14 DAY TRIAL // Ahead of the official launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops, Josh Olin, the community manager of its development studio, Treyarch, has just detailed a few of the unknown multiplayer options that the studio incorporated into the upcoming first person shooter.
In case you've been living under a rock, Call of Duty: Black Ops is the next installment in Activision's extremely successful Call of Duty franchise, and is already set to become another blockbuster success, like the previous Modern Warfare 2.
Now, right before the game's release in November, the Treyarch community manager Josh Olin decided to detail some of the unknown multiplayer options that the studio built into Black Ops.
The most important one is the Custom Games Editor, a system that allows players to really customize almost every aspect of a private game.
"From variables as simple as Time Limit and Score Limit, or as deep as which weapons, Perks, and gear are available. You want a Pistols Only match? Make one! No longer do custom game modes rely on the honor system," he explains.
"Furthermore, any Custom Game you create and configure can be placed in your File Share, for friends and the community to browse, download, and enjoy."
Console users will also be able to use split-screen in the game's online multiplayer mode, not just in the local co-op one, as Black Ops support such a feature.
If you want to let a family member or colleague play with you in the multiplayer match you're currently in, just boot up another controller and he will join in as a guest of yours.
Sadly, the second player won't be able to log into a PlayStation Network account, so all of the XP or perks earned are lost when the session ends.
There will also be a new In-Game Friends List, which will let you "browse Recent Players, Friends, navigate their File Shares, Recent Games, Combat Records", as well as send and receive game invites all via in-game menus.
Players can also change the matchmaking settings, by choosing either local or global options.
"So, no matter where you're at in the world, you will have the ability to specify whether you want to match with players from other geographical regions, or only those local to you," explains Olin.
Last but not least, as an answer to a frequent question, Olin revealed that the Emblems you earn in the game aren't reset when you choose to go Prestige.
The XP, COD Points, Challenger progressions or Loadouts will be changed, but the Emblems will remain the same.
Call of Duty: Black Ops will hit the PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii on November 9.