I bet you think I am joking… and I am to an extent – but…
So many people were clamouring for fantasy drafts and player editing in Madden 13 – and their wishes are slowly being granted. Many people are still playing Black Ops strictly for the zombie mode and are looking forward to Black Ops 2 only for the continuation of it as well. Now we have numerous zombie add-ons for games like ARMA 2 to go with the already growing number of actual zombie-themed games like Left 4 Dead and Dead Island.
Then it crossed my mind.
What would make a football game more accessible for non-sports gamers?
Zombies!
Consider the possibilities of instead of simply getting tackled by other players you were being chased around the field by zombies. Maybe you could actually break ankles with a crazy juke move or use the hit stick to wreck a few zombies carrying the brain…err – ball.
I bet Donny Moore would give them all 99 OVRs in toughness and 25s in Awareness…
What are your thoughts? – Should zombies make their way into sports games?
With Black Ops 2 coming out in November you will want to play the first one to get a feel for the guns and overall handling of Treyarch’s last iteration of COD.
Getting your eyes and fingers ready for an anticipated game doesn’t entail taking a long break from gaming. If you are looking forward to games like Black Ops 2 you should start putting in some practice time with the predecessor. In this case, you should take the opportunity to start playing some of the original Black Ops.
There are a few reasons for this approach –
Developers Usually Make Games ‘Handle’ Like Old Ones – Treyarch is the developer in charge of Black Ops 2 (as they were with the original Black Ops). Playing Modern Warfare 3 will still help you quite a bit with Call of Duty’s speed and presentation. However, you will notice that Black Ops has many nuances that make it rather difficult to shift between Modern Warfare (Infinity Ward/Sledgehammer) and the titles developed by Treyarch. You will notice guns aim and even carry differently – pop in each game and start looking for those slight differences that could make a big difference in your ability to play Black Ops 2 more effectively on November 13.
Get Used To Game Speed – The difference in game speed between Treyarch and Infinity Ward is also something that is very slight, but it is something to take into consideration none-the-less. You will notice that sprinting speed and even the aiming of weapons can be just a few fractions of a second different from one game to another.
Snipers…Be Warned – Treyarch is rumored to be removing aim-assist (at least from Sniper Rifles). This will hopefully get rid of ‘quick-scoping’ as well as making sniping a more skillful art than some sort of carnival weapon. Sniping is a major point of contention for a lot of first person shooter gamers. However, when it comes to the difference between sniping in Treyarch and Infinity Ward games – it is one of the most vast differences in gun-play.
Zombies – They are coming back and lets be honest… half of the people that say they play Call of Duty: Black Ops at this point play it simply for the zombies. Start getting your braaaaaains ready folks – Black Ops 2 is less than two months away!
Call of Duty was one of the most impressive franchises for this console generation. When it started to become a yearly online shooter version of Madden it lost a lot of luster. If you were among the people that purchased an Xbox 360 early on and made Call of Duty 2 your first 360 game. Something drastically changed when Infinity Ward (thankfully) changed the time period from World War 2 to modern times with Call of Duty 4 – Modern Warfare.
Something even more drastic happened after Call of Duty took a more modern approach – the creation of prestige, leaderboards and record keeping of Kill/Death ratios. One of our first articles talked largely about leaderboards and their negative impact on online gaming and the catalyst for the current state of online shooters was Call of Duty 4.
We have since made it through four iterations of Call of Duty and the process has seen the online community grow to new heights and sales of the game to go through the roof. Call of Duty is one of the most action-packed and entertaining games to play online or offline – but why does it feel so bland now?
It seems like Black Ops 2 is one of the most underwhelming and least hyped CoD titles to be released. The last time I remember not looking forward to a Call of Duty game was when CoD 3 was announced to once again focus on World War 2. Black Ops has shifted from the Cold War era to the ‘near future’ in Black Ops 2. Outside of the time-shift, there have been a few tweaks and changes to gameplay as well as a new set of weapons (which we will be covering in the coming months). The question that must be asked again and again is whether or not the Call of Duty series will command the same attention that it has in the past.
Where do you stand with Black Ops 2? If your opinions are anywhere close to those for Madden 13 it could be an interesting reaction.
While it is always nice to have a change of pace from time to time, there is also something to be said for a game that withstand the test of time. Call of Duty isn’t one of those games.
Black Ops 2 looks good from the graphical perspective and will most likely ‘handle’ just like every other COD game. You can always expect tight, fast and precise gameplay from Call of Duty titles. The great part about the trailer is that it shows us exactly what we were expecting. The terrible part is… it shows us exactly what we were expecting.
The use of the ‘Guardian’ technology around the 36 second mark should make you think back to the 60 Minutes report on a ‘ray gun’ –
This is cool. No doubt about it – amazing technology is being developed by our government (and others). However, this is also one of the downfalls of Call of Duty games. They constantly push out ‘cool’ and ‘amazing’ weapons that while they might be real, tend to make the game into an annual BFG-Fest.
Between killstreaks and other numerous things that make Call of Duty the game we all love to jump on and play for hours at a time there are also some rumors out there that they are getting rid of one thing that many people have become rather annoyed with during their time with Modern Warfare 3 – Aim Assist (especially with sniper rifles). Go ahead and throw a party – you know you want to.
It is going to be a great autumn and winter for gaming and we can’t wait!
Now that Modern Warfare 3 is nearing the end of it’s popular annual cycle there are many people looking forward to Black Ops 2. Granted, some others are going to fight tooth and nail against playing Treyarch’s Call of Duty iteration just because of a preference to the Modern Warfare style and gameplay.
Regardless of your preference there is always the constant state of Downloadable Content (DLC) from the Call of Duty series. If you are a Call of Duty fan and you play it online as much as the millions of other gamers out there and you haven’t purchased Call of Duty: Elite to this point – it might be time to jump into the sad situation with both feet.
Is The Time Right For You?
If you consider the $50 cost for Elite to be a little steep – you aren’t the only one. The primary benefit is that you are entitled any of the content that they release for Call of Duty throughout your membership. In many cases (especially on the XBox 360) this means you get early access to the maps as well – other users have to wait a few weeks if they don’t have Elite. Sure, you get emblems and HD access to videos… blah blah blah. Most people aren’t ‘pro’ gamers (even if they think they are) in which case – Elite is for the maps and game add-ons.
If you were to buy Elite today (August 13, 2012) you would be covered until August 13, 2013. If you don’t want to take my word for it – take Activision’s word in their own FAQ for Elite. This means that you will still get whatever benefits will be released for Modern Warfare 2 and everything they will release for Black Ops 2 up until August 13, 2013.
I have been putting Elite off for a long time, but at this point I am starting to feel like the time is right. Why?
I have already bought all the map packs for Modern Warfare 3 (except for the latest Chaos Pack) and the logical view some people say is that I have overpaid and should have just purchased Elite when it came out. In my case, I am always in flux around this time of year. All sorts of new exciting games are coming out and it is hard for me to really devote every gaming moment to Call of Duty (or anything else).
By getting Elite now you (like me) will be able to reap all the benefits of what is left for Modern Warfare 3 and most of the benefits for Black Ops 2… or whatever they push out for the title until August, 2013. If you are considering a purchase of Halo 4 in addition to Black Ops 2 it would be wise to consider putting a quick $50 in advance down towards getting a bit of content for Black Ops 2 and knowing in advance that all you will have to do is download it rather than think about whether it is worth $15. Not to mention, you are also safe from taking the risk that the next Call of Duty game after Black Ops isn’t complete garbage.
Assuming you don’t think Call of Duty is garbage already. Yes, I know that many of my Battlefield readers are COD haters. Well, stay tuned all my BF3 friends – you are probably going to riot after reading one of the latest bits of information is covered in our next article.
It is quite possibly the best and worst time of year for gamers. You want Halo 4 on November 6 but Black Ops 2 comes out on November 13. You might want to get Madden 13 in a couple weeks but maybe you also want to get Borderlands 2 in September. Maybe you are even considering a purchase of Medal of Honor: Warfighter – which will throw you for a loop in October as Assassin’s Creed 3 is coming on on the 30th!
It isn’t easy to be a hundredaire – but we know what it’s like to celebrate the purchase of a new game when we can afford it.
Every game you want is coming out within weeks of each other game you want and you just don’t have the money to pour into your passion. It is one of the sad truths for people that live like real people that pay bills and make decisions every day that will effect their comfort in life. Gaming is an expensive passion and we are going to help you make the best decisions possible. Even if that means putting one or all of your games on a Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Festivus/etc. List – you need to make decisions that give you the best possible outcome as a gamer and (more importantly) a fiscally responsible person.
The first step is to get a writing utensil and a piece of paper… NTTV will help you with the rest.
The Quick Decision – Pick What You Love
What is your favorite game? If you can answer that without a second thought and that game has a sequel or continuation – that could be your answer. If you can’t pick a single favorite game – use the process below.
Step One – What Is Your Budget?
If your budget is less than $65 – DO NOT BUY A NEW VIDEO GAME!
$65 = 1 Game
$130 = 2 Games…
Bottom Line – You know what you can afford and what you can’t afford. Get that number and stick to it.
Step Two – Which Genre (Type) of Games Do You Prefer?
First Person Shooters, Sports, Action/Adventure, Role Playing Games, etc? – Make a prioritized list of which genres are your favorite (rank them from #1 – #8 if you have that many). If you like a little bit of everything equally (like me) then you really can’t rank them, but you should try) We have categorized some of the most popular upcoming releases for your convenience. If you feel a game is missing – let us know!
Step Three – Do Prefer Online or Offline Gaming?
This is becoming a more gray area as games are becoming more and more integrated with online interactions and downloads. There are many games out there that some people simply prefer to play on their own. Are you a Team Deathmatch gamer on Call of Duty or are you an agile assassin that prefers to kill at your own leisure in Assassin’s Creed?
For me, it really depends on the game. I don’t enjoy sports games in the online competitive sense, but I love shooter games like Call of Duty, Battlefield and Halo. (No one said this is an easy process)
Games With Online Focus –
This includes games that primarily revolve around getting online and playing against other people as the main function
Games With Offline Focus –
This includes games that primarily center on you and playing the game for the campaign, season and especially the story.
Games With A Strong Mix of Offline and Online
This includes games that tend to be evenly played and supported for single player and multiplayer experiences. This is open to opinion in some cases (sports games especially).
Step 4 – Prioritizing
Pick the game you want the most. This is the hardest part you wanted to avoid earlier – now there is nowhere to run or hide. The best way to answer this question is to put yourself in the position of having only enough money for one game.You have to walk out of the store with one game you have decided to purchase. Everything else will have to wait for the next paycheck or holiday.
Step 5 – Enjoy What You Have
Regular people that have to budget and make decisions for and against certain purchases need to remember that the most important thing is to be happy with the things you have. Which game are you picking? Stick with your decision, be confident and forget what the reviewers grade it on a scale of 1-10 or 1-100… Do you enjoy your gaming?… Hopefully you can answer yes and this strategy will work for you again.
*Although I have put NoobTubeTV together on my own and can currently invest time and money into all my gaming and the few games I make tutorials for – I have to make these same decisions as well.
With that said…
Which games would you like to see NoobTubeTV feature in the coming months? If you want us to feature a game that we haven’t mentioned please feel free to donate to the cause as it isn’t easy to buy every game we want – even if it is our passion.
Happy Gaming!
Call of Duty will never die if people keep playing it. The bottom line of any business is whether or not their product is selling or being used enough to keep them in business. In the case of the Call of Duty series, there is no doubt that the game is among the favorites of Xbox 360 gamers.
In Major Nelson’s recent update about the most played games on Xbox Live you will see four Call of Duty titles on the list of the Top 20. Modern Warfare 3, Black Ops (as people prep to play Black Ops 2), Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare are among the titles listed (which also includes the likes of Battlefield 3, FIFA 12, Minecraft, Madden NFL 12 and Magic The Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012. This list shouldn’t tell you that games are necessarily ‘good‘ but that they are among the most popular to be played online.
The Call of Duty series is one that is being driven into the ground by its current publisher, Activision. Activision is notorious for taking titles to the point where people are just sick of them (see Guitar Hero). It isn’t that their games are bad or even that they aren’t fun. It is the fact that people get burnt out on spending $60+ on new games and add-ons every year. Guitar Hero (GH) even had a point where the guitars weren’t even compatible with every other game under the GH label. It was really a pathetic turn for the worst from a company that is becoming more and more synonymous with being more money hungry and brash rather than being a good developer of gaming goodness.
We don’t know what would happen if Call of Duty were to take a hiatus or even get to the point where it had simply played itself out; yet, we still look forward to the day when the series isn’t on the release list for November. There are some games that could use a break and Call of Duty is one of them.
Surprisingly, Halo 4 has managed to sneak up on many gamers this year. It could be a case of the series being over-produced and pushed to its creative limit. It could also be a situation where people have pretty much had their fill with Halo and the expected gameplay that has become synonymous with the Halo series.
Master Chief is poised to lay the smack down with some black ops of his own… Call of Duty is probably going to respond with nazi zombies… from space.
This iteration of Halo allows you to pick your weapon load-out much like Call of Duty or Battlefield, however there are other tweaks that make it a more unique game than than the typical – Hey, lets go shoot the other team and rank up so we can prestige and call people noobs type of experience you see on Call of Duty quite often.
Halo 4 is also going to also allow you to sprint and play the game in a faster fashion than other Halo titles previously. It seems that playing a faster paced game is more important to the growing base of gamers than playing a more cerebral game that is slightly longer. This said, you can probably recall many Team Slayer matches that actually lasted until the final minute and they weren’t even close enough to call them good matches – they were just slow. That should hopefully change for the better with these new additions.
War Games is the new addition to multi-player that will essentially put gamers onto a ship – the UNSC Infinity that will allow gamers to experience a new type and form of multiplayer that features smoother gameplay and better lighting. Not to mention the new concept of teamwork and playing through endless scenarios with new ways to earn power-ups and develop your Halo 4 experience. Stay tuned to NoobTubeTV for more Halo 4 updates and other news as we enter the busiest part of the gaming year! Don’t be afraid to pre-order Halo 4 either – we are providing a link below so you can join the experience on November 6!
If sports and first person shooter (FPS) Video Games were a ‘Nation’ and I were the Presidentof Sports and FPS Video Games, I would have to say that the State of our Union is weak.
This isn’t coming from the stand-point of the gaming companies like Electronic Arts or Activision (judging by their weakening stocks I would say that they feel the same), but from the aspect of gamers. There are numerous games that have grabbed our attention and held onto it for a few years such as the Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Mass Effect and some others that you might be able to throw out there in the comments section below. However, sports games and some shooter titles are constantly being thrown at us every year during the summer or fall.
What is becoming more evident as we get closer to the end of this generation of consoles (XBox 360, PS3 and Wii) is that sports and shooter games are really coasting along for the last few quarters before they jump into a new fray of next-gen console development (aka – more of your money).
We have recently focused on games like Madden NFL and NCAA Football sense they are the primary Summer Releases for EA Sports. The next game that will get our full attention is Black Ops 2. Call of Duty is a game that is technically released every two years if you want to dive into the fact that it is split between development teams (Infinity Ward and Treyarch). However, the series itself is pretty much the same concept with a few nuances that make each game slightly different.
These games feel disposable at this point. We aren’t in a time period of creative thoughts in entertainment in general. Movies are the same way with sequels and remakes that really aren’t too dissimilar from what annual sports games and FPS games like Call of Duty are doing. The publishers of these games like to sell you on trailers and big budget marketing rather than actually take the time to be creative and take a chance with something new.
If in 2013 there would be an announcement that Madden and Call of Duty would not be released in order to drive creativity and innovation in each series, would you applaud this decision or take it upon yourself to scream in ALL CAPS that it is the worst thing that ever happened to gaming?
NoobTubeTV would applaud this decision but what is your take?
When it comes to FPS games, ranking up is one of those things that seems to grab some people in the community by their joy stick and pull them around like parents with kids on a leash. In Call of Duty it is referred to as ‘Prestiging’ and it also happens to be one of the most annoying bases you will find from verbally abusive gamers looking to put you down.
The only thing that changes might be egos…
Why do they choose to put people down in reference to prestige? It is quite simple really. They have theoretically mastered the game in such a way that they are actually better than you. The funny thing is that this doesn’t usually become an issue until you start making them look bad in a game that they want to feel elite through some sort of icon.
How do we best come to a decision when it comes to the all-powerful action of ‘Prestiging’?
The decision to prestige often comes from wanting to add longevity and a sense of purpose to the multi-player aspect of Call of Duty. You get a new icon each time you top out the leveling system (in Modern Warfare 3 it is 80) but in exchange, you lose all guns and other equipment you opened in your gaming process. This is a steep penalty to pay in order to get an icon, but some people find it worthwhile. Outside of the vanity of a new blinging icon and having to re-earn weapons… there isn’t any real practical reason to prestige.
Being one of the few that have chosen not to prestige, it is really quite simple. I play the game to have fun, shoot opponents and make them angry for underestimating me based on my lack of prestige. You get to keep every gun and piece of equipment you earn and in the process you will get a chance to earn camouflage for your favorite weapons.
In the end it really comes down to personal preference. Prestiging in itself doesn’t make any gamer better than any other gamer. In some cases, it does seem to make some gamers rather full of themselves if nothing else. In which case, it is often rather fun to put these people in their place after you calmly show up and own them with your non-prestige Level 80 persona… and politely mute their angry voice.
NoobTubeTV 