In Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, looting in Blackout mode is set to be simplified. Treyarch has now given a first look at the new system.
What happened? Treyarch’s Studio Design Lead, David Vonderhaar, introduced the new Stash Looting System for the first time in a tweet, which aims to simplify looting in the in-house Battle Royale mode Blackout. This involves an overhauled User Interface (UI) that provides more clarity and shorter loot times.
How the current Stash Looting System works: A stash is referred to as any group of items that are summarized and displayed in a “loot container” – for example, loot boxes or loot from dead enemies, including the weapons and items contained within.
So far, after interacting with a stash, players have to awkwardly and confusingly scroll through each loot item contained within. This feels cumbersome, especially on consoles, and can lead to players leaving loot behind or dying while searching through the loot at critical moments.
This is what the new looting system will look like: The new UI is intended to make this process clearer and faster. The items in the stash will now be displayed in groups rather than individually, allowing for a more efficient selection of desired items.
This change is currently being tested, and bugs are being addressed, Vonderhaar mentioned in his tweet. They are currently discussing whether to use two rows of 5 items each or three rows of 5 items.
Two rows would display 10 items, but a stash often contains more than 10 items, which would require tabs for groups. Three rows mean fewer tabs but take up more screen space, potentially restricting visibility. However, Treyarch indicated that even with three rows, visibility should still be adequate.
What this change means for players: Especially players using gamepads, such as on PS4 and Xbox One, should greatly benefit from this change.
This allows players to choose desired items faster in critical situations and dive back into the fight. Previously, players had to awkwardly click through all loot items individually to view all items and select the desired one.
On PC, it was somewhat easier with a mouse and keyboard thanks to its own UI. However, even there, the change should help players loot faster and more efficiently.
And even if it’s “just” a “Quality of Life” change – it is one of the most requested features by the community that has been discussed since shortly after the release of Black Ops 4.
When will the UI change come? Vonderhaar did not reveal exactly when to expect this feature. However, since the new looting system is already in the testing phase and getting bug fixes, it should not be long before it’s released.
