[sek929]

Originally Posted by klb5090 

this gets me thinking about how crazy Avalanche i still prefer Frostbite RR will be.

Sidenote: Sek, after a few more hours of RSV2...i have a conclusion...you need to get it.

Well, my money situation is improving and I'm nearing the end of Condemned 2.....hell I'll probably get it next week. At least it's a game I can play without being a scared little girl.

[klb5090]

Originally Posted by sek929 

Well, my money situation is improving and I'm nearing the end of Condemned 2.....hell I'll probably get it next week. At least it's a game I can play without being a scared little girl.

when i got back from the bar last night my roommate was playing it at like 3am with the lights off...very stressfulscary

[sek929]

What part is he at?

[klb5090]

I really don't know, when i was watching last night he was walking along some train tracks then some doll factory.

[sek929]

Ahh, the doll factory part is pretty badass. The whole place is going up in flames so you have to wear a dingy gas mask for a lot of that level. Not as scary as the previous levels, but it has a claustrophobic feel to it.

Just wait till he gets to the mountain lodge, you really should watch the beginning of that level, it's wicked intense.

[klb5090]

Originally Posted by sek929 

Ahh, the doll factory part is pretty badass. The whole place is going up in flames so you have to wear a dingy gas mask for a lot of that level. Not as scary as the previous levels, but it has a claustrophobic feel to it.

Just wait till he gets to the mountain lodge, you really should watch the beginning of that level, it's wicked intense.

I definitely will, the game is all around pretty intense, i like it but like you said i can't handle more than a hour or so before it fries my brain.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Meet-up Pics!

Team Slayer on Rats Nest

Before & After

Fatty predictably makes the round to our base. I leave a trip mine to greet him.

It takes a trip mine AND two grenades, but the Warthog and its inhabitants are destroyed.

Anyone home?

::maroma:: and Stelios drop in on Crosbie the Second and chuckit.

Before & After & After That

I finish Crosbie2 off with the BR jump...

...and am promptly repaid by landing in the path of sek's warthog.

A ::maroma::/Stelios double sticky make a nice explosion to avenge me.

I have the feeling we're being watched.


Yeah, we were being watched...

A semi-lucky snipe of chuckit.

Convoy

Team Blue rolls out.

It's a trap!

I spot this from my driver's seat, get a bad feeling in my stomach, and ignore it.

More noteworthy, is the turret I have no idea is hiding.

Mary, we can fly!

Finally...

Two of stogie's seven splatters.

[::maroma::]

I really like that map. Good times in that game.

Last night was rough Dakar. About an hour after you left things started to get better. I took a break and came back to a super laggy game, but after that it got better. One game I got 20 Wheelman medals. I think Bungie still has some serious kinks to work out in BTB.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Yeah, it's a great map. I have some ideas I plan on implementing on Forge tonight. Time to start working on a name...

Since our last wait time was the length of a Team Slayer game, I had had enough. That's the big downside with Ranked Big Team. Because of match length, its difficult to get many games in, slowing rank progression, the wait times are atrocious, and because of sheer size and its relegation as a secondary playlist (as opposed to LW or TS), it is wildly inconsistent in terms of quality of player and match (not factoring in the DNF effect).

The sad part is, I don't see how any of those are really reconcilable. Though I would like an explanantion for the 5 "Restarting Search"s

---

Everyone:

The highlight of the night, however, was a veto turning into Big Team Slayer on Standoff. 14 players had the map (yay)!

Anyway, my continued troubles with killing warthogs is documented here:

First Throw

Someone nails the hog with a Power Drainer as I give chase on foot. I come up the hill, toss a sticky that tags the Hog, and duck behind cover before I am killed.
The result: The Hog gets tossed a couple of lengths but no one dies and it resumes it's reign of terror.

Throw Two

The warthog returns, so I martyr myself thinking that the second plasma should finish it off (It does on all my tests in Forge). All I am able to do is kill the driver.

Respawn

Irritated with the warthog's ability to survive, I toss a hail mary mere moments after spawning. A driver has already returned.

Payoff

After someone else's frag only succeeds in flipping the Hog (What is it made of?!), mine arrives at the scene (forefront), and blows up the hog and it's occupant. The ensuing blast takes the life of the would-be driver, scoring me a double-kill while inside the base.

[klb5090]

all this 'responsible student' stuff is really getting in the way of my halo, i need to get in on this new NN map action.

[Dakar the Fourth]

It's karma, I got the feeling you were shirking your studently duties the two months previous.

[sek929]

Awesome pics Dakar.

I remember splattering you entirely by accident, my intention was to help out my red buddy in distress but I got the bonus of killing you. The trap we set was almost a turning point in the game, but we couldn't make it work.

[Dakar the Fourth]

I shot something like 35 pics last night.

I have two assorted, and the Four-for-alls ::maroma::, chuckit, stogie, and I did.

And yeah, I knew there was no way that splatter was planned.

[::maroma::]

Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth 

Since our last wait time was the length of a Team Slayer game, I had had enough. That's the big downside with Ranked Big Team. Because of match length, its difficult to get many games in, slowing rank progression, the wait times are atrocious, and because of sheer size and its relegation as a secondary playlist (as opposed to LW or TS), it is wildly inconsistent in terms of quality of player and match (not factoring in the DNF effect).

The sad part is, I don't see how any of those are really reconcilable. Though I would like an explanantion for the 5 "Restarting Search"s

Couldn't have said it better myself. The only good thing about those wait times is I get a chance to actually do some productive things around my apartment while I wait. Since my place is so small, I can do **** like dishes and crap while keeping an eye on the TV. (i live in a studio apartment). But it gets old fast. I managed to get to 11 last night after joining up with a group that won a few in a row. Then they booted my ass so I called it a night.

As for the invincible Warthog, I know what you mean. Sometimes one sticky will destroy the whole thing along with all occupants. But sometimes it will just send it flying. Does it matter where the grenade hits? If it detonates near the gas tank or engine, does it destroy it? I would hope it isn't purely random. But I wouldn't be surprised if it is.

[sek929]

If you kill the driver the machine explodes, sometimes.

Honestly, it's a crapshoot. I try to sticky hogs all the time, sometimes I get a double kill, sometimes I just muss up their hair and get hoged.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by ::maroma:: 

I managed to get to 11 last night after joining up with a group that won a few in a row. Then they booted my ass so I called it a night.

Ha, I was wondering how you won 4 in a row going mostly negative.

Originally Posted by ::maroma:: 

Does it matter where the grenade hits? If it detonates near the gas tank or engine, does it destroy it? I would hope it isn't purely random. But I wouldn't be surprised if it is.

I think it may help. The first two tagged the wheel, but I've had just one on the wheel do me in on Valhalla before.

Frags versus warthogs suck suck suck.

[Dakar the Fourth]

sek, I hope you're sitting down, as all the blood is about to rush away from your head.

Team SWAT Returns this Weekend
Posted by lukems at 3/28/2008 10:05 AM PDT

Last Sunday morning Team SWAT vanished prematurely, so this week Test has done a bit of extra work to bring the playlist back for a follow up weekend. Team SWAT goes live today at 2 p.m. PDT and will be online until 2 a.m., Monday morning. Team Hardcore has been removed to make way for the MLG playlist, which goes live Monday morning immediately following the Double EXP SWAT weekend.

[::maroma::]

Yeah I was riding their wave of wins. There were a lot of high rankers on that team. We went up against a group that had all Brigs except 2 who were a couple ranks below Brig. It was a 1 flag on Last Resort. And instead of trying to win we just cheated and moved the box over on top of the flag. Bungie tried to fix it by making the box despawn if you did that, but if there is someone standing on or in the box it wont despawn. Thus it ended in a tie.

[sek929]

Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth 

sek, I hope you're sitting down, as all the blood is about to rush away from your head.

A second-chance to SWAT it up!

Tonight is a no-go, but I'll have to get as much in Saturday and Sunday as possible.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by ::maroma:: 

Yeah I was riding their wave of wins. There were a lot of high rankers on that team. We went up against a group that had all Brigs except 2 who were a couple ranks below Brig. It was a 1 flag on Last Resort. And instead of trying to win we just cheated and moved the box over on top of the flag. Bungie tried to fix it by making the box despawn if you did that, but if there is someone standing on or in the box it wont despawn. Thus it ended in a tie.

I love Last resort, but outside of Slayer and Territories, nothing else should be played on that map.

Edit: It should be noted I'm hearing reports that the Heroic Maps are now required for certain MatchMaking hoppers. May need to try Rocket race and see if I can find those new maps.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Two Randoms

The easy way to stop a Warthog




Taking the base

The moment after I feverishly called for backup after performing a 15 second shotgun extermination on Blue Team to clear Camp Froman one last time.

[klb5090]

Originally Posted by sek929 

A second-chance to SWAT it up!

Tonight is a no-go, but I'll have to get as much in Saturday and Sunday as possible.

like a kid on christmas, thank you for more SWAT bungie, if i can pull my self from Rainbow Six saturday and sunday will be SWAT filled...
Let me know if you'll be on saturday night this means you too Dakar/Maroma

[Dakar the Fourth]

So after 2 1/2 hours in Forge last night, I decided to do a couple of Rocket Races to see if I could get the new maps and was rewarded with getting Rat's Nest Speed and Standoff Speed back-to-back (Oh, I finished first on both on my first try). So those maps are now in my possession.

My new map, a variant of Rat's Nest (Named Station 14 - The Rat guess who's watching LOST lately), has seen some substantial changes including the addition of shield doors and teleporters. A full preview will probably be out Monday.

[klb5090]

Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth 

My new map, a variant of Rat's Nest (Named Station 14 - The Rat guess who's watching LOST lately), has seen some substantial changes including the addition of shield doors and teleporters. A full preview will probably be out Monday.

Station 14 - The Rat... interesting, i'm on the edge of my seat for this one

[sek929]

I am down for some RR on the new maps. I might be playing COD4 or Condemned but shoot me and invite when you sign on and I'll switch to Halo.

Of course once Bogues signs on later I'll have to go back to SWAT.

BTW, SWAT on The Pit is my most hated scenario right now. The spawning is GOD F**KING AWFUL! Me and Bogues played two matches a minute ago on that map and even when we won I was frustrated to no end. It's not a tiny map so why the sh!t does it spawn me next to the other team 90% of the time??

[klb5090]

Impressions from last eve.
I wasen't going to get on after i got home due to it being 1am and maybe a few to many root beers... but with SWAT and a full team it was worth it. Not my best night of SWAT but still a good time, followed by some awesome RR on the new maps and old. And last but not least Dakar's Station 14 Map
my .02$...
Well designed, great weapon placement, simple and effective cover points
Could use MAYBE a few or a lot sticky grenades (but i say that about every map)

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by klb5090 

Could use MAYBE a few or a lot sticky grenades (but i say that about every map)

Ha! That was my first impression. By mid-game I knew I'd be more than doubling the amount on the map.

I feel like I need to add a power drainer or two somewhere as well. Good use of that plasma pistol, though, that's why I put them there.

[klb5090]

Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth 

Ha! That was my first impression. By mid-game I knew I'd be more than doubling the amount on the map.

I feel like I need to add a power drainer or two somewhere as well. Good use of that plasma pistol, though, that's why I put them there.

i must say the plasma pistol and regenerator are placed perfect. Also the BR is there but not so easy to grab and go which makes much more even.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Yep, I thought the regen was perfect to try and stem a frontal assault. Don't forget the Brute shot is a short walk, and also good for stopping vehicle attacks.

I think I'm going to look into adjusting the spawns. I had previously left them stock.

[::maroma::]

I enjoyed that map. Except I was spawn killed a few times just by being spawned on the outside track while you guys were on a rampage with the Hog. Other than that I had a blast. Oh and I agree, more stickies!

[::maroma::]

double post.

[::maroma::]

wow. triple.

[sek929]

I had a great time last night, especially when splattering ::maroma:: about 4 times on Station 14 Rat

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by ::maroma:: 

I enjoyed that map. Except I was spawn killed a few times just by being spawned on the outside track while you guys were on a rampage with the Hog.

Yeah, that has now been taken care of.

From what I can tell, bungie's first priority for when you spawn is for you to recognize where you are at (I think). Major spawn points face the entrances to the bases, which, of course, means you're on the roadway.

I prefer to give spawn points in areas of cover and concealment. Sure, it may take you a few moments to get your bearings, but hopefully it allows more strategic thought when you come to rather than "I gotta run for my base before someone sees me!"

I also messed with respawn 'zones' for objective games, which may or may not have unintended consequences. We'll see.

I've added some hazards (fusion coils, propane tanks).

And yes, more stickies.

Other than that, some minor tweaks on equipment placement. Oh, and I've made the outside area a deathtrap for vehicles for the more advanced teams. Guess you'll have to wait and see.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by sek929 

I had a great time last night, especially when splattering ::maroma:: about 4 times on Station 14 Rat

It's "The Rat", bungie just won't give more characters. Bastards.

(And yeah, those platters were awful. The spawn has a buddy system. At one point we splattered ::maroma:: at the side-entrance spawn [wide open], so it looked to respawn him near kb, who was at the warthogs. So it put him at the base entrance spawn, which is, of course, in the roadway. This is one of the reasons I have that random shield door on the corner. Rather than remove those spawns, I wanted to make them semi-defensible)

[::maroma::]

Originally Posted by sek929 

I had a great time last night, especially when splattering ::maroma:: about 4 times on Station 14 Rat

It was bad enough when you guys had the Hog, but then you both got on Ghosts just to rub it in. Punks.

[Dakar the Fourth]

As a side-note, ::maroma::, the reason you had so much trouble getting past those barriers to get to the Overshield bridge is because you're not supposed be able to get past those barriers.

[sek929]

Fatty-O-Rama™ of last night

Bogues squares off with Team Purple (Dakar and myself)

Also Bogues-related is my classic Fatty RL shot.


KB was so certain Team Orange was going to get the checkpoint you can see us veering away from it in picture 2. I had to inform him of my perfect shot but by then it was already to late.

Andallray Splatter-Fest!




Hog-Wild!

Fatty shows everyone how it's done. Just stick a grenade to the radiator, apparently.

Flawless Trap


First ::maroma:: baits us after him to allow the hiding Bogues to disable our vehicle via Plasma Pistol. Then ::maroma:: uses the Grav Hammer to show US how it's done.

Aforementioned Punks

We like to ride close to eachother, it's a purple thing...

Flawless Unintentional Trap

I keep Bogues occupied safely behind the force field while Dakar grabs the Ghost. Andallray comes in to help KB and I pounce on him with the shotty. Game Ova!

[Dakar the Fourth]

I watched the last part; it was pretty amusing. Bogues thinks he has you until you duck behind the shield (and start baggin'), maroma sneaks up to join in, I show up out of nowhere to jack Bogues, maroma ducks out of cover to help him, you duck out of the shield and intercept him.

Oh and after watching the video, I'm not sure the Warthog kill was all that planned.

[klb5090]

great pics from last eve, i must say that o-rama is prime and the first splatter of Maroma is an awesome picture (although not awesome because its aganist my teammate).

[klb5090]

Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth 

Oh and after watching the video, I'm not sure the Warthog kill was all that planned.

oh it was, oh it was....maybe, but think me and ::maroma:: have ESPN
Also i'm excited to see what The Rat v2 has in store.

[sek929]

The first splatter can only be described as brutal. I pinned him between a speeding hog and a jersey barrier. In fact his body morphed through the barrier and appeared on the other side. Must've created a rip in time and space...

[::maroma::]

Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth 

As a side-note, ::maroma::, the reason you had so much trouble getting past those barriers to get to the Overshield bridge is because you're not supposed be able to get past those barriers.

That would explain it. I got pretty good at it after a bit. And I also found the proper route for getting that overshield later on.

[::maroma::]

Originally Posted by sek929 

The first splatter can only be described as brutal. I pinned him between a speeding hog and a jersey barrier. In fact his body morphed through the barrier and appeared on the other side. Must've created a rip in time and space...

Hah! Yeah I felt that one at home. As a matter of fact, I think I'm still feeling it.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by ::maroma:: 

That would explain it. I got pretty good at it after a bit. And I also found the proper route for getting that overshield later on.

That route has another use, as well... </mysterious>

[Dakar the Fourth]

A Guide to Station 14 - The Rat

The Crossroads

The power drainer may look like the lone noteworthy piece in the photo -- until you look above it. Hidden on the archway is a hard-to-reach sniper rifle, accessible by jumping off either crate (which itself contains one plasma nade). The crates have other uses as well, if you know how to cram yourself into a tight spot. On the left is a spool and some machinery which hold their own secret...

Levels upon levels

Two platforms here house two very powerful weapons. The lower platform, from which ::maroma:: is jumping, holds the Gravity Hammer, whilst the upper platform, jutting out at a defensible angle from the top of the bridge, is home to a hard-to-reach Rocket Launcher, as well as a few frags. Entry to the bridge itself has since been closed, and enemies are now left to snipe at each other from their respective bases.

Entry Denied

This levels marks the first use of the Deployable Cover. Here it is used to the clever effect of blocking access to the defending base. Don't forget, certain weapons can fire out through the shield, while it can also be dropped with a few direct melee hits.

Cover me

One of the more strategic additions, this shield door now protects the freshly spawned, as well as the adventurous, from bullet fire, while leaving them relatively open to grenades. Not pictured, a power drain is now available directly under the shield and grating.

Jump Point

A new twist added, mostly for objective games, is the jump point. This teleporter, accessible only by Grav Lift, will dump the troops at the opposing teams base, straddled between their side entrance and main, but high above, on the pipes. From there, a team is only a radar jammer away from some very interesting possibilities.

Rally Point Alpha

High above mark the exit for the Jump Point, while down below, two fusion cores are set to explode, set-off by a well placed Trip Mine. Of course, a BR spurt from a safe venue will detonate them in equally effective manner, hopefully incapacitating a passing enemy vehicle long enough to be finished off properly.

Shortcut or Deathtrap

The center of the map has seen massive alterations to promote more strategy and less bullet and grenade spamming. Shield Doors now protect each base from vehicular attack and cross hall sniping. Sticky grenades temptingly sit just outside each archway, while Fusion Coils and Propane Tanks sit huddled in the corner, waiting to be set-off on the unsuspecting combatant or vehicle. A newly constructed ramp invites vehicles into the short-cut. A mongoose sits to the side, awaiting emergency use.

A Trap

Here, I demonstrate a one-man trap, as I deploy an Energy Drain on an approaching Warthog, then finish it with a trusty Rocket Launcher. sek gets caught in some fire, as the game decided it was wise to spawn him there. That Spawn Point has since been moved.

Dead Men tell no Secrets

Here, the awkwardly hung body of ::maroma:: shows us the brutality of war and the secret the machines of Station 14 hide.

Bad to the Bone

Crusin' on the twin Ghosts of The Rat. Each is located at either end of the precipice, next to the barrier at the archway.

[::maroma::]

Nice overview Dakar! I want to play that map some more! It would be great to get a good 4v4 or something.

[Dakar the Fourth]

I know, I'm dying to test out the map proper.

Edit: I'm not satisfied with the RL spawn location, but I can't think of anywhere better to put it, except under the center ramp.

I forgot to mention, the map is available for download on my fileshare, should anyone want to explore it personally.

I think I may make the minor change of making one Warthog Gauss on each side, for variety as well.

Let it be known there's still some other secrets/tricks/aspects not covered here. But those were most of the major ones.

[::maroma::]

Well Kevin and I had a rough time finding the RL when we played the other night. If it weren't for your overview I still wouldn't know where it is. I think thats a good thing. I think the big time weapons should be in an inconspicuous location.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Yep, that's why I gave the overview. That and I want people to use my more interesting aspects (Deployable Cover, Jump Point, Fusion Cores) to their best potential. With the rockets location, it's a bit gimmicky, but I don't want that gay rush at the beginning.

Anyway, grav lifts are right nearby, you throw them at the end of the Gravity Hammer Bridge and up you go.