Dahniska

Very nice thread. Great pictures and summaries. I still want to know whether Richtofen's ending on Buried is cannonical, or Maxis'.

You want my honest opinion? No. Buried was amazing the first few days it was out. The story development, the new features, the new weapons and the map style seemed very good. Now that a few weeks have passed, I think I've reached my final perspective on the map. Buried is very easy, boring and lacks replayability to an incredible degree. I cannot take the map seriously as far as leaderboards go either. The leaderboards, similar to Die Rise, are full of glitchers/green mist exploiters. The amount of skill needed to get high rounds on this map is laughable - a 3 year old could do it. Judging someone's skill off of Buried is almost impossible. While previous maps kept my interest for months, I am bored of this map in weeks. That being said, Buried does have some cool features I'd like to see in future maps. Most people probably would say that Mob is BO2's best zombie map so far. I personally get frustrated or bored of that map a lot, but at least it takes skill to get far and has some depth to it. Honestly Tranzit is my favorite map on BO2. It has by far the most replayability and playing it with randoms is fun. Nuketown is boring, in the style of Town. Die Rise is good and has modest replayability, and takes some skill if you don't glitch. Overall, most people would probably say Mob. I like Tranzit/Die Rise though.

DT2 looks like this on Buried as well. Can't confirm Die Rise, but Green Run/Nuketown still is old orange.

Got to round 100 the other day. I saw people were asking about recovering from a down so I'll post my experience here to help as well. What I used to do was what perfect has been suggesting; going down through the underground to buy Jug. The problem was, in most of my games, once I passed the 80s, I'd go down somewhere in the stairwell due to zombies spawning in front of me. If you go down in the stairwell, it's over, even with all afterlifes. Even with teleporting the zombies, they still trap you in. So on my round 100 game, I tried something different. I used the gondola every time to get Jug, with 100% success rate - I only died 1 time on route to Jug, and that's because I got double swiped by the same zombie, twice from behind as I ran past (I still don't understand how it happened). I kept the infirmary door (from the Acid Trap) closed, and the showers door from above closed. When I went down, I'd get all zombies behind me and then go via the main cell block, up to the gondola. Then down, sprint to Jug. Wait till zombies started spawning close to me, then walk down to the generator room via the ramp next to Jug. I'd go in the room via the first door on the left, then left again, then take a right before the door going to the workbench. I'd stick against the far side of the room from Jug, then go back up the rampway, tomahawk in hand to take out any slow walkers between me and the gondola, and head back up using it. This worked every single time. I recommend other people try it. Will probably add a link to my video of the last few rounds near 100 to show this in action, once I upload it.

This.

The only persistent perks that I care about/concern myself with are the revive one (which I try to always have) and the headshot one (used to help me with the mid rounds). I avoid the Jug one as I care about my stats, and I would rather use regular Juggernog. They should not have added PHD back as a persistent perk, and that one that gets you your perks back should be removed. It messes up the game. But other than those two, I don't really think any of them are bad, and I think they're a cool little addition to the maps they're in.

I love TranZit. L.O.V.E. TranZit. It's a matter of opinion. And I love all the maps. Glad to see I'm not alone though guys. I'm seeing that more people really love tranzit than i thought possible, so if you don't mind, let me know some of the reasons why you love it? maybe im missing something that i should go back and take a second look Like the others said, TranZit has probably the most replayability of any Zombies map to date. Sure, it's not as beautiful as some of the other maps and some of its features seem sub-par, but the new characters, the feel of the map, the variety of all sorts of options and (personally I love this) the fact that you need to learn to find your way around made me love the map. It honestly feels like the most realistic Zombies experience to date; if the world was to actually end, with Zombies, that map is more like what I think it would be than any other. I understand it has many haters, but I came to love playing that map way before there were any DLC packs available. It will always be special to me, in its own way.

Here's what I really think it comes down to: were you a BO1 Zombies player from the start, or a BO2 player? Is BO2 what got you into Zombies? If yes, then you'll see it more positively than if you got into Zombies on an older game. I do agree with the OP that they should have added lobby leaderboards back, and a few other good things that I miss. But! There's a lot of good stuff too. For starts, I love the feel of BO2 Zombies, a lot. I like the feel more than any other Zombies. I'm not sure if it's the revised engine, or the settings of the maps, or what, but I like the feel a lot more than BO1. I played lots of BO1 zombies for several months before BO2 came out, and when I first played in Green Run, I didn't like it. I hated that I could no longer knife zombies easily, and a few other things. But after some time, I grew to accept those things and that new map became my favorite. Treyarch has been ambitious in BO2 maps, I think. It seems obvious that they're trying to bring new ideas to the table in each map (for example, each map having its own unique perk). Personally, I like that, though I know a lot of BO1 era players don't as much. (Oddly enough I don't like the 2 BO1-style maps in BO2, but a lot of BO1 players do, haha.) Green Run - This map stood out because it was so big. Bigger than any Zombies experience, but to balance this out, the playable areas were smaller. I liked this; it made just getting around the map a challenge. For the first time, buildables as well. Now, the buildables were overall bad, but it was a start. The map also featured persistent perks, which was a new step forward. The map was designed to be challenging, as weapons are bad, and to this day high rounds (60+) are not common, which I like about this map. It's the only one of the main maps that isn't overrun with glitchers. I also loved the new characters a lot, and I like them more than the old ones. So yeah, this map was a big step into something new; for a first try it was decent, and the good thing is that Treyarch learned from the mistakes of Tranzit, which is why the DLCs are getting better and better generally. Nuketown - Probably an afterthought by Treyarch, this map is way too small for my liking and the lack of a special weapon turns me off too. It's ok, and you can get into it fast, but there are no special characters, and the random spawning of Juggernog turns me off. Die Rise - For their first DLC, I think Treyarch did amazing. This map brought back buildables, but they cut down on how many, and both the two they gave us were really good. Pre-patch, the Sliquifier was the best and most fun Wonder Weapon in Zombies. They gave us really good wall weapons for the first time in BO2 Zombies, among which was the SVU (the best wall weapon to date) and the AN-94 (right behind the SVU). The map ambitiously focused on verticality for the first time in Zombies, and Who's Who for the first time gave Solo players a chance to have more than 3 downs in a game. On top of that, a boss round which enabled you to get free perks and to get an extra 2000 points. Treyarch also tried really hard to please the community by patching the initial spawn exploits and glitches in Die Rise, and even cleared a lot of the leaderboards out, which was a big favor on their part. Saldy there are still a lot of glitches left. ._. Mob of the Dead - This time around, Treyarch left the map design to their campaign team. To mix things up, they brought us a new HUD for the map, allowed us to build buildables wherever a workbench was, and brought traps back for the first time in BO2. They also gave us a free self-revive each round in the form of afterlife, gave us a shotgun WW that could be upgraded into an unreliable Awful Lawton, re-skinned the Zombie Shield, gave us new characters (personally I didn't like them but still many people did), a time-consuming but different way to PaP, new wall weapons and a different way to power up the perk machines. Can't forget the tomahawk either. They even put in a new zombie controller and changed the zombie eyes to red. The map does not function with perma-perks and overall feels like a BO1 map. Everything about it makes it feel different than our other maps. I didn't like it too much, but I feel like it fits somehow, and I do have fun playing it now and then. Buried - In further efforts to please their fans, Treyarch did so much in this map for us. First off, they made a new Ray Gun and added it to other maps as well. They made a Old Western-style revolver to replace the Python, and gave us the Paralyzer, which is similar to a Jet Gun but much, much better and more fun since you can fly with it. We got all our Die Rise wall weapons back, but this time we can put them wherever we want. We can get free perks too, but at our own pace. They made a maze as well which changes, and gave us a new (and rather overpowered) perk which many fans had been asking for. They also gave us a bunch of new persistent perks, one of which was the most desired PHD. They gave us two new buildables and brought back two old ones (though they shouldn't have brought back the TS, that thing is a glitcher's best friend), and allowed us to do easter eggs to unlock two special endings in this map. Also, we finally have a sort of "friend" in the form of Mr. Booze, who can do a lot of useful things to help us. Overall I feel like, while BO2 Zombies takes steps in new directions, it's a good thing. Aside from glitchers and exploiters of stupid game mechanics, the leaderboards and ranking system are overall well-designed and accurate, and the maps are so much more full of ambition and effort to do new things than BO1 maps were. I enjoy BO2 Zombies. I would give it a 8.5.

Source?

Is most likely the cannonical side. As in, the ending of Buried's easter egg when done with Maxis' conditions is the direction the Zombie storyline is probably going to follow. At the end of Buried's easter egg, if you completed all three (Tranzit, Die Rise and Buried) easter eggs following Richtofen's orders, you are allowed to hit the button in the courthouse. If this is done, Richtofen crows over his victory. He is now in complete power over the Aether, can enter any human to control their body at will, and he banishes Maxis... Maxis ceases to be. From that point on, the world is Richtofen's playground. That's it... basically. However, if you do things Maxis' way, Maxis takes control of the Aether and the zombies, and says that now he can merge the earth with Agartha. He says that neither the earth nor its people will survive, and he basically puts Richtofen into a state where all Richtofen can do is inhabit various zombie bodies... a pitiful condition, compared to how Richtofen was before. If we compare the endings, it seems obvious that the storyline (as we know it) comes to an end with Richtofen's side. Now, Maxis is gone. There is no rivalry for Richtofen, and his ultimate goal (which we've been following for the entire Zombies storyline) has been realized. On the other hand, with Maxis' side, the storyline can continue, and it is implied that it will. Now, we may see Treyarch's vision of Agartha, and we can see a return of Samantha, and it's possible that Richtofen may try again to get into the Aether. Of course, until the next map pack comes out, we will not know for sure. But as of this point, I think that it's likely that cannonically, Maxis' side is what really happened, and Richtofen's side is put in there to give fans more to do and a chance to see how things might have been. Discuss.

I have no issue with the Paralyzer itself. The thing that irks me is that the Vulture Perk combined with it makes if FAR too easy to camp.

I always get the QR persistent perk after 17 revives. Always 17.

Thanks for the instructions, OP. I completed all steps for Maxis' side and got the final ending last night. It was... exciting, but the red everything was hurting my eyes. Can't wait to see where the next map takes us!

I love Misty. She is my favorite, ever. No other playable character has such a strong personality (except maybe Tank). She presents a tough, tomboy attitude, but still girly in her own way. I love her quotes on all the maps she's in and I enjoy playing more when I'm using her. I'm hoping we learn more about her in the next map, because we know less about her than the other 3. However it's confirmed that she lived (or worked) on a farm, that "she remembers her father's face when the zombies came, and it made her angry", she can't remember her mother's name, and a few other small things. Misty forever! Though I don't mind using Marlton either, he cracks me up and displays a lot of intelligence.

SVU. It's the most overpowered wall weapon to date. (It's not as good in Buried as in Die Rise, sadly, though.)

Thing is it messes up the leaderboards, and stats. It makes people who are good less recognizable... I don't get it, why was there such a hue and cry about the Die Rise spawn exploits, but now people don't care anymore?

I'll just point out that I've never seen a new player in Zombies be able to train to round 30, but I've seen plenty of people who couldn't make it past 30 go to 70+ sitting in glitches (where zombies can't touch them), in exploit spots like Die Rise GK room (where zombies can't touch them), and by sitting in the green gas with Paralyzer (where zombies can't touch them). You think training doesn't take skill? Then why can't everyone do it perfectly and get high rounds? In any case as I've said before Treyarch has shown a trend of supporting the idea that running around with the zombies following is the end-game strategy; not sitting in a corner. There was a thread with a massive list of complaints when Die Rise came out and the leaderboards were full of GK room people. I don't get how this is that much different. And yeah Eternal, since that weapon lets you fly around, I hate seeing someone else get it, lol.

That seems pretty reasonable. +1 I do agree this would mostly solve the issue of this. Otherwise they need to fix the Trample Steam so people can't get into glitches... I saw people doing glitches with it today.

If the strategy of sitting in one place with the zombies unable to do anything to you unless you mess up is part of what Treyarch made Zombies to be like, then why did they fix the exploit on Die Rise with the GalvaKnuckles room? It does appear that they want to encourage the concept of camping, but not to the point that it's mindless and takes no effort or risk on the player's part. People can use all the arguments you're using for this to defend Die Rise's GK room spawn exploit, but in the end Treyarch fixed it. The simple fact is that this, infinitely camping in a spot where Zombies cannot kill you unless you mess up, isn't what they have (up to this point) designed for you to do. The game cannot be competitive-focused with leaderboards if anyone can simply just do this. Sure, the good players can go for harder strategies but unless they do the easiest, mindless ones then everyone has an advantage over them, which is discouraging and demotivating. This is why I want to see this nerfed - camping in all other maps is doable, but in the end there is a large risk factor. This map shouldn't be any different.

I've been talking with my friends and watching the leaderboards. Right now there are a LOT of people over 60... and few of those people actually got that far by being good at zombies. Most got their rounds by doing something very simple and lame: sitting in a corner or hallway, with the Paralyzer. As we all know, the Paralyzer is essentially a revamped and improved Jet Gun. It's amazing and has only one flaw, really - the cooldown time, when you're vulnerable. What would it be like if you could become invincible during cooldown, though? Wouldn't that be good? Well, turns out that you can! And not only can you do that, but you can get to ridiculously high rounds doing just that. This is what people are doing to get high rounds on this map. Just sit in the tunnel above the bar. Use the Paralyzer to kill zombies, and then sit in the green gas from dead zombies when the gun needs to recharge. That's it. Watch your high rounds come easily and quickly, and the best part of it is, you don't need good reaction time or flawless execution of a train strategy. Max Ammos are 100% optional, in fact, all power-ups are. This is really stupid. While it's not a glitch by definition, it's (in my mind) just about the same as sitting in the GalvaKnuckles room in Die Rise and watching the zombies spawn into your kill chain. Zombies wasn't made to be like this, and there is no reason to try to get better - or to go for high rounds on the leaderboards the real, hard way - as long as people can just do this. Please fix, Treyarch. Give the gun a lot more cooldown, or reduce the longevity of the gas effect, or something. I don't want a repeat of Die Rise... this new map is very fun to play and well-made, but having the combination of this Paralyzer in combo with this gas just ruins any competitive possibilities this map could have.

If he becomes the demonic announcer, then at that point they ARE saved from Richtofen (at least presumably). Anything further is Maxis' own doing... such as destroying them and the planet.

This is confirmed via other sources as well. Yep, Maxis is evil. In a typical plot twist, the guy who acts like a good guy all along turns out to be the bad guy. And others are saying that Maxis remains the announcer for the rest of the game. So... does this mean that in DLC 4, whichever one you sided with in the other maps is the announcer? This is hurting my head a bit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg20v4MlvGY It appears that doing Maxis' side of the easter egg somehow makes Maxis the demonic announcer? He says that "neither the earth nor its people will survive". Now I can't wait till the next DLC comes out.

If the Paralyzer didn't have infinite usage capability, I'd get Mr. Booze (what I call him) to move the box back to its original spot for mid-round usage. Nice find.

Me and a friend used the same spot Maximillion mentioned last night to get to Round 40. After that we had to start training. We were like 35 and 39 on the global leaderboards after we died. Currently working on solo strategies but it seems that Buried was designed as a camping map, focused more on co-op play than Solo.