As of today, there's one more map for everyone to check out. Thanks to a new patch, the Free Fall map, originally only available as a pre-order bonus, is now open for business for Call of Duty: Ghosts on all platforms.
Given the nature of the map, it's not hard to see why it was given the name "Free Fall." Players dart around a vertigo inducing skyscraper that's literally collapsing. The map was developer Infinity Ward's method of showing off "dynamic maps," and how they can change up gameplay sporadically, and without warning, not unlike Battlefield 4's "Levolution."
"Dynamic map events change the way players approach the game, and Free Fall does a great job illustrating this new mechanic," said the company's Executive Producer, Mark Rubin, when the map was first announced. "As the match progresses, the geometry of the world continues to change and players need to adjust on the fly or else. It's a really fun new feature that adds layers of strategy and constantly evolving gameplay options for players. And this is just one of the many new approaches we're putting into Ghosts' multiplayer across the board. There's so much more that we look forward to sharing in the weeks to come."
The update also comes with the usual array of fixes and adjustments, the complete list of which you can check out below:
New features
- Allow Free Fall to be available for everyone.
- All challenges are now active operations at once.
- Main Menu layout update.
- Update to Gold Camo tracking. Now shows how many camos left to unlock Gold.
- Added Hunted Free For All leaderboard.
- Added Weapon Operations to the Operations menu.
Stability
- Removed tracker sight exploit on Warhawk.
Anti-cheat
- Prevents players from inappropriately modifying 'kick' messages.
- Anti-cheat tool updates.
eSports
- Made changes to Clan v Clan: Remove bomb timer sounds, and restrict Ghillie suit use.
- Fix for not allowing people in an eSports system link game from viewing third person.
- Fixes issue where CODCaster icon was erroneously showing up for remote players on a private match client machine.
- Fixed issue that could cause a user to get booted for repeatedly changing classes during match.
- Fixed issue where preset camera buttons were not working while the fullscreen map is up.
Additional fixes
- Fix to destroy planted explosives if they are placed on top of a care package and then care package is claimed before explosive.
- Fix for players that switch teams to see correct colored notifications when their allies use kill streaks.
- Fix KD history not updating in team matches that expire on time.
- Fixed the title only displaying the first two characters of the user's gamertag in a Private Match lobby when that user does not have the same map packs as host.
- Fixed weapon information in Player Card to allow proper weapons to be seen in clan details.
- Fixed minor graphical bug related to UI rendering.
- Various bug fixes regarding non-active controllers following invites.
- Fixed a thermal sight issues that could allow the user to skip the raise animation.
- Fix for player "Time Played" category overlapping text.
- Fixing issues where guest accounts can open the leaderboards menu.
- Fixed an issue where the challenge "Sponge III" was not tracking as expected.
- Fixed an issue where the XP points popup showed for kills in killcams.
- Fixed issue where monthly/all time filters didn't work for the squads leaderboards.
- Fixed rare instance where player is unable to call out a killstreak or care package after earning.
- Added the ability to retain intel challenges for an extra life using Resilience.
Extinction
- Casual mode added to Local and Solo matches - limited achievements available and no leaderboard posting.
- Hardcore Mode added to Local, Solo, and Custom Matches for Point of Contact and Nightfall.
- Numerous fixes to Nightfall.
- Reduced the radius for Explosive Ammo.
- Fixed a cash exploit while dropping money.
- Fixed a bad location on Nightfall for one of the Stay in the Marked Area challenges.
- Nightfall now properly tracks "Mission's Completed" on the Player Card.
- Point of Contact and Nightfall Leaderboards now both properly track Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. The columns were reversed in previous TUs.
Additional PC Specific Update
- P2P auth improvements.
- Fix for false positive VAC ban message when Steam servers are non-responsive or if the user's VAC status cannot be determined.
Additional Xbox One specific update
- Added LAN support.
- Kinect voice command fix for selecting game modes.
- Fixed incorrect messaging that could occur for local parties.
Additional Xbox 360 specific update
- Console bans now display an error message at login.
- Fixed issue where game host wouldn't receive an error message after not disabling party chat.
For those of you who still haven't bothered to pick up Ghosts, now would be a good time, especially if you have a Xbox console. Microsoft's own Major Nelson detailed on his his blog that the game has come down a few bucks in price on Xbox Live.
For the Xbox One and Xbox 360, the standard version of the game is down 33%. But it's only on Xbox One that the Digital Hardened Edition is down 10%. There's also various price slashes on numerous other 360 games, such as Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Call of Juarez Gunslinger, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, and numerous others.
Finally, there's a new trailer out for the new personalization packs that released yesterday, exclusively on Xbox platforms. The new packs give players the ability to play as some familiar faced evildoers from the Modern Warfare series, as well as the main villain of Ghosts.
Modern Warfare evildoer Vladamir Makarov has the most to offer, with a weapon camo, reticle, player patch, card, and background, all in a Matrix-y electric green for $3.99. Former Ghosts squad member Rorke and Makarov's pal Zakhaev are also available as new playable characters for the game's multiplayer mode, along with a generic HAZMAT suit trooper. Each can be snagged at $1.99 a pop. Check 'em out in action in the trailer below.
