Sony Online Entertainment’s Planetside 2 is a free-to-play MMO FPS on PC. Much like it’s predecessor, Planetside 2 will continue to offer stunning graphics and massive competitive battles, along with adding modern day features that many first person shooter fans have come to love. Here’s a new trailer that shows off some amazing gameplay of ground assault troops.
[youtube id=”1HNlModij9A” width=”600″ height=”350″]
For beta keys, be sure to visit the official website.
More Black Ops II details surface giving us a peek at what the multiplayer might have to offer this November 13th.
Recently, studio head at Treyarch Mark Lamia talked to The Guardian about the advantages of the Call of Duty: Elite service having been up and running for a couple months now. He mentioned “we have the benefit of seeing how Elite is being used out there, and listening to the community.”
This can certainly only mean good things and further improvements when it comes to its integration in Black Ops II, something Lamia mentioned shortly after Black Ops II’s reveal. “There are a couple of things emerging that I’m hearing: people would like it to be more accessible when they are playing the game, so that they don’t have to go to another device. And I just think, in general, having it more tightly integrated is a good aspiration,” expressed Lamia.
GameTrailers, who recently crowned Black Ops II as the winner of their top multiplayer picks of E3, were able to get their hands on some multiplayer action during the event and also spoke of a few new features, hinting once again at the “point allocation system” we reported on earlier.
Here’s what they had to say about Black Ops II’s multiplayer: “It’s made a huge impression on us, featuring changes that are every bit as big or bigger than those made to the campaign, like more flexible loadouts, clever gameplay modes that make use of the advanced technology and a big push to support Esports.” This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about Treyarchs desire to push Esports in their next title, something gameplay designer David Vonderhaar spoke about earlier. It was also rumored that a massive free-for-all mode, including the use of EMP grenades where players need to hack into drones and turrets etc to fight by their side, would also be included. This is something that would nicely fit into the Wager Match game mode if it were to return.
Do you think the Call of Duty series could use better Elite integration? What do you think about the idea of a point allocation system in Create-a-Class?
BioWare brings on yet another N7 Bounty Weekend to keep Mass Effect 3 multiplayer junkies across all platforms busy this weekend. Operation: Savage begins this Friday, June 22 at 6pm PST and lasts until Monday, June 25 at 4am PST.
“With so many planets conquered in Council space, we are relying on material support from the Terminus Systems. Eliminating risks to our supply line is a top priority,” according to the official BioWare Blog.
Check out the challenges and rewards (which will be distributed on Tuesday, June 26 if the mission proves successful) below:
Allied Goal: Eliminate 7,000,000 trooper-level enemies: Cerberus Assault Trooper, Husks, Cannibals, Geth Troopers
Squad Goal: Extraction on any difficulty with the squad using a mix of krogan, vorcha, or batarian classes
Special Circumstance: None
Squad Goal Success: Squad awarded a Commendation Pack
Allied Goal Success: All players awarded a Victory Pack
Are you guys still participating in Mass Effect 3 N7 Bounty Weekends? Let us know in the comments below!
Battlefield 3: Close Quarters is now live for all PS3 users as of yesterday while all Battlefield 3 Premium members on the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC have already had their hands on it for one or two weeks by now. Regular Xbox 360 and PC users can expect to get their hands on it by the 26th of June.
Now, if your anything like me, you may have had some troubles adjusting to the new style of gameplay introduced with the Close Quarters expansion pack. Of course, there’s always that awkward period of learning new map layouts, but on top of that, the general design of these maps and style of gameplay is not what we’ve come to expect of Battlefield 3 thus far. This isn’t even mentioning the new game modes introduced in Close Quarters, Conquest Domination and Gun Master. So, to make the transition hopefully a little bit smoother, I’ve compiled five personal tips that I think might help those still struggling and those who’ve yet to try out the maps but want a slight edge upon their first attempts.
1. Weapon Handling
As a general rule, when it comes to weapon handling, consider firing from the hip and walking, not running, more often. Remembering to aim down sight is still an important technique to have in your bag of tricks, but it’s not necessary 100% of the time. Of course, if you’re staring at a guy down at the end of a long hallway, then you should have him in your sights as you fire. However, when traversing corners or areas with less room to maneuver, having that hip fire ready to go can keep your field of vision much clearer and can increase your reaction time. Remember, attaching a laser to your weapon will also increase the accuracy of your hip fire and is highly suggested for sub machine guns or carbines in these particular maps. Walking around those corners or tight areas will also ensure that you’re never caught off guard. More likely than not, you’ll be able to catch an enemy in an awkward situation if he’s running around like a mad man.
Now, I don’t want to tell you what type of weapon to use in these Close Quarters maps since that is a personal decision. But, if you’re having trouble, consider sticking to high rate of fire weapons with a decent magazine size. Basically, you want to keep reloading at a minimum here. To get you going, something like the p90 or MP7 with extended mags can really do wonders.
2. Act Quickly and Decisively
Personally, I find that the pace moves a lot quicker in these Close Quarters maps. It seems that, generally, you have less time to do the sort of things you could normally do in Vanilla or Back to Karkand maps. I’m talking about things like chasing an opponent down to get that sweet kill with your knife or taking the extra time to aim for that perfect headshot. If you see an enemy, I highly advise simply shooting him while you still can. Simply be pro-active when it comes to those few advantageous situations that may be given to you. Basically, always assume that there is an enemy beside or behind you. More often than not, most of my deaths seem to come from the side or behind in these Close Quarters maps. They also always seem to happen when I am chasing down my opponent or when I’m indecisive in a tense situation. Also, consider always staying on the move. There aren’t many safe areas in these maps to bunker down in.
3. Stick to Cover and Edges of the Map
About getting shot from behind or from the side: there isn’t a whole lot you can do in maps designed like this with out any safe zones, but it is possible minimize lines of sight to your position, minimizing the possible angles of attack. When traversing these new maps, try sticking to the edges and take cover when the opportunity arises. Sticking to the edges of the map will at least eliminate a few of the angles you could be attacked from, leaving you with fewer lines of sight to cover. If you must traverse an open area down the middle of a map, make sure to move cover to cover. Remember, however, most cover in these maps can be destroyed easily, thanks to the newly implemented HD Destruction. Consider moving quickly and figuring out what sort of structures can and cannot be destroyed.
4. Conquest Domination Tips
In Conquest Domination, its easy to simply run flag to flag, playing ring around the rosie with the enemy. However, you’ll most likely find that while your running around like a mad man capping flags, the enemy is right there behind you retaking the flag you just took. I find that you can be much more effective in a game of CQD by sticking to no more than two flags. Remember, however, that you cannot influence the enemies spawn position by leaving them only one flag, since you cannot spawn on flags as in the original Conquest mode. This means a flag you own could be attacked at any random moment. That’s why focusing your effort on one or two flags could prove more beneficial to your team if you can manage to hold them. If you’re in communication with a strong team, consider assigning positions to flag locations.
5. Gun Master Tips
When it comes to Gun Master, there’s not much to be said other than learn the weapon rotation, learn how to use each weapon with their respective attachments accordingly and keep those general weapon handling skills in mind as mentioned above. However, I will say that each map does have one or two “hot spots” that can be learned in order to constantly be in the action. This will also allow you to move with a purpose, rather than wondering around aimlessly hoping to find the enemy. There is, however, the issue of that dreadful LVG grenade launcher which does not explode on impact, like the M320 grenade launcher does. How the heck do you go about getting kills with that hideous thing? One could either spam the trigger, hoping to get lucky, or you could learn to outsmart the enemy. While it may be tough with the grenade indicator that appears on anyone’s screen when closing in on one, it is possible to grab the attention of an enemy, run away hoping they will follow and shooting a grenade at the area which you were spotted. If all works out, they will walk right into it. When it comes to getting that knife kill, same as above: stick to cover, stick to the edges of the map and flank.
Conclusion
Other than these tips above, success will also come in simple repetition. The layouts and hot spots of these maps must be learned in order to be truly effective. Hopefully, with these tips above, learning the maps will be your only concern.
Now, let’s hear from your guys! What are your tips and strategies for becoming the ultimate killing machine on these Close Quarters maps?
Infinity Ward’s Mark Rubin has commented on why assets related to Modern Warfare 2’s Terminal have been found in Modern Warfare 3.
Last month, Terminal appeared in Modern Warfare 3’s files as a Spec Ops mission. More recently, fan site CoDMapPacks reported on map names Terminal and Shipbreaker, which looks similar to MW2’s Rust, showing up on the map list in private lobbies.
Mark Rubin explained, via Twitter, that Terminal and Shipbreaker were added in preparation “for upcoming maps. Terminal is still on the fence but we are ready if we can launch that one.”
Mark Rubin openly admitted that the team behind Modern Warfare 3 is working on introducing terminal, one of Modern Warfare 2’s most beloved maps, to Modern Warfare 3.
The executive producer stated regarding why Terminal hasn’t been released yet, ” it’s a tech issue with delivery.” He went on to confirm that it will noy be included in the DLC model, which mirrors what Ex-Infinity Ward employee Robert Bowling promised. Rubin assured, “yes [Terminal] will be free.”
Of course, there’s nothing final about the addition of Terminal, but Rubin seemed adamant about adding the map. He stated, “I may have to punch a bunch of people in the nuts but I am working my ass off to get terminal out.”
Update: (Thanks to CourtRooom) Rubin added, “Don’t have a firm ETA [on Terminal] yet probably soon. Will be looking at it next week to finalize its deployment.” It’s almost confirmed at this point, but “it’s possible [Infinity Ward] runs into issues with deployment. But seems likely we’ll be able to release it.”
Rubin thinks that the Xbox 360 one month exclusivity deal might have to be applied on Terminal’s release frame as well. Rubin hopes to get the map out in June, but he hasn’t looked into when it will be released.
In terms of the possibility of adding other Modern Warfare 2 maps, Rubin explained that right now it’s only Terminal being worked on. The map, when it is released for MW3, will be “updated a little.”
Other than Terminal, which Modern Warfare 2 maps would you like to see in Modern Warfare 3?
Could the brand new game mode Conquest Domination, introduced in the recent Battlefield 3: Close Quarters expansion pack, be making its way to Vanilla and Back to Karkand Battlefield 3 maps? According to lead gameplay designer Alan Kertz, there is a chance.
“So it seems Conquest: Domination is pretty popular already,” stated Kertz on his Twitter account. Being the close quarters version of the already fan-favorite Conquest mode, this doesn’t come as too much of a surprise. CQD basically takes the same idea of regular CQ by placing three “flags” on a map which players must capture as they bleed the opposing force of “tickets”. CQD, however, allows for a much quicker capture time, contributing to the much more frequent change of ownership, and does not allow the owning team to spawn on their captured flags. Instead, spawns are more similar to the classic TDM mode. This action-packed mode, along with the frantic new Close Quarter maps, is sure to become the talk of the Battlefield.
Kertz wonders, however, “would you play it on other maps? I’m just curious.”
Yes, Kertz. The answer is yes. While this is obviously no confirmation that it will actually happen, chances are it’s possible if he’s asking, right? We sure hope so. Surely many would agree that CQD would lend itself well to both Vanilla and B2K Team Deathmatch maps and would give Battlefield fans a new way to rediscover their favorite maps. For a few concerned followers, Kertz clarified that CQD “would never replace normal CQ.”
Others have also been asking about the newly introduced weapon camouflage patterns, wondering if weapons other than the F2000, SCAR-H, PKP Pecheneg and L96, will be seeing camo unlock as well any time soon. Kertz explains, “It’s limited to certain guns right now and we plan to build up the number of guns over time.”
While it would be great to see the CQD game mode find its place among older BF3 maps, no word has been given if the other newly introduced Gun Master mode will be making its way to older maps as well. That, along with newer sets of weapon rotations, would surely be welcomed with open arms among the Battlefield community.
What do you guys think? Would you like Conquest Domination and Gun Master to make it to older BF3 maps? Or, perhaps just one or the other? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Perhaps, together, we can grab the attention of DICE developers.
After the two-week head start that Battlefield 3 Premium members received on the PlayStation 3, the Close Quarters expansion pack is now available to download for all non-Premium PS3 members.
“Starting today, you can purchase our second expansion pack Battlefield 3: Close Quarters via PlayStation Store and the Battlefield 3 in-game store,” according to DICE on the Official Battlefield Blog. The download comes at the cost of $14.99, but if you’re on the fence about making the purchase, make sure to check out our Close Quarters review!
Remember, non-Premium Xbox 360 and PC players will be able to download the Close Quarters expansion pack on June 26. You can check out the launch trailer here.
In case there was any doubt over the inclusion of multiplayer in PS Vita’s Call Of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified, Walmart posted the game’s description confirming that the first Call of Duty for PS Vita will indeed feature a multiplayer component.
Earlier this month at E3, Sony only revealed the title of the first Call of Duty game for PS Vita, Black Ops: Declassified. Little has been known about the title until now, well kind of. Walmart, via GAF, outed the following blip about the game along with the box art, which might still change.
“Before the future could be won, history had to be written. Exposing that story exclusively on PlayStation Vita, Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified explores original fiction in the Call of Duty Black Ops universe with an all-new campaign of Special Ops missions. Optimized for gamers on-the-go, Call of Duty Black Ops: Declassified delivers the most intense handheld Call of Duty experience to date, including both Special Ops Story mode and Multiplayer combat tailored for the PS Vita.”
Do you own a PlayStation Vita? Would Declassified entice you to purchase one?
Today, Xbox 360 Elite Premium users got a taste of June’s content which includes three brand new Face Off maps titled Vortex, U-Turn and Intersection, along with another Spec Ops mission titled Arctic Recon. As always, I’ll be reviewing these drops for you in case you aren’t an Elite Premium member.
Before we start, I’d like to note that June’s original drops included a map, a spec ops mission and a classified item. With the new Elite drops only being revealed yesterday, it seemed odd to people that we ended up getting no new maps like planned, and no classified item. Many speculated that we’d finally be able to see gun DLC in June, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Mark Rubin has confirmed that these three face off maps included in June’s Elite content will be the last of the Face Off maps, which is extremely odd to me. Infinity Ward blessed us with Face Off last month, which at first, a majority of the community accepted and applauded. They even showered us with two free Face Off maps to sweeten the deal. A month later, it doesn’t seem like many people are still on that Face Off bandwagon, as games I’ve tried to join today were riddled with people constantly dropping out, or even worse, attempting to boost. Ignoring these flaws, I’ve cropped up my own review of the three final Face Off maps, including the Spec Ops mission.
Arctic Recon pits you in the Siberian wilderness to destroy the Russian warship Kuvalda. One person will man the recon drone, equipped with a machine gun and a targeting system, while the other person is on the ship deck with an ACR. The mission is for the recon drone to mark four targets on the ship for the foot soldier to plant beacons at. Cover fire from the recon drone, patience and communication is key to tackling this mission on Veteran difficulty. Once you manage to tag all four beacons, you must race back for extraction within two minutes while facing heavy opposition. Once you fight your way through enemy lines back to extraction, a neat cinematic as you fly off in your Little Bird displays a Reaper shooting down missiles at your marked beacons you planted while the Russian warship is destroyed. I’ve always been a personal fan of these downloadable Spec Ops missions because it challenges you on Veteran, and I welcome more of this from Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software.
On to the Face Off maps. Intersection takes you to New York where you fight on a two block massacre of a street with bombed out shops including a jewelry store, movie theater and book store. Here you have the choice between Delta and Spetsnaz. The map as a whole seems to be a decent sized map for 2v2 action, with a lot of the action taking place inside the buildings which causes great close quarters combat. In the few matches I’ve played on this map, it seems like opposing players only wanted to camp in these buildings the entire game, which is nothing new to me or any other avid Call of Duty player. Take precaution when entering and exiting buildings due to the one building located in the southwest having an overlook of the entire map. Intersection is good for 2v2 and 3v3 action.
U-Turn is set on an abandoned highway that is full of cars, trucks, tanks and vans. You can choose between the Inner Circle and Delta here. Oil fields burn in the background as you must bob and weave your way through these vehicles for some action, or you could walk the slim outsides for a flanking opportunity. There’s a small underpass that is complete with a car that you can vault to take you back up top to the highway. This map, to me, comes off as lazy. There doesn’t seem to be much thought or detail put into this map. It’s literally just a highway with a bunch of cars on it. That probably doesn’t excite you either. My advice here would be to stick to a sub machine gun of your choice since there isn’t any long sight lines and try to avoid sprinting around too much. You’ll easily be found and killed that way. U-Turn should not be played on anything above a 1v1, having played 2v2 here I had to deal with being spawn killed on many occasions which is a thorn in any FPS player’s side.
Vortex is the perfect example of what a Face Off map should be like, and is the only shining star out of these drops. With a dangerous tornado brewing in the background for an awesome visual backdrop, you’re placed as either Delta or Spetsnaz as you fight it out on this farm. There’s no inside buildings that you can hide in, outside of a tiny chicken coop, and there isn’t much vertical gameplay to be had here. This is the ideal type of map that all Face Off maps should resemble. Next to Getaway, this is my favorite Face Off map to date. With various lanes that you can weave in and out of, it’s always a surprise where your opponent will end up, which is perfect for a map dedicated to such a small number of players. My advice on this map would be to keep your guard up at all times since there’s major opportunities to flank your opponents. Vortex is perfect for 2v2 combat but could potentially work well with 3v3.
In review, June’s Elite drops seem to be the weakest ones yet as a whole. I didn’t see too many people requesting more Face Off maps, especially over normal Multiplayer maps. With only three more months of content left for Modern Warfare 3, many players just want what got them addicted to the franchise to begin with, more full sized multiplayer maps. To date, we’ve been presented with 7 maps, 7 Face Off maps, and 5 Special Ops missions. It seems like Infinity Ward is doing a good job of balancing the three out. However, if you take a closer look at the entire spectrum, we’ve only seen one new map in the last two months (May and June) which, in my opinion, is completely unacceptable to the Modern Warfare 3 community. With images leaked of future maps like Terminal from Modern Warfare 2 and Shipbreaker found in Playstation 3 1.15 update files, it seems like that is the route Infinity Ward is going to take in the upcoming months, and I’m looking forward to July’s content drops already.
How do you feel about these Elite content drops? Are you one of the many concerned about Infinity Ward’s poor choice of content they’ve provided, or are you happy with these drops and their push with the Face Off game mode? Let us know in the comment section below, and as always, stay tuned to MP1st for all of your Call of Duty news!
Head of EA Games label Patrick Soderlund talks Frostbite 2 and how the engine will embrace the next generation of consoles, revealing that DICE intentionally developed the engine for PC in preparation for next gen.
While Battlefield 3 looks great across the board in terms of visuals, it’s noticeable that the PC version is still miles ahead. The obvious reason is that developers don’t have to worry about the hardware limitations on the PC considering that almost any rig can be modified to work with their required specs. This is one of the reasons why we see more destruction, bigger maps, more player count, ect. on the PC version of Battlefield 3. That’s not to say that the console version doesn’t hold against it, just that there are clear limitations of what Frostbite 2 engine can do on the current generation of home consoles. However, things should be a little different by the time the next gen PlayStation or Xbox roll around as Soderlund tells Gamasutra, “yeah, I’ll be honest with you – Frostbite 2 was built for the next generation.”
He explains, “we’re going to have to build something that can scale. It doesn’t mean that what you see in Battlefield 3 is the end state. That’s the beginning; that’s where we start and then we go forward. But we have a tech base that makes me feel really confident in how we’re positioned for what’s going to come in the future.”
After all, Executive producer Patrick Bach also told Eurogamer a while back, “If anyone would build a new console today, that would be the result,” referring to Battlefield 3’s visuals on the PC. He continued, “Probably more, because it’s classic PC technology. We know everything about multi-threading now. We know everything about multi-graphics card solutions now. If someone built a console where the specs are that or more, we have the technology to do something. We could port the game to that console tomorrow.”
Concerning, Medal of Honor: Warfighter, Soderlund stated that the game was originally going to use the popular and widely implemented Unreal Engine. However, when the team saw Battlefield 3, they instantly changed their minds.
He continued, “we take the philosophy on not forcing tech upon anyone. It was basically a desire from that team, when they saw the results of Battlefield, and they saw the results of what that engine could do at the time. I’m not saying [Epic has] a bad engine — I’m just saying comparing the two at the time it was like, ‘Okay, we can do more of what we want with the Battlefield/Frostbite engine.'”
Do you think the Frostbite 2 engine is a good fit for Medal of Honor: Warfigher? Do you think we’ll be seeing a lot more Frostbite 2 powered games on next gen hardware?
Update: Activision’s suggested the following fixes for;
Arctic Recon Spec Ops Mission not loading issue:
MW3 Out of Memory Error:
For users playing physical copies of MW3, please use the below steps. For users who are playing digital copies of MW3 from Games on Demand, we’ll be updating with a solution shortly. Thanks for your patience.
The latest Call of Duty Elite drops for Modern Warfare 3 and patch 1.16 are now available to download on Xbox 360.
Title update #16 will set you back 9 MB in memory, and is mandatory for all players to download. As for today’s drops, three Face Off maps and one Spec Ops mission have been released. Intersection , Arctic Recon, and U-Turn/Vortex weigh in at 147.09 MB, 193.89 MB, and 74.86 MB respectively.
A new DLC portal has been added to the store section in the mutliplayer menu. For those who are having problems downloading the new DLC, follow this guide, as we have, to fix the issue. Be sure to back out and repeat the steps in order to reconfirm all past drops up to today’s.
Also, Infinity Ward has reverted the Collection 2 playlists back to Elite playlists, which feature only DLC multiplayer maps and all Face Off maps including the latest three.
You can find screenshots, artwork, and synopses of the aforementioned drops through here and patch notes for title update #16 here.
As promised, Modern Warfare 3 players on Xbox 360 will be treated to a new patch tomorrow, June 19th. Patch 1.16 (or title update #16) will add competition mode, lay the groundwork for upcoming matchmaking updates, reduce DMH’s effectiveness, and more.
Along with patch 1.16, Xbox 360 Elite premium members will receive new DLC drops, which you can learn more about through here.
Here are the official patch notes:
New:
Matchmaking:
Game Balance:
Misc Bug Fixes:
Brand new Medal of Honor: Warfighter footage has come out of this summer’s DreamHack event giving us a closer look at some of the multiplayer features, including the chopper gunner Score Chain Reward.
Only a few days ago, two videos were leaked out of the event, demonstrating Medal of Honor: Warfighter on high-end gaming PCs and giving us our first look at what the multiplayer might have to offer. If you missed them, you can check out these videos right here.
Just recently, MP1st reader R2ME2 sent in this brand new leaked footage from YouTuber BFstuFFsverige. This off-screen footage better demonstrates the minimap, some of the weapons like the MP7 and gives us our first look at the chopper gunner Score Chain Reward.
Check it out below and be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments!
[youtube id=”kyYpxLOuqd8″ width=”600″ height=”350″]
Battlefield 3’s second Double XP weekend event came to a close last night, but if you are one of those few who simply can’t get enough and happen to be a Premium member, you are in luck.
Next weekend, DICE and EA will be holding yet another Double XP weekend event, but this time exclusively to Battlefield 3 Premium members. This will be the first of many Premium events as indicated by the Premium Calendar.
These are the details below as seen on the Battlelog:
Premium exclusive Double XP event June 23-24
Who: Exclusive to Premium members only
Formats: All
Servers: Any ranked
Game modes: Any
Maps: Any (Base game, Back to Karkand, and Close Quarters)
What: Double everything
When: See table below
PDT timings (Los Angeles)
Event starts Saturday 23, 07:01
Event ends Monday 25, 06:59
Event start times
Los Angeles – June 23 – 00:01:00
Stockholm – June 23 – 09:01:00
Paris – June 23 – 09:01:00
New York – June 23 – 03:01:00
Tokyo – June 23 – 16:01:00
Moscow – June 23 – 11:01:00
How did everyone enjoy last weekend’s Double XP event? How are you guys liking the new Close Quarters maps?
Mark Rubin of Infinity Ward reveals the upcoming Modern Warfare 3 Xbox 360 Elite Content Drops ahead of the Elite Content Calendar.
According to Rubin’s statements on Twitter, Call of Duty: Elite members on the Xbox 360 can expect a brand new Spec Ops mission as well as three new Faceoff maps tomorrow, June 19. Check them out below.
Update: (June 19th) The calendar has been updated with screenshots, artwork and synopses of the drops.
Spec Ops Mission:
Requiring surgical precision by air, land, and sea, this new Special Ops mission tasks you with destroying a Russian battleship by planting beacons for an air strike. Take control of a recon helicopter to reveal the beacon locations before fighting off forces on the ground to ensure the ship never leaves port.
Faceoff Maps:
No storm shelter can keep you safe in “Vortex,” the all-new “Face Off” map that places you just outside the danger zone of a devastating tornado.
A bombed-out, gridlocked highway provides a perfect backdrop for combatants on this all-new “Face Off” map, where oil fields burn black high above six-lanes’ worth of abandoned cars, buses and paths for attack.
A New York bridge overpass provides the backdrop for this all-new “Face Off” map in which an ultra-condensed 2-block battle zone allows players to fight on the first and second floors of surrounding apartments and bombed-out bodegas.
A few days back, MP1st reader Patrick Bethke noticed these new Modern Warfare Xbox 360 Achievements, revealing what sort of challenges lie in wait for those downloading the new Spec Ops mission tomorrow.
Rubin also had this to say regarding the future of Faceoff maps in upcoming DLC, revealing that these could be the last set of Faceoff maps to grace Modern Warfare 3.
I know a lot of people have been loving the Faceoff maps and so glad to bring those to you guys. Also I know some people haven’t really gotten into them and would prefer regular MP maps. We didn’t have any maps done in time for this drop, but we do have some coming soon. Also that will probably be the last of the Faceoff maps that we make so hope everyone who has been loving them as much as I have enjoy the new ones coming tomorrow.
Remember, PS3 Non-Elite members will be able to pick up Collection 2 this Thursday, June 21.
Are you excited for more Faceoff maps making their way to Modern Warfare 3 tomorrow?
Boasting a team of experienced military first-person shooter video game designers from renown studios like Red Storm Entertainment and Valve Software, BlackFoot Studios introduces a brand new tactical online FPS for PC and Mac, setting out to recreate the same memorable gameplay experiences that classic military shooters like Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon had to offer.
“Ground Branch is a first-person, realism-oriented online experience that places players in the roles of elite CIA Paramilitary Operators of the Special Activities Division.” Forget the arcade-like, movie-style gameplay that saturates today’s FPS scene. Ground Branch sets out to offer unforgiving, realistic and authentic gameplay that will keep players on their toes and promote tactical thinking. “Cut from the same cloth as the original Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six… players will learn to respect the lethality and versatility of firearms as death can come quick and health does not regenerate.”
BlackFoot studios promises to deliver a fresh take on the tactical first-person shooter genre with features like:
“This is truly a ‘Spiritual Successor’ to the original (2001) Ghost Recon by Red Storm Entertainment,” says BlackFoot Studios founder John Sonedecker, formerly of Red Storm Entertainment who also worked on games like Rainbow Six, Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear and Ghost Recon.
To learn more about the game, please visit the official Ground Branch website and check out the introduction video below featuring some impressive pre-alpha footage.
We’d also ask that you check out BlackFoot Studios’ Kickstarter page where you can learn more and consider donating if you’d like to see this project become a reality (ends July 5th). Some of the rewards for donating include a digital copy of the game, an art book, a tactics field manual, the soundtrack, the collector’s edition and even a launch party BBQ.
[youtube id=”eVStChs5Uuc” width=”600″ height=”350″]
Don’t forget to let us know what you think in the comments below!
TheHazardCinema brings us one of the first, if not “the” first Counter-Strike: Global Offensive frag movie by YouTuber biBa.
Prepare yourself for some fresh, yet classic FPS action featuring headshots, headshots, and more headshots straight from the CS:GO closed beta (soon to be open) that is currently underway on PC.
[youtube id=”WoMgdF20aFw” width=”600″ height=”350″]
Make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments below!
Today marks the first day of DreamHack 2012 in which EA and Danger Close will be showing off the multiplayer of their highly anticipated FPS sequel, Medal of Honor: Warfighter. You can learn more about DreamHack and some of the available prizes to be won right here.
Thanks to YouTuber nhlkingen55, we got a peak at some off-screen footage right from the DreamHack floor as gamers sat down with MoH: Warfighter on high-end Gaming PCs boasting NVIDIA GeForce GTX graphics cards.
[youtube id=”B_oZ2q3GpVo” width=”600″ height=”350″]
Some notes from the footage above:
Update: We found one more video of leaked Medal of Honor: Warfighter multiplayer footage (thanks, Victor) which gives us a little more of an up-close look at some of the action. Don’t mind the swearing.
[youtube id=”zAFotK7qBBg” width=”600″ height=”350″]
While these may not be the best of quality, what do you think so far of the Medal of Honor: Warfighter multiplayer footage we’ve seen above? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Ranked dedicated servers have been confirmed for the PC version of Call of Duty: Black Ops II.
Treyarch’s director of technology Cesar Stastny made the announcement via Twitter earlier today:
Confirmed: Ranked Dedicated Servers for #BlackOps2
Last year’s Modern Warfare 3 on the PC boasted dedicated servers as well, but only for unranked matches. The original Black Ops, however, featured dedicated servers for both ranked and unranked matches, though players were stuck paying out of their own pocket in order to rent and host one. It is not known if Treyarch will, once again, rent out servers through GameServers.com, as they did with the original Black Ops. Expect further details through an official announcement.
Earlier, Steam pre-order bonuses were also confirmed Stastny, though no further details were given.
I can confirm that there will be a bonus for all Steam preorders but it is not announced yet.
You can read up on MP1st’s list of pre-oder bonuses for Black Ops II at various retailers right here.
PS3 users can grab their markers and circle June 21st on their calendars as the day to download Modern Warfare 3 Collection 2.
Infinity Ward’s official Twitter account recently announced the date Collection 2 releases and detailed the contents included: “Collection 2 releases for PS3 on 6/21. Includes – MP maps: Sanctuary, Foundation, Oasis + 2 spec ops missions + 2 Face Off maps.”
Remember, PS3 users can earn an exclusive free theme by pre-ordering the collection on the PSN Store through the 20th for $14.99.
Want to get a better feel for what’s included in Collection 2? Make sure to head on over to our Modern Warfare 3 Collection 2 review.
