The introduction of the Frostbite 2 with Battlefield 3 last year threw down the gauntlet to other shooters. Visually, things have taken a step up, so it's interesting to see how the other big shooter franchises like Call of Duty respond. Black Ops 2 was revealed just a few weeks ago, and while it's been updated, it's still running on the modified version of the id Tech 3 engine that the series has been using for years. Treyarch aren't concerned.

Mark Lamia spoke about the Black Ops 2 engine to One of Swords. "People always ask me, “Is this a new engine?” I liken it to people who live in an older house that has been remodeled," he said. "Just because you’re remodeling the house and it will look new or it will have a new kitchen, you don’t tear out the foundation, or break out some of the framing. You might even go as hardcore as replacing the plumbing, and we will do that sort of thing, as an analogy. It’s a gross simplification, but it’s one way to say that. There’s a lot of good still in that foundation that you wouldn’t get rid of, and we don’t. We look to advance in the areas that support our game design."

The lighting system has been a big point of interest for Treyarch in Black Ops 2, and the team have the added constraint of trying to ensure that the game will run on consoles at 60 frames per second.

"Engines, each time they get touched, they change. The creators alter them; they don’t modify what they don’t need to, and then they alter what they need to. You can’t make a competitive product if you’re not upgrading that engine along the way," he added.

Black Ops 2 will be set in a future full of X-Ray sniper rifles. Find out more in our Black Ops 2 preview.

Elder Scrolls Online, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Company of Heroes 2 were all announced this week. With almost too much information to take in, we keep our brains intact by talking about what we know and our highest hopes and darkest fears for each. We also toss in some chatter on Tera and The Walking Dead, which both launched this week, along with other minor news of mystery.

PC Gamer US Podcast 315: Many arrows, many knees

Have a question, comment, complaint or observation? Leave a voicemail: 1-877-404-1337 ext 724 or email the mp3 to pcgamerpodcast@gmail.com.

Subscribe to the podcast RSS feed.

Follow us on Twitter:
@elahti (Evan Lahti)
@jaugustine (Josh Augustine)
@tyler_wilde (Tyler Wilde)
Asatj (T.J. Hafer)

Evan mentioned this in his Black Ops 2 preview, but we thought it was worth highlighting.

Treyarch have been motion capturing horses ridden by men with toy AK-47s. You can see the results of the tech in their recent trailer, which is embedded below. Read on for a larger image of the horse and rider, along with a few screenshots of some in-game horse action, grabbed for your convenience.

Our initial verdict? Excellent equine rendering. Whether it's up to the high standards set by the probably-never-coming-to-PC Red Dead Redemption is yet to be confirmed. Which animal would you most like to motion capture?

Black Ops 2 will utilise the power of DX 11 on PC. As reported on One of Swords, Treyarch’s director of online highlighted the graphical upgrades during the recent Black Ops 2 reveal presentation. Despite the technical upgrades, getting the upcoming FPS to run at a 60 frames per second on all platforms is still high on Treyarch's priority list.

Dan showed off the developer's mixture of "tech and technique" during a walkthrough of a level set on Yemen's Socotra Island. HDR lighting, bounce lighting, self shadowing and reveal mapping will all feature. They sound pretty. Treyarch showed off the new features next to footage of the first Black Ops, making it look a bit crummy by comparison.

Expect more identifiable landmarks within multiplayer maps too. Treyarch want to make it as easy as possible for your squad mates to identify your location, promoting more co-ordinated teamplay.

We'll have more on Black Ops 2 soon. Until then, check out the Black Ops 2 Reveal trailer and our Black Ops 2 preview. Evan also got a chance to grill Treyarch with hard questions after the presentation.