Managing to Exfiltrate in the higher Rounds of Die Maschine is already pretty admirable, but successfully escaping the Particle Accelerator Explosion at the end of the Seal the Deal Easter egg? Now that’s a pro move. Getting out this way in Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War nets players more EXP, more Aetherium Crystals, and also uncovers the story of the Die Maschine Map.
It’s a long process and there are plenty of complicated steps where players can easily get killed if they spend too long looking around. So, for those who are struggling, check out our guide. But, for those who are specifically struggling to get this whole thing done in a single run, here are some tips to get it done before the next map is out (which is coming pretty soon).
Try and Do As Much As You Can Early
The first and most important tip for getting through this extra-long Easter egg is to get as much done as early as possible. Here is a list of the steps that can easily be done before Round 15:
- Turning the power on and building the P.A.P Machine
- Killing The Megaton for his Card
- Getting the D.I.E Machine
- Getting all the tasks done for both the Nova-5 and Cryo-Emitter Capsules
- Building The Aetherscope
- Giving the Spectral Dr. Vogel his Diary
Frankly, the earlier players can get stuff done, the better the whole process will go. There’s a point of no return in this sidequest anyway, so players can just get to part and then ignore it until they're ready to hop in.
Leave A Zombie Alive For The Collection-Heavy Parts
A lot of these steps are most easily completed near the end or beginning of a new round, but there are a few that take a bit of undisturbed running back and forth. This is where it actually becomes easier to slow it down for a few minutes by leaving one or two zombies alive at the end of a Round. The steps that involve the most running around include:
- Collecting and building the Aetherscope.
- Vogel's three Spectral Reflections.
- Charging the Electrobolt Weapon Crate.
- Getting the Decontamination Agent down from the tree and taking it back.
- Using the Elements to charge all four corners of Der Wechsler.
Trying to do any of these steps with a horde following closely behind is just a recipe for disaster.
Hold On To The Shockwave D.I.E Machine Until Electrobolt Is Unlocked
The best two Elemental Modes for the D.I.E Machine while going through the motions of this sidequest is the default Shockwave and the Electrobolt. Why is that? Well, as it turns out, the Cryo-Emitter and Nova-5 Capsules don't work very well (or at all) for charging the Electrobolt Crate. But, more than that, these two types are the most useful in comparison to the rest, especially when running around the whole map.
Use The Aether Tunnels Often
Getting used to the Aether Tunnel Locations and memorizing where each one goes will make life a lot easier for this elongated secret. For example, putting the Fuse into the Plasma Cutter and obtaining the Thermoplasmic Capsule from Pond can be done in the middle of a Round (if players are feeling brave) since they’re both connected by an Aether Tunnel. Using these Tunnels well lets players gather all the Aetherscope Parts in one trip, completely charge the Electrobolt Crate in one trip, and lets them power the Der Wechsler quickly as well.
Steadily Build Up Equipment and Killstreaks
Defending Orlav in the final phase of the Seal the Deal narrative can be a bit overwhelming. There are a ton of basic Zombies, Plaguehounds, and more Megatons than ever before. So, in order to make this process as easy as possible, players should try and build up a collection of certain Equipment over the course of their run:
- Cymbal Monkeys
- C4
- Flashbangs
- Sentry Turrets
- War Machine
Why these specific items? Well, getting through the final phase is all about keeping Zombies off of Orlav while also dealing as much damage to nearby Megatons as possible. That's where all this stuff comes in, as it allows players to unload on the Megatons uninterrupted while also keeping Orlav focused on his tasks.
Break Those Purple Crystals While In The Dark Aether
To get all these steps done, players are going to be heading in and out of the Dark Aether a lot, it gets old pretty quick. Thankfully, there’s a lot the player can do while they’re stuck waiting to leave the Dark Aether for the hundredth time. In particular, they can break these Purple Crystals that respawn with every trip, which is something most players sort of figured out on their own. In any case, these things have a chance to drop amazing things such as:
- Wunder Weapons
- Perks
- Guns of all Rarities
- Self-Revives
- Equipment Such as Cymbal Monkeys
- Salvage
- Zombie Essence
It's an easy way to kill two birds with one stone that can also save the player some Essence as well.
Utilize Elite Spawns To Their Full Capacity
There are a few steps of this process that specifically require the player to make use of a Special Spawn like a Plaguehound or Megaton:
- Megaton Required: In order to activate the Fungus on the tree in Pond
- Plaguehound Required: For filling the Cannister in the Cleaning Unit next to Deadshot Daquiri with Gas.
- Megaton Blaster and Bomber Required: To get pulled into Der Wechsler so that they can be "healed" as Orlav.
There’s not a ton of steps that require players to use these Elite spawns, but there’s enough that players should keep them in mind whenever a Megaton spawns so that they don't accidentally kill it and then have to wait any number of rounds for another one to pop up.
Reach A Damage Threshold Before Traveling To The Final Phase
To reiterate, if players don't feel they're ready for the final phase quite yet, then don't enter the Aether Portal when it pops up in Living Room and don't interact with Orlav's Family Photo either. As a general rule of thumb, a checklist similar to this might be helpful:
- Do they have at least four of the six (soon to be seven) Perks?: No? Wait until they have at least Jugger-Nog, Speed Cola, Stamin-Up, and Quick Revive.
- How easily did they kill the last Megaton?: If it took a while, Pack-A-Punch again before heading in.
- Did they remember to equip Ammo Mods?: If so, good. But also make sure to use Elements that are better for mobs like Napalm Burst or Dead Wire.
- How’s their ammo looking?: There's a Weapon Crate in the Final Phase area, but players should aim for Max Ammo + enough Essence to refill if necessary.
- What about Armor Rank?: Again, the Arsenal is in the Final Phase Area, but make sure to have enough Low-Grade Salvage to replenish it once or twice as well.
- How many "Free Escapes" do they have?: Stuff like Cymbal Monkeys, Killstreaks, Aethershroud, and so on.
- What Rarity is their Primary at?: If it's not at least Rare, wait until it is.
Research The Running Path To The Exfiltration Point
Nothing is worse than making it all the way to the end of a long journey, only to choke in the final stretch. And, this Easter egg's last step is the place where tons of people have been choking. It’s a race against the clock to get to the Exfiltrate point in Pond in less than a minute and thirty seconds.
Honestly, that’s plenty of time, though only if players know the proper route and don't get downed. But, the pillars of electricity that spawn all over the map can down players instantly. That’s why players should honestly watch a video or something on a proper path before actually going through with it in-game.
Keep Some Reminders Around Since This Secret Is So Involved
It’s not often that telling people to “keep a list” would be considered a useful tip, but in this particular instance, it totally is. There are 50+ complex steps needed in order to get all the way through this Easter Egg. It can get pretty confusing keeping track of everything while also focusing on staying alive. But, writing down a condensed list or keeping it pulled up on a second monitor or laptop while running through this makes it so much easier to keep track of where players are in the process.
Sure, players can simply pause whenever they want to make sure of where they’re at, but constantly pausing and unpausing both in solo and in a party can lead to a lot more silly mistakes because players will be going from immersed to un-immersed constantly and there's an innate adjustment period for most people.