CoD 4: Modern Warfare's Iconic Mission Faced Internal Resistance: Why It Wasn't Initially Embraced

Developers at Infinity Ward initially had reservations about the central concept behind All Ghillied Up, one of the most iconic missions in the Call of Duty franchise. However, this mission has had a lasting impact and is now widely imitated in modern military shooters. The idea of two operatives, camouflaged in ghillie suits and armed with suppressed sniper rifles, operating deep undercover behind enemy lines has become symbolic of the Call of Duty series. The mission requires players to exercise caution, make strategic shots, evade enemies, and cooperate with their NPC partner in order to ensure their survival.

During an interview with IGN, Mohammad Alavi, the Modern Warfare designer responsible for the iconic stealth mission All Ghillied Up, revealed that the concept wasn't initially well-received by the team. Even Alavi himself admitted that he preferred the more dramatic missions, making this particular idea a departure from his personal inclination.

Fortunately, there were other members of Infinity Ward, such as Steve Fukuda, who is one of the game's lead designers, and Preston Glenn, a level designer, who recognized the potential of a stealth-based mission. They were eventually successful in convincing Alavi.

"Fukuda explained, 'Imagine this scenario: You're walking in a field, you approach a bush and spot two guys beyond it. You raise your gun to take a shot, and suddenly the bush turns towards you and signals for you to hold up.' That's all he said, and I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of it."

Crafting All Ghillied Up was a challenging task. Alavi explained that it involved a significant overhaul of Call of Duty's code.

"It was a constant battle," Alavi commented. "The AI was originally programmed to always detect the player. So, I thought about a workaround. However, I didn't want to rely on mere illusions that players could easily see through. Instead, I aimed to create a Metal Gear Solid inspired mission, setting a new standard for stealth gameplay within the Call of Duty franchise. Without informing anyone, as I anticipated opposition, I silently pursued this goal."

Alavi had to revise the visibility of players to enemies and develop a unique system for players to remain concealed in shadows and bushes without being detected, which involved rewriting a substantial amount of poorly written script comprising almost 20,000 lines. For a comprehensive account of the creation of All Ghillied Up, visit IGN. Additionally, one of the original creators of Call of Duty recently revealed that the franchise initially aimed to surpass Counter-Strike but truly flourished when it embraced the concept of maximizing the enjoyment of Team Deathmatch.