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Anyway, as a quick reminder to what Halo is really about I give you this. Just a video to remind you that the game was meant as a game. For fun :P.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Funny Video
We've been pretty busy lately. Trying to redesign and get the new site up and running live. So sorry for the lack of posts. We'll be coming strong with some new content as soon as we go live with the new site, until then you'll have to bear with us. We'll get you as much content as we can.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Public Service Announcement
What up Halo Epic fans!!! It's Friday and we love Friday. Plus the DXP weekend is a good playlist, team control. Played some yesterday and plan to play much more as the weekend progresses. Just remember these are "team" games so if you want to win make sure you remember to communicate with your team. And please don't play the playlist as if it were slayer. It's not fun to be on a team with someone that does that.
Anyway, it's Friday so we are going to keep it short. We are going to get into a habit of posting every week day and then getting on XBL so we can play with you guys on the weekends. So if you want to party up with us, we should be hanging around, just throw us a message.
Which leads me to the point I wanted to make in this post. Pavilion and I have been getting a lot of stuff/messages sent to our XBL accounts. Which is cool. We dig that. The map variants, screenshots, friend requests and whatever else is great. What we ask from our readers is: if you read the blog and want to submit some content to us, let us know this. We will be much happier to respond to you if you do. Just throw a HE or a haloepic somewhere into the message. Give us something cool and you might just make the site! What up!
Another heads up to our readers. We are working on a redesign at the moment. Going to get our own domain and the whole bit. Which means we can start doing some other things as well. So if you want to see something or have an idea, let us know!! Give us something good and we might even have something good to give back.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Communication 101
No, this isn't the bullshit class you had to take your freshman year of college. I went through that, it sucked. Moving on...Anyway, Pavilion and Phoenix tagged teamed a little doubles action last night (in Halo of course). The first couple games went great, we were both playing well. We were clearly outplaying, outwitting, outlasting .... wait I think that's taken. Let's just say we were winning, handedly. We played a bunch of games in this fashion.
But then we hit a rut. Now, this is highly subjective because it was getting late and admittedly we were both tired. Then our winning streak dropped off. We tied a couple games, lost one, won one. So on and so one. So again I tried to figure out what went wrong.
My conclusion on this, which may be exactly different from what Pavilion came up with, is that we just stopped talking. Not in the sense that we didn't say anything, but that we quit telling each other where we were, what we were doing, what we should do. In the games we won, I remember us clearly pursuing some form of strategy. Rush rockets, win them, hold the bottom room. Something like that. In the last games we didn't do that, we were disjointed and didn't play as a team because of it. That's my fault as much as anyone's, but I needed to point it out. When playing a team game, you must communicate with you team. Let them know what you are doing, what the team needs to do, etc. Remember knowledge is power.
Now here is the problem. You want to communicate more, and you try but it just isn't working. There is a lot of things that you must know about the game before you can become a good communicator. First, if you turn your mic on to trash talk or just to say stupid shit this is not for you. Go watch the videos we posted on the around the page and be happy. But if you want to make yourself a better team player this is a good idea.
1. Learn where the power weapons and power ups spawn on each map and the quickest ways to get them.
2. Learn the call outs for the most played maps. Call outs are a nickname that is given to a specific location on each map. You can find some of the basic call outs in the mlg forums, here. Learn these, it won't take too long and it will help immensely when playing with someone else that knows them.
and finally...
3. Playing through the map will give you a good idea of the key combat points are. Get your team to these locations and you will find yourself winning more games.
Use these tools and you will be a player that everyone wants to play with. Plus you will win more games and have more fun. That's what the game is all about!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Crazy King
Now admittedly I'm not the best player on XBL. Not even close, Ben is much better and many of you are as well. I also know I haven't played as long as many of you, but what I have played has usually been with a good teacher (thanks Ben!). So for those of you that think you are better than me, this might not be for you. But, you might want to check it out anyway.
After that brief intro on me, I just wanted to tell you guys about a game of crazy king I played in the lone wolves playlist a couple days ago. I won this game, which is a rarity, as I normally have an intense dislike for the game style. As I went back through the game trying to figure out what I did right a light bulb came on. It wasn't so much what I did right, but rather what the others did wrong. This isn't to put those players down. It seemed they were as adequate with the stick as I was, they just missed out on a little of my strategy.
So what was this brilliant strategy that I employed? Actually, it's not brilliant. It is what every other player does in almost any other game. What I did was find a weapon that I can hold the hill with and I didn't bother trying to hold it with out it. So instead of rushing the hill with an assault rifle and grenades as my foes had done, I scoped the map for something with a bit more power. My favorite combos were battle rifle and sniper rifle, mauler, or shotgun. Nothing earth shattering. This is probably the same set up you would want to use for any other playlist. But, for some reason it seems that when people play these kind of games it is just a mad dash to the objective, rather than planning on how to get it and then protect it.
Anyway to sum it all up, don't rush the hill with a assault rifle. Sure you will earn yourself a couple points per life, but you will need 50 lives to win the match. That is unlikely to happen. Rather, find yourself a good way to protect the hill and then worry about controlling it. You'll find that you win or at least finish in the top many more times using this strategy rather than just getting to the hill asap.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Squeezing the Most Out of Your Setup
Now that Jon has enlightened everyone with the home setup of the pros, hold on to your seats - it's not over yet.
Wired controllers, low-rate TVs, headphones, and the like will all help your game line up the way it should. Low refresh rates on the screen you play on will make your shots fall as they should. Headphones will really internalize the audio and help you derive in-game cues. There's one thing that more appropriate hardware can't do for you, however, and that's improve your dexterity with the controller.
Controller settings are always a hot topic around Halo forums. What controller layout should one use for best results? What sensitivity?
Well, let's brainstorm. If much of this doesn't make sense, bear with me - it's 2 AM and I'm tired.
There exists a sort of "pro setup" that many players feel you must use to be "legit." Don't be fooled into thinking that if you aren't playing vibeless bumper jumper on a high sensitivity you aren't a good player. Yes, the most common sensitivity for MLG players is Bumper Jumper, 4-5 sensitivity, with no vibration. Let's take a look at this.
Controller Layouts
The controller layout is a very underused option for the casual Halo player. You may have never veered from the default setting, but give the others a try. You never know when you'll stumble on one that fits your style of play beyond all expectations. And with the options available in Halo 3, clawing is a thing of the past. (For those who don't know what I'm talking about, "clawing" was a technique popular in Halo CE and Halo 2 in which a player would turn their right hand to keep their index finger over the face buttons. This allowed them to jump, look, fire, and execute all of their actions with all of the necessary buttons right at their fingertips.)
- Default
Most likely, this is how you learned to play Halo. While the triggers and analogue sticks are perfectly functional, both your melee attack and jump require the shift of the thumb from the analogue stick to the face.
- Southpaw
"For lefties." Identical to the default setting except that the triggers are switched, so the same problems and advantages apply.
- Boxer
In my experience, this seems to be the most popular control scheme for casual Halo players who consider themselves pro, if you catch my drift. Again, it's virtually identical to default, except that grenade and melee are switched. Meaning that the left trigger will melee and you'll have to press B to lob a live one. Being able to maintain your aim while throwing down a melee is a big plus, but you'll sacrifice aim to throw a grenade, which is an even bigger issue. If you're a CQC kind of player, I would suggest this, if it wasn't for...
- Green Thumb
Yeah. Up until maybe a few months ago, I used to live and die by green thumb. The difference from default is that melee and zoom are switched, meaning you'll click the left stick to melee and press B to zoom your weapon. You can fire, melee, and throw grenades without having to stop your aim. Once you get used to it your melee attacks will come like lightning. Up until I re-realized the immense value of the battle rifle, I didn't think it would get any better than green thumb. Which brings us to...
- Bumper Jumper
When it comes to high-level players, this is it, the end-all-be-all of Halo control schemes. If you're trying it for the first time, be warned, this differs from default more than any other scheme. You'll jump with the left bumper and melee with the right, while you'll reload with B and change your grenade types with A. It may sound jarring, but once you're used to it, you'll be able to aim, fire, throw grenades, melee, and jump without ever having to shift your hands. All of your crucial abilities are right at your fingertips except using equipment, but that isn't nearly a frequent enough command to be a deterrent.
- Walkie Talkie
I've never actually heard of anyone using this. Left bumper will initiate your team chat while right bumper will melee. Meanwhile, B reloads, X changes your grenades, and equipment is used with up on the D-pad. Honestly, I can't think of any advantage to adjusting to this control scheme. It uses your most crucial buttons for less-than-crucial actions, putting your important stuff even farther away. But there it is.
Whichever route you choose, try to avoid this:
Stick Layouts
The stick layout options offer a couple different ways for you to use your thumbs. I've never known anyone to use anything besides default, but if your left-handedness is hardcore or Halo is your first FPS since Doom, these options may alleviate some frustration. I guess.
- Default
The default settings have the left stick for movement and the right stick for looking/aiming. I learned FPS playing Doom and Quake just like everyone else in my era and this feels totally natural.
- Southpaw
"For lefties." Again. Yes, Southpaw is a variant of both the control layout and the stick layout. For the sticks, it's the same as default only the two are switched. So you'll move with the right stick and look with the left.
- Legacy
This feels like the old PC FPS from the early 90s. Pushing the left stick forward and back will move you back and forth while left and right only look as opposed to strafe. The right stick will strafe laterally as well as adjust your vertical look. Again, I've never heard of anyone using this. But if you just can't adjust to analogue sticks that function more dynamically than the arrow keys on a keyboard, maybe this will help.
- Legacy Southpaw
Same as legacy, only the two sticks are switched. As if legacy wasn't confusing enough.
So those are your options. What's the best you ask? None. Or all. You may read all about what settings are favored by pros, but the bottom line is that it's all personal preference. I'm a bumper jumper guy, but there are pros that play default. A great deal of casual players love boxer controls.
And that leaves sensitivity. What's the best? Even moreso than the various control options, it's preference. People can recommend using difference control schemes to enhance different aspects of your combat control, but no sensitivity is any better than the rest. The most common amongst MLG players is 4-5. I'm a 5 myself. A lot of XBL players like to go high, in the 7-10 range. But it's all up to you. Choose whichever one gives you the best, most balanced control over your weapons. One suggestion, however - going below 3 will have a huge impact on your turning speed. If you get attacked from behind, don't expect to be able to turn and react in a timely manner.
Also, a word on vibration. Using the HD audio through headphones will give you the highest-quality in game cues in conjunction with the on-screen visuals. That said, vibration is unnecessary. You won't need your controller to rumble to know that someone just threw a nade at you; you'll probably see it, and if not, you'll definitely hear it, with direction to boot. Vibration will only further antagonize your hands. The last thing you need in maximizing your game is your analogue sticks vibrating everytime you shoot or get shot. It may seem like a slight detail, but believe me. Every little detail will add up over time.
Now, the boring stuff ends. Hopefully you'll use this technical information to your advantage and didn't fall asleep reading. I know the specifics of the non-screen aspect of the game can be dry and uninteresting, but it's all necessary in the quest to master Halo. The next post should be back to the good stuff, so expect an annotated gameplay video. Fiddle around, get some practice in, and we'll see you in matchmaking.
Wired controllers, low-rate TVs, headphones, and the like will all help your game line up the way it should. Low refresh rates on the screen you play on will make your shots fall as they should. Headphones will really internalize the audio and help you derive in-game cues. There's one thing that more appropriate hardware can't do for you, however, and that's improve your dexterity with the controller.
Controller settings are always a hot topic around Halo forums. What controller layout should one use for best results? What sensitivity?
Well, let's brainstorm. If much of this doesn't make sense, bear with me - it's 2 AM and I'm tired.
There exists a sort of "pro setup" that many players feel you must use to be "legit." Don't be fooled into thinking that if you aren't playing vibeless bumper jumper on a high sensitivity you aren't a good player. Yes, the most common sensitivity for MLG players is Bumper Jumper, 4-5 sensitivity, with no vibration. Let's take a look at this.
Controller Layouts
The controller layout is a very underused option for the casual Halo player. You may have never veered from the default setting, but give the others a try. You never know when you'll stumble on one that fits your style of play beyond all expectations. And with the options available in Halo 3, clawing is a thing of the past. (For those who don't know what I'm talking about, "clawing" was a technique popular in Halo CE and Halo 2 in which a player would turn their right hand to keep their index finger over the face buttons. This allowed them to jump, look, fire, and execute all of their actions with all of the necessary buttons right at their fingertips.)
- Default
Most likely, this is how you learned to play Halo. While the triggers and analogue sticks are perfectly functional, both your melee attack and jump require the shift of the thumb from the analogue stick to the face.
- Southpaw
"For lefties." Identical to the default setting except that the triggers are switched, so the same problems and advantages apply.
- Boxer
In my experience, this seems to be the most popular control scheme for casual Halo players who consider themselves pro, if you catch my drift. Again, it's virtually identical to default, except that grenade and melee are switched. Meaning that the left trigger will melee and you'll have to press B to lob a live one. Being able to maintain your aim while throwing down a melee is a big plus, but you'll sacrifice aim to throw a grenade, which is an even bigger issue. If you're a CQC kind of player, I would suggest this, if it wasn't for...
- Green Thumb
Yeah. Up until maybe a few months ago, I used to live and die by green thumb. The difference from default is that melee and zoom are switched, meaning you'll click the left stick to melee and press B to zoom your weapon. You can fire, melee, and throw grenades without having to stop your aim. Once you get used to it your melee attacks will come like lightning. Up until I re-realized the immense value of the battle rifle, I didn't think it would get any better than green thumb. Which brings us to...
- Bumper Jumper
When it comes to high-level players, this is it, the end-all-be-all of Halo control schemes. If you're trying it for the first time, be warned, this differs from default more than any other scheme. You'll jump with the left bumper and melee with the right, while you'll reload with B and change your grenade types with A. It may sound jarring, but once you're used to it, you'll be able to aim, fire, throw grenades, melee, and jump without ever having to shift your hands. All of your crucial abilities are right at your fingertips except using equipment, but that isn't nearly a frequent enough command to be a deterrent.
- Walkie Talkie
I've never actually heard of anyone using this. Left bumper will initiate your team chat while right bumper will melee. Meanwhile, B reloads, X changes your grenades, and equipment is used with up on the D-pad. Honestly, I can't think of any advantage to adjusting to this control scheme. It uses your most crucial buttons for less-than-crucial actions, putting your important stuff even farther away. But there it is.
Whichever route you choose, try to avoid this:
Stick Layouts
The stick layout options offer a couple different ways for you to use your thumbs. I've never known anyone to use anything besides default, but if your left-handedness is hardcore or Halo is your first FPS since Doom, these options may alleviate some frustration. I guess.
- Default
The default settings have the left stick for movement and the right stick for looking/aiming. I learned FPS playing Doom and Quake just like everyone else in my era and this feels totally natural.
- Southpaw
"For lefties." Again. Yes, Southpaw is a variant of both the control layout and the stick layout. For the sticks, it's the same as default only the two are switched. So you'll move with the right stick and look with the left.
- Legacy
This feels like the old PC FPS from the early 90s. Pushing the left stick forward and back will move you back and forth while left and right only look as opposed to strafe. The right stick will strafe laterally as well as adjust your vertical look. Again, I've never heard of anyone using this. But if you just can't adjust to analogue sticks that function more dynamically than the arrow keys on a keyboard, maybe this will help.
- Legacy Southpaw
Same as legacy, only the two sticks are switched. As if legacy wasn't confusing enough.
So those are your options. What's the best you ask? None. Or all. You may read all about what settings are favored by pros, but the bottom line is that it's all personal preference. I'm a bumper jumper guy, but there are pros that play default. A great deal of casual players love boxer controls.
And that leaves sensitivity. What's the best? Even moreso than the various control options, it's preference. People can recommend using difference control schemes to enhance different aspects of your combat control, but no sensitivity is any better than the rest. The most common amongst MLG players is 4-5. I'm a 5 myself. A lot of XBL players like to go high, in the 7-10 range. But it's all up to you. Choose whichever one gives you the best, most balanced control over your weapons. One suggestion, however - going below 3 will have a huge impact on your turning speed. If you get attacked from behind, don't expect to be able to turn and react in a timely manner.
Also, a word on vibration. Using the HD audio through headphones will give you the highest-quality in game cues in conjunction with the on-screen visuals. That said, vibration is unnecessary. You won't need your controller to rumble to know that someone just threw a nade at you; you'll probably see it, and if not, you'll definitely hear it, with direction to boot. Vibration will only further antagonize your hands. The last thing you need in maximizing your game is your analogue sticks vibrating everytime you shoot or get shot. It may seem like a slight detail, but believe me. Every little detail will add up over time.
Now, the boring stuff ends. Hopefully you'll use this technical information to your advantage and didn't fall asleep reading. I know the specifics of the non-screen aspect of the game can be dry and uninteresting, but it's all necessary in the quest to master Halo. The next post should be back to the good stuff, so expect an annotated gameplay video. Fiddle around, get some practice in, and we'll see you in matchmaking.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
The Best Hardware Set-Up!
It seems the adage "It's not the arrow, but the indian" holds true more often than not. There are a few examples of where that doesn't really work and this is one of them. Many will argue with me over does this really matter, that is until they try a new set-up themselves. I did the same. I didn't think I needed all this stuff either, but once I tried it I'll never go back.
So what I am going to do here is tell you exactly how to get a dominating hardware set-up, so your dominating skill can be truly dominate! In each category of item I'll give a couple options and a couple price points. I'll tell you why you need what and how much/little you need to spend on it.
The Arcade version of the 360 is the cheapest and therefore probably your worst option to go with if you need a box. It comes with everything you need, except a hard drive. A hard bargain to drive for a serious gamer, the hard drive is important. So unless you are likely to only play arcade games spend a little more on something with a hard drive.
So what I am going to do here is tell you exactly how to get a dominating hardware set-up, so your dominating skill can be truly dominate! In each category of item I'll give a couple options and a couple price points. I'll tell you why you need what and how much/little you need to spend on it.
The Basics
Of course, as anyone knows (and probably already have) you will need an xbox 360 and a copy of the game. Need the game? Get that here
. This is your starting point. For the beginner's sake I'll break down the different type of 360's available. There are only three and there really isn't any drastic differences between the three.
. This is your starting point. For the beginner's sake I'll break down the different type of 360's available. There are only three and there really isn't any drastic differences between the three. 
The Arcade version of the 360 is the cheapest and therefore probably your worst option to go with if you need a box. It comes with everything you need, except a hard drive. A hard bargain to drive for a serious gamer, the hard drive is important. So unless you are likely to only play arcade games spend a little more on something with a hard drive. $199 Buy
The Pro version is the 360 I would recommend. This is the white version of the box and includes everything you need to start playing. Upgrading from the Arcade unit is the 60GB hard drive, which with all the new things you can do on Xbox Live (XBL) will come in handy.
The Elite version is the most expensive of all the models currently available. It does also give you the most stuff. Do you need all this stuff? No, not really. Upgrades from the Pro are a 120 GB hard drive, and HDMI cable, and a sexy black finish. Are any of these necessary. Not in the slightest if you take my advice. Unless of course you want the black finish. It is pretty cool.
1. ViewSonic NX2232w- This is the official MLG tv. It's 22", which is as big as you need, and has a quick response time at 5ms. This is all you will ever need. We'll at least until MLG updates their set-ups, or until something new comes out. I don't suspect that will happen anytime soon though.
2. AOC Envision 22"- Another 22" tv with a 5ms response rate, pretty much the same as the ViewSonic. Either or really.
3. Samsung 2232BW- If you would like to go the monitor route, which I recommend. (I mean who really is going to want a 22" tv for anything other than gaming? Why waste the money.) I would go with this Samsung. A 22" display like the tv but has an insane 2ms response time. Not to mention this will multi task for use as your computer monitor if you're into PC games, or just have a PC.
4. ViewSonic VX2233wm- Another monitor, rather than a tv. Again, 22". Again, 5ms response. More of the same. Just pick one and go with it!
1. Astro A40 Audio System- This is what I will be buying soon and is about the best set up you can buy. Made by gamers, for gamers and the official headset of MLG. Sweet speakers, crispy microphone, and everything you need to set it up and play. One cool feature, you can wire them together and cut out the middle man so no more scratchy feedback on your voice. $250 Buy
2. Tritton AXPro w/ True 5.1 - Another sweet headset. Good sounds, good voice, and everything you need to make it work. A good second if you don't want to spend the money on a A40.
3. Sennheiser HD-555- This is just a straight pair of headphones, but they provide some of the best sound around. You can do just about anything with these, like the others I have recommended minus the speaking priviledges. Remember, if getting these you will want to upgrade to the wireless mic, here
. With these you will also need a headphone output on your tv or a mix of some sort. Don't forget that?
The Pro version is the 360 I would recommend. This is the white version of the box and includes everything you need to start playing. Upgrading from the Arcade unit is the 60GB hard drive, which with all the new things you can do on Xbox Live (XBL) will come in handy. 
The Elite version is the most expensive of all the models currently available. It does also give you the most stuff. Do you need all this stuff? No, not really. Upgrades from the Pro are a 120 GB hard drive, and HDMI cable, and a sexy black finish. Are any of these necessary. Not in the slightest if you take my advice. Unless of course you want the black finish. It is pretty cool.That pretty much wraps up the basics. I assuming that anyone reading this already has these things and plays them on a television. Moving on!
Controllers
Think that the new red wireless controllers are the best thing ever. They aren't. If you are serious about playing you won't be picking up one of those. If you want to compete with the pros there is only one controller necessary to buy. The wired controller. Yep, I know wires are lame. Unfortunately, though, when you take the wires away you add latency to your set-up. This slows down your game play and gives someone with a wired controller an advantage. Two benefits to wired controllers? They're cheap and they are the only controllers allowed by Major League Gaming (MLG).
Television
When you look at tvs, you want to look primarily at the refresh rates. This is what will give you the most responsive picture and the most advantage. Also, as many know you want to check out size. Funny thing is though, bigger is not better. What you want is something between a 19" and 22" tv. Anything bigger slows down the picture, so keep the 60" for the home theater it doesn't make the cut for gaming.
The other thing you want to look for is the input the tv uses. Your best bet for gaming would be a VGA. Yes, I know HDMI is all the rage. But VGA is better, and it allows you to split your audio to another source, which I'll touch on in a minute. My recommendations are
1. ViewSonic NX2232w- This is the official MLG tv. It's 22", which is as big as you need, and has a quick response time at 5ms. This is all you will ever need. We'll at least until MLG updates their set-ups, or until something new comes out. I don't suspect that will happen anytime soon though.
2. AOC Envision 22"- Another 22" tv with a 5ms response rate, pretty much the same as the ViewSonic. Either or really.$230 Buy
3. Samsung 2232BW- If you would like to go the monitor route, which I recommend. (I mean who really is going to want a 22" tv for anything other than gaming? Why waste the money.) I would go with this Samsung. A 22" display like the tv but has an insane 2ms response time. Not to mention this will multi task for use as your computer monitor if you're into PC games, or just have a PC.
4. ViewSonic VX2233wm- Another monitor, rather than a tv. Again, 22". Again, 5ms response. More of the same. Just pick one and go with it!
Remember you will need to pick up the VGA cable to go with your Xbox. It's cheap. Stop complaining. Get that here
.
. I must also mention that MLG does play with another tv. It is a Envision L20W421, I'm not recommending this one because it doesn't quite match up with the others I have recommended, a little slower, a little smaller, and costs just as much. But I wanted you guys to know that MLG does use another tv.
Another must mention, is that if you don't feel like spending money on a brand new flat screen you don't really have to. Just use that old 20" tube tv, CRT as their known, and it will work just as fast. Just make sure that if you do go with a flat or non-CRT tv make sure you check the response time.
Headset
Ah the headset, possibly the most overlooked aspect. Ever wonder how you can figure out if some is creepy-crawling behind you. I did. The answer is? You put headphones on. With headphones you get better sound and a better sense of direction of where things are and are coming from. This is an immediate advantage.
When it comes to headphones, you really do get what you pay for and unfortunately this can get a little expensive. Remember, though, there are alternatives and the things I am going to recommend are only the things on my radar, there may be other products that will function just as well.
Anyway to my recommendations. For the best possible sound you are going to want something that will fit over your ear and will block some of the background noises. For myself, I like to immerse myself into the game and I really hate to hear my dog barking in the background (which if you play with me, you might hear barking in the background). If you are playing on XBL you might want to also consider buying a wireless headset, as the one that comes with your Xbox becomes pretty much useless when putting headphones over top. If you think you want that, you can pick that up here, but wait until you finish reading the post.
, but wait until you finish reading the post. This is why. Many companies, with the increase in MLG popularity, have started to make premium headsets. These are what you really want, and what I will recommend. Any way enough babbling.
1. Astro A40 Audio System- This is what I will be buying soon and is about the best set up you can buy. Made by gamers, for gamers and the official headset of MLG. Sweet speakers, crispy microphone, and everything you need to set it up and play. One cool feature, you can wire them together and cut out the middle man so no more scratchy feedback on your voice. $250 Buy
2. Tritton AXPro w/ True 5.1 - Another sweet headset. Good sounds, good voice, and everything you need to make it work. A good second if you don't want to spend the money on a A40.
3. Sennheiser HD-555- This is just a straight pair of headphones, but they provide some of the best sound around. You can do just about anything with these, like the others I have recommended minus the speaking priviledges. Remember, if getting these you will want to upgrade to the wireless mic, here. With these you will also need a headphone output on your tv or a mix of some sort. Don't forget that?
That's going to pretty much wrap it up with what you will need to dominate. With a set-up like this you will no longer be able to blame it on anything but yourself. Well I guess your internet connection can bail you out sometimes!
Remember, we are dying to party up with some of our readers. XBL MaroonPhoenix28 and Pavilion Party.
Friday, July 10, 2009
The Aftermath
It was a crazy couple of weeks leading up to Bungie Day. Promises of raining recon and Atlas maps were on top of every avid Halo player's mind. Now that 7/7 has came and went, we can finally sit back and look at the whirlwind we just endured.
The general consensus of those who participated is negative. Apparently, when Bungie made it clear that there would be a single team of four employees playing every hour, no one got the hint that the possibility of recon was a thin one. One team of four out of 200,000 in the playlist never seemed to register in their minds, but then again, I'm a mathematical genius. Players were annoyed and some downright angry at having dedicated an excessive chunk of their day with no recon to show for it. Personally, I knew the chances of actually meeting Bungie were astronomical, so I took the playlist for what it was: a huge gathering of Halo players from all ends of the spectrum, a chance to try out 36 new maps, and a possible diamond in the ruff amidst the congregation of Halo's faithful. But that's another in itself.
The maps for me were a big draw. Shishka (who, for those not in the know, is the matchmaking Playlist Overlord at Bungie) made it known that out of the 36 maps, the favorites could end up in the matchmaking rotation. Given my obsession with matchmaking, I had to know what I was getting into. So, as Jon promised, here's a breakdown on my impressions on the 36 Atlas maps used for Bungie vs. the World.
First and foremost, all images were taken from Bungie.net. The images, as well as links to download each map to your fileshare, can be found here.
My favorites, in alphabetical order:
Apex posed a very strategic battle of map position. Inside main central chamber, the four entrances converged on a central core, containing a grav hammer. While most of the combat took place around the hammer, the outskirts provided excellent means to flank and ambush opponents, with great weapon/equipment placement and cover options scattered throughout. The variety of scenerios present will test both your mental ability in a match as well as your prowess with the anologue sticks.
The general consensus of those who participated is negative. Apparently, when Bungie made it clear that there would be a single team of four employees playing every hour, no one got the hint that the possibility of recon was a thin one. One team of four out of 200,000 in the playlist never seemed to register in their minds, but then again, I'm a mathematical genius. Players were annoyed and some downright angry at having dedicated an excessive chunk of their day with no recon to show for it. Personally, I knew the chances of actually meeting Bungie were astronomical, so I took the playlist for what it was: a huge gathering of Halo players from all ends of the spectrum, a chance to try out 36 new maps, and a possible diamond in the ruff amidst the congregation of Halo's faithful. But that's another in itself.
The maps for me were a big draw. Shishka (who, for those not in the know, is the matchmaking Playlist Overlord at Bungie) made it known that out of the 36 maps, the favorites could end up in the matchmaking rotation. Given my obsession with matchmaking, I had to know what I was getting into. So, as Jon promised, here's a breakdown on my impressions on the 36 Atlas maps used for Bungie vs. the World.
First and foremost, all images were taken from Bungie.net. The images, as well as links to download each map to your fileshare, can be found here.
My favorites, in alphabetical order:
Apex
Apex posed a very strategic battle of map position. Inside main central chamber, the four entrances converged on a central core, containing a grav hammer. While most of the combat took place around the hammer, the outskirts provided excellent means to flank and ambush opponents, with great weapon/equipment placement and cover options scattered throughout. The variety of scenerios present will test both your mental ability in a match as well as your prowess with the anologue sticks.
Backdraft
Normally, it's tough to make a map this large suitable for Slayer matches without dispersing the action to the point of boredom. But the interwining paths provded great vantage points and routes. The map is, aside from the enclosed shotgun spawn in the very center, wide open, mean you could be taking nades and BR fire from virtually anywhere on the map. However, the open space also produces plenty of options for mobility and cover, making what would seem like a match full of nade spamming a great battle of strategic fire-or-run. Just try not to fall off the edge.
Normally, it's tough to make a map this large suitable for Slayer matches without dispersing the action to the point of boredom. But the interwining paths provded great vantage points and routes. The map is, aside from the enclosed shotgun spawn in the very center, wide open, mean you could be taking nades and BR fire from virtually anywhere on the map. However, the open space also produces plenty of options for mobility and cover, making what would seem like a match full of nade spamming a great battle of strategic fire-or-run. Just try not to fall off the edge.
Breakdown
Breakdown combined the wide-open sandbox feel of Tundra with the varied space and height advantages of The Pit. What I loved was how you could spawn anywhere and, with no fear of being spawn killed, you were never far from the action of some power weapons. Much of the combat was spent trying to dethrone opponents from the corner bases, which were prime placement for sniping or lasering. But plenty of AR and BR action goes on across the entire landscape, meaning weapon or base control is the end-all-be-all for victory. The balance was spot-on.
Breakdown combined the wide-open sandbox feel of Tundra with the varied space and height advantages of The Pit. What I loved was how you could spawn anywhere and, with no fear of being spawn killed, you were never far from the action of some power weapons. Much of the combat was spent trying to dethrone opponents from the corner bases, which were prime placement for sniping or lasering. But plenty of AR and BR action goes on across the entire landscape, meaning weapon or base control is the end-all-be-all for victory. The balance was spot-on.Paranoia
Community-wise, Paranoia seems to be a love it or hate it kind of map. To say the action was intense would be an understatement. It's easy to lose your bearings; the map is basically one big, enclosed chamber with multiple levels. Each level has a couple lifts that toss you up a level and a couple shafts for you to drop to the level below. I went the entire match wondering if there were two or three levels, only to find out later there were four. Don't expect to find any particular area that you can control for an easy win; there isn't one. And that's what made it such a blast. There aren't really any "power" weapons, but since it was such a close quarters map, the mauler was what you had to watch out for. The fighting constantly shifted amongst all of the levels and the key was to be smart with your grenades. I would love to see this tossed into matchmaking, but sadly I doubt most of the community would agree with me.
Community-wise, Paranoia seems to be a love it or hate it kind of map. To say the action was intense would be an understatement. It's easy to lose your bearings; the map is basically one big, enclosed chamber with multiple levels. Each level has a couple lifts that toss you up a level and a couple shafts for you to drop to the level below. I went the entire match wondering if there were two or three levels, only to find out later there were four. Don't expect to find any particular area that you can control for an easy win; there isn't one. And that's what made it such a blast. There aren't really any "power" weapons, but since it was such a close quarters map, the mauler was what you had to watch out for. The fighting constantly shifted amongst all of the levels and the key was to be smart with your grenades. I would love to see this tossed into matchmaking, but sadly I doubt most of the community would agree with me.
Pivotal
If there was one 7/7 map that seemed to be universally praised, it's Pivotal. One look at it and you might be thinking, "it looks like a typical Skybox map..." But give it a whirl and hopefully you'll grasp the genious of the design. The focal point of the map is the center spire, where rockets spawn. Surrounding it are two empty clearings and two enclosed bases, all of which are interconnected with walkways and tunnels, aside from the obvious middle convergence. Area control and smart pathing are absolutely essential. As such, intelligent coordination and strategy amongst your team grossly overshadowed an itchy trigger finger. It isn't as big as the image makes it out to be and the layout is easy to memorize. However, learning to dominate will take some truly skillful playing and lots of practice. If this doesn't end up matchmaking, the Halo community is being dealt a great disservice.
If there was one 7/7 map that seemed to be universally praised, it's Pivotal. One look at it and you might be thinking, "it looks like a typical Skybox map..." But give it a whirl and hopefully you'll grasp the genious of the design. The focal point of the map is the center spire, where rockets spawn. Surrounding it are two empty clearings and two enclosed bases, all of which are interconnected with walkways and tunnels, aside from the obvious middle convergence. Area control and smart pathing are absolutely essential. As such, intelligent coordination and strategy amongst your team grossly overshadowed an itchy trigger finger. It isn't as big as the image makes it out to be and the layout is easy to memorize. However, learning to dominate will take some truly skillful playing and lots of practice. If this doesn't end up matchmaking, the Halo community is being dealt a great disservice.
Regicide
Most of the community feedback on Regicide seemed negative, and I can't for the life of me figure out why. Yes, it was one of merely three Foundry variants in the entire playlist, and as such, it was heavily weighted. I think one out of every three matches I played was on this or Colonnade (fortunately, I rarely had to deal with Actuality-Break.) But I never complained. As soon as I finished my first Regicide match, I thought to myself, "wow, that felt like an MLG map." Turns out I'm smarter than I give myself credit for. Regicide was originally slated to be added in MLG's v6 update, but for some reason, it was cut. Think Amplified, only way less congested. There are catwalks sprawling all over the place, but height is not necessary for a win. A rocket launcher and sniper rifle are around there somewhere, but you can do without those too. What will net you a win is staying totally vigilant, ready to nade or strafe at any moment. A great no-BS slayer map, this was one of my favorites.
Finally,
Most of the community feedback on Regicide seemed negative, and I can't for the life of me figure out why. Yes, it was one of merely three Foundry variants in the entire playlist, and as such, it was heavily weighted. I think one out of every three matches I played was on this or Colonnade (fortunately, I rarely had to deal with Actuality-Break.) But I never complained. As soon as I finished my first Regicide match, I thought to myself, "wow, that felt like an MLG map." Turns out I'm smarter than I give myself credit for. Regicide was originally slated to be added in MLG's v6 update, but for some reason, it was cut. Think Amplified, only way less congested. There are catwalks sprawling all over the place, but height is not necessary for a win. A rocket launcher and sniper rifle are around there somewhere, but you can do without those too. What will net you a win is staying totally vigilant, ready to nade or strafe at any moment. A great no-BS slayer map, this was one of my favorites.
Finally,
Tartarus
It may look like a clusterfuck, but don't worry; Tartarus gives you options wherever you are. The process of playing a match here was simple. There are obstacles and tiers abound but a weapon that could help you out was never far from where you spawned. The plethora of possible routes and tactics was endless, and the action was unceasing. One to enjoy from start to finish.
Honorable mention:
Neosho and Chimera - I'm not much on objective gametypes, but I would play CTF on these maps anyday. Excellent layouts and very balanced whether you're defending or going for a cap.
Conduction and Topple - a couple of above average slayer maps that, with some tweaking, could be excellent. Neither were BR start, which was a problem given their immense size and space.
And there you have it. Hopefully my raving doesn't deter you from checking out these or any other of the 7/7 maps. Some were excellent, some were adequate, and some weren't even worth mentioning here. With any luck, at least a few of the ones described above will make it into matchmaking, but that's up to Shishka and the Halo populous. So post away, let your voice be heard, and don't let your favorite map go down without a fight!
It may look like a clusterfuck, but don't worry; Tartarus gives you options wherever you are. The process of playing a match here was simple. There are obstacles and tiers abound but a weapon that could help you out was never far from where you spawned. The plethora of possible routes and tactics was endless, and the action was unceasing. One to enjoy from start to finish.
Honorable mention:
Neosho and Chimera - I'm not much on objective gametypes, but I would play CTF on these maps anyday. Excellent layouts and very balanced whether you're defending or going for a cap.
Conduction and Topple - a couple of above average slayer maps that, with some tweaking, could be excellent. Neither were BR start, which was a problem given their immense size and space.
And there you have it. Hopefully my raving doesn't deter you from checking out these or any other of the 7/7 maps. Some were excellent, some were adequate, and some weren't even worth mentioning here. With any luck, at least a few of the ones described above will make it into matchmaking, but that's up to Shishka and the Halo populous. So post away, let your voice be heard, and don't let your favorite map go down without a fight!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Bungie Day Tribute
Just a couple of my finer screenshots from yesterday. We like most had a good time playing the Bungie vs. World playlist and we like most wished we could have dueled some of the flaming heads. Alas, it was not meant to be. We'll fight on. Who really wanted recon anyway.
More to come. Ben should be updating soon with some details on the maps we played. What was good, what wasn't. Input from you will help. So hit us up!
More to come. Ben should be updating soon with some details on the maps we played. What was good, what wasn't. Input from you will help. So hit us up!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Bungie Day!
Just want to throw a what's up to everyone out there that's logging hours tonight. We will probably see many of you on Live tonight. We, like everyone else, are in pursuit of the recon armor. So if anyone gets a look at those flaming heads or can actually pick up the armor, let us know we would love to hear the story and would love to post it for the community as well. Hit us up with an email to thehaloepic@gmail.com.
As we play more and more I'm sure we will come up with some videos we would like to share. We also might release some notes on the maps. So come back and check that out. Hopefully we'll be able to throw up a couple screenshots of our fancy new recon armor. But more on that later. Check back and keep us updated on how your days went!
As we play more and more I'm sure we will come up with some videos we would like to share. We also might release some notes on the maps. So come back and check that out. Hopefully we'll be able to throw up a couple screenshots of our fancy new recon armor. But more on that later. Check back and keep us updated on how your days went!
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