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[SuperJerms]

Update erm...update?

I got the update at around 12:30 this afternoon. Some of the people I played said they didn't have it yet, so it must be possible to play without updating (for now). Ok, on to the good stuff...

Standby is now totally useless. How, you ask? One word: BSoD. Anyone who lags badly enough to be jumpy gets a quick BSoD. My first couple of games (while my box was retraining itself for connections) had some lag, and I repeatedly jumped into BSoD for two seconds at a time. It made the game unplayable for me (whereas in the past I would have just warped all around the level and it would have been unplayable in a different way).

After playing for around an hour, I had a guy use standby against me in Head-to-Head. Glorious. We would BSoD for 25 seconds, then reappear in our positions, BSoD again for 25 seconds, and reappear in the same positions. This went on for about seven minutes, then he finally dropped. No doubt about it, he was trying to standby. The game thwarted him by basically rewinding us about five seconds before the BSoD. He never could get close enough to kill me and eventually he either got kicked or timed out. Glorious.

A potential exploit there: a team might try to standby its opponent indefinately, hoping that the others will lose interest and give up...the same tactic as hiding the bomb on the map. Obviously, the network data would betray them as cheaters, but still. Hopefully, my numbskull opponent was actually kicked by the system recognizing him as a cheater. If not, though, this may be a problem.

One other thing. In every single team skirmish I played (five or so), at least one person dropped from the game. Could have just been dumb luck, or the same bad connection I was getting at first. Or, it could have been folks trying to standby and dropping when they couldn't.

At any rate, cheaters will be giving up all hope. It's inevitable. Glorious? I think so.

[Clayfoot]

[SuperJerms]

New game dynamics. Last week's what's update on bungie.net basically laid it all out pretty well.

You will notice the difference in grenades. In close quarters, frags go off quickly enough to matter, though the power is about the same. Stickys are positively deadly. One sticky at your feet and it's sleepy-time for you. The quicker detonation makes them just a touch longer than how frags used to be. Ivory Tower is one big nade-fest. Midship is a little bit more interesting.

Grenade jumping is still possible. The nades are higher in attack damage, but pretty much the same in personal damage (unless you sticky someone else - the splash is more painful then). The shortened fuses make a difference, though. You will have to be more precise now. I didn't try any long distance nade boosts, but I imagine they will be harder since your nade will explode before you get as far away. I was able to nade jump onto the ribs in Burial Mounds and on top of the base in Zanzibar.

The superjump in Zanzibar is still there.

Brute shots are more better. I don't think they are fantastic, but they don't suck anymore. I think it will be three shots for the kill, and two melees (the bigger benefit, IMHO). I didn't try any jumping melees, though.

In general, meleeing is a bit more powerful. It's a beautiful thing. Whereas before meleeing meant certain death, you can now take someone out with one hit where it would have taken two before. Already this has saved my butt a couple of times in head to head. Close combat will be much more intersting from now on.

Swords. Not that I liked them before, but they are different now. The range is a bit bigger now, so locking feels a bit "tighter." At the same time, lunging feels much "looser" now. Don't ask how it's possible to be both tighter and looser at the same time, but try it out and I think you'll agree.

Lastly, double wielding. Big, big hooge difference. You can spawn facing dual SMG's and not get hosed now. My favorite dual magnums are much weaker (it will both clips and about 25% headshots to kill now). Dual SMG's are almost weaker than a single one. Basically, you can be up close and personal against dualies and not die (spraying followed by a melee can kill quickly, or a nade that is reasonably close by and either a melee or half a clip will do). I think everyone will end up liking the change a whole lot.

Oh yeah, and the shotgun isn't bizarre anymore. It does what it should: makes paste up close. No more of this headshot-doesn't-damage-at-all-because-of-lag business. My contempt for the boomstick is finally rectified.

Ok, did I miss anything? Needlers seem a touch more powerful (or maybe they track a bit better?). PP/AR combo takes a couple more shots to kill if you miss the head. I played a game of Fiesta Ball, and it was actually fun with the new balancing (I know, sounds crazy!).

I give bungie a jorb well done!

[ubersaurus]

Brute shot took 3 shots to kill with to begin with-it takes 2 now, I tested it before I came to work.

And you really aren't supposed to headshot with the shotgun. You want to get as much spread as possible to hit, and aiming for the head doesn't do that.

[Astald]

I might have to start playing again soon and see what these updates are like. Been paying for Live the last few months and haven't even used it.

[Tiny]

These are sad days I've never liked gamestop and I've always loved EB Oh well, maybe they won't be changeing things aournd in local venues too much... And now since I'm home I'm going to glue myself to the xbox all night since cheating is baninated, anyone care to join me?
Tj-
PS- NEW GAMERTAG! It's DanteThePoet so add me asap!!! :-p

[thunderclap8]

New maps come out next Monday! woooo! Perfect timing, that's my last day of class this semester.

http://tinyurl.com/ck68z

[water10]

woot! New maps! So, are you guys thinking about buying the other two new maps, Turf and Sanctuary? They both look promising!

Today, I was doing my daily stats check from previous night and it seems they reset the rankings. Can't confirm just yet, but even though I can see the games from last night, it just says no games played on all playlists ...

[thunderclap8]

Turf looks like a blast, IGN has a few video clips of it up and I can't wait. I think I'll be buying the downloads.

And yup, my stats have vamoosed also.

[water10]

Just saw the clips! Yep, seems pretty good! Containment has a scorpion! The only thing I don't like about buying these maps is that I'll most likely buy the CD version and will end up paying twice for them.

[Grifter_7]

Was it just me or was last night the most fun you've had playing HALO 2 EVER?

'Nades are back and you're gonna be in trouble.. hey na, hey na, 'Nades are back.

[water10]

I thought the melee boost was more significant than the grenade boost! Nades are still not as powerful as in Halo CE, which is a good thing, IMO. I think nades are perfectly balanced right now! My highlight of the night was a stick that killed two full-shielded guys! Plasma nades are certainly better! Melee is a bit too powerful, me thinks. Though I got waaaaaaay more melee kills than I usually get, so I can't really complain.

I think that battle rifles are my new favorite weapon, with melee and nades like they are now. Add a plasma pistol and you're set!

[CoffeeJedi]

[thunderclap8]

given the new melee power, I think I'm gonna start trying out an alternate controller config. Any suggestions?

[Anton P. Nym]

Dunno if this belongs here or over in the Haunted Apiary archives...

Anyway, Xbox ran a Halo Freak Show a while back, looking to give the ultimate Halo prize pack to the ultimate Halo freak. And, while he didn't win, one of our own was an honourable (?) mention.


Read the story here

-- Steve congratulates all the contestants.