In less than one month, warring citizens of the Halo Nation will drop their tired old Battle Rifles in the mud of Valhalla and make tracks to the shiny new virtual warzones that await us all in Halo: Reach. For the individual gamer [that lone gunman on the grassy knoll – if you will] this journey poses interesting new challenges. For the leader of a gaming clan, the experience is far more complex.
For a virtual community that unites gamers on a team, updates to a franchise are more than just a new list of acheivements or a menu of new armor abilities. When that game launches, new frontiers are revealed for them to seize. The border opens. The wagon trains are mobilized. Entire civilizations are migrated en masse. Launch Day for Halo: Reach will be nothing short of a virtual land rush, as the members of various states in the Halo Nation blitz inland to control territories similar to their holdings in the previous title.
The road to the new game is pocked with danger and risk. Harmonious relationships that band a team together are thrown into total disarray. The landscape changes. The engagement changes. The entire dynamic of their shared interaction changes. All bets are off on the brave new land.
Along with the tweaked control scheme, the gamers who populate a clan must become reacquainted with one another. Fighting on the new battlegrounds, that time-honored deadeye sniper may morph into a crazy-brave combat pilot. In the fog that leads to these discoveries, certain portions of a clan’s membership base will become lost. Attrition is inevitable when a team leaves its comfort zone.
The benefit of this migration to new action, of course, greatly outweighs any of the risk. For a gaming community, a new game is like a stimulus package. Players become reinvested. Absentee warriors return to work, driven by the call to solve new and interesting problems. The bore of sleep-walking through rote-learned tactics for conquering familiar places is replaced with the delicious chaos of an unknown combat scenario in an alien environment.
The Good Game Network relishes this challenge as much as we understand the risk. Since the inception of our alliance in the playing of Halo 3, we have followed one another through several games now. Longevity is our quest. Survival is our charge. With the launch of a new Halo title, we are eager to return home to the game that inspired the creation of our online society.
Don’t take it from me. A GGN Representative from each Affiliate Clan has sounded off about what Reach means to them – and theirs…
ATF AnTi PRO: Overlord/Founder Arm the Flag
“One word comes to mind when I think of what Reach means to us: Unification. With Halo 3 dying down and new games coming out in the past year or so we have all been scattered across many virtual battlefields. With Reach we shall once again fight side by side as it was meant to be.”
BSG Surgeon: Community Leader Buddy System Gaming
“The thought of having my group unified under a single title again is awesome. Knowing that this is Bungie’s last Halo hurrah and they will make it unbelievably swell is awesome. When I first popped Halo 3 into my tray I had 30 friends all playing the same thing and online. I’m hoping to see that number blown away this time. That too will be awesome!”
wastedWOLF: Overlord Fallen Unity
“To FU reach means a reunion with some of our poeple that refuse to play Call of Duty. Not only with our players but other clans as well the people in this community and others. New challenges new maps new drinks wow so much to learn. There is some people in FU that are tired of Red Dead Redemption, COD, and others so a new halois a breath of freash air.”
A Mad Bloke: CdGOverlord Cirque D’Geezer
“The Cirques are virtual soldiers and ultimately Spartans. We are on the Modern Warfare battlefield but Halo: Reach will reunify and acquaint us with friends, old and new. We are far from hardcore, but our teamwork and camaraderie rivals any group.”
Pete VenkmanPHD: Resident Ghostbuster Halo Charts
“HC is buzzing with excitement. Our teams are gearing up and teeming with activity. It will be very rejuvenating to have a new game, and new maps in which to take on some challenges. September 14th cannot come fast enough for the Halocharts teams and community!”
ConsumedFever: Council Member H 3 Wheelmen
“To the Wheelmen Reach is a new begining filled with old friends. We are seeing countless new faces arrive, and many old friends find their way home to us.”
Godlywayz: Lead Ambassador Ironworks Gaming Crew
“When we think of enjoying our time together, Halo is a game we all think about. That’s what Reach means to us. Reach, as every Halo iteration, means that the good times can keep on rolling. Thanks, Bungie. We’re looking forward to it.”
ANUBIS x MT: Overlord Master Theory
“For MT, Reach means bringing back the passion for competitive game play, that slowly fizzled out in the last days of Halo 3. New maps and Armor Abilities mean we have lots of work to do as a team, creating strategy’s, hours of watching game films, and figuring out roles. Those challenges light a fire, inspire, and rally us, all at the same time. I’m looking forward of another 2 or 3 years of Halo, and MT will be ready to converge as a respectable and united force, right from the start.”
OcR Envy: Overlord Outcast Reborn
“To OcR, Reach means “Rebirth” HA. Seriously though, each new Halo or CoD game means equal playing field to our member base. We clean out all of our competitive team rosters and start fresh. Every single member is looked at as the same skill level until they prove they are the best of the best. It really rejuvenates everyone who wants to play competitively to try their hardest. We will lose some, we always do. But the majority will return even those who have been missing for some time.”
Compton OTAH: Overlord Clan O7AH
“Sweet sassy molassee Reach is going to be great for O7AH. Everyone and I mean everyone is psyched for it. We are all getting together for the release to bring it in right. The best thing about it for out group is that there is really something for everyone in the box. Forge for creative people, Firefight for those of us who want to team up but not against other people (although we can do that too if we wish), Campaign for some sweet Halo cannon action complete with credit earning to draw us back again and again, and finally the sweet sweet multiplayer which is where the game shows it legs. Halo reach = Sexy time for O7AH once again folks.”
kilaM0Mjaro: Overlord PraetoriaGuard
“To the PraetoriaGuard it means reuniting us all in one game. Our members are very close on forum but lately there are small groups that play several different games. We are looking forward to long hours of playing ourselves into a frenzy of laughter. We also began as a Halo Machinima group so with our film guy having HD now and REACH’s forgeworld…we are looking forward to Episode 8.”
NEC VAYDER: Community Leader NorthEast Core
“To the NEC, REACH means a reunification of gamers that are right now scattered all over the virtual map. Camaraderie that has been somewhat missing because of the vast number of great 360 titles that have drawn us away from what originally brought us all together. I cant wait until 09/14/10. Bring it.”
SSG Jayman: Founder/Overlord Sword and Shield
“With Sword & Shield Gaming squarely divided between CoD and Halo (nearly all Knights play both games from time to time) I see Halo: Reach as the game that will unify our clan (and community) back to a single game. Modders, cheaters, and matchmaking follies has left most of our MW2 fans wanting something else. I see Halo: Reach as the life boat they are looking for, it is a blend of CoD and Halo gameplay. CoD: Black Ops will no doubt attract people back to the CoD franchise but I feel that by that time, Reach will have hooked and unified everyone.”
TTL Stuicide: Overlord/Minister of Personnel TTL Gunslingers
“Reach will mean a lot to the Gunslingers, as any new Bungie title does. It will provide a fresh place that will bring all of the members back to one title, if only for a few months. It will allow us to find a common ground to get competitive on, and to just spark that place inside everyone when an exciting new game is out. However, now Halo has to compete with other titles, even in it’s own release year. Other games will capture our imagination, but Reach should be one of the few tentpoles that will stand over the next several years.”
WCF Ganzuelo: Overlord Will Clan 4 Food
“COD was addictive and it changed the face of our clan. Our members got out of the mind frame of hanging out and having fun and replaced it with Prestiging. Reach will bring back those COD guys and appeal to even the most hardcore players. With Reach a month away we are seeing a steady stream of new members and old members coming into our lobbies and having a great time. With all the goodies Halo Reach has I think this will make a lasting impact on us all as Halo 2 once did.”
CzarCastic: Captain 8-Bit Brigade
“I think the release of Halo Reach will bring us back together, if only for for a short time. The landscape has changed since Halo 2 was first released. At the time, Halo 2 was the multiplayer game. It brought us together. It helped shape the direction of our community. In a way, Halo Reach will do the same thing. However, we won’t be creating our path this time around. We’ll be redirecting it. With so many multiplayer choices across all of the various consoles, it’s hard to say that Reach will be enough to reunite us for more than a few months. If that’s the case, then we’ll have to adapt. We’ll certainly take the time that we can get, but I think ultimately, this will merely be an opportunity to decide how we’re going to shape the future of our community in a video game world where gamers have so many choices. Don’t get me wrong, I’m looking forward to seeing friends that I haven’t played with in years. More importantly, though, I think I’m looking forward to figuring out how to make sure it’s not another few years before I play with these friends again.”
The race is on. Are you running alone? Bad move, player. If you played Halo 3 all by your lonesome, it’s time to leave that lone wolf stuff behind. Many clans are planning the great journey. They would be glad for your skillset. Don’t make the same mistakes of isolation in Halo: Reach.
The clan system is portable, and it is being transported to a whole new world. Service guarantees citizenship, and teamwork insures victory. We will see you on the beach, be you on our team or not. A good game awaits us all.
Who is the meanest, baddest, most ruthless, stone coldest, dog-eat-dog killer in all of the Good Game Network? That very question has tugged at the heart of all who travel the MidWorld Forum. The answer to that question will reveal itself. Today. 3:00 PM. That’s Central Time for those of you keeping score at home.
For the first time ever, and likely not for the last, Tied the Leader is hosting the GGN Tournament of Champions. Over one month ago, it was TTL DDay who issued a call to all of the hired guns that make their virtual home in an Affiliated Clan... “The Good Game Netowork is all about teamwork. This June, it is all about you…”
“Seek the wolf in thyself!” came the challenge. From all across the GGN, they came. Some sought glory. Others sought to defend the reputation of their respective houses. For all of those brave souls who put their boots on the line, this was a chance [to quote Carter 259] to leave that lone wolf stuff behind, just before each of them are recuited into the ranks of Team Noble.
The volunteers were counted. The brackets were set. For weeks now, these prize fighters have been clashing one by one in duels of cunning and skill. Six rounds of competition have boiled down the contenders in a crucible of gunfire and ‘splosions. In the end, only two gamers remain.
The Spooner vs. TLK Cloud
Arm The Flag vs. Team Master Theory
For those of you who have become invested in the outcome of these trials, the Final Round of the tournament will be broadcast live. Tied the Leader is offering you a front row seat for the carnage that will ensue. On the front lines will be Combat Correspondent Hoovaloov, risking his avatar to bring you all of the action. Death will be listening, and it will take the first gamer that screams.
UPDATE: Network lag is forcing us to stream a playback of the events. Check back at 3:45 PM for the feed.
On Memorial Day Weekend of 2010, a LAN Party was hosted by Tied the Leader in the city of Chicago. It was our 4th official event in what has become somewhat of a hometown for our virtual community. Present and accounted for were 30 attendees; including a posse of TTL Gunslingers and some esteemed guests.
We had sworn up and down that our clan would never see Chicago again, at least not as a function of our love labor. Hosting a LAN Party in this city had always served up a back-breaking challenge. The road to Chicago was mined with pesky hotel regulations, unrealistic expenses, and prohibitive union bylaws. Other official TTL events had found much easier purchase in the sands of places like Florida.
In the end, public outcry weakened our resistance. Rather than ban the Gunslingers from the city they had come to love, we turned our LAN recipe on its head in search of an alternative scenario. With a new blueprint on the table, the ChicagoL4Nd was announced to much rejoicing. What follows is a photo-essay that attempts to regurgitate a mere fraction of the experience that was shared.
To set a Gunslinger on a quest, first you need a Tower.
Previously, the center of LAN operations had been a historic hotel in the Loop business district. This proved not to be the smartest choice when your happening requires more electricity than NORAD. For this battle, we selected a Springhill Suites as our preferred H.Q.
Chicago has been called a city of neighborhoods. Our billet was strategically selected in one called River North. The new setting provided vistas that were as pleasing to the eye as they were to the lens. Ever the visual communicators, our guests fanned out in search of urban architecture fit to capture and share.
This homebase was far less lonely off business hours than the central downtown sector that we had come to know in years past. The immediate surroundings of the hotel bristled with options for night-life and hospitality. Of course, the poor fools that chose the ChicagoL4Nd as their early-summer vacation tried to conquer most of them, with varying degrees of success.
To set a Gunslinger on a quest, you need a Good Game.
While these parties are designed to focus on socializing, they still revolve around the shared pastime of the partygoers. The task of wrangling enough audio/visual components to enable dozens of gamers to collide in real-time had always forced a strategy of begging, borrowing, and stealing from the local membership. To overcome this burden, we did what all great organizations do… We outsourced the solution!
Enter the Ignite Network. During all of our lost time, this state of the art LAN Center had resided just under our noses on the north side of the city. After some introductions and negotiations, we arrived at an alliance that would enable us to label their establishment as “territory controlled” for a portion of the weekend. This changed everything, and [by all accounts of those who attended] made ChicagoL4Nd our best event on record.
Of course, in solving old challenges, new ones arose. Hosting the LAN at a location other than the hotel required us to arrange transpo for the invading hoard. Fortunately, like any good crime worth committing in Gotham, you can always pile a bunch of jokers onto a school bus. What doesn’t kill you makes you stranger, after all.
To set a Gunslinger on a quest, you need a Saloon.
The upside of abandoning the hotel as the gaming venue was the freedom to bring our own spirits. Our proven equation for success in entertaining combines real friends, fake violence, and all of the celebratory agents that make the LAN a party. With hotel staff monitoring our festivities, previous gatherings had been forced to adopt the Chicago convention of the Speakeasy. With a private function and our own rules, we were no longer forced to bootleg our cocktails under the table.
Upon our invasion of Ignite, something wonderful happened: They helped us. Our work was not over in migrating to their establishment. The existing network was rigged for PC gaming. There were adapters and connectors to apply to the local grid. Rather than cast an apathetic stare in our direction like the union electricians from days gone by, the Ignite guys actually rolled up their sleeves and made light work of our load-in.
Within record breaking time [mere moments], gamers were squared away and accessing Xbox Live. It was miraculous. Members who could not make the journey witnessed an avalanche of login notices on their screens at home. Parties formed up with ease and rolled out into the wilderness via an unbreakable network. No longer bound by the limitations of System Link, all of the games that we play were finally suitable for use in a live setting.
To set a Gunslinger on a quest, you need a Tournament.
Casual gamers? Guilty as charged. Tied the Leader doesn’t really cater to pros. This does not mean that our people don’t like an incentive to make them sweat it out for the win. After configuring the network for digital zen, competitive sign-up sheets went live at the command post that rules Ignite from atop a raised stage.
LAN Master action thaxten ascended his usual pulpit as the ringleader of the affair. For two days, he would put ChicagoL4Nders through the paces of glory and defeat. Halo 3. Modern Warfare 2. World at War. Free-for-alls. Squad Battles. Each trial earned gamers points counting toward bragging rights and keepsakes.
Rooting each combatant at their own dedicated station, the tournament events flowed with greater ease than ever. Gone were the delays between games while players tweaked their controller settings or arranged their player’s icon and call sign just so… The flow of adrenaline was steady. All the while, Ma Deuce 50 labored over the construction of his “beeramid”.
Not every moment was host to fierce competition. These events are not intended as the poor man’s MLG. These are parties. Gamers make the trek to step out from behind their avatars and enjoy one another’s company. As such, here is a requisite shot of Gunslingers laying down their weapons to channel their inner rock star.
The little details were what made this party truly special. When not huddled around the screens depicting the best action, our guests enjoyed the Ignite bar. Snacks. Juice. Smoothies. Coffee. All were treats for which we did not have to plan or provide, thanks to our hosts.
To set a Gunslinger on a quest, you need a Prize.
Through the contributions of a new recruit tagged TTL DDay, our guests had access to a treasure trove of gear – a literal cache that we came to know as “schwag mountain”. Most of the booty was doled out in response to donations made to our charitable foundation. The rest was awarded as giveaways to those gamers who carried the day in our digital thunderdome.
The entire contest was spreadsheeted down to the very last kill. Free-for-all qualifying rounds determined brackets for team-based competition. The Gunslingers designed their own tournament. Squads duked it out in pursuit of various objectives chosen by Clan Captains. The more games a player would play, the more points they earned toward the ultimate goal.
Months of planning always boil down to one perfect moment. A hush falls over the room. Spectators erupt simultaneously into cheers as the action spikes. It is only then that you know that your LAN Party is a success.
Here we see Locomotive defending the Gunslinger’s honor in the final round of the Halo Slayer Tournament against [then] Community Ally Big Country. Over the course of day one, 28 gamers had been whittled down to 2 survivors. Off Loco’s right arm is REACH tester and TTL Strike Team Captain L Askan, inspecting the runner up’s gameplay for bugs.
In the end, it was Big Country who established himself as Supreme Slayer on the Halo front. He strutted into the Gunslingers house and bested them all at their own game in a relaxed recline. He would finish Third overall in the ChicagoL4Nd tournament. T’was a good weekend for Big, who scored himself a clan invite and a Fiancee.
Surprise guest TTL Pony took Second Place overall. When he wasn’t dodging the smackdown from his rivals, he was racking up points on numerous fronts. Having previously claimed for himself a Trophy Pistol as Grand Champion at ChicagoLANd 2.0, he took home a leather holster and gunbelt to match. Repeating history made at AtLANtica 3.0, Pony edged out his competition in a marathon FFA match of COD: World at War.
...And then there was TTL Killer, previously the Grand Champion of AtLANtica 1.0, proving the truth behind his chosen namesake. This longtime LAN Party journeyman – once having travelled all the way to AtLANtica 2.0 from an Air Force base in Japan – took top honors at ChicagoL4Nd. Some attribute his success at these events to his clean living. Others profess that the legendary Warthog Pilot in his Halo Squad sponsored Killer to victory on his back. Whatever the cause, for the second time, Killer went home with the ceremonial replica awarded to the overall victor at all offical TTL LANs.
While the weekend may have been all fun and games, it was not all games all the time. There was fun to be had off the grid. The Gunslingers saw the inside of a lot of pubs. Apparently, a local hockey team was also in the process of securing a trophy for themselves. Cocktails known as ‘Carbombs’ may or may not been consumed in large volume. Malt vinegar may or may not have been shot in the place of malt liquor. Memories are foggy, and stories are inflated by gossip.
In the face of numerous failures to collect on the debt owed to us by BUNGIE for Steaktacular medals awarded in Halo 3, we took matters into our own hands. A mass-reservation at Fogo de Chao has become a ChicagoLANd tradition. It was all but demanded by certain veterans that the rite be upheld on this occassion.
Some gamers even ventured beyond the confines of their natural habitat to visit a place called “outside”. This may seem difficult to believe. However, photographic evidence is being provided as proof. They even seem to be enjoying themselves, despite the unfiltered breeze and direct sunlight.
All good quests come to an end…
It was inevitable that each Gunslinger would find their way back home. Planes, trains, and automobiles would scatter us to our rightful gaming stations across the globe. One returned to Canada. One returned to Europe. Others ventured back to every corner of the continental mainland of these United States. Several of us just limped back to the other side of town.
No matter the distance traveled, we say thankya to everyone who made ChicagoL4Nd better through their presence. Good Game. See you online. See you next time.
Amidst the fragging and celebration that was ChicagoL4Nd, the Gunslingers and their honorable guests raised $1,400 for the Tied the Leader Foundation. Our mission remains as it has been since its inception in 2006. We seek to recognize the sacrifices made by real military servicepeople – the very individuals whose culture we emulate so casually on a nightly basis.
Many virtual communities of gamers find themselves motivated to leverage their combined strength to effect a positive impact on the real world. This idea is not exclusive to us. For every charitable endeavor, there is a unique strategy. There are many ways to pass the hat. For every unique strategy, there seems to be a specific challenge. There are many rules and laws that govern the space where altruism meets cold, hard cash – and rightfully so.
In recent months, Tied the Leader has employed social networking as our weapon of choice. In its current form, our Foundation exists as a portal made possible by Causes.com. In conjunction with Facebook, they operate the Network For Good.
Donations made online are forwarded directly [and in total] to our designated beneficiary. As the arms and legs of our agenda, Azalea Charities interfaces directly with the combat wounded veterans who receive the aid that we intend to provide through our contributions. We raise the funds. They put them into practice. Causes.com is the vehicle that brings us all into concert on the same goal.
This requires that less hands touch the proceeds before they reach their final destination. This allows the donor to instantly obtain a receipt that qualifies them for a tax deduction. This means that middle-men are never taxed for managing cashflow. This prevents third-party transactors – like PayPal, for instance – from collecting a cut for themselves. No one should ever profit from charity. Under this mode of operation, no one does.
Of all the scenarios that we have employed in pursuing this charitable objective, this one is the cleanest, most efficient, and most transparent. Leveraging this online application enables us to meet our goals without having to operate as a Non-Profit entity with tax-exempt status. This same scenario would work for anyone that wanted to aggregate donations to a chosen entity that possessed a 501-c3 number.
At our most recent LAN Party, we employed merchandising tactics as a fundraiser. Our goal has always been to offer something in exchange for contributions to our charity – be it an experience, a keepsake, or a prize. We are extremely fortunate in that our membership is willing to dontate the wares that provided the incentive for people to participate. One of our members – a veteran himself – produced a mother load of branded gear that would enable gamers to express their enthusiasm about their membership in Tied the Leaders’s official gaming clan.
Another member hand-crafted a wooden resupply container filled with bottles of home-grown beer. We called it the ‘Ark of the Covenant’ package. That’s right. The Gunslingers have their own vintage now. It’s nice – a hint of oranges in a weiss brew.
The ease in proliferating this phenomenon reaches well beyond the hosting of an occassional party. With high-visibility in a virtual setting like Facebook, anyone who witnesses our progress can get involved. The impact becomes viral. In recent weeks, friends of our community have cited their own birthdays as a reason to give. Other allies have made donations as a tribute to the tournaments that Tied the Leader hosts for their amusement in cyberspace.
Whatever the occassion, the transactions are clean. Aside from tickets purchased to attend an event, no one is giving money to Tied the Leader. A charitable donation goes directly to charity. We do not need anyone’s help to run a website for gamers. The money donated is intended to benefit people who come from actual wars with actual hardships which they must overcome. Through these structures, we are able to help foster their rehabilitation, and raise awareness for their needs.
To all of the people that have made our cause your own, we offer our sincerest thanks. To those people who benefit from our humble efforts, we can only hope that our small measure of thanks provide a recognizable fraction of what is needed to restore you to a normal quality of life.
On Tuesday, the 15th day of June, in the year 2010, Tied the Leader was called upon to investigate a Firefight in progress in downtown L.A.
Upon receipt of the top secret mission briefing, we dispatched our very own stabmasterarson, West Coast Gunslinger and top gun commercial actor [that’s him in the green vest, pushing the junk food]. The scene of the skirmish was The Edison nightclub. The hosts were agents of Microsoft and BUNGIE, on an away mission to E-3.
The venue, in all its historic glory, was home to a demonstration of one of the many components to be featured in Halo: Reach. Correspondents from various media outlets descended upon the darkened social spot to report on the finer details of the improved offering. Several representatives from notable gamer communities were also invited to infiltrate. TTL was humbled to be able to send the stabmaster, say thankya.
By now, it is likely that you have heard that Firefight is making a return to BUNGIE’s impending killer application. Familiar to those who played ODST, this multiplayer scenario will once again pit players against waves of Covenant invaders in an offworld setting. As always, BUNGIE is placing the power in the hands of the gamers, with some exciting new features, including more robust options for customization.
Do you want to know more? Has the hype failed to reach you yet? If the past 24 hours have seen you in a cave, click any of the following links:
Rather than search for something about Firefight that has not already been said, stabmaster has provided us with a boots-on-the-ground account of the gathering. Gunslingers love a good LAN Party. When Microsoft Points are used to plan the affair, the attention to detail must be recognized. His first person shoot follows below. First, please enjoy a scroll through this slideshow of the new hotness…
...Did you see the size of that Hunter? Firefight 2.0 looks like a blast. But you already knew that. For a sampling of the event that gave rise to this announcement, we must yield the floor to the distinguished gentleman from California.
because i was invited to the party, i thought that everyone wearing a bungie shirt was my friend.
the club was amazing. there was one room with all these old school generators that, for a second, i though bungie had brought in as set decoration for the party. turns out they just picked a good spot.
not only did they have an open bar, but they had a nice open bar. not just well drinks. they had ketel vodka and goose and such. i stuck to beer.
the gaming stations were set up so that you could play with the other four people who were in your party.
the first time i played i was instantly betrayed with a rocket launcher by a chick that was at this party. she looked over at me and laughed.
I didn’t get to talk to Brian [Jarrard] for very long. he seemed pretty busy. “I have talked a lot about this game today…”
all in all, it was a great time. i like how down to earth these guys were. love “stabby”
Some regard gaming a useless hobby or a hermetic time waster. At Tied the Leader, we see gaming as a discipline. It is equal parts art, craft, science, and sport. To walk the path of a gamer, one must be adaptable. To long endure in the practice of this discipline, one must be flexible enough to maintain a posture at the forefront of evolution. The landscape is ever-changing. The rules are in a constant state of flux. In the interest of remaining a once and future citizen of the Halo Nation, these concepts could not be more true.
Before the Beta Test for Halo: Reach was upon us, we were challenged to forget everything we knew about playing Halo 3. The new trial in the franchise was heralded as ‘combat redefined’. Reveal trailers implored us to leave behind that which we had toiled to learn in the virtual trenches. New control schemes dashed years of controller-twitching body memory on the rocks. Favorite weapons were swapped out in favor of a shiny new arsenal. Familiar physics were morphed. Virtual physicalities were redesigned.
The backlash was predictable. Gamers don’t like change. The more a gamer plays a game – and the better they become – the less likely they are to enjoy a shakeup of their native arena. By comparison, a decorated black belt would not welcome an alteration to their discipline that eliminated their favorite maneuver. The choice then becomes one of either abandonment or adaptation.
When the doors to the Reach Beta swung wide, a very vocal minority of loyal servants from the ranks of the UNSC took to the streets with lit torches, fit to riot. The laundry list of wishes was the same almost everywhere you looked for them. Grenades were too powerful. Assault Rifles were not powerful enough. Jumps were too low. Needler damage was too high. Armchair developers tossed about terms like “overpowered” or “weapon balance” to reinforce their respective complaints.
For this gamerblogger, the disorienting experience of submitting to the Halo: Reach Beta was best summarized by Tied the Leader’s faithful Webmaster in Chief and Gravemind, who fights under the tag Sunburned Goose:
I was frustrated by the Beta for my first fifty games or so. After that point was when I stopped playing Halo 3, and started playing Halo: Reach.
Right on, Goose. Forget everything you know. Learning to crawl again is all part of the discipline. Busting ourselves down to FNGs keeps the experience fresh. When the game changes, we are served up new riddles to solve. We are given new stories to write for ourselves. We are served up new worlds to conquer.
The last time the TTL Gunslingers infiltrated a new battleground en masse, it was that of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The leaders of our clan all but required our most steadfast Halo Loyalists give the new title a dance. Primarily, we didn’t want to deprive them of our company. Secondarily, we wanted to challenge them with learning a new aspect of our shared discipline. As a hidden tertiary motive, we wanted to force them to miss Halo enough that they would attack Halo: Reach with renewed fervor.
And, miss Halo they did. In waiting for the street date for Modern Warfare 2, there was no Beta Test to amuse us. We found this puzzling. Infinity Ward conducted a Beta for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Why not put the sequel through similar paces?
The answer to this question became apparent when we finally played the game. To our chagrin, Modern Warfare 2 had been shipped with the very same almost-good-enough multiplayer mechanics that had been featured in its predecessor. Thus, the need for a Beta seemed less, provided you could ignore a steady parade of cheater glitches that rivaled the wild west yesteryear of Halo 2 on Xbox Live.
In combating the outlaws that trolled Infinity Ward’s killer application, we arrived at a new catch phrase: “Should have had a beta!” we would say. Among some of our more patient and forgiving Gunslingers, these words provoked annoyance and protest. Nevertheless, the meme put down roots. Speed-glitching flag carriers? “Should have had a beta!” Crashing party lobbies? “Should have had a beta!” Experience Point vampiring hackers? “Should have had a beta!” And so on…
Recycled code notwithstanding, the need for a MW2 Beta seemed obvious. Not conducting one was seen as a mistake. Over time, an interesting theory emerged. Why Beta Test your game prior to launch, when you can just patch it later? Why tip your hand? Modern Warfare 2 was destined to be a slam dunk – a guaranteed blockbusting record breaker. Eminem had gamers lined up at their local retailers to snatch the release like a neutral bomb at midnight. A Beta might only give them a reason NOT to spend that sixty bucks. Why take the chance? Why compromise the marketing machine with a hands-on sneak preview?
Of course, it could very well be that no one at Infinity Ward was quite so sinister. The mysterious absence of a Beta for Modern Warfare 2 could just as easily have been forced by an aggressive development deadline for a game that was being coded for play on three distinct platforms. Yet, in sampling some of the more unsatisfied feedback about the Halo: Reach Beta, that little conspiracy theory creapt back into mind.
As was the case with Halo 3, now that the super awesome Beta is behind us, our new challenge is to forget everything we know about playing Reach. All bets are off. The work is, as they say, in progress.
Developer anecdotes have revealed the fact that the build we tested was already old when we got our hands on it. We think we know what Reach will be, but our information is out of date. Bungie is a fast-moving target – outpacing our crosshairs. If you listened to the Mayish Podcast, you know that the following fixes are already in:
Movement is faster.
Jumps are higher.
Headshots are fixed.
Melee attacks are slower.
Reticules are brighter.
Vehicles are stronger.
Grenades are weaker.
DMR magazines are deeper.
Magnum are slower.
Assault Rifle is more deadly.
Plasma Launcher is less “comedic”.
…and that is just for starters. There is still a long, hot summer of crunch-time to perfect the details that will govern our fighting and dying. To put it bluntly, if you played the Beta, you don’t know jack about Reach. At least, not at a granular level of experience. If you have read this far, that is obviously the space you inhabit.
It is for these reasons that development houses like Bungie conduct a test phase. They aim to hit the target the first time. They strive for excellence, and nothing less. This wasn’t a free trial. This wasn’t a sales demo. This wasn’t a final dress rehearsal. This was a test. This was only a test. Had this been an actual emergency, you would still be riding the contrails of your jetpacks and dealing death from above, oorah.
In our many travels, we Gunslingers have seen gamers miss out on amazing experiences, simply because they passed their final judgements about a game during the several hours they spent helping to test it. We invite each of you not to become one of those sad statistics. It’s a distinct privilege to be invited to collaborate in the creation of a game, but the work does not stop there. As fans of the franchise, the only thing that we owe Bungie [aside from the cost of purchasing the next evolution] is a little faith that they will get it right – like they always have.
For everyone else? Well, they should have had a beta.
For those of you just joining us in the Beta Test for Halo: Reach, Tied the Leader offers a warm welcome. We have missed you. No, really. Download your test file and jump in. When it comes to a party, the golden rule is: the more the merrier. This game is a party. Make no mistake.
You are gonna love Reach, faithful Halo player. It’s going to be hard to believe that you are playing a Beta… a test. If this game went Gold Master tomorrow, it would be ready to outdue its predecessors in terms of graphical finesse and experiential design. Sure, we could use some more maps, but the bones are in place to hold the flesh and the muscle. It’s gorgeous. It’s exciting. And it works. It’s Halo. Only it has evolved. Oh, yes…
Let’s LOAD OUT!
Help yourself to a jetpack. C’mon… You know you want to. Go ahead. Strap it on. Take a joyride. Make a fool of yourself. Ride it to the top of its operational ceiling. We all did. This doesn’t mean that we won’t shoot at you while you make like a helium balloon. It just means that you will be in good company with everyone else who has let their inner Peter Pan take over the controls.
The jetpacks in Halo Reach are hilarious – and deadly. Boba Fett ain’t got nuthin on you, gamer. Opening up the vertical plane is nothing short of liberating. The fluidity of motion and the responsiveness of the throttle make this a great way to navigate a map, or a firefight. Float like a butterfly. Sting like a bee. Despite our best efforts, the hovering sniper will be a dreaded factor in gameplay. Nothing is more rewarding than pouncing on your targets like birds of prey to deliver a fatal blow.
Once you have sewed your Mandalorian oats, go for a nice run. The game of Halo moves a lot faster now. Veterans who enjoyed the aggressive tempo of earlier titles in the franchise are in for a speedy homecoming. These new avatars are nimble and quick. Those of you who have cross-trained on Call of Duty in recent years will love the tactical elements that a fast-dashing SPARTAN brings to objective scenarios.
POP QUIZ: How many SPARTANs are depicted above? If you said “Three!” you would still probably have gotten the bits blown out of you. The ability to obtain invisibility in Reach is not a graphical gimmick. Cloaked assailants that do not move are all but undetectable, even at close range. When they do move, you will still need sharp eyes to pick them out of the background. Invisible corner-campers are sure to be the source of much rage quitting.
Lastly, you will want to try some popping and locking. Perhaps the truest value of this tactic has yet to be learned. Either that, or this will be the Halo equivalent of Call of Duty’s riot shield. It’s effective, but it tends rarely to be more than a tactical annoyance – a diversion. While Armor Lock has resulted in the rescue of a few flags under the most frantic of battle conditions, most of the users of this ability end up painting themselves into a corner.
As for the rest? You will figure it out. Each weapon has a use. Some, as always, are more useful than others. You will have your favorites, and they will be used as carrots to lure you out of your preferred rabbit holes. Just remember that, before you can cut your opponent to ribbons, you will have to shoot your way through that…
This ain’t no real-world military shooter. This is Halo – true to its roots. This is heavy tech. This is dented steel and sex appeal. This is ballistic boxing in the middle of rush hour traffic with your hair on fire. This is rarely a one-shot/one-kill affair. SPARTANS just aren’t made that flimsy. You want to get some? You are going to have to earn it again. Your opponent is wearing a tank.
There will be frustration… bouts with Beta Psychosis. We are being evicted from our comfort zones. Everything that was unconscious reverts back to being unkown. Those of you who can dance the murderous ballet in Halo 3 will need to learn to crawl again – or, at the very least, to reload. Bear that in mind before you shake off your frost.
Don’t take my word for it. Listen to some of the Gunslingers that spent their weekend on Reach. Here is what to look out for:
“I find myself running over a weapon and punching the air instead of picking it up. I am also crouching like a mad man. Damn COD…”
~Challenge Captain, TTL Bunny
“No 3-shot BR is killing me. Moan, piss. The pistol is pretty f@#$%n sweet though.”
~Community Leader, TTL Waynoka
“Finding the sweet spot for each weapon’s reticule blossom vs. rate of fire has been tough. And then once you’ve found it, you’ve got to figure out how much you can tweak that depending on what range you’re engaging the enemy in.”
~Squad Captain, TTL Cuteness
“I feel powerless. Melee doesn’t seem to have the omph it used to… I’m crying in my cheerios over this stuff. It’s Halo, it’s well thought out, but it’s also very frustrating right now. I need to relearn the game.”
~Webmaster, Sunburned Goose
“The game seems pretty solid at range, albeit forced to a cadence. My only grief thus far is that the close-quarters encounters seem pretty spastic. The AR still feels like garbage.”
~Overlord, DTS pastor
“I’m a floating turd with the pistol. Just waiting to be flushed.”
~TTL Gunslinger, Kyli3
“Button configs got me. I love Bumper Jumper, but with the load out ability moving to a button that requires moving from the stick is tricky. Hopefully I remember that one right, I will need to revisit the button configs. Being so used to regen it’s tough to go looking for a health pack.
FALL DAMAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
~Recruitment XO, TTL Cleanbeats
“My hardest part is remembering that the left bumper is for armor specialties and left trigger is for throwing grenades. I have grenaded my self one too many times and have jumped the flag too often because I forget I can not use the armor perk while carrying the flag.”
~Sniper Captain, TTL Sindekiero
“Be sure to use your Armor Lock wisely. You can actually spam the button to go in and out of Armor Lock repeatedly, as a way of throwing off the timing of whoever is nearby. And Armor Lock will usually save your life, even if your opponent is waiting for it to wear off, your teammates might come in and distract him, leaving you free to go back to fighting.”
~Art Director, TT L Burritoh
It’s a brave new game for all of us. Making these mistakes is half the fun in tackling something new. Let yourself be the noob again before you rush off in a huff to submit bug reports on Bungie.net about “weapon balance”. If you learn the new game, it will reward you for your efforts.
Halo: Reach is the perfect conclusion to Bungie’s handling of their baby. This game will get played for years to come. See you in the fog.
It has begun. While yet to swing wide, the gates are open. The first wave has dropped, and maneuvers have commensed. The Halo: Reach Beta is live, and so is Tied the Leader.
Any good war needs combat correspondents embedded with the fighting forces that clash on the battlefield. There would be no war stories without brave souls on the field to collect the finer moments that erupt from the fog. The Battle of The Beta shall be no different.
Reporting from Tied the Leader’s advanced recon unit is Hoovaloov, our own combat correspondent. You are invited to ride along as we storm environments unknown. This is your invitation to be embedded with the Gunslingers.
Our Live Feed begins Thursday, April 29th. At High Noon [central time] the Gunslingers will get some. Check Justin TV for status updates on next playtimes and chat functionality. Or, if you don’t want to miss a single frag on the go, download their iPhone application and look up our tiedtheleader channel.
You may remember Hoovaloov from his redefining analysis of the Halo Reach Multiplayer Trailer. Amidst the breathless leadup to the preliminary unveil of Halo Reach, our own Hoov has become the resident curator at TTL, keeping track of all of the pearls of intel to escape the calculating jaws of the Bungie Hype Machine. With new details emerging about the Invasion gametypes, he is wielding his digital scalpel once again to disect the finer points of the offering. We are, of course, happy to share these insights with a ravenous public of will-be combatents.
With Halo 2 officially laid to rest, there is nowhere to look but forward. The king is dead. Long live the king. The Beta is just within Reach. [get it?]
The TTL Gunslingers – no doubt along with the rest of the Halo Nation – are poised on the border, waiting for the gates to swing wide. Ready up and get some!
Last week, we watched as the curtain was raised on a new system to be included in Halo Reach that will keep players invested in pursuing their own campaign against the virutal combatents that fight in the Battle of the Halo Nation. The new focus will be on the specialist that finds their niche and elevates a single facet of the game to the level of art. The aim will be to reinforce those behaviors.
In the words of lukems “There are guys [who] just want to drive people around.” Submitted for your approval – and entertainment – are a cadre of such guys. Halo3Wheelemen.com has collected some of the best moments played by the dedicated Warthog pilots from Affiliated Clans in the Good Game Network. The theme of this highlight reel is similar to Bungie’s impending Commendation system – to discover who is the best of the best.
Behold the future Onyx Wheelmen of the Halo Nation. They are poised on the border of the Reach Beta, ready to strike with steering wheels in hand and nerves of steel. Keep an eye out for them. On May 3rd, they will be hunting for you.
As always, these offerings are best experienced in High Definition.
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