(Click for UPDATE #1 | UPDATE #2 | UPDATE #3)

ABSTRACT:

Since the Title Update for Halo: Reach’s multiplayer went live in the fall, there have been many discussions on the changes it implemented. The Title Update most notably impacted the mechanics of the DMR and the Needle Rifle, specifically their “bloom.” The question is, does 85% bloom encourage or discourage “trigger spamming” compared to default Reach settings?

INTRODUCTION:

Anyone who has played Halo: Reach has experienced weapon bloom. Bloom describes the change in a weapon’s ability to fire accurately as the player adjusts the rate of fire. Firing many shots in quick succession will cause the aiming reticule to expand, indicating more randomness in the accuracy of each shot. To guarantee maximum accuracy, a player should wait until the reticule shrinks back to normal size before firing the next shot. This mechanic was designed by Bungie as a trade-off of pace and accuracy in an effort to balance the DMR in the overall sandbox.

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While many Halo fans have recently taken a trip down memory lane thanks to Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, those who are simply looking to augment their Reach experience with some old friends rather than partake in the single-player campaign have another option.  The Halo: Reach Anniversary Map Pack.

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A long time ago in a forum post far, far away…

I asked the Gunslingers to submit their best clips from Call of Duty: Black Ops.  Many responded with amazing plays and hilarious shenanigans.

I went to work, cutting and splicing clips to the beats, the highlight reel becoming more awesome by the week.  Then one sad day, I realized that the montage had been lost in the constant shuffle of hard drive organization, backups, and formatting.  I thought all hope of this group effort ever seeing the light of day was lost.

Until now.

Just last week, I discovered all the old footage and project files buried in the archives of one of my hard drives.  After adding a few more clips and some titles, it was show time.

I now present to you the Gunslinger Highlights of Black Ops.

For the past year, the Gunslingers have had a blast playing Black Ops.  The suspense and adrenaline rush of a Hardcore Search & Destroy match.  The antics of cross-map tomahawks and Pony ‘nades.  The “swell” feeling of diving to prone off of buildings and out windows.  Black Ops provided us with some great experiences.

Even as we control new territory in Modern Warfare 3, we look back and salute Black Ops.

Can I get an Ooh-rah?

Ten years ago, the fine folks at Bungie redefined virtual combat as we know it. Halo: Combat Evolved set the bar for war games by becoming the flagship title for the newly minted Xbox Live network and launching a franchise that would span a decade. Over the years Bungie has taken us on a whirlwind tour of their universe by leading us into war fronts with Covenant forces, dropping us feet-first into hell, or sending us on a desperate mission to save humanity from certain destruction. In the process they have given us innovative new tools for sharing and capturing our experiences, whether it be facing down endless hordes of Covenant in Firefight, watching saved games in Theatre mode, or simply stepping into a Campaign together. They’ve shown us beautiful vistas, let us forge new spaces, and even allowed us tell a few stories of our own.

Take the next step in human evolution…

Greetings, Mid-Worldeans and other blog readers.  Many of you already know me as TTL Tortacular.  Around these parts I’m known as the Honor Guard Captain (that’s defense, but fancy-like), Spartan Laser Enthusiast, HCS&D Bombwagon or just the guy that quotes Viktor Reznov too much.  Beyond the walls of TTL you may have seen me on any number of gaming sites including of course Bnet and the Waypoint.  I’m one of several new voices you’ll find emanating from the TTL Blog in the coming weeks and months.

This past week, the Gunslingers joined the rest of the gaming world by answering a new Call of Duty.  Storming the bunkers and breaching the buildings of a new title is always an exciting time.  We can revel in the enjoyment of new weapons and game types, and laugh at the ridiculous outcomes (like say walking off a cliff) that come from not knowing our new playgrounds very well.

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Hi guys,

From the European front of our virtual warfare playground comes my side of the story. I’ve been following the Tied The Leader blog from day 1, randomly got teamed up with some Gunslingers in the H3 Beta period and haven’t been kicked out left since. Next to Halo I’ve also been playing Call of Duty since the Modern Warfare 1 days and have wasted enough time to get to maximum Prestige in all of them so far. (Yes, Skyrim, I’m looking at you)

Playing the aggressive, usually objective based role in our parties you can most often find me in the thick of it amongst things like Flags, Bombs, Territories and heaps of my own dead avatars.

Stay tuned to the new Tied The Leader blog for more stories about the bonds formed through playing video games, Pony being Pony and more TTL shenanigans.

Bjorni.

As TTL’s founder makes his way into the western territories on a new quest, the individuals that rallied to this blog and created the community that now surrounds it will be your new hosts.  Meet the Gunslingers, assuming they have not made their presence known to you previously.  They will be along directly to introduce themselves.

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