Downloadable Content in MW3

Call of Duty: Elite is a subscription service whereby online players can fork out cash for that little bit extra from their game, with detailed layouts of maps, in-depth stats on which weapon you’re most accurate with, videos on how to improve your game, and more importantly - for this feature in particular - free downloadable content for a year. However, when we were promised this they forgot to mention that their season will run a total of nine months - January through September – and during that period we’ll be treated to new multiplayer maps, and in their words…

“In the future we hope to do a whole variety of stuff. New game modes that we’ve never seen before, missions, spec ops mission, spec ops survival modes and a whole variety of other stuff that we’re looking to experiment with as well...”

The idea of giving people constant incremental playable content and making it so you’re never more than a few weeks away from the next new experience within the Call of Duty universe is part of what we’re experimenting with...”

The first release came on January 24 exclusively for Xbox Elite members for a limited time before being made available for PlayStation 3 Elite members shortly afterwards. Then it’s likely that the rest of the Xbox online community will come next, with everyone else bringing up the rear sometime in March. This update offers up two maps that are made playable for most of the online multiplayer modes, as well as for Spec Ops Survival.

The first map is Liberation, set in Central Park and features a prominent New York City backdrop. Lines of sight are long and suit snipers to a tee. The second map is Piazza, set on the coast of a generic Italian town. Close quarter combat is called upon as the streets are tight with many tiers to navigate and many blind corners.

With the season finally kicking off lets’ take a look at some potential updates, as well as some other thing’s I’d like to see that perhaps we may not get, with the release schedule from Activision pointing to maps, modes and missions only, but I guess we can hold on to hope.

New Perks
One draw of the multiplayer that keeps people coming back is the perk system that adds a level of depth and allows for a specially customised set-up for a particular style of play. Adding more of these through downloadable content would go down well and give Elite members the upper-hand for a fair portion of time. Here are some ideas of possible new perks they could add to the current line-up.

Thief + Thief Pro
In its basic form the perk would allow you to steal enemy claymores - providing you pick it up from behind of course – as well as enemy C4 and tactical insertions, allowing for more than two extras in their inventory. The Pro upgrade could be extended to picking up enemy Trophy Systems and perhaps even Sentry Guns.

Medic + Medic Pro
This would allow you to recover slightly faster from any damage taken, including when you enter Final Stand. The Pro upgrade could go many possible ways, but I guess a cool idea would be to give you the power of reviving your team mates out of Final Stand should they enter it.

Experience + Experience Pro
While not directly affecting combat a perk that I could see a lot of people using would be one that offered users a way of levelling up faster. The standard perk would allow for 1.5x experience points towards your overall level and the Pro upgrade would allow the same multiplier towards your weapon level.

New Modes
At the moment we have a solid choice with a host of online modes, hardcore variations, and of course Spec Ops, but with the promise of new modes here is a handful I’d like to see made available.

Zombie
A Black Ops favourite that I’d like to see return in some capacity this year. While Survival mode is a new take on the concept it doesn’t have the same feel to it and having the choice of both in Spec Ops ultimately gives the game a longer shelf life.

Survival
This mode is super fun to play, online or offline, and I think it would intensify greatly if there was the option of having 4 players working together simultaneously. It would open up new ways to tackle each map and get a whole lot more people playing it.

Michael Myers
There was something oddly appealing about one guy chasing everyone else with a knife, with no guns at your disposal to defend yourself, and that’s what made the mode so popular in the original Modern Warfare.

New Killstreaks
Love them or hate them, the killstreak system gives players that added incentive to push for one more kill and then after that one more game, and so on and so forth until you look at the clock and you’ve lost half of your day. While I personally think what they have in place now is pretty good, bar a few boosting/nerfing issues, here are a couple they could throw in to stir the pot.

Assault
I think a second random care package could be added in the Assault class that counts towards your killstreak, because the one currently unlocked at four kills does not. Obviously the amount of kills needed would be higher and the probability of getting greater assistance would be increased, such as a Juggernaut or Osprey Gunner as it’s taken a lot more blood, sweat and tears to unlock it, but then there’s always that chance of having it stolen away from you last minute by a lurking opponent.

Support 
With the Support package not containing enough items that directly support your team I thought the inclusion of something that could provide your entire team with an extra item or ability for the duration of the game would be quite unique. What that would be exactly would need further brainstorming, but something along the lines of increased fire rate for a short period or equipping everyone with an extra lethal equipment slot for frag grenades and such.

Specialist
For me there should be no change to the way the Specialist system works and if they were to ever add extra perks such as the ones listed above then these would stockpile meaning it would strengthen your position once you get that much sought after bonus of eight consecutive kills.

Miscellaneous Ideas

Purchasable XP
Instead of Double XP for levels and weapons being solely restricted to Prestige tokens and promotional codes I believe it should be purchasable whenever you choose for a small fee. It’s a good way to make money and provides us with the option of levelling up faster if that’s what we’re into.

Prestige Increase
Just as it says, it would be interesting if you could up your level to help you stand out amongst your peers. Obviously you’d have to earn those levels like every other one you’ve endured, but the cap would be increased upon downloading to say Level 15 and once reached it would provide you with a possible five extra Prestige tokens.

New Weapon Skins
It might not sound like much but I could see downloadable content that offers a new camo style such as chrome or black for weapons as something people would be willing to pay for. They could also add the option of adding different skins to your secondary weapon, although this probably should have been there from day one.

What stuff would you like to see released as future DLC?

Craig Bryan, NoobFeed
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