The 2nd Auto-Update to Halo 3 will bring playlist changes, new achievements, the addition of a new ratings system, and new map variants, among other things. There have also been several additions to the profiles on Bungie.net, including revamped, more detailed stat pages.
Last week's Bungie Weekly Update details the rollout of the AU:
Title Update 2 will download when you log in to Halo 3 on September 23rd. Smart alecky types guessed it would be either today (the 18th) or the 23rd as we make a habit of doing our updates on pretty particular days. If you poke around youll see that some stuff has changed here on Bungie.net, some of that stuff will flick on when TU2 turns on next week, and some of it is Live now.
When TU2 goes live next week we fully expect a crazy period in Matchmaking. See, there will be a period after TU2 goes live where not everyone will have the Title Update for a number of weird reasons like: You left your box on and the TU came out so folks who turn their boxes on are getting the new patch and you're playing the previous version of the game; Your Xbox doesn't recognize a new patch (clear your boxes' cache - Go to the System blade and select Memory. Press Y on the HD symbol and then press X, X, LB, RB, X, X. If you did this properly a message will appear saying: Do you want to perform maintenance on your Xbox 360 storage device. Selet the "yes" equivalent and then boot up Halo 3) or any number of other weird issues like the host has TU2 and the client doesn't or the client has TU2 and the host is on TU1, it's going to be a bit like the end of Ghostbusters, but we promise, that even though it seems like Matchmaking has fallen into the gaping maw of cement cracks - it will climb out.
We expect all of these issues to resolve within four or five hours of TU2 going live. We will be watching it closely.
Playlist Changes
The new changes to the playlist are detailed in
last week's Bungie Weekly Update:
Ranked Playlists
Lone Wolves
Player count increases from six players to 8 players.
Team Objective
Crazy King Hill times increased to one minute. Hill Movement set to Sequence (was Random).
Team Doubles
This playlist now requires ALL content (Cold Storage, Legendary and Heroic maps are being used in Team Doubles)
Objective Gametypes have had their appearance frequency reduced.
Crazy King Hill times increased to one minute. Hill Movement set to Sequence (was Random).
Ranked Big Team Battle
This playlist is retired.
Introducing Squad Battle
Squad Battle is a Ranked six on six Playlist designed to fill some of the void left by excising Ranked Big Team Battle from the Halo 3 Playlists. Squad Battle gametypes are focused on Slayer and Capture the Flag and this playlist currently requires the Heroic Map Pack.
Social Playlists
Big Team Social
This playlist is retired.
Rocket Race
This playlist is retired.
Multi Team
Rocket Race has been added to the gametypes and set with a low weighting.
DLC Playlists
Since Big Team was cut from Social, eight on eight action is reborn in the overhauled DLC playlists section of Matchmaking. DLC Slayer and Objective are both retired. These playlists require Halo 3 Downloadable Content (at least up through Legendary, but in the case of FFA, it requires all DLC) to participate.
DLC FFA
This is an eight-player Free For All hopper focused on DLC content. The gametypes contained herein are a mix of Slayer, Objective and Infection modes.
DLC Big Team
Eight on eight Social Slayer and Objective action (Gametypes from Big Team Social)
Focused on DLC content (Requires both Heroic and Legendary Map Packs)
Hardcore Playlists
Team SWAT
Objective Gametypes, SWATGuns set to skip after veto
Weighting on all Objective games, SWATGuns and Magnums reduced
Player Damage Resistance set to 150% (was 200%), players no longer spawn with grenades
SWAT map variants now have Carbines and grenades available to pick up.
Head to Head
This playlist is retired.
You can see what playlists there are, and what the weighting is of each map and gametype in each playlist
here.
New Achievements
The 9/5/08 Bungie Weekly Update revealed that the Auto Update will add new achievements to Halo 3:
Heres a look at these achievements which can be earned via the Legendary Maps and Halo 3 Campaign:
Vidmaster Challenge: Lightswitch (0 points) Get to the rank of Lieutenant in any playlist in the new EXP progression system.
Vidmaster Challenge: 7 on 7 (0 points) Enter into any ranked or social playlist with 7 EXP on the 7th of the month.
Vidmaster Challenge: Annual (0 points) After 9/25/08, complete Halo on 4-player Legendary LIVE co-op, with Iron, and everyone in Ghosts.
Double Double (25 points) On a Legendary map, get two Double Kills during any ranked or social match.
Poor Yorick (25 points) On a Legendary map, get 3 Oddball melee kills during any ranked or social match.
Came
From
Behind (50 points) On a Legendary map, get 3 assassinations during any ranked or social match.
Defend This (50 points) On a Legendary map, get a flag melee kill during any ranked or social match.
Flag Dropped (25 points) On a Legendary map, get 2 flag carrier kills during any ranked or social match.
Road Rage (25 points) On a Legendary map, get 5 Warthog chaingun kills during any ranked or social match.
Look Both Ways (50 points) On a Legendary map, get a Splatter Spree during any ranked or social match.
As folks have seen, these arent the only achievements were adding. But without proper context, theres not a whole lot else were going to say. Stay tuned.
New Playlist Ratings System
A new Playlist Ratings system is being added to Halo 3. This ratings system will
NOT replace any of the current systems. A quick summary of the new ratings system:
The most visible change coming to Halo 3 in TU2 is the in-game addition of Playlist Ratings. Weve talked about Playlist Ratings before, but heres a quick recap:
Playlist Ratings are the playlist-level decoupling of Trueskill values (the in-game number next to your name) from Experience (the icon next to your name).
You will now have a separate military rating (based purely on EXP) in each playlist. When TU2 goes live, everyone will begin at 0 EXP. This means that being a General in a Playlist is based on how many games youve won in the Playlist, not based on the Trueskill number next to your name.
Your Trueskill values have not been reset. If someone checks your Service Record they will still see your Highest Skill.
A more detailed description of the new ranking system
here.
Major changes to matchmaking
There are six major changes to matchmaking on the way:
1. A new map variant, called Epilogue, will be added to matchmaking. Epilogue is Epitaph with all shield doors removed.
Epilogue will not replace Epitaph, it will be in matchmaking alongside it.
2. A new map variant, called Boundless, will be added to matchmaking. Boundless is Snowbound with all shield doors except
these and
these removed.
Boundless will not replace Snowbound, it will be in matchmaking alongside it.
3. A new map variant, called Sandtarp, will be added to matchmaking. Sandtarp is Sandtrap without the Elephant vehicle on the map, and with the team spawns swapped for one-sided gametypes.
Sandtarp will not replace Sandtrap, it will be in matchmaking alongside it.
4. A new map variant, called Pit Stop, will be added. Pit Stop is The Pit with inaccessible spawn hives.
Pit Stop will not replace The Pit, it will be in matchmaking alongside it.
5. Ghost Town will no longer appear in any symmetrical gametype.
6. In Team Slayer, the player will now spawn with the magnum as a secondary weapon in AR start games.
There are also:
Some smaller, more under-the-hood changes that will occur. For example, some GAFers who played Halo 3 with AU2 in affect at PAX believe that AU2 gives grenades a damage boost.
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EDIT:
The Auto-Update is avalible now. Bungie.net has a write-up that details the new Playlist ratings system
here.
The write-up about the Playlist ratings, for the lazy:
Playlist Ratings
The other major outward facing component of TU2 is the addition of Playlist Ratings to Halo 3. In a nutshell, playlist ratings are the playlist-level decoupling of Trueskill values (the in-game number next to your name) from Experience (the icon next to your name). You will now have a separate military rating (based purely on EXP) in each playlist. So this means that being a General in a playlist is based on how many games youve won in the playlist, not based on the Trueskill number next to your name. Your Trueskill values are NOT being reset. If someone checks your service record, they will still see your Highest Skill.
The most important thing to note here is that nothing is being taken away you are not losing your existing global ratings. We are in fact ADDING new stats via per-playlist EXP and ratings.
To further clarify things, I asked Tyson (Multiplayer Designer) and Shishka (Playlist Designer) to answer a few questions on this topic.
Hey guys, one of the main points of interest for TU2 is the addition of a new online rating system. What all does this entail?
Tyson: In TU2, our rating system is starting to track a rating per playlist, in addition to your traditional global performance rating. As you earn EXP in each playlist, you can earn a rating specific to that playlist, to show off your progress in the playlist of your choice. Of course, your old ratings remain fully intact and will continue to progress.
What will this ultimately mean for players?
Tyson: More stats, in the form of more detailed breakdown of your progress. If you spend most of your time in Team Slayer, youll be able to see the progress youre making there.
How does this new system differ from the previous ranking framework?
Tyson: The nice thing is that it doesnt change any of the old ratingsyour prior accomplishments remain fully intact. When youre sitting in a playlist lobby, you will see the new rating symbols instead of the old global ones, but your global rating is still front-and-center in your service record.
Why was the decision made to implement this new rating system?
Tyson: Two reasons: first, so that people who prefer to play in particular playlists can compare themselves more directly against other people in that playlist. Second, so that players who are a long way from meeting the EXP requirement for their global rating have some new, more immediate feedback regarding their progress.
Will the EXP I earn in playlists count toward my global rating?
Shishka: Yes. Thats why we call it your global rating.
How does this affect Double EXP weekends? Could I become a General in Griffball?
Shishka: Double EXP weekends will continue to make a regular appearance in Halo 3 for the foreseeable future. Yes, it is potentially possible to become a General in a double EXP weekend playlist, and yes, it will occur in half the time itd take to become a General in a regular playlist.
