Morgan J East is a "Community V.I.P." and considering she attended both the game's first-to-play and multiplayer reveal events, we instantly jumped at the chance to interview her.

From what she likes about the game's multiplayer to if she felt something was overpowered, be sure to check out this interesting interview from the point of view of a community member.

Interview:
After spending time with the game, what do you think about the direction Treyarch took with the multiplayer?

I really like it. It has a great feeling to it. I enjoyed WaW but I think that they definitely went far beyond what they did with that game. I feel like they took the best parts of WaW and mixed it with the parts of MW2 that people loved and made it into this game. I really think this is going to be the best CoD game.


Did the game give you a Modern Warfare 2 vibe, did it remind you of the earlier renditions of the series, or did it feel like something brand new? Why?

Yes and no. They made it their own but definitely took into consideration what people wanted in the game. It feels new because the parts they took have been improved.

Did you get a sense of balance with the killstreaks, weapons, and perks that were presented?

I think it feels like it's balanced. The games were so crazy due to the frenzied atmosphere that not everyone used their killstreaks and also not everyone tried out all the weapons but based upon what I used I feel like there is a good balance.

Was there anything of immediate concern in terms of being "overpowered?"

I didn't notice anything at all in terms of that.

We've heard there was a recoil/kick to the guns once again like in World at War, is this true?

Yeah. I like it because it's more realistic but at the same time when it comes to trying to kill someone it can be a pain.

The CoD Point currency addition to the game feels like it could change how the game is played entirely. Did it feel like it fit in with the rest of the game?

It really did. I like the idea much better because instead of having the weapons etc unlock when you level up or complete weapon challenges you could buy what you wanted. For example, in MW2 you get your grenade launcher (noob tubes) after you get 10 kills with each assault rifle. You automatically get them in that game. And in WaW you got them after getting however many kills with it (it was a better thing that way because you had to seriously work for them) but everyone had them. Here you have to pick and choose which weapon you want to unlock, which attachments you want etc. So those people who hate using tubes don't ever have to use them if they don't want. It opens up a whole new world of possibilities. It's truly all about customization--making the game about what you want.

There seems to be a bit of confusion on how the CoD Point currency interacts with ranking up and XP gaining. Could you explain how these two tie in together?

I don't have a definitive answer for that. How well you do in a game determines both the XP and the CoD Points but I don't know the true amounts.

When gaining CoD Points, did the amount you received after each match and for each contract you fulfilled seem like a proper amount, or do you feel it needs tweaking?

Truth be told, I didn't pay that great of attention to how much I received. I did see some of the contracts though and it seems like the right amount. Everything you buy has a different price--weapons attachments, layers for your emblem etc. The harder the contract, the bigger the payout.


Speaking of CoD Points, this combined with Wager Matches look like some great fun. What did you think of this new game mode?

I absolutely loved the Wager Matches. I think it's a great addition to the game. 4 new modes that you can play on in addition to your regular TDM or objective gametypes. Even if they weren't wager matches, I think adding those to the game would be great.

Did you lose any CoD Points from these matches, and did it impact you in any way or did it feel like you weren't losing much?

I did, I came in fourth one on or two of the matches but I also came in second a couple of times. It didn't even bother me that I lost the points because it was fun. Even though I'm very competitive and would prefer to win it was still a rush. In the end, I don't think the amount you lose point-wise is devastating. It's not like you're going all-in.

Do you see yourself playing these game types more often than the traditional Team Deathmatch, Search and Destroy, etc.? Why?

I think I will. Like I said before it's a rush. It's so much more than a free-for-all game. With One in the Chamber it's not only the thrill of getting the kill but you only have 3 lives and once you die that third time you're done then it's just a matter of seeing it through to the end. You get to watch the other people play once you're out which I think is great.

The dive mechanic was a huge surprise for all of us. Did you spend time playing around with it?

Yeah. It took a little bit to figure out how to do it. They didn't just tell us so you had to look at the button layouts etc and work with it.

How exactly does the dive work (in terms of button presses)?

On default button layout I believe it's the B button but don't quote me on that. I use Tactical and it was just running and then clicking in the left stick as if you were just going to prone.

For those who used the "dropshot" technique, do you feel this will be hard to adjust to?

Perhaps a little bit, there is a recovery time to the dive where once you land you have a second or two before you can shoot. I think that's how it would be in real life. If you're diving with a weapon in hand you might have to make sure your hands were in the right place to shoot and correct the position of your weapon and I feel that they incorporated that by having that recovery time.

How do you feel overall about how the dive mechanic fits in with the rest of the game?

I like it because it allows you to move like you would in real life. If someone is aiming at you and shooting you'd dive out of the way. Same with a grenade being thrown at you. This game feels like it's more attuned to what you would really do in a war-like situation.

People seemed to be unhappy with the way many of the maps in Modern Warfare 2 were designed, do you agree with the complaints?

Someone will always say there are too many corners or not enough. There were definitely spaces in which to regenerate your health or take a breather from the game without feeling like you were "camping." When it comes down to it it's really about your own style of playing, whether you're trying to be stealthy or not. If you are then there are a few corners without being too many that you can hide in. They aren't tiny spaces by any means, if you keep any eye out you'll see them, it's not like you can completely hide like on some maps in other games.

Having said that, did the maps remind you of Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2, World at War, or a mix in between them all? In your opinion, is this a good thing?

That's really hard to say. I think some of them leaned toward a more modern feeling like MW2 or MW due to the time period but in general felt more like something new. Launch wasn't like anything I'd seen before where if you were in the wrong place at the wrong time on the map the rocket ship would kill you (poor choice of words but no other way to describe it). I think overall the feeling you get is that it is something new which is definitely a good thing. It's really something you'd have to play on, everyone will have their own opinions on it.

Did the games seem to take place on more of a vertical battlefield (time spent on roofs or perches) or horizontal (run and gun on the ground or close to eye level arenas)?

That depends on the map. On Summit you have a nice mix of vertical and horizontal game play. Really, it's the same with them all. You have the option of hanging out on a ledge in Summit or a ramp in Radiation. The game types I played it seemed more horizontal unless it was a wager match or objective game.

What was your favorite map you played and why?

I really enjoyed Summit. It's a great map with some crazy ledges and if you're not careful you can kill yourself if you jump at the wrong spot. There are different varying heights in the map and it's a fairly large map but not to the point that I'd say it is a "sniper" map. It's a snowy terrain with buildings, catwalks, stairways, anything you could want.

Any other amazing or interesting new features you found from your time with the game that you'd like to share with us?

Nothing really comes to mind but I gotta say the new weapons we use are great. It's a nice change from previous games and of course, it's great to have old favorites back in the game as well.


Before the release of the game, is there anything that comes to mind that Treyarch should fix or "tighten up?"

Not that I've seen. Granted we were only allowed to see so much and there was such a frenzied atmosphere at the event it was hard to take everything in. I might be able to answer that better if I'd had the opportunity to sit and play with only a handful of people versus the large group we were with.

After spending some quality time playing the game is there anything die-hard CoD players will need to adjust to or get use to?

You really do have to get used to seeing people dive to prone and doing it yourself. It really does change things around. Shooting at someone who drop-shots is one thing but to try and shoot while they're diving is a completely different thing. The mechanics are changed. It adds a good dynamic to the game to say the least.

Which new feature do you feel will the community will enjoy the most, and will expect to become a staple feature in future Call of Duty games?

I really think people are going to love wager matches and I certainly hope it will be brought back in future games--whether you're gambling with CoD points or not it's just a great game type.

How do CoD points get rewarded in normal (non-wager) game types? Or does it seem random like match bonus in previous games?

How many kills you get and XP you receive, challenges you complete will determine the amount of CoD points. I didn't get the ratio from them but I would guess a certain percentage of your total XP you get is the amount in CoD points that you'll receive.