# Call of Duty: Black Ops **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 8, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909 "2010-11-08T15:44:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 29
**Author:** ![My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/My_Darn_Snake_Legs)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/562 "2011-06-28T14:52:11Z")
I don’t know what platform you’re playing it on, but I have it in digital surround sound on my 360. I can tell where rounds are coming from and I can hear footsteps and such as well. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/563 "2011-06-28T15:02:12Z")
I’m on the Wii. I guess it’s my ancient TV to blame. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/564 "2011-06-28T17:47:30Z")
> [@My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](#): > > I don’t know what platform you’re playing it on, but I have it in digital surround sound on my 360. I can tell where rounds are coming from and I can hear footsteps and such as well. Additionally, I use headphones. Seriously, if you don’t use headphones, you should. It’s amazing what more information you glean from the game. Disclaimer: Black Ops has really bad audio. Treyarch said they screwed with the sound to stop sound whoring, or, the practice of people with headphones to be able to listen to audio clues around them. ---
**Author:** ![PacifistPorcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PacifistPorcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PacifistPorcupine)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/565 "2011-06-28T18:46:52Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Additionally, I use headphones. Seriously, if you don’t use headphones, you should. It’s amazing what more information you glean from the game. > Disclaimer: Black Ops has really bad audio. Treyarch said they screwed with the sound to stop sound whoring, or, the practice of people with headphones to be able to listen to audio clues around them. Headphones are fantastic for Black Ops (and any similar games). I had heard that Treyarch had messed with the audio to stop sound whoring but I don’t see it. Or hear it, I guess. On my Ninja Pro classes I’ve heard people running behind me early enough to shoot them in the face when they were trying to backstab me. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/566 "2011-06-28T18:51:04Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Additionally, I use headphones. Seriously, if you don’t use headphones, you should. It’s amazing what more information you glean from the game. > Disclaimer: Black Ops has really bad audio. Treyarch said they screwed with the sound to stop sound whoring, or, the practice of people with headphones to be able to listen to audio clues around them. What’s so bad about “whoring?” Yeah, it sucks that I can’t do it with my current setup. But how is allowing players to use their other senses to enjoy the game and increase realism a bad thing? Are they going to remove the sights on the weapons so you can’t cheat and use them to more accurately hit your targets? ETA: This game might finally be the thing that makes me dump my 17 year old TV for a new widescreen. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/567 "2011-06-28T19:31:29Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > What’s so bad about “whoring?” Yeah, it sucks that I can’t do it with my current setup. But how is allowing players to use their other senses to enjoy the game and increase realism a bad thing? Are they going to remove the sights on the weapons so you can’t cheat and use them to more accurately hit your targets? > > ETA: This game might finally be the thing that makes me dump my 17 year old TV for a new widescreen. I’m not entirely sure what’s so bad about it, but with good headphones (even decent, I’d assume), you gain a LOT more awareness. I think it was attempting to level the playing field for people that did not/could not have headphones, though. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/568 "2011-06-28T19:34:52Z")
Great. Gotta get headphones too. Geez. I always mute the chatting anyway. Never heard anything helpful from it. And I’m serious about the TV. You can’t even read players’ callsigns on my 27" CRT. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/569 "2011-06-28T20:10:21Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Great. Gotta get headphones too. Geez. I always mute the chatting anyway. Never heard anything helpful from it. > > And I’m serious about the TV. You can’t even read players’ callsigns on my 27" CRT. Yep. You need more of an HDTV these days to read that stuff, although that doesn’t quite apply to you with the Wii (I don’t think). You need to run with a group of players so the chatter becomes useful. That also helps immensely. I say it over and over again here, but it’s good to know how many people are coming around a corner or where they’re moving around and what not. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/570 "2011-06-28T20:36:26Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Disclaimer: Black Ops has really bad audio. Treyarch said they screwed with the sound to stop sound whoring, or, the practice of people with headphones to be able to listen to audio clues around them. They way overdid it, IMO. If a person wearing headphones has a hard time telling if a person is coming toward a door on the left or a door on the right, something’s really, really wrong. It’s not my problem that I bought headphones and someone else didn’t. The developers don’t need to handicap me on that other guy’s behalf. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/571 "2011-06-29T13:01:01Z")
> [@bump](#): > > They way overdid it, IMO. If a person wearing headphones has a hard time telling if a person is coming toward a door on the left or a door on the right, something’s really, really wrong. > > It’s not my problem that I bought headphones and someone else didn’t. The developers don’t need to handicap me on that other guy’s behalf. Big time. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/572 "2011-06-30T18:44:03Z")
I wonder: how long will it be before kids listen in disbelief as we tell them how all we had to play combat games on was a big flat display and had to wear headphones in order to get “realistic” sound? That said, is it possible on the Wii to determine if you’re going to have Ping issues other than getting shot to pieces? ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/573 "2011-06-30T18:59:55Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > I wonder: how long will it be before kids listen in disbelief as we tell them how all we had to play combat games on was a big flat display and had to wear headphones in order to get “realistic” sound? > > That said, is it possible on the Wii to determine if you’re going to have Ping issues other than getting shot to pieces? [Check](http://speedtest.net/)your connection. In the game, check the leaderboard. There should be some green, yellow, or red bars on the right side (at least, they are for us on the 360). Green is good, yellow is meh, and red is bad. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/574 "2011-06-30T19:32:38Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > [Check](http://speedtest.net/)your connection. In the game, check the leaderboard. There should be some green, yellow, or red bars on the right side (at least, they are for us on the 360). Green is good, yellow is meh, and red is bad. Oh yeah, those. Forgot about them. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/575 "2011-07-08T05:55:09Z")
OK, I bit the bullet and rolled with some shotguns tonight just for laughs. God but they suck. The only shotgun I could do anything with was the Olympia. The sight picture for the SPAS-12 is garbage, the Stakeout is much too slow, and the HS-10 is useless without Dual Wield, which only makes it even more inaccurate. The Olympia with Sleight of Hand is passable as best. Give me an AUG with a red dot or suppressor any day. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/576 "2011-07-08T12:29:19Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > OK, I bit the bullet and rolled with some shotguns tonight just for laughs. God but they suck. The only shotgun I could do anything with was the Olympia. The sight picture for the SPAS-12 is garbage, the Stakeout is much too slow, and the HS-10 is useless without Dual Wield, which only makes it even more inaccurate. The Olympia with Sleight of Hand is passable as best. Give me an AUG with a red dot or suppressor any day. Yeah, those are the three to use. Personally, I prefer the SPAS, due to the 8 shots. You must hate Sleight of Hand if you use the Olympia, of course. ---
**Author:** ![PacifistPorcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PacifistPorcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PacifistPorcupine)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/577 "2011-07-08T13:17:26Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > OK, I bit the bullet and rolled with some shotguns tonight just for laughs. God but they suck. The only shotgun I could do anything with was the Olympia. The sight picture for the SPAS-12 is garbage, the Stakeout is much too slow, and the HS-10 is useless without Dual Wield, which only makes it even more inaccurate. The Olympia with Sleight of Hand is passable as best. Give me an AUG with a red dot or suppressor any day. I use the Spas with sleight of hand quite often. In fact it’s my best KD gun (little under 2.0). Slap a silencer on it, run with ghost and ninja, stay in close quarter situations and don’t ever aim down the sight. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/578 "2011-07-08T13:37:55Z")
> [@PacifistPorcupine](#): > > I use the Spas with sleight of hand quite often. In fact it’s my best KD gun (little under 2.0). Slap a silencer on it, run with ghost and ninja, stay in close quarter situations and don’t ever aim down the sight. Yeah, it’s a damned shame that the better part of Sleight of Hand is the ability to aim down the sight faster, which becomes useless with shotguns. It’s why I have brief dalliances with not using Sleight of Hand with my shotgun class. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/579 "2011-07-08T16:36:27Z")
The red dot is definately my favorite site. Not that good at long range, but at short and medium, it lets me get a good bead on you without obscuring too much of my view. And I’ve only used the Olympia once in an emergency. But it did the trick: I unintentionally got the Both Barrells challenge. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/580 "2011-07-08T17:36:53Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > The red dot is definately my favorite site. Not that good at long range, but at short and medium, it lets me get a good bead on you without obscuring too much of my view. And I’ve only used the Olympia once in an emergency. But it did the trick: I unintentionally got the Both Barrells challenge. I dislike how every freaking weapon is completely steady except sniper rifles. Even with the ACOG scope, it sways on a sniper rifle and you can’t hold your breath to steady it. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909/581 "2011-07-08T19:07:54Z")
Yup. I’ve hit things with the M16 using iron sights that I can’t seem to hit with a scoped sniper rifle. That said, I use the ACOG on the L96 because it lets me engage at closer ranges more confidently while still letting me snipe at a bit of distance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909.md?page=28) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-of-duty-black-ops/559909.md?page=30)