Smackdown 165: Halo down there (unofficial)

[Creole Ned]

Smackdown 165: Halo down there
Date: Sunday, May 21
Time: 7 p.m. PDT, 9 p.m. Central, 10 p.m. EDT
Game: Halo
Gametypes: Team Race, Team Crazy King, Team Oddball
Maps: Timberland, Bloodgulch, Battlecreek

You will need Halo Custom Edition. This is a standalone version of the multiplayer portion of the game developed by Gearbox. It allows for the use of custom maps and includes optimizations to the graphics (although those should be less of a factor now than when the game originally came out). Halo CE still requires the CD and can (and should be) installed separately from the full Halo game.

We will be playing three games. For official results it will be best 2 of 3, but we will play all three games regardless. Maps are as follows:

Timberland (Team Race)
Bloodgulch (Team Crazy King)
Battlecreek (Team Oddball)

The first two feature vehicles. Team Race requires your team to hit all the checkpoints to complete three full laps before the other. Team Crazy King requires you to hold a point for 2 minutes total. Team Oddball requires a teammate to hold a skull for 2 minutes.

Required files:
Download links to Halo CE here (http://www.gearboxsoftware.com/index.php?p=support&dl=5)
Link to required 1.07 hotfix patch (http://www.halomaps.org/index.cfm?pg=3&fid=1056)

[armerius]

i'm out of this one... no Halo cd.

[jackrabbit]

I'll try to find it for less than $19.99 this week. I really would like to play, but I've already beaten the game and we probably wont ever play it again. I'll pick it up if I can find it in a bargain bin at Wal-Mart. Sadly, it's probably cheaper on the Xbox.

[Creole Ned]

If we get a decent turnout, I'd like to add it to the regular rotation of games, rather than have it be a "once every two years" thing. Race alone makes it stand out from the other games we've played.

[Tai]

Apparently Circuit City has it on sale for $14.99 this week. I shall be picking it up.

[Postal]

Oddball and King of the hill are 2 of the best game types I have ever played. I am more use to Halo 2 but I assume they are simular in Halo 1. I think Team Crazy King would be a great game for us.

[jackrabbit]

Turns out I'll be at a graduation party, and I don't know if I'll be home in time. :(

I hope Halo works out well and we can play it again.

[Creole Ned]

I wouldn't mind testing out a few of the maps/gametypes tonight.

For those who aren't familiar with the game:

Oddball = Catch the Chicken. You pick up a skull and win if you can hold it for two minutes. You can't use your weapons while holding the skull. You can drop it, however.

Crazy King = King of the Hill. There is an area of the map that gets you points for standing in it. The area periodically shifts to a different part of the map.

Race = tag all of the points on the map to complete a lap. The first person/team to complete the set number of laps wins. Points can be tagged on foot or in vehicle.

[Creole Ned]

Thanks to Postal for helping test tonight. Pal played for a bit, too, and killed Postal a jillion times thanks to some convenient respawn points. :P

Important update: you will need the 1.07 hotfix. The hotfix for HaloCE can be found on this HaloMaps page (http://www.halomaps.org/index.cfm?pg=3&fid=1056).

If you have not played Halo before and especially if you are used to the faster pace of games like UT2004, you *will* want to practice. Player movement and control is much slower and deliberate than in most shooters. Also, you need to learn how to get out of the way of vehicles.

Team damage will be on. :)

The maps are now listed in the first post.

EDIT: If an odd number of people show up, we will play the same maps and gametypes but in FFA mode.

[Creole Ned]

Triple header!

A highly recommended tweak is to turn off the default mouse acceleration by creating a mouse config file. As posted elsewhere:

• In Notepad, type mouse_acceleration 0
• Click on File, and then on Save As
• Save this CFG in your Halo game folder
• Name it something clever like mouse.cfg
• Change the Save as type: box to All Files
• Click the Save button

• Now find your HaloCE icon in your Start menu
• Right-click on it and select Properties
• At the end of the Target: box, add a space and the following: -exec mouse.cfg
• Click on OK

You can also access higher resolutions by using the -vidmode switch:

-vidmode w,h,r

So:

-vidmode 1600,1200,60 will give you 1600x1200 at a 60Hz refresh rate.

Don't blame me if these tips blow things up! (I use mouse.cfg myself)

EDIT: If you want to take screenshots, the switch -screenshot will save TGA shots via the PrintScreen key.

[Creole Ned]

Because of various issues, the games played tonight will be considered unofficial and not counted.

Thanks to those who attended - we doubled the attendance over the first Halo Smackdown.

If you have constructive suggestions, feel free to make them. I would like to do this again.

Examples of constructive suggestions:

- gametypes that could be played, including score/time limits
- maps we could use (CE supports custom maps, as well)
- team balance (who has played vs. who hasn't vs. who is leet no matter what)
- and so forth

[Tai]

That was my first time playing. I would like to be classed as 'not so good' (kinda like where I am in UT). Ignore my kill count on that second map ;)

[Paladin]

Overall, I had fun. I think in the future, multiple rounds of a single gametype would be preferable. I never did figure out what Team Oddball was about. I assume there was a ball of some type, and probably a goal, but since I never saw either, I'm stumped.

Something is also decidedly screwy with the spawning system. It seemed like the spawn points completely ignored sides, so you might spawn standing between 2 enemies.

[Circuit]

I agree about only playing one gametype for each SD.

[F7]

+1

Also a more familiar gametype or if a new one is going to be used, we should explain rules for those who are unfamiliar.

[Creole Ned]

The main reason for playing multiple types was just because I figured it may be the only chance to play them if turnout was low.

I think for the next Halo SD we'll try Team Crazy King (King of the Hill). Would people prefer one map, as well, or multiple maps but a single gametype?

[Tai]

Assuming that the maps are not weighted towards one team over the other, I think multiple maps of the same game type would work.

[Q]

Single gametype + Multiple maps = good.

[Q]

Assuming that the maps are not weighted towards one team over the other, I think multiple maps of the same game type would work.
It's hard for maps to be weighted for one team when everyone spawns in the same damn place.