Halo: Reach

[cool breeze]

It works on my account no problem, you guys do whatever you want... figure it out

It works on my account just fine because I was the original console downloader. It's like that for XBLA games.

I'm not signed in at all to the dummy

alright

so if you don't mind, I'm just gonna try a match and pass it on to skidmark.

[demi]

It looks ok. It's still very Halo. Theres obvious upgrades but that nasty blur is still there. I just toyed around with Headhunter and got my ass whooped of course, lol. I'm not good at Halo.

[Skidmark]

shall we set something like an hour each? so we get time to test it out and then pass the account details through a pm to the next person in line?

[cool breeze]

shall we set something like an hour each? so we get time to test it out and then pass the account details through a pm to the next person in line?

sure

I'm sending you info now

First impression of the beta: DOPE

The jetpack, sprint, and super shield are fucking awesome.  I don't play stealth so I'm not liking the invisibility, but otherwise this is awesome.  The best kill was hitting the shield as two bozos tried to gang up on me.  Knocked down their shields on release and they got screwed by their own grenades.

Also, not a big deal, but the game didn't look as good as it seemed it would from the videos

I'm not gonna play anymore tonight, btw.  You guys should have a chance to try it out.

[Skidmark]

I recovered the gamertag but I can't find the game, do I have to download it from somewhere or is it supposed to get downloaded to my hard disk when I recover the gamertag? It probably skipped it because I didn't have enough space on my hard disk.

Anyway, I will skip my turn this time and pass the details to the next person in line, I hope it works out for me the next time.

[demi]

You go to download history in Account Information

[Skidmark]

I finished playing and have sent a pm with the account details to AdmiralViscen.

This was the first time I sit down and play Halo alone, I am really not used to the controllers, I played three matches, all sucked except the second one. The game seems awesome and I will hopefully get it.

[demi]

If all youve played is COD, Halo will feel like... well, crap

[Skidmark]

I am going to jump in and play for a while, if anybody wants the account to play just leave a message here and I will sign out.

[G The Resurrected]

If all youve played is COD, Halo will feel like... well, crap

So true.

It feels more like a game for the ADD generation. In other words its like a kids game. I do like the new abilities and its still fun, and by fun I mean getting your ass kicked by douchebags every 5 seconds kind of fun.

[Stoney Mason]

Hopefully Gamefly sends out my copy of ODST. Unfortunately it says Medium availability. And I've seen games sit in my queue at medium for awhile.

From the early impressions I'm reading, it seems to still very much be an iteration on Halo which is probably very good news for Halo fans but slightly less good news for me since I was kinda looking for it to change a lot of Halo and be more class based.

Either way I'm curious to try it out. Hopefully next week I will be able to.

[Skidmark]

I don't think anybody is using demi's account right, I can send you the details if you would like to try it now.

[Vizzys]

Hopefully Gamefly sends out my copy of ODST. Unfortunately it says Medium availability. And I've seen games sit in my queue at medium for awhile.

you can blame me if you like

[Stoney Mason]

I don't think anybody is using demi's account right, I can send you the details if you would like to try it now.

Thanks Skidmark but I wouldn't be able to give it a try at this time. Thank for looking out though. How do you like it? I know you are relatively new to Halo right?

you can blame me if you like

lulz. Yeah I should have put it in my queue like a week earlier but I kinda forgot when the beta was starting.

[Skidmark]

I don't think anybody is using demi's account right, I can send you the details if you would like to try it now.

Thanks Skidmark but I wouldn't be able to give it a try at this time. Thank for looking out though. How do you like it? I know you are relatively new to Halo right?

I am having a lot of trouble with the controls layout, my primary weapon sucks, I need to shoot two magazines into an enemy before he dies. People are also able to kill me with just one knife hit meanwhile I need to shoot a magazine and then melee them twice before I knock them down. I also don't know where to place the flags that I just capture so I just leave them around my team mates. 

This is the first time that I play Halo, I better watch some tutorials on youtube so I can do something about all my assists.
It is a lot different than what I am used to playing but it has been fun so far and I am sure it will be more fun when I get some basic skills.

[Stoney Mason]

Halo 3 was all about the battle rifle and shooting people at sort of mid-range distance. I'm not sure if Reach is balanced in the same manner though. Also learning how to use the melee was key to that series.

I'm sure some other people here though could give you much better tips as I was never an especially good Halo player, especially at 3.

[AdmiralViscen]

I can't play till tonight.

Halo Reach is definitely more about the long game than Halo 3 was.

Also lol @ Halo being more ADD than CoD

[cool breeze]

yeah, CoD is THE ADD multiplayer game.  Reach seems like it is trying to become a bit faster with abilities, but it is still considerably slower than CoD.

Outside of Hardcore, CoD has like no respawn time, you can run around the map dual wielding shotguns, throw knives, etc. all while numbers pop up making you feel good about shooting an enemy as they fell for the 5th time.  It's really fun for it.

One thing I haven't read was if they were downplaying the importance of vehicles in multiplayer.  Reading the coverage and from the two games I playd last night, there aren't vehicles except in that one Spartan vs Elite mode.

[Stoney Mason]

lulz.

Not really going to get into this other than to say that neither game is some cerberal simulation of combat. Both games are popular for a reason. They are both widely accessible in most aspects. And twitch based. Nothing wrong with that at all.

[cool breeze]

I'm not saying Halo games are super hardcore shooters or something, just that the appeal of CoD4 and MW2 is greater because the pace is much faster.  I know that some friends that hated shooters got big into MW2.  I don't think there is anything wrong with it because I really enjoy the CoD games online, but it seems like it is crafted to provide minimal frustration and high reward.   I mean, there are death streaks to help you out if you end up dying too much.  It is a much more accessible series, I think.

[Stoney Mason]

I'm not sure speed is the key ingredient for success in a shooter on a console otherwise those quake style era games would be more popular. The key ingredient has more to do with ease of control.

Not saying I disagree with any of your points. More saying there is a reason both of those series are the breakout hits of the fps genre on consoles. Both of them have superior controls relative to other shooters for the masses and they are both the two most accessible shooters on console.

There are lots of things in each series that makes each game pretty broad. The matchmaking and the grenade chucking propensity in Halo for example. The perk system of Modern Warfare or the thumper.

Of course there are people in either game who are able to play it at a higher level but the average person is generally able to hop into either series fairly easily compared to other shooters. Which is I think the goal when they make both of these games.

[The Fake Shemp]

Grenades have less distance, but more splash damage in Reach. My timing from the rifle is all off; bullet damage has been changed. I don't like where melee is mapped. It is a different game in parts.

[OptimoPeach]

What's melee on now? It was pretty bad on B because you either had to curl your index finger down to reach it or take your thumb off the aiming stick. In 2 and 3 there was a button config that set it to left trigger and nades to B, but I could never get used to it. I'd be happy if they put it on one of the bumpers.

[Don Flamenco]

man, I held on to ODST after beating it, watching its value drop, and it turns out I don't need it cause I got a code. 

Game is pretty fun. Jetpacks was yes

[cool breeze]

What's melee on now? It was pretty bad on B because you either had to curl your index finger down to reach it or take your thumb off the aiming stick. In 2 and 3 there was a button config that set it to left trigger and nades to B, but I could never get used to it. I'd be happy if they put it on one of the bumpers.

Melee is on the right bumper now.  B button is switch grenade types.

personally, I want a config that has grenades on the right bumper with melee on the left.

[cool breeze]

Bungie

they dropped 117 codes on their site, they ran out in a second...a bit later they released like 1000 and I managed to get one of those

[Vizzys]

damn i missed out cause that shit is all gone

[AdmiralViscen]

I'm logging into the group acct right now.

[AdmiralViscen]

I only did one match but I found it underwhelming. And not just because half my team quit right away. I got more kills than the opposing team though at least, and ranked up.

http://www.bungie.net/Stats/Reach/GameStats.aspx?gameid=114346&player=demiJP

[demi]

I'm pretty sure you can play on your name, as long as demiJP is signed on XBL at the same time

[Skidmark]

I'm pretty sure you can play on your name, as long as demiJP is signed on XBL at the same time

Do you mean that I can play the beta with my own account if the demi account is signed in on another console or on xbox.com?

[demi]

demiJP has to be recovered on your console, and signed in, then you can play with your gamertag on another controller.

[AdmiralViscen]

Eh, I doubt I will play again until my friends have it too. I don't really go online alone.

[The Fake Shemp]

I'd play more, but I don't like the available game modes.

[cool breeze]

Monday they put up that big mode with vehicles and a new map, so that should be good.  Problem with the beta is that there are two maps and one of them sucks.  The sword-something map design is baffling. 

But I'm liking it.  Some of the complaints on gaf I agree with, like it some ways it feels a bit off from other Halo games, the new melee and grenades are ridiculous, but I'm still enjoying it a lot.  The best ability so far is the elite dodge/roll move, followed by the sprint.  I thought armor lock and jetpack were cool at first but they've quickly become less useful.  A guy in a jetpack is like a flying target, and for armor lock you just need to time your grenade to when they release.

And if anyone else thought the picture had ghosting in motion, it's because of the temporal aa.  I thought something was wrong with my TV at first but it turns out it was intended and ends up making it look off in motion.

actually I think the new modes might be on the 7th

[maxy]

[youtube=560,345]#![/youtube]

[Stoney Mason]

lame. Looks like I won't be getting ODST through Gamefly. It's on low availability now.

[Bloodwake]

so, when does the Beta land for us ODSTers?

[OptimoPeach]

They buffed grenades?

[cool breeze]

big time, but it's not as bad as the new melee system.  The way melee works here is that, even if the guy you're fighting has 1% shield and 1% health, the melee attack will only take down their shield and they're still alive.  Or if you take down their shield and they have 100% health, it kills them instantly.  Basically they made melee a lot less effective.

the beta is still fun and the only things I dislike are how slow you move (compared to other Halo games) and the SWAT game type.  SWAT is where they give you the semi-auto scoped rifle, sprint, and no shields.  You can take enemies out with a single headshot with this gun, but it ends up feeling like Call of Duty-lite.  The worst is that when it's an option, people vote for it.  They never vote for Elite Slayer and that mode is awesome    Elite slayer is just slayer with everyone as elites with covenant weapons.  Elites have a badass roll/dodge move that is the best ability in the game, imo.

[AdmiralViscen]

Grenades needed a buff. They've gotten weaker with each game in the series.

[Vizzys]

the download is up for disc users

2% lol

[tehjaybo]

It's up for ODST users?  I'm leaving work early to download, SEE YOU BITCHES IN GAME.

[Vizzys]

yeah but the servers are down so nobody can play atm or something

[Vizzys]

ok they worked for a while and i played some slayer


really liking it, new weapons seems nice esp the covie ones

grenades actually throw on the brink of death unlike halo2/3, that shit annoyed me so much, now im getting tons of "from the grave" grenade kills ala halo 1

sprint is probably the best ability atm, steath kinda sucks so far and armor lock probably has its uses but I havent seen anyone use it effectively

still need to try the jetpack


impressions so far: leagues better than halo 3

[cool breeze]

First game I played today:  Entered into lobby, hear 10-year old kid in an argument with black guy.  Kid uses racial slur; black guy makes fun of the kid's small penis.  The game starts, no one knows how to play, and people drop out.

Good to have the masses join in!

[brawndolicious]

You still can't join a game mid-match?

[Vizzys]

I really hate the map sword base

maybe one of halos worst maps of all time

[FatalT]

Stupid servers need to stop going down. I can't play with Viz because of their constant drops.

[Vizzys]

yeah I keep trying to join people but it never works

[MCD]

typical bungie game.

[AdmiralViscen]

Why the fuck do I have to download this again?

[demi]

Why the fuck do I have to download this again?

Because you downloaded it as demiJP - not as AdmiralViscen

[MCD]

this is...it's...

a halo game

[Ganhyun]

not really that impressed with this so far. The armor abilities kinda suck tbh, at least the armor lock and the stealth one. The jetpack was useful on getting to the top of the Covie map quickly. Sprint seems to be good to get to a weapon faster.

[tehjaybo]

First impressions from me:  I like it.

The armor lock can be used quite well.  I had a couple friends over to play the beta, and one of them absolutely loves Guard, where the other fell in love with Airborne.  Both of them use the abilities quite amazingly.  Sword Base sucks, when playing CTF we couldn't find a faster way to the top than running the ramps, and it all looks the exact same so people were constantly getting lost.  I did figure out where the shotgun (ridiculous) and sniper rifle (ridiculous) were on the map though.  I really loved the needle rifle and the new AR, as well as the DMR. 

Complaints so far: 

-Sprint should last longer
-Grenades need to be nerfed some
-DMR needs to be given some power
-Stockpile needs to die.

All in all, I really liked what I played last night, and fully look forward to playing some more tonight.  It's a lot more fun with a full group of 8 people, because you instantly get matched games, rather than waiting for the server to unfuck itself.  I had 7 last night, my friends and I, and a couple of people we picked up. 

Interesting story on the pickups, actually.  We joined a game before we had a full 8 (we were running with 4 at the time) and SWAT got voted up.  One guy said "God, SWAT sucks."  My female friend who was sitting with us and playing said "Oh?  Why is that?" to which the guy responded "Shut up, whore."  I mean, is that really necessary?  The guy then proceeded to say he was going to rape us.  So, we were all in a pretty raw mood, and proceeded to play as such.  The first kill was from the girl's husband on the guy that called her a whore, and it was a headshot.  From time to time, we would pick up the other team's chatter, and apparently there was another husband/wife couple on that team, and they were reaming the guy, and he was doing the macho "I'll keep calling you names to make my tiny penis bigger" thing. 

We kicked that dude's ass.  Then invited the other couple to join us.  Then Bloodwake joined in and we were doing pretty good.



But yeah, if anyone wants to play some later, add me on XBL.  GT is the same as my name here.

[Vizzys]

grenades are perfect, if anything maybe there should just be less of them  (none to grab on maps, maybe still some to pick up of corpes)

[tehjaybo]

Not a lot, just a little bit.  They're kind of insane at the moment.

[The Fake Shemp]

Yeah, I agree. Grenades need to be nerfed.

[AdmiralViscen]

Grenades were too pussy in the last two games. Buffing them and nerfing melee was the right idea.