Chronique:BWU 14/03/2008

Original[modifier]

Posted by lukems at 3/14/2008 4:17 PM PDT

Vehicles, odd facts, and new playlists. Is there a map reveal? Only for detectives.

MLG Playlist Joins Halo 3’s Matchmaking

By now, chances seem reasonable that you’ve read over at MLGPro.com or some assorted news aggregate that MLG (Major League Gaming) will have a playlist exclusively dedicated to their competitive/tournament settings for Halo 3. The playlist is something we’ve been working closely with MLG on to ensure an authentic experience dictated by MLG for its Community and ours. Here’s some nuts and bolts about the playlist:

What is the MLG Playlist?

It is a 4v4 Ranked Playlist that includes a mix of Oddball, Team Slayer and King of the Hill. It is based on MLG’s v4 Gametypes and Maps

How often will “my favorite gametype” come up?

Each of the 11 gametypes appear at the exact same frequency (9.09%)

What are the Gametypes and Maps for this playlist?

The 11 gametypes are: Multi Flag CTF Narrows, Multi Flag CTF Onslaught, Multi Flag CTF The Pit, Team Oddball Guardian, Team King Construct, Team King The Pit, Team Slayer Construct, Team Slayer Guardian, Team Slayer Narrows, Team Slayer Onslaught, Team Slayer The Pit

Where is Stockpile, Bungle, Fix Ur List!

MLG owns the spec for the playlist, so we asked them this very question. Here’s what the Commish, John Nelson told us: “Stockpile has a few problems that we want to fix before including it in the MLG Playlist. The spawn system needs improvement, there are frame rate issues in split screen, and off-host Players can experience teleport lag.”

What happens when MLG changes versions or maps or updates their rules?

When MLG changes gametypes, configurations, map layouts, incorporates new maps, we hope to be as agile as possible in bringing those changes to the Matchmaking playlist and keep the MLG Playlist current with their tournament settings.

What happens to Team Hardcore? I was a 43 in that, am I a 43 in the MLG list then?

MLG’s playlist will replace the existing Team Hardcore in the Playlists, but the ranks from Team Hardcore will not carry over. Everyone’s rank will be 1 when the MLG playlist launches.

When can I play in the MLG playlist?

The playlist will be a part of the April Hopper Update

What is this crap, there are no time limits in MLG games, Bungie you’re doing it wrong!

There are a couple of MLG-sanctioned changes from the LAN tournament settings that will be included: 1. Suicide penalties and 2. There will be a time-limit on some objective games, just like there is in MLG’s Gamebattles settings.

Now, before folks freak out and go berserk over the incorporation of MLG’s games and settings into Halo 3’s matchmaking, there’s a whole mountain of ways to play your chosen variety of Halo. That diversity is pretty well represented in the playlist hoppers, which continue (and will continue) to see frequent revisions. Consolidation of old hoppers, introductions of new hoppers (both long term and weekend), are certainly fair game going forward and as always, when we have information about what those changes will be – we’ll pass it along.

Number Munchers

A bunch of folks have been asking for some statistics on Halo 3 and a while ago, Michael Williams, one of our stats and database brainiacs sent out a mail with a bunch of odds and ends statistics we’ve drummed up along the way.

All of the categories are ordered from "most played to "least played."

Controller Settings (joystick):

Default
Southpaw
Legacy
Legacy Southpaw

Controller Settings (button layout):

Default
Boxer
Green Thumb
Bumper Jumper
Walkie Talkie
Southpaw

Most Popular Emblems:

Phoenix
Jolly Roger
Valkyrie
Crossed Sword
Champion

Grifball Weekend Winners

Last week’s DoubleXP weekend in Grifball was well-received, folks filled up their social medal chests with Killionaires, some legitimately and some undoubtedly of the “I want to hear the announcer say it, so could you stand still” variety. We got a giant print out from Michael Williams in a bunch of different categories to pick the winners from and here are the categories we settled on:

Three random players whose first-ever game of Halo 3 was in Grifball
Three random players with 50 games played in the Grifball playlist
One guy found a way to suicide seven times
Top three players with the most assists
Three players with the most 3-2 wins in Grifball

We’ve taken the list of potential winners and now the Test team is investigating those players’ game histories (both in Grifball and in other playlists) to see if there’s anything nefarious at play. If folks check out, we’ll flip on Recon for them early next week. Don’t message Bungie staffers or forum mods, about the winners, folks will just have to check their helmets next week and see if they won. If it’s not turned on for you, you didn’t win. Fear not, though – we’re doling out some more Recon for folks who spend time in the Heroic DLC playlist this weekend.

Legendary DLC

The already-revealed Ghost Town will be joined by a pair of other maps in Legendary, the first of which will actually be formally unveiled Tuesday– there’s one of those press releases announcing it and concrete details about the map’s release date and other sundry details. So, much to your chagrin, the wait is a few days longer.

However, below are a bunch of images of vehicles and their custom paint jobs for their appearance on next week’s map.

Snow-capped mongoose. Chilled Scorpion. Ice-crusted treads. A kinder, gentler Hornet. Stay frosty.

The Hornet is the only vehicle from this list that has seen gameplay adjustments, in addition to the cosmetic changes. If you’ve ever used the Hornet in a custom game, its missiles-n-guns variety of dominance is an overpowered spectacle to behold. Fun as that may be for the player in the Hornet, it’s a less than awesome situation for players feeling totally helpless while the sky opens up and your Halo experience is reduced to staring at death cam.

What’s different about this version of the Hornet? Its missiles have been removed and its guns have had their effectiveness reduced. It’s less of an airborne death machine and more of an aerial support vehicle now.

Rechercher

Rechercher

Chronique:BWU 14/03/2008

Original[modifier]