BO2 map discussion - Plaza

[wittyscorpion]

(Note: this is an effort for a collaboration based map guide. All I am doing is to start the thread and include an overhead map with callouts. Hopefully other bros can chime in by posting their insights using the callouts, and organically grow this thread into a useful discussion).



Hardpoint locations:

[wittyscorpion]

On this map, to control B-Dom the most critical location is CLOAK ROOM and BAR.

d'BO on the other hand is much less important, due to the fact that there is no good capping spots right outside of it.

[Shakerag]

I hate moving through the Bar area, because the goddamn music makes it hard to hear if anyone's moving around. Also, sightlines are really disrupted over there, especially with that central pillar thing.

Campers love Dales/Gele Top, and it can be a pain to flush them out sometimes. With engineer on, those buildings usually light up like christmas trees.

I try to avoid approaching B Dom via the stairs, because you could have someone shooting at you from the other stairs, d'Bo, or the Cloak Room. Or god help you, two or three of those.

[markopolo]

Imgonnatryitout.



gah.....

[wittyscorpion]

Dec 14, 2012 12:05:49 GMT -5 Shakerag said:

I hate moving through the Bar area, because the gosh darn golly gee whiz music makes it hard to hear if anyone's moving around. Also, sightlines are really disrupted over there, especially with that central pillar thing.

Campers love Dales/Gele Top, and it can be a pain to flush them out sometimes. With engineer on, those buildings usually light up like christmas trees.

I try to avoid approaching B Dom via the stairs, because you could have someone shooting at you from the other stairs, d'Bo, or the Cloak Room. Or god help you, two or three of those.

These are the reasons why this is one of the least favorite maps of the community. The more I play this map, the more I think that they intentionally put in that awful music in the Bar to control camping :-)

Regarding rooftop camers: you can take it as an opportunity to get some free points. One EMP grenade toss can give you a ton of equipment destroys. It will also cause them to retreat from overwatch positions to pathetically watch the entrances to the rooftop, rendering them pretty much harmless.

[Pegasus Actual]

IMMATRYITOUT OK IMMATRYITOUT OK IMMATRYITOUT. First of all, the doo-doo music doesn't seem to originate from the big speakers in the corner, and second of all you cant shoot said speakers to kill the audio. Why oh why? That probably would've been the best feature in this game.

"OK guys, we did lose, but we can hold our heads up high. It was us who took down 'IMMATRYITOUT', pizza for everyone!'

Anyway, it's ok as a FFA map, I feel like I can run around the whole thing and find people to engage. You do have to 'discourage' the rooftop campers though.

In objective matches, Rooftop sniping is kind of fun, but a little low traffic with the sightlines they give you in the middle. One thing about the rooftops though... some of you seem to be annoyed by rooftop campers... the most annoying thing for rooftop campers? Those hunter killer drones. I played a game of Dom the other day where I went like 25-4 with all four deaths by Hunter Killer.

[moses]

Plaza is definitely an SMG/shotgun map. There are very few lines of sight that out-stretch the effective range of non-Skorpion SMGs, and the most important part of the map, the center and the two rooms surrounding it, are absolutely prime for an R870 or KSG. Just about the only line of sight you should avoid if without an SMG is going down from the B Flag towards the enemy spawn, and if the enemy has B Flag, the hill extending from your spawn to the B Flag.

[Deleted]

imma try it out imma try it out imma try it out.....UGH

[aidsaidsaids]

Dec 14, 2012 23:38:56 GMT -5 Mousey said:

Tell me I'm not alone in the boat of "don't mind the music at all"

I mean I've never been a fan of dubstep but I'm not gonna tear my hair out because its going on in one room. I fully accept the mechanic of "loud noises distract players"

I'm in that boat too. I don't care for dubstep, but I don't really care if they play it in one room. It's not like anyone ever survived in that room for any length of time anyway.

[wittyscorpion]

If you examine this map closely, you'll find something interesting: all highly contentious enclosed areas are designed to have 3 entrances

1) dBo: Wood Cross side, Gold Cross (a better name would be "Metal Cross" or "Silver Cross") side, B-DOM side

2) DALES (GELE) bottom: 2 doors on each side plus a large open window facing Red Car (Blue Car)

3) Bar: Blue Lounge, Red Lounge, Cloak Room.

4) AGORA (CHOI): 3 entrances easily visible from the overhead map

Memorize where these entrances are on the overhead map can help you flank more effectively: 1) notice red dots on mini map; 2) identify your friendly side, this is the side to which the "red dot" will most likely be facing; 3) identify the enemy side, this is the side where his teammates are likely lurking; 4) choose the 3rd entrance that is neither 2 or 3 might give you the best odds to flank this enemy;

Another interesting place is DALES (GELE) top: it has a large opening towards B-DOM stairs, which can be considered as the "front side" because rooftop campers usually face this way. On its "back side", there are two ways to reach the top: a ladder and a ledge, located near the two doors of DALES (GELE) bottom.

The 4 corner places - Info, Security, Toilets, Corban, on the other hand, are "tunnel" like with 2 entrances. A 2-entrance enclosed area is much easier to camp inside, but these places have such low traffic that makes camping a bit pointless.

[Will]

You can turn your in-game audio setting for "music" down to zero and it will mute the music in the bar, by the way.

I actually absolutely love the music in the bar. Of course, my gametype is HC Search and Destroy, and all I ever do is rush into that room (one of the bombsites is there), and I spin around in circles spraying an LMG, singing along as loud as I can into my headset. IMMA TRY IT OUT

[wwaa]

PLAZA contains all bad concepts I hate in BO2:

1. total symmetry,
2. gay colors,
3. layout supports SMGs
4. stupid music,
5. obvious “overwatching” points for disabled-snipers / campers
6. tactical loitering spots everywhere.

Many posters taken from MW3:Arkaden, but …Arkaden is a much better map.

[wittyscorpion]

Here is a trivia regarding Plaza: it is the only map with a "night" theme.

This could be one of the main contributors to the "gay color" mentioned in the post above :-)

[Broadband]

I don't think symmetry is bad in map design, but I sure wish those rooftops on Plaza didn't exist. And that freaking song that's played in the bar... ugh.

Otherwise I'd say it's an average map. I agree, I think Arkaden is better.

[Will]

Dec 24, 2012 5:23:05 GMT -5 Broadband said:

I don't think symmetry is bad in map design, but I sure wish those rooftops on Plaza didn't exist. And that freaking song that's played in the bar... ugh.

Otherwise I'd say it's an average map. I agree, I think Arkaden is better.

I do miss three-dimensional maps.

Anyone else notice that almost all of the maps in Black Ops 2 are pretty much one plane? Without those rooftops, Plaza would be completely two-dimensional.

Favela took 3D a bit too far methinks, but something along the lines of Crashed works perfectly.

[danoski666]

My reccomendation for Dom on this map: Assault shield & Variable zoom sniper rifle when you spawn on C-side(it isn`t as effective on A spawn). Plant shield and peak over the it to snap onto people and kill them before they go onto flags. Use C4 to clean up people that can be a danger to your position but aren`t in your direct line of sight.

[jackaltornmoons]

I'm surprised people here play with the music on.

[aidsaidsaids]

I play with music disabled and I still hear it in the club. What sorcery is this? I hear no other music at any time. I didn't think it could be disabled?

[esupin]

Dec 31, 2012 20:54:41 GMT -5 aidsaidsaids said:

I play with music disabled and I still hear it in the club. What sorcery is this? I hear no other music at any time. I didn't think it could be disabled?

It's still there even if you disable music. I think the game counts it as environment noise, not music.

[Megaqwerty]

Fuck, I count it as environment noise, not music.

[UrbaneVirtuoso]

Jan 1, 2013 20:01:37 GMT -5 Megaqwerty said:

Foxtrot, I count it as environment noise, not music.

This by a landslide. ;D

[josefrees]

D'bo is a great place to rack up points in Domination if you can handle the heat. You can shut down alley and both ledges which are access routes to flanking behind B from the doorway from the crosses to the carsIn GW, at least they spawn right around D/G so they are usually walking right to you. Owning D'bo might as well be owning everything not bar at least from a flow perspective. You also have a really good view into the car areas along with giving you a good look at D/G front sniper nest.

[UrbaneVirtuoso]

For an Assault Shield (a DIAMOND one. :3) and LMG class, I've been wondering what's more effective to lock down as a whole. The Bar is enticing since there's no flanking route, yet sadly it leaves B wide open when you're the only one around. D'bo on the other hand is vice versa.

Jan 1, 2013 20:20:41 GMT -5 Mousey said:

you guys have no taste in crazy ass dance parties

P'shaw. This is what I'd use for such an occasion! :3