.

Beta

• Activision has denied that a public beta for Black Ops will be released.