Call of Duty: Black Ops Updates

Updates
An update is a software package the game developer releases through console-specific network channels. An update implements a series of game patches, running software code that fixes abnormal game execution and known software bugs.

Whenever an update has been released for a specific type of console, it will be automatically dispatched for download to any PC, PlayStation or Xbox console while connected to their respective online service: Steam, PlayStation Network / PSN or Xbox Live.

It is mandatory for a player to accept any released software update in order to be able to play the game online. It is possible to decline an update. However, on doing so, the player will be disconnected from the online service.

An example scenario in which an update has to be downloaded, is during a special weekend event called "Nuketown 24/7 - Double XP".

Update Info
An update is identified through a label containing four groups of digits, connected with a dot. This represents the main software version and software update version, as labeled by the game software developers:


 * game_version.game_subversion.update/patch_version.update/patch_subversion.

Currently d. d. 03/10/2011 e. g. on Xbox 360, it displays:


 * version: 378 [64.3.4.13]

Next paragraph e. g. describes the update info for software version 50.13 with software update version 30.3.


 * Recent update 23/08/2011 on XBox 360:


 * With release of Rezurrection Map Pack:


 * version number: 371 [63.5.5.13]

Patch 50.13.30.3
Here are the fixes and changes implemented through the update labeled 50.13.30.3:
 * Improved matchmaking to find matches significantly faster
 * Improved matchmaking to ensure that players are more effectively matched to games with the best networking conditions
 * Improved host selection to ensure that the best host is always selected in the pre-game lobby.
 * Improved party system to ensure that parties do not get broken apart
 * Disable ability to join Private Match, Combat Training and Theater lobbies when searching for Player Match games
 * Server-side and game-side changes to decrease the amount of failed film uploads
 * Weekly and Monthly leaderboards will now track all kills, deaths and assists properly (All Time leaderboards were not affected by this)
 * Prevention of Combat Training stats getting crossed with Player Match stats under rare conditions
 * Prevention of temporary loss of functionality when a button was being held down at the point of a disconnect
 * Additional fine-tuning of audio levels and ranges for footsteps and gunfire
 * Additional fine-tuning of audio levels for bomb plants/defuses
 * Additional online security enhancements
 * Villa: User can clip into rock at west edge of grid zone B2 and see through to the other side
 * Crisis: User can clip into LVT between grid zone A3 and B3 and see through to the other side
 * User can not get an infinite number of Sam Turret, Care Package and Sentry Gun killstreaks (commonly referred to as the “care package glitch”)
 * Radar sweep when there are only 2 players left in One in the Chamber will stop functioning if the 2 players have multiple lives when the sweep starts
 * Crash when viewing content (films, clips, etc.) in the Community & Recent Games menu
 * Users’ rank and stats can get wiped under very specific conditions
 * Online number counts were not updating properly; these are now reporting exact online numbers
 * Parties getting disbanded when host did not find a match quickly
 * Launch: User could access a small platform outside of the intended play space below the rocket gantry by jumping to a very specific location; now blocked from access
 * Launch: User could access a small area inside geometry at vents near Dom flag A by going prone and moving around in a very specific location; now blocked from access
 * Some users reported that weapon attachment challenges were not resetting after prestige; now all are guaranteed to clear as soon as selecting the prestige option
 * Prevention of killstreak selection getting disabled in Combat Training under rare conditions
 * Array: Added collision to prevent players from partially clipping into a tree
 * Launch: Added collision to prevent players from strafe jumping onto an invisible ledge at the base of the rocket near B3
 * Summit: Added collision to prevent players from jumping to a location outside of the map boundary when in Custom Games where player speed is maxed out
 * Havana: Added collision to prevent players from jumping onto an invisible ledge above a doorway at C2
 * Nuketown: Adjusted a spawn point that would spawn players on top of a mannequin’s head when that mannequin was randomly spawned in that location
 * Prevention of re-rolling of SAM Turret and sentry gun care packages with the hardline pro perk.
 * Fixed the 50,000 XP per kill glitch in Combat Training.
 * Fixed the glitch where you could Prestige and edit your playercard with Combat Training
 * Added the ability to play Combat Training offline.
 * When someone downs someone using Second Chance, and someone else kills that person, the person who downed the other person still gets the kill, not just an assist.

Patch 63.5.5.13
All that was in former patch and Nuketown24/7 - Double XP event.

System Info
This is how a player can find some more console-specific technical system info for the game.

On Xbox 360
The start screen, showing the main menu, displays the following options:
 * Campaign;
 * Multiplayer;
 * Zombies;
 * Options.

Choose the option Multiplayer. This will direct you to the next screen, containing the Multiplayer main menu:
 * Xbox Live;
 * Local;
 * Options;
 * Store;
 * Main menu.

When you look into the upper-right corner, you will see the update / patch info for your console.

Choose the option Options. In the next screen, shown in the lower region, it says to hit the controller's back-button to view System Info. This will direct you to the system info screen, displaying several technical parameters and values, as there are the version number with next to it the active patch - or update number.

All technical system info shown:


 * SYSTEM INFO


 * > VERSION NUMBER: 325 [62.5.5.13]


 * > CONNECTIVITY INFORMATION: A.B.C.D.E.F.G.H.I.J.


 * > NAT TYPE: OPEN


 * > BANDWIDTH: 1754 Kbps


 * > IP ADDRESS: EXTERNAL: 175.115.24.25, INTERNAL: 192.168.0.25


 * > GEOGRAPHICAL REGION: 3


 * > CUSTOMER SUPPORT LINK: http://www.callofduty.com/blackops/help