One of my guilty pleasures is playing the video game Call of Duty.
Hardcore Search & Destroy
Call of Duty multiplayer has many different game modes, but my favorite is Hardcore Search & Destroy.
The politics of Call of Duty are maybe not great. However this feels to me to be a bit like discussing the politics of tetris or pacman. The mechanics of this video game just happen to be wrapped in an insane war simulation designed by lunatics, but I have wrapped my head around playing in a virtual world without having it alter my morals since I was a kid playing Grand Theft Auto.
Hardcore
Hardcore is a modified game mode where players have more limited information on their screen while playing. Most notably, the mini map is removed and health is reduced so that most guns kill with a single shot anywhere on the body. This forces players to be more aware of their surroundings, and makes the game more challenging overall.
Search & Destroy
Search & Destroy is a game mode where one team is tasked with planting a bomb, and the other team must try to stop them. If the bomb is planted, the other team must then try to defuse it. If the bomb detonates, or all members of one team are killed, that team will lose. Once you are dead, you cannot respawn until the next round.
Hardcore search has more tactical gameplay and attracts a different player base than the default modes, and has had a cult following throughout much of the history of the Call of Duty franchise.
Communication and callouts
One of the reasons I like hardcore search is that it tests your ability to play as a team. Communication and coordination are key, and one player going rogue can cost the entire team the match. It's a fast paced game mode. When you are the last player alive on your team, everyone is watching you, and you if you have an opportunity to save the round your heart will start racing. What a good video game.
Playing with a friend
I think one of the best ways to enjoy Call of Duty is to play with a friend. I've had some of the most enjoyable gaming experiences of my life playing with friends, and it's a great way to bond and catch up with friends who don’t live nearby.
Playing with friends also allows you to communicate and coordinate more effectively, which can be a huge advantage in a fast paced and competitive game like Call of Duty.
I ❤️ Riot Shield
The riot shield is a piece of equipment that can be equipped in certain game modes. It is a large shield that protects the player from bullets and explosives, and can be used to bash (or boop) enemies.
I love the riot shield because it adds a new layer of strategy to the game, and can be used in a variety of ways. It encourages a playstyle based on patience and tactics rather than the usual run-and-gun methods that usually work, and can be very rewarding when used effectively.
In Search and Destroy it can be an invaluable technique to play objective and defend the bomb when working in tandem with a skilled teammate.
I have been playing Call of Duty games for over 10 years
I started playing Call of Duty back in 2007 with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and I have been hooked ever since. I have played every main entry in the series, and have fond memories of most of them.
I still play Call of Duty today, although not as much as I used to. I have moved on to other games, but I still come back to the series from time to time and enjoy it just as much as I did when I first started playing.
I love it when old remastered levels come out because these are maps I have put hundreds of hours into the years. After that amount of time there is an almost indescribable sense of intuition and flow that is immensely enjoyable.
I have the muscle memory to play this game at a level I enjoy, so I am kind of locked in at this point.
Killcam culture
One of the aspects of the Call of Duty community that I find most interesting is the killcam culture. A killcam is a short replay that is shown after the last kill of the round, and it allows players to see how they died from the perspective of the person who killed them.
The killcam has become a meme within the community, and veteran players will often do outrageous things in an attempt to get a funny or impressive killcam, kind of like flipping your bat after a home run or dancing after a touchdown.
Questions I have for the data
- What weapons am I best with?
- What loadout gets me the most wins?
- What type of playstyle do I have?
- What can I learn to get better?
- How can data help me improve?
- What makes me different from other players?
- What are some interesting things I didn’t know before?
How to get the data
Data overview / metadata
Last 20 match analysis
The data we have has some lifetime statistics, but it only has detailed match statistics for the last 20 matches played.