MLG v1 Game Types and Map Variants

I've decided to post a blog that contains all the useful information and links regarding the MLG v1 settings:




First of all, you can download all of the official MLG v1 game types and map variants from either my gamertag's fileshare - OGhostayame - or the Gamebattles' fileshare - GAMEBATTLES.  If you would like to read the text version of the settings, rules, etc., then check out the links below:

Official Halo 4 Gamebattles Team Ladder Rules

Official Change Log: MLG t4 -> MLG v1

Also, I have uploaded overhead images that SaLoT and I worked on together to allow the player to easily comprehend the map setup and call outs, as well as the weapon and power-up respawn times. These pictures are located below:

Finally, I wanted to thank TiberiusAudley, SaLoT, Heinz, Diesel, Puckett, Bravo, K2Five TSW, and the rest of the players, spectators, and Halo fans that have come out to support Halo 4, MLG, and its future settings.  I couldn't have done any of this without you, and I plan on continuing that relationship in the future.  Thank you for all of your hard work and input!

Halo:Reach v2 Settings

Back before Reach settings had been decided upon, we were asked to give our input from MLG regarding gametypes (including sprint, jetpack, etc).  So, on November 16th, 2010, I posted my ideas and thoughts towards Halo:Reach and its future.  Here is the post I made a few months before the 2011 MLG Season had begun:

"Before I go into what I like/dislike about v1/2 settings, I'd like to see a response from the staff regarding gametype testing. Last year we established that forum feedback can only go so far, and that we needed to have a gametype testing committee. Once we had that cemented, the only gametype argument that came about was the Oddball Guardian/Heretic issue. So since this process clearly worked, hopefully we continue it into the 2011 season with Halo: Reach. Thank you.

Regarding the new settings, I believe that v1.1 was far superior to v2 because of multiple reasons. Obviously we're only into the second stage of gametypes, but we need to give more input. The quicker we give feedback, the quicker these gametypes will improve to the most competitive, fair, and hopefully exciting ones possible. 

Let's start out with the competitive side first. There are multiple inconsistencies within these current gametypes, so I'm going to just name examples and why I believe they are wrong/right. 

Countdown - This map reminds me of Construct a little bit with all the lifts and power weapons on the map. However, once we moved from v1 to v2, we see a massive change in how hectic the environment becomes. With sprint, there is no sense of control. Anyone could run up behind you and melee you at any given point in time. Then with evade, you can sneak up almost silently. Not only does sprint cause chaos on this map, but it also makes killing people more frustrating than ever. In close quarter maps, sprint becomes a "Get Outta Jail Free" card. You just hit the X button and you get a second chance. There's no consequence for over-extending or leaving your teammates without communicating. Instead of having to out-skill your opponent with a better strafe/shot, you can vanish to another spot on the map, leaving your opponent the choice to either chase or be a sitting duck. I'll continue with Sprint later, back on topic - Countdown. 

On top of the new loadouts, I believe there are a few problems with the spawns. The first problem being the change in starting spawns. In v1, you saw a traditional halo spawn. Now, you spawn into a battle where whoever holds down R and doesn't run into their teammate is rewarded with control. This may be an attempt to get the crowd excited off the start of the game, but even Amplified had a 1 second window before you saw the enemy. With the DMR being as accurate as it is, you can't spawn looking at the other team anymore. Next, I would note how I'd rather have some spawns rearranged from up top above the rocket doors. Those high ledge spawns should be limited to only one, and I think a spawn could be placed in front of their window (level 2). Think of Derelict or other control maps. When you have a spawn point that is in a spot of control, you need to make it out in the open to balance it. I'll bring this up in my Sanctuary paragraph also.

I do like the new placement of weapons though. I feel that both power weapons should stay where they are in v2. Rockets and Sniper now take thought, timing, and skill to walk away with. You can't just run away with snipe, nor get easy rocket kills out on the patio. This placement shows how you can position a power weapon perfectly so that many fights can take place just over one weapon drop. Anyways, I think that this map has some potential for the beginning of Halo: Reach, but I can easily see any quality forged map replacing this one - that is, unless we need to keep pre-made maps for split-screen reasons... 

Sanctuary - This map is near perfection with how it is setup. The only small altercations I would make would be to a couple spawns and one or two weapon spawns. Regarding the player spawns, I feel that the rock spawns greatly overpower every other spawn on the map. They are not only a lot of spawns in the rocks, but also one out-lier that is a gamechanger. This spawn is so close to the carbine ramp and in perfect cover that it ends up being a clutch flag return spawn consistently. Once again, if we are going to put in those emergency spawns, we need to make sure that they are out in the open, just like the Needler in The Pit, the Streets in Onslaught, the front of the Afro in Narrows (instead of behind), etc. We MUST balance each spawn to perfection in order to make sure that there aren't any "bs" flag return plays. To fix the constant rock spawn problem, we could easily add more spawns to the middle of the flag, to under the turret, even more in the sniper tower. KC, I know you know how to adjust spawns to work in to the system so please take everything into consideration. 

For the weapon spawns, I feel that the sniper and rockets are perfected placed, but I feel like the Plasma Pistol needs to be switched with the magnum (just like in Halo 2). This will cause exciting plays Ring 2/3 throughout the entire game and will help keep control in the currently wild gameplay within the Ring. The last thing that needs to be changed is small, but crucial. The rock jump up from your courtyard to your snipe tower feels almost impossible in v1 or without sprint in v2. If we could possibly change the geometry so that it's not the hardest jump in the game, it'd be greatly appreciated and it would balance the courtyard spawns that you often get while they're running your flag.

Zealot - This map has a ton of potential. I can see this being used for many gametypes, including Ball, CTF and TS. I would still change a few little things though. I believe that the flag capture point should be on top of that rounded off ledge on your level 2 of the base. With constant low spawns, it's near impossible to "nade and one shot" the guy running the flag. But if we hoisted the flag spawn on top of the pink flat, I could definitely see more exciting games in the future.

Next, I believe that we need to go back to having the Armor Lock bottom middle instead of Evade. Once again, Sprint and Evade will be covered later in this post. Armor Lock is a decent substitute for Overshield in Reach, and it's not too overpowered so it should be in our competitive gametypes. I do agree with taking out the shotgun though. The only way I'd like to see it make a return is if we keep it's ammo clip down. It's a great power weapon addition to the map, but having it bottom middle makes it too powerful. Put the close range weapon in a place that's out in the open, like top middle or at the bottom of the main/fat ramp. I do think that the Grenade Launcher could be more specifically placed too, but I'm not too sure of where yet. 

The major problem I have with Zealot is that you mainly spawn under your base (like Heretic in Halo 3). You could place more spawns on the healthpack or the flag to reduce that problem. Also, like I've stated previously, the emergency spawns need to be out in the open instead of hiding behind main/fat ramp or bottom middle. You could place one right under each landing, or one literally in the front of either base. Whatever the case may be, we need to put some work into our current emergency spawn system.

Reflection - This map either needs to be taken out, or played as an Oddball gametype. It's a constant stalemate in tournament play, and multi-kills lead to random spawns. With how the Reach spawn system works, we can't implement an irregular Halo 2 map. Ivory Tower was taken out back in Halo 2, why are we repeating history? One Flag CTF? This is Major League Gaming, not the Online CAL League of 2005. We need to get some new maps and stop forcing ourselves to play unrealistic gametypes. Speaking of which...

These new gametypes are pretty ridiculous. Every Bomb gametype I've played has ended in a tie. We cannot have Bomb on an irregular map like Countdown. The spawns are way too inconsistent for a gametype like that to be played. In Halo 2, we learned that Bomb can only be played on a symmetrical map where the arming station is out in the open/susceptible to grenades. Well, with how dinky Reach Grenades are, we have to pick our Bomb gametypes wisely. Even Sanctuary Bomb was faulty just due to the fact that there aren't any good 'nade points to stop the arm. With only a text alert that the bomb is being armed, we're going to need to move the arming station into plain sight in order to balance the ninja plants. 

The Territories gametypes also worried me a little bit. KC, I know you're familiar with how the spawn system works in Halo: Reach, so how can it work for a gametype like territories? Previously, we had the BR which was pitiful long range, so killing across the map and having them spawn next to us was irrelevant. But now, you can almost screw yourself over for having a good long range shot in territories. If we played this gametype to the best of its capability, it'd be a constant battle for new territories with random rotations, much like Guardian Oddball. Testing new gametypes like Bomb and Territories is completely fine, but officially calling them MLG Gametypes in questionable. We need to do extensive testing before we just throw One Flag back into the gametype list.

Beatdowns - I don't know how, but it now takes 3 beatdowns to kill someone. This again reminds me of the beginning of Halo 2 where Bungie decided to make it a 2 hit beatdown to extinguish the need to have a boxing match every time two players were close range. Close range battles should be quick because then the player with the better reaction time wins the fight. Every Halo game has had fast close-range fights. Why fix something that isn't broken?

Sprint - I already touched on this previously in my first paragraph, but it was pretty clear what I was getting at. Sprint needs to be removed. Yes it's a new game, but we can't just assume sprint will work in a Halo series. Call of Duty is understandable considering its not a run-and-gun type of game. However, with each Halo chapter from the series, any player could develop a 'sixth sense' as to where they could determine how long it would take their enemy to get from Point A to Point B. Now with sprint, that attribute is lost, and we have no idea where the enemy went. We can't call it out 'cause they run too fast. We can't kill them because they juke around corners before we can get our 3rd shot off. We also can't stop them from returning flags because of how quickly they can catch up on a flag runner now. The flag running team is now seriously handicapped. Like I said before, there's no skill to sprinting away from a battle. A double shot in Halo 2 took skill and could get you out of a sticky situation. But hitting the X button? That's just childish.

Evade - This is worse than sprint for obvious reasons. Rolling on the ground like it's Gears of War. This is Halo. Not CoD, not GoW, not Shadowrun. But Halo. Maybe if we still had all of those titles on the Circuit, we'd realize that this is a Halo game and we need to make gametypes like its one. Jetpacks and Armor Lock is crazy enough to our community. Don't ruin it with "wanna-be exciting" perks. We need to make Reach the best Halo game to date, and it all starts with the right gametypes. Let's get the fairness and competitive side out of the way first, and then we can work on the wow factor, just like with Guardian Oddball.

-Ghost"

Legendary Lessons

ToYz R RusH here with an important announcement!

Have you ever wanted to have a lesson with a pro?  Did you ever want your gameplay analyzed to see where you stand?  I'm willing to bet most of you answered yes to at least one of these two questions. Of course, the phrase "I don't have the money" always seems to end your dreams.   Some of you may have submitted gameplay to 'Stride Last Longer' in hopes of achieving your goals, only to be denied.

In an effort to help raise the standards of competitive players in MLG, Ghostayame has decided to honor your requests.  Every Wednesday at 8PM (starting on 2/22/12),  Ghost will analyze one player submitted film.  To sweeten the deal, at the end of each month, he will give a half hour lesson and half hour of gameplay to one of the lucky weekly winners.

*NOTE* Player Spawn System will only be taught in lessons for paying customers.

"So what's the catch?"

Simply put, there isn't one.  By creating an environment that supports player growth, MLG Pro Players (himself included) will need to drastically step up their gameplay.  Those that don't will leave a void that can be filled by players like you!

Okay, enough with the chit chat.  I'm sure all of you want to start getting your game on with the Legend.

Rules for submitting gameplay:

1) Only 1 submission per person per week.

2) Upload your submission to your fileshare and name it "Ghost".

3) Send a message to me, "ToYz R Rush", with the following information:
  a) Message must start with "Ghost"
  b) Include any pertinent info about the game:
     * Were you on a team of 4?
     * Were you playing against a team of 4?
     * Were you using a mic?
     * Were your teammates using a mic?
     * Anything else you feel important.
     * (You can use your bio to add extra details)

4) Leave the video on your fileshare for the duration of the week.

5) Do not fill my messages with spam.  If I start receiving random spam messages from you, your submission will be forfeited.  I will contact you if I need more information.

*NOTE*
Any submissions sent directly to Ghostayame will NOT be viewed.  He and I are working as a well-oiled machine to make this possible for you.  I will personally be viewing each and every video, which takes a LOT of time.  I'll give my recommendations to Ghost based on the different criteria he gives me every week.

If your video is not selected as the winner, you must resubmit the video if you wish it to be considered for the following week.

Good luck to all of you.  If at first you don't succeed, keep trying! Persistence does pay off.  Also, don't forget, you can purchase lessons from Ghostayame directly. Purchasing lessons or donating will greatly contribute to the success of this endeavor.  Please direct any questions to me via Facebook message. www.facebook.com/wbatten1

-ToYz R RusH
(Former MLG Pro Coach)

Example Messages for submission:
"Ghost"
On a team of 4, with mics.  Against a team of 3 + 1 random.

"Ghost"
Went in alone with mic.  Teammates had no mic.  Against random 4.

"Ghost"
Info on game posted in my bio.

Ghostayame Lessons

    The reason I wrote this blog was to explain what my lessons have to offer. I have been getting a lot of questions concerning the content of my lessons, so I figured it was finally time to compile a solid synopsis about them.  I actually have a certain structure to my lessons; since I offer both individual and team lessons, each one differs dramatically. On top of that, I change each lesson plan depending on the previous knowledge of my student(s) because of the large learning curve in Halo:Reach.  However, both individual and team lessons start out with a thorough presentation on the entire Halo:Reach spawn system and how it works.

   Once the students learn the inner workings of the game on each map, we move into the second stage of lessons. If it’s an individual lesson plan, then we normally move onto film review. I normally request the student to save films where they play individually well, but end up losing the game. That way, I can best assess their strategy and choices throughout each game.  Once we go through a few films, I begin to build a relationship with the student. I can start to tell what strengths and weaknesses they possess, and how to work on each.  I also pick out the little problems that they have in-game, so it's really crucial that we go over multiple films to determine where the student most needs help.

   When the student feels like they have a detailed understanding of the game and good personal study habits, we can move onto the teamwork side of lessons where I go over strategy, setups, starting spawns, and also communication/teamwork. Since teammates change constantly, it's always good to start out with a base individual structure rather than spending money on people that might leave the team in a week. On top of that, you'll have better knowledge about the game than any teammate you'll come across in the future, so you're seen as an asset to any team out there. 

   Now, if you’re ready for team lessons instead, we’ll move right into communication, strategy, setups, and a ton of teamwork techniques.  I’ll first cover what my team uses in regards to strategic thinking, and then the student team can offer their input and questions as to why or why not it will work in-game.  I also offer a more structured lesson plan in team lessons which can be seen on my YouTube Channel.  I give lessons to eight players from the group, Ancient Warriors.  You can also view my gameplay reviews and individual lessons there. So make sure to check that out if you want a first-hand look at a Ghostayame Lesson. 

   After each lesson, I send my student a Post-Lesson Teacher Evaluation Form so I can learn from my lessons, too.  Here’s an example of one I received from Luis (RosyCrazyman) :

UoR Ghostayame Post-Lesson Survey and Evaluation

Students, just like my lessons, please be as critical as you can, whether it's positive or negative. The more strengths and flaws you point out, the better my lessons will be in the future. I carefully read each and every one of your answers, so please fill them out legibly, completely, and honestly. If you don’t have an answer, just leave the response blank. Thank you.

1. What did you like about the lesson?

 I like the fact that your practice is one on one with your students. I also like that you’re flexible with your Students’ schedules.

2. What didn't you like about the lesson?

 To be honest, I liked everything about each lesson.

3. Was I clear and thorough throughout my entire lesson?

 Yes, you were.

4. What did I do most effectively?

 The way you just break every film down and the spawn points ‘cause before your lessons, I didn’t understand them.

5. What problems arose during the lesson and did I solve them?

There was never a problem.

6. How could I have made the lesson more interesting?

If you could be at your students house while you’re giving the lesson maybe lol

7. Did I complete the objectives you were looking to obtain?

Yes, you did.

8. What did I do that was not effective in reaching your objectives?

You’re doing your part, it’s just I need to step it up and play smarter.

9. What other strategies could I have used to attain the objectives?

I just need to apply what I learn from the films we go over.

10. Did I pace the lesson appropriately? Did I use the entire period effectively?

Yes, you did.

Lastly, please leave any extra comments, concerns or questions you have regarding my lessons. Once again, thank you for your time and input, and I look forward to working again with you in the future. 

Just keep doing what you’re doing, you opened my eyes on a new way to play halo, and I’m sure that your students will keep coming back for more lessons

   I hope you, the reader, are interested in being one of my students. I really look forward to teaching each and every one of my clients to the best of my ability.  It’s pretty amazing to see the results after a couple weeks. I’ve seen all of my students get noticeably better over the course of their lesson plan. They start making great decisions on top of having punctual positioning. Every student demonstrates eye-opening determination and progress that really reminds me of myself when I was first starting up. I still remember what Walshy told me at my first local event in NYC, “Bring ball down low from library instead of playing it.”  I listened to each and every word of advice that any pro was kindly enough to give. If you’re the same way, then these lessons are definitely for you.

Ghostayame Lesson Testimonials:

Andrew (USELESSxSNIPER) wrote, “watching films caused me to realize what my flaws are, big and small. I forgot to tell you, but your first lesson actually allowed me to be placed on an NGL team as a coach since I understand and study the spawns now. Great lesson.  Anyone who wants aid in gameplay and game knowledge should definitely look into your lessons.”

Danny (dsolisDOOM) said, “These lessons are top notch.  There's no better place to get this kind of insight into Halo.  The lessons are packed with information on everything from map control and opening strategies to practice philosophy and work ethic.  Ghost breaks down complex game concepts in an easy-to-understand fashion.  The direct interaction with an MLG pro of this caliber is invaluable when it comes to improving your game play.  Ghost gives you honest and direct feedback on every aspect of your play.  Whether you're a casual or hardcore gamer, there's definitely something for everyone in these sessions.  I highly recommend a lesson from Ghostayame.”

Mike (airfalcon2) said, “I’m writing this letter of review from lessons given to the group “Ancient Warriors”. Our group are all over 30 years of age with some being in there 50’s and 60’s. I’m retired from the U.S. Military and have attended many training classes. In the classes Eric instructed our group posted 8 players for his instruction.  Eric has conducted 4 classes for our group in an effort to improve our knowledge of MLG game play. Eric’s unique ability to demonstrate advanced tactics, weapons usage and strategies was excellent. He conducted himself in a professional manner beyond his years. His willingness to insure all members understood all information was well received. In closing, I would highly recommend Eric to anyone looking to improve their Halo game play. He is an excellent instructor who has strived to improve our game.”

Len Bose (BC490 Miltiades) wrote, “As an older gamer, there is a certain amount of professionalism I require too obtain my consideration and repeat business. Those items are: respond to my inquiries in a timely manner, show up on time, have a prepared lesson plan, present a large knowledge base of the topic, then adjust the presentation to the ability of the students.

Ghost does all this in an effortless manner; in fact, he takes it three steps further. I like to call this ‘Going the extra mile for your clients.’ Our group of players will have purchased 8 lessons from Ghost and after each lesson, each one of us lean back in our chairs and just say ‘WOW, I did not know you can do that.‘ We take another half hour just to debrief after each lesson.

Eric has earned an extraordinary large amount of trust from me and after a very short time I consider him a friend. Should you wish any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.”

 I hope that all of this answers any questions you have about my lessons. However, if it doesn't, please feel free to contact me at gh057ayame@gmail.com. You can also contact me through that email if you're interested in purchasing lessons or any other services.

Prices:

$30/hour Individual Lessons
$40/hour Team Lessons

Buy three lessons, get one free!


Contact Information/Websites:

Ghostayame.com
YouTube
Justin.tv
Twitter
Email at GH057ayame@gmail.com

Our Match versus Status Quo on Friday Night MLG Dallas 2011 Explained

It seems that this is still a heated topic, so I'm going to clear it up for you guys.  Keep in mind that it's over and we're over it.  This is just an explanation from my point of view.

So it's Friday night of the Season Opener at Dallas 2011.  There's a new bracket system put into play this season that includes pool play to determine where you're placed in the Winners or Losers bracket of the tournament.  You can check out all the rules and settings at Major League Gaming's website if you'd like.  Anyways, we had to play Second Nature first (Goatsi, Trigga, FeaR, Entry). We 3-0'ed them. Next, we played UoR Invictus (Watch, Calm, Swift Kill, Ninja). We 3-1'ed them. Our last match of the night was against Status Quo.  Going into this match, we know we only needed to win two games in order to win our pool (as long as we took care of the Amateur team the next day).  Well, game one was Element CTF.  It was back and forth all game, but we eventually lost 5-4.  Game two was a TS game, don't remember which map, but we ended up winning 50-36 I believe.  Game three was Sanctuary Assault. We outslayed them the entire game, but just couldn't get the bomb armed.  Props to them for securing a quick plant to allow them to win 1-0 though.  That's always tough to manage.

Game four was Countdown CTF.  This was just like game one, it went back and forth the entire length of the match. It was finally tied up 4-4.  At a certain point in time, I was about three seconds into my death screen, Snipedown and Enable were bottom Tri-Lift, and another member of Status Quo was on our flag.  The rest of the team members were scattered across the map, or maybe even sQ had one down, I'm not sure.  But as Enable went up our tri-lift, Snipedown surprised him and followed him up our tri-lift.  At the same time, the sQ member pulled our flag and ran it Jetpack towards Evade/Snipe 2. By the time Snipedown got up the tri-lift, he had melee'ed Enable three times, leaving Enable dead and himself stuck at the top of it.  He couldn't move, and tried grenading himself out, but it was useless.  The second Enable died, he saw on his deathcam that Snipedown was stuck, so he told his team to keep running the flag 'cause he was motionless. 

I spawned our top balcony around five seconds into Snipedown being stuck. He had been yelling asking the referee to stop the game or something, but the unfamiliar referee just let it play on, which he rightfully should have at this point.  There's no rule in place yet for getting stuck in the lift. On top of that, it was now 2:00AM - he wanted to go to bed.  So I eventually 'naded Snipedown out of the lift, but by that time, sQ already had our flag at their dropdown area.  Our efforts were futile.  Now, if Snipedown didn't get stuck in the lift, was there a chance at a return? Most likely.  They were down a man and another was running the flag.  However, with our key player being stuck, it rendered him useless.  So they capped the last flag and won 5-4 Countdown CTF, and proceeded to win the series 3-1.

They came over, said the usual sQ, "Good games bro, good games brah." Daps, pounds. And then also said that they knew about that glitch since it happened at the LAN Network.  So, since there has yet to be a rule enforced regarding the lift glitch, Status Quo took advantage of it and secured the series win.  There's always going to be "What If's" after a tournament, but I don't care about that. I care to see that this glitch be addressed in the rules of MLG Reach Settings.  I have been apart of multiple rule situations in the past.  The first one was when Hysteria's box died and we were forced to replay the game.  The other was when Cloud took the Oddball into an illegal spot after they had already won by time, which should have been a forfeited game, but we knew they had already won fair and square, so we gave them the win.

So after Saturday morning matches, it came down to the series between UoR Invictus and Swagger Like Us to see who won our Pool.  sLu ended up 3-0'ing UoR Invictus, thus giving Status Quo the Head-To-Head win over us, UoR Dynasty.  Yes, it sucked it happened to us. It's sweet that it happened to Status Quo. But we know Status Quo didn't "make it happen." All those jokes are ridiculous. It'd be nice if in the future, there was extensive research, through YouTube or just gameplay, to see if there are any glitches that can truly affect the outcome of a game.  Ever since the Box Freeze incident, I always ask myself, what if that happened in the National Championship Finals? What would you do then?

Lastly, we have no issues with Status Quo, nor any specific member on the team. Quite the opposite. We're all pretty good friends and it was just the heat of the moment that night accompanied with an unfortunate series of events. Congrats to them for continually advancing in their bracket and eventually acquiring their first tournament win. Going through a year and a half of teaming to win the first tournament of a new game is quite the accomplishment. There's a lot of hard work, dedication, determination, and loyalty on that team and I truly respect that. Congrats again, you guys deserve it.

-Eric

P.S. - If I got any information wrong, please comment and I'll be sure to edit my post. Once again, it's from my point of view.

Wiz Khalifa

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