Campaign Scoring, also referred to as meta-game, is an optional game feature for the campaign modes of Halo 3[1], Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, Halo: Spartan Assault, Halo: Spartan Strike, and in all five campaigns of Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
Overview
When playing Campaign with Campaign Scoring turned on, progress is measured in points, which are earned by killing enemies. Different enemies award different points, and bonuses are provided in the form of medals. Betrayals, deaths, and reverting to the last checkpoint deduct points. Having skulls activated will multiply the player's points, as well playing on higher difficulties and finishing the level quickly.
Free-for-all vs. Team Scoring
In Free for All scoring, points are awarded to individual players based on their kills. This can also be used to unlock the meta-game achievements. In Team Scoring, points are shared among the team, culminating in a cumulative team score.
Campaign scoring was first introduced in Halo 3. Each level features a campaign scoring meta game achievement for beating the par score on the level.
Points are earned by killing enemies, with the player shooting the killing shot (or throwing the killing grenade) earning the points. If a player is driving a vehicle, any kills by AI passengers will earn the player full points. If the player or party reverts to the last checkpoint (through death or options menu), they will restart with the number of points they had when they hit the checkpoint minus a 25 point penalty for each restart.
Missions with campaign must be completed in one playthrough in Halo 3; if a player saves and quits midway through the level their score is reset to zero when the player reloads the level.
Players cannot earn any of the campaign scoring achievements for the level simply by using team scoring; both players' individual scores are presented when the level is finished. Individual scores determine whether an achievement is unlocked.
The in-game scoreboard is significantly more subdued than in subsequent games. When earned, medals appear as small icons just above the scoreboard in the lower left corner of the player's HUD. The scoreboard features a running tally of the player's total points (including difficulty, skull and style multipliers) and displays the current time bonus; the time bonus multiplier is not calculated toward the point total until the level is complete.
The post-level Carnage Report is similarly simplistic. Statistics are presented in four categories: Carnage (Deaths, Betrayals, Friendlies Killed, Kills), Enemy Kills (Infantry, Specialist, Leader, Hero), Enemy Vehicle Kills (Light, Medium, Heavy, Giant), and Points Breakdown (Medals, Medal Points, Normal Points, Points). All are simple number totals.
Points Breakdown
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Multipliers
Difficulty Multipliers
- Per-kill
Skull Multipliers
Skull Multiplier Iron 3.0x Black Eye 1.5x Tough Luck 1.5x Catch 1.5x Fog 1.5x Famine 2.0x Thunderstorm 1.5x Tilt 2.0x Mythic 2.0x
Time Multipliers
- Overall
Mission Times & Multipliers Sierra 117 0-15 min = 3.0x, 15-20 min = 2.5x, 20-25 min = 2.0x, 25-30 min = 1.5x, 30+ min = 1.0x Crow's Nest 0-20 min = 3.0x, 20-25 min = 2.5x, 25-30 min = 2.0x, 30-35 min = 1.5x, 35+ min = 1.0x Tsavo Highway 0-15 min = 3.0x, 15-20 min = 2.5x, 20-25 min = 2.0x, 25-30 min = 1.5x, 30+ min = 1.0x The Storm 0-15 min = 3.0x, 15-20 min = 2.5x, 20-25 min = 2.0x, 25-30 min = 1.5x, 30+ min = 1.0x Floodgate 0-10 min = 3.0x, 10-15 min = 2.5x, 15-20 min = 2.0x, 20-25 min = 1.5x, 25+ min = 1.0x The Ark 0-20 min = 3.0x, 20-30 min = 2.5x, 30-40 min = 2.0x, 40-50 min = 1.5x, 50+ min = 1.0x The Covenant 0-20 min = 3.0x, 20-30 min = 2.5x, 30-40 min = 2.0x, 40-50 min = 1.5x, 50+ min = 1.0x Cortana 0-15 min = 3.0x, 15-20 min = 2.5x, 20-25 min = 2.0x, 25-30 min = 1.5x, 30+ min = 1.0x Halo 0-15 min = 3.0x, 15-20 min = 2.5x, 20-25 min = 2.0x, 25-30 min = 1.5x, 30+ min = 1.0x
Style Multipliers
- Per-kill
Style Multiplier Grenade Stick 1.25x Headshot 1.25x Assassination 1.25x Splatter 1.25x Multi Kill 1.25x Super Detonation 1.25x
Scoring formula
The formula for campaign scoring is:
Points Earned = Unit's base point value X (Style Multiplier + Occasional Secondary Style Multiplier) X Difficulty Multiplier X Sum of Skull Multipliers X Time Multiplier
*Note* - The time multiplier is added not to every score but at the very end of the level (i.e. total score =15,000 X 2.0 for time bonus = Grand Total of 30,000)
Achievements
Achievement Name Points Required Level Guerilla 15,000 Sierra 117 Demon 15,000 Crow's Nest Cavalier 15,000 Tsavo Highway Askar 15,000 The Storm Exterminator 15,000 Floodgate Ranger 50,000 The Ark Vanguard 50,000 The Covenant Orpheus 15,000 Cortana Reclaimer 15,000 Halo
Campaign scoring in Halo 3: ODST is based on that found in Halo 3 -enemies award the same number of points- yet also represents a significant step forward. Most noticeable is that many more medals are awarded in campaign and Firefight. In Halo 3, only eight medals are awarded in campaign. In ODST, most of the medals found in Halo 3 multiplayer can be awarded in campaign; specifically the spree, weapon spree, multi-kill and style medals. These medals provide score bonuses; the more difficult the medal, the more points awarded. Bonuses for killing and weapon sprees are particularly large, and can be essential in meeting par scores.
Unlike Halo 3, there are no campaign scoring achievements in ODST; instead, scoring achievements are found in Firefight.
Points Breakdown
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Multipliers
Difficulty Multipliers
- Per-kill
Skull Multipliers
Skull Multiplier Iron 3.0x Black Eye 1.5x Tough Luck 1.5x Catch 1.5x Famine 2.0x Thunderstorm 1.5x Tilt 2.0x Mythic 2.0x
Scoring formula
The formula for campaign scoring is essentially the same as in Halo 3:
Points Earned = (Unit's base point value X Total Style Multipliers X Difficulty Multiplier X Sum of Skull Multipliers) X Time Multiplier
*Note* - The time multiplier is added not to every score but at the very end of the level (i.e. total score =15,000 X 2.0 for time bonus = Grand Total of 30,000)
Trivia
- Meta in ancient Greek means "after", so meta-game means "after-game", or in a more philosophical sense, "the game behind the game". In the case of campaign scoring, you playing a meta-game in which you are trying to get as high score as possible, and to accomplish that, you are playing the actual campaign game -- in other words, the Campaign Metagame is a game about a game.
- In Halo: Reach, the current record in campaign scoring is 134,320,688, set by FA Aras Cade on April 23, 2012. This beat the previous record of 117,077,496 set by OWA 000 on April 20, 2011[2]