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[Neuromancer]

Just completed the dailies still haven't gotten my updated Spartan...is there a trick to it or do I just have to wait for the server to get around to my account?

No trick to it, some people have never had it update. You may just be hosed until an unspecified date and time, when all of a sudden it'll work.

 

[Safe Bet]

Sniper Attack, good sir. Infinite Ammo..

The game needs more unlimited ammo FF modes.

ie

FF and FF Pro

FF = Unlimited Ammo

FF Pro = Refills From Ammo Crates Only

 

[NullPointer]

See that's probably my biggest issue with the campaign story wise. Having only played the main entries in the franchise, I knew next to nothing about Reach. Couldn't they have spent a little more time explaining to the player what this planet was and what made it so important?
I also never felt any form of desperation or tragedy, even at the very end, probably because the characters were so "stiff".
I think Bungie still has a lot to learn as far as storytelling goes. Because while Reach was nowhere near the mess 3 was, it never managed to make me care about what was going on.

I couldnt agree more. Their games need to start with a nice opening cut-scene that sets the stage. Hopping across hills in a warthog and entering a room with Noble Team wasn't nearly the setup this game deserved.

Also, spartans are, well... spartan in their demeanor. To give us emotional impact and background there have to be more human characters that we can relate to, so we can see their reaction and get a real sense of any impact to any of the events in game.

I hope Bungie and 343 dedicate some quality time to this aspect of things in their next games.

 

[squidhands]

That is just awesome. You know which level?

I don't think it's specific to a certain level, but I'm not sure of that. Someone capped a pic of him on the last mission.

 

[Squall ASF]

Just completed the dailies still haven't gotten my updated Spartan...is there a trick to it or do I just have to wait for the server to get around to my account?

Also anyone wanna grind FF to hell and back in like a few hours? I'm planning on getting at least half or more of the weekly challenge done tonight (EST), right now sleep though.

How late are you staying up till? I want to do the same but won't be on until later night due to a night class.

 

[Neuromancer]

Also, spartans are, well... spartan in their demeanor. To give us emotional impact and background there have to be more human characters that we can relate to, so we can see their reaction and get a real sense of any impact to any of the events in game.

I hope Bungie and 343 dedicate some quality time to this aspect of things in their next games.

...without overdoing it.

Nothing is worse in video games than an overwrought, melodramatic story which Reach very easily could have turned into.

 

[The Lamonster]

...without overdoing it.

Nothing is worse in video games than an overwrought, melodramatic story which Reach very easily could have turned into.

Although there was a lot of sappy stuff in the soundtrack.

 

[GillianSeed79]

I couldnt agree more. Their games need to start with a nice opening cut-scene that sets the stage. Hopping across hills in a warthog and entering a room with Noble Team wasn't nearly the setup this game deserved.

Also, spartans are, well... spartan in their demeanor. To give us emotional impact and background there have to be more human characters that we can relate to, so we can see their reaction and get a real sense of any impact to any of the events in game.

I hope Bungie and 343 dedicate some quality time to this aspect of things in their next games.

For me I honestly learned more about the story of Halo and it's background watching the first 20 minutes of Halo Legends than the entirety of the Halo games. Granted, I played through Halo 1-3 back to back for the first time three years ago, so they may have explained the story and I simply forgot. But yeah, there needs to be some sort of prologue. I think there's one in Halo Waypoint about Reach, but it wasn't that informative.

 

[Sai-kun]

Jun was the most frustrating AI for me. I counted at least six times where I'd have an Elite in my sniper sights, and that stupid bastard would jump right in front of my shot and bitch about me shooting him.


By the way, any HaloGAF that remembers BezerkerBarage (RIP buddy) can find him in game as one of the Marines. Look for a soldier with the name L. Starline (Logan Starline has got to be one of the best real names ever), with the tag B.B. His widow had to sign a bunch of stuff with Bungie, but he's been immortalized forever in Reach. Awesome stuff.

Wow. That is so fucking rad. So so so rad.

 

[Gui_PT]

I don't think it's specific to a certain level, but I'm not sure of that. Someone capped a pic of him on the last mission.

Well, if his name isn't randomly designated to a marine or odst, that would be

Spoiler

the package

, right at the start of the level.

Will check it soon. Thanks

 

[Falagard]

By the way, any HaloGAF that remembers BezerkerBarage (RIP buddy) can find him in game as one of the Marines. Look for a soldier with the name L. Starline (Logan Starline has got to be one of the best real names ever), with the tag B.B. His widow had to sign a bunch of stuff with Bungie, but he's been immortalized forever in Reach. Awesome stuff.

Holy shit that's incredible. I was pretty heartbroken when I heard he died so unexpectedly, even if I didn't know him, I of course had read plenty of his posts on GAF.

 

[GhaleonEB]

You know, for however much I'm confused by Reach's story, I gotta say, the dialogue is much improved over Halo 3 and ODST.

Probably my favorite exchange (spoiler just in case):

Spoiler

Carter: You want to know if we're losing?
Kat: I know we're losing; I want to know if we have lost.

In every level, especially past LNoS, I think of that quote.

Some other memorable exchanges:

Spoiler

Carter: Listen up, Noble Team. We're looking at a downed relay outpost, fifty klicks from Visegrad. We're going to introduce ourselves to whoever took it out, then Kat's going to get it back online.
Kat: Just get me under the hood, Commander.
Jorge: Sir, why would rebels want to cut off Reach from the rest of the colonies?
Carter: You get a chance, maybe you can ask them, Jorge.
Kat: Commander, we just lost our signal to HQ.
Carter: Backup channels?
Kat: Searching...nada. Can't say what's jamming us.
Carter: You heard her. Dead zone confirmed. Command will not be keeping us company this trip.
Emile: I'm lonely already.

Kat: That thing's crushing us, and we're waiting for backup? They'll be backing up a graveyard.
Carter: All our nukes are either out-system or went down with the ships that carried them. You're preaching to the converted.
Kat: How converted?
Carter: I know that look, Kat.
Kat: You can say no.
Carter: No.
Kat: You don't even want to hear it?
Carter: ...Fine. I'll hear it.
Kat: Remember that accident a couple years back? Colony ship en route to Cygnus . Seven hundred dead?
Carter: Vaguely. A slip-space drive malfunction, right?
Kat: Actually, it worked fine. The drive was mounted improperly after a service haul-out. When it fired it teleported half the ship to oblivion.
Carter: And this is relevant...how?
Kat: A certain Covenant Supercarrier could, with some assistance, suffer the same unfortunate accident...
Carter: Even for you, Kat, that's–
Kat: Inspired?
Carter: Not the word I would use.

Agree. As you said, not just short exchanges or one-off lines, but entire scenes are very well scripted. Many moments

Spoiler

Kat's death scene

were badly done, but for the most part, it was excellent character dialog.

By the way, any HaloGAF that remembers BezerkerBarage (RIP buddy) can find him in game as one of the Marines. Look for a soldier with the name L. Starline (Logan Starline has got to be one of the best real names ever), with the tag B.B. His widow had to sign a bunch of stuff with Bungie, but he's been immortalized forever in Reach. Awesome stuff.

Classy stuff, Bungie. Good for them. B.B.

 

[7echnicolor]

Security unlocks at the final rank.

No way!

 

[cuevas. PhD.]

HaloGAF, got a question for you. What makes a game of CTF so good?

If you have any examples of CTF maps or designs you think are perfect, let me know. I am working on a new map and its a CTF map and I want to get your thoughts on CTF.

Sidewinder from halo. Awesome ctf map.

 

[The Lamonster]

Sidewinder from halo. Awesome ctf map.

My first real CTF experience was 1-flag on Damnation in Halo 1. Escaping with the flag and landing the incredibly risky jumps on that map was SO awesomely satisfying and pretty much had me hooked on Halo multiplayer for good.

My advice would be to make a bunch of risky shortcuts from one base to the other.

 

[Merguson]

Hey, be happy you HAVE an online dude.

My online dude has NEVER updated - in fact, simply doesn't exist. The image won't load - period. (Sounds like Diablohead is in the same boat.)

Same here.

 

[Miggytronz]

same here

 

[GhaleonEB]

Same, blank b.net dude.

 

[Striker]

The two maps I always groan at are Pinnacle and Cage, for different reasons. Pinnacle/Ascension has aways favored the blue spawn, and no matter which spawn you are given it always degrades to a sniper battle with some cross-map crouch shooting with the occasional messy panic rush to rockets/sniper/shotgun at 3 minute intervals.

Cage has no flow-- there are too many dead ends and areas with only one or two escape options and very little cover, and what little cover there is usually locks you down into a grenade trap. Combined with the poor spawning on the map, it can be very frustrating.

Pinnacle has the same setup as Ascension did in Halo 2. While I'm fairly certain lots of folks who didn't like this map on Reach didn't play much of Halo 2 online MP, this is quite often their reasoning for complaints. The Sniper Rifle was a default weapon on majority of Halo 2 maps, even the smaller ones. Turf, Beaver Creek, Lockout, Ivory Tower - all small and had the Sniper on default weapon settings. While I'm not sure if you played Halo 2 online or not, this was the same way before. Control the Snipers, and more than likely you'll win the game. Team Slayer BR and Team Rifles on Ascension were excellent settings and were gametypes I enjoyed most on there. Rifles was moreso better because it was all about the BR, Carbine, and Sniper. No Shotgun or Rockets.

Agree about The Cage though, it's putrid.

 

[Thagomizer]

Sidewinder from halo. Awesome ctf map.

I never understood the love for this map. Every game plays out exactly the same. There are only two paths for infantry, both are more or less straight lines, and the vehicle section is wide open with almost no cover.

Avalance was far, far superior.

 

[bobs...onGaf]

spire=worst map Bungie has ever made

I love the Spire, its like the map the most crazy stuff happens on. It sucks for Snipers/ Dmring - but the stuff ive seen with a jetpack and Falcons/ Banshees/ Warthogs is hilarious.

When Spire comes up a child awakens inside me. :lol

EDIT: Also its really good what Bungie did for ~B.B. I wasnt really around when he posted, but its always sad when someone so young passes away. From the sounds of it he was a good guy.

 

[The Lamonster]

Pinnacle has the same setup as Ascension did in Halo 2. While I'm fairly certain lots of folks who didn't like this map on Reach didn't play much of Halo 2 online MP, this is quite often their reasoning for complaints. The Sniper Rifle was a default weapon on majority of Halo 2 maps, even the smaller ones. Turf, Beaver Creek, Lockout, Ivory Tower - all small and had the Sniper on default weapon settings. While I'm not sure if you played Halo 2 online or not, this was the same way before. Control the Snipers, and more than likely you'll win the game. Team Slayer BR and Team Rifles on Ascension were excellent settings and were gametypes I enjoyed most on there. Rifles was moreso better because it was all about the BR, Carbine, and Sniper. No Shotgun or Rockets.

Agree about The Cage though, it's putrid.

They should have just made Lockout instead of the Lockout-inspired Cage.

 

[The Librarian]

By the way, any HaloGAF that remembers BezerkerBarage (RIP buddy) can find him in game as one of the Marines. Look for a soldier with the name L. Starline (Logan Starline has got to be one of the best real names ever), with the tag B.B. His widow had to sign a bunch of stuff with Bungie, but he's been immortalized forever in Reach. Awesome stuff.

Oh wow. Very awesome of Bungie.

 

[Definity]

Can you only do BXRR on host or in every game? The comments say it's only if you got host?

http://www.bungie.net/Stats/Reach/FileDetails.aspx?fid=4875531

 

[Neuromancer]

Same, blank b.net dude.

I don't want to rub it in, but...

 

[cuevas. PhD.]

I never understood the love for this map. Every game plays out exactly the same. There are only two paths for infantry, both are more or less straight lines, and the vehicle section is wide open with almost no cover.

Avalance was far, far superior.

I don't get your point, isn't there only a couple ways to go on pretty much every map to cap a flag? In sidewinder you either go through the shortcut, take the port, or drive away.

 

[The Librarian]

Pinnacle has the same setup as Ascension did in Halo 2. While I'm fairly certain lots of folks who didn't like this map on Reach didn't play much of Halo 2 online MP, this is quite often their reasoning for complaints. The Sniper Rifle was a default weapon on majority of Halo 2 maps, even the smaller ones. Turf, Beaver Creek, Lockout, Ivory Tower - all small and had the Sniper on default weapon settings. While I'm not sure if you played Halo 2 online or not, this was the same way before. Control the Snipers, and more than likely you'll win the game. Team Slayer BR and Team Rifles on Ascension were excellent settings and were gametypes I enjoyed most on there. Rifles was moreso better because it was all about the BR, Carbine, and Sniper. No Shotgun or Rockets.

You seem to be rehashing this same point whenever someone logs a criticism of a remake; as if it negates it somehow. To tell you the truth, it doesn't. A bad map is a bad map regardless of where it comes from or what it originally was. As they stand, Pinnacle and Hemorrhage are bad maps and, I think, woefully unfit for Reach's gameplay designs. I even have a bigger problem with Pinnacle when it's DMR starts: no matter where you spawn, you start getting pecked by bullets.

 

[ChrisD84]

I think i may have just gotten the lowest score ever in the arena (at least, for anyone who finished and wasn't afk the whole match)

Link

Spoiler

776

I was stuck 4v1 on pinnacle after the first few minutes of the game ( not counting the 1 other guy as he was afk the whole match -_- ), and as you can imagine, i got completely owned :lol

I'm not sure why i stayed in the game to be honest

 

[cuevas. PhD.]

You seem to be rehashing this same point whenever someone logs a criticism of a remake; as if it negates it somehow. To tell you the truth, it doesn't. A bad map is a bad map regardless of where it comes from or what it originally was. As they stand, Pinnacle and Hemorrhage are bad maps and, I think, woefully unfit for Reach's gameplay designs. I even have a bigger problem with Pinnacle when it's DMR starts: no matter where you spawn, you start getting pecked by bullets.

They are bad maps in reach, you can't add all these armor abilities and expect them to still work.

 

[The Lamonster]

They are bad maps in reach, you can't add all these armor abilities and expect them to still work.

ehhhh whatever, I expect Blood Gulch in every Halo game I spend my dollars on.

 

[Doodis]

I think i may have just gotten the lowest score ever in the arena (at least, for anyone who finished and wasn't afk the whole match)

Link

Spoiler

776

I was stuck 4v1 on pinnacle after the first few minutes of the game ( not counting the 1 other guy as he was afk the whole match -_- ), and as you can imagine, i got completely owned :lol

I'm not sure why i stayed in the game to be honest

Woah, woah, woah. So the two guys who quit/lagged out got better scores than you? That's complete and utter horseshit.

 

[NullPointer]

Pinnacle goes from "oh no not this shit again" to "tolerably decent" when you've got a jetpack. But that's about the nicest thing I can say about it.

 

[The Lamonster]

Pinnacle goes from "oh no not this shit again" to "tolerably decent" when you've got a jetpack. But that's about the nicest thing I can say about it.

They need to put Tower of Power into matchmaking. That's when that map shines.

 

[Wizman23]

My Spartan is the same as it was when I set him up on launch day on bnet. I have made many changes to him (armory upgrades and colors) since then but no changes show. Not really a big deal since it looks right in the game I guess.

 

[electricpirate]

You seem to be rehashing this same point whenever someone logs a criticism of a remake; as if it negates it somehow. To tell you the truth, it doesn't. A bad map is a bad map regardless of where it comes from or what it originally was. As they stand, Pinnacle and Hemorrhage are bad maps and, I think, woefully unfit for Reach's gameplay designs. I even have a bigger problem with Pinnacle when it's DMR starts: no matter where you spawn, you start getting pecked by bullets.

Striker's hard on for Halo 2 multiplayer knows no bounds!

IMO, it plays better on reach since the midrange weapon is far more reliable at long range, the sniper isn't so... silly, and jetpacks/sprint make traversing it a lot more enjoyable.

Hemorage though... just.. bleh. I played 1 flag pro on hemorage last night in team objective, that was the. worst. gametype. I have ever played. Holy shit, just mongooses, drive over, get sniped, kill their sniper, 3 DMR's ping you. Just so goddamn boring.

 

[The Librarian]

They are bad maps in reach, you can't add all these armor abilities and expect them to still work.

Without changing anything? No, no you can't. The maps were made to match the design of their respective games, not Reach's, and the remakes suffer as a result.

Thinking back, I never thought of Ascension as cramped, but that's I how I feel about Pinnacle in Reach. It's a very, very cramped map.

 

[Tashi]

They need to put Tower of Power into matchmaking. That's when that map shines.

Yup

Playing Pinnacle in Reach makes me think that maybe Ascension wasn't that great of a map after all :lol

 

[ChrisD84]

Woah, woah, woah. So the two guys who quit/lagged out got better scores than you? That's complete and utter horseshit.

Ha, that hadn't even occurred to me :lol

That does seem a bit silly when you think about it

 

[J-Roderton]

Any customs going on tonight that I could jump in on?

 

[NullPointer]

Speaking of Halo 2, I was just listening to the Reach OST and From the Vault is like a nice Reachy remix of a bunch of classic Halo themes. Good stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gkdq2NBiqcg

 

[vhfive]

Without changing anything? No, no you can't. The maps were made to match the design of their respective games, not Reach's, and the remakes suffer as a result.

Thinking back, I never thought of Ascension as cramped, but that's I how I feel about Pinnacle in Reach. It's a very, very cramped map.

Pinnacle is decent at best and Hemorrhage is awful but Asylum is great. All Bungie has to do is get rid of people getting on the roof of snipe and walling off the one side (not nearly as important but would still be nice) like mlg's version and that map goes from great to fucking awesome.

 

[The Librarian]

Pinnacle is decent at best, Hemorrhage is awful but Asylum is great. All Bungie has to do is get rid of people getting on the roof of snipe and walling off the one side (not nearly as important but would still be nice) like mlg's version and that map goes from great to fucking awesome.

Oh yeah, I enjoy Asylum a great deal aside from what you said with the rooftops and stuff. I forgot to mention in my previous posts that, despite a map being made for a game's design, it doesn't mean it won't work in a successor's. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.

 

[squidhands]

Speaking of Halo 2, I was just listening to the Reach OST and From the Vault is like a nice Reachy remix of Halo 2 soundtrack themes. Good stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gkdq2NBiqcg

The whole soundtrack is excellent. Haven't stopped listening to it since I got it.

 

[Doodis]

Ha, that hadn't even occurred to me :lol

That does seem a bit silly when you think about it

Why would they even award anyone points if they didn't finish the game? Seems ridiculous to me. The game shouldn't even count toward their rating if they don't finish it.

 

[Butane123]

like mlg's version and that map goes from great to fucking awesome.

Yeah, I went into it thinking they just modified Asylum... Oh God it was beautiful when I first saw it.

 

[SuperBonk]

Yup

Playing Pinnacle in Reach makes me think that maybe Ascension wasn't that great of a map after all :lol

It's actually the opposite for me. Pinnacle is one of the few maps I actually like in Reach and I thought it was pretty middle of the road in Halo 2. It just makes me realize how good Halo 2's maps actually were.

Zealot and The Cage are downright terrible, especially since Midship and Lockout were two of my favorites.

 

[Gui_PT]

It's actually the opposite for me. Pinnacle is one of the few maps I actually like in Reach and I thought it was pretty middle of the road in Halo 2. It just makes me realize how good Halo 2's maps actually were.

Zealot and The Cage are downright terrible, especially since Midship and Lockout were two of my favorites.

Good thing those maps aren't related

 

[LukeSmith]

Woah, woah, woah. So the two guys who quit/lagged out got better scores than you? That's complete and utter horseshit.

Their ratings were higher when they quit, but they were filed at the bottom of the pool when the game results were uploaded to Trueskill.

If you quit an Arena game you finish last in that game, period. Guys who quit to "preserve their day rating" have a date with Iron.

 

[SuperBonk]

Good thing those maps aren't related

Uhh, they quite clearly are.

 

[Calm Killer]

It's actually the opposite for me. Pinnacle is one of the few maps I actually like in Reach and I thought it was pretty middle of the road in Halo 2. It just makes me realize how good Halo 2's maps actually were.

Zealot and The Cage are downright terrible, especially since Midship and Lockout were two of my favorites.

I would have to agree with all of this.