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[Prophet Steve]

Are there still somebody who are in the beta and want to play with me, bobs and monkey?

 

[bobs...onGaf]

Guys, im still on the Beta, what the hell? Gaf get on!

 

[Hiro_Kunimi_80]

i can't stand any more

 

[Dirtbag]

Ghaleon I have to disagree about the UI being perfect.
All the text was just too small. If three things happen at once when I think I kill someone ingame, its really really hard to read and see if I got a kill. I'm playing on a 46" LCD 1080p bravia color calibrated to perfection. It ain't my eyes. Even down to the arena stars 1-5, I would have trouble making them out from each other at times.

 

[Hey You]

I've heard of people still playing the beta(like people in here for example). I tried again just now, and I'm getting the same message "Playlist data pending download..".



I see some of my friends are trying to play still too

 

[Striker]

Melee lunge can stay away. No reason a Ghost, Chopper, or Mongoose driver can drive by you and your model will plunge his way into the driver because of the ridiculous lunge. At least now it is based on time and simultaneously hitting the melee. From Halo 1-3, Halo 1 had the best melee combat bar none.

As long as the double melee is ditched, it'll be more efficient and less of the player trying to spam the RB button instead of shooting his weaon.

 

[PedroLumpy]

I'll agree with those melee comments. I think melee, in many games, serves a great purpose in removing the really awkward and stupid circle strafe battles from old games back in the day. I don't suppose any of you have played MAG? It has no lock on or lunge in its melee system, and just results in stupid circle dance knife waving competitions. The quick and clean encounters that result from systems like Halo, COD etc. etc. are much much better than the alternative. Although I suppose really I think the 'lock on' is way more important than any lunge.

Not that they're always perfect.... (COMMANDOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooo!)

 

[electricpirate]

Summary Thoughts
*snip*

Lot's of interesting point. I don't agree with everything, most of all the bloom section, but I think your thoughts on the melee bash, partial health damage sounds like a great idea there. You're breakdown on the weird feeling of Melee is really good too.

 

[Dirtbag]

Lot's of interesting point. I don't agree with everything, most of all the bloom section, but I think your thoughts on the melee bash, partial health damage sounds like a great idea there. You're breakdown on the weird feeling of Melee is really good too.

make an argument for bloom then in the context of his point.
cause if there is one, I don't see it.

 

[The Librarian]

edit: Dax did you really have to quote his post? he is the first post on the very same page!!

Feels good, man.

 

[Sanic]

Didn't get a chance to play the beta at all the last three days due to work, but I want to thank Bungie for allowing me to play anything at all. Good luck with finishing up the rest of the game. I look forward to playing the completed (great) product this fall.

 

[WJD]

Bloom should only be acceptable for the AR, PR and Sniper(at a stretch). Other than that I find it to be a pretty pointless change made for the sake of making change.

 

[Popeck]

edit: Dax did you really have to quote his post? he is the first post on the very same page!!

Yeah, quoting like that is almost as irritating as using then instead of than when it clearly shouldn't be used.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Ghaleon I have to disagree about the UI being perfect.
All the text was just too small. If three things happen at once when I think I kill someone ingame, its really really hard to read and see if I got a kill. I'm playing on a 46" LCD 1080p bravia color calibrated to perfection. It ain't my eyes. Even down to the arena stars 1-5, I would have trouble making them out from each other at times.

I didn't have an issue with it, but then I sit fairly close to the TV. Certainly there's room for a larger font, so there's no reason not to bump it up. I think on one of the podcasts someone said the font was being increased slightly.

At any rate, I was referring to the overall implimentation. In addition to everything Halo 3 had, Reach adds health, location call outs, armor ability and its recharge status, yet still manages to look pretty clean. It's just a huge amount of information that somehow looks minimal to me.

 

[Lothars]

So from playing the Reach Beta, I would go as far to say to me it's the best halo multiplayer yet especially compared to Halo 2 and well it's not perfect I definitely think it has a good change to be better than Halo 3 as well.

I look forward to the full game, I suspect it will be something I will play for a long time.

 

[Kibbles]

I was going to write my own impressions, but instead, I'll just say "Fuck it" and agree with this entire post. That was easy!

Same here :lol Although I completely disagree with the Boneyard comments. I loved Invasion and thought it was enjoyable on the map. I won and lost games on both sides pretty fairly, imo.

 

[electricpirate]

make an argument for bloom then in the context of his point.
cause if there is one, I don't see it.

I didn't intend to make another bloom post but heeeerrrrreeee we goooo.

I like bloom because:

1) it allows weapons with wider roles in the sandbox
2) it adds a layer of depth to the combat for those that can master it
3) I like the "Risk vs. reward gameplay"

I think Bloom needs tweaking because:
1) Visual expansion of reticules does not always correspond to actual accuracy. For example, the DMR when zoomed is much more accurate then the visual indication bloom would have you believe.
2) reticles are hard to see, and the 4 point pistol reticle dosesn't give enough feedback for the range of inaccuracy.
3) red reticle should be a guarantee of a hit, with a dot for a guarnteed headshot. The system goes in this direction, but it doesn't go far enough.
4) DMR isn't accurate enough when unzoomed/standing
5) Bloom should shoot out farther on one shot, and retract more quickly. This would reward better shooting.

 

[A Penguin]

I miss Reach netcode already: http://www.bungie.net/Online/Halo3UserContentDetails.aspx?h3fileid=111679528

 

[Slightly Live]

Dax agreeing with every single thing Ghaleon says? I'm so shocked.

 

[electricpirate]

Same here :lol Although I completely disagree with the Boneyard comments. I loved Invasion and thought it was enjoyable on the map. I won and lost games on both sides pretty fairly, imo.

Actually, that's a pretty good point. I love boneyard, even though I don't like stage 3 of invasion, stages 1 and 2 are sweet, sweet awesomeness though.

 

[bobs...onGaf]

It's not really crouching, then, is it, it's pulling your legs up. It should be on a different button and explained to skilled players so they have that advantage.

Really, though, I don't know why that's in there at all, it just introduces another element outside of the player's control in competitive matchmaking scenarios. MLG will turn it off, anyway, so I don't have to worry about it.

Shake your posts have been epic today. :lol

 

[Doodis]

Ghaleon I have to disagree about the UI being perfect.
All the text was just too small. If three things happen at once when I think I kill someone ingame, its really really hard to read and see if I got a kill. I'm playing on a 46" LCD 1080p bravia color calibrated to perfection. It ain't my eyes. Even down to the arena stars 1-5, I would have trouble making them out from each other at times.

Most games make me wonder if:

A) The text is too small
B) My TV is too crappy
C) I need glasses

I've not yet come to a conclusion on any.

 

[brokenwatch]

I really disliked the squad feature of invasion (separating everybody into groups of 2). It made it hard to see where my teammates were and what they were doing. For example, I could never tell quickly if both of the first objectives were guarded. It's also difficult to tell if the person who quit is on your team or the other team.

With that said I liked the idea of always spawning near one person who I could try to work with, in practice this never happened. I also ran into a couple of cases where I was stuck spawning on them, and they were in enemy territory or under attack and I could not spawn until they died; there were no other choices for places to spawn.

 

[Cuban Legend]

Guys, im still on the Beta, what the hell? Gaf get on!

same here. I've been sitting in the Matchmaking lobby all day.

Finding players is a pain though.

 

[feel]

Brilliant post Ghaleon!! <3

Ghaleon I have to disagree about the UI being perfect.
All the text was just too small. If three things happen at once when I think I kill someone ingame, its really really hard to read and see if I got a kill. I'm playing on a 46" LCD 1080p bravia color calibrated to perfection. It ain't my eyes. Even down to the arena stars 1-5, I would have trouble making them out from each other at times.

But I agree with this. I think the menus in the previous Halos looked much better.

Functionally, it's fantastic (once "party details" and "service record" are in place at least) but visually, I don't find it very appealing. All the grey being used, the not highres enough drawings in the background (instead of 3d stuff like before) and grain filter make the menus look all washed out and ugly to me, plus the text is too small and light grey instead of white, doesn't pop. All the random ass player colors from active roster clashing with the greyness only makes it worse of a mess.

BTW how about an option to completely hide active roster? Wouldn't hurt.

It's stuff that in the end really doesn't matter as long as it works well, just a bit disappointing for me since I plan to stare at it a lot in the future.

Spoiler

Since I'm doing some bitching about petty stuff, I gotta get admit I was also disappointed the "press start" background art and the music, were all old stuff reused, as great as they were, I wanted some new kickass Marty tune.

And FUUUUUUU power outage kicked me out of the beta this afternoon! Didn't say goodbye to it properly.

 

[Captain Blood]

I am bummed that I haven't been able to play at all in a week. I think setting up my xbox at my girlfriends to steal internet would have been a bit much, right...RIGHT??

 

[Striker]

BTW how about an option to completely hide active roster? Wouldn't hurt.

Press Y to activate your Network, and you can choose from your own party and rest of your Active Roster.

Still liked Halo 1's Main Menu screen the most from Halo 1-3.

 

[Major Williams]

I didn't intend to make another bloom post but heeeerrrrreeee we goooo.

I like bloom because:

1) it allows weapons with wider roles in the sandbox
2) it adds a layer of depth to the combat for those that can master it
3) I like the "Risk vs. reward gameplay"

I think Bloom needs tweaking because:
1) Visual expansion of reticules does not always correspond to actual accuracy. For example, the DMR when zoomed is much more accurate then the visual indication bloom would have you believe.
2) reticles are hard to see, and the 4 point pistol reticle dosesn't give enough feedback for the range of inaccuracy.
3) red reticle should be a guarantee of a hit, with a dot for a guarnteed headshot. The system goes in this direction, but it doesn't go far enough.
4) DMR isn't accurate enough when unzoomed/standing
5) Bloom should shoot out farther on one shot, and retract more quickly. This would reward better shooting.

This is not in the context of his point.

You made your own bullet point list and did not reference him in retort.

 

[Prophet Steve]

And we cannot play anymore. That was it, the waiting game has began.

 

[electricpirate]

This is not in the context of his point.

You made your own bullet point list and did not reference him in retort.

Basically, from my own experiments with bloom, and watching Eazy's vids, I came to the conclusion that bloom is heavily related to a) how you aim, and b) there is absolutely an optimal firing pattern for a certain range, and getting out of that firing pattern means you die. Maybe you pull out a really occasional lucky kill, or get beat by a lucky spammer, but I found that pretty rare. Winning close range pistol fights I've found is much more about how well you can keep a pistol reticle (that's hard as hell to control) over a moving opponent, than how the bloom treats it.

And yes, at a very certain range, it becomes more viable to spam three body shots than it does to make one headshot, but that's okay with me, because that's the kind of snap second strategic decision that I love about Halo.

But in the end, at a fundamental level, the observations I took about bloom from the game appear to be different than the observations that he took about it.

 

[Hydranockz]

Basically, from my own experiments with bloom, and watching Eazy's vids, I came to the conclusion that bloom is heavily related to a) how you aim, and b) there is absolutely an optimal firing pattern for a certain range, and getting out of that firing pattern means you die. Maybe you pull out a really occasional lucky kill, or get beat by a lucky spammer, but I found that pretty rare. Winning close range pistol fights I've found is much more about how well you can keep a pistol reticle (that's hard as hell to control) over a moving opponent, than how the bloom treats it.

And yes, at a very certain range, it becomes more viable to spam three body shots than it does to make one headshot, but that's okay with me, because that's the kind of snap second strategic decision that I love about Halo.

But in the end, at a fundamental level, the observations I took about bloom from the game appear to be different than the observations that he took about it.

I think I love you.

Might I just mention Eazy's pics of the bloom with the pistol (at least, I think those were his). It showed the shot that killed had the spartan in the lower left of the circle, barely visible. If the shooter got the kill... isn't that because he had a veeeery small chance to hit? I mean come on, it's how much of the spartan that can get hit over the area of the circle (assuming that bloom works by placing the shot to any random spot on the cirle with no weighting). Obviously, the shooter did not have a 50% chance to hit him. I would say it was 10 or less. It was luck. It had a 90% chance to go anywhere else.

 

[dslgunstar]

Did anybody else actually enjoy Invasion Slayer once they got used to it?

I dont think it was a revolution or anything, but I enjoyed fighting over territories to secure power weapons instead of just fighting over their respawn location.

That, and I really enjoyed the Spartans vs. Elites dynamic. Spartans have to be smart, use teamwork and AAs effectively, while Elites have a speed and health advantage.

It was something different, and I liked it.

 

[electricpirate]

Did anybody else actually enjoy Invasion Slayer once they got used to it?

I dont think it was a revolution or anything, but I enjoyed fighting over territories to secure power weapons instead of just fighting over their respawn location.

That, and I really enjoyed the Spartans vs. Elites dynamic. Spartans have to be smart, use teamwork and AAs effectively, while Elites have a speed and health advantage.

It was something different, and I liked it.

I could never get in a game voting for slayer .

But I did generally like the Asymetric fights that were going on, except in SvE slayer.

 

[Hydranockz]

Did anybody else actually enjoy Invasion Slayer once they got used to it?

I dont think it was a revolution or anything, but I enjoyed fighting over territories to secure power weapons instead of just fighting over their respawn location.

That, and I really enjoyed the Spartans vs. Elites dynamic. Spartans have to be smart, use teamwork and AAs effectively, while Elites have a speed and health advantage.

It was something different, and I liked it.

I sort of did. Quitters kill it though. I find that the matches never feel close. They always felt like I was winning/losin by a lot even if the scores weren't far off. I don't know why that is though.

Also, spawn zones were easily abused. Some of those shield doors from normal invasion wouldn't go too far amiss imo.

 

[EazyB]

It was luck. It had a 90% chance to go anywhere else.

That's precisely the point of my very limited testing. To show that the bloom introduced luck into the equation where previous there was very little (only a result of the BR's limited spread). Say that same, fully bloomed, reticule was directly aimed at the player's head instead. Assuming an even distribution that mean the player would have the same exact chance of getting a headshot (say 10%), a 40% chance of getting a body shot, and a 50% chance of completely missing. It all depends on the mood of the Halo gods.

Not sure if you caught it but this was my full response to his initial post.

 

[brokenwatch]

Did anybody else actually enjoy Invasion Slayer once they got used to it?

I dont think it was a revolution or anything, but I enjoyed fighting over territories to secure power weapons instead of just fighting over their respawn location.

That, and I really enjoyed the Spartans vs. Elites dynamic. Spartans have to be smart, use teamwork and AAs effectively, while Elites have a speed and health advantage.

It was something different, and I liked it.

No. Maybe just bad luck but I never spawned anywhere near the territory, and it would be captured long before I got there. I played it 2 or 3 times and this was my experience every time.

 

[Subtervotion]

OMG. Letters is teh Letters on XBL right? I was just watching an Achievement Hunter vid on Halo Waypoint. (The Gametype 101 vid) and when the pressed the back button, teh Letters was in the game.

Spoiler

Sorry if old!

 

[Hydranockz]

That's precisely the point of my very limited testing. To show that the bloom introduced luck into the equation where previous there was very little (only a result of the BR's limited spread). Say that same, fully bloomed, reticule was directly aimed at the player's head instead. Assuming an even distribution that mean the player would have the same exact chance of getting a headshot (say 10%), a 40% chance of getting a body shot, and a 50% chance of completely missing. It all depends on the mood of the Halo gods.

Not sure if you caught it but this was my full response to his initial post.

I didn't catch that before, cheers for the link. I see what you mean. I see both sides. I have had crazy moments with the pistol I once killed a sniper who was by the staircase of the core dropoff point while I was over bay 21. I had to wait each time otherwise there was no point firing, I'd be wasting my shots. Having said that I must have fired a whole clip or two. Then again I'd have moments where I can't kill a dude 2 feet away.

Seeing such good arguments both for and against really leave me confused as to how I feel

 

[Willeth]

So the File Share is back up again? I'm now redownloading the beta in the vain hope that I can upload these two clips and some kind soul will render them for me.

EDIT: Here they are. If someone could render these for me before it can't be done I would really appreciate it.

http://www.bungie.net/Stats/Reach/FileDetails.aspx?fid=1500400

http://www.bungie.net/Stats/Reach/FileDetails.aspx?fid=1500409

E2: Never mind, they're cooking

 

[feel]

OMG. Letters is teh Letters on XBL right? I was just watching an Achievement Hunter vid on Halo Waypoint. (The Gametype 101 vid) and when the pressed the back button, teh Letters was in the game.

Spoiler

Sorry if old!

wut

*boots waypoint and hopes not to be getting embarrassed on the vid*

 

[Willeth]

Hah, wow. Render time projections are through the roof, apparently. Oh well.

 

[Hydranockz]

Hah, wow. Render time projections are through the roof, apparently. Oh well.

Oh? Years?

 

[soldat7]

The UI was indeed a disaster. When in the menu, I kept thinking my TV was swiveled to the side.

I'm going to laugh at you guys when you start complaining about the nerfed grenades in the fall.

 

[Willeth]

More than half an hour for a 2:30ish film.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

well i'm sure glad I took my 3 week vacation to aus during the time the reach beta was on. I wonder if it was good...

 

[Subtervotion]

wut

*boots waypoint and hopes not to be getting embarrassed on the vid*

:lol :lol Did you see it?

I hope you're not the guy they make fun of!

 

[purnoman3000]

One thing I disliked about Armor abilities is the inclusion of armor lock. I find all the other abilities do something to accelerate the pace of the game while armor lock grinds encounters to a halt, turning it into a game of counting to 10 and peekaboo. It just seemed out of place as a defensive abilities amidst the mobility abilities. Just my 2 cents

 

[Tashi]

The UI was indeed a disaster. When in the menu, I kept thinking my TV was swiveled to the side.

I'm going to laugh at you guys when you start complaining about the balanced grenades in the fall.

fixed

 

[feel]

:lol :lol Did you see it?

I hope you're not the guy they make fun of!

Nah, I was for sure one of the guys running after that one that was moving a flag away from our own zone screaming "WHAT ARE YOU DOIN!". :lol

I'm for sure I spent most of the time in that match just roaming some random ass part of the map looking at the textures because that was in one of my first 3 or 4 games, the first day of the F&F beta, that's why you also see some bungie employees playing. Thanks for sharing.

 

[AwesomeSyrup]

What's the chance of Urk giving us an idea about any changes for the full game in the next BWU?