Killing time in H2

Killing time in H2

 

This is a re-post of my previous blog that got erased (see ‘Dang IE’ blog). I will try to recollect everything I included the first time and maybe add a few other things along the way.

 

So, without further ado… I present “Killing time in H2”

There are times I log on and don’t feel like jumping into MM. There are few to no clan members and friends on, or rather the group I want to be in is in the middle of a game.   Here are some fun things to do by yourself when just piddling around.

 

The Setup:

Before starting, go create two gametypes. One is Slayer and the other is Juggernaut. The settings are identical except for the Jugg game which I’ll explain momentarily.

Set the time limit to unlimited and score to unlimited, or 250, or some other high number. Set the respawn, suicide, and betrayal timers to their lowest setting. Activate Damage Resistance and Overshields. Starting weapon Rockets, secondary Sword. Rockets on map. Weapon respawn double time. Vehicles – Ghost, Gauss Hogg, Wraith, and Banshee On. For the Jugg game, add Fast Movement, Infinite Ammo, and Damage resistance also. 

For Superjump related stuff or if you have a partner, I’d go with the Slayer type; if alone, the Jugg type can help you zip around the map quicker and not have to go grab more rocket ammo. Turrets optional.

 

Getting on the Relic.

Easy to do and fun. Get in the hog and push one of the tall metal barriers near the bomb spawn over near the base of the Relic. Stand on the “T” brace that holds the barrier up, and shoot the top of the shield. This will effectively catapult you upwards, and you can land on top of the relic with relative ease. 

The other day for fun I cleared all movable objects off the map. It was neat because it looked so much more “clean.” It also made for some good hog driving. Speaking of which, I bet you didn’t know that using a Gauss hog, you can shoot the Covie Sniper perch off of the gravity lift? After you do that, you can use the lift and just hover mid-air, if that’s your thing.

 

Hog Driving:

I like driving around much more than the average gamer. I like to grab a map like Coag, Containment, Relic, Burial Mounds, Headlong, and even Zanzibar and find which runs are the fastest or safest or most stealthy. I can intentionally roll a truck and regain control with surprising consistency. I’m not perfect, but practicing has definitely helped improve my driving skill, which has made the difference in more than a few down-to-the-wire games. If you don’t like “just driving around” it is still fun to find jumps/ramps to go off of and mess around.

 

Jumping:

Videos abound on different fun and tactical jumps on all the maps, so I won’t get into those since they can be found on the net with ease.

I will go over a Jumping gametype setup though. Create an Oddball game with 1 ball, no weapons on map, minimum respawn timers, Starting weapon plasma pistol, starting grenades on.

When you start the game, go to the oddball. Charge your PP and keep holding R. walk up to the oddball where it tells you to press X to pick it up. With the PP charged, press X. You should throw both items out in front of you, and have NO weapon in hand (pretty cool). BUT, if you happen to walk over your weapon or the ball, you will automatically pick it up. I usually run forward and as soon as I press X to pick up the ball I immediately backpedal. The forward motion tosses the items a little farther out so you don’t immediately grab one inadvertently.

You can then proceed to run around and jump to your heart’s content.

 

Banshee sliding:

This is so fun. I’d love to get good enough at this to incorporate it into my gameplay, but I doubt that will happen. If you are unaware, banshee sliding is the act of boosting, rolling, bailing a banshee to propel your body across the map at a high rate of speed. Here’s how:

Get in a banshee on a large level like Coag or Containment. Stay low to the ground and boost the banshee with L. Release L and Immediately do a barrel roll (right and A). As soon as you start to roll, press X to bail out. You are now being hurled across the map. NOW, if you know anything about slide jumping, you can continue across the map like a skipping stone. To slide jump after being hurled as mentioned, hit crouch as you contact the ground, then jump. Continue this process to maintain your speed and you can traverse long distances in no time. This would be useful if, say, a flag or bomb was on the map and you could effectively Banshee slide into it, grab it, and “skip” across the map. You couldn’t be caught on foot and could put some decent distance between you and your enemy. Very fun and very cool.

 

Button Combos:

Print out a list of all the button combos (I don’t have a link handy) and practice them. I know we’re old, but try to pretend that you’ve been surprised by an enemy, and practice that BxR, BxB and other assorted combos and see if it helps you incorporate them into a real game. I BxB regularly, but am very lacking in actually using the other ones in a real game. Killing time is a good time to practice.

 

HeadLaunch:

I wrote about a page detail on this last time I made this blog when it got deleted, so this won’t be as good as that, but if you don’t follow, let me know and I’ll show you in game. You need a partner or dummy for this one. On headlong, get in the wraith and take it to the left side of the Flag base (which I will refer to as teleporter side). Park it about halfway down the building with your partner or dummy. Facing the building with the top-level teleporter, walk to the “mini-wall” that divides the upper area where the street is and the lower area where the flag base. Stand in the middle of the two right-most pylons that are on the lower level (level 1). Put your back up against the mini-wall (not the wall of the base or the teleporter building) and face toward the flag base. Have the wraith driver line up with you such that you are facing one another. Now, have the Wraith charge you (L) and basically sandwich you between itself and the mini-wall. If done correctly, you should skyrocket upward and go very high. In the air, you can land on the crane on top of flag base, or turn around and land on top of the teleporter building or even the back wall (it would be behind you and to the left from your launch point facing the flag base). If you do make it on the higher building, you can run along it (you won’t be able to see the floor on this one) and drop down behind it onto a large area where you can run around. Alternatively, you can have the wraith hit you on your left shoulder. Done correctly, this should launch you across the map toward Base 1 (bomb spawn) and you can run around on top of those buildings. Fun stuff for a change of pace.

 

Glitches:

Superjumps and Getting out of Levels.

The latter is my newest hobby, which started with the HeadLaunch thing. Similarly to Jumping, videos abound on both topics, but if you’re interested, you may want to check out www.halo2spy.com and www.highimpacthalo.com

Both sites have pretty extensive video databases of tutorials for superjumps and getting out of levels. Also, if anyone reading this wants to mess around sometime, I’d love to learn some new things. I’m really just now getting into these, so I’m not too educated on the subject. Send me a F/R if you’re interested. 

Yesterday, Selden showed me how to get out of Gemini, which was a blast. Basically, you go to the outside teleporter and either partner jump (off someone’s head) or sword cancel to get on top of the teleporter. Then get a partner up there. Stand on the highest peak of that structure (don’t slide off) while the other goes out toward the outer “point.” That person then turns around and starts walking up the incline until you are in their sword range. You jump, and have them sword cancel on you to lunge up onto the main building. You then turn around and sword cancel up to where they are. Now run away from the teleporter (away from the monstrosity in the distance) up the incline to the wall. Jump and have partner sword-cancel over the wall. Then have them walk back toward you until you can see their sword through the wall – have them jump and then sword cancel off them to get yourself over.

Now the easy stuff: Continue running away from the teleporter/monstrosity for literally about 2-3 minutes (it’s a LONG run). You’ll eventually hit a wall and your “run” animation will change to a “walking into a wall” animation. Once at this invisible wall, turn to the right and start walking again. If you look off into the distance, you will see yourself starting to fall. You can then see the massive structure you were just on. Keep going right until you don’t see yourself falling anymore, then start making the 2-3 minute run back toward the monstrosity in the distance (the way you came from toward the teleporter). You should run all the way under the large structure above you (that holds the whole map) and eventually get to the other side of it up under the teleporter. What’s funny is that if someone falls off near the teleporter, their body will land on the level you are on (and subsequently be defiled). Not a whole lot to “do” down there, but it’s a neat experience. If you’re new to all this, for the love, learn how to sword cancel. Some people have a hard time with that whole, “press X once you start to lunge” thing and end up assassinating folks accidentally – not pretty.

 

So, next time you’re sitting on your butt waiting for an invite, create a game and have some fun. No sense in you being bored while everyone else has fun. Best of all: NO TIMMIES!!!

 

See ya on Live.