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Call of Duty Black Ops 4 Blackout Beta Day 3 update adds event Playlists

Treyarch has implemented some new variants on Blackout, while also implementing several fixes based on player feedback.

Ozzie Mejia

September 12, 2018 1:00 PM

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's Blackout beta for PlayStation 4 is in its third day and developer Treyarch continues to iterate on the game's battle royale mode. For the third day, Treyarch is introducing new Playlists, along with several changes that have been implemented based on player feedback.

Blackout's first event-based Playlist is Fast Collapse. This will constrain the playing space at double speed, giving players less time to get to the safe area and creating even more tense conflicts. Treyarch is promising two more event Playlists over the course of the beta.

Other changes include various fixes and feature changes based on player feedback. The following changes have been implemented, quoted verbatim from Treyarch's post on r/Blackops4:

• Level 2 & 3 Armor: As with the MP Beta, we're taking a cautious approach to changes to Armor during the Blackout Beta as we keep an eye on overall gameplay balance. As part of a secondary update that recently went live yesterday, we fixed a bug where all explosive damage was not impacting Level 3 Armor. We are currently evaluating and testing where and how often Level 3 Armor makes its appearance, as well as reducing its absorption properties (will transfer more damage and break easier). In doing so, we are also evaluating Level 2 armor to adjust appropriately.
• Weapons: We slowed down the rate at which you can aim down the sights of the Koshka sniper rifle, and continue to carefully measure the performance and popularity of other weapons. We've got our eyes on the Vapr right now. It’s an incredibly popular weapon (no doubt given how powerful its suppressor is), but it hasn’t precisely proven to be overpowered.
• Zombies: Zombies can attack you from a range we didn't intend. We are testing the fix for this right now.
• Item Distribution: This important game system governs how many of which type of Item (be it a Weapon, Perk Consumable, Backpack, Attachment, or anything else) appears at any Destination, in a Supply Drop, or in a Stash. We continue to slowly refine the quantity, frequency, and quality of those Items.
• Item/Inventory Management: We've gotten a ton of great feedback about the Inventory and Item management systems in Blackout. As a start, we’ve decreased how long it takes to pick up Items in the world. Additionally, we automatically close the Quick Equip menu if you haven’t interacted with it within 5 seconds. We are currently evaluating additional "quality of life" features to improve this experience, including how you interact with a Stash and manage Attachments on weapons more efficiently. Some of these are complex systems and may not be ready before the Beta period ends.
• Kill Credit: We've seen that there are certain situations where players are not being properly credited for kills. We're looking to track down all the different scenarios where this happens and will fix them for launch.
• Ladders: We're aware that a number of players have had issues backing down ladders. The team is considering ways to address this. Adjustments to climbing down ladders may not make it into the Beta, but we’re looking at it in time for launch. As a reminder, it's always faster to base jump if you're high enough. Sprint towards the edge and press and hold the Jump button.
• Reporting Bad Behavior: As we mentioned in our first update, we're continuing to track bad player behavior with our security team and have been banning users for intentional team killing. If you encounter this or other bad behavior in-game, you can be part of the solution by using the "Report Player" system in the Social menu to report:
  • Offensive Language
  • Cheating
  • Griefing

The Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout beta is set to continue on PlayStation 4 throughout the week. PC players will have their chance at their Blackout beta this Friday. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is set to release on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 on October 12.

Ozzie Mejia

Senior Editor

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?