• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Halo: Reach |OT3| This Thread is Not a Natural Formation

MrBig

Member
Tashi0106 said:
There's no hurry Letters. I won't be streaming until next week. I'm gonna be partying it up most of the weekend to celebrate my birthday anyway :lol I probably won't remember asking you about this lolol.

Let the idea come to you, don't force it. I know you can do some awesome stuff. There's no pressure letters, I still love you <3 :lol

edit: Lol shogun, you really know how to take things too far :lol
Yeah, I was just going to be doing something like what Letters made originally and then I just started doodling and randomly came up with what I did. Don't think too hard.

Also, work on those fonts.
 

J-Roderton

Member
Very last second of Long Night of Solace in MM Campaign and some, I wanna say 14 year old, boots me for a bad grenade toss. Such bullshit.
 
Jroderton said:
Very last second of Long Night of Solace in MM Campaign and some, I wanna say 14 year old, boots me for a bad grenade toss. Such bullshit.

FF is on for campaign matchmaking i think. Judging by the way your post sounds, he thought you were some 14 year old who thought it would by funny to team kill in the last seconds of the game.
 

Plywood

NeoGAF's smiling token!
Happy birthday Tashi and anyone else.

Why does this game still have bloom?

Why is Elite Slayer still in multiteam?
 

Blueblur1

Member
FFA Arena is a glorious thing. Had a blast and got a 1369 rating for me today. :)

Performed even better in Team Arena though: 1573. I should really play more Arena matches more often. Ton of fun was had tonight. :)
 

J-Roderton

Member
Blueblur1 said:
FFA Arena is a glorious thing. Had a blast and got a 1369 rating for me today. :)

Performed even better in Team Arena though: 1573. I should really play more Arena matches more often. Ton of fun was had tonight. :)

I was really struggling with Team Arena today. Pretty odd. Only ranking maybe at 1200 average. Terrible.

Anyway, how is FFA Arena? Have a good Lone Wolves feel to it?
 

Ramirez

Member
spartan.png


Yeeeeea
 
FFA Arena sucks. Too much fucking AR, assists count towards your rating yet are rewarded so retardedly I think a kid with less kills had a higher score than me? Congrats you can't get headshots and finish your kills...kinda sucks.

Last game sealed it, I had 23 headshots in 3rd, 2nd place had FIVE, 1st place had NINE. REALLY!?
 

GhaleonEB

Member
I've had a hard time evaluating Reach's multiplayer, in part because there are so many polarizing elements to it for me. The DMR gun play is godly, while armor lock is the single worst thing to happen to Halo's combat. But over the past few days I think I've settled on a general take on the multiplayer.

Basically, I think it's a good time when there's a ton of crazy stuff in the mix and lots of players, as in Multi Team. The big mix of weapons and Armor Abilities combined with lots of players makes for a fast, crazy game where there are a lot of moving parts but none of them dominating the other. Even in bad games, I consistently have a good time in it.

On the other end of the spectrum are pared-down game types like Slayer Pro or Slayer DMRs, or Arena. And those games are pretty fantastic as well. As I said the DMR gunplay is great, and the AA sandbox is stripped back to focus on mobility, and that slimmed down sandbox clicks perfectly.

But in the middle, between those two poles, is what I don't like. 4 v 4 Slayer with Armor Lock and jetpacks and grenade spam galore is very unpleasant. Unlike the ends of the spectrum, every other death can feel cheap or arbitrary or unfair (all at once!). I won't belabor it, but Armor Lock is truly a gameplay disaster, and it's only in the chaos of Multi Team that it gets overwhelmed to the point where I can avoid it for the most part.

What's odd is that with Halo 3 I was of the opposite sentiment. I strongly disliked crowded game types and chaos such as Heavies, and detested BR-only starts and MLG-like settings. I quit many a customs night because of BR-only radarless games. The middle, default-type settings are where I liked to stay, as I felt the sandbox was balanced perfectly. But with Reach, I find myself avoiding the vanilla offerings an steering toward the all-or-nothing playlists.

One thing I'd like to emphasize is that I wish Bungie would craft the load outs more carefully for each map. Rather than define load outs by game type (Slayer, Slayer DMRs, etc.) they should be defined by game type and map. Jetpack, for instance, does not need to be on every map. Some maps simply play better without it (Reflection, I'm looking at you.)

And on that note, not every game type is suited to the default map layouts. For example, the sniper rifle should not be on Asylum Multi Team Crazy King. Every time that comes up, there's a dude ignoring the gametype and just camping the hills with it for kills.

In general I wish the overall sandbox were crafted more carefully for each game type and map combination. Because with so many variables at play in Reach, there are many more combinations that simply don't work than there were in Halo 3. And the way its set up right now, the default map is used with a fixed set of load outs across most game types - and that just does not work. Reach's multiplayer can be incredible, but I've already seen more truly terrible map/game type combinations so far in Reach that I did in Halo 3's entire run. Much of it has improved with each playlist update, but it's got a long ways to go, IMO.

But I am glad to have found a few niches in the MP game I do enjoy. I fled Firefight's Rocketfight-dominated playlist back to MP, and it took me a while to find a few offerings I enjoyed. But at least there are some - for the first three months the game was out, I didn't think there would be.
 
GhaleonEB said:
In general I wish the overall sandbox were crafted more carefully for each game type and map combination. Because with so many variables at play in Reach, there are many more combinations that simply don't work than there were in Halo 3. And the way its set up right now, the default map is used with a fixed set of load outs across most game types - and that just does not work. Reach's multiplayer can be incredible, but I've already seen more truly terrible map/game type combinations so far in Reach that I did in Halo 3's entire run. Much of it has improved with each playlist update, but it's got a long ways to go, IMO.

Its great you're finding MM enjoyable. I find SWAT, MLG mostly enjoyable, Any Slayer/objective playlist enjoyable with friends and BTB and Invasion enjoyable only when I really know the entire party I'm with and in limited doses.

The above sentiment Ghaleon said cannot be stressed enough, I feel competitive environments in FPS's, especially Reach, have become so complex that each map needs specific gametypes and each gametype specific maps in each specific playlist. Its complicated and time constraining but I think its an absolute necessity that has evolved from H3 and Reach, H2 probably could have benefited from it but I didn't analyze H2 as hard back then in respects to MM decisions.

For example in H3: Power weapons spawning at the beginning of Guardian FFA in Lone Wolves, that one lucky bastard got overshield off the start, really hows that fair? The power weapons and powerups shouldn't spawn in FFA's until after the first couple minutes. That way blind luck has nothing to do with it at higher levels, people are timing those weapons at any highish level of play.

Other huge issues:

-Map size to flag return size
-Huge maps in small playlists and vice versa
-Wrong weapon loadouts for maps. Pistol and AR on Hemorrhage? I've seen that happen. in a 4v4 objective game...Inexcusable

I don't feel like going on but just taking a gander at the Playlists page for Reach I see several errors...
 
So I saw the Community hopper got put up, does that mean they've announced the winners for the Forgetacular? Or is that happening tomorrow?

And is there a good updated list of the maps in the Community playlist? It would be nice to be able to see which maps are in it at what time.
 
What is this?? FFA Arena and Community Maps? Awesome :D

Also, managed to save myself the weekly by getting all four firefight challenges in 40 minutes.
 
GhaleonEB said:

QFT.

I love Reach, it saddens me that I don't get as much time to enjoy it as I did with Halo 2 & 3, but what little time I do get to play becomes a mixture of either pure enjoyment or pad smashing frustration.

Started playing Battlefield BC2....it's just so much more...rewarding? Maybe I'm just burnt out on Halo nowadays.
 

Zennshi

Neo Member
Daily Challenges:

Gunslinger - 1000cR
Kill 100 enemies in multiplayer Matchmaking.

I Need Some Ammo - 2000cR
Complete a Campaign mission on Heroic or harder with the Famine Skull on.

Orbital Assists - 1750cR
Kill 20 enemies using the Target Designator in Firefight Matchmaking.

Double Double - 1350cR
Earn 2 Double Kills in the same match in Multiplayer Matchmaking.
 
xxjuicesxx said:
FFA Arena sucks. Too much fucking AR, assists count towards your rating yet are rewarded so retardedly I think a kid with less kills had a higher score than me? Congrats you can't get headshots and finish your kills...kinda sucks.

Last game sealed it, I had 23 headshots in 3rd, 2nd place had FIVE, 1st place had NINE. REALLY!?

Yeah I agree with the fact that theres too much AR. I disagree with the assists thing though, this way if your unlucky and get your kill stolen your not exactly screwed out of a podium finish.

If anything I think the assists system needs to be tweaked to be more generous.
 
I think Juices (While lurking the H3 thread, I never thought I'd agree with Juices) and Ghaleon hit the nail on the head here, Reach has so many options, from Load outs to game type options, to movement changes, to AAs to Forge changes of the maps, that it really widens the gap between different game types. Unfortunately, a lot of the gametypes in the middle get the shaft, and there's still some really mystifying in there, like the drop shield.

Interestingly, I think Invasion kind of escapes this with it's generally well designed loadouts and progression. Too bad it tends to fall apart in Invasion slayer, since they put you on huge maps with no long range weapon for 25 kills.

Also, Going back to standard movement speed is so goddamn hard after playing MLG. Those movement settings should be default everywhere.
 

LosDaddie

Banned
Yeah, I think I'm done with Community Slayer. While I did better than on Wed. night, I still got wrecked pretty bad last night.

Too many levels? Not choosing the best AA to use? I don't know what it is, but I go negative K/D ratio in Community Slayer nearly every match.
 
ShinAmano said:
So a friend and I were talking...does anyone have the Haunted Helmet outside of Bungie employees?
Your rank has to be Inheritor and you need to have all the helmets in the armory. So no one can't have it, right now.
 
Holy crap, if you guys missed Louis Wu's post about the Reach Service Record app, I highly encourage you guys to check it out. The app is insanely awesome, it gives you things like a rank progress percentage, total credits earned (I'm at 1.49 million Cr), and a buttload of stats. The rank progress is pretty cool; it not only gives you an estimated time of reaching the next rank, it also predicts the time it will take to reach the next five ranks (39 days to General for me). It lists the Challenges and your progress on them; it even shows you your frakking screenshots! Oh, and it's a free app, so you guys with an iphone need to get this. :D
 

Louis Wu

Member
Alienshogun said:
Kwatz is the closest of us of finding out if it's JUST the base helmets that unlock it.
I'm pretty sure it's not. All the base helmets together cost 1.6 Million cR or so. (I could buy them all right now; I've got 1.9 in the bank.) There are some you can't buy (two at Waypoint, one from Gamestop) - but I have all three of those. Halopedia suggests (and I think they're right) that you need to be Inheritor, as well.

squidhands said:
The app is insanely awesome, it gives you things like a rank progress percentage, total credits earned (I'm at 1.94 million Cr)
Seems like the math is wrong. :) You're currently 95k into Brig - that means you've earned 1.49 million, according to this chart. (Hmm... maybe the math is right and you just typo'd?)
 

Gui_PT

Member
Alienshogun said:
Kwatz is the closest of us of finding out if it's JUST the base helmets that unlock it.



What does "Highest HC Skill" mean?


Highest Halo Charts Skill. Highest skill you have on that site
 

Brolic Gaoler

formerly Alienshogun
Louis Wu said:
I'm pretty sure it's not. All the base helmets together cost 1.6 Million cR or so. (I could buy them all right now; I've got 1.9 in the bank.) There are some you can't buy (two at Waypoint, one from Gamestop) - but I have all three of those. Halopedia suggests (and I think they're right) that you need to be Inheritor, as well.


Yeah, I know the original prereq we all thought it was, but Kwatz was adamant about buying all the helmets to find out, so we will see for sure if he's just wasting his money or not. :lol
Gui_PT said:
Highest Halo Charts Skill. Highest skill you have on that site

Ah, thanks, yeah just saw that.

I'm a lowly 30. Doh!
 

ElRenoRaven

Member
GhaleonEB said:
snip for length

Very well written and one I mostly agree with minus the 4 vs 4 part. I find it doesn't bother me there either. Overall I love Reach but like past Halo games it's not perfect. I do think that overall almost everyone can agree that armor abilities do suck and should never have been added. However with them added I've learned to adapt and can enjoy it with them. I without a doubt wish for some classic playlists with no armor abilities though. I won't lie about that.

Grimm Fandango said:
Someone's probably sharing that account. He's played over 1100 hours.

Yea. There is no way possible any human being could play that much Halo. Maybe it's just me but I don't get the rush. I play and when I get there I get there. I may never get there but oh well. lol
 
Someone please tell me that you can do that target locator challenge in score attack. If I have to compete with 3 other people running for the same ordinance box, this is the worst challenge ever (well, one of them).
 

Gui_PT

Member
Squall ASF said:
Someone please tell me that you can do that target locator challenge in score attack. If I have to compete with 3 other people running for the same ordinance box, this is the worst challenge ever (well, one of them).


Can't be done in Score attack, sorry

Edit: Here's what you can do. IF you're not the 1st guy to get to the target locator, follow the guy who does. Once he trades that weapon for another one, you pick it up(even if it has 0 ammo). When the next set starts, you'll have full ammo
 
Gui_PT said:
Can't be done in Score attack, sorry

Edit: Here's what you can do. IF you're not the 1st guy to get to the target locator, follow the guy who does. Once he trades that weapon for another one, you pick it up(even if it has 0 ammo). When the next set starts, you'll have full ammo

WAT? The ammo is replenished automatically when a new round starts? Never knew that! I assume you meant round because the entire match is only one set.
 

GhaleonEB

Member
Squall ASF said:
WAT? The ammo is replenished automatically when a new round starts? Never knew that! I assume you meant round because the entire match is only one set.
Yeah, round. The Target Locator fills up when "weapon drop" is announced.
 
GhaleonEB said:
Yeah, round. The Target Locator fills up when "weapon drop" is announced.

Huh, themoreyouknow.gif

So, if I remember correctly from the achievement, courtyard was the easiest to get a killionaire on right? So the two blasts should be enough on that map anyway.
 
PsychoRaven said:
I do think that overall almost everyone can agree that armor abilities do suck and should never have been added.

Disagree. I think armor abilities are a great addition that were not polished/implemented as well as they could have been. I'm not wild about the fact that they made one that is essentially a swiss army knife (AL) but I am glad that they exist in Reach.

Ghaleon's post is a great analysis of what is going on with Reach. This game is going to keep improving as long as Bungie keeps using all those dials (AA's, gametypes, forge, etc) to keep things fresh while dialing down what doesn't work (Drop shield in objective gametypes, no killzones on rooftops, etc.).

Not to mention we're due to start hearing about a new map pack in the upcoming weeks.
 

Louis Wu

Member
Gui_PT said:
Can't be done in Score attack, sorry

Edit: Here's what you can do. IF you're not the 1st guy to get to the target locator, follow the guy who does. Once he trades that weapon for another one, you pick it up(even if it has 0 ammo). When the next set starts, you'll have full ammo
While it's true that the weapon 'fills up' at the start of each round, your technique only works if he drops it with a shot left. If you drop an empty weapon, it vanishes.
 
Top Bottom