The reception to the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 beta was interesting, to say the least. Fans were positive about several aspects of the game, from its visuals and immersive details to the way it handles killstreaks. Modes like Ground War played surprisingly well, while Modern Warfare 2’s new movement system shined. On the flip side, the mini map system, footstep noise, and overall protection of campers led to frustration. As is usually the case, the response to the maps was all over the place, though most of the criticism was leveled at one map: Valderas Museum.

Though the Call of Duty franchise has had some incredible maps over the years, nothing new has managed to become quite as iconic as locations like Terminal, Firing Range, and Nuketown. In the recent games, map pools range from poor to solid, with few locations truly standing out for positive reasons. While a majority of the maps featured in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 beta are on the good end of the spectrum, especially in comparison to the 2019 game, Valderas Musem proved controversial. Funnily enough, though, the play space would instantly become better with the Call of Duty: Vanguard feature known as Combat Pacing.

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What Was Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Combat Pacing?

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Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Combat Pacing mechanic allowed players to have direct control over the intensity of their matches, which proved to be a boon for the game in a few ways. First, it allowed those working on camo challenges to have a larger lineup of enemies to fight every game, making certain tasks easier to progress through. Second, it allowed maps that felt too large to feel more natural, or made smaller maps even more chaotic, which is something many fans adore. This second point is what would benefit Valderas Museum.

With Combat Pacing, gamers could choose between Tactical, Assault, and Blitz. These settings offered 12, 20-28, and 28-48 player matches respectively. Though gamers who prefer the traditional 6v6 style could just leave the Tactical setting on, having the other two options was beneficial - especially on big maps. Despite having so much potential, similar to Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Champion Hill mode, it seems like there is no interest in making Combat Pacing permanent. This should change, though.

Why Combat Pacing Would Make Valderas Museum More Enjoyable

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Much like Combat Pacing would have helped maps like Stonehaven from the divisive Call of Duty: Ghosts, the mechanic would instantly make Valderas Museum into a more enjoyable experience. This is because a larger portion of the map goes unused, with the area that features a bunch of greenery only having relevance in modes like Hardpoint. For the most part, it goes unused, serving no purpose whatsoever in something like Domination.

While Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 beta players had suggestions for how to rework this map, such as trimming it down and removing the unused sections like with certain Black Ops Cold War locations, this would not be necessary if Combat Pacing existed. After all, having the occasional large map is a good thing, as it gives players going for longshots an easier time while also serving as a change of pace from constant close quarters action. However, player counts should be adjusted to accommodate the size, as wasting time running around an empty map and looking for a gunfight is never fun.

Though Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s launch is imminent, meaning it is highly unlikely for Combat Pacing to be confirmed, it would make for a welcome post launch addition. While Valderas Museum currently feels too large and unfocused, taking the player count from 6v6 to 12v12 could instantly change the feel of it, with players needing to make use of the map's currently vacant outskirts. With Combat Pacing in place, fights could be found around every corner just like they can be on other maps.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 launches on October 28 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

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