This Monday, several updates are coming to Halo 4 Matchmaking. In Spartan Ops, we’ll be showcasing a Designer’s choice medley, SWAT will be updated with new game types and maps, the brand new game type Mini Slayer will be premiering, Team Throwdown will be updated to the most current tournament settings, and more. Check out the full details of the update below.
In SWAT, we’ve added two new Slayer game types. These game types will add new ways to rack up absurd amounts of headshots and good times. Because they are new, we will be offering them exclusively in the third voting slot and keeping an eye on the voting data to see which are most popular. The game types and settings are as follows:
Forerunner SWAT
· Starting weapon: LightRifle
· Secondary: Boltshot
· Pulse Grenades
· Infinite ammo
· No weapons on map (Standard SWAT maps)
· No Armor Abilities
· Regular map rotation
Covenant SWAT
· Starting weapon: Carbine
· Secondary: Plasma Pistol
· No grenades
· Infinite ammo
· No weapons on map (Standard SWAT maps)
· No Armor Abilities
· Regular map rotation
Mini Slayer is a brand new game type that will be added to Action Sack. This mode has only been played by 343 staff and some lucky studio visitors, and we are excited to premiere it this coming Monday. The Spartans are scaled smaller than normal, but the weapons are normal size, creating fun, hectic, and often hilarious game play. The game type will be available exclusively on the map “Rail” at launch, and the rules are as follows:
· All Spartans are mini!
· All players have the “Mobility” tactical package
· All players spawn with Assault Rifle
· Killcam disabled
· Melee disabled
Team Throwdown, our premiere competitive playlist, has been updated to Gh057ayame’s “v4” settings. These updated settings include altered weapon and power-up locations, optimized spawn points, and a new 11-game type layout that will be found in the playlist. All “TD Pro” game types have been removed from the playlist – these new settings will occupy all three voting slots come Monday.
· Abandon Team Slayer
· Adrift CTF
· Dispatch CTF
· Haven Team Slayer
· Haven Extraction
· Onyx Team Slayer
· Simplex Team Slayer
· Simplex CTF
· Skyline Team Slayer
· Skyline CTF
· Station 9 Extraction
In Big Team Slayer Pro, we are disabling the killcam and enabling motion trackers. We will continue to monitor community feedback regarding these decisions.
In Spartan Ops, we’ll be featuring a Designer’s Choice medley from 343 Industries designers Jayce Diaz and Matt Geer. The line-up for Spartan Ops Matchmaking is as follows:
· Episode 7, Chapter 2: Home Field
· Episode 8, Chapter 3: Lancer
· Episode 2, Chapter 3: Hacksaw
· Episode 9, Chapter 1: The Search for Halsey
· Episode 9, Chapter 5: The Hammer
Lastly, we’ve fixed up the Shutout version of Team Snipers to ensure that there aren’t any weapon spawns and balanced the Warthogs on Meltdown. We hope you enjoy these updates and new game modes! Be sure to hop into the War Games feedback section to share your thoughts with us. See you on the virtual battlefield!
HFFL: Alright! Finally we are getting Forerunner and Covenant SWAT! I’m already maxed on the Carbine and less than 250 away from max on the Light Rifle…However, getting one shot headshot kills with the Boltshot and Plasma Pistol, HELLS YEAH! Time to work on those commendations boys and girls! Not to mention if you still need Pulse Grenade kills.
Mini Slayer huh? Funny, I’ve been playing that for MONTHS now. In fact I have no less that FOUR maps I made specifically for that gametypes. Hmm, I wonder if I can get 343 to put my maps into rotation for this gametype… I’m happy to see it coming. Now to look up that map variant!
Team Throwdown..meh, I think you all know I don’t go into this playlist. But for those that do, there are plenty of changes.
BTB Pro (Why is this even in matchmaking?) now will have disabled killcams and enables motion trackers. (Hmm, so it’s practically back to regular BTB, just without abilities)
Spartan Ops is Designers choice that week. I wonder if I can convince BS Angel to let me pick the chapters one week. That would be SO cool.
All in all some pretty good updates, especially SWAT. And I’m excited to play mini slayer (without using someone else’s modded gametype to do it).
-Sal