COD 'Black Ops' Review & Chat

[Mike]

I played the game on PS3 over the weekend at a buddies house for a couple of hours. It's just not as smooth. Honestly the PS3 online is about where Xbox live was on the original Xbox. The two biggest things are cross gaming chat, and game invites.

[status]

convince me i need this. im big on mw2, i usually play hc search and destroy. but i wast a fan of world at war

[Mike]

Do you want to know differances or selling points?

[DV8mAn]

I have to agree with Mike ... the xbox version is definitely smoother.  The reasons for this are well documented.  Game was designed for Xbox and the PS3 port is subpar, utilizing less than 50% of the PS3 processing capability.  Some say this is by design given that Microsoft pays Activision for semi-exclusivity rights.  There's a video floating around where a guy supposedly was emailed from an Activision employee who stated they submarined the PS3 version on purpose.  Don't know if that's factual, though.  Frame rate and resolution was REDUCED for the PS3 version even though the PS3 is a much more powerful system.  This goes back to the port comment and the simple fact that Treyarch didn't want to invest the time to utilize the PS3 hardware properly.  Dedicated servers vs host based system ... that's COD life on the PS3.  Never gonna change.

Frankly, none of that stuff bothers me too much.  Game is OK but the PS3 version is buggy as hell.  Can't keep a party together for more than a match before folks get kicked, etc, etc.  I had the opportunity to play the Killzone 3 Alpha/Beta (Killzone is a PS3 exclusive) and the "rough draft" of KZ3 was visually head and shoulders above Black Ops.  It even seemed less buggy.  To be honest, PS3 exclusives are where its at for me.  I want to fund the developers that appreciate what the system is capable of and utilize it.  $60 for a crappy port?  I'd rather burn my money.  Rent Gran Turismo 5 and revel in its beauty.

[status]

Do you want to know differances or selling points?

i know most of the differences, but i would need to convince the girl to let me buy this.

[Mike]

Xbox version is great. Multi player is off the hook purchasing upgrades is awesome, and there is far less camping. I have not visited the single player mode of the game.

[Mike]

I have to agree with Mike ... the xbox version is definitely smoother.  The reasons for this are well documented.  Game was designed for Xbox and the PS3 port is subpar, utilizing less than 50% of the PS3 processing capability.  Some say this is by design given that Microsoft pays Activision for semi-exclusivity rights.  There's a video floating around where a guy supposedly was emailed from an Activision employee who stated they submarined the PS3 version on purpose.  Don't know if that's factual, though.  Frame rate and resolution was REDUCED for the PS3 version even though the PS3 is a much more powerful system.  This goes back to the port comment and the simple fact that Treyarch didn't want to invest the time to utilize the PS3 hardware properly.  Dedicated servers vs host based system ... that's COD life on the PS3.  Never gonna change.

Frankly, none of that stuff bothers me too much.  Game is OK but the PS3 version is buggy as hell.  Can't keep a party together for more than a match before folks get kicked, etc, etc.  I had the opportunity to play the Killzone 3 Alpha/Beta (Killzone is a PS3 exclusive) and the "rough draft" of KZ3 was visually head and shoulders above Black Ops.  It even seemed less buggy.  To be honest, PS3 exclusives are where its at for me.  I want to fund the developers that appreciate what the system is capable of and utilize it.  $60 for a crappy port?  I'd rather burn my money.  Rent Gran Turismo 5 and revel in its beauty.

Couldn't agree with you more unfortunately for PS3 this could become common place because Microsoft is "in bed" with alot of developers for obvious reasons. Not that I want to argue the "console war" but, I think Microsoft is setting themselves up to take over in the next generation. Currently all of the development seems to be toward Xbox live, and if Gaming follows into the Streaming (online Purchase) path that most of todays content (Music, Movies, etc.) is Microsoft is light years ahead. Xbox Live, Windows Live, Windows Media Center I just can't see Sony investing the Money into the PlayStation franchise when they have so many other areas the operate in. MS is all software, and I think that where this war will ultimately be won.

And the end of the Day Black Ops is awesome on either system. The 360 Version is less glitchy and smoother online but, game play is basically the same. It's very much like MW 2 without all the bull shit that drove me nuts!

[slipkord]

Just beat campaign and blew up some zombies as JFK..they snuck up and scared the shit outta me...now I can't go to bed

[Mike]

Zombies was a great edition lol.... It's just pure old school run and shoot.

[DV8mAn]

I'm curious about the next gen xbox and how they will solve their short comings in disc storage space.  Since HD-DVD is dead, would they dare buy bluray rights from .. um .. Sony?  It will be interesting how it shakes out for sure. 

Avoiding the console war element here, but I think xbox is the preferred platform for devs cause its kin to the PC so they are really coding 2 platforms not one.  Much more cost effective.  To unlock the true power of the PS3 you need to program differently.  I'm not too smart and dont understand the lingo, but I do know the xbox/pc speaks english and the PS3 speaks french from a programming standpoint.

[Mike]

I'm curious about the next gen xbox and how they will solve their short comings in disc storage space.  Since HD-DVD is dead, would they dare buy bluray rights from .. um .. Sony?  It will be interesting how it shakes out for sure.  

Avoiding the console war element here, but I think xbox is the preferred platform for devs cause its kin to the PC so they are really coding 2 platforms not one.  Much more cost effective.  To unlock the true power of the PS3 you need to program differently.  I'm not too smart and dont understand the lingo, but I do know the xbox/pc speaks english and the PS3 speaks french from a programming standpoint.

The PS3 speaking French is going to be its downfall. They won't go to Blu Ray because that format is going to fall flat and the industry will be dominated by streaming movies. The problem that Sony is going to run into is being different. Games for the wii, PC, and Xbox are all similar, and obviously developers are going to continue to port games for PS3. There will be the 10 - 12 PS3 exclusive games but, from a content stand point that’s not enough. There is more Xbox only content than PS3 only content available, and that will continue as Microsoft continues to purchase developers, and franchises. As far as disk shortage I foresee a large hard drive and games being downloadable and played from the hard drive. This option is actually available in the current 360’s. I think we are a few years off from the next gen consoles but, imagine COD in 3D….

Disclaimer: These are all my opinions, and in no way fact.

[status]

i had a xbox. then i went to school and got smarts and got a ps3.

[status]

eventually it will be streaming, but  first you need to convince 430 million americans that they dont need the physical presents of a disc. to actually own it. i agree it will be streaming, just were not near that time yet. people want to be able to hold disc and say looky looky. and another problem is, lets say you buy Saw 16 to stream, data goes bad, so if you save it on a hard drive sooner than later the file will corrupt.

[Mike]

Xbox 360 allows you to download content as many times as you want once you purchase it. It gets tied into your gamertag.

[status]

so now i have to spend 60 a year to play on line?