Mega Bloks has just relaunched it’s Halo website and WOW it’s amazing.
Here are FOUR NEW wallpapers they’ve just released on the site: (Click to make bigger and feel free to download from here)
Beyond these, there is SO much more to see on their newly redesigned site.
Go check it out!
-Sal
As of 10AM Wednesday PST here are the top ten gamers in the Halo 4 Global Championship:
The leaderboard has changed since yesterday. Wettimage who was in first yesterday with 66 1st place finishes has dropped down to 3rd place with 76 1st place finishes.
And “eL ToWn” has vaulted into first place with 82 1st place finishes. WOW! You can’t just be good to be in this competition. Not even GREAT… You have to be AWESOME!. The fourth place gamer currently has 71 1st place finishes.
This is what it takes if you want to go to Seattle to game for that $200K 1st place prize!
Good luck to all participants.
-Sal
I’m VERY skeptical about this, considering the video is done by “Halo4Modding”
Taking this with a HUGE grain of salt…
Last Gasp: So a grenade that poops out of you when you die? Um, I think we can ALL see why this was a good idea to cut. Seems like this happens without this mod anyway…
Aural Enhancement: Really? We need a back-up beeper to alert us of enemies? USE YOUR RADAR and your EYES folks….LOL Glad this wasn’t in either.
Battle Awareness: Seeing your enemy’s shields. Okay, if you’ve shot them 5 or 6 times, you should know they are ready to die. Honestly, if these three were really made for the game and then added, it would have shown that 343 was trying to make the game OVERLY n00b friendly, an accusation they’ve already been charged with by the masses.
I’m going to call this video BUNK. Again due to the author of the video, until 343 says otherwise.
Thanks to TeamBeyond for tweeting this…I guess. LOL
-Sal
Yesterday I posted this list. I didn’t have the time to break it down and talk about it. Now I’ve got the time, so let’s look at each “Cheevo” individually. First things first though, if you didn’t notice, ALL but two of the cheevos are NOT map specific! YEAH!!!! 343 listened to our please about this with regards to former map packs. THANKS 343!!!
Now for the below, I’m talking from the point of NOT BOOSTING these cheevos…
Protect this House (30)
In matchmaking, assassinate the ball carrier within five meters of your own goal in Ricochet.
HFFL: Oh this one is going to be fun! It will require epic timing! I’m not much of an assassin, but I’ll look to get this one done ASAP. Likely one of the hardest ones in this pack for me to get.
Hat Trick (33)
In matchmaking, score three times in one round of Ricochet.
HFFL: Ahh Yeah! I am DEFINITELY going to “tryhard” for this one. Love the Hockey reference too! Honestly, if you’re an objective runner like I am, this shouldn’t be too hard. If you’re more of a slayer type…difficulty setting will be adjusted.
From Downtown (25)
In matchmaking, score by throwing the ball from 30 meters in Ricochet.
HFFL: Oh HELLS yeah! I LOVE that we can score by passing. This is going to make Ricochet just THAT much more FUN. This shouldn’t be hard at all to get.
Repeat Survivor (25)
In matchmaking, survive three vehicle explosions in a row with the Survivor package.
HFFL: Hmm, considering I drive/gun a lot, this should be a no brainer. Bummed that it means we have to have three vehicles destroyed though. Difficulty level for this is normal to hard.
Can’t Catch Me (20)
In matchmaking, score a goal in Ricochet while taking damage with the Resistor active.
HFFL: This seems pretty simple. Make Active Resistor, let someone shoot you. DONE! EASY.
Just a Scratch (20)
In matchmaking, recover full shields from low health with both Resistor and Recharge active.
HFFL: This one seems like it shouldn’t be hard to get. However with Resistor and Recharge stacking, it means taking damage will be harder PLUS your shields recharge faster. So you’re going to have to be in the middle of a gunfight, get whittled down to almost nothing, THEN find your way out of it, THEN recover from it. Difficulty: Hard (Again, NOT boosting!)
Pitchin’ a Tent (40)
In matchmaking, effectively camp one location without dying for a full 60 seconds.
HFFL: OMG, a camping cheevo? LOL I’m already reading complaints on Waypoint forums and twitter about this one. Folks, this is EASY. DO it, get your 40GS and move on. Oy that innuendo! LOL
One Man Army (27)
In matchmaking, get 4 consecutive kills with the Rocket Launcher without dying.
HFFL: Oh yeah! I loves me some Rocket Launcher. A fun cheevo that you just know will piss off the other team. You may even get some hate mail for being a n00b! I’m cool with that as I’ll have 27 more GS!!!
Shocking (10)
In Bullseye DLC Matchmaking, activate both electrical surge systems during a match on Vertigo.
HFFL: One of only two that are map specific, this should be fairly easy. At the start of the match, go for the opposing surge. Then turn around and activate yours. DONE. Easy to normal difficulty.
Got It! (20)
In Bullseye DLC Matchmaking, acquire the Rocket Launcher at the start of a match on Pitfall.
HFFL: Race to ROCKETS! EASY!!!
Honestly, these are pretty good cheevos. Just a couple have some difficulty to them. Yes, I can hear those saying, but achievements are supposed to be hard. Meh, I want them to be FUN, not hard. (TWSS…)
-Sal
It has been nominated for: Outstanding Main Title Design
Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn • Machinima.com • 343 Industries in association with Microsoft Studios
Heiko Schneck, CG Lead
Fabian Poss, Producer/Animator
Csaba Letay, Compositor
Jan Bitzer, CG Lead/Editor
-Sal
Within the past couple of days I had a “spirited” conversation regarding scalping, specifically with regards to convention exclusives. Since San Diego Comicon is in full swing now, I’m asking that you all use good judgement should you seek to find exclusives, via the net, be that places like eBay or others.
Personally, I ABHOR the practice of scalping. It does nothing than to serve the person who is doing the scalping. Yes, you may get an item you wanted, but often having to pay a price MORE than you wanted to. So again use your own judgement here.
I submit to you TWO instances already of the douchebag practice. Yes, that is what I think of it…
Mega Bloks has FREE giveaway figures for SDCC 2013 this year. I’ve already written about it. Last night was Pre-view night, and some folks already got their hands on these freebies and are scalping them on eBay. Just LOOK at the ridiculous asking prices:
$15 plus $2.50 shipping and $29.99 w/free shipping, respectively.
ARE YOU FRACKIN’ SERIOUS?!?!!!!
Please folks, do NOT give in to temptation. Certainly NOT with these minifigs. Mega has already stated these will be EVENT giveaways. It is NOT exclusive to SDCC only. As I’ve already reported, they will be giving away 1,000 PER DAY at SDCC. There will be a few more conventions and such that these will be given away. They are going to be EASY to find for a FAIR price, if not FREE. I’m reminded of an old saying. “A fool and his money are soon parted.” PLEASE don’t be that fool.
I’m trying my darndest to secure some of these as GIVEAWAYS on the blog here in the near future.
I can’t fault the manufacturers/retailers/etc. They use these as marketing tools. I get that. But those con goers that profiteer by racing around cons to snag exclusives to resell…ugh, that just disgusts me. Worse when people use the excuse that they do it to fund or in part reimburse their trip. Folks, if you’re already going to the con anyway, why are you passing this cost off on to others. Just a grade ‘A’ douche move, IMO.
I go through this every year during SDCC. I ALWAYS seem to have this argument somewhere. This year it was on a Halo collecting Facebook page. I tend to go a little overboard with my viewpoint on this subject. So to that group, apologies if I angered anyone. I can’t help that I’m very passionate against scalping. And that will never change.
I’m not saying people shouldn’t sell stuff. But be reasonable. If you have to wait in a long line, then yes, a REASONABLE addition to cost is acceptable. NOT what these douchés are asking above. That’s just ridiculous.
To get these at SDCC it’s barely more than walking up and asking for one. You may need to take a minute to register an e-mail. Is that really worth $15? or $30? REALLY?
Okay, enough of the rant on the subject this year. Regardless of this, I still look forward to what comes out of SDCC each year.
Final note, comments/replies will be closed for this post. If you reply, positively or negatively, it will NOT be posted. I don’t want to perpetuate the argument any further than this, this year. Thanks for understanding.
-Sal
The bulletin starts off with talk of San Diego Comicon.
If you are going to SDCC and have a pass, swing by the lounge from 11 AM to 8 PM PDT Thursday through Saturday or 11 AM until 5 PM PDT on Sunday to get your hands on both upcoming releases of Halo: Spartan Assault and the Champions Bundle pack.
Tune in to 343’s official Twitch channel on Friday and Saturday from 6 to 8 PM PDT for a LIVE look at the Champions Bundle.
343 will be having a panel at SDCC:
Inside the Looking Glass: Building “Halo” Worlds and Wonders, Past, Present and Future
Room 6BCF, San Diego Convention Center
Thursday, July 18, 11:45 AM to 12:45 PM PDT
Panel Description:
Join Franchise Development Director Frank O’Connor, Executive Producer Dan Ayoub, and other 343 Industries guests as they celebrate the launch and discuss the exciting new addition to the Halo universe (Halo: Spartan Assault), the new comic book series from Dark Horse Comics (Halo: Initiation) and more.
Next up is something that the Halo collector inside me is both excited and depressed about.
Halo Collectible Pins at SDCC:
We’ll also be giving away Halo-themed collectible pins this weekend at San Diego Comic-Con. To start collecting, begin at the Halo area of the Xbox Lounge in the Hyatt. Demo the Halo 4 Champions Bundle, and there you will receive your starter pack which consists of a Halo lanyard, pin and pin card. Then, play a round of Halo: Spartan Assault, stop by our Halo panel and head to our partners’ booths on the show floor to collect the rest of the pins. Supplies are extremely limited, so make sure to start your day early at the Xbox Lounge!
HFFL: Ugh, I WANTS! I LOVE collecting Pins. I have a nice collection of Halo pins already. THESE are going to be freakin’ HARD to get! UGH, and I won’t have the money to bid for them on ePAY, er eBay… (Cause you just know there are going to be people scalping these) I hate buying from scalpers, but asking someone to round up all of the pins for me is extremely unlikely and would prolly cost a small fortune…
Halo 4 Global Championship Update:
Text directly from the bulletin:
Week 1 of the Halo 4 Global Championship is underway! As many of you know, the tournament (which boasts more than $500,000 in prizing) has a five-week online qualifier, in which players compete for a trip to the in-person finals. For a full breakdown of the tournament, head to Halo4GlobalChampionship.com. This week’s featured game type is a slightly modified version of Infinity Rumble. To see the full settings of this game type, check out last week’s Bulletin. This week, we’ve already seen quite a few players record a perfect score (as I write this, more than more than 31 players have a perfect average of 8). Here’s what the top of the leaderboard looks like as of this afternoon:
HFFL: Stay tuned to HFFL as I will be updating the top ten daily on the blog.
More on the Halo 4 Global Championship:
Next week’s Global Championship will be Rumble SWAT. As you know, this game type is extremely hectic and fast-paced, so we’re expecting to see the competition on the leaderboard become even tighter.
Game types included next week:
Rumble SWAT
Rumble SWAT BRs
Rumble SWAT Rifles
While the settings of these game types vary slightly, here are the overall settings across all three game types.
| Game Settings | |
|---|---|
| Score to Win | 250 |
| Time Limit | 12 minutes |
| Kill Points | 10 |
| Respawn Settings | |
| Respawn Time | 5 Seconds |
| Personal Ordnance | Disabled |
| Equipment | |
| Motion Tracker | Disabled |
Next, here are the Loadouts and maps for each game type:
Rumble SWAT
(played on Haven, Adrift, Abandon, Landfall, Monolith, and Skyline)
| Loadout Alpha | SWAT DMR |
|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | DMR |
| Secondary Weapon | Magnum |
| Loadout Beta | SWAT BR |
| Primary Weapon | Battle Rifle |
| Secondary Weapon | Magnum |
Rumble SWAT BRs
(played on Haven, Abandon, Monolith, and Skyline)
| Loadout Alpha | SWAT BR |
|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Battle Rifle |
| Secondary Weapon | Magnum |
Rumble SWAT Rifles
(played on Haven, Solace, and Landfall)
| Loadout Alpha | SWAT DMR |
|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | DMR |
| Secondary Weapon | Magnum |
| Loadout Bravo | SWAT BR |
| Primary Weapon | Battle Rifle |
| Secondary Weapon | Magnum |
| Loadout Gamma | SWAT Carbine |
| Primary Weapon | Carbine |
| Secondary Weapon | Magnum |
| Loadout Delta | SWAT LightRifle (Scout) |
| Primary Weapon | LightRifle |
| Secondary Weapon | Magnum |
Barely a blip anymore in the bulletin are the episodes for Spartan Ops matchmaking:
• Episode 6, Mission 3: Need to Know
• Episode 8, Mission 3: Lancer
• Episode 9, Mission 4: Revenge
• Episode 10, Mission 3: Seize the Power
• Episode 10, Mission 4: Out the Other
And finally as always the Screenshot Spotlight. This week: Assault Rifle.
To read the full bulletin go here. (Though this week, I did cover most of it here)
-Sal
Text from HaloWaypoint.com:
SDCC is kicking off and the only way we could be more excited is if we knew all of you could be here enjoying it with us. For those who can’t make it to San Diego, we hope this counts as some kind of consolation: All art, tees and hoodies are on sale, only during San Diego Comic-Con.
Now is the time to buy. They don’t often have sales.
Wish I could afford to get one of those sweet “CAMS” t-shirts! Damn, it sux to be unemployed…
-Sal
The achievements for the upcoming Bullseye map pack (part of the Champions Bundle Pack) have been revealed via the HaloWaypoint app. These are:
Protect this House (30)
In matchmaking, assassinate the ball carrier within five meters of your own goal in Ricochet.
Hat Trick (33)
In matchmaking, score three times in one round of Ricochet.
From Downtown (25)
In matchmaking, score by throwing the ball from 30 meters in Ricochet.
Repeat Survivor (25)
In matchmaking, survive three vehicle explosions in a row with the Survivor package.
Can’t Catch Me (20)
In matchmaking, score a goal in Ricochet while taking damage with the Resistor active.
Just a Scratch (20)
In matchmaking, recover full shields from low health with both Resistor and Recharge active.
Pitchin’ a Tent (40)
In matchmaking, effectively camp one location without dying for a full 60 seconds.
One Man Army (27)
In matchmaking, get 4 consecutive kills with the Rocket Launcher without dying.
Shocking (10)
In Bullseye DLC Matchmaking, activate both electrical surge systems during a match on Vertigo.
Got It! (20)
In Bullseye DLC Matchmaking, acquire the Rocket Launcher at the start of a match on Pitfall.
Thanks to TeamBeyond for tweeting this!