As a long-time Call of Duty enthusiast, I must say that the recent developments in the franchise have been quite a rollercoaster ride for me. The integration of various titles like Modern Warfare and Black Ops into one unified platform, or as Miller puts it, the “Time to fun initiative,” has undeniably added complexity to the gaming experience.
Call of Duty: Next serves as an annual gathering for Call of Duty (COD) content creators and the developers of the hit shooter series, where they unveil what’s coming next in the game’s multiplayer and Warzone content. For the first time in its three-year history, this year’s COD: Next event invited the media to participate.
At the recent gathering, I was fortunate enough to get an early sneak peek at Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 before the public beta, as well as engage in a group conversation with the talented minds behind Treyarch Studios. Here’s what I gleaned about the making of Black Ops 6 and the direction of Call of Duty moving forward.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Multiplayer and Omnimovement
In the creation of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, the opinions of players have had significant influence. Issues frequently discussed among gamers, such as the time it takes to eliminate opponents and the traditional prestige system, were crucial to be tackled in order to appeal to the fan base of Call of Duty. However, these aspects needed a contemporary twist to accommodate an evolving gaming environment. As Yale Miller, Treyarch’s production director, explains, internal discussions often involved slides filled with player tweets and feedback.
Treyarch aimed to reintroduce the traditional prestige feature from their earlier Call of Duty games, but found it difficult to adapt the old method to a contemporary environment dominated by battle passes and regular free content updates. Essentially, they asked themselves, “How can we transform the old system to fit the new era?
In those early days, it was us asking those hard questions of “What is a Black Ops game to us?”
In past games, a system similar to classic prestige was effective as it motivated players to continue playing even after completing the game. Nowadays, Battle Passes and seasonal content have largely replaced this in Call of Duty games, but the desire to start fresh with new rewards still persists among those who appreciate nostalgia. However, with Black Ops 6, players are no longer confined to their seasonally assigned level progression. Instead, they can prestige again and aim for the prestigious level 1000, unlocking rewards that will be available from day one without having to wait for a new season.
The adjustments made to the “time to kill” (TTK) for multiplayer games have been influenced by player feedback. In Modern Warfare 3 (2023), Sledgehammer Games increased the TTK to match that of Warzone, thus making matches progress at a slower pace in multiplayer. Matt Scronce, associate director of design at Treyarch Studios, explains this decision: “Players don’t want it too fast or too slow. We believe we’ve found an ideal balance right now with time to kill. Players still have enough time to respond if they are getting shot, but it won’t be so long that it becomes frustrating.
During the previews and beta testing, only the main gameplay options were available, so it’s uncertain how the current Time-to-Kill (TTK) will impact harder modes and weapon equilibrium. However, the noticeable distinction between last year’s multiplayer speed and Black Ops 6’s TTK leaves me hopeful about its present state.
Omnimovement and the skill gap
The main emphasis in the marketing strategy for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has been on quicker character movements. To achieve this, an entirely new “Omnimovement” system was developed, which necessitated creating thousands of fresh animations. This system significantly alters how players can engage with each other and their environment.
Let’s discuss the journey that leads us to Omnimovement first. A tactic in the game, called “slide canceling,” gained massive popularity and transformed the gaming community. Players would press the crouch button to halt a slide, thereby resetting the strategic sprint function, which normally has limitations. This exploit essentially provided players with an infinite strategic sprint, making their movements swifter. However, mastering this trick required considerable skill and practice. Consequently, we saw the rise of individuals dubbed “movement kings,” who could seamlessly combine these exploitative moves to disrupt other players’ cameras and become virtually untouchable.
The jump from Call of Duty: Warzone Caldera to Warzone 2.0 proved to be a flash point for movement fans when it was discovered slide canceling had been removed. With the release of Modern Warfare 3 in 2023, Sledgehammer Games tried to assuage players by bringing back slide canceling to not just Warzone but also multiplayer. Slide canceling and other movement quirks led to Modern Warfare 3 having a faster-paced multiplayer experience than its predecessors. That seems funny to say, however, after having my hands on Black Ops 6, which is much faster.
In Black Ops 6, the innovation of Omnimovement, which allows players to run, dive or move freely in any direction, significantly shifts our understanding of movement mechanics in Call of Duty games. For instance, the movement in Modern Warfare 3 seems relatively sluggish when compared to Black Ops 6. In the upcoming release, players no longer need to slide cancel as an alternative is provided by allowing them to set aside their firearms for a melee weapon and continuous tactical sprint. This change keeps gameplay fast-paced, with players rarely needing to decelerate, particularly when combined with the new automatic sprint option in settings. The result is a gaming community enthusiastically praising Black Ops 6 as incredibly smooth and swift.
In simpler terms, I believe that by incorporating fresh accessibility options, a comprehensive “all-directional training program,” and restricting the range of movements, we can reduce the difference in skills among players and enhance their overall gaming experience.
At COD: Next, there was much discussion among attendees about how Omnimovement might widen the skill gap. This concern is part of a larger contentious topic, as many people dislike Skill Based Matchmaking (SBMM) because they prefer games where they can outperform less-skilled players for social media shares. It appears that Omnimovement is seen as a difficult challenge to grasp, and content creators are excited about the prospect of mastering it while casual players might serve as material for their videos.
Instead of having a distinctly different mindset, I believe that by integrating novel accessibility options, a comprehensive “universal movement training program,” and imposing certain movement constraints, we can narrow the skill discrepancy and ultimately enhance the gaming experience for all players.
As a tech enthusiast, I’ve noticed that Black Ops 6 seems to move at a faster pace, but in a way that levels the playing field for all players. The speed and fluidity it offers has effectively curbed the dominance of the “movement kings,” making everyone a potential movement king. However, the recovery time after jumps, dives, and slides has been slightly extended, which has resulted in a decrease in risky maneuvers. This change forces players to think more strategically about their use of Omnimovement and consider the risk of being exposed during the brief recovery period. Essentially, the edge that came from exploiting movement mechanics is no longer exclusive to a select few.
Movement potential is no longer gate-kept by those simply more willing to utilize an exploit.
At present, many individuals have primarily experienced Omnimovement’s impact on multiplayer action. However, it is essential to note that this feature is incorporated not only in multiplayer but also in the campaign and Zombies modes. Additionally, it will be introduced in Warzone later this year as well.
During my practical experience on Area 99, the latest resurgence map for Zombies and Warzone, I got to test out Omnimovement in both games. In the Zombies mode, Omnimovement offered some distinct chances to escape tricky situations. However, it also presented moments where my lack of skill and familiarity with the movement system led me into even more precarious predicaments. Jumping off a low roof using PHD Flopper to obliterate the zombies below was always amusing, causing an unexpected fit of laughter.
Accessibility and omnimovement
It might surprise you, but among the top-tier games (AAA titles), Call of Duty stands out as one I’ve found particularly user-friendly, given my challenges with limited motor function as a gamer with disabilities. Given its multiplayer competitive nature and cross-play between consoles and PC, there’s a high stake on input responsiveness and fairness. Over the past few years, contemporary Call of Duty games have made significant strides in accessibility, with Modern Warfare 3 introducing “Quick Accessibility Settings” that applied broad changes based on suggestions for different situations.
Surprisingly enough, Call of Duty stands out as one of the most user-friendly AAA games I’ve encountered in my gaming journey, given that I have limited motor skills due to my disability.
For years, I’ve been dealing with exhaustion and joint discomfort due to my gaming habit. Over time, altering settings such as heightened sensitivity and reduced dead zones have somewhat eased the burden. Previously, I had to manually adjust multiple controller settings to find what worked best for me, but since the implementation of Quick Accessibility options, I can now select the “low motor strain” preset directly.
As a devoted fan, I’m thrilled about Black Ops 6’s continued stride towards accessibility with its innovative smart movement system. This intricate set of features within Black Ops 6 allows certain in-game actions to happen automatically or with minimal player input. For instance, the game now offers automatic tactical sprint, crouch assist, automatic mantle, and other smart movement options that drastically reduce the number of buttons pressed from eight down to just a couple—though all settings can be customized based on personal preference. Miller aptly described it as fine-tuning a car; there’s the quickest way, and then there’s the fastest way for you.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and the fresh start
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 uses the same HQ engine that powers Modern Warfare 2 (2022) and Modern Warfare 3 (2023), as well as Warzone. This engine is compatible with Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 consoles.
As a diehard fan, I was initially thrilled about the debut of Warzone 2.0 and Call of Duty HQ, envisioning them as the birth of the franchise on cutting-edge technology. However, scarcity at the beginning of this console generation combined with a substantial player base that persists on older consoles resulted in the decision to keep Call of Duty compatible with the last-gen systems. When I asked about the hurdles faced during the development of this blockbuster shooter on outdated hardware, Miller succinctly summed it up as “a power issue.
For us, gameplay is king.
On older hardware, it’s unlikely we can accomplish everything, particularly in terms of graphical quality. At a certain point, you consider whether to prioritize visual fidelity or the machine’s CPU or GPU for graphics, which might impact gameplay. For us, though, gameplay is the most important aspect.
According to Miller, the team strives to optimize visuals for top performance on last-gen devices without compromising gameplay, but certain features may not be included. The most significant omission in Black Ops 6 is Theater Mode, which had to be excluded from last-generation consoles because of the high resource demands needed for recording and replaying matches. Fortunately, Theater Mode will be available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 editions of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Although it took four years to develop, there are still some elements that didn’t make it into the final product, as Scronce expresses satisfaction with the current state of Black Ops 6, mentioning a folder full of unused ideas. Both Scronce and Miller are excited about the novel gameplay mechanics in Black Ops 6, such as the body shield in multiplayer, sleeper agent, and other features that many people initially rejected.
For Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Treyarch serves as the primary developer, but the creation of this game involves contributions from various studios under Activision’s umbrella. Raven Software collaborates closely with Treyarch to shape the storyline for the campaign in Black Ops 6, and they are also responsible for driving the development of Warzone. As Miller explains, we have a vibrant network of studios working together on this project.
When asked about potential collaboration with other Xbox-owned studios, Miller mentioned that their current setup enables them to create the game they envision. Occasionally, ideas surface that could benefit from extra resources and assistance. However, he added, there are no ongoing discussions about this at present. “There might be instances where we discuss such collaborations in the future, like ‘Wow, Studio XYZ within Microsoft has done something impressive.’ But for now, it’s not on our agenda.
Update requires restart
One major initiative the Call of Duty studios have been toiling away at is the COD HQ launcher. This system, which ties all of the premium Call of Duty titles and Warzone into one unit, has become a massive and unruly behemoth, to the point that there were early rumors Black Ops 6 would consume over 300GB of storage (it won’t.)
During the Season 5 Reloaded update for Modern Warfare 3, changes were made to the game’s launcher in preparation for the release of Black Ops 6 on October 25, which Miller referred to as the “Time to Fun Initiative.” Essentially, he expressed that the Call of Duty experience isn’t quite where the team wants it to be in terms of simplicity when loading into the game from the launcher.
During the beta phase, gamers needed to set up the COD HQ application, run Modern Warfare 3, choose Black Ops 6 from the menu, let Modern Warfare 3 finish, and then wait for Black Ops 6 to open. After starting, you were probably faced with the well-known Call of Duty “Update demands a restart” screen. Although the team is still working on streamlining the launcher process, Miller acknowledges that they haven’t reached their desired state yet.
With the introduction of the COD HQ launcher, it came equipped with a common engine for Call of Duty, which necessitated modifications and a shift in approach for Treyarch’s team. As Miller put it, “We didn’t have the luxury of simply diving in and starting game development right away.” Previously, Sledgehammer Games and Infinity Ward had been using a shared engine, but Treyarch had developed their own that evolved with each new game. Black Ops 6 represented a new beginning for the studio.
In the initial stages, we were the ones questioning what a Black Ops game meant to us and subsequently constructing it from scratch, as stated by Scronce. Miller then mentioned that the team was challenged with figuring out how to make shooting and movement feel appropriate for Black Ops within the new engine. According to Scronce, they had to rethink and reinvent those aspects.
The benefits of platform parity
Black Ops 6 was exclusively launched on Xbox. This shift brought about changes in the beta and release schedule compared to past years. One major change was a synchronized beta rollout across all platforms at the same time. The synchronization and overall enthusiasm for Black Ops 6 contributed to its most successful beta ever in the franchise’s history.
During the two-weekend trial period, Treyarch’s team found that their beta was number one in terms of total participants, hours played, average playtime per player, and most matches completed, according to data gathered during the event. This trial not only allowed players to try out omnimovement and get a feel for Black Ops 6, but it also provided an essential platform for the developers to test bugs and gather feedback.
Miller mentioned that what frequently keeps him awake at night is pondering over aspects we didn’t consider: things we might have missed in our planning. He emphasized the significance of the beta phase for us since it often surfaces ‘gotchas’, gameplay functions we overlooked, or essential user-friendly features that could easily be bypassed during development, thanks to player feedback.
Equal treatment across platforms isn’t limited to the testing phase (beta). Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is set to release simultaneously on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC consoles, as well as through Game Pass subscription services, on October 25, 2024. This year, there won’t be a special early access week for those who preorder the campaign version ahead of time.
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2024-09-12 21:10