Cancelling new-area respawns on COTD, Shang & Moon (and BO2)

[Superhands]

Hey guys, so as many of you will have experienced with the last 3 maps, and most likely future zombie maps, Treyarch implemented a system to accomodate their large-scale maps in which, if you get too far ahead of your hoard, they will instantly respawn in the area you're currently in.

Here is something that I've found and tested recently that cancels this effect...

It stemmed from my strategy for reaching round 115 on FIVE, in which I'd damage all of my zombies before using the elevator so they'd come through the teleporter rather than respawning through the windows. I found this out by accident - I thought they were coming from the teleporter on the top floor as I reached it because I got them onto the top floor of the War Room before using the elevator. A few times I didn't use any ammo though and soon realised that when I didn't shoot, they respawned through the windows and put me in danger. But when I shot them before using the elevator, they come through the teleporter and left me in a safe position to use the traps.

So the general rule is this; any zombies that have taken any amount damage no matter how small, will not respawn if you're far away from them. Any zombies that haven't been damaged at all will respawn on you. This means that if you gather a hoard without shooting them, then run across the map, they'll respawn all over you. Whereas if you shoot the entire hoard with a weak gun (a wall gun is great) then you can run across the map freely and none will respawn on you, exactly like older maps like Ascension. This is the exact reason why crawlers never respawn when they're far away from you - they've taken damage.

One of the best examples of a situation where new-area respawning causes a problem, and in which we're going to put this knowledge to use as an example, is hacking an Excavator before running a suicide-dash back to the Biodome on Moon.

Anyone who has played solo running the Biodome has experienced this one - you teleport as soon as you hear the warning, teleport back, hack the Excavator to stop it and make a mad dash back to the Biodome. Anyone who has done this knows how dangerous it is and often requires a Wave Gun shot to clear your path at the top of the labs. With this respawn-cancelling knowledge, it no longer needs to be dangerous.

Let's look at 2 ways in which this can be utilised to make hacking the Excavator before returning to the Biodome a safe task.

Example 1 involves teleporting to and from No Man's Land, then gathering a group in the Recieving Bay before using the trick.

This may sound dangerous, but see the video:

What we do here is hack both of the windows closed before any zombies spawn. You'll have 2 groups gather up behind the windows and both pour out. We wait over by the Quick Revive machine, and move when the zombies get close. By the time we approach the other side of the room near the Excavator Omicron panel, the zombies are all in.

We then shoot all of them with the MP5k to damage them, then make our way across the map without a disturbance as shown in-video. Simple!

If you don't like the look of gathering the zombies in the Recieving Bay, no problem. There's an alternate method we can use.

With example 2, we gather a hoard in the Biodome before damaging them with our MP5k. We can then safely make our way to the Recieving Bay with plenty of time to hack the panel before the zombies arrive:

Here I gather the group in the Recieving Bay. If you wish though you can go through the opposite Tunnel that you used to get to the Recieving Bay. I couldn't do that here as I'd locked the Astronaut in Tunnel 11 to keep him out of the way (tutorial on how to do that HERE). But as you see, gathering the group here is no problem.

Let's take a look at running cross-map without using this trick to remind ourselves of how much easier it is as opposed to now using it:

So there you have it, this annoying effect can be cancelled. You can also use it for other things, for example making a dash across the map to rebuy perks after going down. Always bear it in mind, you never know where this could be useful!

Full video version here

[Mr. Jay]

Attention to detail. It is what separates the greats from the goods.

A bit off topic. With another round 100 map, what are you to do next? Are you getting bored with the game at this point? Looking to improve your co-op records without Tom? If you have PS3 we can play cat and mouse. I run and die and you come revive.

[Onesiphorus935]

Awesome tips Super.

I usually just throw a gersch in the labs when on the way back from the excavator. It decompresses eventually but is still no hassle to run through,

I've had a few 'miss fires' with the wave gun and that has gotten me downed. Its rare but it does happen. Plus i'd rather save the ammmo to take out the full 24 as appose to the few in my way.

Currently trying to break my co-op record on Shang and this technique helps alot (The shooting before running, not the gersch lol)

Keep it up dude [brains]

[Superhands]

Cheers guys

A bit off topic. With another round 100 map, what are you to do next? Are you getting bored with the game at this point?

With so many different maps to play and different challenges to take on, I won't get bored with this game I don't think.

Verruckt 100 is next, and I'd also like an 80 on COTD and 63 on Nacht for new WRs. Also wanna get into some 1st room challenges and I still have 370 kills on No Man's Land to go for. I won't be doing that one for a while yet though, I've overplayed No Man's Land to be honest so I never feel like playing it recently. I know I will at some point soon though. Like with all of the other maps, I always think, "Ah, I haven't played this map in a while, let's get a game going", then by the time I wear that one out there comes another map I haven't played for a while. Nice cycle

Looking to improve your co-op records without Tom?

I've not really got an interest in pushing my co-op records any more, co-op is just for fun for me nowadays. But myself and Tom will probably get some nice scores together in the next game

If you have PS3 we can play cat and mouse. I run and die and you come revive.

I only have PC mate. I do sometimes do 2 player split-screen with my best mate on his PS3 though which nearly always turns into one of those types of games :lol:

[way2g00d]

Super, Eye this needs to go MZG. Very well written and creative thread Super. [brains]

[Tom852]

That's really great knowledge. Congrats for finding it!

So many things would have been so much easier if I had just known it.

Absolutely something for MZG (2.0).