Misconceptions of Call of Duty: Black Ops Combat Training mode cleared up

There has been a tremendous amount of confusion regarding the Combat Training feature introduced in Call of Duty: Black Ops. Essentially, this mode allows you face AI opponents and, theoretically, helps those who are not quite used to Call of Duty multiplayer, or just rusty, practice. It’s totally separate from online and your friends can join in, so, it’s multiplayer “offline”. Ugh, confusing! So, to clear up things a bit, and possibly enrage a few of you, is Treyarch’s Design Directory – David ‘Vahn’ Vonderhaar.

[DufferO8]

at least i can practice when i join in late because ill wait till after xmas

[jetlian]

don't like the online only part though. I probably will never touch this mode anyway

[Longrod_Von_Hugendon]

Really could have used this in MW2.

[Relientk77]

I wonder if the bots have hard difficulties, this could be good training for online. However, nothing really compares to the real thing now does it

[Triggs]

Correct, human opponents are they way to go if one has to develop the skills in a multiplayer game. AI Bots will be predictable in the end and their weaknesses will be easy to exploit. I would see this mode as the best way to know the maps, though, aside from private matches or empty servers.

[Paralex]

I think the mode is to gain map knowledge more instead of practicing gun "skill". It's a good way to practice the new guns you've unlocked, practice routes around the maps, or just a finger warmup. Human opponents can either be weak or strong in an actual ranked match. I think this is a good practice without getting your ass handed to you, especially for those late adopters on Christmas day.

[Js2Kings]

I'm still confused, does that mean local bot battles? I hated MW2 split-screen because it was only me and my friend that was going at it.

[Relientk77]

I hope it lets u and a couple friends have matches with bots, like 4 player split screen, so 4 human players and a # of bots

that would be awesome and intense. I'd enjoy that

[EazyC]

Why the confusion? It's essentially the "Training Ground" MP from Gears of War 2:You play against AI rather than human players.

[RankFTW]

So it's playing against bots then.

[-Gespenst-]

Hang on, why does combat training need to be online? Aren't you either against bots or friends through splitscreen? Or is it simply to invite and to play online with friends on other consoles elsewhere?

My main question really is, can combat training be done against bots? If so, that's awesome.

[Psychotica]

Yes, it's against bots

[kunit22c]

I already knew EXACTLY what they meant the first time around and I thought an explanation was pointless but I guess not... YOU CAN PLAY WITH ONLINE FRIENDS AND BOTS... OMG NOT EVEN HARD TO UNDERSTAND, ITS WRITTEN IN PLAIN ENGLISH READ THE DAMN ARTICLE

[wsoutlaw87]

ya thats the point, to train for mp against bots.

[Psychotica]

This is the feature I wish Battlefield Bad Company 2 had included...

[ps3alldayeveryday]

Man!...I play offline splitsceen a lot and I liked how u had to level up and unlock everything kinda like online. Its gonna suck a bit that now everything will be unlocked from the beginning....

[iamgoatman]

So everythings unlocked from the start when played offline? Why the hell would they do that, and not add a level system like in MW2's offline splitscreen, which to be fair was the only thing that kept splitscreen multiplayer worth playing. Stupid bastards.

[Mr Tretton]

I don't see why they didn't just make this offline.

Nonetheless I always appreciate 'bot mode', which not enough games have. Sometimes you want to play the maps you want to play, and be able to press pause, no online issues, etc. (thanks Killzone 2)

[Mr Tretton]

You're a f*ing jackass to disagree with that.

[kunit22c]

I disagreed for 2 reasons and neither of them are the reason you gave, one because I want it online and 2 because you can't always press pause in this bot mode..

[ps3alldayeveryday]

Yea I don't know why people disagree when both of us made 2 great points about the game in which they shouldn't of done

[Js2Kings]

I didn't hit the disagree button for you, but I do disagree depending on what you mean, I mean when your friends come over, you want to just pick the weapons you use on your console and go at it vs. starting all the way over just for one friendly match.

However if you mean for you alone vs. bots, I prefer it as an option for when you just want to test out a new weapon or killstreak you just earned.

[MostJadedGamer]

I was going to give the COD franchise one more chance, but after this I am just going to skip it.

I had been having seconds thoughts about getting Black Ops, and now after finding out you have to be online to play Combat Training Mode(I have a slow & unreliable internet connection), and that it is just basically nothing more then a training simulation for multiplayer their is no point in me giving COD another chance, and I have no interest in a linear, heavily scripted campaign.

I no longer have any interest in the game. Time to cancel my Preoder.