GamingCall of Duty

Black Ops 4 March 18 update patch notes – Player Collision, Game crashes, and more

A new update for Black Ops 4 is landing on Playstation 4, PC and Xbox One that will look to fix increasingly annoying problems in the game, as well as bring PC players up-to-date with an extensive patch.

The 1.15 patch is on the smaller side for consoles, clocking in at 115MB on Playstation 4 and 39MB on Xbox One, as PC players will be getting a 9.2GB transfer for their game.

Treyarch had teased a fix to the bothersome player collisions after a spike in reports following the March 14 update, and it now looks like the company has kept its word with the latest patch.

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RedditTreyarch’s response to a player collision thread wasn’t what the community wanted to hear.

“Today’s update also fixes an issue that temporarily increased the player collision boundaries for teammates in Multiplayer,” the company said.

Player collision has been an increasingly growing problem in Black Ops 4 and was even seen taking center stage at the start of a Search and Destroy match at CWL Fort Worth.

The March 18 patch is bringing tons of PC-exclusive updates including huge upgrades to Blackout’s inventory management system and consumable interactions, while adding more quality-of-line improvements to the title.

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Though players on all platforms should feel the fix with Outrider’s Hawk that will hopefully address various issues with parking it right after deploying the ability. Further, a stability update has been added to prevent the game from crashing when using Mesh Mines in numerous situations.

For the complete list of changes that came to Black Ops 4 with the March 18, read the patch notes below.

March 18 Update: PC 1.14 Update, Player Collision Fix, CWL Fort Worth Recap

PC 1.14 Update

Our PC 1.14 update is now live today with several PC-exclusive additions and quality-of-life improvements – scroll down below and search for “[PC only]” in the PC section of the patch notes to see what’s exclusive to PC players. A big part of today’s PC update improves the Inventory system in Blackout, including the following changes:

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  • Attachments can now be moved from one weapon directly to the other with the Middle Mouse Button.
  • Attachments can now go from Inventory or Stashes directly to a stowed weapon with the Middle Mouse Button.
  • Players can now “Swap and Attach” weapons found in a Stash with the Middle Mouse Button.

We’ve also added new interactions with consumables in Blackout for easier management:

  • Players can now equip consumables with the Middle Mouse Button in the Inventory.
  • Added a “Use Consumable” keybind which allows using consumables without opening the Inventory. Pressing the button will use the currently equipped consumable.
  • Added a new element to the HUD to let players know which consumable is currently equipped.
  • Added the “Next Consumable” keybind which changes the player’s equipped consumable to the next in your inventory.

Jump into a match and let us know what you think!

Friendly Player Collision Fix

Today’s update also fixes an issue that temporarily increased the player collision boundaries for teammates in Multiplayer, as well as a crash that could occur when frequently switching between modes at the main menu.

CWL Fort Worth Recap

From all of us at the studio, huge congratulations to Luminosity for coming out on top and taking it all in the CWL Fort Worth Grand Finals over the weekend, along with Splyce, Team Reciprocity, and 100 Thieves rounding out the Top 4! Congrats are also in order for FaZe Black, who won the Open Bracket Grand Finals against Mindfreak on the main stage on Sunday. With 16 Pro League teams and over 180 amateur teams duking it out all weekend long, this one was one for the record books.

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Big thanks to our partners at the Call of Duty World League and MLG, our incredible casters, all of the fans watching at home, and the thousands of fans who came out to party with us in Fort Worth, making this one of the highest-attended CWL open events of all time. Let’s do it all over again next time at CWL London, May 3-5.

Read on below for today’s updates:

  • PC 1.14 update now live with PC-exclusive additions, including new Blackout inventory management options, GPU optimization, stability fixes, and more.
  • Updated friendly hitmarker and added improved Hardpoint stats in World League Hub.
  • Improved Outrider’s Hawk functionality.
  • Fix for increased friendly player collision boundaries in Multiplayer.
  • Fix for a crash that could occur when switching between modes at the main menu.
  • Stability fixes in Multiplayer and Zombies.

The following updates are now live on all platforms since our last update:

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General

  • Stability
    • Fixed a crash that could occur when frequently switching between modes at the main menu.

Multiplayer

  • Collision
    • Addressed an issue causing increased player collision boundaries with teammates.
  • Specialists
    • Outrider
      • Addressed various issues that could occur when parking the Hawk immediately after deploying it.
  • Stability
    • Fixed a crash that could occur when using Mesh Mines in certain situations.

World League Hub

  • Miscellaneous
    • Updated friendly hitmarker.
    • Added improved stats in Hardpoint.

Zombies

  • Stability
    • Fixed a crash that could occur when setting Custom Option “Damage Multiplier” under enhanced AI.

The following updates are live today on PC:

General

  • Optimization
    • Optimized GPU memory usage for lower-end setups. [PC only]
  • Stability
    • Fixed stability issues when booting the game after a previous session was ended due to a fatal error. [PC only]
  • Theater
    • Added keyboard shortcuts for all actions available in the Theater. This should help players to use the editing tools while keeping full control of the camera. [PC only]
    • Addressed an issue where the gamepad would not function properly in Theater. [PC only]
  • Menu
    • Addressed an issue where users could not make characters rotate in certain personalization screens. [PC only]
  • Friendly Fire
    • Unique Friendly Fire hitmarkers will now appear when damaging friendlies in any game mode with friendly fire enabled, including Hardcore modes, Blackout, and League Play.
  • Lobby
    • Addressed an issue that prevented a user that was previously a party host from entering game modes that could not be entered with the previous party.

Multiplayer

  • General
    • Added buttons to quickly set score and time limits to “Unlimited” in Multiplayer Custom Game Rules. [PC only]
    • Added the ability to change Class when joining a match in progress.
  • Maps
    • Contraband Hurricane
      • New stormy variant of Contraband added to rotation, free for all players.
    • Casino
      • Casino is now available in Hardpoint playlists and in Custom Games for Black Ops Pass holders.
      • Addressed an issue where the Sniper’s Nest could occasionally remain in the playspace after expiring in Casino.
  • Prestige
    • Addressed an issue where some users could not progress beyond Prestige Master Level 999.
    • Addressed an issue where Create-a-Class slots unlocked through Prestige could have empty Equipment slots.
  • Scorestreaks
    • Thresher
      • The Thresher will no longer damage friendly players in modes with Friendly Fire enabled.
      • Addressed an issue that caused the Killcam for the Thresher to display the incorrect point of view.
    • Dart
      • The Dart will no longer count toward team kill penalties in modes with Friendly Fire enabled.
  • Equipment
    • Addressed various instances where the Seeker could fall through the map.
    • Addressed an animation hitch when standing from crouch while holding a Trophy System.
  • Specialists
    • Outrider
      • Addressed an animation issue with Outrider’s Hawk tablet while a pistol was equipped.
      • Addressed an issue preventing Stim Shot use after using the Hawk.
      • Addressed an issue causing a double reticle to appear when using the Sparrow, then the Hawk.
  • Game Modes
    • Heist
      • Addressed an issue where keyboard navigation in the Heist Buy Menu would make elements unselectable. [PC only]
      • Improvements made to the revive UI to match the revive UI in Blackout.
      • Addressed an issue that could cause EKIAs from properly registering in Heist.
    • One in the Chamber
      • Disabled “downlinking enemy data” radar sweep voiceover.
  • Customization
    • Mastercraft camos will now display on weapons in the Gun Rack.
    • Warpaint can now be seen through Seraph’s “The Professional” mask.
  • Custom Games
    • Addressed an issue that could prevent Equipment cooldown from functioning properly in Custom Games.
  • UI
    • Addressed a text overlap issue in the lobby in the map voting area.
  • Stability
    • Fixed a crash that could occur when using Mesh Mines in certain cases.
    • Fixed a crash that sometimes occurred while playing Stockpile with bots.

World League Hub

  • General
    • Players that leave a match early will now receive an increased match quit penalty.
    • Unlocked all 12 Custom Classes for players to use in World League Hub.
    • Prestige Master players now properly earn XP in League Play matches.
    • Multiplayer Challenges now properly track while playing in League Play Events.
    • Prestige icons now properly appear when leveling up in League Play Events.
  • Ladders and Rewards
    • Added a Top 5 Ladder Reward tier that awards 4 Gems.
    • 1st Place Ladder Reward now awards 5 Gems.
    • League Ladder Tile in the World League Hub now properly updates after a League Play Event ends.
    • Addressed an issue where players were able to roll over their Ladder Points between Events.
  • Daily Bonus
    • Daily Bonuses will now roll over day-to-day for the duration of the current event.
    • Reduced the Daily Bonus point value from 200 to 100.
  • UI
    • Added red penalty text to the Quit Match popup to clearly indicate new match quit penalty.
    • Updated the World League Rank Calling Card description to include the card’s rank.
  • Miscellaneous
    • Addressed an issue where Match Bonus was rewarding fewer XP than intended.
    • Addressed an issue with inconsistent XP being awarded to players in Search and Destroy League Play matches.
    • Addressed an issue with Specialist Stats displaying Public Match Stats instead of World League Hub Stats.
    • Addressed an issue with the Previous League Play Results screen appearing before a player had completed their Skill Evaluation matches.
    • Addressed an issue with the League Play Career tile in the Barracks not properly updating.
    • Addressed an issue with Streak Flames not appearing in some cases.

Blackout

  • Inventory [PC only]
    • Added interactions with items in the Inventory to let players manage their items in new ways:
      • Attachments can now be moved from one weapon directly to the other with the Middle Mouse Button.
      • Attachments can now go from Inventory directly to a stowed weapon with the Middle Mouse Button.
      • Attachments can now go from a Stash directly to a stowed weapon with the Middle Mouse Button. Pick Up functionality has been moved to the Right Mouse Button.
    • Players can now “Swap and Attach” weapons found in a Stash with the Middle Mouse Button.
    • Added interactions with consumables for easier management:
      • Players can now equip consumables with the Middle Mouse Button in the Inventory.
      • Added a “Use Consumable” keybind which allows using consumables without opening the Inventory. Pressing the button will use the currently equipped consumable.
      • Added a new element to the HUD to let players know which consumable is currently equipped.
      • Added the “Next Consumable” keybind which changes the player’s equipped consumable to the next in your inventory.
    • Addressed an issue where “Next Health Item” and “Next Equipment” keybinds could not be bound to the Mouse buttons.
  • Spring Map Update
    • Added updated lighting, new and improved greenery, and springtime trees in full bloom throughout the map.
  • Weapons
    • Operator Weapons
      • Operator Weapons added to Supply Drops and Stashes.
      • Weapons come with Operator Mods pre-attached, which cannot be stripped.
      • Operator Weapons glow purple for easy identification.
    • Purifier
      • Firebreak’s Purifier flamethrower can now be found in Supply Drops.
  • Perks
    • Reinforced
      • Reduced Reinforced Perk fire resistance.
  • Equipment
    • Grapple Gun
      • Resolved an issue causing players to hold the Grapple Gun with the wrong hand when viewed in third-person.
    • Recon Car
      • Resolved a UI error that could occur when activating a Recon Car.
  • UI
    • Addressed an issue that prevented Echelon images from appearing in the Merit Report screen.
    • Removed erroneous description text for the Medic Perk that referenced faster healing.
    • Addressed an issue that prevented the Spectate button from functioning on the Elimination screen until Skip had been pressed.
  • Stability
    • Fixed a crash that could occur when loading into Blackout in splitscreen.
  • General
    • Players can now mute team members via the Team Scoreboard.
    • Improved visibility of items on the ground when wingsuiting and parachuting into the map.
    • Enabled prioritizing ammo pickups over weapon pickups in Blackout Options.
    • Weapon Inspect can now be activated with left on the d-pad on consoles.
    • Gestures and Callouts can now be activated during the Victory screen.
    • Added new Limited-Time Modes stats filter in Barracks.
      • All Limited-Time Modes now feed stats directly to the Limited Time Modes filter, including previous Hot Pursuit stats.
  • Miscellaneous
    • Addressed an issue where the wrong Calling Card was displayed when a player spectated or viewed the Killcam.
    • Addressed an issue where the player character was missing when joining another player in the lobby.

Zombies

  • Host Migration
    • Public matches will now automatically continue with a new host if the current host drops out mid-game.
  • Armory
    • Addressed a UI error that occurred when entering the Personalize Menu of the Armory for weapons that are disabled in the Edit Game Rules Menu.
  • UI
    • Addressed an issue that caused a progress bar from appearing when throwing Equipment.
  • Stability
    • Global
      • Fixed a crash that could occur when a Catalyst zombie performed its special attack.
      • Fixed a crash that could occur when navigating from the Black Market to a Zombies lobby and back.
    • IX
      • Fixed a crash that could occur when a player started a Custom Mutations IX match where starting points had been adjusted in “Edit Game Rules”.
      • Fixed a crash that could occur when the player queued for a public Classic IX match.
    • Blood of the Dead
      • Fixed a crash that could occur if the player rapidly switched tabs while spectating.
      • Fixed a rare crash that could occur when the player killed themselves inside the Acid Trap.
      • Fixed a rare crash that could occur when certain visual effects were attached to the player.
    • Dead of the Night
      • Fixed a rare crash that could occur during the Stake Knife Quest.
    • Classified
      • Fixed an issue during the “Death-Con Five” Gauntlet where the player could be disconnected from the server and moved to the main menu when transitioning from Round 10 to Round 11.
    • Theater
      • Fixed a crash that could occur when viewing a clip made during the previous patch in Theater.
      • Fixed a potential freeze and/or crash that could occur in Theater when fast-forwarding a clip from Dead of the Night.
  • Miscellaneous
    • Global – Addressed issues where:
      • The Welling could be permanently unlocked with a Permanent Unlock Token, despite it being the starting pistol.
      • Pack-a-Punching the Swordfish while it was equipped with the Holographic and Long Barrel attachments caused the weapon to have improper animations.
      • If the player left any party lobby hosted by a player, then accepted an invite into a custom Zombies game from a second player, it would result in the player losing functionality during the First Time User Experience screen.
      • The Ethereal Razor could be seen constantly even if the player was not using the knife.
      • The player put their only weapon into the Pack-a-Punch, effectively giving them fists in first-person, but a knife would be seen in their hand in third-person.
      • After killing the Blightfather, the 25% XP boost did not give out the appropriate value with a “MKII” weapon.
    • Prestige Master – Addressed issues where:
      • A Prestige Master Level 1000 player could still see an XP bar in the After Action Report after every match, despite there being no XP left to earn.
      • Earning XP at Prestige Master Level 322 could become corrupted.
      • The Options menu during a game would display the incorrect level and amount of XP for a Prestige Master player, and would be inconsistent with the After Action Report.
      • A Master Prestige player changed their Prestige icon and other players would see the default icon in the Social menu.
    • “Death-Con Five” Gauntlet – Addressed issues where:
      • Players may lose their sprinting animation after sliding and shooting during “Slippery” in Round 2.
      • Players were able to use Elixirs while not sliding, which was inconsistent with the round description during “Slippery” in Round 2.
      • If the player rapid-fired a semi-auto weapon while sliding, they could rapid-fire the remainder of the clip after stopping during “Slippery” in Round 2.
      • Damage would persist on players while standing still during Round 5.
      • The player would lose points when they run, walk, slide, crouch, or go prone in Nova 6 Gas, despite the description only mentioning when “standing” during the “High Gas Prices” Round.
    • “Veni, Vidi, Zombie!” Gauntlet
      • Addressed an issue in Round 26 in which players could briefly see their Equipment in their hands as their weapon changed.
      • Addressed an issue in Round 26 in which the revival animation would not play when the player was reviving another player.
    • Classified
      • Addressed a visual issue near the Mystery Box in the War Room Upper Level.
      • Addressed an issue where activating the Nova Crawlers by annoying McNamara during a round transition change would cause all spawns going forward to be Nova Crawlers.
      • Closed an exploit where the player could use the Ragnarok DG-5 to jump onto a filing cabinet in Central Filing.
    • IX
      • Addressed an issue where players were unable to repair barricades in the Ra Altar room.
      • Addressed an issue where the player may notice a misaligned Challenge text box in the UI after cutting a Challenge Banner rope.
    • Blood of the Dead
      • Addressed a rare issue where the player’s Shield Key could get jammed in a door while aiming down sights.
      • Addressed an issue that could occur where the Warden that spawns on the roof could path to the Infirmary and then get stuck.
      • Addressed an issue that could occur where random barricades would become unrepairable after Round 6.
    • Dead of the Night
      • Addressed an issue where gazing sequences would reset the FOV to 90. [PC only]
      • Addressed an issue where the light FX for Alistair’s Annihilator could persist on the screen when grabbed by the Crimson Nosferatu.
      • Addressed various visual issues in the Cemetery.
    • Perk Up Elixir
      • Addressed an issue where the player would only receive two Perks from the Perk Up Elixir after failing a round in any Gauntlet match by not completing the objective.
      • Addressed an issue where, if a player used the Perk Up Elixir in a Gauntlet to obtain extra Perks and then proceeded to get damaged down to 50 health, then used In Plain Sight while being attacked at 50 health, the round failed and the Perk Up Perks remained active when the player respawned in the next round.

-Treyarch