[i][b]Save this thread to keep updated when new maps are released for Halo Tactics[/b][/i] [url=http://www.reachingperfection.com/2011/01/halo-tactics.html]Original Post[/url] @ ReachingPerfection.com [i]Halo Tactics is a turn based gametype based on Final Fantasy Tactics and the concept of Halo Chess with no honor rules. Each player takes turns moving and dealing damage to each other, while using a random ability to help them eliminate their opponents. Play team vs team, FFA, or just a simple 1v1. Sure your friends may have a better trigger finger and twitch gameplay skills, but do they have the wits and know how to out play you in a game where accuracy takes a back seat and positioning is king?[/i] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHqSye7joK4]Halo Tactics Gameplay Youtube video[/url] [url=http://www.bungie.net/Stats/Reach/FileSets.aspx?player=GodlyPerfection&set=26863]Download the Halo Tactics Gametype & Maps[/url] [b][u]Map Archive[/u][/b] [i]Read below to learn how to get your own Halo Tactics map on the Map Archive.[/i] [url=http://www.bungie.net/Stats/Reach/FileDetails.aspx?fid=13267768&player=GodlyPerfection][b]Tactical Sanctuary[/b][/url] [i]by [b]GodlyPerfection[/b] (modified version of MLG Sanctuary)[/i] [url=http://www.bungie.net/Stats/Reach/FileDetails.aspx?fid=13746879&player=WolfpackDragon][b]Tactical Regicide[/b][/url] [i]by [b]WolfpackDragon[/b][/i] [b][u]The Short Version (TL;DR)[/u][/b] Each player takes turns of 3 seconds each. Players cannot move or deal damage until it is their turn (players also can't jump EVER and there is no melee damage). All inactive players are set to Black to signify that it is not their turn, the active player is set to White. When you have radar it is your turn. Each player spawns with one of 4 armor abilities chosen randomly based on spawn; Evade, Sprint, Drop Shield, and Active Camo. These armor abilities may be used at anytime, even when it is not your turn. However Evade and Sprint are useless when it is not your turn. Each player has one life and a ton of health. The goal is to eliminate every opponent. Halo Tactics is defaulted to teams, however you can go into the game options to disable that to play an FFA game. [b]For the first 50-ish seconds players are unable to move while the game sets itself up.[/b] Halo Tactics requires specialized maps to be played. They can be found in the [url=http://www.bungie.net/Stats/Reach/FileSets.aspx?player=GodlyPerfection&set=26863]Halo Tactics fileset[/url]. If you would like to create your own Halo Tactics map and have it added to the fileset then read the directions below and post in here or PM me to submit it to me. Here is a full game of Halo Tactics in action on a modified version of MLG Sanctuary. [b][u]Tactics for Tactics[/u][/b] First of all you've got TWO weapons at your disposal. Your DMR is for them long range shots to pick players off from a distance. Your AR however is your close quarters weapon and the true damage dealer. When you feel you are close enough whip out that AR and don't be afraid to spray and pray. In Team Games stick with your team and don't run in guns ablazin'. Remember that you get one turn and then the whole opposing team gets their turn. Don't set yourself up for failure. Remember that there is no jump height. Ramps have to be gone up to get to higher levels. Also remember there is no melee so throwing your fist at someone won't do much... except maybe make them laugh. You have an armor ability. Make sure to use it right. [b]Evade[/b] - In normal Halo, evade triumphs over sprint in a lot of situations. The same is not the case in Halo Tactics. With no jump height, you can easily accidentally launch yourself off of ramps and high ground if you are not careful. Use evade as a long distance tool. Get in or get out fast and easy. This is useless when it isn't your turn. [b]Sprint[/b] - Sprint is your power positioning tool. It helps when in the middle of a firefight to get to that optimal piece of cover after getting a couple of shots off. This is useless when it isn't your turn. [b]Drop Shield[/b] - This is a powerful armor ability. Use this to cut off shots from long range players and to cut them off for your teammates as well. Be wary in team games because this can mean that enemies can use your drop shield as well taking cover from your supporting teammates. [b]Active Camo[/b] - A seemingly useless armor ability at first glance. Use camo when it is not your turn to stop players from finding you on the radar and to have them look past you on the field. Camo can be used to remove the target off your back and make a player closer to you a more suitable target. When not moving camo leads to near invisibility causing players to come around cover spraying and missing. Take cover before the end of your turn and turn on camo you won't regret it. [b][u]How Halo Tactics works[/u][/b] Halo Tactics is a complex gametype made out of the King of the Hill. I've used several different tricks and systems in order to get it to play with no honor rules required. First of all each player spawns on a random armor ability. These armor abilities are setup as hills and they have the minimum shape set in order to get them to work. This allows players to carry a hill with them at all times. There are 16 armor abilities placed on the map, one for each potential player. Each armor ability spawns in the air and drops (drop spawn) in order to "disrupt" them and cause them to despawn after a full minute and never respawn. This is done so that the hill does not switch between any armor ability that is not taken by a player which would equate to empty turns making the game longer than it should be. This allows any number of players to participate in the game. Because the extra armor abilities do not despawn for a full minute, I had to setup a system to stop players from walking up to an extra armor ability and grabbing it in order to reset its despawn timer and effectively control two hills by constantly switching them. At the beginning of the game 20 weapons drop spawn in the center of the map. The game switches through these 20 weapons FIRST so that players are unable to move to pickup extra armor abilities. When these weapons and the extra armor abilities despawn the game begins and then the hill will only cycle through the players that are currently active in the game. Another issue that popped up was that when a player died their armor ability was still on their dead body and acting as a hill so dead players would be cycled through during the round rotation causing empty turns. Because players only had one life their body remained there indefinitely because the game needs a spot for a death cam, meaning that dead players still got a turn resulting in empty turns. To remedy this I gave each player 2 lives and setup a respawn point above the map in a kill zone. What this does is causes players to die their first time and respawn the second time and instantly dieing. The first dead body that has the armor ability will now despawn because it is not the latest dead body and it is no longer needed for a death cam. The latest dead body does not have an armor ability so it is never added to the turn queue. This gametype was created WAY back at the end of September, however King of the Hill sequencing was bugged and it did not work causing for randomized selection in turns meaning that some players got more turns than others. I had to wait until Bungie fixed KoTH sequencing in order to finish this gametype. They fixed it on January 20th and as a result Halo Tactics was fully released with sequencing turns on January 29th. [b][u]Setup your own maps[/u][/b] Setting up maps for Halo Tactics is not an easy task so I will not write a full guide as it is very complex. If you want to make a Halo Tactics map I will work with you personally to get it to work if I feel that it is good enough. This is completely subjective so don't get mad :P. The only things I require is that you make your map symmetrical and you have room for 16 spawn points on your map... 8 for each side fully symmetrical. These spawn points must NOT be able to see each other. So keep that in mind. Once you have it completed msg me or comment on this with a screenshot, video, or something that allows me to get a good picture of the map and include the download link to it. If I feel your map meets the requirements then I will contact you and work with you to help you setup the complex systems required to get your map to work for Halo Tactics. [b]REMEMBER THAT THERE IS NO JUMP HEIGHT IN HALO TACTICS.[/b] Keep this in mind for ramps, railings, etc. Place lots of cover and remember that players have 120% speed and only 3 seconds to move. Also keep in mind that players may have evade, sprint, drop shield, or camo so adjust accordingly. Once your map is fully setup for Halo Tactics I will add it to the map archive here and the Halo Tactics Fileset for others to download and play. [b][u]Enjoy and Share[/u][/b] Now go out and hunt your friends. Share this with everyone, tag it, like it, download it, recommend it, and whatever. Feel free to post it wherever you want with full permission from me. As long as you give me credit. Keep an eye on my fileshare for other unique and innovative gametypes. For all you know you may be missing out on the new Conquest. ;) [Edited on 02.23.2011 5:21 PM PST]