_{by Claire Claws}

Call of Duty: Black Ops will have this new type of Multi Player mode called Wager Matches. In these MP matches, players can gamble with their CoD Points; they compete against opponents for the opportunity to win big. The players who end up in the first three positions will take home a share of the pot. The remaining players leave the match empty-handed.

CoD Black Ops players can earn COD Points (CP) in every match they take part in and spend the CP on upgrades, equipment and weapons. So Cod Points can be seen as play-money.

Game Developer Treyarch bets on the fact that this kind of "gambling" will boost the Call of Duty: Black Ops sales.

As you all know, Black Ops uses rented Multi Player servers.  Players or clans rent a 18 player MP server and all others can play MP. But when you pay for a server you like to have some players on your server...

And now Treyarch's pcdev twittered : there will be lots of official wager servers running. we have not decided if they will be available for rent.

So will this popular MP game mode be a Treyarch only ?  The list of uncertainties is growing.

Call of Duty: Black Ops - Wager Match Trailer

_{by Claire Claws}

Many people are still confused about the PC LAN option for Call of Duty: Black Ops or expect same PC LAN set-up we had for Call of Duty 4.

Like this LAN organizer :

"[CoD: Black Ops PC] Lan mode is a deal breaker to some of us, especially me. As a small lan organizer I know would have to buy another copy of the game to run it on lan, since I do not run it from my pc, but our dedicated server box. Also I guess many of you have never looked into the cost of internet at alns and the issues with steam on lan. Just go ask the guys from iD how steam worked at Quakecon this year. the cost for internet at the place I do lans (a convention center) is $190 a day, and that is for a small 50-75 man lan.

So if I wanted to run a BO lan and lets say have 16 teams play and I wanted to play multiple games at the same time, I would have to buy multiple copies just to do this, whereas in the past I could have multiple installs of the server files. treyarch should have made ranked files for the GSP and then released unranked files for public release (similar to BF2)."

We from MapModNews.com also believe that LAN organizers need to buy one or multiple copies of the CoD: Black Ops game. Plus for matches held simultaneously there must be a own "PC server" for each match. 

Can be you can run more than one fully operational CoD: Black Ops GAME (and Steam account) on one PC. But we've no knowledge about that.  (CoD4 only needed 1 main server to host all matches for a big event.)

Don't forget that ALL Players on a LAN party also need to be logged in to Steam first. We don't know if this internet connection must stay "open" for further regular checks.

It would be better when a, with internet connected, dedicated LAN server is used as a gateway to check all players on a Steam account, legit game copy and VAC ban. This LAN server just rejects all players not being a legit Black Ops owner or on the VAC banlist. Simple.

More Information about LAN wanted before the CoD: Black Ops release date on Nov. 9th.

_{by Vrandas}

Donutdan4114 keeps updating his Modern Warfare 2 Configuration Utility...

Version 13.7 is the latest version.

• Backup your rank, stats, titles and emblems!
• Enable/Disable the in-game music!
• Change the color of your ping bars!
• Change advanced mouse settings!
• And SO MUCH MORE!!!

You will not be banned for using this program !

======= UPDATES/ENHANCEMENTS v13.7 ===================================

- Several minor fixes, including a few bugs
- Backup/restore tab now remembers your time setting
- You can now set the program to delete old backups
- Backups will now be located in the program folder "Program FilesMW2CUBackups"
- Added more content to the "About" section
- PROFILES (BETA)! Added a new tab for creating and playing with new profiles! (only for Steam users)
- You can only use the Profiles feature if you accept the terms of the BETA agreement.
- New "About" section! Made the common settings look better!
- You can disable the save reminder if you think its annoying (Help > Remind me to save)
- Moved all ping bar settings to the "Edit Ping Bars" form.
- Added Reset buttons to the advanced tab. Check them out!
- You can now type in a mouse settings (not just scroll bars anymore).
- Graphics tab now has performance slider, for quickly setting to Highest Quality, or Best Performance.
- Updated the LaunchMW2.exe program. To get the newest version, click the 'Put Backup Icon Desktop' button found on the backup/restore tab. Updating to the newer version will fix some minor issues.
- Better update system.
- Now alerts you to run as an Administrator (hopefully no more issues relating to that).

========== BUGS FOUND v13.7 ===========================================

- [SOLUTION] If the program doesn't start, try updating your .NET Framework
- [SOLUTION] Make sure you run the program as an Administrator, or it won't work properly

================================================== ===================

Download MW2 Configuration Utility v13.7

_{You can get the high-altitude flight suit avatar for the console when you pre-order Call of Duty from Gamestop.}

_{by Claire Claws}

Michael Pachter now blames the popular multi player for the decline in game sales.

^{< Michael Pachter}

"We still believe that the biggest driver of the sales declines over the last 18 months is online multi player functionality, with an estimated 25 million people playing many titles for hours on end,"  Pachter told investors.

Michael Pachter is a gaming research analyst and advises investors. For years now he makes the headlines with his predictions about the future of the Game Industry. One of his most "famous" predictions is that companies will start charging subscription fees for multi player gaming.

So something that has to change, according to Pachter. "We remain convinced that the popularity of online multi player gaming has caused a decline in overall packaged product sales, and we expect this decline to persist unless the game publishers change the multi player model."

And what change has Mr. Pachter in mind ?

"This can, of course, take many forms, including doing nothing, adding premium services for a fee, or limiting the quantity of multiplayer content that is provided for free."

Oww.. right... subscription fees. Why ?  Because of 18 months of falling game sales.  Recession ?  Not according to Pachter.  What does he say ?  He blames a game feature that is popular for more than a decade. 

Fact is most people buy FPS games for the multi player feature. That is what you buy, a multi player game.

_{by Vrandas}

I love this Japanese version of the Call of Duty: Black Ops Reveal Trailer.

Feels like a totally different game; so much more drama.

And that title...  yabadabada Reveal Trailer jabidabidaja.  Epic.