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[Miggytronz]

I haven't seen this posted here, though it probably was...

Mongoose in Reach

That is one huge grenade

music made me lol

 

[Slightly Live]

It's a pity that only the modders got to toy with the Mongoose and the Rocket Warthog. =\

 

[Schmitty]

How did they manage to mod the beta anyway?

 

[Slightly Live]

How did they manage to mod the beta anyway?

Typical modded Xbox/Jtagging. The sort of activity that gets your console insta-banned from Live.

Many of the youtube videos showing Beta levels before the playlists went up came from modders as do practically most of the videos showing all of the armour perms for Elites and Spartans.

 

[Schmitty]

By the way, what is the status on the HaloGAF montage?

 

[Sean P.]

Are they still going to have larger than 8v8?

 

[electricpirate]

Are they still going to have larger than 8v8?

No, whatever feature or mode that was prompting the player counts was cut, so it's going to be 16 player max.

 

[Diablohead]

I haven't seen this posted here, though it probably was...

Mongoose in Reach

That is one huge grenade
http://imgur.com/cK1St.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]
Wasn't the mongoose found a few weeks back, middle of the beta? I know the warthog with rockets was.

Also they dropped the fog range or something? so much blue fog!

 

[electricpirate]

Wasn't the mongoose found a few weeks back, middle of the beta? I know the warthog with rockets was.

Also they dropped the fog range or something? so much blue fog!

I was flashing back to playing Turok on the N64.

Also, I know they showed the mongoose, to the press, I think Popeck got to do a race in it.

 

[Diablohead]

It gives him extra control.

Reminds me of the control panel for one of these bad boys:

 

[Subtervotion]

By the way, what is the status on the HaloGAF montage?

chapels doing it and he said it would take about two weeks after the beta. So maybe a little more than one more week?

 

[Kuroyume]

Can someone post videos of the helmets and armor stuff that the modders posted? I've only seen a video of someone driving a forklift and using some new air vehicle that shoots a bunch of missles.

Also, are you guys really serious about that helmet piece? That is the BEST thing they've shown yet. Unlike 99% of the stuff in the beta I should be able to spot someone using that. I've wondered why the hell Bungie used resources for that stuff when the pieces and helmets were tame shit that didn't look all that different from each other. This thing actually seems noticeable. If the Security helmet returns (as it should) then I'm going to add one of these to it assuming I get a code, and it's possible.

 

[Tashi]

MLG Pros give their Halo Reach Beta thoughts

I've only skimmed it so far.

 

[Major Williams]

Can someone post videos of the helmets and armor stuff that the modders posted? I've only seen a video of someone driving a forklift and using some new air vehicle that shoots a bunch of missles.

Also, are you guys really serious about that helmet piece? That is the BEST thing they've shown yet. Unlike 99% of the stuff in the beta I should be able to spot someone using that. I've wondered why the hell Bungie used resources for that stuff when the pieces and helmets were tame shit that didn't look all that different from each other. This thing actually seems noticeable. If the Security helmet returns (as it should) then I'm going to add one of these to it assuming I get a code, and it's possible.

There's a video that shows a lot of the Spartan and Elite permutations, and they look FANTASTIC. I looked like there was something very similar to the councilor helmet for the elites, which makes me very, very happy. I can't find the video right now, but I'll post it soon

 

[Subtervotion]

MLG Pros give their Halo Reach Beta thoughts

I've only skimmed it so far.

My money is on MLG only allowing sprint. Although I hope they allow multiple AAs.

 

[electricpirate]

MLG Pros give their Halo Reach Beta thoughts

I've only skimmed it so far.

Read it through, and I surprisingly agree with a lot of their commentary about it; I'm probably the farthest thing from a "Pro"

I think they make good points also about some small tweaks to the weapons that would alleviate big issues (more rounds per magazine with the DMR/Pistol, and a faster bloom reset on both weapons to help speed up combat), but I think they miss the point of the pistol when saying that it doesn't stand up to a DMR at midrange.

 

[Tashi]

Read it through, and I surprisingly agree with a lot of their commentary about it; I'm probably the farthest thing from a "Pro"

I think they make good points also about some small tweaks to the weapons that would alleviate big issues (more rounds per magazine with the DMR/Pistol, and a faster bloom reset on both weapons to help speed up combat), but I think they miss the point of the pistol when saying that it doesn't stand up to a DMR at midrange.

I think it's supposed to stand up to the DMR midrange

 

[GhaleonEB]

I'm not an avid MLG watcher, but I tune into the stream to watch live games now and then. CTF maches in particular are really intense. The last guy in that article mentioned Stockpile, and it made me think an MLG variant of Stockpile would be pretty amazing to watch.

 

[Slightly Live]

Read it through, and I surprisingly agree with a lot of their commentary about it; I'm probably the farthest thing from a "Pro"

I think they make good points also about some small tweaks to the weapons that would alleviate big issues (more rounds per magazine with the DMR/Pistol, and a faster bloom reset on both weapons to help speed up combat), but I think they miss the point of the pistol when saying that it doesn't stand up to a DMR at midrange.

I agree about the Pistol misconception - I think it's a major area that many players simply need to be informed about.

Looking over the general feedback from the Beta, there is some good constructive commentary on some of the issues. I'd like to point out EasyB here, when his posts aren't entirely lined with searing snark and rage. His well thought out and articulate arguments (best read in his lengthy summary) are of the highest calibre and there are many issues raised I agree with - even if I don't agree with all of them.

One major hurdle however that many other fans have and ones I have seen stem from the MLG crowds in particular is over weapon functionality in the Reach sandbox. Reach's sandbox is radically altered from Halo 2 and Halo 3, weapons generally have much more specificity defined roles which dictate their usefulness in certain situations. Gone are the days of Halo 2's dominating BR and Halo's 3 BR (slightly less dominating to an extent compared with Halo 2).

Reach's weapons are compartmentalised to a higher degree than any other Halo game. New weapons fit into this new design with aplomb - the Focus Rifle, DMR and the Grenade Launcher are great prime examples, whilst the returning weapons have been altered in various ways to accommodate the new general direction of the sandbox.

This is why I think feedback arguing about why weapon A isn't as useful as weapon B isn't as relevant as arguments discussing why certain weapons need to be altered to be better suit their purpose or to maintain an equal role within the sandbox.

 

[Domino Theory]

Amazon just added Release Day Delivery to Halo: Reach.

I changed the shipping speed to that since I have Prime and it knocked my order down to $104 from $108. WOOHOO!

 

[GhaleonEB]

I agree about the Pistol misconception - I think it's a major area that many players simply need to be informed about.

Looking over the general feedback from the Beta, there is some good constructive commentary on some of the issues. I'd like to point out EasyB here, when his posts aren't entirely lined with searing snark and rage. His well thought out and articulate arguments (best read in his lengthy summary) are of the highest calibre and there are many issues raised I agree with - even if I don't agree with all of them.

One major hurdle however that many other fans have and ones I have seen stem from the MLG crowds in particular is over weapon functionality in the Reach sandbox. Reach's sandbox is radically altered from Halo 2 and Halo 3, weapons generally have much more specificity defined roles which dictate their usefulness in certain situations. Gone are the days of Halo 2's dominating BR and Halo's 3 BR (slightly less dominating to an extent compared with Halo 2).

Reach's weapons are compartmentalised to a higher degree than any other Halo game. New weapons fit into this new designed with aplomb - the Focus Rifle, DMR and the Grenade Launcher are great prime examples, whilst the returning weapons have been altered in various ways to accommodate the new general direction of the sandbox.

This is why I think feedback arguing about why weapon A isn't as useful as weapon B isn't as relevant as arguments discussing why certain weapons need to be altered to be better suit their purpose or to maintain an equal role within the sandbox.

Aye, the pistol/DMR argument can be settled pretty easily: understand that they are not intended to be equivalent. At long range, the DMR rules. Step closer, and the gap between them closes. At very close range, the pistol is the better. It's simply something that will take some time to get adjusted to.

It's one of my favorite aspects of the game. I was advocating for a more differentiated weapon set - especially the Covenant weapons - for quite a while. So I'm delighted that Bungie delivered on that front.

I always thought that it has always been Bungie's intention that different weapons were meant for different situations and distances. The gap is that with the increasing popularity of MLG throughout the years, the use of a one go to weapon (BR) at all times gives off the impression that all other weapons need to be as versatile and overpowering as well. That led to the lack of use of other weapons (IMHO).

In Halo 2, the SMG was supposed to be the close to mid range weapon with dual wielding. In Halo 3, we had the AR where we returned to the golden tripod rule. In Reach, we now have the option of using the Pistol which resembles the BR with it's scope to use as a close to mid range weapon. No matter which way we look at it, the DMR will be our new king of all weapons

Spoiler

for non AR start maps

I think the campaign of Halo 2 introduced some redundancy that Reach is just now sanding off. So while there are similar classes of weapons, they are more diffentiated within that class.

Since I'll be rolling in the BTB playlists, I do see myself spending a lot of quality time with the DMR and Nerfle. But the pistol will have as much place as the AR did in Halo 3 BTB, which was still a substantial role.

 

[FourDoor]

I always thought that it has always been Bungie's intention that different weapons were meant for different situations and distances. The gap is that with the increasing popularity of MLG throughout the years, the use of a one go to weapon (BR) at all times gives off the impression that all other weapons need to be as versatile and overpowering as well. That led to the lack of use of other weapons (IMHO).

In Halo 2, the SMG was supposed to be the close to mid range weapon with dual wielding. In Halo 3, we had the AR where we returned to the golden tripod rule. In Reach, we now have the option of using the Pistol which resembles the BR with it's scope to use as a close to mid range weapon. No matter which way we look at it, the DMR will be our new king of all weapons

Spoiler

for non AR start maps

 

[Captain Blood]

Amazon just added Release Day Delivery to Halo: Reach.

I changed the shipping speed to that since I have Prime and it knocked my order down to $104 from $108. WOOHOO!

+1, thanks for the heads up bud.

 

[Doodis]

Amazon just added Release Day Delivery to Halo: Reach.

I changed the shipping speed to that since I have Prime and it knocked my order down to $104 from $108. WOOHOO!

Thanks, just changed mine as well. I don't have Prime, but I experienced a similar drop in price from 1-day shipping. Weird.

 

[bobs...onGaf]

This article is awesome, its basically a post beta summary based on stats:

http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/109/1092622p2.html

I will admit I never put 2 + 2 together regarding this:

Players were right - headshots were more difficult and unpredictable to land on an opponent and it wasn't by design nor was it due to reticule bloom.

Im not sure whether this will lead to more 'lucky' kills, or a more predictible 'bloom' - I cant wait too see how it affects the game come Fall.

This wasn't the design intention for the ability and it's been tweaked a bit now so it uses more energy per burst and someone who hits a locked opponent will no longer have their shields removed.

I liked that aspect of Armour lock, but I must admit only because it was so funny, I guess the change will be for the best.

During the second week of the beta a science experiment was deployed to try and do a more focused test of this matchup. A base Spartan vs. Elite gametype was added for standard Slayer. And... the results were the same, Elites were winning about 60% of the time. The design intention is for Elite's to be powerful, different and awesome but not to the point where they constantly win the majority of the matches. There are some subtle tweaks being explored right now to try and better strike this balance.

To be totally honest I think Evade was just far more useful than Sprint, if anything made the difference that was it, right there. Maybe giving both Spartans and Elites the Jetpack would have been a better test of theyre very base abilities? I guess they wanted to test how the difference in AA's affected the different 'classes' I guess?

 

[GhaleonEB]

Great article, goes into a litany of specifics that I was hoping would be addressed - armor lock, for instance. It all just reiterates that Bungie knows what they're doing. And this:

Base movement speed and jump height were areas that many players were very vocal about. While the design intent is for the Spartan IIIs to move a bit slower and jump a bit lower than the Spartan IIs of Halo 3, the team has been testing some minor tweaks in response to beta feedback.

Happy happy joy joy.

I want my spartan to be just like Mike and be able to get some air whenever he jumps (without the aid of jetpacks).

I just want to clear that little ledge by the water in Powerhouse and evade grenades a bit better.

 

[FourDoor]

Happy happy joy joy.

I want my spartan to be just like Mike and be able to get some air whenever he jumps (without the aid of jetpacks).

Edit: Yes I'm not expecting Halo 3 jump heights to come back but I do expect to be able to make simple basic jumps like the infamous ledge in question without missing it 3/4 of the time.

 

[electricpirate]

Great interview, but this threw up red flags for me.

IGN: Should players expect the maps and weapon pickup locations to remain largely unchanged, or did the beta reveal some things about the four maps that you feel need addressing?

Brian Jarrard: Players should expect all sorts of tweaks to the object and weapon layouts on the maps by the time the final game rolls around. For example, based on feedback and data from the beta, the flag positions for Powerhouse and Swordbase have been relocated, allowing a much better flow and capture opportunity for the attackers. In the beta both maps featured flags in closed off rooms that became quite difficult to breach when defenders gathered up some power weapons and Armor Lock. This also ends up making 1-Flag games on Swordbase play out a lot more interestingly than they did in the beta.

I agree with that on Powerhouse, but on sword base?

Was I playing the same swordbase there? I'd say caps happened in about 65% of all rounds on sword base, where powerhouse was like 40%

 

[Captain Blood]

I want my spartan to be just like Mike and be able to get some air whenever he jumps (without the aid of jetpacks).

WTB this helmet permutation.

 

[squidhands]

Was I playing the same swordbase there? I'd say caps happened in about 65% of all rounds on sword base, where powerhouse was like 40%

I was in the vocal opposition of the flag placement on Sword Base, but after a few games I had to reassess my opinion. Still don't like the fact that it's in a room with only two entrances, but in just about every game I played the flag was pulled on SB. And it was way easier to pull on SB than on Powerhouse. I'm honestly at a loss on where they'd move it to that would be more open. The only spot I can think of is the red team Stockpile spot, but that's not really a 'base'.


That was a mighty tasty article.

 

[Kuroyume]

Already ruining the game... How the hell is it difficult to get the flag out of Swordbase? I can agree with Powerhouse most of the time but Swordbase was ridiculously easy. It's practically out in the open.

 

[Gui_PT]

Already ruining the game... How the hell is it difficult to get the flag out of Swordbase? I can agree with Powerhouse most of the time but Swordbase was ridiculously easy. It's practically out in the open.

Really? When I as on Defense and had a team I could count on, the attacking team wouldn't even touch the flag

 

[NullPointer]

I had some good times with the beta, but for me Halo is and always will be about campaign and co-op. I can't friggin' wait to start hearing about the changes to come.

See you guys again when the campaign/co-op/firefight dam begins to burst.

Spoiler

Campaign Forge Bungie... make my dreams come true.

 

[Dipswitch]

Amazon just added Release Day Delivery to Halo: Reach.

I changed the shipping speed to that since I have Prime and it knocked my order down to $104 from $108. WOOHOO!

Good man. Just updated my order.

 

[Ajemsuhgao]

Really? When I as on Defense and had a team I could count on, the attacking team wouldn't even touch the flag

Any time I'd be on offense, my entire team would just sprint straight into the base and whoever got their first would grab it, the rest would lob grenades at the hallway the defenders would be coming out of.

 

[Plywood]

music made me lol

MGMT ftw.

 

[Gui_PT]

Any time I'd be on offense, my entire team would just sprint straight into the base and whoever got their first would grab it, the rest would lob grenades at the hallway the defenders would be coming out of.

Sprint as defender, you'll beat their grenades. I used cammo and hid on a corner killing them as they went by.

 

[Mayyhem]

MLG Pros give their Halo Reach Beta thoughts

I've only skimmed it so far.

Interesting read. I wonder if there will end up being a veto for "MLG" gametype in the arena

 

[divisionbyzorro]

When it comes to 1-flag, since you switch sides, I don't really much care if a particular map favors defenders over attackers, or vice versa. I actually kind of like that some maps favor some over others (it puts some variety into the game), as long as the balance isn't so great that matches always end in a 2-2 or 0-0 tie for that map.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Already ruining the game... How the hell is it difficult to get the flag out of Swordbase? I can agree with Powerhouse most of the time but Swordbase was ridiculously easy. It's practically out in the open.

A good team on defense wouldn't let the offense touch the flag. When I was with a GAF crew, it was almost comical.

That said, I had a very easy time pulling the flag out against randoms, especially at spawn. I always used Sprint, so I'd bolt forward and jump down immediately upon spawn. Most of the time, I'd be pulling the flag out before the other team even got around the corner. (On defense, I'd sprint around the corner and grenade/needle the first guys to the flag.)

Sketch said in the OXM interview that the flag location and cap points both moved, as did the team spawns (natually). I'm delighted; my main issue was limiting the base to two ways in.

 

[bobs...onGaf]

A good team on defense wouldn't let the offense touch the flag. When I was with a GAF crew, it was almost comical.

That said, I had a very easy time pulling the flag out against randoms, especially at spawn. I always used Sprint, so I'd bolt forward and jump down immediately upon spawn. Most of the time, I'd be pulling the flag out before the other team even got around the corner. (On defense, I'd sprint around the corner and grenade/needle the first guys to the flag.)

Sketch said in the OXM interview that the flag location and cap points both moved, as did the team spawns (natually). I'm delighted; my main issue was limiting the base to two ways in.

I enjoy the more free form 'defences' which actually involve almost going down the: 'The best defence is a good offence" reute, so I didnt actually ever try and defend the room itself, but once the enemies where in the room they only really had 1 chokepoint out, the Sniper spawn which I usually nabbed had a nice viewpoint of this.

I still think that PowerHouse was so much worse though, I didnt actually think Swordbase needed retooling (well except the easy lift capture), but Power House really does, it only has 3 main entries to the flag, all of which are really narrow chokepoints.

 

[CitizenCope]

It gives him extra control.

Just read some of the reviews from the site.

I started out a complete loser until I bought my KontrolFreeks. Now I can't keep the women off of me. I don't know what it is but they walk in and see me playing, they know. This product also made my little area double in size. I'm sold.

:lol

 

[Diablohead]

Sounds good about the armour lock, no shield drop for touching them now and more energy used up in each trigger.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I enjoy the more free form 'defences' which actually involve almost going down the: 'The best defence is a good offence" reute, so I didnt actually ever try and defend the room itself, but once the enemies where in the room they only really had 1 chokepoint out, the Sniper spawn which I usually nabbed had a nice viewpoint of this.

I still think that PowerHouse was so much worse though, I didnt actually think Swordbase needed retooling (well except the easy lift capture), but Power House really does, it only has 3 main entries to the flag, all of which are really narrow chokepoints.

I saw similar issues with both maps, though for different reasons. The bottom line though was the set ups didn't encourage the defenders to defend anything other than the flag itself. There was no reason to leave the flag room. All good CTF games make it dangerous to just hang around the flag - you have to spread the field and protect the routes into and toward the base; as you said, an offensive defense. On both Sword Base and Powerhouse, the flag area was the ideal place to be, as the attackers were disadvantaged when they approached the flag. So glad they're both getting reworked; I love one-sided objective games.

 

[electricpirate]

A good team on defense wouldn't let the offense touch the flag. When I was with a GAF crew, it was almost comical.

That said, I had a very easy time pulling the flag out against randoms, especially at spawn. I always used Sprint, so I'd bolt forward and jump down immediately upon spawn. Most of the time, I'd be pulling the flag out before the other team even got around the corner. (On defense, I'd sprint around the corner and grenade/needle the first guys to the flag.)

Sketch said in the OXM interview that the flag location and cap points both moved, as did the team spawns (natually). I'm delighted; my main issue was limiting the base to two ways in.

I mostly played with randoms, so that might explain it. For me it was like, "Okay offense, jetpack to the plasma launcher, put one on the guy grabbing snipes noggin. Okay, now fly down, and get a double or triple kill on the defenders." But as said, maybe if the other team didn't suck, they'd get someone to snipe me before I could start racking up kills.

Defense was much harder, then I would generally go AL to get beat up on by the initial crazy grenade spam into the room, and hope my team was smart enough to flank them while I absorbed all the fire.

Maybe if I had played with a regular group it would have been different.

 

[Slightly Live]

I think I played more 1-Flag in the Reach Beta than all of my Halo 3 1-Flag games. I just don't care for the mode at all. I can't even begin to count all the amazing 2-Flag games I had on Halo 3 however. So whatever changes they are making are moot to me. Bring on the non one sided objectives.

 

[bobs...onGaf]

I saw similar issues with both maps, though for different reasons. The bottom line though was the set ups didn't encourage the defenders to defend anything other than the flag itself. There was no reason to leave the flag room. All good CTF games make it dangerous to just hang around the flag - you have to spread the field and protect the routes into and toward the base; as you said, an offensive defense. On both Sword Base and Powerhouse, the flag area was the ideal place to be, as the attackers were disadvantaged when they approached the flag. So glad they're both getting reworked; I love one-sided objective games.

If a defender managed to get the Sniper spawn he could stop any attackers with ease from the Snipe spawn itself, I honestly didnt think defending the flag room worked well with the crazy nades coming in from all angles. I found that it was easier to just defend the capture point itself oddly enough. :lol

Powerhouse had non of this though, grabbing the rockets at the start then Jetpacking back into the room and holing up in there made it extremely hard for the attackers to get in.

Just incidental evidence, which goes slightly against what others are saying, I just find that pretty interesting.

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

Double

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

It's a "while supplies last" sort of thing. Codes will be packed inside a limited number of boxes. You don't necessarily need to pre-order.

Legendary editions too?

Yeah, I realize it's a dumb question but with all the other goodies that come with it I'm just curious.

Amazon just added Release Day Delivery to Halo: Reach.

I changed the shipping speed to that since I have Prime and it knocked my order down to $104 from $108. WOOHOO!

Thanks for the heads up!


Edit: Can't figure out how to delete that last post. Sorry for the double.

 

[Safe Bet]

Aye, the pistol/DMR argument can be settled pretty easily: understand that they are not intended to be equivalent. At long range, the DMR rules. Step closer, and the gap between them closes. At very close range, the pistol is the better.

..and where on that graph is the AR?

PS

I'm amazed some of the pros considered the pistol weak in anyway.

What the fuck do they want?

The beta mag was a fucking beast and dangerous in any situation.