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[Shake Appeal]

I may be wrong, but my understanding is:

Is a rank you earn in the Arena a sort of "highest skill"...

No. It's your "rank", as you might think of it (although it's not relative to other players), but it's only for a month or so (a "season"), during which it can go up or down depending on your performance. At the end of the season, your performance is recorded (put on your "baseball card"), and the whole game begins again. Over time, you accumulate a lot of bragging rights (maybe going on a streak of Onyx for six months, or just breaking into Silver for the first time for a weaker player). Think of yourself as a virtual quarterback, and each month of Reach being a season in your career, during which your "stats" (based on a lot of data) go up or down.

Short, dumb, reductive version: it's like getting a new account every month, but you get to keep your old 50s (or your 30s, if you fucked up that "season"!).

Like, if I play Team Snipers in the Arena and get to Gold rank, then I play Team Slayer in Arena, do I start from scratch in Slayer?

As I understand it, no. You choose the playlists you want within the Arena and they can all contribute to your classification and rating, taking a given number of your (best?) performances as indicative of your overall play that season. It is a rating, not a rank: it's not relative to other players, but calculated on how you do, independent of the opponents (though obviously the better the opponents, the harder it will be to rate well, so a good rating in Gold is "better" than a slightly better rating in Silver) or your teammates (though obviously they will influence how you do, and so how you rate).

 

[Shake Appeal]

That also means the primary experience will likely be primarily Spartan vs. Spartan, will sometimes feature Elite vs. Elite, and seldom (or never) will it intertwine the two. The differences between the two species character models and unique health, shield, and speed attributes are significant enough to call into question whether or not the mixture could ever be considered fair.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

This has big implications.

 

[Thermite]

Does that mean team play isn’t important? Nope. It’s intrinsic. If you want to hole up all by your lonesome or go totally Rambo, you’re not utilizing your resources effectively. And your rating will certainly reflect your poor judgment if the other team capitalizes on your selfish play. It’s not just your kills-per-death ratio that informs where your game rating ends up; we’re able to weed through a wealth of relevant statistical information to make the right call.

Awesome. While I was glad Arena rating was based more on your individual performance, I was kinda worried in the back of my mind that Arena would become an every man for yourself type of deal. It's nice to see their system not only looks at how many kills you got per death, but just general teamwork, as well. Hopefully this new scoring system can see how long you stuck together with your team during the match and factor that into your rating score, on top of everything else.

I'm loving everything I've heard about Arena so far. Cannot wait to try my hand at it.

 

[Kapura]

Two podcats recorded? This is great news.

urk, I forgive you for playing games with my heart in february.

 

[feel]

In the Beta, players will be able to create Saved Films and upload them to their File Shares and create screenshots that can be posted to their gallery on Bungie.net. In Halo 3, players were limited to a total of around 100 custom content items (maps, game types, films, screens, etc.), but in Reach, you’ll be able to have THOUSANDS of custom content items. Better yet, you’ll be able to upload, tag, and search for content right from the in game menus, utilizing the massive database previously found only through Bungie.net to tag and query our vast community collection for kick ass content.

Sounds awesome, eh? It is.

Oh, and regional MM is great as well

yes yes yes yes yes yes YEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

finally I will be able to just save stuff left and right with no worries

Being able to browse the community files right there on the xbox is so great too.

 

[Not a Jellyfish]

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

This has big implications.

Yeah it really does and it has me excited!

 

[bleahy]

Man, I feel bad. My stories freaked the kids out and Bungie had to spend a lot of time calming everyone down.

 

[Shake Appeal]

So basically there might be two "default" settings for Halo multiplayer (Spartan or Elite, that is), with different health, speed, shield, hitboxes, etc., and the only time the two compete directly is in a specially designed (and presumably specially balanced) Spartans vs Elite gametype/playlist?

And I'm guessing as a side benefit this also means Bungie can force Spartan v Spartan or Elite v Elite (i.e. no hitbox disparity) for SWAT and MLG (if they exist), and other competitive gametypes/playlists, Arena included.

 

[zumphry]

I love everything I am hearing about the Arena, the ratings, the lack of visible ranking, the matchmaking, all of it. If it works as advertised, this game has legs.

Yep. This Q/A really made me really interested into Arena. Can't wait for the beta.

Thanks for going through Copy/Paste hell, Dani. I wonder how much of your sleep tonight will involve the C and P keys. :lol

Fake EDIT: Really digging what I'm hearing about Arena in the update.

Hear that? It’s the sound of a bunch of jerks that were going to use these preferences to troll matchmaking collectively slamming their bedroom doors in anger.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-

What’s a Mute Ban? Hopefully you’re not the type of player who’s gonna find out. If you are, we won’t be able to hear you anyway. La la la. Can’t hear you! La la la.

-Uc-

Spoiler

ZayneHumphrey has been Mute Banned

In Halo 3, players were limited to a total of around 100 custom content items (maps, game types, films, screens, etc.), but in Reach, you’ll be able to have THOUSANDS of custom content items. Better yet, you’ll be able to upload, tag, and search for content right from the in game menus, utilizing the massive database previously found only through Bungie.net to tag and query our vast community collection for kick ass content.

Sounds awesome, eh? It is.

Superb update. Hype for the beta and Reach at all time new high

Spoiler

which is huge since I thought the top was hit when I saw a jetpack :lol

 

[electricpirate]

Man, I feel bad. My stories freaked the kids out and Bungie had to spend a lot of time calming everyone down.

Haha, you did gud. I think if you had gotten all this info, you'd still be transcribing. :lol These are big concepts and no single article will explain them.

On the update:
Podcast sound amazing, I just can't wait to play this already.

Here’s a teaser: The DMR and the Magnum can take down a fully shielded Spartan with the exact same number of trigger pulls.

I cannot wait for that Bertone podcast. that sounds awesome.

 

[Shake Appeal]

Oh shit, mute ban? Can you do that? Did you check with Microsoft?

 

[big ander]

Man, I feel bad. My stories freaked the kids out and Bungie had to spend a lot of time calming everyone down.

Don't apologize. We like being freaked out. It's part of the experience.

 

[GhaleonEB]

yes yes yes yes yes yes YEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

finally I will be able to just save stuff left and right with no worries

Being able to browse the community files right there on the xbox is so great too.

I got to that part, read it over twice for just for the pleasure of it, and am now basking in happy thoughts.

Thousands is such a lovely word.

oh gosh

Oh shit, mute ban? Can you do that? Did you check with Microsoft?

Bungie appears to have a great deal of control over their banhammer, I imagine other studios do as well - it's just confined to their game.

Mute Ban. Makes me wonder what other kinds of bans there are. :lol

 

[Blueblur1]

Wow, I've been reading Dani's posts and the bits of BWU you guys have been posted and I couldn't be happier. I'm trying to not read anymore until I get home from work and can read it on my glorious PC monitor instead of my tiny iPhone screen!

 

[Eric WK]

Oh shit, mute ban? Can you do that? Did you check with Microsoft?

:lol

 

[enzo_gt]

Oh my god. So much information has come out today, I can't process it all. Mute bans? Fuck yeah.

I want sandbox details. Mmmm.

 

[urk]

Man, I feel bad. My stories freaked the kids out and Bungie had to spend a lot of time calming everyone down.

They're a skittish lot. No sudden movements.

 

[Shake Appeal]

Bungie appears to have a great deal of control over their banhammer, I imagine other studios do as well - it's just confined to their game.

Mute Ban. Makes me wonder what other kinds of bans there are. :lol

Well, I was being facetious, but it genuinely does seem like the sort of thing you'd have to at least run by Microsoft ("Hey, we're making it so we can whimsically stop people being able to use the voice chat they ostensibly pay for while playing our game, 'kay? Just a heads-up, because you are probably gonna get some irate 13 year-olds telling your customer support that this is 'Gay as hell.'")

 

[eggandI]

Hoooly shit this is sounding so amazing. I hadn't checked up on this since the MP trailer reveal and wow! The arena system, the AA, etc. Damn. This year is shaping up to be amazing. Never thought I'd be this excited for video games again

 

[JaggedSac]

I wonder if the improved File Share is referring only to Bungie.net or will there be an in game one?

If there was an in-game one where you could search over the entire population, I would poop my pants.

Thanks Bungie, for making me poop my pants

Also, pistol whores should like this news:

"The DMR and the Magnum can take down a fully shielded Spartan with the exact same number of trigger pulls."

 

[InvincibleAgent]

I see this:

"The concept of per-playlist EXP/Military Rank is going bye bye."

And yet... And yet...

Those ranks on the right are, uh, overall ranks? Unrelated to your division? They look military.

 

[Shake Appeal]

"per-playlist"

BWU is almost as interesting for things they talk around as things they outright say. Like:

Arena is NOT the only set of Playlists on offer in Halo: Reach. It’s not even Option A. And it’s not the only competitive offering, either.

 

[bobs...onGaf]

Man, I feel bad. My stories freaked the kids out and Bungie had to spend a lot of time calming everyone down.

Haha, your articles are excellent, they didnt confuse me at least. It does seem like you kickstarted the feed of info though and for that I love you

I have to say, with the Arena - I will probably play it until I get my Onyx but after that I dont see myself going back the next month. Im still REALLY skeptical, but all the info went a long way to pacify me.

 

[Slightly Live]

Information overload? No such thing. For once I'm swimming in the deep end of the Reach pool, as my arms are franticly flailing and grasping in every direction, the water is seeping into my mouth and reaching down into my lungs. I'm drowning, my head is light and dizzy and my eye sight is blighted by a luminous halo of light.

And I'm happy.

 

[Voltron64]

If you’re worried about regional networking, rest easy. Matchmaking will now take into account your locale and match you up accordingly.

Halo 3 doesn't take a player's location into account when matching players up?

Also I hope they improve host selection in Reach. All this talk about rank and arena playlist doesn't mean anything if the game picks little timmy's 384 kbit/s dsl connection while his brother is seeding Big_Busty_Plump_and_Round_VII.torrent.

 

[Tashi]

It’s not just your kills-per-death ratio that informs where your game rating ends up; we’re able to weed through a wealth of relevant statistical information to make the right call.

We plan on digging in and exposing all the under the hood mechanics that make it work properly soon. The formula that calculates your rating WILL be made publicly available so you can see exactly what actions increase or decrease your rating calculation.

If you’re worried about regional networking, rest easy. Matchmaking will now take into account your locale and match you up accordingly.

In Halo 3, players were limited to a total of around 100 custom content items (maps, game types, films, screens, etc.), but in Reach, you’ll be able to have THOUSANDS of custom content items.

<3

Also, I do hope the Beta will allow custom games in some form. I wanna the break the maps. It will also allow me to find new jumps and things like that.

 

[Domino Theory]

• No more party-splitting.
  
• Cap for custom content greatly increased.
  
• Vastly improved netcode.
  
• Saving custom content and searching for them by tags a la Bnet right from the game.
  
• The Arena.
  
• Matchmaking automatically searching for games in your region for improved performance.
  
• The DMR and Magnum can take out a player's shields in the same trigger pulls.

No amount of pants could replace what has happened down under.

FUCKING <3 BUNGIEEEE.

 

[Slightly Live]

Me and Bagel ran into a team of Japanese players to other day, I swear they must have been about half a minute ahead in the future with the lag we both experienced playing them. :lol

The regional criteria will be very nice for matchmaking but it's interesting that it's not in the search criteria for it to be specifically chosen sounding like it's always "on" when matchmaking.

Should make the overall experience better for everyone except the handful of people stuck in the hyper low density player zones as evidenced by the random blip of light in the middle of nowhere in the matchmaking global heatmap. :lol

 

[InvincibleAgent]

• The DMR and Magnum can take out a player's shields in the same trigger pulls.

I believe the quote was "can take down a fully-shielded player", referring to killing them, not just taking down their shields.

 

[Dirtsaw]

• The DMR and Magnum can take out a player's shields in the same trigger pulls.

Key word being "can". I'd assume your going to need a headshots with the pistol.

 

[Domino Theory]

I know how it works.

I'm guessing it'll most likely be 4 shots for the DMR (which means 4 shots for the Magnum) if you time your shots relative to your reticule bloom.

 

[AwesomeSyrup]

So if you spawn with the magnum and it's similar to the DMR what's the point of picking up a DMR?

edit: To any of the Bungie guys here, I don't know if you can answer this kinda stuff but is there going to be any kind of way to search for custom games? I've been dying for this ever since Halo 2.

 

[taylor910]

So if you spawn with the magnum and it's similar to the DMR what's the point of picking up a DMR?

range

 

[The Librarian]

BWU was great. Bunch of nice information. I'm very pleased to hear that we can have thousands of custom content, and all the improvements to matchmaking (taking in region into account, etc).

The more I hear about the Arena, the more I think I'll stay away from it almost completely. It seems it will be a lot more competitive than the ranked playlists in Halo 3 (other than, say, MLG) and is aiming for a totally different audience than the one I'm in. I'll probably try it out a few times in the beta and when the full game is released, but other than that, I'll be sticking to "social."

 

[bathala]

OMG this sudden rush of info
i'm all giddy for the beta

 

[feel]

Arena, the more I think I'll stay away from it almost completely. It seems it will be a lot more competitive than the ranked playlists in Halo 3 (other than, say, MLG) and is aiming for a totally different audience than the one I'm in. I'll probably try it out a few times in the beta and when the full game is released, but other than that, I'll be sticking to "social."

I'm thinking EXACTLY the same. I'm not that competitive, I just want to enjoy some good games. Can't wait to hear more about how regular "non-hardcore" matchmaking will work, with those ranks that according to urk don't use EXP anymore, and etc.

 

[Wizman23]

So basically there might be two "default" settings for Halo multiplayer (Spartan or Elite, that is), with different health, speed, shield, hitboxes, etc., and the only time the two compete directly is in a specially designed (and presumably specially balanced) Spartans vs Elite gametype/playlist?

And I'm guessing as a side benefit this also means Bungie can force Spartan v Spartan or Elite v Elite (i.e. no hitbox disparity) for SWAT and MLG (if they exist), and other competitive gametypes/playlists, Arena included.

My guess is the only time its Spartans vs. Elites is when playing the Invasion game mode. Also from what the update said I would assume the Elites are faster then the Spartans. To balance this the Spartans get better loadouts/ armor abilities while the only option for the Elites is the evade move.

 

[Ten-Song]

As someone that currently plays as an elite all the time in Halo 3 multiplayer, seeing the current news has me very sad that I won't have a choice in what race I want to play as by default in multiplayer.

 

[Oozer3993]

I'm not even sure I can properly verbalize how much I love all the info that's come out the past 2 days. A bunch of problems fixed and a ton of new and exciting features. And I'm pleasantly surprised that Bungie is being so open about the Arena rating algorithm. The math nerd in me is flashing a toothy grin at that news.

P.S. Invasion is in the Beta! If it's what I think it is, it will completely ruin any other game for me and make the wait from the end of the beta to release drive me utterly insane.

P.P.S. A quasi developer's commentary podcast for T&R? Oh hell yes!

 

[Blueblur1]

I've read the update. I've read the Shacknews articles. I've read Tyson's answers. I am considerably hyped for Reach. Considerably.

First, I was like this:

Then when I read more, I was like this:

And now, I'm like this:

 

[Louis Wu]

Looks like Ferrex has come back after dinner, or something, to answer a few more questions.

http://halo.bungie.org/misc/ferrex_arena_answers_20100319.html#update

(Dani - apologies. Had I read either our forum or this one when I came back from dinner, I'd have seen that you already compiled all those questions, and would have saved myself the trouble.)

 

[Domino Theory]

So if you spawn with the magnum and it's similar to the DMR what's the point of picking up a DMR?

Range and accuracy. The reticule bloom for the pistol is a lot larger than the DMR's.

 

[Ramirez]

Feels great to be hyped for a Bungie game again, they could have just mailed it in, but they're really raising the bar once again it seems. Can't believe the beta is only a little over a month away, heh.

 

[Slightly Live]

(Dani - apologies. Had I read either our forum or this one when I came back from dinner, I'd have seen that you already compiled all those questions, and would have saved myself the trouble.)

:lol No need for apologies. =)

If there's any Bungie folk lurking can you answer this;

When you swap you Halo 3 disc you lose any and all of the film from your recent games that you haven't transferred for safe keeping. Will this also be the case for Reach or will Reach remember your last few games even if you swap discs?

Many folks have been in the unlucky situation where they have lost precious saved films because they forgot to go to Theatre and save before they shut off their Xbox for the evening and by the time they return to Halo after playing other games they've lost their only chance to save some good memories.

With the Custom Content limit now hitting the atmosphere, this would be a nice compliment.

 

[Sai-kun]

:lol @ the WoW joke. I didn't know Bungie people played WoW. Hahaha awesome. Update was great too. I'm so unbelievably hyped for the Beta. only 45 days left! I'm so excited.

 

[feel]

:lol No need for apologies. =)

If there's any Bungie folk lurking can you answer this;

When you swap you Halo 3 disc you lose any and all of the film from your recent games that you haven't transferred for safe keeping. Will this also be the case for Reach or will Reach remember your last few games even if you swap discs?

Many folks have been in the unlucky situation where they have lost precious saved films because they forgot to go to Theatre and save before they shut off their Xbox for the evening and by the time they return to Halo after playing other games they've lost their only chance to save some good memories.

With the Custom Content limit now hitting the atmosphere, this would be a nice compliment.

Yes! This is important.

And I don't remember exactly how it worked, but I remember in the halo 3 beta there was a way to save the last match with just a press of a button without having to leave the matchmaking lobby. They need to bring that back too.

:lol @ the WoW joke. I didn't know Bungie people played WoW. Hahaha awesome. Update was great too. I'm so unbelievably hyped for the Beta. only 45 days left! I'm so excited.

You would just press "Start" in the post-game 'party up' screen. It was simple, satisfying and useful.

Oh yeah that's right. It was perfect. No idea why the feature was removed from the final game, maybe so that people wouldn't hit the 100 items limit so fast?? Either way, would like to have it back now that item limit is a non issue.

 

[Blueblur1]

Yes! This is important.

And I don't remember exactly how it worked, but I remember in the halo 3 beta there was a way to save the last match with just a press of a button without having to leave the matchmaking lobby. They need to bring that back too.

You would just press "Start" in the post-game 'party up' screen. It was simple, satisfying and useful.

 

[Kibbles]

"The DMR and the Magnum can take down a fully shielded Spartan with the exact same number of trigger pulls."

DMR nerfed. ;p

Update was awesome. All the new info is awesome too. Shame we don't have any pics/footage of gameplay.

Looking forward to the podcasts

 

[Tashi]

We'll see about all this weapon strength when the game hits the masses in the public beta.

I can't tell you how much I'm DYING to see the way the individual rating is calculated.

 

[Striker]

The removal of EXP/Military Rank is the straight way to go. I hated those. But like a post prior, what's the icons in the beta grabs? There's still a small, white icon referencing something.

Really loved Halo 2's numbers and colors; something similar to that would be great for playlists like Team Slayer, Team Skirmish, Team Snipers, Big Team Battle, etc. - I'm curious, as Urk was talking about Team Objective and going in 4v4, will there be guests permitted? I'm hoping, and wondering, if this is something that will be "casual", but at the same time, not something without a Rank or where a player can bring in his guests for people to down pour on. Social Skirmish was awful in Halo 3 not only because of the terrible playlists that never got updated, but how people never took it seriously because it wasn't ranked and had no real implications to it (Social Slayer was same way).

Guess next week or so we'll hear more about it.