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Robert Bowling Leaves Infinity Ward and Activision

Modern Warfare 3’s Creative Strategist, Robert Bowling aka FourZeroTwo, has revealed on his personal Twitter account that, as of today, he’s no longer with Activision’s Infinity Ward. Bowling stated, “Today, I resign from my position as Creative Strategist of Call of Duty, as a lead of Infinity Ward, and as an employee of Activision.” Bowling joined Infinity Ward in April 2006 in the lead up to Call of Duty 2’s release.

In 2010, the top employees at Infinity Ward left the studio to form Respawn Entertainment, which is currently working on new IP under the EA partners label. Respawn’s first title set to release next year.

Update: The official Twitter account for Respawn Entertainment has posted the following, “For all those asking, abbieheppe is still our Community Manager. You’ll have to ask fourzerotwo where he’s headed next.”

Robert Bowling didn’t reveal whether he’s joining Respawn, or where he’s headed. We here at MP1st would like to wish Robert the best of luck in his future endeavors and final stands.

Fahed Jaradat

Senior Editor and Co-Founder. Multiplayer runs in my blood. Don't believe me? Ask for a sample! Subscriber

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Battlefield 3 – Armored Kill Map Sizes, Consoles Will Not Get Commo Rose, No More Specialized Assignments and More

Over at the Battlefield 3 UK forums, DICE Senior Designer Gustav Halling was kind enough to answer a number of questions regarding both Battlefield 3 and the future, vehicle heavy DLC, Armored Kill. Here, he spoke of upcoming changes to the Commo Rose, unlocks, assignments and everyone’s favorite topic, map sizes.

First on the cutting block was the topic of the Commo Rose, an important feature of the PC version of Battlefield 3. Obviously, DICE has been working to improve the Commo Rose since launch, something made apparent by the recent images found in the recently released patch notes. Halling revealed that “the final goal is to make it closer to the BF2/2142 one.” He also made it clear that there “no plans to add it on consoles where other automated systems are in place.”

Speaking of unlocks. Halling stated that DICE will not be adding (or removing) vehicle unlocks in the future, although this is contrary to what Senior Designer Alan Kertz recently hinted at regarding vehicle unlocks. “Its a really important gameplay balance between choosing if you want to be an aggressive tanker against infantry or against vehicles. Selecting coax etc.,” mentioned Halling.

Fans worried about having to unbearably trudge through another number of squad deathmatches in order to complete an assignment in future DLC need have no worries. Halling agrees with many fans, stating, “I do agree on that the squad deathmatch [assignment in B2K] wasn’t the best one and I will make sure we do not add ‘win x times’ to such a specialized game mode to it again.”

Halling also mentioned that the artillery system being used in Armored Kill is still a work in progress and couldn’t say how it would end up. He did aks for suggestions, however, keeping these three guidelines in mind: “Needs to be fully effective without help from others. How would the aiming screen look like? camera / minimap? How would team mates be able to help?”

Lastly: Map sizes. By now, most everyone has heard that Armored Kill will feature “the best vehicle experience” and will boast the largest map in BF history. To get a better picture of what the maps might generally look and feel like, Halling mentioned, “I would compare them against Fusshe Pass, Dragon valley and Wetlands,” for those who are familiar with those maps. He also clarified that “flags will also be less clustered in general in AK, giving more room for vehicles but at the same time we can’t forget about infantry also.” He admits that “it’s a hard balance that we are working on all the time.” Halling truly believes “that the maps AK delivers will offer 4 different styles from the biggest most spread out flags and size to the more normal size more comparable to caspian border.”

Is that enough to get your mouth watering? If it was’t, Halling also told the UK forums, “many of the questions I know people been asking and wants include things I can’t answer yet, but it may come as a surprise the coming weeks.” Also, “PS3 players will probably notice some of the things that aren’t in the patch notes on tuesday.”

What are your reactions to these new bits of info? Are you excited for Armored Kill? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Source: Battlefield 3 UK Forums

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Far Cry 3 Multiplayer Pre-Order Bonuses Revealed

A few days ago, Ubisoft released a new trailer for Far Cry 3 (you can watch below). The trailer mainly showcases the single-player component of the game and spotlights Dr. Earnhardt. However, in the last frame, the pre-order bonuses were revealed.

If you pre-order Far Cry 3 at Best Buy (at the time of writing, it’s only retailer that lists the bonuses below), you’ll get “the Lost Expeditions” edition of the game. which will net you the following:

  • On the single-player side, players will get two extra missions (about 40 minutes long).
  • Type 10 Japanese World War II Flare Gun is what you get in the multiplayer portion of the game.

GameSpot (EBGames in Canada) secured the following bonuses:

  •  Four single-player missions hosted by Hurk and his bomb-carrying monkeys.
  • On the multiplayer side of things, players will get two bonus ways to humiliate their friends.

 [youtube id=”fQFltH1D39k” width=”600″ height=”350″]

It’s still unclear what other retails will offer, we’ll keep post as more information becomes available.

Far Cry 3 Multiplayer Will Feature An “Online Universe”

Thanks, Push Start

Fahed Jaradat

Senior Editor and Co-Founder. Multiplayer runs in my blood. Don't believe me? Ask for a sample! Subscriber

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DICE Developer on Making Cuts to Battlefield 3, Vehicle Upgrades Through DLC “On The Table”

Battlefield 3 developer Alan Kertz speaks about the necessary cuts that needed to be made in order for Battlefield 3 to ship in time.

A recent discussion ensued on reddit between Battlefield 3 developer Alan Kertz and fans as an image of an a real life scout helicopter with rocket pods was posted as the topic of discussion. As many know, the scout helicopters featured in Battlefield 3 do not carry such a weapon and fans wondered if this was a feature cut from the game, or if it was intentional.

Kertz admitted, “I tried setting up this once, the rocket pods we have on other aircraft looked ridiculous. It was simply too late to build the smaller ones, so we had to drop the idea.”

Of course, accusations began flying as fans criticized the DICE team for releasing Battlefield 3 early and cutting content simply to “compete” with the latest Call of Duty title, Modern Warfare 3. They also compared it to Blizzard’s Diablo III, which has been taking its sweet time to release.

Responding to one fan in particular, Kertz had this to say: “3 BAFTAs. 10+ Million Sold. 89% Metacritic on PC. I’m proud of what we accomplished, I’m sorry you think it was rushed, but everything else points to two words: Great Success. The reality of development is that sacrifices must be made. And making cuts improves the over all experience for players.” Kertz added, “again, making cuts and focusing on what’s really important improves the experience. Too many designers allow themselves to do a game ‘when it’s done’ and as you can see, there’s really only about 2 studios that can afford to do that, and routinely to get Quality out of it: Blizzard and Valve.”

Such is the bureaucracy of game development, so it seems. While it’s true that items and features may have been cut from Battlefield 3, perhaps it was necessary in order for DICE to be able to compete in the growing and fast-paced FPS market.

Back to rockets and scout choppers, Kertz was also asked if rocket pods or other new vehicle upgrades would ever be included in future DLC. Without giving a yes or no answer, Kertz responded, “It’s definitely on the table.”

On to the the most important question: Do you feel Battlefield 3 was rushed in order to meet deadlines? Could DICE afford to release such a big hit at a “non-competitive” date? let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Battlefield 3 Patch Delay on Xbox 360 and PC Clarified

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Ubisoft Demonstrates Ghost Recon Future Soldier’s Co-Op Mode

Ubisoft IP Director Adrian Lacey walks us through aspects of Ghost Recon Future Soldier’s online co-operative mode in this recently released video.

After showing off the in-depth gunsmith mode, the mission then kicks off in an autumn Russian forest where four Ghosts are tasked with taking out enemy soldiers using the controllable UAV and optical camoflage. The video also shows how players can synchronize shots in order to remain stealthy. The last scenes show off some of the intense gun fights that players may find themselves in when stealth is simply not an option.

Check out the video below and keep an eye out for more Ghost Recon Future Soldier news right here on MP1st!

[youtube id=”vDG6CgB1Qek” width=”600″ height=”350″]

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Modern Warfare 3 Hacks Limited to Private Matches Only, Players Stats “Will Have Been Backed Up”

More has been revealed regarding the recent and very unfortunate rise of modified lobbies in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. If you’re not caught up, make sure to read about these modded lobbies here and how to avoid them. Activision Officials and Infinity Ward developers have been addressing the issue and are hard at work looking into a permanent fix.

Apparently, according to a developer on the official Call of Duty forums, lobbies which were modded to decrease players’ ranks were initially made to be public before developers caught on. “A modding group created a viral mod, which we prevented from spreading within twelve hours yesterday,” according to an IW developer. He added, “sadly, in ‘protest’ at our ability to disable this they are now inviting player’s to private matches where they reset their stats.” Good news that it has been contained and removed from public lobbies, but the threat still lives in private ones. It is stressed that MW3 players should “avoid friend invites from ANYONE not on your friend list.”

Luckily, IW developers have stated that they “are working actively on fixing this issue and also backing up player stats so that [they] can reset those affected by this malicious behavior.” So to clarify, those worried about their stats having been recently affected, developers state that “they will have been backed up” and that they “put this system in place the moment [they] learned of this group’s activity.”

For some extra assurance, we at MP1st have been enjoying the recent double XP weekend with no issues in public matchmaking. To reiterate, playing in public matches should not prove to be an issue.

Activision Support recommends “reporting any people you believe to be cheating via the in-game report feature.” They have clearly stated that “anyone in violation of the Code of Conduct can/will be punished.” Additionally, they have suggested that if you decide to take a record a video of these offenders and want to “upload it to YouTube, just mention @InfinityWard in your Tweet & they’ll be able to look into it.”

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Twisted Metal – Axel Coming for Free In Next Patch, Leaderboards, Tweaks, and Other Fixes Coming

David Jaffe discusses the upcoming Twisted Metal patch, which will contain a few pleasent surprises.

Good news for those who have been waiting for Axel to be released for Twisted Metal, David Jaffe has confirmed on Twitter that in the next patch he will become free for everyone. Jaffe stated, Originally Axel was only available to those who had pre-ordered Twisted Metal. Additionally, there will also be a surprise skin for all characters that has not yet been detailed. According to Jaffe, the leaderboards have been fixed. Players who had more than 100,000 points were not showing up properly on the leaderboards.

Concerning tweaks, party system, and trophies Jaffe has uploaded a new video update, which you can view here.

To Summarize the video:

  • Leaderboard reports are being looked into.
  • Connection issues will continue to be looked into and the next patch should help.
  • NAT Type 3 is an issue with your internet router. Jaffe advises to change it to NAT Type 1.
    (Look around the net to see how to do this, though I advice to do this only if your experienced with router settings.)
  • Tie games and rage quitting will damage your skill.
  • Staying in parties when joining ranked games: This comes down to skills and balancing. Joining games where one side is high skill level and the other extremely low. This throws off balancing. No plans to make any adjustments to this.
  • Skin website – Browser is being tweaked to look better.
  • Tuning is being worked on.
  • Talon getting a new visual on the HUD. Make it different from normal vehicles so that players will know it’s Talon.
  • Junkyard healing XP being tweaked
  • Auto-Start: they feel like it’s fine now that host are aware of being host, but if players feel it’s still an issue they will fixed this later.

For those who are experiencing trophy issues (not unlocking) there is an explanation for this that we have reported on before. Over at PS3Trophies, one user has said that the trophies are not unlocking due to slow stats update. Jaffe has confirmed that this may be the issue, and that if you follow the PS3trophies post then they will eventually unlock. However, if they do not, then simply giving a tweet at Jaffe, or post on the official Twisted Metal forums with additional information on the trophy that may help Eat Sleep Play pinpoint the issue.

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James Lara

A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.

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Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Commences Operation: Fortress, +25% Bonus Experience To All

Last week, BioWare’s first Mass Effect 3 multiplayer community event, Operation: Goliath, in which players were required to achieve a total of 1 million Brute kills or more as a community, ended in success. If you haven’t picked up your “Victory Pack” reward yet, make sure to claim it in the ME3 multiplayer store.

This weekend, BioWare is celebrating this victory by commencing Operation: Fortress. Players can expect a fewer number of Brutes on the battlefield as they engage Reaper forces. On top of this, all players who play ME3’s multiplayer this weekend will be able to enjoy a 25% boost in experience points up until 5am PST Monday, March 26. Unlike last week’s event, this operation is open to all platforms including the PS3.

BioWare also hinted at their next “elite” operation, telling players, “gather your squad and take advantage! You’ll want to be leveled up for next weekend’s event…”

So, get crackin’ and start building up that N7 rank!

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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How to Avoid Getting ‘Deranked’ in Modern Warfare 3, Even After Stats Reset

As we promised, we’ve put together this guide for those who don’t want to lose their hard earned stats in Modern Warfare 3. You can learn more about the hacks here.

Before getting into the nitty-gritty, remember Robert Bowling’s general word of caution on the matter, “Do not accept game invites or join Private Matches from any player you don’t know & trust in MW3. There are dirtbags up to dirtbag things.”

Your stats can be reset by either joining a ‘derank lobby’ or watching other players’ videos in-game. So far, this hack has made its’ way to the Xbox 360 version of the Modern Warfare 3. PS3 and PC versions appear to be unharmed, but the following rules should be applicable to all platforms.

How to avoid losing your stats in the first place:

  • Don’t accept private game invites from players you don’t know. Even if you do know them, many players are doing this as a “prank” to their friends, so watch out.
  • Don’t watch other players’ videos in the online vault. That’s how deranking is initiated, and has been spreading.

You got duped and your stats have reset, what to do now?

  • There is a way to get your rank back. After losing your stats, DON’T PLAY ANY MATCH. As soon as you get one kill, your memory is saved, and it’s over.
  • Even better, just dashboard the moment you see your profile reset to Prestige 0, Rank 1.
  • Report whoever reset your stats against your wish via the in-game reporting system.

Be sure to follow MP1st on Twitter and Facebook to keep up on the latest Modern Warfare 3 News.

Fahed Jaradat

Senior Editor and Co-Founder. Multiplayer runs in my blood. Don't believe me? Ask for a sample! Subscriber

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Battlefield 3 Patch Delay on Xbox 360 and PC Clarified

Yesterday, as many already know by now, DICE announced a release date for the PS3 version of the upcoming Battlefield 3 patch as well as provided a number of patch notes with PC fixes and updates thrown in as well. You can read up on the release date and entire list of notes right here. Noticeably, a release date for the PC and Xbox 360 versions of the patch have yet to be given and Battlefield fans are hot on the tails of DICE asking the simple question: Why do PS3 users get the patch before PC and Xbox 360 users?

The big misconception circling the internet at the moment is that DICE’s marketing agreement with Sony allows them to push out the PS3 patch before others. This is the same agreement that grants PS3 users a week early access to the upcoming Close Quarters DLC and allowed them a week early access to Back to Karkand. However, EA Community Manager Ian Tornay recently made it clear on Reddit that “the only reason that Sony’s patch is going out first is because it’s the only one that’s ready right now.” He added, “we’re putting the finishing touches on the other patches and working as hard as possible. This has nothing to do with favoritism for a platform and is NOT related to DLC coming to Sony first. This just as well could have been PC or 360 first.” He admits that “honestly, this isn’t how we had hoped everything would come together (obviously)…” DICE Community Manager Daniel Matros addressed the the Battlefield community yesterday apologizing for the delay and mix up of dates.

As for specifics as to why the patch on other platforms has been delayed, Senior Designer Gustav Halling explained on Twitter that designers “recently found tech bug we need to fix on ox&xbox. It might come out same as ps3 or short after. I don’t know atm.” For the PC patch, he mentioned that it’s “hard to explain it on twitter. But we are not ‘waiting’ for console certification, instead working more days on the PC patch.” He assured fans that the “goal is same day for all SKUs but sometimes unfortunate things happen like now.” To sum it up, Halling stated that “we are putting the final touches on [the 360 and PC updates] and will confirm a date as soon as we can.”

Similarly, Tornay assured fans that the team at DICE simply “want to make sure patch is 100% awesome for you guys!”

So, it looks like all we can do at the moment is wait. Fortunately, fans shouldn’t expect too much of a delay between patches. Meanwhile, console players can check out the new updates made to the server browser. Make sure to follow MP1st on Twitter and Facebook for more updates!

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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New Modern Warfare 3 Hacks: AC-130 Glitch and Stat Reset “Derank” Lobbies

It seems that hackers have found a new way to ruin Modern Warfare 3. Last year, MW3 was hacked with infected lobbies, but those hacks were addressed swiftly by Infinity Ward. Since then, no major hacks have reported by players, except for some glitches every now and then.

In the last two days, a new hack has surfaced that enables hackers to glitch the AC130 into making the player invincible, god-mode if you will. Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there. If you get into modded lobbies, then there’s a chance for hackers to derank your profile . We’ll have more on how to avoid this later.

Robert Bowling warned Modern Warfare 3 players on Twitter, “Do not accept game invites or join Private Matches from any player you don’t know & trust in MW3. There are dirtbags up to dirtbag things.”

You can see this new hack  in action in following videos:

Modern Warfare 3 – Modded Lobbies Walking AC-130, God Mode, Unlimited Ammo

[youtube id=”efmY_SmDuPw” width=”600″ height=”350″]

AC-130 Glitch

[youtube id=”85RHezh-xis” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Fahed Jaradat

Senior Editor and Co-Founder. Multiplayer runs in my blood. Don't believe me? Ask for a sample! Subscriber

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Next Battlefield 3 Patch Dated on PS3, Patch Notes Released, Xbox 360 and PC Still Unknown

The announcement all Battlefield fans on PS3 have been waiting for is finally here, input lag will be addressed in the next patch. DICE has revealed that we can expect the next big Battlefield 3 patch to release on March 27th on PS3, and has also included a list of changes we can expect to see. Get your book marks ready and get ready for a good read. We’ve got ourselves a big one.

DICE didn’t reveal when Xbox 360 and PC will get the patch, but promised to release more information soon. Daniel Matros noted on the official blog, “this update will also bring the “Rent a Server” functionality to Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.”

Here’s “the full list of changes and updates,” according to DICE:

FIXES FOR PC SERVER OPERATION

  • Having the same map occur multiple times in the maplist now works properly
  • If adding a new map to the servers maplist after a clear and then running “mapList.runNextRound” the server will ignore any remaining rounds on the map that it still run since before the clear and move to the new first map in the list. The server will now have reset the current rounds per map and run the map in the list for the number of rounds stated when adding the map.
  • Maplist can contain up to 1000 entries now
  • mapList.list will return at most 100 entries. To get the entire list, perform mapList.list repeatedly with increasing offsets (like banList.list)

GENERAL GAMEPLAY FIXES

  • Players should no longer take fall damage from short falls.
  • Players now get up from Prone slightly faster, allowing better odds of getting away from a grenade or threat when prone.
  • Fixed some situations that would unintentionally make a player unrevivable.
  • Reduced the black screen fade in time on spawn. The fade is still necessary for properly streaming in loading content at spawn, but it has been substantially reduced.
  • Increased the spawn protection time from 1sec to 2sec. The protection will still be immediately canceled as soon as the player moves or shoots.
  • Spawn protection will no longer be canceled by the player looking around.
  • Increased the speed at which a player regains accuracy when aiming after moving for a more responsive experience. Firing before fully zoomed will still result inaccurate fire.
  • Increased the inaccuracy and recoil added when a player is fully suppressed.
  • Shotgun Buck and Flechette rounds now have a less suppressive effect at medium to long range.
  • Tweaked the damage levels of Buck and Flechette rounds to balance them with other weapons.
  • Improved the suppression of the .44 magnum, .357 magnum, and the 5.8x42mm DAP88 rounds from the Type88 sniper.
  • Attempting to Crouch (like Prone) will now properly interrupt Sprint.
  • Increased the effectiveness of Suppression Resist Specialization.
  • Parachutes now respond to turn and throttle inputs more quickly.
  • Switching from primary weapons to sidearms and back now takes less time.
  • Increased the effectiveness of explosive resistance.
  • Tweaked bipod deploy settings so players can no longer deploy a bipod in places higher than chin level.
  • The bipod should now be more reliable when deploying on top of sloped objects like cars and rocks.
  • Fixed several issues with vaulting objects, especially for thin railings.
  • The Knife now only takes two swipes to kill when attacking from a position where a takedown is not possible.
  • CRAM weapons on Carriers now count towards stationary weapon awards.

VEHICLE FIXES

  • The A10 properly gives Jet score again.
  • Unguided tank rounds and RPGs will now instantly destroy Jets, Attack Helicopters, and Scout Helicopters.
  • Increased the damage the MBT’s primary weapon does to the front and side armor of other main battle tanks. Primarily this means 1 less shot to the front, and very good hits to the side can result in a 1 hit to disable.
  • Slightly reduced the repair speed of the repair tool.
  • Increased the damage done by TOW weapons to armored vehicles.
  • Increased the rate of fire and minimum damage of the Coax HMG.
  • Increased the damage mounted gunner .50cal HMGs do at long range.
  • Increased the power of the repair tool when killing soldiers or destroying vehicles slightly.
  • Fixed a problem when locking on to two nearby targets, the locking should no longer jump rapidly between multiple targets. This applies to all locking weapons and Laser Designators.
  • Increased the damage of the Javelin and Air to Ground missiles against laser designated targets.
  • Javelin missiles fired without Laser targeting now do more damage to the side and rear of MBTs.
  • Slightly reduced the locking time of all weapons vs Laser Designated targets.
  • Laser Guided missiles can now be distracted by Flares.
  • Increased the locking distance for AGM Missiles for Jets when locking on laser designated targets.
  • Reduced the locking time for the AGM Missiles for Jets to make them more viable against ground targets.
  • Reduced the locking time for AA Missiles for Jets to make them more viable against air targets.
  • Flares will no longer break the lock of a vehicle that is locked on, it will only distract the missiles.
  • Flares now more reliably distract missiles, especially for Helicopters.
  • Flares for Jets and Choppers now reload at 11 seconds again, except for the gunner, which remains unchanged at 20sec.
  • AA Missiles are more difficult to dodge in Jets, this was unintended behavior that created an imbalance against skilled pilots.
  • AA Missiles should no longer kill the pilot instead of the vehicle.
  • AA Missiles should no longer detonate before hitting their target or a Flare/ECM chaff cloud.
  • Reduced the damage AA missiles do to jets to 45%.
  • Fixed the SU-35 firing Air to Air missiles at a lower rate of fire than other vehicles.
  • The IGLA and Stinger now lock on much more quickly and disable an attack aircraft in 1 hit, but have significantly reduced range. This should allow Stingers to mount an effective close range point defense, without dominating an entire airspace.
  • Increased the speed of the Helicopter AA missiles lock on to reduce the tedious nature of Helicopter dogfights and improve the Helicopter’s defensive abilities vs Jets.
  • Slightly reduced the damage of Jet cannons against Aircraft. Damage is now only slightly higher than it was originally at launch.
  • Increased RPG and SMAW damage against aircraft.
  • Guided Rockets will now only track ground targets, as originally intended.
  • Reduced the direct damage done by Attack Helicopter gunners vs Armor.
  • Helicopter guns should now suppress correctly.
  • Improved the accuracy of the Attack Helicopter’s Rocket Pods, both guided and unguided.
  • Slightly increased the damage of Attack Helicopter’s Rocket Pods vs Infantry and other Helicopters.
  • Additional fixes have been made to the TV missile to prevent it from blowing up the lauching vehicle.
  • The Mi28 has received upgrades to its climbing and yawing abilities.
  • Fixed an issue where guided rockets from the Mi28 did not follow the crosshair properly.
  • Improved the accuracy of the Mi28 gun to match the AH1 gun.
  • Increased the direct hit damage of the APFSDS rounds for the IFVs.
  • Decreased the locking time of the IFV Guided Missile to make it more viable as an unlock.
  • Miniguns and Helicopter Gunners now more quickly destroy parked cars.
  • Increased the power of explosions from cars and other explosive static objects.
  • Dying from the explosion of a car or other explosive static object should now correctly credit the player who caused the explosion.
  • Adjusted the F35′s Center of Mass and Hover Engine for more stable, level flight in all flight modes.
  • Updated the F35 weapon systems to be consistent with the other Jets.
  • The F35 will now only attempt to enter Hover at low altitudes, though it will maintain the hover until forward flight is resumed, even if it reaches high altitude.
  • The F35 and SU35 now properly have Ejection seats to prevent players from being killed when exiting the vehicle.
  • Changed the Kornets to TOW launchers on Wake Island and moved the spawn position of the AAV to a more level position.
  • Fixed several bugs with air vehicles colliding with objects at high speeds and taking no damage.
  • Players will no longer receive suicides or team kills if they crash their vehicle (dying is punishment enough).
  • The MAV will no longer destroy vehicles that run into it, instead it should be destroyed.
  • Jet and Helicopter collisions should now properly result in the death of both vehicles.
  • You can now spot with the EOD bot.
  • Increased the base accuracy for AA guns and added a decrease in accuracy over the course of a burst.
  • Reduced the damage AA guns (both mobile and stationary) do to infantry.
  • The carrier based CRAM stations are now properly tracked as stationary weapons.
  • CRAM and Pantsir stationary AA weapons now have Air Radar equipped by default.
  • Improved the sound feedback for damage to help players better understand the amount of damage their vehicle is taking.
  • The A10′s extinguisher should now function properly.
  • Disabled vehicles now have an increased reverse speed to help escape to cover after being disabled.
  • The T90′s crosshair now more accurately represents the trajectory of the main gun.
  • Toggle and Hold zoom settings now also apply to soldier controlled turrets on jeeps, transport helicopters, boats, and IFVs port guns.
  • The AAV now has zoom and a 3P camera when using the turret.
  • Tweaked the AAV’s turret controls to be more useful when the vehicle is moving.
  • The Z11w now properly functions with Below Radar.
  • Below Radar will now also prevent the lock on of Stinger and IGLA missiles.
  • Added Horns to all Jeeps.
  • Tanks can no longer drive into the water and cross the Wake Island lagoon completely submerged.

WEAPONS

  • Several weapons have had recoil or accuracy adjusted in orer to balance these weapons in effectiveness and also increase the feeling of individuality in each gun
  • Added Extended Mags to the ASVAL. The Extended Mags can be unlocked at 200 kills with the AS VAL.
  • Reduced the recoil of the SKS rifle and increased its maximum damage at close range.
  • Fixed aimed firing max accuracy on the Pecheneg to be consistent with other LMGs.
  • Semiautomatic and automatic shotguns firing FRAG rounds now do slightly less splash damage.
  • The M26 MASS frag and slug rounds are now the more effective pump action versions.
  • The M26 MASS and M320 now benefit from the Laser Sight when mounted with an Underslung Rail.
  • Fixed the bolt action timer on the L96 that would cause an animation glitch.
  • 9x39mm rounds no longer benefit from the Sniper headshot bonus.
  • Increased the damage of the 9x39mm rounds at long range.
  • Fixed the AKS74u damage at max range, it was incorrectly higher than other carbines.
  • Increased the damage of the .357 and .44 magnum rounds at max range.
  • All semiautomatic and bolt weapons, including all shotgun slugs, now have their maximum damage out to 15m.
  • Semiautomatic weapons will no longer “jam” if the player presses fire faster than the weapon is capable of shooting. Some semi-automatic weapons have had their rates of fire adjusted to fit this change.
  • Bolt action sniper rounds now have a chance to kill at close range if the player is hit in the upper chest.
  • Semiautomatic sniper rifles, Assault Rifles, LMGs, and shotgun slugs now have more consistent damage over long range. At maximum range shots to the legs will not require more hits to kill.
  • The spread for Flechette rounds has been reduced slightly on all shotguns.
  • The spread for Buckshot has been reduced on the M1014, DAO-12, and S12k. These weapons have an accuracy advantage over the USAS12 but are not as accurate as the 870.
  • Zooming shotguns with Buckshot and Flechette loads will now result in a slightly tighter cone for the pellets.
  • Reduced the delay time between quick knife attempts slightly. Attacks with the knife drawn are still significantly faster.
  • Fixed the Rate of Fire when the USAS and MK3A1 are equipped with FRAG rounds. All other shotguns correctly had a reduced rate of fire with frags, except the USAS and MK3A1.
  • Fixed an Accuracy bug when the MK3A1 shotgun is equipped with FRAG or Slug rounds.
  • Shotguns equipped with slugs will no longer automatically begin reloading if the weapon is zoomed when the clip is empty. This allows players to see where the slug lands before reloading.
  • Fixed 12g FRAG rounds not breaking glass at long range.
  • Players can now earn the shotgun Ribbon using the M26 MASS.
  • The underslung grenade launchers for Russian rifles now properly report GP30 in the kill log.
  • Fixed the AEK971 40mm shotgun round listing itself as FRAG in the kill log.
  • Fixed the 40mm smoke grenade so it no longer passes through soldiers and unbroken objects before it detonates.
  • M27 IAR: No change. The M27 is a heavier version of the M416, giving it good all-around performance though it has worse performance on the move.
  • RPK-74M: Reduced the initial recoil and vertical recoil. The RPK-74M is a more stable firing platform than the comparable M27, though it lacks the M27′s higher rate of fire.
  • M249: Added an initial recoil. The M249 is the fastest firing belt fed LMG, giving it superior suppressive and damage abilities. The initial recoil makes it a bit harder to run and gun, while making little overall impact on performance.
  • Type-88: Slightly increased the initial recoil, reduced muzzle drift. The Type88 fires the slowest of the medium caliber LMGs, though what it lacks in rate of fire it makes up for in controllability.
  • PKP: Reduced recoil but added a slight initial recoil, increased damage at max range. The Pecheneg has a heavy vertical recoil with a hard hitting round and little drift, this makes it excellent at sustained fire.
  • M60: Reduced the initial recoil, increased damage at all ranges. The M60 has a very low rate of fire that makes it the most controllable with the powerful 7.62x51mm round.
  • M240B: Added an initial recoil, increased damage at all ranges. The fastest firing medium MG, the M240 has a substantial muzzle kick and drift that makes all that power difficult to control.
  • QBB-95: Reduced the total recoil but increased muzzle drift and initial recoil. The QBB-95 should now kick harder but settle into full auto fire better, combined with the bullpup hip fire bonus this makes the QBB-95 a highly mobile LMG.
  • MG36: Added an initial recoil. The MG36 fires at a fast 750rpm and makes a nice middle ground between the controllability of a clip LMG and the sustained firepower of a belt fed LMG.
  • 870: No change. The 870 is a popular and highly effective weapon.
  • DAO-12: Reduced the total pellets fired from 12 to 9. The DAO-12 has a high magazine capacity with a slow reload that makes it a solid all around shotgun.
  • M1014: Increased the rate of fire from 200 max to 210 max. Reduced the total pellets fired from 12 to 9. The M1014 was underperforming compared to the USAS12 and 870, it should now be more viable in CQB thanks to a higher rate of fire.
  • S12k: Increased extended mag from 8 rounds to 10 rounds. Reduced the total pellets fired from 12 to 9. The S12k larger extended magazine but slower rate of fire should make it stand out against the M1014, while the DAO-12 has a higher capacity over all, but a slowe reload.
  • MK3A1: Increased magazine capacity to 8 and 12 for normal and extended mag respectively. Reduced the total pellets fired from 12 to 9. The MK3A1 has a lower ROF than the USAS12, giving it slightly more ammo makes this an edge vs the USAS.
  • USAS-12: Increased the initial recoil. Reduced the total pellets fired from 12 to 9. The USAS 12 has a higher ROF than other shotguns, this recoil change better balances that advantage and the pellets balance its damage output.
  • M4A1: No Change. Well-rounded carbine, with good rate of fire and controllable recoil.
  • M4: Increased vertical recoil, reduced horizontal recoil. The Burst only M4 should now feel different to its automatic sibling, the reduced horizontal recoil emphasizes the greater control you have in burst fire.
  • AKS-74U: Reduced initial recoil and vertical recoil. The AKS-74u’s low rate of fire is paired with great controllability. The overall increase in sustained fire control should help this carbine stand out, while the first kick gives it character.
  • SG553: Reduced initial recoil and vertical recoil. The SG553 is a lower rate of fire carbine with greater controllability than the G36C. The change to initial recoil should better highlight this difference.
  • A91: No Change. The A91′s high rate of fire and bullpup from the hip accuracy is offset by a poor controllability on full auto.
  • G36C: Reduced initial recoil. The G36C is a well-rounded carbine, with a medium rate of fire and a medium recoil. The 2 round burst mode gives this weapon an edge at mid-range.
  • SCAR-H: Increased damage at maximum range and increased max range. The SCAR-H fires a heavier round than all other carbines, giving it better stopping power at range at the cost of a low fire rate that penalizes it in CQB.
  • G53: Reduced recoil and drift, recoil settle times now similar to other carbines. The HK53 is a short carbine with a lot of initial kick but a stable recoil pattern and a medium rate of fire. The changes give it more character compared to the G36.
  • QBZ-95B: Reduced muzzle sway, recoil settle times now similar to other carbines. A bullpup like the A91, the QBZ-95B is steady on the move with a lower rate of fire for controllable shots at longer range. The built in foregrip is now properly reflected in the weapon’s stats.
  • AK-74M: Reduced initial recoil and vertical recoil. The AK-74M sacrifices rate of fire for controllable automatic fire, the initial recoil was negatively affecting the feeling of controllability.
  • M16A3: No Change. The M16 (both A3 and A4) provide a well-rounded stable firing platform with a high rate of fire that is relatively controllable.
  • M16A4: Increased vertical recoil, reduced horizontal recoil. The Burst only M16A4 should now feel different to its automatic sibling, the reduced horizontal recoil emphasizes the greater control you have in burst fire.
  • M416: No change. The M416 is the middle ground AR, blending a medium recoil and rate of fire.
  • AEK-971: Increased initial recoil, reduced aimed accuracy slightly. The AEK has a very high rate of fire, and also a large muzzle drift that makes control difficult. The low initial recoil allowed a player to kill before the weapon’s weaknesses kicked in while the reduced accuracy highlights its close range role.
  • F2000: Reduced vertical recoil, increased zoomed accuracy slightly. As a bullpup, the F2000 has a bonus to accuracy on the move and from the hip while its high rate of fire sacrifices controllability for saturation. The previous changes were an overreaction, this is a corrective update.
  • AN94: Reduced vertical recoil. The AN94′s 2 round burst mode is incredibly accurate, but it suffers from a low rate of fire on fully automatic. The recoil in full auto has been reduced somewhat to offset this penalty and make the AN94 more attractive.
  • G3A3: Increased damage at all ranges, reduced vertical recoil. The G3A3′s heavy recoil and heavy round are offset by a low rate of fire and a small magazine. The G3A3 was clearly outclassed at all ranges.
  • KH2002: No Change. The KH2002 is locked to burst fire, with a high rate of fire and a large muzzle drift the weapon favors accurate mid-range fire.
  • L85A2: Increased accuracy, reduced muzzle drift. The L85 differs from other bullpup style ARs by having a low rate of fire, the accuracy and controllability were too low to offset the rate of fire.
  • FAMAS: The FAMAS combines an extreme rate of fire with extreme recoil making it very difficult to use at anything other than close quarters combat. Due to update restrictions, the FAMAS had different stats on all 3 platforms. The FAMAS is now uniform on all platforms and now has the correct 25 round magazine.
  • PP2000: Reduced the initial recoil. The PP2000 has a lower ROF than other PDWs and needed the controllability to be balanced.
  • UMP45: Reduced accuracy loss during full auto. The UMP45 hits hard and has a controllable recoil at the cost of a heavy initial recoil kick.
  • MP7: No Change. The MP7 has a very low recoil and a high muzzle drift that favors longer bursts than the P90.
  • AS VAL: Increased vertical recoil, reduced first shot recoil, reduced accuracy on the move. The AS VAL fires a long range, highly accurate, high damage projectile that favors short bursts or single fire when stationary. While still quite good from the hip, the AS VAL will suffer if fired while moving and aimed.
  • PDW-R: Reduced the initial recoil. The PDW-R has high recoil and favors burst fire, the added initial recoil was making it less effective in small bursts.
  • P90: Reduced the initial recoil. The P90 favors a run and gun play style using long bursts to control muzzle drift, the initial recoil was making bursting ineffective.
  • PP-19: Slightly reduced the initial recoil when firing, increased base damage. The PP-19′s high initial recoil was over penalizing the burst fire needed to be effective on the low damage, high capacity weapon.

SCOPES

  • Fixed the 7x scope not zooming to the full 7x on all weapons.
  • Corrected the M39′s laser sight so it points at the point of impact and aligns with scopes when zoomed.
  • Fixed a misaligned scope crosshair on the G3A3 using the Rifle Scope 6x.
  • Fixed the PKA and PKA-S scopes on the M416 having swapped zoom levels.
  • The L96 Straight Pull bolt now functions properly.
  • The L96 ironsights have been adjusted for a clearer aiming picture and correct use of the integral front sight.
  • The L96 now properly shows scope glint when using the 8x, and 12x scopes.
  • Tweaked IRNV to be more consistent across all levels.
  • Fixed a rendering issue with IRNV view when taking damage.
  • Tweaked the IRNV zoom times and scope visible areas to be the same across all weapons (some were faster than others).
  • Fixed the QBU-88 sniper and the L96 IRNV scopes to use the proper sniper reticule

BIPOD

  • The Accuracy increase and Recoil reduction of the Bipod has been significantly improved for Assault Rifles and Carbines.
  • The Bipod now provides similar Accuracy and Recoil benefits no matter if the weapon is fired while aiming or without aiming for all weapons. Previously only LMGs were worked this way. This especially improves the speed at which snipers can make follow up shots, and also allows effective unaimed suppressive fire with Assault Rifles and Carbines.
  • Increased the Speed at which a bipod is deployed, allowing the user to obtain the bipod’s bonus sooner after the deploy has started and allowing the weapon to be aimed in a far shorter time. The speed has been increased 40-50%, depending on the weapon and animation.

HEAVY BARREL

  • The Vertical Recoil penalty of the Heavy Barrel has been reduced. The value has been changed from a global percent increase to a weapon specific value.
  • A small Hip Accuracy penalty has been added to the Heavy Barrel to represent the added weight of the accessory, as well as focus the attachment on accurate mid and long range fire. The exact penalty amount is a weapon specific value.
  • Several weapons with low default bullet speed now have their bullet speed increased when the Heavy Barrel is equipped. This is in effect for the A91, G3A3, AKS-74u, G36C, M4A1, SCAR-H, SG553, G53, and QBZ-95B.
  • The Heavy Barrel is now also paired with Match Rounds which increase the maximum range of the weapon. The minimum and maximum damage are unchanged, weapons with the Heavy Barrel will be more effective in mid range.
  • The Aimed Accuracy bonus provided by the Heavy Barrel has been increased. This will increase the effectiveness of the Heavy Barrel for small bursts, as originally intended.

IRNV FIXES

  • Tweaked IRNV to be more consistent across all levels.
  • Fixed a rendering issue with IRNV view when taking damage.
  • Tweaked the IRNV zoom times and scope visible areas to be the same across all weapons (some were faster than others).
  • Fixed the QBU-88 sniper and the L96 IRNV scopes to use the proper sniper reticule.

FOREGRIP

  • The Horizontal Sway reduction has been changed from a global percent reduction to a weapon specific value reduction. For most guns this means very little change, for guns which have a large horizontal recoil the change is more substation. The FAMAS, F2000, and AEK971 are most effected, the AK-74, M16, and M416 are nearly unchanged.
  • A small long range Aimed Accuracy penalty has been added to the foregrip. Players who generally find themselves fighting at mid to long range may want to change their accessory, while players fighting in CQB will go largely unaffected. Combining the Foregrip with a Silencer or a Heavy Barrel will offset this penalty.

LASER SIGHT

  • The Hip Accuracy bonus provided by the Laser Sight has been increased. Some PDWs have had their crouch and prone base stats adjusted to prevent hip firing being more accurate than aimed fire when using a laser sight.
  • The bonus is now a weapon specific value instead of a global percentage, some guns receive larger or smaller bonuses, though all bonuses are better than they were previously.

SUPPRESSOR

  • The Suppressor no longer reduces the maximum damage of a weapon when equipped. Instead the Suppressor reduces the minimum and maximum range of the weapon, making it ideal for CQB and Stealth. This change will make the Suppressor slightly more effective at long range, where the bullet drop and speed makes shots difficult already, and reduces the power of the suppressor at mid range slightly.
  • The Suppressor’s recoil bonus remains unchanged at a global 10% decrease. This is less than the Flash Suppressor’s bonus for all weapons.
  • The Hip Accuracy penalty of the Suppressor has been changed from a global percentage to a per weapon value. Generally this penalty is higher now, but not for all weapons. Specifically, the belt LMGs and bolt Snipers do not have any additional hip fire penalty, as their penalty is already at the maximum possible value.
  • Reduced the Aimed Accuracy bonus of the Suppressor from 50% to 25%. A Suppressor and Foregrip combo will have similar accuracy to a weapon without any Accessories, at the penalty of worse Hip Fire Accuracy and Range and with the benefit of much improved Stealth and reduced Recoil.

FLASH SUPPRESSOR

  • The Flash Suppressor no longer reduces accuracy for Automatic Fire.
  • The Flash Suppressor now also works as a recoil compensator, reducing the Vertical Recoil by a weapon specific value. This bonus is larger than the bonus provided by the Suppressor.
  • A small Hip Accuracy penalty has been added to the Flash Suppressor to represent the added weight of the accessory. The exact penalty amount is a weapon specific value.

GADGETS

  • Reduced the spot times on C4 and Claymore projectiles from 30 to 15 sec.
  • Tweaked the controls and physics for the EOD bot to improve its handling and aiming capabilities.
  • The Radio Beacon, Mortar, MAV, EOD bot, T-UGS, and SOFLAM should now be much easier to deploy.
  • The MAV will now be destroyed when running into a soldier or vehicle at high speed. It is still possible to strategically sacrifice your MAV on a soldier; it will be destroyed in the process.
  • The MAV now properly shows up in the Kill Feed. Previously it simply displayed “KILLED.”
  • The MAV can no longer be used as an elevator.
  • Matched the motion sensor sweep frequency and range on the MAV to the TUGS.
  • Players will no longer auto enter SOFLAM, MAV, and EOD bots after they are deployed.
  • Players may now use their knife to destroy enemy equipment.
  • C4 will no longer be detonable after a player respawns, if the player is revived within 5 seconds he can still detonate his C4.
  • The player may now have a maximum number of mines which will persist after the player’s death. Deploying more than the maximum of 6 mines will remove a previous mine from the world.
  • Claymores now live up to 5 seconds after a player dies, the player can have a max 2 claymores planted at the same time.
  • Claymores can now detonate from vehicles and can be used to disable jeeps or kill the passengers in light jeeps. Claymores will not do any damage to heavy vehicles.
  • Ammobags now stay until the user redeploys them like Medkits.
  • Ammobags resupply bullets more quickly, but explosives resupply more slowly, especially 40mm grenades.
  • Slightly reduced the effective blast radius of the RPG, SMAW, and 40mm grenade projectiles against infantry.
  • Reduced the total number of RPG and SMAW missiles carried from 5 to 4. Players desiring more rockets will want to use the Explosive spec.
  • Slightly increased the heal rate of the Medical Crate.
  • The MAV now will also descend by pressing the Crouch Toggle key. (PC)
  • The M224 Mortar can no longer be deployed in an area that is out of combat for another team like a home base or other protected spawn.
  • Tweaked M224 exit points so the player faces in the direction of the mortar when he exits.
  • Mines, Claymores, C4 and other deployable items will now only appear on the minimap when spotted by a teammate.

TEAM DEATHMATCH

  • Fixed a bug where players would spawn close to the enemy team at the start of the round.
  • Tehran Highway playable area has been doubled and is now the same as the Squad Deathmatch set up. Spawn points have been tweaked, and an extra spawn zone has been added north of the footbridge.
  • Kharg Island has a new spawn zone layout, along with a bigger playable area and new cover objects. Spawn points have also been tweaked.
  • Strike at Karkand spawns zones have been tweaked to improve player flow. Spawn points have been tweaked to improve safety upon spawning.
  • Sharqi Peninsula spawn zones have been adjusted to optimize player movement. Spawn points have been tweaked so players spawn more safely.
  • Seine Crossing spawn zone set up has been improved. There is a new spawn zone by the alleyway to the northwest with additional spawn points.
  • Caspain Border spawn zones have been tweaked slightly.

SQUAD DEATHMATCH

  • Fixed a bug where players would spawn close to the enemy team at the start of the round.
  • Damavand Peak layout and spawn zones have been tightened to reduce the spread of players across the map
  • Tehran Highway now features an extra spawn zone north of the footbridge, along with tweaked spawn points.
  • Noshahr Canals spawn zones have been tweaked. Removed unsafe spawn points in the Northeast corner, and in the middle of the container area to the Southwest.

DISABLE ANTI-ALIASING ON PS3 TO REDUCE INPUT LAG

  • PlayStation 3 players may now turn off anti-alias in the options menu to reduce input lag.

IMPROVED COMMO-ROSE FOR PC

As has been rumored for some time, we are making some improvements to the commo-rose on PC. This is partially based on feedback from the community.

Please be aware that the commo-rose will change depending on your current position – vehicles and infantry each have separate call outs. Each function should trigger appropriate voice messages as well as icons on the mini map.

Each button should trigger appropriate voice messages as well as icons on the mini map.  Players should keep an eye on the mini map for these icons that will flash when a team mate is requesting aid via the commo-rose.

IMPROVEMENTS TO MINIMAP
We are also adjusting the level of detail to give a clearer picture for players when using the mini-map.
The three new mini map modes are:

 

Fahed Jaradat

Senior Editor and Co-Founder. Multiplayer runs in my blood. Don't believe me? Ask for a sample! Subscriber

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Medal of Honor: Warfighter – All Playable Global Tier 1 Operators Revealed

A few weeks ago, it was revealed that Medal of Honor: Warfighter would feature 12 different global Tier 1 Operator units that would all be playable in MoH: Warfighter’s multiplayer experience. Additionally, it was also stated that Danger Close would include a special “Blue on Blue” playlist that would allow gamers to pit their favorite units against other.

In a recent FAQ with developers, Danger Close answered how these 12 Tier 1 units were chosen. They explained, “we spoke to our more than two dozen consultants from the Special Operations Community and we asked them who they fought alongside and most respected in the global Tier 1 Operator community.”

As for which units will be included, check out the list below:

SEAL (USA)
GROM (Poland)
SFOD-D (USA)
SAS (UK)
JTF-2 (Canada)
OGA (USA)
FSK/HJK (Norway)
S SOG (Sweden)
SASR (Australia)
ROKN UDT (South Korea)
KSK (Germany)
SPETZNAS GRUPPA ALFA (Russia)

Which global Tier 1 Operator unit will you be playing as in Medal of Honor: Warfighter?

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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[Updated] Battlefield 3 Patch Release Date Leaked, Official Announcement Postponed

While we wait for an official statement regarding the upcoming Battlefield 3 patch from developers at DICE, leaked information has hit the internet revealing a date for two of the three platforms.

Community website Battlefieldo seems to have received word of a release date thanks to “multiple inside sources.” These sources state that Battlefield 3 players can expect to download the patch on March 27th. Unfortunately, they also stated that this date only applies to the PC and PS3 version of Battlefield 3, while an Xbox 360 release date is still up in the air. Of course, official word from DICE will be able to clear this up once it becomes available.

Initially, DICE hinted at releasing both an official date and patch notes today, but due to unforeseen circumstances, it looks like these announcements will be delayed. Community Manager Daniel “zh1nt0” Matros commented, “had to pull back the post because of complications as usual.” Additionally, Lead Designer Gustav Halling stated, “there are a few questions we have to get answered to before announcing the patch notes. Me and zh1nt0 will let u know when we can.”

While we wait for an official statement and further details regarding patch notes, you can read over the previously released notes right here. Make sure to stay tuned to MP1st on Twitter and Facebook further announcements regarding the upcoming Battlefield 3 patch.

Update: Daniel Matros has confirmed that “the upcoming patch will include commo-rose improvements for PC as well as minimap improvements for PC.” Specifically, 3 new mini map modes will be available: Satellite, hybrid and detailed. He also confirmed that DICE has “a set date for PS3.” However, they “are working on getting a set date for Xbox 360 and PC.” He lastly added an apology to the Battlefield community: “Terribly sorry for all of the mix ups with the dates. Sometimes things get pulled back.”

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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MW3 Upcoming DLC Will Feature Sniper Friendly, Close Quarters and “Very Specific Styles of Maps”

Infinity Ward Creative Strategist, Robert Bowling, recently talked about upcoming DLC plans for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 during a Google+ Hangout with Call of Duty fans.

It was asked if any more sniper friendly maps would be included in any of the upcoming content drops. As it turns out, this is the case for the next drop in April. Bowling explained before attending this Hangout with Zagat, he actually just came from “Activision doing the next promo video for the next content drop for April, and in that drop there’s going to be a map that is very sniper friendly.” He added that “it’s a very large map, but it’s not like Liberation. It’s not open like that. It’s got a different style, but you’ll see videos of that very soon.” Xbox 360 Elite users will be getting two multiplayer maps in April.

Additionally, he stressed that “there’s also some close quarter maps,” and that maps that will focus on a completely different style of play. “We’re actually doing something really cool with the upcoming content updates that is very specific to a whole different type of play style. You know, instead of looking at medium and larger and small maps, this is very specific styles of maps but I can’t announce that yet.” Again, me mentioned that “there’s going to be be videos coming out” that we can all look forward to.

On the topic of returning classic maps, Bowling simply stated, “I hope. I mean, I can’t announce anything but I’ve been pretty open about my feelings about classic maps.” You can read more about his thoughts that we reported on here. He continued, “I want to see them and I wanted to see them outside the normal DLC… I don’t want them exclusive. I don’t want release date restrictions. I just want them. But, we haven’t confirmed anything. We haven’t announced anything.” He concluded, “there’s so many good Modern Warfare maps that I’d like to see in Modern Warfare 3. I think it would definitely improve the gameplay.”

Of course, everyone wants to know if Infinity Ward would still consider weapon DLC, something Bowling spoke about earlier. Bowling answered, “…we don’t know.” Though he did add with a bit of hope, “I mean, we still have a lot of months in the content season. We’re open to it. Right now, we’re focused on, you know, additional modes and maps and locations. But anything’s really possible. We want to look at expanding it a lot of new ways. Well, we’re working on a lot of stuff – testing a lot of stuff. So, I can’t confirm anything until that testing phase, or prototyping phase is done and I’m sure something will happen.” So while we may not see weapon DLC anytime soon, we can expect infinity ward to expand the gameplay in interesting new ways.

Let us know in the comments below what you think these “different styles of play might be” if you think weapon DLC will ever make it into MW3.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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MW3 Double XP Weekend Kicks Off Soon on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, Matchmaking Gets a Hot Fix

Modern Warfare 3’s Robert Bowling has announced that a new update will go live in few hours that brings Double XP for all platforms, and fixes some matchmaking issues.

Bowling revealed, via Twitter, that the team behind Modern Warfare 3 is “pushing an MW3 update around 2am PT [5am EST] that will activate Double XP across all platforms as well address some matchmaking issues.” Bowling is most likely referring to the matchmaking problems that 360 players in geographical locations with  low player counts have been experiencing, which you can read about here.

In regards to Double XP, Bowling stated that Double XP will be active “until Monday,” and jokingly added “unless we forget to turn it off or I break the giant lever that deactivates it.” We asked Bowling if the update will be done through a patch or hot fix, he confirmed that “it’ll be a hot fix.”

Last night, another hot fix went live to fix the Black Box glitch for 360 users.

Fahed Jaradat

Senior Editor and Co-Founder. Multiplayer runs in my blood. Don't believe me? Ask for a sample! Subscriber

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Rumor – GTA V Details and Images Coming Next Week

Earlier today, it was revealed that multiplayer crews created in Max Payne 3 will carry over to Grand Theft Auto V. This pales in comparision to what dutch magazine, Chief, has in store for GTA fans next week.

The magazine posted the cover for its’ April issue claiming the following: (It was translated by NeoGAF and double checked by MP1st’s own Jorik)

Information on the Cover:

  • The mystery solved
  • The first images
  • Los Santos already mapped
  • Who will be the new Niko Bellic?
  • The tweet along the image stated, “Next week in stores, now already on your plate: the first GTA 5 cover in the world.”

See the cover for yourself below. As we can’t definitively guarantee that new information is coming next week, we have to classify this as a rumor. (It could be a very cruel April fools’ joke.)

 

Fahed Jaradat

Senior Editor and Co-Founder. Multiplayer runs in my blood. Don't believe me? Ask for a sample! Subscriber

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Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Weapon Recoil Patterns and Hitbox Comparisons

It goes without saying that the latest iteration of Counter-Strike, Global Offensive, boasts a number of improvements and updates over its predecessors. However, there are some less obvious, under-the-hood differences that some long time CS fans may have overlooked while playing the beta.

For one, have you noticed the distinct and unique recoil patterns of the various weapons featured in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive? User sepp0 on the Steam Forums has put together some images that clearly demonstrate the weapon recoil patterns of the AK-74, M4A4, SG 553, and AUG. The image on the left shows a seemingly random pattern of bullet holes while the image on the right demonstrates the recoil path that the weapon actually takes. Make sure to click on the images for a larger size.

AK-74
M4A4
SG 553
AUG

Recently, Counter-Strike developers posted on the official CS Blog the differences between hitboxes featured in Source and hitboxes featured in Global Offensive. You’ll notice that the hitboxes used in Source are much more generous than the ones used in Global Offensive and extend slightly further than the enemy’s body. This means that downing tangos in Global Offensive will require pinpoint accuracy as a near miss is still a miss.

CS:S Hitboxes
CS:GO Hitboxes

If you want to be successful in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, learning the size of enemy hitboxes and the various recoil patterns of your favorite weapons is a must.

What do you think about these small, but game-changing differences?

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Crews Created in Max Payne 3 will Carry Over to GTA V Multiplayer, Rockstar Considers MP to be “Ever More Important”

Rockstar Games’ co-founder and Grand Theft Auto V’s co-writer, Dan Houser has spilled the beans on the first GTA V multiplayer details.

“Multiplayer is an ever-more important part of all our games moving forward,” Houser told IGN. He went on to emphasize the role Social Club plays in solidifying the multiplayer experience across Rockstar’s franchises. He explained, “by creating crews through Social Club, the crews that you create in Max Payne 3 will be ready and available for you to play in Grand Theft Auto V from day one. It’s all part of our larger approach to make multiplayer deeper and richer than what’s currently available, much more easily accessible to the newcomer and rewarding for the hardcore.” He concluded by stating that Rockstar “made a promise not to talk too much about forthcoming games until a little further down the track but, yes, crews will feature in Grand Theft Auto V multiplayer.”

Are you guys excited for the multiplayer portion of Grand Theft Auto 5? Please leave your thoughts in the comments’ section below.

Fahed Jaradat

Senior Editor and Co-Founder. Multiplayer runs in my blood. Don't believe me? Ask for a sample! Subscriber

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DICE Will Reveal BF3 Patch Release Date Tomorrow, PC Patch Won’t Come Sooner, And More

It was only a couple days ago a recent server update went live in order to lay the groundwork for the upcoming Battlefield 3 patch. This naturally got many Battlefield fans excited as the highly anticipated patch inches closer and closer to a release date.

By the way, for a full guide detailing how the new console server browser update works, read here!

Today, some special announcements were made by DICE members. While we aren’t receiving word of a patch release date, we are learning the next best thing: A release date for the patch release date. Confused?

DICE Global Community Manager Daniel Matros, stated on his Twitter account earlier today, “hopefully I’ll be able to drop the patch date tomorrow.” Similarly, DICE Lead Designer Gustav Halling mentioned, “BF3 patch date will be released tomorrow.” He later added, “we will release a feature list tomorrow together with the date.” These notes should most likely include the tentative notes stated earlier and much more.

Many PC gamers have been looking to DICE, asking why the PC patch can’t be released before the console patches, even by a couple days. Many are comparing to patches released by Bethesda for their latest multiplatform epic, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, where PC players have been receiving their patches before console players, as they’re ready.

Gameplay Designer Alan Kertz stresses, “I think it’s important we have as close to the same game at the same time on all platforms.” Halling similarly mentioned it is because Because DICE wants “to have the same game out on all platforms, not 3 different ones.”

Fan’s have also been wondering where the patch notes for the latest server update are. Many have reported unannounced changes to playlists. Halling clarified that “Playlists isn’t really the patch changelog, its backend.” On top of that, DICE is “patching servers 2-4 times/month…”

Naturally, stay tuned to MP1st on Twitter and Facebook to know when the next Battlefield 3 patch and release notes finally drop! Also, let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Do you agree with DICE’s philosophy of keeping the game similar across all three platforms?

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber