Concerns raised over Black Ops 4 emotes putting players into third person
Black Ops 4 is strictly first person shoot, whether in multiplayer, Zombies or Blackout – except you will now be able to view your character in third person at any time, thanks to the new emote system.
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Dances, sprays and taunts are will all be featured in multiplayer, but unlike Black Ops III, these emotes can be used mid game, rather than only at the end of a match.
A user with an early copy of the game showed exactly how the system works, using a selector wheel similar to that in Fortnite’s battle royale mode, or a weapon wheel from GTA games.
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Once you have selected the emote, dance or taunt, the camera will then pan to third person, letting you see the action in all its glory, plus a full view of your character.
This is significant for a number of reasons, but mainly because it seriously elevates the importance of character skins and outfits.
In Black Ops III, there was a wide array of outfits for each specialist character, but they were only viewable by the player using them in the lobby or in the ‘winners circle’.
Now players will be able to see their outfits fully, at any point during a match, which makes much more sense and should increase players’ interest in cosmetics generally.
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But, the ability to see in third person is more than just an aesthetic improvement – it’s a viable game mechanic. Players will be able to use emotes to see around corners without exposing their character, and use the free cam to pan round.
It throws up a serious problem for competitive play, where this kind of visual advantage is potentially game breaking for both Search and Destroy and Capture the Flag. It remains to be seen if this feature will be adjusted, or will have to be removed for competitive.
Treyarch have expressed that they have lots and lots of post launch content planned, and with the new emotes and sprays, they have exponentially more options for character customizations.
- More: Blackout will feature major changes at launch – Level 3 Armor, audio fixes, player counts, and more
The system of supply drops or direct purchases for cosmetic items and DLC weapons isn’t entirely set out yet, but should become clear over the coming months, as Treyarch release more content.
