THE BORE

General => Video Game Bored => Topic started by: Tieno on March 19, 2010, 05:25:05 AM

Title: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Tieno on March 19, 2010, 05:25:05 AM
Shacknews has two articles up on Reach matchmaking and playlists, which explain a couple of the features teased in the multiplayer trailer, Active Roster and The Arena.

Queue-Joining - In Halo 3, it was difficult to join friends that were already playing in a match. You had to wait until they were finished. If you started a game while you waited, they would then have to wait for you. Instead of going back and forth, Reach will support queue-joining. Simply put, Reach will automatically join up as soon as your friends are joinable.

Streamlined Party-Up - After a Halo 3 match, players were presented with the option to "Party Up" and merge lobbies with all willing players. In Reach, it will be an opt-out system. After a match, players will be kept together and it will automatically roll into looking for the next match. The system is flexible enough to allow Bungie to determine, per playlist, whether to keep a team together and find a new set of opponents or keep an entire game together and move onto the next map.

Active Roster - This is a throwback to Halo 2. When you boot up Reach, right at the main menu or lobby, you'll see a list of what your Xbox Live friends are doing within Reach. You'll get detailed information about any friends playing Reach including who they are partied with, what game they are in (plus score and remaining time), and more. Basically, Bungie wants to make it so that you do not have to utilize the Xbox Live Guide to find out what your buddies are doing in Reach.

(http://i43.tinypic.com/2462pg1.jpg)


Improved Voting System - Halo: Reach will utilize a new voting system, which Bungie described as "Veto 2.0". Each playlist will provide players with four options. The first will be a combination of map and gametype, much like you would see in Halo 3. The other three options will offer players additional choices to vote on. Thankfully, you'll know up front what your four options are so you no longer have to risk voting down a favored map, but unfavored gametype and getting an unfavored combination.
(http://i43.tinypic.com/2i1fpdi.jpg)

The Arena System - A Ranked Set of Playlists for the Hardcore Community

Possibly the largest change coming in Halo: Reach is the Arena. This is a Slayer and Team Slayer set of playlists entirely geared toward the hardcore. If that wasn't enough, players will be rated and placed into skill divisions in month-long seasons.

The rating system is smart enough to realize that kills aren't the only determining factor behind skill. This is especially true for team games where assists play a huge roll. Similarly, players that have a greater kill/death ratio (had more kills than deaths) will rank higher than players that die as much as they kill.

The divisions are Onyx, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Steel. It is possible to move up or down within a single season. To qualify for ranking, players will have to play a certain number of games a day to gain a "Daily Ranking", which will be an average of a player's best games from the day. To get a divisional ranking and compete in a season, players will need a certain number of Daily Rankings.

Casual gametypes will not appear in Arena playlists. You won't be seeing Rocket Race or Fiesta here.

Even though Arena is geared toward top-level players, it should help less skilled players avoid being matched up against people they have no chance of winning against.

The second article focuses on Arena.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Jansen on March 19, 2010, 06:28:02 AM
the queue joining and party up features sound get. can't wait till may :)
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: chronovore on March 19, 2010, 08:35:47 AM
So kill assists are in. Weren't those in TF2... and Shadowrun?
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Chinner on March 19, 2010, 09:44:05 AM
Doesn't really rival  PC GAMING, but for a console game its pretty awesome and makes me giddy.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: brawndolicious on March 19, 2010, 10:02:44 AM
Doesn't really rival  PC GAMING.
are you serious?  I can't think of a PC game with such a thorough matchmaking system.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Chinner on March 19, 2010, 10:10:50 AM
The only thing i miss about Bungie's system is the lobby system, but otherwise I prefer just being about to pick stuff of server lists. I know it's different in the US, but in UK/EU it takes frigging ages to find a match in H3, and even then you're not guaranteed to actually like the map/gametype.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: archie4208 on March 19, 2010, 10:26:00 AM
Doesn't really rival  PC GAMING.
are you serious?  I can't think of a PC game with such a thorough matchmaking system.

>Implying matchmaking is better than dedicated servers.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: brawndolicious on March 19, 2010, 10:36:10 AM
it is if you want to play ranked games.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: cool breeze on March 19, 2010, 11:06:17 AM
Queue-Joining sounds like the auto-join stuff from Counter-Strike.  Was nice when you had preferred servers and didn't want to sit around refreshing until there was an open slot.

I thought his was posted before, but the only change I want them to make is to let me play the campaign co-op with people who aren't on my friends list.  Even PDZ lets you.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: tiesto on March 19, 2010, 12:06:18 PM
Honest question... do people still care about Halo? I always thought the online FPS fans left it for COD.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 19, 2010, 12:09:13 PM
I don't think Halo 3 has ever dropped out of the Top 10 most played games on Xbox Live. It's always been and will continue to be, immensely popular.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 19, 2010, 12:10:32 PM
Yeah, this is the Xbox Live activity for last week:

Xbox 360 Top LIVE Titles (based on UU’s)
1    Modern Warfare 2
2    Halo 3
3    Call of Duty: WaW
4    FIFA 10
5    Battlefield Bad Co. 2
6    Call of Duty 4
7    GTA IV (Purchase the full game for direct download )
8    Toy Soldiers
9    Gears of War 2
10    Left 4 Dead 2

... Halo 3 still killin' it.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Beezy on March 19, 2010, 12:31:58 PM
Toy Soldiers in the top 10 :bow
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: AdmiralViscen on March 19, 2010, 12:39:01 PM
Halo 3 has never fallen below number 2, and it's never been anything but #1 for full-year stats.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Bloodwake on March 19, 2010, 12:48:54 PM
Yup, I'm fucking pumped for this. Love Halo multiplayer.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: chronovore on March 19, 2010, 01:25:01 PM
Toy Soldiers in the top 10 :bow

This is telling of how little I understand the genre, but: How does a tower defense game do multiplayer?
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Stoney Mason on March 19, 2010, 02:47:58 PM
Yeah, this is the Xbox Live activity for last week:

Xbox 360 Top LIVE Titles (based on UU’s)
1    Modern Warfare 2
2    Halo 3
3    Call of Duty: WaW
4    FIFA 10
5    Battlefield Bad Co. 2
6    Call of Duty 4
7    GTA IV (Purchase the full game for direct download )
8    Toy Soldiers
9    Gears of War 2
10    Left 4 Dead 2

... Halo 3 still killin' it.

FPSBox :yuck






View Steam players per game
 
     76,181    84,838         Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - Multiplayer
     73,244    82,750         Counter-Strike: Source
     60,291    72,054         Counter-Strike
     18,696    19,383         Team Fortress 2
     16,078    20,101         Football Manager 2010
     13,329    19,357         Battlefield: Bad Company 2
     10,121    11,313         Left 4 Dead 2
     7,993    8,348         Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
     7,356    7,776         Condition Zero
     7,301    7,825         Empire: Total War

FPS PC Box  :teehee
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Raban on March 19, 2010, 02:55:15 PM
I really can't believe MW2 is still so fucking popular.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Stoney Mason on March 19, 2010, 02:59:14 PM
I really can't believe MW2 is still so fucking popular.

Game comes from a popular series. Game sells over 15 million copies by now. Game constantly has 700K to 800k playing it every evening. Nothing to be really surprised about in the least outside of people's individual taste of which shooters they like.

It will stay #1 until Halo Reach comes out and probably won't ever drop out of the top 5 during the entire life of the 360 life span.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Don Flamenco on March 19, 2010, 03:35:24 PM
:teehee

Anybody has PS3 stats? Would be interesting. UC2, KZ2 and then what? Sports games? GT5:P?


1. Flow
2. Flower
3. .detuned
4.  Linger In Shadows
5.  Everyday Shooter
6.  Piyotama
7.  Pain
8.  Super Rub A Dub
9.  Uncharted 2
10. Killzone 2
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Draft on March 19, 2010, 04:09:26 PM
I really can't believe MW2 is still so fucking popular.
MW2 :bow

distinguished mentally-challenged as hell, but also distilled fun.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: dark1x on March 19, 2010, 04:32:44 PM
Doesn't really rival  PC GAMING.
are you serious?  I can't think of a PC game with such a thorough matchmaking system.

>Implying matchmaking is better than dedicated servers.
It all depends on what you are looking for.

This sounds fantastic.  I can't stand outdated server browsing at all, but I realize there are still some people that won't give it up.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Stoney Mason on March 19, 2010, 04:36:03 PM
As I posted in the other thread I really respect Bungie's attempt to expand on the matchmaking as they always do.

Halo in general could also use some improvements on that front. My main issues when I played Halo 3 way back in the day were.

A.) Slow as shit matchmaking
B.) Lack of playlists
C.) No drop in support for new players into a game. If some people don't want that then give me different playlists that do support it.

Those were my main gripes I remember from back in the day. I'm not sure if they ever addressed those as I haven't played Halo 3 in quite awhile.

Also I prefer matchmaking to server lists although some games have been able to incorporate both.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: tehjaybo on March 19, 2010, 04:47:25 PM
:hyper
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: ManaByte on March 19, 2010, 05:16:11 PM
I really can't believe World at War is still so fucking popular.

Fixed.

World at War has infinitely better MP than MW2.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: drew on March 19, 2010, 05:28:41 PM
I don't think Halo 3 has ever dropped out of the Top 10 most played games on Xbox Live. It's always been and will continue to be, immensely popular.

yeah, amongst morons
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Himu on March 19, 2010, 05:48:13 PM
I'll stick to L4D2 and TF2, thanks.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Don Flamenco on March 19, 2010, 05:55:38 PM
i like halo better than cod.   8)
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: drew on March 19, 2010, 09:51:51 PM
pretty much, sci fi sci schmi, who gives a shit, i was talking about halo 3 players specifically, i have a lot of hope in reach to bringing halo back to the pinnacle of greatness that was halo 2, but i know deep down that it probably wont happen, i hope that im wrong though
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: archie4208 on March 19, 2010, 10:04:51 PM
I don't think Halo 3 has ever dropped out of the Top 10 most played games on Xbox Live. It's always been and will continue to be, immensely popular.

yeah, amongst morons

Name 1 better console sci-fi MP FPS.

MW2 :teehee
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: AdmiralViscen on March 19, 2010, 10:17:51 PM
Aside from some of the launch maps being shoddy, Halo 3's multi takes great shits on Halo 2's.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: drew on March 19, 2010, 10:19:44 PM
Aside from some of the launch maps being shoddy, Halo 3's multi takes great shits on Halo 2's.

lol, no, it controls like shit, you cannot honestly tell me that it has better controls than halo 2 on the xbox, not to mention armor customization, which i hate with a passion

MW2 :teehee

well played :lol
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: drew on March 19, 2010, 10:21:43 PM
dubl posh
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 19, 2010, 10:47:12 PM
Aside from some of the launch maps being shoddy, Halo 3's multi takes great shits on Halo 2's.

I'm in full agreement. Halo 3 is still fun multiplayer, it's why I haven't sold my copy or anything. I'm pretty excited about Halo Reach.

Modern Warfare 2 is popular online because it's a great online shooter. World at War and Call of Duty 4 are also good times. I don't think I'd sell any of 'em.

That said, they're all totally different, which is why HALO vs CALL OF DUTY comparisons are pretty lame. Why not enjoy them all?
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: brawndolicious on March 19, 2010, 10:48:28 PM
armor customization was just cosmetic, it doesn't matter.  but I thought the controls were a lot better with how they retuned the dual-wielding.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: drew on March 19, 2010, 10:53:31 PM
i used to play mlg gametype customs with people exclusively in halo 2, i guess youd only agree with me if you were coming from the same angle, of course armor is only cosmetic but it doesnt mean i cant hate it
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: originalz on March 19, 2010, 11:14:26 PM
Hahahaha, Halo 2's multiplayer was completely messed up, the balance was complete shit.  You might as well have just flipped a coin to see what your odds were of winning a match once you reached high-level play, regardless of your skill.

Halo 3 is much, much better.  I still think that the original Halo was the best, but I'd never touch H2 again.

I think that the skill difference in being a "good" player between H3 and MW2 is pretty damn significant.  I like playing games like MW2, but I always go back to H3 in the end since it really feels like you're in control of what's going on in a match.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: AdmiralViscen on March 19, 2010, 11:30:57 PM
Bumper Jumper > *


Oh for MLG play, BR was better in Halo 2. Everything else is worse.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: cool breeze on March 20, 2010, 12:01:01 AM
Halo 3 as a whole was just Halo 2 refined and with those equipment things the X button activated added (which were pretty lame). 
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Stoney Mason on March 20, 2010, 01:45:23 AM
That said, they're all totally different, which is why HALO vs CALL OF DUTY comparisons are pretty lame. Why not enjoy them all?

Because then you wouldn't get internet cool points for being in the "right" clique.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: Green Shinobi on March 20, 2010, 02:27:50 AM
Honest question... do people still care about Halo? I always thought the online FPS fans left it for COD.

Halo is vastly superior to COD.
Title: Re: Bungie reinvents and revolutionizes online gaming for the umpteenth time.
Post by: drew on March 20, 2010, 03:35:06 AM
Oh for MLG play, BR was better in Halo 2. Everything else is worse.

mhm

and imo the aiming has no sweet spot like it did in halo 2, in halo 3 one option is too sluggish but the next one above it is too fast (i forget where it happens)