-From the Archives Editorial Notes-
Since launching our new front page, Black Ops 2 becoming backwards compatible recently (with a lot of PCPers coming back to revisit the game), and a new COD just around the corner I thought it would be a good time to bring this article back for a retrospective view of gaming just before Black Ops 2 launched. In the below article, my Wife tries her hand out on Black Ops 1 and gives her ideas as to what should be included features on the then, upcoming COD title, Black Ops 2. One feature to note that she had wanted has been included in subsequent games, female character models! Who knows, maybe some of these other features will be included in the upcoming COD: WWII title after being overlooked for so long. At the time, PCP was holding a contest for a giveaway, which is what she is referring in the beginning of the article.
Enjoy,
Phlipups
A Wife’s Perspective:
Additional Features needed in Black Ops 2
Hello to all of my husband’s fellow PCPer’s-
It’s Mrs. Phlipups writing to you again. I’m sending in my yearly submission, on behalf of my husband, Mr. Phlipups, who has asked me to try and win him the new Dark Ops 2 game coming out soon.
First, as I don’t plan to send out Christmas cards this year, let me tell you all in 75 words or less what we have been up to in the past year.
Raising a one year old. (Editorial: He is now 5 &1/2!)
Well that about sums it up. I hope you all have had as interesting (and happy) year as we have.
Now- on to what will hopefully win me part of my Christmas gift to my husband; a winning article based upon the very popular franchise, Dark Ops 2. Being that I have never played Dark Ops, I thought that I should research it a bit. And so I found myself sitting downstairs in my husband’s gaming chair (aka the only clean, camping fold-up chair) trying to figure out how to turn the Playstation on and load up the game. That didn’t turn out to well, as you see, Dark Ops is played on the X-Box and that doesn’t even have a power switch on the front. I decided to wait for the assistance of my husband, who ‘made it go’ and then we were off!
First off, did you know it was actually called Black Ops? You probably did. Well, I live by the motto “Learn one new thing every day”. I can check today off my list now. Initially, I was excited to see a Zombie mode (I love killing those buggers) but as my husband explained that mode of the game in DETAIL, I have to deduct points–I want less strategy (who really cares about defending sectors in a map) and more shooting the undead!
Second, what the Frak? Why are there no female mannequins to choose my character from? I know there are LOVELY women gamers in PCP (shout out to the new Mama in the group!) With ALL of the ENDLESS options to detail a ‘Skin’ (as I’m told by my husband is the correct term) is it that far of a stretch to create a badass chick? She isn’t gonna look THAT different in camo, Mr. Game Developers. Same number of arms, legs, etc. No one’s asking you to create a Sci-fi, fantasy vixen a la Emma Frost (google her pics with care!). Just a tough lady, looking to get her slaughter on.
Next, as my loving husband tried to give me a crash course in Team Deathmatch, I soon realized I would need a tutorial the size of a Biochem textbook to understand all of my weapons’ options/abilities and strategies on how to use them. I’d rather you give me a fireball and an invincibility star any day.
After I ‘figured out’ the buttons, triggers, joysticks and bumpers situation, I entered my first round. How exciting! (Editorial: I had set my Wife up in an offline, Bots only match) Five minutes later I hobbled away with 1 kill and 325 experience points. Next round, my husband suggested I change weapons, as the rifle seemed too cumbersome for me. (I had to point out that I wasn’t actually carrying it.) Then, I assisted some part of the X-Box with killing another part of itself (before being napalmed), and got 450 experience points for doing so. Not bad I thought–maybe I could practice and join my better half in his favorite past time. To be sure, I asked my adoring husband to give me his first three observations on my novice attempt. He paused, smiled lovingly and said: (1) He found it horribly disorientating, (2) thought that I had thoroughly observed much of the floor and sky and (3) said he had never seen so many bullets fired at someone’s head (point blank range) only to land one bullet in the shoulder. Hmmm, maybe I should stick to the Wii.
Despite being baptized in the Black Ops game, I still felt unable to fully review it at the appropriate ‘true gamer’ level of my husband. I just need more time to master the nuances of everything Black Ops offers. Having said that, I still have some ideas of what could be incorporated into future Black Ops games to make it appeal to a broader audience (i.e. busy moms who write gaming articles once a year while their son is napping). Here is my wish list of additions for Black Ops 2:
Coupon for Alcohol– Like many born-to-be-spectators, I play games better slightly buzzed. I am less tense learning how to play. I care less if I am winning and more about the ‘journey of the game’. I have better aim. I don’t swear as much in an angry fashion–it’s more of a good-humored, self-deprecating approach to my lack of skill. Beer makes gaming more fun, in my opinion, and I feel offering a coupon for a six-pack would be a great branding strategy for the right craft-brew company (Leinenkugel, are you paying attention?). Since I’m only the ‘idea-man’ I’ll leave the logistics of how not to get alcohol coupons into the hands of minors to the lawyers.
On Rails– Lets be honest, running forward and looking in a different direction is exhausting on your fingers, your brain and your nerves. Shooting on the other hand is lots of fun! Why not take the ‘Freedom’ of multi-directional playing out of the equation (for those of us who don’t want to take the time to teach our neurons how to coordinate our finger’s movements) and give us Black Ops on rails–a la House of the Dead (love that game!!!!).
Your team vs. My team– Can we all agree that we don’t have the eye sockets of 13 year olds and trying to distinguish my team from your team when we are all in camo gets a little tough? The baby green font above my team member’s head just isn’t cutting it. Why not borrow the red light/blue light concept from Star Wars and make it so we have a ‘halo glow’ around our characters? If you want, you can turn the option on or off, but be honest, you are gonna use it to take out your enemies. And, for my husband’s sake, it will cut down on my ‘friendly fire’.
Extra Credit– If shooting people in the head isn’t your forte, how does one accumulate points in Black Ops? I suggest having a secondary option for collecting points in which you can smash stuff. Think God of War (love that game also!) where you can smash vases and red dots come flying out. For those of you who might not know, collecting these red dots gives you extra power bursts, bigger weapons, etc. I’m sure this idea could be modified easily for Black Ops. Let me think, umm–umm–let me get back to you on that one.
Picture in Picture– Would it be that hard to sync a video baby monitor to the game so that one could keep an eye on their little, sleeping bundle-of-joy while racking up points via shooting each other repeatedly? We live in a tech age, so I’m thinking someone could figure out how to make that happen.
Automatic shut off timer– Has your significant other taken out the trash and told you how pretty you look? Yay! He gets to play until he decides to come to bed. Has the love-of-your-life forgotten to replace the light bulb you’ve asked him to take care of five times? Boo! Then utilize that timer and he only gets to play until you decide he’s had enough fun for one night. Personal note: I predict this will become a great ‘behavior modification’ tool for your marriage (if your into that sort of thing). I cannot imagine any negative feedback while using this setting.
(WOW! This write-up got long! Are you still with me? My conclusion will be brief…I promise.)
To sum up, I look forward to playing Black Ops once it has incorporated these valuable ideas/insights into it’s next gaming wonderment. Until then, I’m sure Mr. Phlipups will be more than content playing Black Ops 2 with his PCP community/friends. I’m sure he will miss my incessant question asking and outrage at the way the game cheats (I now understand why I am lectured on the horrors of something called ‘lagging’), but I’m sure with your help he will survive.
Until next year, happy shooting!
Mrs. Phlipups
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