User blog:Sentinel 101/Current set-up of Playlists and Gamemodes for Black Ops (official).

David "Vahn" Vonderhaar has started a thread on the Black Ops forums, discussing playlist combo's (like TDM and Domination together in Ground War). This gives us an overview of the playlists of Black Ops.

Good news; they're using the same "tab" system from World at War, which allows them to make more playlists before they have to remove others just 'cause there's no space left in the list (like in MW2).

Bad news; the gametype "War", my personal favourite from World at War, will not be returning. Here's why; "... no "War" game type like World at War and Call of Duty 3. Go ahead and be angry about that and get it out of your system. That was a game mode built for super large maps with vehicles, which is not the direction we took Black Ops."

- Vahn

Here's Vahn's full post, for those interested;


 * Let me try this again with more information. Treyarch does its playlists differently than IW. Those of you who are not World at War people would probably never understand my post.


 * We use a category system. Every playlist belongs to a category


 * The current categories for Player Match are:


 * CORE
 * HARDCORE
 * BAREBONES
 * PRESTIGE


 * The current categories for Wager Match are:


 * ANTE UP
 * WEEKEND GAMBLER
 * HIGH ROLLER


 * CURRENTLY (on my development build) it looks like this:


 * CORE
 * -Team Deathmatch (12 players)
 * -Free for All (8 players, no really large maps)
 * -Domination (12 players)
 * -Ground War (18 players, TDM and DOM, no super small maps)
 * -Capture the Flag (12 players)
 * -Headquarters (12 players)
 * -Demolition (12 players)
 * -Sabotage (12 players)


 * What I don't love about this is that their is no Team Tac. I prefer play-lists of mix game modes. I'd like to get combine some of these objective modes and get the total count down to a more manageable number.


 * I am asking what gamemode must have it's own playlist; and what can be combined.


 * HARDCORE
 * -Team Deathmatch (12 players)
 * -Search & Destroy (12 player)
 * -Free for All (8 player)


 * Yes, I know a lot of people want other game modes in hardcore and you'll get them eventually. Stay on target with me now and help me get CORE correct.


 * BAREBONES
 * -Bones TDM (12 players, Team Deathmatch, everything disabled. No Perks, Kilsltreaks, Attachments, or Contracts)
 * -Classic TDM (12 players, killstreaks at 3, 5 and 7 levels like MW1 did)


 * Yes, I know a lot of people want every game mode to be barebones. See above. You'll get them eventually. I need to make sure Barebones works as well as I hope in the "real world" before we go to far with it.


 * PRESTIGE
 * (Nothing implemented yet - these would be play lists that you have to be a Prestige user in order to access. You know you will be playing with or against the best, most dedicated players, if you end up in here)




 * WAGER MATCHES are completely separate from PLAYER MATCHES. The categories for one, do not show up in the other. You "Switch Lobbies" over to Wager Matches and you see separate categories and playlists entirely. These are:


 * ANTE UP (FFA based, 6 players, low-buy in, parties allowed)
 * -One in the Chamber
 * -Sticks and Stones
 * -Gun Game
 * -Sharpshooter


 * WEEKEND GAMBLER (FFA based, 6 players, medium buy-in, no parties allowed)
 * -One in the Chamber
 * -Sticks and Stones
 * -Gun Game
 * -Sharpshooter


 * HIGH ROLLER (FFA based, 6 players, super high buy-in, no parties allowed)
 * -Pro Gambler (all 4 of the above modes, you are gambling now so ... it's gamble)


 * Important information that seems to be getting lost:


 * - no "War" game type like World at War and Call of Duty 3. Go ahead and be angry about that and get it out of your system. That was a game mode built for super large maps with vehicles, which is not the ::direction we took Black Ops.
 * - no 3rd person version of these games. It's a First Person shooter. There are plenty of great 3rd person shooters on the market. Please buy one of those and stop yelling at me.


 * This is not a confirmation of what we will ship with. This is how I have it set-up right now, and I'm trying to get feedback on what to do for day 1.


 * David 'Vahn' Vonderhaar

Here's a link to the full thread, if you feel the urge to participate in the discussion.

Your thoughts?