You Think You Want a CoD4 Remake, But You Don’t – Treyarch Dev Talks Innovation

MP1st - Recently, David Vonderhaar, Game Design Director at Treyarch, opened up a dialogue with fans revealing what kind of thinking goes into developing a Call of Duty game.

[e-p-ayeaH]

I just want a new engine treyarch and better online.

[soundslike]

new graphics engine and some actual work on sound design would win me back in a heartbeat.

[tmoss726]

That's Battlefield 3 dude.

[Coffin87]

"Treyarch dev talks innovation"

[lastdual]

Honestly, while a new engine would be nice, it's new gameplay that I would be more interested in.

Fewer Michael Bay-style explosive set pieces and more stealth and exploration. Give me some actual pacing with real peaks and valleys rather than constant, brain-numbing action scenes. Lose the on-rails vehicle sequences and give me wide-open battlefields with vehicles that can be driven in any direction to take on objectives as I see fit.

I could go on, but you get the point. It's the super-linear progression from one cut scene to the next that is killing the series, more so than the engine.

[frostypants]

Laugh if you like, but there was more innovation in Black Ops than in MW3, relatively speaking. You're sure not going to see anything great from Infinity Ward, because their main talent is gone (hence why MW3 is a warmed over re-hash). If Treyarch can't bring more innovations, you might as well stick a fork in the CoD series, because no one else will.

[DirtyLary]

They wont. The second the game changes from quake 3 with modern day guns, people will scream.

A new engine is the definite end to the COD/MW juggernaut,and the rat maze, circle jerk, musical chairs game play COD has become.

[RumbleFish]

To be honest, I was a big fan of CoD 4 (played it on PS3). So I bought CoD W@W, to learn that they sold me a full price map pack with a slightly weaker single player campaign. The multi player was not bugged that much as the CoD 4 multi player before the patch that took them 2 weeks to release for the US version and additional 6 weeks for the EU version.
CoD W@W was my last purchase of that franchise.
Now I have BF3 on my PC running an average of 60 fps on ultra settings. What can I say? I'm happy with that.
For those who prefer smaller maps and infantry only gameplay I hope that there will be a new engine and some change of direction gameplaywise for the franchise soon.

[dawgsfan117]

Cod4 was brilliant. I wish we could go back to its simple and balanced gameplay aswell as the amazing map design. The three kill streak system and the small amount of camoes that served to show off how many headshots you had with a weapon were perfect. Also does anybody remember how awesome it was the first time you picked up the 50. cal sniper?

[disturbing_flame]

Actually it's pretty funny to say people don't want a COD 4 remake and are waiting for innovation, when they actually just took Infinity Ward engine to make their games.

We ll talk about innovation with Treyarch when they will work on their own new engine. Untill then they are just releasing like extension every year for 70 bucks.

Because of their lack of innovation, they are killing all the positive thoughts around the licence. It may sells more but the multiplayer is just getting worse with time.

[RedDead]

Yeah I have to say I think Blops is the best Cod since 4. But they have done **** all innovation wise, they just had the engine and did what they wanted with it. Which is still little more than an expansion to Cod4

[lategamer]

I thought Nazi Zombies and Gun Customization was pretty innovative.

How was BF3 innovative? New Engine? That's not innovation. Destruction? Bad Company 2 had that, and Red Faction did it better. Sound Design? That's always been great?

How was Uncharted 3/Gears 3/etc. innovative?

[IrishAssa]

Nazi zombies is horde mode. Gun customization.. .please don't tell me you think Cod invented that? BF is new(nuff said on it). Cod isn't new since 4. Just map packs and perks. Either improving the game or making it worse. Nothing more nothing less.

[Getowned]

You wan't a game with crazy customizations try Rainbow6:Las vegas 2 i'm sure there are games more customizable but that was awesome,the controls take getting use too but it's fun.

[Tanir]

the words Innovation and COD dont go together

[scrambles]

BAHAHAHAHA strike packages... ive played it and all i have to say is support is ppl who cant get kill streaks and its still the same old boring mw2

[radphil]

"Strike packages, anyone?"

That's not innovative...that's just re-tweaking what they already had going.

That's like saying that Deathstreaks are innovation after Killstreaks were around.

[Sarcasmology]

Yeah, I'm a little surprised the universe hasn't folded in on itself for even suggesting the idea. It's like saying there are lawyers that have morals, or will work for free. Things like these NEVER happen.

[tigertron]

They do, aslong as you put the words 'no' infront of 'innovation' and 'in' before COD.

[Millah]

I'm not a COD fanboy, but you have to at least recognize what the games Infinity Ward made has done for the genre. Tyarch and innovation don't go together, but Infinity Ward games have always innovated (that is, until the company collapsed after MW2 released). MW3 is the first game from IW that isn't up to par with the rest of em, simply because the talent is no longer at IW, instead at their newly formed studio Respawn.

COD 1 invented aiming down sights, almost a decade ago. Other developers only recently started doing this in their games. COD2 invented the regenerative health system that is standard in every shooter today, as well as other things like hitmarkers, onscreen grenade indicators, toss back grenades, etc.

COD4, being the most innovative, literally invented the entire online multiplayer framework used by other franchises today. Perks, killstreaks, leveling, challenges, etc.

Innovation can be measured by it's influence. I think most rational people would agree that COD4 and MW2 have been quite influential. So for you to say that COD has never innovated, would mean you have not been playing video games for very long, or you're just an obnoxious fanboy that jumped on the "hate on COD" bandwagon ever since MW2 became a huge success.

Don't blame Infinity Ward for what Activision did to the series (as well as their studio). Jason West and Vince Zampella hated it just as much as you all do, which is why they had their big fallout. They hated Treyarch with a passion too.

[GraveLord]

I want a new engine too but I know it would bring too much compromise on current-gen consoles.

[ambientFLIER]

"I just want a new engine treyarch and better online."

Oh, is that all?

[Hicken]

And better sound might do.

Oh, and a singleplayer that actually has some LENGTH.

And guns that were more balanced from the start.

And a simplified list of killstreaks.

And solid hit detection.

And either a legitimate way to use sniper rifles, or none at all.

And much weaker auto-aim.

[SSKILLZ]

No dude, Battlefield is battlefield and Cod is Cod,
now that said its not to mutch to ask that cod get a upgrade many peoploe have been with this franchise and its only fair that they up grade and make a real good looking Cod for the fans.

[ReservoirDog316]

New engine will happen next gen. It's just how it is.

But what's this?

" It can be speculated that the reason why fans request such a thing is because for many, CoD4 was their “first” CoD experience. Your first experience in almost anything tends to be the most memorable."

CoD4 wasn't my first CoD. 2 was and that was really*** great for the time but CoD4 knocked it out of the park in nearly every way. That's why I want every CoD game to be similar. Because it was great. Instead, we get horrible mw2, decent fun with black ops and a game with 1 shot kills with mw3.

Well, whatever. I rented mw3 so I guess I can't complain (woo gamefly!).

[Highlife]

I want there to be a break till the new consoles are out. New engine, ideas and a fresh start.

Lets get creative people!

I realize that is a pipe dream.

[loobtube]

You can't get any better than cod4,its a classic.They tried and failed or just got lazy,dedicated servers would be great....be the sad thing is that it's all about shareholders and greed.It's a bloody shame:-(

[Mister_V]

Treyarch did some great things with Black Ops, things that didn't even make it into MW3. Hearing all this stuff, I'm getting quite excited for their next title, be it Black Ops 2 or whatever, maybe even more excited than I was for MW3.

[Criminal]

If all studios behind the CoD franchise can coordinate better, we'd get more polished games.

[Mister_V]

Call of Duty: Modern Ops!

[Fylus]

Call of Duty: Black Warfare

[Starbucks_Fan]

Call of Duty: White Warfare

[Majin-vegeta]

Call of duty:Brown warfare.

[Shackdaddy836]

I rather have a WaW2...guess I'm the minority :(

[Criminal]

I'm with you. I'd love to see a WaW2.

[MRMagoo123]

i myself enjoyed WaW more than the modern rehashes they keep making, having no scopes and getting long shots on ppl was pretty fun when using the rifles. The only thing i didnt like was the tanks the maps where too small for them imo.

[Shackdaddy836]

True. If they do a WaW2, they either need to balance tanks a lot or just take them out completely.

I just absolutely loved WaW though. Every gun felt like it had some type of power to it and just the feel was so great. Thompson was amazing to shoot.

[FunkMcnasty]

@Mister V Same here. Black Ops was my favorite since COD4, simply because of the freedom of customization, and the instant gratification of being able to purchase any, perk, upgrade, and attatchments you wanted for a gun as soon as you unlocked it. I was never a fan of the "kill X amount of people for unlock this attatchment" that IW does and Treyarch did with WaW. I also thought the maps were better, and I really enjoyed the wager matches and their unique game types.

I think the only thing that held Black Ops back was the lag and server issues.

I didn't pick up MW3 because, quite frankly, I just need a break from CoD. Picked up BF3 on release day and have'nt looked for another online shooter since.. but if Treyarch stick with Black Ops too I may just check into that.. might be what I need to renew my interest in CoD.

[RankFTW]

Who the hell wants a CoD4 remake?

[DARK WITNESS]

nobody wants a remake... what we want is a sequel that plays as consistently as cod4 did.

Cod4 was not perfect. it had bugs, it had lag issues at time.... BUT, compared to blackops and MW3, it played like a dream.

It does not matter what new and great innovations they put into the game if the game is hardly playable.

I thought Blackops had some good ideas on paper, but in the end it meant little if every time I empty a clip into someone I would get killed by one shot. Then I would have the pleasure of watching the kill cam which showed me not even lifting my gun. MW3 is even worse.

I dont care for all the fancy crap they put in it. if I shoot first and accurately at the guys head I want to be rewarded for the kill. Not die and then watch the kill came of the guy shooting the thin air to the left or right of me and getting a head shot

[_Aarix_]

how can you remake a current gen game for the same gen?

[LoLZoRz]

I was thinking the same thing.

[StayStatic]

Guess after black ops 2 or whatever they end up calling it, we will get a Call of Duty anniversary edition (CoD 1 released in 2003 iirc), just seems to be a trend now xD

[Hufandpuf]

as much as I hate COD, those are some true words right there.

[soundslike]

honestly from the LAST people I'd ever expect to hear them from

seriously...some major irony.

[admiralthrawn87]

COD and INNOVATION should never be in the same sentence. unless the words "lack of" are also included.

COD4 was extremely innovative. However the 4 games following it are not. Not even progressive in the least.

[Jacks_Medulla]

"COD and INNOVATION should never be in the same sentence. COD4 was extremely innovative."
Well, that's ironic.

[TheFirstClassic]

Contradiction is fun.

[admiralthrawn87]

lulz. it is ironic i posted that. However and i'm sure you know i'm talking about everything after cod4, i guess i shouldve said "should no longer" be in the same sentence

[lategamer]

MW2 and Black Ops actually added plenty of new features. Trolls like you however, just like to ignore that fact. WoW was a (basically) carbon copy of CoD4 though.

(However, the games are unbalanced and glitchy)

[Megaton]

What the hell is this? Who wants a CoD4 remake? What would they remake it with? They still use the same engine, FFS.

@AdmiralSnake - Oh please, I currently own 3 CoD games and have owned CoD4 on multiple platforms. I'd bet that I've easily played more CoD4 than you have. This is still an absurd idea. Remakes are typically done across separate generations because of a demand for graphical upgrades and enhancement. Remaking CoD4 on the same engine in the same generation would be utterly pointless. I'm sorry if that bit of realism is lost on you.

[Somebody]

Still....remaking a game that used the same game engine it started with is kind of a rip off. Might as well make a HD texture patch for the old game and sell it as DLC.

[Gamer-Z]

These guys are saying that a COD4 remake "would be neither an innovation or evolution" yet all other CODs that have come after COD4 were hardly innovative and in no way were they an evolution. Way to contradict yourself there Treyarch come back after you have made a decent COD like COD4 and that's not a hot steaming pile poo like Black Ops.

[frostypants]

No evolution? Black Ops added a TON of customization, completely changed the weapon upgrade system, added dolphin dives, new effects, dynamic levels, expanded stat tracking (IN GAME), theater mode, etc.

Then MW3 took 90% of that and threw it away, or provided an inferior version of it.

If took a gamer who was unfamiliar with the series and put MW3 and Black Ops side-by-side, I guarantee you they'd think Black Ops was the newer game by at least a couple of years.

[Gamer-Z]

All of what you just said is nothing new, other games offer the same additions and the weapon upgrade system in BO was terrible so were the maps they are some of the worst in COD history. Also what new effects? Graphics were a downgrade from MW2 lol but i do think MW3 is even worse than BO so i retract my statement about it being a pile of poo and instead give that title to MW3.

[Baka-akaB]

Well , i do know i dont want and expect them from you , nor anything

[ginsunuva]

They've already made about four or five cod4 remakes.

[SKUD]

This ^^^^^

[Tonester925]

Call of Duty: Future Warfare

This way they can make everything up and come up with brand new ideas because no one knows the future.

[scrambles]

o god... every gun standard equipped with a heartbeat sensor that bleep every .05 seconds showing direction and precise movement, kill streaks being even easier to get kills look in the general direction of the enemy fire megalazor destroy everything except buildings, perks would just be buffed further cuz hell this is the future!! but nah they probably wont do that. theyll just recopy and paste mw2 then change bullets to lazors

edit: also each gun has 4 attachtments cuz bf has 3 so MUST HAVE MOAR with no drawbacks of course on any of em

[Brownghost]

yes and since its the future there will be cloaking and guns that shoot through walls. It will be the best game EVAH!

[Majin-vegeta]

Oh really??
http://youtu.be/VhVx3jBXRSY

[Brownghost]

how about something new. We have enough sequels next year

[dogga94]

ya know what though with the world getting stupider everyday and now the gaming is "mainstream" its kinda of what fry said on futurama "people are stupid and just want to see the same thing over and over again."

[killershadow117]

No, I don't want a remake of COD. I want the complete opposite of that actually because it feels like all I am getting is remakes. Don't tell me that you actually think you are not remaking it?!

[Brownghost]

if they make a remake they are officially out of ideas

[xXtremeHDGamerXx]

Every Call of Duty after COD4 is a remake they're just f**ked up in away.

[MerkinMax]

Cod 4 is a timeless game, it doesn't need a remake. I can still pop it in any day and have a good time. Not many games like that nowadays.

[SeraphimBlade]

Why would ANYONE think that? CoD 4 was one of those games that was actually as complete and polished as seemed possible. There's no reason for more than one version to exist.

[hennessey86]

is ive never played a game more than i played cod4 and thats including gt3

[MRMagoo123]

Agree to both, i havent ever played any other game for as long besides some final fantasy games, COD4 was pretty much the perfect fps and will probably be remembered as such by millions of ppl.

[GentileSlayr]

The biggest downfall of Cod 2 me is the lack of exploration in single player. My first COD was MW2. Even though it wasn't a sandbox, it had enough freedom to keep me interested. Now it's just a bunch of minigames written by some neo-con on prescription drugs and bud lite.

[Akiba96]

The most false statement ever, 'Treyarch talks innovation'....

[Hufandpuf]

BUT, if anything Treyarch has been trying to push the COD boundaries. I'm not saying W@W and BLOPS were good games, but they did try to do something different than IW's installments. To be fair, IW stays the same trying to add on what they have, while Treyarch TRIES to do something different, just not always successfully. Zombies any1?

[lategamer]

There's no point trying to explain that to these guys. They hate Call of Duty because IW and Treyarch don't spend millions and years of development into making a new engine. Just "blah blah Call of Duty sucks trollololol"

[Getowned]

I think Blops and W@W where good games they wernt horrible like MW3,don't care how any one else feels about them but if you liked them why hide it.who cares about agrees and dissagree you don't need to bend over for any one on N4Gthis isn't prison.

[blackhammer]

I want Call of Duty to go on hiatus, but its a cash cow so that will never happen.

Dream don't come true. Even Battlefield 3 is a big disappointment to me. Almost as much as every round of Call of duty MP I've played since after the first Modern Warfare. Constant server issues and bad hit detection (whichever of the two).

I'll be waiting for ArmA III where things can actually be fun, both online and offline.

[frostypants]

BF3's hit detection is spot on...

[Jdrm03]

No, we don't want a remake of CoD4. What we want is the game to return to the QUALITY that CoD4 was.

Give the game a rest for 2 or 3 years. New engine, fix freakin spawn system, SOUND SOUND SOUND,get some inspiration for the sound engine form the battlefield series, MAP SYMMETRY, this make maps a circle within a circle within a circle and then putting as much nook and cranies and making each map a cluster f**k is not innovation. Simplicity is sometimes the best thing!

[fullmetal297]

"Simply put, fans don’t always know exactly what they want."

I dunno. If a bunch of people keeps telling you to update your engine and change the gameplay repeatedly for two years, then I think they know exactly what they want...

[JeffGUNZ]

First off, what? Please, what is a new engine going to add this late in this generation that will make COD a game that all the N4g haters will all of the sudden like? So, you're not playing COD because of the graphics and the sound? I mean really, a new engine is only going to add better graphics, sound, and other stuff that is irrelevant to true call of duty fans. The reason people play this game year after year for hours on end is because the gameplay is fun.

Second, who is asking for the gameplay to change?! COD is a mammoth because of it's current style of gameplay. You have to be out of your mind to think they are going to change the play style. I have never heard anyone asking for COD to have the gameplay changed, except the pathetic BF nerds on this site.

Most people believe they should add dedicated servers, focus on balancing (weapons/perks/maps/spawn locations, etc). The game play is what has made this game amazing and is what keeps this game from outselling everything year after year.

I'll still sitting here dumbfounded and confused on your post that people want to gameplay to change. Get going.

[nick29203]

You don't want the gameplay to change for the better at all? Don't you think that balanced weapons, perks, maps, and spawn locations will make the game better? How would dedicated servers hurt? The "N4g COD haters" ARE the "true fans" who have bought the games year after year and want to see it improve, and you're going to sit there and say that we are wrong for pointing out the obvious flaws with the franchise we once really enjoyed? Get going.

[JeffGUNZ]

@ Nick

You're reaching pal, he is clearly stating the gameplay needs to be changed, it doesn't. Balancing issues and perks are upgrades, not gameplay changes. Gameplay changes would be something that alters the core mechanics of COD. I'm all for balancing and whatnot, those are not changes in the gameplay, they are modifications to an already existing system. It's the core mechanics of the gameplay which make it such a success.

[fullmetal297]

"Simply put, fans don’t always know exactly what they want."
I dunno. If a bunch of people keeps telling you to update your engine and change the gameplay repeatedly for two years, then I think they know exactly what they want...

[KontryBoy706]

How bout using that great ambition you got about innovation AND GIVE SOME FREAKING DEDICATED SERVERS. All that money y'all make off us every year and we can't even get something as simple as that out of y'all. Crooks!

[artdafoo]

Lol, that moron said a new engine wasn't innovative, then what the eff is numbnuts ? Just adding new guns and killstreaks every November. Yea a whole new engine that's been in the making for 5+ years is not innovation. Dope

[bloodcell]

oooooooooooooh my god! i hate treyarc. sorry to sound like a child but...

infinity ward was robbed, why did treyarch cods et nominated for smithsonians game section? there is nothing more criminal with that. josh olin & vonderhar need to go away, i dont want to hear them talk anymore like they are some kind of game guru's, they are both complete jokes.

i buy this franchise but seriously take infinity wards name off these games, its not infiinity ward making these & it surely doesnt feel like infinity ward.

i like how treyarch are trying to make the next cod a space game(thats what real infinity ward was going to do)

do they have any idea what its going to be like when respawn also drops a space game? treyarchs wont matter one bit. kaput!

innovation.. pfft

[Basjohn]

Who the hell would want a COD4 remake? COD8 is using THE SAME ENGINE slowly bugged down over every iteration. Would we really want COD4 with more exploits, bugs and stuttering performance? Of course not. This is like saying they should remake FF7 on a PS1 engine instead of a PS3/360 level one.

COD4 is the last good COD game made, remaking it is like telling us you'd want to turn it into a shit stain like the rest of the recent series.

But really the best favour of all? Just.....stop making COD all together.....please? Let those delicious developers out of the barn to graze on some new IP for once.

[Der_Kommandant]

Fix the hit detection, graphics, sound, online and then we can talk about innovation.

[danielle007]

Maybe wait until the next generation to even think about remaking a current generation game.

[MizTv]

thanks for telling me what i want

[BraveToaster]

This is hilarious. Every CoD since 4 has been a remake of 4.

[Kennytaur]

How can they be so sure we want innovation and not just pretty much the same game year after year? /s (for those Sheldons out there)

I'd like Activision to put Call of Duty on a hiatus for a couple of years and really have the devs be innovative, redefine the game and make a more interesting experience, sort of like what CoD4 did. But I fear that's not going to happen...

I'm not saying this to hate on CoD, I'm saying it for the good of the franchise as I used to be a big fan of CoD. It's starting to remind me of a TV-show that should have been cancelled seasons ago. Following the same formula time after time will only result in a parody of itself.

[aviator189]

I'm actually rooting more for treyarch this time around, since all of IW core talent has basically gone over to respawn. I mean, just compare the difference between the jump from mw 2 to mw 3 and the jump from world at war to black ops.

[sprayNpray]

What I want is for treyarch to never make another game again (unless they feel like being real devs and doing it from the ground up).

[bobrea]

This is literally the first time I've ever heard talk of a COD4 remake. Who the hell wants a remake of a game that is only four years old ON THE SAME HARDWARE THAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY RELEASED ON??

[ACBAA]

and this is why you have 1 bubble

[yamzilla]

why the hell do console people keep asking for a new engine, do you mean on next gen consoles, cause the game already runs in nasty 1024x600 on console now and is covered in jaggies, what good would a new engine do for current gen console when they cannot even run this one in 720p let alone 1080p, i don't get it.

the pc version of mw3 looks better than any single game on xbox360 or ps3, it makes uncharted 3 look 6 years old, but there is not much more they can GIMP on the engine for consoles, maybe drop it to 30 frames per second and add some AA.

What you guys do not seem to understand is your 7 year old tech in your ANCIENT consoles is the reason all your games look the same, it's the reason when you look at a window or a doorway in any console game there are lines of jaggies crawling all accross the screen, look at fine edges, telephone wires, car fenders, curbs on sidewalks, it looks like trash.

Look at the terrible washed out textures on objects, watch the framerate in games like skyrim or dark souls come to single digits.

what the hell do you expect a new engine to do, all the current engines look like crap and run terrible. even though cod looks terrible on console, at least it runs good.

the new xbox is coming out in 2012, hopefully they make a new engine for that, but don't expect much, the hardware in the new xbox likely won't be much better than a 4 year old gaming pc.

[Venjense]

I thought every COD since 4 was a COD4 remake.

[Bay]

My reaction : http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Only thing that would bring me back to COD is new time period (preferably future for me), new engine, new...well, everything.

[KaBaW]

Make a Call of Duty RPG! :D That lets me make friends and nemesis'.
Give me objectives, give me choices, and give me consequences for failing.
Give me the opportunity to take on different jobs and assignments; free reign.
Let me move up in ranks, let me increase certain skills (gain perks) sorta like in MP for SP.

That'd be some innovation, for the Call of Duty Franchise. :D

On a side note, Mr. David Vonderhaar thanks for telling fans what they don't want. -.-

[Me_My]

They don't want to spend money on another engine when the same one has been bringing in millions upon millions. It's a stupid buisness decision if they do becuase they will risk under selling and why spend more to risk making less when you spend less to actually make more.

[InTheZoneAC]

no one wants a CoD4 remake because they've all been the same since....

people want better animations, better hit detection, no aim assist, dedicated servers that prevent most of the lag, especially in modes where there are more overall playings like TDM.

I can play CTF and the game just runs differently, I go in TDM and all the kill cams are basically pointing their finger laughing at me knowing I can't do anything about the death because the game decides my opponent saw me first but that's not what really happened.