Halo: Reach

[Kyo]

Yeah man, havent been this excited about a Halo game since CE.

[SwaggerlikeKillquick]

Bungie never dissapoints with multiplayer.

Did you play halo 3 blindfolded?

Halo 2 matchmaking was great but wow did that game have a huge hacking community behind it.

Halo 3 matchmaking locks peoples lvls I never had a problem with it myself but I know trying to get my friend a 50 it took well over 20 games from 49-50.

I have made accounts with my brother play our first games together and hell still be like 14 while I'm 20 even though we win all our games and generally my brother is a better play then me.

Both games had problems with boosters 49s going in with 1-30s so they can find a lower match.

Either way I love halo series and hope that they just correct the small things that went wrong with halo 3 and improve on the features they created like forge and theater.

All multilayer games should have theater mode... pulling off a clutch moment in a game with friends and being able to go back to see exactly what happened is fun or seeing the mistakes you made and correcting to better yourself as a player.

[BadKarma]

http://www.bungie.net/images/News/In...litevhuman.jpg

Embracing Our Differences
Last week we trotted Luke Smith and friends out to talk at some length about the economy of Credits and how they, coupled with Military Rank, will ultimately inform the visual accouterments adopted by your Spartan avatar in Halo: Reach. This week, we decided to get a little more technical and dive into the more matérielistic side of the multiplayer coin. We’ll dig in even further in just a few, but since the two subjects do intertwine somewhat, I figured we’d begin where the two roads meet.

That brings us to Elites. We’ve already said that the Elites found in Halo: Reach were never meant to conform to the noble notion of equality. For far too long, our Sangheili brothers have been leashed – their very backs burdened by the weight of multiplayer parity. They hunched, bent to the whims of human anatomy.

/LARP

Not anymore. In Reach, Elites are bigger, they’re faster, and they boast better shield technology than their Spartan counterparts. To drive the first point home – the size difference — we’ve prepped a side-by-side comparison so you can see just how pronounced the physical changes really are. Click it to check it out in higher resolution.

Size matters. And when we say Elites are faster, we mean it. Natively, Elites are about as fast as a Spartan at full Sprint. Add Evade into the mix, and they’re easily the most agile combatants on the battlefield in multiplayer.

Unlike Spartans, their health is not limited to recharging in thirds as their vitality is whittled away in stages, but will recharge fully without even the need for a health pack. Their health also recharges faster, as do their shields. Significantly faster.

So, how are we gonna work them into multiplayer? Well, in a number of ways. In some circumstances, like Arena, you’ll only square off Spartan vs. Spartan or Elite vs. Elite. In others, well…stay tuned.

We’ll dig into some interesting scenarios in the weeks ahead.
Came From Behind
In the ways to die category, let’s clear up the 120 degrees comment Sage and Josh made concerning when and where you can engage your death dealing assassination flourish. It’s actually more interesting than you might think. (And it’s actually the same system employed in Halo 3.)

The 120 degree cone is actually based on where you happen to be looking at the moment the nefarious assassin strikes. Your “Aim Vector.” Picture a triangular with its origin point emanating out behind you. If it helps, you can think of Aim Vector as the camera’s current position. If your assailant is within that 120 degree zone outside your vantage, and close enough to you to engage the coup de grâce, then you’re going down. Keep in mind, they don’t necessarily need to be directly behind you if your head's turned.

The assassinations that appear to be happening right in front of the player’s eyes in the Multiplayer trailer, are really occurring in the second stage of the assassination. It’s already over and the assassin has spun his victim around to deliver the finishing blow with a cool, full frontal flourish.



Oh, and if you watched the April Fools’ Day ViDoc and wondered why the Elite wasn’t going down with one standard backsmack, there’s no need to worry, when you position yourself on your opponent’s six, regardless of whether or not they rock the mandibles, you’ll only need to deliver one, clean crack to the back to snag the kill.
Shields Up!
We should also clarify a little bit of information about popping player’s shields. In previous titles, when you were laying into a shielded opponent and bringing them right to the brink of shieldlessness, any damage you did before the pop would transfer into their underlying health. Hypothetically, let’s say they had 5 points of shield left when you clocked them for 10 points of damage. The result would be the loss of their shields and a 5 point reduction to their heath.

Not anymore.

Now those additional 5 points are absorbed by the shields as they wink out of existence and the underlying health is left unscathed.

Perhaps the place this impact will be felt the most is in melee combat. Ostensibly this means that if your opponent is shielded to any degree when you land a melee strike, they will not die. You’ll pop their shields. If their shields are gone, however, they’ll drop like a rock.

For those fearing that this new model will impact weapons like the Sniper Rifle, rest easy. The Long Rifle is exempt, as are other weapons you might expect to be. Rockets will be a one hit kill at close range, as will the Shotgun, even though the April Fools’ ViDoc might have indicated otherwise.

Seeing a pattern develop? Shotty nerfed at close range? Elites require two melee strikes to the back to take down? 32 player matches in Reach? (Nope, still capped at 16.)

If you saw something on April 1st that got you all hot and bothered, you should take a moment alone to cool your jets, turbo.
Legit Boosting
Sweet segue, bro!

Let’s get into Armor Abilities. These are the individual player augmentations that add a rad ability that alters the way you play the game. They can be used as much as you like, with the one caveat being that they need to recharge after your engage them. And in the Beta, when you fall down dead, your Armor Ability will not be added to the subsequent estate sale.

So how do you pick and choose which one you’re currently using?
Get Loaded
Load Outs. At the beginning of each match or round, and again every time you wait out your respawn window, you are given the option of choosing a Load Out.

Load Outs are not player created or defined, but rather playlist and/or game type specific. Essentially, they allow you to choose your Armor Ability, your starting primary and secondary weapons, and your grenade cache on the fly.

For some playlists, that might mean every Load Out features the same weapon sets with only the Armor Abilities to distinguish them. For others, it might mean that as the game goes on, you’ll have access to more and more choices based on a number of factors we can fiddle with.

That's just one example to the right. Many gametypes will feature more uniformity in the initial selection.

What it doesn’t mean is that you will be creating your own custom Load Out to bring into Matchmaking. You’ll be choosing from our prefabricated offerings, based on what’s best suited for each gametype.

Don’t worry about power weapons being available right from the start, either. In most cases, you’ll still be finding those distributed via a number of methods throughout the battlefield, though if circumstance warrants it, we certainly can start you with, say, the Rocket Launcher.

And, of course, you can still loot the corpses of your fallen foes and you’ll still find sweet stashes of weapons strewn carelessly about the map for you to find and acquire.
Now it’s Time for the Breakdown
Alright, now that we’ve explored how you get your hands on Armor Abilities and weapons, let’s talk about what you should do with them. Armor Abilities first, with all due respect to the alphabet.
Can’t See Me
Active Camo can be used by Spartans and Elites alike. It grants you temporary invisibility, but the effectiveness is hampered in two distinct ways. The faster you move, the more visible you become and the shorter the duration of the effect will be. If you want to make the most of it, stand still or move slowly.

[There's a sweet image of an invisible Elite here, but you can't see it because it's, you know, invisible.]

Plus, while you’re refracting light, you’re also jamming everyone’s motion tracker – including your own. Players in the immediate vicinity will know that they’ve got a stalker in their midst and you should expect them to be on their toes.

Use it wisely.
Poppin’ and Lockin’
Armor Lock gives you a burst of invulnerability. You can click once to briefly engage it, or hold it for a longer lasting effect, but either way, while you’re in the throes you can’t move a single, solitary inch. You’re rooted. But you’ll shed plasma grenades, shred vehicles unfortunate enough to attempt a splatter, and deflect projectiles. (And you look pretty bad ass while you're doing it.)



Those that get too close are treated to an EMP blast when you exit the lock and the longer you’re locked down, the bigger and more powerful the effective radius becomes. While you’re in Armor Lock, you can’t be melee’d or assassinated, either.

So, what’s the downside? You’re a sitting duck. While you are temporarily invincible, if you deploy Armor Lock carelessly out in the open, you can bet someone will be lining you up from long range. Watching. Waiting.
See Me Rollin’
Evade lets you make a leap of faith in any direction. It’s fast, it’s tricksy, and it’s something you’ll be getting a lot of mileage out of as an Elite. It will shed locks and tracking and makes for one nasty juke when you’re in close quarters combat.

Now you see me, now I’m assassinating you.



You also grunt when you evade. A lot. And it’s awesome.
I Believe I Can Fly!
Jet Pack should be pretty self explanatory. You can hold the button for an extended burst or feather it after a jump for just a little more height. If you’re get too close to the sun, you’ll need to worry about the landing, so make sure you save some juice to soften the approach.



Of course, while you’re aloft, you’re completely without cover and your ability to get shifty is severely hampered. If someone has you in their sights, your only real recourse is to fall away and hope you find cover before they clip your wings (though you can return fire from your airy perch).

You’re also susceptible to EMP bursts from Plasma Pistol charges and the Grenade Launcher. While you’re controlling the skies, make sure you keep your head on a swivel. You might feel like Superman, but you won’t be stopping any speeding bullets, Clark.
I was Running and Running…
Sprint is Spartan only and should be pretty self-explanatory. It gives you a quick burst of speed, but while you’re at a dead run, you can’t get all offensive. If you want to engage, you have to let off and regain your composure.



It’s weapons down during the duration of your marathon session.
Weapons Up!
We’ve been seeing a lot of confusion swirling around Reach’s ordnance. Since the dust has settled a bit after the recent media barrage, let’s do some clean up.

Straight away, Sage wanted me to clear a couple of things up. On our most recent Podcast, he said some things he thought we should address. First, the Assassination Train scenario won’t make Beta. You won’t be playing the caboose to a deadly ten player choo choo.

That’d be inappropriate anyway, right? Get your mind out of the gutter.

Secondly, grenades will not asplode when you shoot them on the ground. Didn’t make it into the build in time, but it’s still in the works for retail. You can still shoot grenades out of the air, though, and frags will still do minor impact damage should you bean another player with a direct shot. Which is awesome. And hilarious.

I’m sure we’ll all make do and nobody will start a thread about how Reach is now destined to fail as a result of these two minor omissions from the Beta. Because we are all polite, understanding adults who refuse to succumb to hyperbole and immaturity, right?

Uh huh. Anyway, here’s the rundown on some stuff that is in.
Five Shottin’ Fools
You’ve probably heard that both the Designated Marksman Rifle and the Magnum are now five shot kills. Four anywhere followed by one to the face. So, how then, are these two weapons different? One big tenet of Reach’s core multiplayer weapon design was to give each weapon its own unique role, right?

Right. But better grab hold of something solid, I’m gonna totally freak you out right now. Ready?

As is, in the Beta, the Magnum will take down a fully shielded player, from start to finish, almost twice as quickly as the DMR will.
Still with me? Good. Deep breaths, there’s some big caveats.



First, the Magnum gets squirrely if you go all out and squeeze off rounds as fast as you possibly can. Real squirrely. You’re better off sticking with the proper cadence relayed to you through the reticule bloom. That’s your sweet spot. Know it. Respect it.

Second, the Magnum’s maximum effectiveness is found at short to mid range, fitting snugly between the Assault Rifle and the DMR. And while the DMR may take some extra time to take down a player, at mid to long range, it’s easily the more effective weapon due to its magnified scope and reduced recoil.

If you have the Magnum, you don't want to engage a DMR user at long range. Unless you want to die. Then, by all means.



And the Assault Rifle? It’s your go to rifle at close to mid range. You’ll definitely want to feather the trigger to take down shields and make your assault as personal as possible, just like you did in Halo 3, even though it's been tuned a little to favor accuracy over straight up aggression.



Ultimately the choice between the Assault Rifle and the Magnum may come down to personal preference, play style, and the situation you happen to find yourself in. It’s nuanced. Good thing is you’ll get tons of hands on time with all three by way of the Beta. And of course, we need to mention, that all of these details, every single one, are subject to change.
Plasma What?
Plasma Repeater. It’s a bit different that the Plasma Rifle you’ve become accustomed to. It still sends out a steady stream of bright blue plasma bolts, but the cadence will taper off as the weapon overheats. And while you’ll never need to worry about it rendering the weapon useless as it cools, you’ll need to vent it out if you want to run it at full speed using the reload button.



Since dual wielding is out, our guys needed a more effective native weapon to strap into an Elite’s hands. The Repeater is, essentially, the Assault Rifle’s counterpart, but it’s a little too effective for use in campaign. So when you’re in that space, you’ll likely see Elites utilizing the Plasma Rifle you’re already familiar with.
Four!
The Plasma Launcher can send a volley of one to four plasma explosives toward your opponent, depending on how long you keep your finger on the trigger. How many rounds you’re prepping is communicated to you through a nifty combination of visual and audio cues. And when you see and hear it coming your way, you need to find some cover. Fast.



The rounds will track both infantry and vehicles, but don’t freak out, the magnetism is more akin to the Needler than it is the Missile Pod. Vehicles are much easier to hit, given their size, but if you play it right, you can affix an explosive round to some poor sucker’s face.

Suffice to say, if it’s featured on a map, you’ll want to know where it is at all times.
Stay Focused
The Focus Rifle takes the Sentinel Beam and the Beam Rifle and combines the two weapon’s traits for some deliciously deadly peanut butter and chocolate type death dealing action. Zoom in and hold the focused beam on your opponent and you’ll tear through their shields and take out their health pretty quickly. Even if you don’t kill your enemy, you can bet they’ll be encouraged to give up their ground and get behind something that doesn’t smell like burning.



It’s a bit like herding goats. With a laser beam. Not that I have any firsthand knowledge.
Prepare to Launch
The Grenade Launcher, or “Pro Pipe” as it’s come to be known inside the studio on the heels of Hoovaloov’s Multiplayer Trailer dissection, is also something you’ll want to spend some quality time with. If you point and shoot with a single pull of the trigger, you’ll send an explosive round out into the world. If it hits your target dead on, it will explode. If it bounces, it’ll arm much like a frag and explode after a short spell.



But if you hold the trigger after you fire, the round will not detonate until you release your death grip. If you let the round come to rest, it’ll remain in play until you decide that it’s your opportunity to blow. And if you want to arc it and time the detonation mid air using the same method, you can do that, too.

The round itself will do impact damage to an opponent even if you don’t detonate it, much like frag grenades now will, and when it does explode it also produces a fairly sizable EMP blast that will damage and deactivate the type of stuff you would expect it too.
Mount Up
The vehicle stable at play in the Beta are all machines you should feel comfortable with when you get behind the wheel, but there are some small differences you need to know about.

The Warthog’s chain gun will now overheat after prolonged use and the Scorpion once again features a secondary machine gun turret (which looks hilariously awesome when occupied by an Elite).



The Ghost, the Banshee, and the Wraith are largely identical to their Halo 3 counterparts, and as you can see, they, along with just about everything else, have been pimped out and prettied up something fierce.


Sharp Knees
Oh, and we know some of sweet delectables from the recent batch of sweet screenshots feature Spartans with some strange lookin’ knees. Bugged, researched, and resolved. When you suit up in the public Beta, your delicate knee caps will be fully protected.



No Roadhouse action, Miho.
They’re Taking Bravo!
Speaking of builds, we closed out our internal Alpha this week. It’s a testament to the team’s hard work, resolve, and wealth of experience that even at Alpha the game is loads of fun. But while the games were good, we also got some good data and we’re using it to better the experience across the board.

Internal Beta will go live shortly, featuring all kinds of fancy improvements. If things change significantly from there to Delta, which again is what you will come to know as the public Beta, we’ll make sure you get up to speed.
For the Trees
And speaking of improvements, Marcus continues his campaign crusade with no signs of slowing. If you want to get the latest insights into the Halo: Reach development cycle, you should head over to Noble Actual

[SwaggerlikeKillquick]

I love the idea of the new grenade launcher. When the trigger is held the grenade wont explode till the release of the trigger.

Imagine halo 3 blackout and your teammate calls out a player is coming from BR1 up open ramp you can pre fire a grenade and while your teammate weakens him you release the trigger as he runs into BR2.

A weapon that will involve skill and knowledge not just another easy killer like the rocket launcher.

I also think allowing people to choose the correct "Load out" for the situation is really great adding more depth to Halo.

Truly great way to end the series

[BadKarma]

Truly great way to end the series

The series isnt ending.


Bungie is taking a break from Halo for a while, probably the last in this console cycle. Microsoft will continue the series at 343 Studios.

[Insanecyclone]

I am tempted to renew my gold sub and get point cards to play 3 again. I only have the first dlc and I think the other 2 are only 800 points? Still a Sergent according to the Bungie site.


Actually are all the ODST copies(new) with codes or whatever for Reach? ODST comes with the map dlc right? Shit I'll just get that then.

[BadKarma]

I am tempted to renew my gold sub and get point cards to play 3 again. I only have the first dlc and I think the other 2 are only 800 points? Still a Sergent according to the Bungie site.


Actually are all the ODST copies(new) with codes or whatever for Reach? ODST comes with the map dlc right? Shit I'll just get that then.

You dont need a code for the beta, its on the disk for ODST

And I would say buy ODST, the Core game is still fun and it has the H3 MP with all the maps as well.

[SwaggerlikeKillquick]

The series isnt ending.


Bungie is taking a break from Halo for a while, probably the last in this console cycle. Microsoft will continue the series at 343 Studios.

Alls I remember is this is bungies last halo game I never heared about a "break" and I honestly laugh at the idea of any other studio attempting to do halo.

Bungie is moving on after Halo reach and so am I would rather not see microsoft try to bleed the game dry for all the money its worth.

[BadKarma]

Alls I remember is this is bungies last halo game I never heared about a "break" and I honestly laugh at the idea of any other studio attempting to do halo.

Bungie is moving on after Halo reach and so am I would rather not see microsoft try to bleed the game dry for all the money its worth.

Also Bungie has said numerous times that this will not be the final halo game.


I'm personally hoping they revive Marathon next though


Its just their final Halo game on the the 360.

[Korietsu]

Marathon is halo >_>.

[BadKarma]

Marathon is halo >_>.

No its nottt


Marathon takes place in the same universe but a few hundred years before.

[Qalbert]

or after depending on interpretations of Halo 3's ending, unless that theory has changed

[BadKarma]

or after depending on interpretations of Halo 3's ending, unless that theory has changed

Well actually, it has, 2794 is when Marathon starts.

It was my mistake I saw the 7 as a 2.


Perhaps, if Bungie decides to restart the Marathon series, Master Chief may indeed become the Security Officer since, being in cryo freeze for hundreds of years is feasible.

Also http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_M...rences_in_Halo

[Korietsu]

Tbh, marathon is parallel to Halo. Marines = bobs. Officer = Chief, Durandal = Rampant version of Cortana, Lela = not so rampant version of cortana. Durandal kills Lela, saves universe from tycho and the aliens, saves the Spht'Kr etc.

[SwaggerlikeKillquick]

Also Bungie has said numerous times that this will not be the final halo game.


I'm personally hoping they revive Marathon next though


Its just their final Halo game on the the 360.

Consumer site IGN quotes Bungie senior designer Lars Bakken as saying, "After Reach that's it for us. We're already working on a new IP that we can't talk about yet, I don't know when we'll be talking about it -- when we're ready I suppose."

Taken from http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/new...hp?story=24578

Anything that says otherwise?

I skimmed through the wiki and didn't see anything saying otherwise so if there is please correct me because I know wiki is a DRK w/ STR build

[Rydir]

IGN 5 Page interview with Bungie with information on the Reach Beta and the 4 maps included

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/108/1082381p1.html


Edit: Just thought I would add I also have last months EGM magazine where a Bungie designer is quoted saying Halo Reach will be their final installment of the Halo Series. If there is ever any more Halo games they wont be made by Bungie they will be made by 343 Industries.

[Qalbert]

http://www.bungie.net/News/content.a...ink=BWU_040910

We’re closing in now. Just twenty-four days until the Beta drops. 576 hours, give or take. And with another full week of waiting behind us, we’re ready to uncover more juicy details surrounding the multiplayer maps you’ll be throwing down on come May 3rd. IGN may have got this party started, but now it’s our turn.

The Beta will grant you access to a total of four multiplayer maps, half of which are what our multiplayer gurus consider “all purpose” play spaces. Powerhouse and Sword Base in particular are both great battlegrounds featuring game types you already know and love, but they’re also set up real nice for more than a few you don’t even know you don’t know about yet.

Let’s take the tour.
Powerhouse
The map formerly known as Settlement is set amidst one of Reach’s more desolate regions. Look up and you’ll catch a glorious glimpse of some majestically mountainous outcroppings. Across the way – jagged, primordial spires emblematic of this region’s rugged terrain. Peer down and you’ll see the rerouted river spilling into the canyon below.

http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/R...werhouseOH.jpg

This installation might have once merely bent that meandering river in an effort to serve Reach’s rural settlers with much needed hydroelectric power, but now it’s been rerouted to provide fodder for a full scale war effort. Most rounds begin with a knockdown, drag out fight between players thirsting for the Rocket Launcher. If you’re looking to join the fray, you’ll find it resting in the spillway below. When you go in after it, be prepared to claw, scratch, and bite your way through some stiff opposition.

Good thing Powerhouse features a multitude of routes to facilitate plenty of unpredictable approaches. Stay low and wade through the water, cut through the buildings and drop down from the path above, or sprint your way in from the Rock Garden side of Powerhouse to pounce on unsuspecting fools salivating over the prospect of explosive kills.

http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/R...werhouse05.jpg

And of course, you’ll probably be contending with adrenaline junkies dropping in from above via Jet Packs, overshielded opponents baiting you to waste one of your freshly acquired rockets by firing it straight into their locked armor, and predatory players cloaked up at the end of the gulley, patiently waiting for you to take the bait and step into their deadly web.

Which brings up a tangentially related point of contention.

There’s been a lot of discussion about Armor Abilities in the community over these past few days. It seems we might have gone a little too far in dispelling the myth that the Jet Pack would trump everything else to become the one and only Armor Ability worth breaking out. That notion is far from the truth, but it doesn’t mean that the Jet Pack isn’t a worthwhile Armor Ability. It is.

And if I were to guess, I’d posit that when the Beta moves into full swing we’ll simultaneously field complaints in one ear about how each and every Armor Ability is far too powerful while the other is regaled with tales of their total impotence and abject ineffectiveness. The truth, as always, will lie somewhere in the middle. But we'll definitely be watching the Beta to make sure everything's on the level.

Ultimately, the impact of all the different Armor Abilities will be measured by how well you employ them. Their effectiveness will hinge upon a number of dynamic variables – using the right Ability for the right job, coordinating with your team to counter your opposition’s current selections, and mastering the nuances of each across the full spectrum of game modes.

http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/R...werhouse04.jpg

Personally, on Powerhouse, I tend to start things off with Sprint. Not only is it an effective way to collect power weapons and attain advantageous positions quickly, it’ll also save your hide if you come under fire and need to get anywhere else fast (run away!). Powerhouse is packed with a wealth of terrain to facilitate a myriad of combat situations in both interior and exterior spaces, so it’s always a good plan to stay on your toes.

During the internal Beta I’ve been using my inertia to get in close and melee unsuspecting players to great effect. The force of the blow, coupled with the burst of speed provided by Sprint actually lifts the target off the ground, sending them reeling backwards after the impact. The first few times I saw it I was too amazed to do much of anything about it, but after the initial shock wore off I found it fun (and effective) to switch to my sidearm and put a round into their face after sending a unsuspecting sucker a-flying.

http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/R...werhouse03.jpg

Other folks have their own preferences, of course. There are a lot of stories being told around the office now that the internal Beta is in full swing, and plenty of them have a lot to do with Armor Abilities. We’ll likely dig into the nuance of each one sometime later on so you can get a better idea of how you might make the most of ‘em. Like maybe next week or later “later.”

http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/R...werhouse02.jpg

For now, let’s stick to the plan and take a look at the current default palette of weapons you’ll find placed about Powerhouse.
I Need a Weapon

* DMR x 5
* Focus Rifle x 1
* Gravity Hammer x 1
* Grenade Launcher x 1
* Magnum x 3
* Needle Rifle x 2
* Needler x 2
* Plasma Pistol x 3
* Plasma Repeater x 1
* Rocket Launcher x 1
* Shotgun x 1
* Frag Grenade x 6
* Plasma Grenade x 6
http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/R...Powerhouse.jpg

Sword Base
It’s a base…for Longswords, right? Nah, not exactly, but you’ll definitely wanna do some flying once you get inside. The atrium you’ll be fighting over is five, maybe six layers deep. Depends on whether or not you count the upper air vent (if you happen to have the Sniper Rifle in your hot little hands, you probably will).

http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/R..._SwordBase.jpg

So yep, it’s well suited for Jet Packs. But that doesn’t mean it’s not set up to take advantage of all the other delectable tools of destruction Halo: Reach has on offer – turns out, Sword Base is a complex and layered arena ripe for all modes of play.

Bottom floor is 1a or 1b, depending on which side you happen to be hanging out on. A-side features red ambient lighting, B-side rocks the blue. You’ll have to figure out the rest as you go. Like Boarding Action or Prisoner, the overhead probably just leaves you scratching your head in wonder and confusion. Best way to get acclimated is to dive right in, mandibles first.

http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/R...wordbaseOH.jpg

One of Sword Base’s defining visual features sits in a small pool of water, right smack in the middle of the marble ensconced lower level. This curiously goniochromatic Covenant mechanism not only looks a bit out of place here, it actually displaces anything that happens to wander into its electric blue upward energy thrust. Savvy players will learn to utilize this oddity to quickly maneuver to a number of vertical perches. Others will lift off only to flounder about in midair, eventually falling back down to the ground floor, exposing themselves to a hail of enemy fire.

If they’re really unfortunate, they’ll find themselves a victim of an air-to-air assassination, which is just about the most awesomest thing I have ever laid eyes on. Maybe even more awesomer than the air-to-ground assassination, but I haven’t made up my mind just yet.

Anyway, how’d this sweet, alien technology end up in the care of the Office of Naval Intelligence, you may wonder? Read the placard. Not everything in this sector has been classified.

http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/R...wordbase04.jpg

Those looking for more shortcuts should be aware that there’s also a chilly updraft in one of the lower ventilations shafts on 1a and one crazy, radiological ride that’ll whisk you quickly from 1b to 5b (where the player with the Shotgun or the Sword will probably be waiting to guide you face first into the afterlife).

Sword Base also features blow-uppable computer monitors, smashable wall-mounted screens, and knee-high destructible glass on some of the small balcony perches. (Sometimes I like to just run around and break stuff. Like after Sketch jumps into one of the online forums and scoops the update. Turns out I find the sound of glass shards tinkling to the floor somewhat soothing.)

http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/R...wordbase03.jpg

And since there are plenty of perches, you certainly should expect to see a significant measure of traversal by way of Jet Pack. But even though there’s plenty of vertical play going on, Jet Pack isn’t the only Armor Ability you’ll want to load out with. Again, I find Sprint really useful, but plenty of players use both Armor Lock and Active Camo to great effect on Sword Base. Though the central atrium is nice and open, the interior spaces are somewhat labyrinthine and you’ll find that remaining unseen or invincible for a brief spell is a particularly nasty tactic if you want to keep it close quarters or snag some of the exposed power weapons without exposing your face to too much enemy fire.

The Sniper Rifle is beneath the bamboo on the ground floor and the Plasma Launcher is on the upper catwalk. You’ll want to keep tabs on ‘em. Here’s the rest of the stuff you should know about on Sword Base:
What the Ladies Like

* DMR x 6
* Energy Sword x 1
* Magnum x 3
* Needle Rifle x 3
* Needler x 2
* Plasma Launcher x 1
* Plasma Pistol x 3
* Plasma Repeater x 3
* Shotgun x 1
* Sniper Rifle x 1
* Frag Grenade x 4
* Plasma Grenade x 4
http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/R...wordbase02.jpg

Overlook
We’re gonna stay pretty tight-lipped on the Overlook front and let the pair of images below do the talking this week. There are some really interesting wrinkles in the way you’ll acquire weapons in this space, but all those intricate details bleed over into the game type you’ll be playing on Overlook in the Beta. We’ll get to all the ooey-gooey Generator Defense stuff soon enough. All in due time.

http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/R...Overlook01.jpg

http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/R...Overlook02.jpg

But Overlook’s aesthetics give us a good reason to talk about a couple of other topics that have been up for discussion in recent weeks.
Here Comes the Sun
You might have noticed that in some of the previous images we snapped from this space, the weather was a bit more dreary. The sun wasn’t shining and the ground was being soaked by a drizzling downpour. You’re not seeing things. In order to ensure that there are some visual distinctions between these spaces when you play them in either multiplayer or campaign, the team will often employ weather or time of day effects to make sure the spaces look and feel quite different.

So, in the Beta, Overlook will be bright and sunny. In campaign? Not so much. You shouldn’t be surprised when you see other maps getting the same treatment, either.
Ten Seconds to Comply
This is also a good opportunity to touch on a new multiplayer mechanic that Lars briefly mentioned in his IGN interview. In previous Halo titles, the stable of multiplayer maps relied heavily on a system of invisible barriers and volumes to keep players corralled within the playable space. While we’re not scrapping those methods altogether, we’ve devised a new way to keep players hemmed in without being as overtly restrictive.

In plenty of cases, you can actually step outside what we’ll consider the playable space, going beyond the barrier. While you’re out there feel free to explore the space, but don’t dawdle for too long – you’re only given ten seconds to smell any roses you happen to come across. And if, in that limited window of time, you fail to comply with our polite reminder to “Return to the Battlefield,” we’ll just drop you dead right in your tracks, sending you straight into respawn.

But since it’s a little more liberal than a kill volume or a soft ceiling, we won’t mind if you actually use it to your advantage. Stepping outside the zone will not kill you instantly, so if you find a roost or a quick shortcut you can make use of, you should go for it. Just make sure you’re quick about it.

Oh, and if you think you’re going to poke in and out of a particularly sweet spot again and again, reminiscent of the good old super-bouncing ups and downs from Halo 2, you might note that your ten second taste of freedom doesn’t reset each and every time you set foot outside the designated boundary. Take five outside the arena proper and the next time you return, you’ll find that you only have five seconds left on the clock.

So, go ahead and push the limits. Just don’t come crying to us if you get yourself killed out there.
Stairway to Heaven
You can also stow the bellyaching about “textures” interfering with your grenade tosses from here on out. There’s a new layer of invisible love being applied to all the nooks, crannies, and yup, stairs you’ll find distributed throughout the multiplayer maps you’ll throw down on – a layer that’ll ensure your grenades bounce in the perfectly predictable way you expect them to.

That doesn’t mean the world is flat, though. If there’s a particular piece of geometry we deem worthy to run interference, we’ll make sure there’s just the right bounce to the ounce. Shishka tells me it’s actually based on “biped collision,” which is a fancy way to say that if you don’t get caught up on it, your grenades probably won’t either.
Boneyard
Shortest section evar! Yeah, you might wanna check back next week for some Boneyard lovin’. It’s tied too closely to Invasion to take the lid off just yet. Stay Tuned.
Blamite!
We were so excited to finally dig into the Halo: Reach weapon set last week that we totally forgot to detail the pair of pastel spewing Covenant tools of destruction. Whoops. Looks like last week’s loss is this week’s gain!

http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/R...10/needler.png

The Needler is back and for the most part, you should already know what to do with it. Line up your target, fill ‘em full of crystal, and watch ‘em pop inside a cloud of deadly pink mist. There are some small differences, though. Needles will no longer track your target if your reticule isn’t red and just like the Needle Rifle’s projectiles, you won’t be rewarded with a super-combine until after your opponent’s shields have dropped.

Don’t worry too much, as long as you have someone lined up proper it’s still a quick kill and it works wonders against airborne enemies. Hamrick calls it your own personal SAM site. Six needles to take down a Spartan’s shields (seven for an Elite), six more to make them asplode.

Might sound like a lot, but trust me, it’s nice ‘n’ speedy and you’ll have plenty of pink needles in the clip.

http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/R...eedlerifle.png

The Needle Rifle is the Covenant’s answer to the DMR. You’ll want to use it at mid to long range and begin by aiming for the body until you see the shields pop. Just like the Needler, it takes six rounds to tear through a Spartan’s shielding and seven to eat through an Elite’s.

Unlike the DMR, you can hold the trigger down if you choose, though you’ll suffer significant bloom with each new shot fired and your ammunition will actually super-combine if you stick just three needles into an unshielded opponent. None of your shots will track, however.

If you go for the brainpan, you won’t need to worry about counting if you’ve already removed the shields from the equation. One needle to the dome will get the job done (and make your foe look like a pretty, pretty unicorn if you pop ‘em right between the eyes).

[BadKarma]

Olde

[Qalbert]

except it was posted on the 9th and the last post in the thread was the 8th, thus not olde (within the context of the thread)

[Insanecyclone]

Bungie say anything about the beta being streamed? I wanna watch a stream of it when it starts.