Prima Games Halo Wars UNSC Unit Overview Part 2

Covers the Scorpion, Cobra, Wolverine, Hornet, and the Vulture super unit.

Prima Games Halo Wars UNSC Unit Overview Part 1

Covers Warthogs, Marines, Flamethrowers and Spartans.

Gamestop Update

Thought I would share some updates about what's happening at GameStop right now. Their current trade-in promotion is 10% extra credit for trading in two games, 20% extra credit for four games, and 40% extra credit for six games. If you have a bunch of old games lying around the house that aren't worth much, they can add a substantial amount to one game that is worth something. As an example, I got $32.20 for Fable II today when trading it in with Fight Night Round 2, Table Tennis, NHL 2007, Madden 2006, and College Hoops 2K6.

In other GameStop news, they have the Halo Wars pre-order bonus flaming Warthog codes available in-store as of today and are giving them out. The scan of the pre-order card on the left is the one they actually gave me today.

Comments Now Enabled

Comments were broken before but they've been fixed. You can now leave comments on any posts, just click the "Comments" link at the end of every post. You don't have to log in to comment, you can leave one as Anonymous if you like.

Left 4 Dead Title Update

Because Valve doesn't have the same kind of community staff as Bungie, the Title Update we all received this week caught me by surprise. I've done some research and found out what it included. All we noticed was the new HUD element for Infected, but there's a lot more.

General

• Fixed Survivors being able to climb surfaces marked for versus infected only
• Players can no longer grab ladders while flying through the air after a Tank punch
• Shooting near a car with an alarm that has already fired the alarm will no longer make chirping noises
• Fixed mini-gun physics exploit
• Fixed propane tanks (and other physics objects) causing players to fall through elevators
• Fixed rare achievement bug issues
• Fixed several map exploits

Versus Changes

• Added HUD elements to show status of other infected players
• Fixed instance where a Survivor changing to the infected team would be attacked by infected bots
• Fixed exploit where infected players could run away and teleport back to gain health
• Players can only change teams once per map
• Players can't change teams while other players are still loading
• Tank spawns at the same % through the map for both teams in versus mode
• Made the Tank and Witch spawn directly on the escape route
• Increased chance of getting the Tank or Witch

Hunter

• Easier to pounce a Survivor who is meleeing
• Increased Minimum damage a Hunter pounce does

Smoker

• Fixed Smoker tongue tolerance
• Smoker now has to be killed or the tongue destroyed for the tongue to break
• Survivors cannot bash someone off the tongue until the Survivor being pulled is paralyzed or hanging
• Tongue attacks that fail to paralyze or hang a Survivor will use the shorter ability delay timer
• Fixed cases where the ability timer was not using the correct time
• Smoker tongue does damage every second while dragging paralyzed Survivors

Tank

• Bashable objects now appear with a red glow
• Tanks hitting a car with an alarm disables the alarm permanently
• Tank frustration timer is only reset by hitting Survivors with rocks or fists
• Reduced autoshotgun damage against Tanks

Witch

• Witch spawns at the same % through the map for both teams
• Avoids spawning within a certain % of the tank
• Fixed an exploit where the Witch could be woken up and tricked into attacking Survivors

New Bar Set for Halo Wars

Congratulations to OmniscientDeath. He has raised the bar that I previously set in the Halo Wars campaign demo. The new high score is 87,978 on Normal for Relic Approach. If you can best this score on Normal or achieve Gold on Heroic, you too can be featured here.

Clan night tonight, 8pm PT, Left 4 Dead

As a reminder, please join BOTH the Left 4 Dead game as well as the Xbox Live party. Both groups have "Friends" permissions, so you can join without an invite. Just select my gamertag from your friends list and choose the "Join Party and Game" option.

Pro tip: Anytime you see Xbox Live pop a dialog window like "gtdroptop has signed in" or "gtdroptop would like to play" or "Achievement Unlocked", hitting the Xbox button on your controller will bring up the context-sensitive menu relative to that dialog window. For friend notifications, it will take you straight to their friend screen where you can quickly join the party. For achievements, it will take you straight to the achievement list for that game where you can see what you just unlocked.

Nobody asked me last week to keep sending them e-mails, so I'm not going to press the issue.

• For the small handful that still want e-mails, let me know, and I can set that up. Please note, however, that you will get substantially MORE e-mail because each post will generate a separate e-mail. As an example, this week's clan mail will be 5 separate e-mails in the future.
• RSS is a much better way to stay informed. You can have RSS feeds in your My Yahoo! page, your iGoogle page, an RSS reader, or even your inbox, depending on how you setup the feed.
• [Click here to subscribe via RSS], or scroll to the bottom of the blog to see other options in the left panel.
  

Almost as good as Chocolate Milk

Gamestop Trade-in and Pre-orders

Gamestop is running a promotion right now on trade-ins for store credit. Looks like you get $3.34 extra on most games. Here are some values I got this afternoon:

• Grand Theft Auto 4: $13.34
• Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: $12.34

GTA4 is selling on eBay from $4.75-$15.50 with free shipping. Oblivion is selling on eBay for about $10 plus shipping.

Additionally, if you pre-order Halo Wars, Gamestop is offering an unlock for an in-game Warthog with flame decals, plus a Prima Hint Book for those pre-ordering the Legendary Collectors Edition (LCE). The $20 premium you pay for the LCE gets you several things:

• The Halo 3 Mythic Map Pack: Required for 13 of the currently-locked Halo 3 achievements. No release date has yet been announced for the map pack by itself. As a reference, the Legendary Map Pack was sold for 600 points (about $7.50).
  
• Unlock for in-game Honor Guard Wraith
• Spirit of Fire patch: Looks like this adds some content to the campaign story
• Six Leader cards: I think these are just paper cards
  
• Halo Wars Genesis graphic novel

I have pre-ordered Halo Wars LCE and plan to start playing when it releases on March 3. Not to worry, Left 4 Dead remains our clan game into the forseeable future. But for those that want some RTS action, or would like to go back to H3 to work on Mythic achievements, I am happy to support and will work the administration details.

Left 4 Dead Tank

The Tank is the single most powerful character in Left 4 Dead, but takes some time to learn how to control effectively. I've covered the basic controls previously [link], but there are some other intricacies as well.

Control of the Tank can be passed to another Infected player. It is rumored that using LT to throw at another Infected will transfer control to that player. I have definitely seen control of the Tank passed off after the first player timed out and lost control.

If the human players lose control of the Tank entirely (both time out, or AI doesn't transfer to a second player), the Tank will be taken over by the AI. If there are no humans around, the Tank has been known to stay where he was last controlled until disturbed by humans. This has some interesting consequences. The AI Tank will then effectively just wait in hiding as a nasty surprise to the Survivors, because the typical Tank warnings (scary music and shaky screen) will not appear before the attack.

Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X Demo Now Available

Tom Clancy's upcoming H.A.W.X game is a flying shooter that is on the clan's radar for a potential future game, if it supports multi-player. A free playable demo is available on Xbox Live now, click here to add it to your queue.

Tom Clancy’s HAWX lets you become a pilot of the future; it is an awe-inspiring game primed to revolutionize the way you think about combat in the sky. Cutting-edge technology, devastating firepower, and intense dogfights bestow this new title a deserving place in the prestigious Tom Clancy franchise. Soon, flying at Mach 3 becomes a right, not a privilege.

[Edit 2/23/09] After playing the demo, I am dropping this game from consideration. Though it is gorgeous, the fun factor doesn't feel like it is there. Please voice your opinion if you have a strong love for flying games.

Clan night tonight, 8pm PT, Left 4 Dead

I will no longer be sending out clan mails. From now on, I'll be posting to our clan blog instead:

• http://badabingclan.blogspot.com/
• This has the advantage that it doesn't clog up your inbox, all the tips are archived in one spot, it is easily searchable, and supports graphics more easily.
• For the small handful that still want e-mails, let me know, and I can set that up. Please note, however, that you will get substantially MORE e-mail because each post will generate a separate e-mail. As an example, this week's clan mail will be 5 separate e-mails in the future.
• RSS is a much better way to stay informed. You can have RSS feeds in your My Yahoo! page, your iGoogle page, an RSS reader, or even your inbox, depending on how you setup the feed.
• Click here to subscribe via RSS, or scroll to the bottom of the blog to see other options in the left panel.
  

Left 4 Dead Etiquette

Just as your mom told you, you should always mind your manners when playing on Xbox Live, but the way that Left 4 Dead versus games are setup requires some special considerations to be taken.

Most people prefer playing as Infected, so if your team is playing as Infected first each round, you should have the courtesy to play the second half of every round you participate in so that everybody has a chance to play as Infected. It is in poor form to play a round as Infected and then drop out for the second half.

Because there is no Matchmaking system like in Halo, and because rounds automatically startup without a lobby system in the middle, there is no built-in opportunity to change teams. The only way to re-balance uneven teams but keep the overall party together is to pass a vote to return to the lobby. If one team is getting blown out and they propose a lobby, it is in good form to follow that vote, even if you're on the winning team. Another reason why a lobby may need to be taken is if more clan members have joined during the game, and there are now extra players just spectating. A lobby will allow them to spawn a second game.

Not everything is bad etiquette, however. Talking excessively, pretending you're on the other team in voice chat, laughing hysterically when you pounce on somebody, are all part of the fun of having a parallel Xbox Live party running. Just remember that it works both ways!

Gold on Relic Approach

As I've posted about previously, the Halo Wars demo is available now on Xbox Live Marketplace. I was able to score high enough to earn Gold (70k+) on the second campaign level, Relic Approach. I invite challengers from the clan to best the bar I've set for the demo. Beat 77,270 on Easy, or get gold on Normal or Heroic. Photo evidence is required, as there are no achievements or on-line stats available for the demo. Good luck!

Left 4 Dead n00b Q&A

Q: It's pretty easy to pounce survivors, why do you say the Hunter is the hardest to learn?
A: The Hunter doesn't do any damage from the pounce and does damage relatively slowly. If the Hunter is knocked off or killed quickly, the pounce basically doesn't hurt. An effective Hunter finds isolated victims where he can spend some time clawing at them after the pounce.

Q: The Boomer seems clumsy, how do I use him effectively?
A: The Boomer is a huge target and is easy to kill, so it's important to spawn someplace where you can barf on the survivors as soon as you reveal yourself. Good examples are in the next room, around a corner, or on a rooftop. Bad examples are way out in front, down a long hallway, or way behind the survivors where you have to run for a long exposed stretch to reach them.

Q: Why does it take so long for the Infected to respawn?
A: This helps to balance the teams and encourages the Infected to be smarter about their attacks. All of the Infected (except for the Tank) can recharge their attacks if they aren't killed. The Hunter can actually recharge health as well.

As an Infected, you should go into hiding after your attack so that you can recharge and attack again. As a Survivor, you should exploit the long respawn time and cover as much ground as possible after you kill the special Infected.

Q: I'm not sure how the smoker works. Everytime I tongue someone it never seems to drag them and then it gives away my position and I'm dead.
A: Wait until your smoker reticle turns red before attacking. It's very unlikely that you'll grab somebody unless your targeting reticle is red. If you drag them over a rock or through a big tree, it will break your tongue. Doorways are usually ok, if you have a clear shot and don't get them caught on the doorjam. A good survivor team will break the tongue before you can do damage. In general, the smoker does best at pulling a survivor back or from the rooftops...it's much harder to attack survivors from in front. No damage is done until you get them all the dragged to you or they're hanging. A long drag backwards is SUPER useful, even if you don't do any damage. That usually separates the survivors or makes them backtrack.

Q: Once you've pounced with a Hunter or dragged somebody in with the Smoker, do you have to use LT to secondary attack?
A: No, you will automatically damage them when they're dragged in or pounced. You can basically go get a beer at this point.

Q: What is the best way to knock off a Hunter or Smoker?
A: LT (melee) is VERY versatile. It will knock off a Hunter, block a Hunter from pouncing, break a Smoker's tongue, block a Smoker's tongue from locking on, or push a Boomer far enough way to kill without getting barfed on. LT does not do any damage to Survivors, so it's a safe way to save your teammate without hurting them.

Q: If pounced by Hunter or dragged by a Smoker, is there anything you can do?
A: Once you're pounced, you're helpless, there's nothing you can do. Which is why, above all else, you can't be by yourself.

Q: What can I do to get better as a Survivor?
A: I'd recommend playing through the No Mercy and Blood Harvest (1st and 4th) campaigns on your own a couple of times. It's the exact same layout as versus, so you'll learn the maps. The other two campaigns are beign released as versus maps in the Springtime. You can just play on easy for a while, you mainly want to know the maps inside and out. Spend some time exploring so you know which rooms have stuff in them and which are just death traps. Most of the rooms are death traps that you don't want to wander into, but you want to pay special attention to the ones that have health cabinets on the wall, or ones that you find advanced weapons in. The cabinets are always there, but the AI director will decide whether to spawn pills or health packs. The tables for advanced weapons are always there, but the weapons aren't always there. Second pistols, molotovs and pipe bombs spawn at the AI director's discretion, they may or may not be there again on your next play through.

Left 4 Dead DLC free this Spring

Valve said today that both PC and Xbox 360 owners of Left 4 Dead will receive the upcoming DLC for free when it goes online this spring. The content update, titled the Left 4 Dead Survival Pack, adds in the titular multiplayer mode as well as two full campaigns for the versus mode.

According to online reports, survival mode tasks up to four players with surviving wave after wave of onrushing zombies across a dozen or more maps. Survival times are then logged, as players compete against others to see who can outlast the zombie infestation the longest. As expected, the versus mode update will provide campaigns for the Death Toll and Dead Air scenarios.

Full Gamespot article

Clan night tonight, 8pm PT, Left 4 Dead

I'm moving the clan mail to a blog soon. This way, items in these weekly posts will be archived, and you can avoid clutter in your inbox. For the handful of you that prefer the e-mail, I can auto-email up to 10 of you. For the rest, I'm happy to help you setup RSS feeds so that it automatically shows up in iGoogle, My Yahoo, or your favorite reader.

Effectively, the entire clan has moved to Left 4 Dead. It's hella fun. Active players: gtdroptop, FishBone10, darknorpo, OmniscientDeath, MEAN MR MONKEY, Mean Mrs Monkey, BeerMonkeee, QuelBelle, Beer4Porter, CoolerSopranos2

Left 4 Dead Basic Survivor Tips

Above all else, STAY TOGETHER. Zombies love love love to pick off the stragglers. If you must leave the group for some stupid reason, make sure you have a buddy with you.

Talk. Lots. L4D forces team play, much more so than any other game I've ever seen. As survivors, you are easy prey and easy to find, so talk to make sure everybody leverages what advantages you have. This includes telling your team mates about weapon locations, coordinating who uses health packs, and notifying each other where special infected are located.

Call for help. And keep doing it. If you get pounced or tongued, make sure your teammates know. They may be busy and can't get to you right away, but don't give up on telling them you've been caught. There's a lot of chatter, you want to make sure you get heard. A dead or incapped teammate is WAY worse than an annoying chatterbox.

Distribute your weapons. A balanced loadout has two survivors with shotguns and two survivors with machine guns (SMG or AR). If your team is 1337, the ideal advanced loadout is two auto-shotguns, one AR, and one hunting rifle. But I don't think anybody is that good yet.

Left 4 Dead Basic Infected Tips

Hunter: This is the hardest infected to learn. But the best tip is that you only have to press LB once to get crouched. After that, you can RT to pounce as many times as you want without crouching again. If you fall off a building however, it undoes your crouch. There is a recharge time to the crouch, but it's not very noticeable after the first time.

Smoker: Your reticle will light up red when you're in range and able to hit a target. Don't bother smoking otherwise, it just gives your position away and forces you to recharge.

Boomer: Remember that your dead body can blow up on survivors too. The Boomer's attack takes a VERY long time to recharge, and the Boomer is easy to kill otherwise. Most of the time if you've not been killed after your barf, you should try and get into the middle of the survivors and have them kill you at close range. You can use your LT to attack them while you're running around.

Tank: This is perhaps the second hardest infected to learn. The first thing to learn about the Tank is that his primary attack is RT and that there is a delay. After you hit RT, there's a slight pause before the Tank actually swings. Anticipate for that. LT is used to throw stuff, but nobody in the clan has really figured out how to do that effectively yet.

Left 4 Dead Party Management

If we get more than 8 people and can't fit everybody into one room, I'll probably spin a small group off to play campaign. Make sure you know which campaigns you have or have not finished. You have to play a campaign from start to finish in one sitting for it to count. These are the achievements that tell you if you're done:

• Mercy Killer: The first No Mercy Campaign
• Toll Collector: The second Death Toll Campaign
• Dead Baron: The third Dead air Campaign
• Grim Reaper: The last Blood Harvest Campaign

No Mercy and Blood Harvest are the most important ones to play through because they also show up on versus. There are only two versus levels. Don't ask me why.

Please join the Xbox Live party when playing L4D

• I run a separate Xbox Live party in addition to the L4D game lobby so that both teams can hear each other. This has proven to be much more fun and effective.
• Xbox Live parties are a new addition with the New Xbox Experience. If you've never been in one and don't know how they work, this page and this video are a pretty good intro.
• A "gtdroptop wants to play" and a "gtdroptop has invited you to a party" notification are two different things. For L4D, you need to accept BOTH.

Halo 3 Being Phased Out

If you are an L4D holdout and really want to continue playing H3, you should voice your opinion now.

The Mythic map packs are becoming available next month, coincident with the Halo Wars launch. There's a good chance I'll get them if you want to finish the H3 achievements with me.

Halo Wars Demo Available

The playable demo is available NOW on Xbox Live. It's free and surprisingly fun. Click this link to automatically add it to your Xbox download queue.

I've beat both campaign levels and Skirmish on Heroic, using both Humans and Convenant, but haven't been able to get Gold on the second campaign level. Would appreciate any tips if people have them.

My #1 tip for the Halo Wars demo: Cobras friggin' PWN ASS. Move them just out of range of enemy fire and use Y to deploy. They can shoot farther than anything else I've found and seriously bring the pain. Guard them with Scorpions, and they're basically invincible. I actually think they're unbalanced from what I've seen. Hard to say for sure though, since I haven't played against real people yet. The Covenant have the Locust analog to the Cobra, but the Locust doesn't have the range of a deployed Cobra.

A cinematic montage has been posted that apparently has people clamoring for this game even more than before. Rumored to be filled with spoilers, so I haven't watched it yet.