Modern Warfare 2 launch updates: Visibility, footstep audio, UI & lobby disbandment

With the Modern Warfare 2 launch right around the corner, the devs revealed the changes players could expect including improved visibility and footstep audio.

Modern Warfare 2’s October 28 release is fast approaching and players are looking to jump back into their favorite multiplayer modes after getting a taste of the game during the beta.

Of course, the beta was an incomplete version of Modern Warfare 2 and the devs planned several improvements prior to launch.

Infinity Ward confirm that they used community feedback from the Modern Warfare 2 beta to inform their decisions of the changes that needed to be made prior to launch. The devs have released a community update, sharing all of the notable changes that players will want to look out for.

Modern Warfare 2 improved visibility & footstep audio

After numerous complaints concerning visibility in Modern Warfare 2, the devs have implemented two major changes. While the desired nameplates have not made a return, enemy players will now have diamond icons above their heads.

Identifying enemies should be easier following the Modern Warfare 2 launch. The devs also tweaked lighting to further improve visibility.

Players will be pleased to discover that the in-game activation noise for the Dead Silence Field Upgrade has been drastically lowered.

In addition, footstep audio has been nerfed as players can now get closer without having to worry that enemies will pick up their footstep audio clearly.

You can check out all of the changes below which also include improvements to the controversial UI and changes that look to limit lobby disbandment following matches.

Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare 2 community update

We have been blown away by your response to Modern Warfare II’s Campaign Early Access that began last week. It has been amazing to see the reception from the community and passion for our story.

Firstly, we cannot say thank you enough to the fans that took the time to play our game– we had a record-breaking number of players in our Beta, playing more matches than ever before. We also gathered invaluable feedback from our fans, and want to take this opportunity to highlight some of the changes we’ve made to Modern Warfare II Multiplayer since the Beta: 

Enemy Visibility

• We have added diamond icons above the heads of enemies. This should make it easier for players to clearly identify opponents in the game.
• Additionally, we’ve continued to tweak lighting and contrast for improved enemy visibility.

Audio

• We’ve shortened the overall range of footstep audio which will allow enemy players to get closer to targets before they are able to detect footsteps. We have also continued to tweak teammate footstep audio, which will now be quieter following feedback from the Beta.
• The in-world activation sound effect volume range for the Dead Silence field upgrade has been drastically decreased.

Third Person

• Following feedback from Beta, aiming down sights will now stay in third person POV for low-zoom optics. Only high-zoom optics (beginning with the ACOG and higher) and special optics such as Hybrids and Thermals will revert to first person POV. We believe this will enhance the third person experience while keeping the gameplay balanced. The feedback on this mode has been very positive, and we will continue to explore its use as a modifier.

Weapons

• We have continued to tweak weapons across the game following both feedback from Beta players and game data. Players can expect more specifics on weapon tuning as we continue to support post-launch.

UI

• We have been working hard on numerous updates to our UI that make accessing and customizing your loadout more seamless. We’ve made improvements to navigation of menus and will continue to optimize our UX.

Movement

• Slide, ledge hang, and dive have been further refined. We’ve also addressed some movement exploits following Beta.

Matchmaking

• We have implemented some changes that aim to reduce lobby disbandment between matches. We look forward to testing this at a large scale and getting feedback.

We will continue to provide updates through launch, and begin tracking all live issues on our Trello board for MW2.

On behalf of the studio and our partners, THANK YOU for playing #MWII.

Stay tuned for more information on Warzone 2.0, DMZ, Raids, and MORE… and follow Infinity Ward channels for updates.

---

For more, check out the best mouse and keyboard settings for Modern Warfare 2.

Source: IW blog

Image Credit: Activision