Call of Duty Black Ops: Multiplayer Hints and Tips part 1

With just over 2 weeks to go before the launch of one of the biggest action series of all time and the much anticipated Treyarch title, I've gathered some intel in preparation for the Multiplayer side of the game to give you the edge against your competitors!

Given the vast expantion of the multiplayer experience right the way from COD4 to WAW and MW2, the series has always gone beyond the "call of duty" when it comes to bringing gamers the ultimate multiplayer platform to play on/in.

Checking out the available videos online to date, the game remains fast-paced with action packed combat and has taken the current series' multiplayer experience and expanded it far beyond what we could have ever dreamt of.

Probably the biggest differences announced are in relation to the CoD Points, or CP. This is in effect the currency in the game that'll allow you to buy the weapons, perks, attachments and customisation "you" want.

CP is earnt through levelling and completing Contracts.

Though certain items are unlocked through levelling and earning XP, all items are required to be purchased with CP. So you decide which weapon paths you go down and what killstreak paths you want to take. The great thing now is that you've not gotta worry about grinding particular attachments and weapons to get to your favourite set ups. You can simply go out there, earn the CP and buy it straight away.

The Contract system allows you to have 3 contracts running at any one time. These are in-game challenges that you set yourself while you play. The rewards for completing them are huge.

There are three different types of contracts:

Mercenary Contracts: these are usually about getting kills with particular weapons

Operation Contracts: these involve particular game types

Specialist Contracts: these are unique challenges that earn big rewards if completed

Choosing a good combination of Contracts and pulling them off simultaneously will net you a load of CP so that you may purchase the attachment/ perk you've been waiting for and giving you that edge against your foes.

The Killstreak system though fundamentally the same as in previous games has gone back to basics keeping the game some what less frantic than in MW2, but allowing the gameplay to remain dynamic.

No longer do Killstreak kills add to your kill count. So gone are the days of the: Predator Missile, Harrier Jet, AC130 combos hiding in a corner somewhere!

This now ensures that you're not rushing into using your Killstreaks, but using them at the right time and place. There was always the tendancy to whip out a Predator Missile whilst in the middle of action without the care for ones life. However you still have the ability to stack Killstreaks just as you did in MW2.

The list of Killstreaks so far released are as follows:

3 Spy Plane - UAV basically

3 RC-XD - remote controlled explosive bomb

4 Counter Spy Plane - Counter UAV

4 Sam Turre - anti-aircraft turret targeting high-level enemy Killstreaks

5 Care Package

5 Napalm Strike - Rain liquid death upon your enemy

6 Sentry Gun

6 Mortar Team - Mark 3 locations on the map with the bombardment to follow!

7 Attack Helicopter

7 Valkyrie Rockets - two manual controlled aerial missiles

8 Blackbird - Indestructible UAV

8 Rolling Thunder - Similar to Stealth Bomber

9 Chopper Gunner

11 Attack Dogs - return from WAW

11 Gunship - fully controllable Hind attack helicopter

more to come tomorrow.