Halo 2 related ramblings.

[Skorpius]

Since this would technically classify as a rant, I might as well save time and post it in here.

For a long while, I've been somewhat of an anti-Halo 2 person. I'd always had a negative opinion against the game even though I've never played it. One of the issues I had with it was the fact that the game had an undeactivatable auto-aim. I don't need to play the game to know it automatically fails according to most FPS standards (one being NO AUTO AIM). Another part of the game was the players, the ones that posted on message boards and boasted about skill, or made videos to show how much they "P-owned" everyone. My negative attitude was always met with "don't knock it unless you try it", so this is why I'm posting my thoughts; I was given the opportunity to play the game, Story and through System Link (using a System Link program).

My opinion of the game has not changed one bit. I still think it looks very good, but everything is horribly done wrong. Of course, Bungie knows how to market games to people who will still buy it regardless of whatever cliffhanger enging they add onto it, but that's beside the point. One of the major issues of the Story was that you only played half of it as Master Chief. As dumb as I think the overly centered action hero theme for this game is (since he performs so awesomely in cutscenes, but you die from a mistake in judgement from a fall), I still played it until I head about the cliffhanger ending which caused me to lose all ambition to complete it.

The HUD is horrible. Call me old fasioned (maybe) but I like my ammo display to be by the gun it represents, not on the top of the screen where my critical information should be (health/radar). Why is the top of the screen important? Because if you look at the bottom, what do you see? GROUND AND YOUR GUNS. Those aren't as important as the top of the screen, which is where everything else is (such as ENEMIES). Motion Sensor? That's a nice way to encourage camping, as it gives the advantage to a player who doesn't move. Radar, at least, gives all players an equal playing field in terms of information provided, and it's positioned at the top left of the screen. The Shield system (allbeit different) is kind of wonky; there is no health meter, making you rely on your shield related tactics (such as running away, or camping). And it's located in the bottom left of the screen, above the motion sensor. Ok, so I get to see the ground when I need to take a quick look of my status and situation, instead of being able to see the environment. Nice one, Bungie. Go back to the drawing board on that one.

Now, for the people. I've played with some pretty cool people over the System Link program, but that doesn't stop me from meeting the overly-competitive 80% of the time. Trash talking over your communicator while on duel-screen (playing with two people on the same box) doesn't make you cool. Changing the default rules to take out most of the features of the game doesn't make you the best Halo 2 player ever. Sure, you can win in a game of Slayer/Battle Rifles/No Shields on Lockout, GREAT! How about trying other maps, with random weapons! How about One Flag CTF with Brute Shot and Magnums! I don't really need to hear "You suck at life" coming from my speakers when you play Halo 2 all day with the same settings all the time.

Despite all of that, I still check to see if any cool people are around. One thing I should start doing is sending messages through this program to people I have fun with so I can play with them again. Of course, once I get a communicator, I'll have more fun than I am now. But that won't last, I'm only borrowing the game. Anyway, off to play DOAX, boobies are better than guns!

[PJ]

I guess the fact that Halo 2, "Fails to other FPSs," is the reason it's the only FPS I like.

Well, I hate the story too. But I don't play Halo for it's story http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif

[Solstis]

Multiplayer: I can barely stand to play Halo 2 multiplayer (Live). When it first came out, it was fine if you played when all the kids were asleep or at school, but then I realized that I'd rather be sleeping or doing something more fun.

Singleplayer: Oh, oh my. Way to make the levels 10x longer than they needed to be.

Mechanics/HUD/ETC: As a FPS veteran, I wasn't bothered so much by the HUD as I was the auto-aim. I rarely focus my attention at one spot for very long anyway, which means that I'm generally very good at spotting people when they move (I sometimes ignore enemies that are standing still, odd, eh?). That's an advantage I have over some players, especially when it comes to Deathmatch games. But, my ability to spot an opponent before he/she sees me (and get a bead more quickly) means almost squat when they can aim just as easily as I can. Image the Halo 1 pistols + the Halo 2 auto-aim. Arg.

Shield System: Same thing for Call of Duty 2. Just because it is a console game does not mean that you have to dumb it down, developers.

Still, Halo 2 can be really fun with the right people. Then again, card games can be equally as fun with the right people.

[Dre_o]

I've played the game, start to finish. I've played multiplayer (I wasn't bad simply cause I am inately good [ironic how I misspelled inately huh?]) And I must say:

1) I can't play online for more than 30 minutes. All the "No shields, nothing but snipers" is annoying.
2) The game is just annoying in the first place.
3) I'd take Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow ANY DAY ANY TIME ANY PLACE ANY DIMENSION over Halo 2

4) And yes, boodies are better than guns http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif

first time I used a wacko

[Shigecki]

I agree with most of the things that are said about Halo 2. I play it every once in a while still, but only with good friends in custom games that change from game to game. I don't play in random generatated games because I don't need to be trash talked by an anonymous 10 year old when I am trying to have fun.

The online/multiplayer was much, much, much more fun when the game first came out. It could be because it was new and all my friends played alot in custom games (CTF on waterworks with 16 players needing to win 3 matches to win the game and each match you needed to capture 3 flags to win w/o a time limit. It was the most fun I ever had playing Halo 2). I did enjoy playing it at first and I am very surprised it is still very popular 2 years after it's release. I will say that if I was to still want to play deathmatch, CTF, whatever type of games online, I wouldn't play any other game, but that is only if I wanted to.

The auto aim did bother me, and it wasn't something that I noticed for a while. I felt there was something wrong with the aiming, but at first I couldn't put my finger on it. It also sucks having auto aiming when you have a slight bit of lag. All you hear is the restart count beeps. The shield system is actually a nice change to me, and the amo in the upper left cormer doesn't get in my way at all. The cliffhanger ending was a surprise to most, and did piss me off.

All in all I do prefer the original Halo to it's sequal, and wish that had been online for all the matches they have for Halo 2. But oh well.

Now if only XBox would make DOAX backward compatible, I'd be there playing it too. Boobs do beat out gun everytime, all the time.

[DLShAdOw]

lol...i still play halo 1.

Although i played halo 2 for bout 3-4 months on xbox live and that was fun...until everyone and their uncle learned how to bridge, then the BSO...waiting overran my team slayer matches...

i love sidewinder

[Link00seven]

That pretty much sums up everything wrong with this game, and then some! I agree 100%.

[Corey]

You need to realize auto aim is added for XBL in particular, though they should have an option to turn it off.
I'll continue loving Halo :>

[Skorpius]

Regardless, auto-aim is still an in-game handicap that assists players so they can make shots/kills without using "real" skill. I know that word is used often, but there really is skill in playing an FPS. When everyone can "swipe-snipe" or randomly shot while hitting the target, that doesn't prove anything other than auto-aim is working. Added for "XBL"? XBL would be the place to NOT have auto-aim because of the recorded rankings. What good are these statistics if some joe-shmuck can run around with duel-SMG and spray away without having to worry about missing too much? Fuck, auto-aim even gives away a player's position from across the map because it pulls your look in the direction the enemy is moving. Evasion tactics don't work either, because the auto-aim is helping your opponent keep on target.

All of this is for the reverse, as well. How much of an accomplishment is it to say you're good at a game that assists you THAT much in a critical way? To me, I don't like knowing I can dumb down my tactics because I can just spin around and kill the guy behind me without having to get the shotgun blast just right. In fact, you kind of have to. If you're trying to aim, the auto-aim will mess you up most of the time. If you just let it take over in most situations, you'll find that you'll be getting more kills than if you were playing like you would on another game without the auto-aim.

[Corey]

Skorp, dsl using players who live in different countries will have extreme difficulty properly targeting eachother on XBL. Already with auto aim, sometimes you must use "leading" shots.

[Rainbowlemon]

I have no idea where you live, so I'm not to comment. But, if on the off chance, you do live in the US...good for you. Your auto aim will serve you well, and this game will be a walk in the park. If. however, you live in Europe, unlucky! 95% of the matches I play are hosted abroad, in the US. It *tells me* I have an alright ping, but I'll be damned if I can shoot someone point blank with a shotgun and actually kill them, because it just 'aint happening.

I actually feel, however, that if the auto aim were to be removed, the playing field will be levelled. It would be nice to see an american miss a snipe.

What's more, I have to play harder - Having been to america and played halo 2 there with my friend, I was irate at how easy I found it. But, until we're all on 10 Meg connections, all we can do is complain.

The story, I agree, is not quite as involving as its predecessor. I do give it props, however, for delivering something a bit different. Evidently, you dont appreciate how the two sides of the story merge together, and that is but personal preference. There are others however, including me, that feel being able to play an elite (and being that it also entangles with the story) was a great move on Bungie's part.

Perhaps you're not feeling it because you decided to try them all in one fell swoop...or did you already play through Halo 1? My friend and I adored Halo 1, and spent practically all the free time we had doing co-op together for like 6 months, over and over, just because it was a great laugh, and the story was so intriguing. To be led on from that, after being used to the first Halo for so long, to something so much SMOOTHER and faster, and to be able to play as an ELITE!!! - That was what really got things hyped!

[Skorpius]

Other online FPS's don't have auto-aim, so why Halo 2? Counter-Strike is an international PC game that has more issues than connections. A player's PC specs can and will influence performence on a server and the experience is the same as it is online with Halo 2 during a session of bad lag. People do complain about lag, but that's about lag and not about missing. I played some people from Columbia on Counter-Strike (xbox) over online system link (2v1). The lag made it a little difficult to get quick shots, but I ended up winning most of the games anyway.

Auto-aim is not a remedy for lag.

[Corey]

But it helps.


But you're liek, so anti H2, so I'll pretend I agree and hopefully you will let me run away.

[packdude4]

halo 2 is amazinlgy addicting

the story is horrible, i skipped the cutscenes, and blew through the campagin

the whole game is the multiplayer and its freedom and ability to hook up wuth your friends and go play some random people and swear into you mic more than anyone else

its a great game

[PIT]

i don't understand your whining about the story. it's very good. if you have skipped the cutscenes, how can you know anything about the plot, huh?

and the auto-aim isn't targeting enemy's head even when you're not touching the controller and you're looking away from him. that's just a slight auto aim that helps you to plat without a mouse.


if you don't like it, make your own game

[Charmander02]

The Flood = The Devil.

That's the only thing that i hate about that game.

[DroolinBuddie]

omfg i used to like halo 2 but yeah the online play jus sickened me, little kids n sh*t talkin " IMA POWNZORZ YOU!!!!11!!1!111one one one!!1111" and threatenin sayin stoopid as hell stuff like "CMON COME DOWN TO (insert address here) ILL FU**KIN KILL U HOMIE"
omg it makes me laugh but at the same time annoys me, but yeah i feel how u guys hate this game, cause i hate it now too -_-;; i hate xbox now jus cause of a couple of reasons:

1. you hav to pay to play online
2. stoopid kids on there
3. no life, ppl in it
4. sorry if this is mean but.....alot of white ppl that jus act queer towards my kind ( im asian, and sum of the ppl on there, i kno aren't ALL white, but sum of them talk crap about my kind most of them are white...-_-;;)
and 5. i love ps2, MADE BY SONY AHHHH LONG LIVE SONY <___<;;

[Para]

Heh my friend recently has been complaining about Halo 2 and how frustrating the game is. Halo was a good game... Halo 2... I'm not sure if it was a good improvement in terms of gameplay.

Oh and Hitomi sucks

Ayane forever <3

[Dre_o]

On 2006-06-27 17:03, Nites wrote:
Oh and Hitomi sucks

Ayane forever <3



I won't go anymore off topic than saying that those are fighting words!

I love Helena myself.

[Skorpius]

I completed the story.

What a very good way to ensure sales of Xbox 360 and Halo 3.

I've also come to enjoy using the Brute Shot. Why? Because Halo 2 can be a fun game if the people you're playing with aren't dipshits (obvious for any game, really). Most games on XBConnect are "MLG" or "SWAT".

MLG Team Slayer - battle rifle start, no radar. Used in competitive play by professional gamers.

S.W.A.T. - all weapons replaced with Battle Rifles and Magnum pistols, shields and radar turned off.

First off, MLG stands for Major League Gaming. This is the organization that decides competitive standards for games such as Halo 2 and Super Smash Brothers Melee. The most popular game types of both games are now "standards" for gaming due to this "MLG", which causes a lot of unfun games. I'll explain.

As you can see, both MLG and SWAT start off with Battle Rifle. The Battle Rifle is a top tier weapon, shooting 3 bullets per shot. Despite bullets dealing less damage to shields than plasma weapons, you'll still cut through shields easily due to the 3-round shot. Add a good zoom function, and you're set for long to mid-range combat. Starting off with this weapon means that you'll rarely ever need to use any other weapon on the map, thus making everything else completely useless outside of Rockets and Sniper.

SWAT is worse. This is a very popular gametype for some reason. No shields + Battle Rifle means you'll be going down with one-two shots. The majority of SWAT games set weapons to Human, eliminating most other weapons from being used. What perks my curiosity is why these people cannot just go and play something like Counter-Strike, which is SWAT but better! Come on, now.

I have seen very few games on XBC that involve Juggernaut, and even less involving Oddball. I have never seen Assault or Territories. I guess many people are easy to entertain with monotonous gameplay and boring gametype set-ups.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Skorpius on 2006-06-28 10:08 ]</font>

[Corey]

XBC...what ever happened to XBL? http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_disapprove.gif

[Mwabwetumba]

I´m a Halo/2 enthusiast, but I have started arguing with far too many people that opposed Halo 2 to bother doing that again..

But I agree that XBL/XBC has far too many SWAT games and the like.. okey, I can admit that I like playing SWAT games, but there can be too much of a good thing..
The best is easily to hook up 16 peeps and play a LAN somewhere.
16 man rumble pit with swords only, now that is pure anarchy!
Anyways, I respect your opinions (Would not have done that a year ago though.. ahh, to be young and foolish again:P) and agree to some slight extent.
But I still think it is a very good console FPS, though it cannot match up to the fluid gameplay and mechanics that is Halo:CE.. good memories!

[Skorpius]

On 2006-06-28 11:22, Corey wrote:
XBC...what ever happened to XBL? http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_disapprove.gif


I don't have XB Live. I said, in my first post, that I played it "through System Link (using a System Link program)".

[Corey]

I think I have a good idea what you're using- didn't read the part of the post you said however.

>_> I still wanna play most of you on PSOW... I'll try finding you sometime Skorp.

[GreyWolf360]

dude..im juss waitin on Halo 3...id really hate to fall behind in skill like i did in 2...and as for one...i got that and halo 2 on the same day...i beat it..and it was alot harder and the levels were longer...the developers even had a sense of humor!but due to up dates like ...well dual weilding i choose 2 over 1~

[GreyWolf360]

and as far as live is conserned...its the ppl that effit upi spent a whole day playing stupid ass"no scope" sniper matches...on lockout...all day....no radar...no scopes...fuckin stupid....and of course was the most boring day i ever lived...

and not to mention the ppl are very racist..i literally begin everygame with 'hey wassup everybody hows it goin'...enough of the time i get a "Hey everybody! its a N!@@3(r) !!!!....it really gets anooying when i realy cant say anything back and the jackass is on my team~ but its w/e i usually led my team/ bust his ass...which usually shets them up....ususally

regardless~ long live Halo