If you have found yourself reading this column, but have never interacted with the TTL Community, you have tasted only a sliver of what lies behind the curtain of this domain. Over the weekend, the TTL Gunslingers completed a full facelift and overhaul on the portal that they use to write their own story about a never-ending battle.
Of course, this story is not just about one clan of gamers. It is about all of the clans that they meet in their quest for a good game. It is about the challengers who come to our house to represent theirs. The players in this tale leave their own round tables to make imaginary war against ours.
Led by a tireless Staff of Captains, the Gunslingers answer all takers of our open challenge. One by one, we match ranks and select matches. Maps and gametypes are exchanged for an evening of rivalry and friendly competition. Relationships are formed. One by one, we sample their game to see if it is good. Amidst the ever changing landscape of the greater gaming community, clans come and go. Alliances rise and fall.
A gaming community is lost without worthy opponents, left to wander matchmaking playlists in search of combatents who finish the fight and speak their lesson true. When the Gunslingers make new friends through the exchange of simulated gunfire, we hold on to them. We follow their respective campaigns, and keep them close for joint strike forces into the madness of Xbox Live.
Of all our lost time spent fragging faceless strangers via the world wide web, it is the friends that we have made along the way that best insure the good game. At the center of this storm is our forum. It is there that we share best practices and fresh recruits with our allies, in the hopes that will not disappear from the virtual landscape. New faces arrive in MidWorld every day. While our own imposed limitations prohibit us from issuing gunbelts to all of the TTL Allies, there is not one among them that does not fit the profile.
Our goal is to unite the clans. Xbox Live is a fascinating platform for social interaction. When gamers form up into platoons, the roleplay takes on a richness that goes well beyond your average free-for-all scenario. For the clans that patrol multiplayer playlists for Halo 3, we want to meet you. For the lone wolves that have always wondered what the clan system is like, we offer a unique shelter that is shared by many.
Posted by XerxdeeJ
Welcome to an Official Warfare Briefing from the Tied the Leader Institute of Combat Excellence.
What you are about to see is Classified – Access Level: tango-tango-lima.
Prior to the release of the Legendary Map Pack, Bungie Studios welcomed a delegation of crash-test dummies from the ranks of the gamer-centric media. Having conned ourselves a press pass, TTL sent our man on the street – Combat Correspondent L Askan – to conduct advanced reconnaisance on the impending DLC. Below the line, you will access full tactical analysis and file photos for the next three theatres of combat to host the Battle of the Halo Nation.
Blackout!
We may think we know everything about this map from our storied exploits on Lockout, but there is bound to be a surprise or two hidden away among those elevated ramparts. Perhaps the most oft-requested rebuild from Halo 2 is finally being given its due treatment in Halo 3. The Halo Nation is about to learn if they can ever go home again.
TTL: What games did you play on this map?
L Askan: Team Slayer, 1-Flag, Team Ball, 2v2 Slayer, and Free-For-All.
TTL: What was the most striking difference about Blackout that prevented you from porting your Lockout playbook to Halo 3 gameplay?
L Askan: Games on this map were very similar to games on Lockout in H2. In a match of Team Slayer, setting up crossfire between Sniper Tower and Battle Rifle Tower was still the key to victory – with the Sword playing a large role in close-quarters engagements.
We didn’t see any Final Boss-esque Team Ball setups or Carbon-inspired dominance from Battle Rifle tower. But, it did seem that coordinating fire from a position on one side of the map often led to victory. Team Ball is still an absolute blast to play on this map.
TTL: What were your favorite modifications? Which ones will take the most effort to get used to?
L Askan: The small changes made to the ledge areas [around the center] are a welcome change, as well as the removal of some of the jumps that exploited geometry in the original iteration. Some jumps, like the shortcut from top-center to the flag-plant atop the old Battle Rifle tower, are more difficult. Other jumps, such as the one that led from the top-center to the Sniper spawn, have been simplified.
As small a change as it seems, respawning energy cores will also take some getting used to. Lockout had some choice placements for cores. Now that they respawn on a timer, you will need to pay close attention to them [as well as where you’re standing in relation to them] throughout the entire match.
[Editor’s Note: Killing Snipers who camp next to the cores that spawn next to their favorite weapon is still as satisfying as it ever was.]
TTL: Assuming that gamers can ever really be satisfied; will the lads at MLG be pleased with Lockout’s facelift?
L Askan: Pleased? Yes. Satisfied? Never.
Bungie really did us a solid by giving us the most popular H2 map in H3. It would be a shame if this remake was used as an argument to have Midship revived or Warlock remade.
TTL: What was the most effective tactic you observed during your day of playing on this map?
L Askan: The use of grenades and equipment to control doorways and halls. The effective radius of the power drainer makes it an absolute monster on Blackout. Halo 3 equipment adds an entirely new dimension to this map, and should be prioritized as power weapons in an initial rush. The difference between a flag-carrier and a flag-carrier escaping through a bubble shield is one we’re all too familiar with.
Avalanche!
Lesser known but equally revered, Sidewinder is finally being given the Xbox Live treatment. Multiplayer memories from Halo: Combat Evolved include endless flag matches and vehicular battle royales set in the deep freeze. Two games later, the icy horseshoe is back in our arsenal.
TTL: What games did you play on this map?
L Askan: Team Slayer, 1-Flag and Multi-Flag.
TTL: The screenshots for this map absolutely dwarf the vehicles. Is it as big as it looks?
L Askan: As big, and as beautiful.
[Editor’s Aside: Thanks for the brevity, Jerk! That’s what I get for sending a Sqaud Captain, instead of a Poet.]
TTL: Will vehicular dominance be unquestioned? Are there enough countermeasures strewn across the lanscape to stop the motorpool?
L Askan: Unfamiliar with the term “vehicular dominance”. Please explain.
[Editor’s Retort: You know, that’s when ‘Hog Pilots like me splatter the ever-loving life out of field grunts like you, over and over and over and…]
Vehicles will undoubtedly play the biggest role on Avalanche. The absence of Missile Pods means that the Spartan Laser is of the utmost importance. It will likely be the most sought-after item on this map. Gamers who remember where the Rockets spawned on Sidewinder will know exactly where to go to find them on Avalanche – and there are teleporters in each base to enable a shortcut. Expect many very memorable vehicular battles on this map.
Also, in one-sided objective games, the team on offense has Human vehicles while the defending team has Covie vehicles. It’s a great twist!
TTL: Tell me all about my Snow Hog! Does it really handle differently? Or is it just decorated with new winter camouflage?
L Askan: The snow hog may or may not have a fully automatic Gauss Cannon mounted on it… Kidding, kidding.
While it is sporting a new paint job, it does not seem tp handle differently than on Valhalla or Sandtrap. Avalanche, however, is a cold, snowy place. Where there’s snow, there’s ice… While the ice does threaten a momentary loss of control [and brakes] it is not the skating rink we knew on Sidewinder. Wheelmen are less likely to splatter flag-carriers who choose the wrong patch for dust-off.
TTL: What was the most effective tactic you observed during your day of playing on this map?
L Askan: Air support. The Hornet has been gentled for matchmaking, but it is still an absolute beast. Tanks are important, and hogs are still the best way to transport troops; but air support is going to make or break a rush.
Ghost Town
This is the only true mystery to behold in the Legendary Map Pack. Ghost Town is the new guy that your two old friends bring to the party. Introductions all around, as we start from scratch on this one.
TTL: How would you describe this map in relation to other environments from Halo multiplayer?
L Askan: Ghost Town has a “Sanctuary-ish” feeling to it in terms of the limestone-style buildings, but is infinitely more detailed in its state of decay. The light shading alone is mind-blowing.
Much like Zanzibar, it’s a perfect one-sided objective map, and carries with it the distinction of being equally playable by 16 gamers as it is by 8 gamers. That’s not an easy feat to pull off, but it was mastered through what must have been countless hours of design and test.
TTL: What was the preferred method of negotiating this map? Is this a vehicular scene, or an on-foot engagement?
L Askan: Ghost town is certainly an on-foot affair. A skilled mongoose driver may be able to assist in negotiating a flag extraction from time to time, but the way to “do work” on this map is going to be with your boots on the ground, grinding for a toe-hold and earning your positions.
TTL: What do you foresee being the most popular gametypes on this map?
L Askan: 1-Flag and 1-Bomb first. Because of the numerous routes and defensive positions, one-sided objective games are going to be favorites on this map. It shouldn’t be overlooked for Slayer either, as it played very well in both Team and Free-For-All. You may even reconsider your Auto-Veto-Reflex after playing VIP on this map. It’s just that good.
If you haven’t played Team Duel in DLC slayer yet, I suggest spending some time in that playlist. That gametype would also be barrels of fun on Ghost Town.
TTL: What can you tell us about this map that we don’t know to ask, since we haven’t played [something similar to] it?
L Askan: There is a strong emphasis on multi-level combat in Ghost Town. High-ground advantage is going to be crucial in both Objective and Slayer games. In more than one of the structures on this map, there are three levels. Access between them are fast, fluid, and intuitive.
I suspect that there are going to be new grenade bounces discovered on this map for years.
TTL: What was the most effective tactic you observed during your day of playing on this map?
L Askan: On offense, be sure to use all of the assets you’ve been given. Leaving Rockets or Active Camouflage could come back to haunt you halfway through a round. You’ve got plenty of choices on a route to take, so if you’re encountering a solid defense one way, work another angle.
On defense, keep your head on a swivel and don’t think you’re safe because you’ve got one access point covered. Be prepared to fortify a different position if a teammate goes down. Camping could cost you a ten-second respawn or a lost flag.
Thanks to Bungie Studios for a chance to preview thier latest round of downloadable content. Cheers on a job well done, and keep up the great work. Good games on these new maps are sure to be a slam dunk.
[Editor’s Final Note: The above screenshot is a joke, and in no way meant to imply that Legendary DLC will be host to a basket-odd-ball gametype.]
See you 04-15-2008!
Posted by XerxdeeJ
A brief from the Tied the Leader Intelligence Agency:
It’s fitting that our newest round of Downloadable Content for Halo 3, Produced by Bungie Studios [heretofore referred to as DLC] has been branded the “Legendary Map Pack”. More than the obvious successor to the Heroic DLC Pack, it features two maps that have achieved “legendary” status among the warring citizens of the Halo Nation. Finally, after thousands [millions?] of units of impassioned feedback, gamers will get the chance to view Sidewinder and Lockout through the next-gen prism of Halo 3.
As revealed in advance press from Bungie.net, the names have changed but the simulated combat scenarios are the same. Avalanche is a tunnel-ridden horseshoe of snowbound mayhem that some will remember from Combat Evolved. Blackout is the multi-level thunderdome and competitive standard that most will recall from Halo 2.
The remaining questions are to be answered later this week, through the impressions of those test subjects who have had a preview of what will be downloaded in the land-rush scheduled for April 15th. For many a gamer, this DLC is the answer to a plea or a prayer.
Any surfers curious enough to brave the waves at Bungie.net have witnessed the desperate cries of die-hard fans who could not fully love a new Halo game without a return to the scenes of their old favorite crimes. Never let it be said that Bungie Studios [a limited liability corporation] does not listen to the troops who fight in their cause for global domination.
Of all the new battlefields to be seen, this gamerblogger is most curious about Ghost Town. While it is intriguing to see our favorite battlezones put back under the microscope, this matchmaking denizen is more curious about the new tricks that the makers have up their sleeves. Launching a game and seeing it played has an inevitable impact on a creative process. It was late in the game of Halo 2 that my favorite map, a foreboding island we knew as “Relic”, exploded [very literally] onto the scene. It may be that our next favorite theater of pretended warfare is a place that no one has yet to see.
For the rest of you, April 15th represents your chance to put your money where your forum petition is. You issued the call. Bungie has answered with retro-teraformation of two legends from the lore of Halo multiplayer. Perhaps they even gave rise to a new classic amidst all of that decaying concrete. We need not debate the vaue of this offering. Price is set. Nothing left to do now but shoulder the flame thrower and vote with your wallets.
You thought you finished the fight? That propaganda was there to sell the story. So long as the online census remains strong, and the respawn clock ticks down, the fight need not end. Sound off if you will be on the front lines on opening day with an Oo-RAH! and a Battle Rifle. Time to muster for launch, ye Halo Gamer.
Check back with Tied the Leader this Friday, April 11th to receive a full tactical combat briefing from a Squad Captain in the ranks of the TTL Gunslingers who has experienced the gameplay that will spin off from these maps. Until then, he is sequestered in an undisclosed location with a zombie shotgun and a zippo – you know, in case he has to burn his notes.
Posted by XerxdeeJ
Did you hear the one about the contest to create your own Xbox 360 operating system theme?
We did. We even created an entry of our very own.
Of course, when I say “We”, I am just taking credit for the work of our very own El Burritoh. I do that a lot on this blog. I make no apologies for this. After years of berrating the Halo Nation for having bad manners, it’s nice to hand the reigns over to an artist.
Everyone should enjoy Mr. Burritoh’s art. He’s got a knack for texture. He deals in lead, and wood, and stone.
If you want to vote for him, make your way to 360 Theme.
Maybe you are a TTL Gunslinger. Perhaps, you are an Ally in our Community. Or, it could just be that you have a weakness for cowboys.
Mmmmm…
Cowboys!
Posted by XerxdeeJ
Here it is, the moment you all have been waiting for. Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest and donated money. All the money used to purchase guesses was donated to our Foundation, and thus directly to the troops. So in a way [cheesy line coming…] we are all winners. The following is a screen capture of Bungie.net at exactly 1:17 PM CST on January 17, 2008.
Using that count as a guide, the following people are the winners of a brand new copy of the Halo 3 Soundtrack. Congrats to everyone.
There were some amazing guesses that got a lot closer than I would have ever gotten. If you see your name above then stop by the TTL Forums and send a private message to “Dweezle” [same person you sent your guesses to] with you shipping address so we can send you your prize. Thanks to everyone for entering and stay tuned for more contests and tournaments in the future that will give more support to combat wounded war veterans.
Posted by Dweezle
“I can’t believe he’s gone…” –Lord Hood
The world needs heroes. Everyone needs a role model who can lead them with the standards set by their example. These figures enrich our imaginations and inspire us to our own variety of greatness. 117 Day is about honoring the sacrifice made by those dive into the howling darkness.
The polls for Guess the Census are closed. To those of you who participated, Tied the Leader thanks you for the contributions you have made to our charitable foundation. Thank you for being a fascinating community that is capable of such meaningful interactions.
To those of you who abstained, we will concoct a tournament in the nearest future – another bid to inspire you into action. Support of the TTL Foundation is an elective activity. We will never hold out our hand for your hard-earned credits unless we are holding something in the other hand that you covet.
The winners of this contest are listed in the article preceeding this one. All told, Tied the Leader was able to raise $500 through this little experiment. Those proceeds came from 29 participants making a combined total of 136 guesses.
Posted by XerxdeeJ
In recognition of 117 Day, it is our pleasure at Tied the Leader to announce a contest. We call it ‘Guess the Census’. It will be a trial of cunning and wit that will culminate on January 17, 2008.
This contest accompanies a celebration to honor the memory of the SPARTAN lost in the liberation of Earth from the Covenant Threat. Paying homage to our fallen heroes is a crucial duty for us as citizens. It is because of their feats of bravery that we may game on.
This is a tournament of the mind. Leave your BR in the Hog. Hanging in the balance of this riddle are 21 copies of the Halo 3 Soundtrack. As a Grand Prize, one of them has been autographed by the Master Composer himself – Martin O’Donnell.
And how can you win one of these prizes? We are so very glad that you have asked. In order to claim a copy of the music that cheers on the Halo Nation, you need only guess its size.
The objective behind ‘Guess the Census’ is to predict, in advance, how many virtual combatants will engage each other in a game of Halo 3 via Xbox Live during a 24 hour period. This census will be taken on 1/17, at exactly 1:17 PM [central standard time]. The source for this measurement will be the Halo 3 gravemind at Bungie.net.
Ever taken a guess at how many gumballs are in the candy jar? ‘Guess the Census’ is a lot like that… only the gumballs are less sugary, roll more heavily-armed, and will open fire on your position if provoked.
Willing contestants will be required to make a modest donation to the Tied the Leader Foundation. All proceeds of this contest will be donated to organizations that aid in the rehabilitation of wounded combat veterans. Our most recent donation was made at the close of 2007, including proceeds raised at the ChicagoLAN’d from ticket sales and silent auctions.
$2.00 earns a participant in Guess the Census one unique opportunity to estimate how many gamers will pass through the halls of Halo 3 on 117 Day. You may scale your donation to allow for as many guesses as you desire.
This contest will be conducted on the MidWorld Forum.
Polls are open now. The prize awaits the gamer who comes closest to the mark – without going over. Place your bets.
Posted by XerxdeeJ
Happy New Year, Halo Nation.
Weclome back to the grid. Tied the Leader usually goes dark during the Holiday Season. Everyone else works so hard to wish you a Happy Holidays that we don’t have to! Hope yours was just fine.
Now that 2008 has returned our willing participants back to the controls, it’s Game On! We enter “ought-8” with a vengeance. In the coming weeks and months, watch this space for tournaments, contests, trials of wit and cunning, LAN Party Announcements, and Foundation Updates. For now, let’s take a moment to reflect on the persona that dominated our imaginations during our last spin around the sun.
The Chief had a rough year. Poor guy… He got tested, poked, prodded and re-engineered for a launch that made even Spiderman say “Gosh”. They fitted him for an uncountable number of armor permutations. He had to finish the fight billions of times over, and was blown to bits in every corner of two waves of multiplayer maps.
In his Honor, Tied the Leader would like to announce 117 Day. It is a celebration in his honor to occur exactly at 1:17 PM on 1/17/2008. Keep your browsers tuned to TTL for details.
To celebrate, we will be inviting clever souls to guess a riddle in the hopes of winning tantalizing prizes donated by people who wish to remain nameless so that you will not hound them for free schwag. The daring will ante up a modest donation to our Charitable Foundation to play. The answer will lie in the very community that shoots at us over the course of every 24 hour period. Anyone’s guess will be as good yours…
In the meantime, go check out somethingawful.com. The graphic that we so lovingly borrowed comes from Photoshop Phriday, and everyone over there is as amusing as The Sniper ZERO. Have I dropped enough names to allow me to pass around an image?
Peace on Earth.
Good Will Towards Men.
Good Game.
Go Play Halo.
Posted by XerxdeeJ
Tied the Leader would like to take a moment and humbly thank anyone who voted for us as their choice to represent the Xbox Live Community as their favorite [nominated] team.
Of course, the accolade was only made possible by the curious podcasters at Gamertag Radio. We thank you – and them – not for the victory, but for the vote of confidence.
The Gunslingers don’t play games in an effort win an award. We game because we enjoy doing it. We are glad that is apparent. If our love for the game rubs off on some other people we cross on the paths of the grid? Well, that’s an unexpected bonus.
Any award given to us has to be shared with the entire Halo Nation. Without so many passionalely interactive people with whom we can swap ordnance, there would be no Clan of Gunslingers. There would be no need to explore the politics of multiplayer.
This blog exists for not many other reasons than to lure people into our midst to play the game with us. We like the people who engage us through titles like Halo 2, Halo 3, and Call of Duty. If it weren’t for them, we would be fragging AI in endless combinations of isolation.
The Game is the thing. We just want to play it the way it was meant to be played. If that means we get an award, we will just keep doing that.
It’s business as usual at Tied the Leader. We deal in lead. All we need are some worhty volunteers to come and collect.
Again. Say Thankya!
Posted by XerxdeeJ
Polls are open for the Gamertag Radio Awards. Tied the Leader wants your vote! And we are not afraid to ask for it. Sound off. Here is one instance in which you don’t have to push-to-talk in order to make your voice heard.
Vote for the TTL Gunslingers
Team/Community of the Year
As a last minute surprise, bs angel has received accolades as a nominee for Community Member of the Year as well as author of Blog of the Year. You know her as Hawty McBloggy. We know her as the dreaded Challenge Captain [emeritus] of the Gunslingers. She has our full endorsement.
Vote for bs angel
Community Member of the Year
Vote for Hawty McBloggy
Blog of the Year
I am TTL XerxdeeJ, and I approve of this message.
Posted by XerxdeeJ
