All We Know About Black Ops So Far

by **w1zw4rd** Tue Aug 17, 2010 4:31 am

Everything We Know So Far
Updated: August 10th, 2010
All new information in this color.

Game Information

Genre: First Person Shooter
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Treyarch
Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC, Wii
Release Date: November 9th, 2010

Campaign Information

* The trailer released on May 18, 2010, which indicated that the game will have a story stressing the fine lines between good and evil, as well as a greater amount of story featuring the Vietnam War than previously suspected. They have also said that Black Ops will feature considerably more stealth than any previous entries in the Call of Duty series.
* Vietnam, Cuba, the Arctic, Laos and Russia have been confirmed as locations in the game.
* Beyond the single-player story, the game will have a cooperative mode for two to four players and an online multiplayer mode. As for the story, players will see it story unfold from the point of view of at least two main characters in multiple covert international conflicts. “Our writers are focused on telling an epic story,” Lamia says. “You will see the evolution of some of these characters through time and the conflict.”
* During the Cold War, Lamia says, “there were these black operations, these deniable conflicts, there was unconventional warfare that occurred. Uunderneath the surface of this cold war, there was this hot war and it was taking place between the superpowers. This is not Russia of today, this is the Soviet Union of that period, whose leaders would say, we will bury you. But under the threat of mutually assured destruction, these conflicts never could go hot. So they put together these black operations to carry out conflicts.
* Research for the game included consultations with Maj. John Plaster, a veteran of the Studies and Observations Group (SOG), a multi-force black operations unit led by the Central Intelligence Agency during the Vietnam War. (He also wrote the book SOG: The Secret Wars of America’s Commandos in Vietnam).
* Black Ops doesn't take place during just the Vietnam era, it spans a large time period in which you'll see the characters you play as age.
* The campaign mission featuring the Blackbird SR-71 is called 'Weapons of Mass Destruction. It sees you controlling troops on the ground while you sit in the cockpit on the edge of space. The idea throughout the game is variety, fresh aspects of gameplay, that have never been seen before, not just your average FPS missions.[/color]
* No game has ever really ventured into the Cold War setting before. This allows Treyarch to 'own' the period, allowing them to take the story where-ever they want, and create missions that you wouldn't recognize from your average historical time-line.
* There is another mission during the battle of Huế city, just before the Tet Offensive in Vietnam, called “Slaughter House”, in which critical intelligence must be retrieved from an MACV compound. As previously said, think of the Black Ops missions as a needle, sewing it's way through history, and not just sticking to the battles you know. Set in an urban environment, there are tons of effects, lighting, and explosions, all running at 60 fps.
* Character development is key - your will experience the characters over an 'expansive' amount of time, allowing you to observe the changes they undergo. It is also stated you are not simply another Private - you command the battlefield.
* The game engine is a huge advancement on the World At War one, keeping things running at 60 fps.
* “Not a single multi-player map was converted from the single player campaign.” Auto Aim is also back. Vehicles return, and there is also 'something new' about the prone position and the Create a Class 2.0 concept, not sure on the details.
* So for the first time in Call of Duty, you’re the most important person on that battlefield. You’ll play primarily as two players, Mason and Hudson, and you are the biggest bad-ass on the field. No longer are you just a normal soldier, you are now the guy – you can give commands and you’re the one everyone is going to listen to. So, another first for Call of Duty, you’re going to have a voice, you know in all the other Call of Duty games you’re just a Private Miller or whoever, and you don’t have a voice, everyone is shouting at you and giving you orders to go over here or there, but now you’re the guy and you can tell other people what to do.

Multiplayer Information

* Vehicles will return, but they will be very different than those in Call of Duty: World at War.
* Co-Op is going to be four-player online stand-alone – a unique experience to the single-player. It also supports two-player split-screen.
* There is going to be a "Barebones" playlist which removes things like perks, attachments, killstreaks, etc.
* Treyarch is considering releasing a beta-build test, and has hinted that it is likely.
* Matchmaking is being changed so that it is easier for friends to play together.
* Some campaign levels will be based off of multiplayer maps instead of the typical vice-versa. This is because some multiplayer maps were made before the campaign was finalized.
* Create-a-Class 2.0 will allow players to customize their appearance in addition to their loadout.
* Player customization is a huge thing. They created more of a Create A Class 2.0, or honestly, it’s more like 5.0 but they've really blown the system out and you can really customize pretty much anything.
* Multiplayer is going to be very rich and deep. We’ve had a team working on multiplayer from day one, and it’s been huge. And so this time around we’re focusing on two main core pillars – socialization and customization. So the game will exist outside of the battlefield, so when you’re in the lobby and just chatting to your friends, or when you’re online or at work or whatever, the game exists in all these other areas, and we really want to cater to players who want to play with their friends or with a clan or create tournaments or leagues and they’re going to have tools and resources available to them to really focus on player socialisation.
* Host migration from MW2 will be included.
* Improved Server browser.
* PC version will have an anti-cheat program named Punkbuster.
* The customized killstreaks will return, but the game-ending Tactical Nuke will not. Kills earned from killstreak rewards will not count towards increasing a player's killstreak.
* The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 perk 'Commando' is not expected to return.
* The PC version of the game will feature dedicated servers.
* Gun customization to a new level. It seems as if now players will be able to etch their clan tag into the back of their gun. It also seems that weapon customization is in because of the smiley face seen on the first gun in the MP teaser and if you look closely, his "Red Dot" is a smiley face. This isn't 100% confirmed though.
* Players now have the ability to "dolphin dive".
* A new theater mode has been implemented and you can use a lot of features such as managing segments, adding transitions and even uploading your clip.
* You'll be able to place two attachments on one gun (similar to "Bling" from MW2) as seen in the MP teaser.

Killstreaks

* 3 Kills: RC Car
* 4 Kills: Care-Package
* 5 Kills: Archangel Missile
* Unknown Amount of kills: Harrier, Napalm Strike, Gunship (of some sort)

Callsign Emblems & Backgrounds
*Everyone seen in the MP teaser*

*

Camos

* Woodland
* Arctic

All Videos Released

* Exclusive Debut Teaser Trailer [High Definition] [Standard Definition]
* GT Pop-Block: Debut Teaser Trailer [High Definition] [Standard Definition]
* NBA Eastern Conference Finals Teaser [High Definition] [Standard Definition]
* Debut Trailer [High Definition] [Standard Definition]
* Rewind Theater: Call of Duty: Black Ops Reveal Trailer [Youtube]
* E3 2010 First Details Interview Part 1 [High Definition] [Standard Definition]
* E3 2010 First Details Interview Part 2 [High Definition] [Standard Definition]
* Call of Duty: Blackops Remix "Won't Back Down" by Eminem [Youtube]
* E3 2010 Microsoft Press Conference Gameplay [High Definition] [Stand Definition]
* E3 2010 Breach Gameplay [High Definition] [Standard Definition]
* GoodGameTV insight into Blackops [Youtube]
* Debut MP Teaser [High Definition] [Standard Definition]

Interviews & Screenshots

Interviews

* AusGamer interview with Community Manager Josh Olin [Click Here to View]
* Joystiq interview with Producer Dan Bunting [Click Here to View]
* MCV interview with Josh Olin [Click Here to View]

First Look Event Wrap-Ups

* WePlayCOD: http://bit.ly/blOIlS
* WeTheGamerz: http://bit.ly/beIQnG
* CallOfDutyZombies: http://bit.ly/91CecE
* BASHAndSlash: http://bit.ly/ddmaHm
* Aggregame: http://bit.ly/cRSj4r
* COD360: http://bit.ly/cnCfzW
* @Cannonsimp: http://bit.ly/c8blul
* @MorganJEast: http://bit.ly/azFZfo
* @II_F0XH0UND_II: http://bit.ly/98EDvr
* @Se1fDestructive: http://bit.ly/9a1el0

Screenshots

* Screenshot 1
* Screenshot 2
* Screenshot 3
* Screenshot 4
* Screenshot 5
* Screenshot 6
* Screenshot 7
* Screenshot 8
* Screenshot 9
* Screenshot 10
* Screenshot 11
* Screenshot 12
* Screenshot 13
* Screenshot 14
* Screenshot 15

Confirmed Weapons

Assault Rifles

* AK-47 [Information] [Confirmed]
* CAR-15 Commando [Information] [Confirmed]
* M16 [Information] [Confirmed]
* AUG [Information] [Confirmed]
* FAMAS? [Information] [Confirmed]

Sub-Machine Guns

* MP5k Prototype [Information] [Confirmed]
* MAC-10 [Information] [Confirmed]

Light-Machine Guns

* RPK [Information] [Confirmed]

Bows

* Crossbow [Information] [Confirmed]

Shotguns

* Spas-12 [Information] [Confirmed]

Pistols

* M1911 [Information] [Confirmed]
* .357 Magnum [Information] [Confirmed]
* Colt Python Snub Nose [Information] [Confirmed]

Launchers

* M202 "Grim Reaper" Rocket Launcher [Information] [Confirmed]
* RPG-7 [Information] [Confirmed]
* China Lake Pump Action Grenade Launcher [Information] [From GKNOVA6 suitcase.]

Attachments

* Swarovski Scope [Information] [Confirmed]
* Suppressor [Information] [Confirmed]
* Grenade Launcher [Information] [Confirmed]
* Flashlight [Information] [Confirmed]
* Red Dot Sight [Information] [Confirmed]

Alternate Ammo Types

* Dragon's Breath [Information] [Confirmed]
* Explosive bows [Information] [Confirmed]

Grenades

* M67 Frag [Information] [Confirmed]
* Semtex Grenade [Information] [Confirmed]

Special Grenade

* Smoke [Information] [Seen on the cover of OXM]
* Flash Grenade [Information] [Confirmed]

Other

* Knife [Information] [Confirmed]
* Ballistic Knife [Information] [Confirmed]
* C4 [Information] [Confirmed]
* Flamethrower [Information] [From GKNOVA6 suitcase.]

Sources: Call of Duty Wiki, Gametrailers, Wikipedia, IGN