Multiplayer

The term 'Multiplayer' generally refers to the ability of most video games allowing for more than one person to play the game at the same time in a non-campaign setting. Multiplayer can consist of split-screen, system link, or Xbox Live. In the Halo games, multiplayer has been regarded as a core element to the game's design and a giant part of the success of the Halo franchise.

Players in Halo 3 fight on the map Snowbound.

Halo: Combat Evolved

Multiplayer action in Halo: Combat Evolved on Chiron TL-34: 2 Blue Team players attack a Red Team player.

The multiplayer component of Halo: Combat Evolved for the Xbox was limited to split screen and four Xbox consoles together for System Link play. Players could also play on six others that did not exist in the console version. Only a few types of games are available: they include Capture The Flag (CTF),Oddball, King of the Hill, Race, Slayer, or other custom made/modded types. The ability to "create" and join servers over the internet was an option for online play, but there were no official standards, ranking system or function that allowed players to compete in an organized way, but password settings are available.

The PC version has multiplayer over the internet and can have up to 16 players and custom game types.

In Halo Custom Edition, the add-on made by Gearbox Software, made many maps that were unavailable to Halo: Combat Evolved have been made playable specially for Custom Edition. For example, a version of the Halo 2 and 3 map "Zanzibar" (Last Resort), had been specially created for Halo: Custom Edition. Many customized maps have new and custom game content, such as new player models, new textures and often new weapons. Specific modifications to weapons, vehicles and even the appearance of the character can be made using a special suite of programs, called the H.E.K.(Halo Editing Kit)

Halo 2

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Halo 2 Multiplayer.

Multiplayer was completely redesigned for Halo 2. Built around the framework of Xbox Live, players now had more options available. Bungie's custom created interface called "Matchmaking" allowed players to search for games in a variety of different playlists, such as Team Objective, Slayer, or FFA. Each play list offers a number of unique game-types from that list. Players could also create and host their own custom games, and invite other players and friends to join them. The lobby system, or "virtual couch" (as players call it) was also introduced, allowing players in one party to stick together after games, to continue playing, or be taken to a different lobby. Putting Microsoft's Trueskill system to use, Bungie employed a ranking system that displayed a level (1-50) based on how well a player played in a particular playlist. Rankings were for individual playlists, and players who would continually win games in a certain playlist would rank up in that playlist only. Bungie also split their multiplayer component into two major categories; ranked and unranked. While the ranked playlists offered players a chance to display skill, the unranked playlist was a more social setting that allowed guests, and did not carry ranks.

Halo 3

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Two Spartans clash in melee attacks.

In Halo 3, Bungie enhanced its multiplayer service, redesigning the user interface allowing a smoother, more integrated experience, which has better graphics. Halo 3 kept the same multiplayer options that were available in Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, but added a new co-op system, which supported 4 players in campaign on System Link or Xbox Live and added new game types, such as Infection.Bungie also added the option of being able to play on other players' created maps using the Fileshare system. Bungie improved upon the already stable lobby system and enhanced it's effects, while tweaking and modifying their matchmaking algorithms to ensure fairer play. Halo 3 also uses a new ranking system that it split into two distinct types; skill points and rating or rank points. A player may move independently through each system, gaining rating points in either ranked or social play, or skill points in ranked play only. Finally, custom games were enhanced with the addition of Forge, a multiplayer weapon, spawn and object editor. In matchmaking, forge, custom games, players get to choose if they want to be a Spartan/Elite or a Monitor, and they can switch instantaneously. In Forge there is a budget, which once it runs out, you cannot add more items, although there is a glitch in which you can add more items after your budget. In Halo 3 it is impossible to lower weapons on Xbox Live because Bungie thinks it can be used in negatively. It is possible to lower weapons on a local game by using the combination of buttons LB + RB + LS + A + DOWN ON D-PAD and holding them for 4 seconds. (Split-Screen and System Link)

Profiles And Emblems

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An example of a customized Halo 3 profile.

The profile creator in Halo: Combat Evolved was very basic, though players had the ability to create a unique name, customize their armor with Primary, Secondary, and Detail colors along with changing the game controls and settings. With the addition of online multiplayer through Xbox Live, the profile creator in Halo 2 was redesigned and altered. Keeping the settings and adjustments from the previous game, Bungie added more color variants to the palette. In addition, the major change was the addition of Covenant Elite model for players to use, rather than the standard UNSC Spartan model. To identify players better on the battlefield, Bungie included a "multiplayer emblem" in which players could customize the look and color to distinguish themselves.

A customized Halo 3 emblem.

The updated profile creator in Halo 3 gives players a host of different options to change, tweak and modify their multiplayer avatar. Again, the options from the previous games are included. However, the newest of these options include Armor Permutations for the left and right shoulders, the helmet, and the chest piece. Different armor permutations can be unlocked by gaining achievements, completing the campaign, completing certain levels on certain difficulties, or by finding skulls.

The list of multiplayer emblems has been increased and players can now choose from a number of preset backgrounds as well. In addition, there are three color settings for emblems as well; primary, secondary, and background. Due to the vast amount of female gamers in Halo 2, Bungie added in a "female voice" which changes the voice of the player when the player is killed. Finally, players may choose a call-sign, designated by any combination of 3 letters and/or numbers so that players may easily recognize you on the battlefield (eg.b08). The chance of having the same call-sign as someone else are approximately 1 in 2571.

Ranking, EXP And Skill

The rank system was made for equality uses, so that users of a certain rank or skill level wouldn't have an advantage over another rank or skill level. The EXP was made so that it would somewhat determine how much you have played. Rank is also based on EXP, because the growing amount of EXP you have will raise your rank. Skill on the other hand does not determine the amount of EXP you have gained, but depends on how well you have played Halo 3 matchmaking. You can also lose skill and EXP by gaming poorly in matchmaking or for leaving a game early (more so in team games). On some games, you won't receive EXP or skill if you perform okay, but not necessarily well.

Due to the recent Halo 3 update, players would have a different rank for each playlist. The Playlist Ranks were all reset, but a player's old rank would still appear in Forge, Custom Games, and Theater mode, as well as in his/her Halo 3 Service Record. Although Skill ratings were not changed. All Playlist Ranks would be viewed in Silver, while the original Enlisted ranks would be in Gold or the original silver if Lieutenant or higher.

Medals

At the end of a game, medals and awards are given out to the players who achieved certain feats within the game. Although Halo: Combat Evolved didn't list your medals and didn't save the statistics in the post game lobby, Halo 2 and Halo 3 do. While Halo 2 had many medals, Halo 3 features nearly double the amount of medals for the player to receive. These include medals such as "Sword Spree" where the player must get five Energy Sword kills without dying, Splatter Spree Medal where you get a killing spree by splattering people, and "Incineration" where players must kill an enemy with a Flame Grenade or the Flamethrower, or the "Snipe!" where you get a head-shot with a Sniper Rifle. There are also numerous medals awarded for getting quick kills within 4 seconds between each kill. These medals include Double Kill!, Triple kill!, Overkill! and so on. These new medals enhance the game-play and give players a higher incentive to pick up weapons they might not normally touch. At the end of a game, the previous game stats can be found by pressing the back button, and you are then able to view your stats and the medals you've won. You can also view all the medals you've received on matchmaking on Bungie.net. On Free-For-All and Campaign you can get Xbox 360 Achievements but 37 of the 49 achievements can be easily obtained in the Campaign (a couple are optional) and 3 of them for reaching a certain rank .(Private, Sergeant and Lieutenant respectively) On the 23 September 2008 there was a update called 'TU2'. The update consisted of the addition of Playlist Ratings, which track the amount of EXP gained in any playlist and utilize silver versions of the normal Rank symbols. That doesn't mean that if you are a General you lose the rank. It means that your Global Rank will be a General, but next to your name it will appear with your EXP earned in that playlist.

List of Halo 3 Game Types

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Players in Halo 2 fighting on Colossus during a King of the Hill match.

• Assault
• Capture the Flag
• King of the Hill
• Grifball
• Juggernaut
• Slayer
• Territories
• VIP
• Infection
• You can also create your own game by selecting a game type and press the X button to edit the game options, and then save it. Although the created game will still be under one of the game types given above, it can be pretty customized.
• In Forge mode you can make race tracks using almost anything you can. As does the website www.halotracks.org.

Trivia

• In Halo 3, a player's service tag can not be l17 (lower case L and 17) or I17 (upper case I and 17) stating that is reserved for service in the UNSC. It can also never be E43, N64, P52, F46 or A55, although they can be achieved through some means. However, P53 and W11 are allowed. These restrictions may be because the tags seem too close to the names of Xbox's rival platforms.
• When a guest is playing on Multiplayer, their service tag is 000 even if they try and change it through their appearance.
• All Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 3 maps have a "Recommended Number of Players" section and portion by Bungie employees, and all the minimum and maximum number of players are always set to even numbers.
• In Halo 2, the map Backwash is one of the most underplayed maps.
• The largest maps in the Halo trilogy are Sandtrap, Avalanche, Blood Gulch, Containment, Waterworks, Infinity, Sidewinder and Death Island.
• In Halo 2 Multiplayer leading your target with the Battle Rifle wasn't needed. However in Halo 3 Multiplayer, leading is needed to hit a moving opponent by placing the right side of the reticle on the left of an opponent's head, and vice versa.
• The only direct-to-direct map remakes in Halo 3 are Last Resort (remake of Zanzibar), Blackout (a remake of Lockout), Cold Storage (a remake of Chill Out), and Avalanche (a remake of Sidewinder).
• In Halo 2 Multiplayer or Campaign, pressing "down" on the Directional Pad causes characters to put their gun down like ceasing and halting fire. Throwing all grenades and holding down the Left Trigger will also produce the same effect. This technique has been used in many machinimas like "Red vs Blue" or "The Codex" to make the characters appear to be in conversational, rather than combat-ready mode. However, only the latter method works on Xbox Live. This was disabled in Halo 3 but changed to holding down LB, RB, A, crouch, down on the D-pad for 4 seconds. However, this only works on Local and System Link games, not over Xbox Live.
• On the pause screen in Halo 3 Multiplayer, if you are the host, the "End Game" option will say: "Choose this option to put an end to the conflict before it ends itself". If you are a player, the "Leave Game" option will say: "Choose this option to embrace your cowardice and leave the game prematurely".
• The maximum number of players that can play in Halo Multiplayer (of any kind) is 16, via System Link or Xbox Live.
• In Halo: Combat Evolved, players usually start with a Magnum or Plasma Pistol. In Halo 2, players usually start with SMG's. (Exception: On the Halo 2 map Tombstone, by default players spawn with an SMG and Battle Rifle). And in Halo 3, players start with Assault Rifles on all maps default.
• During a ranked match on Halo 3, over Xbox Live, if you quit before the game is over you will lose 1 EXP. This is to discourage players from disrupting the game due to the large amount of people doing so in Halo 2.
• On the weekend Bungie will offer "Double EXP Weekend" playlists making it easier for players to level up.

Related Pages

• Xbox Live
• Matchmaking