Halo 3: ODST - Firefight

The Firefight Thread

1. Grunts
2. Drones
3. Jackals (shielded and carbine jackals confirmed)
4. Brutes (Standard, Jet Pack, and Chieftans and camouflaged Brutes confirmed)
5. Hunters.

CivBase wrote:

The Firefight Thread

*Note: All information here came from LIGHTSOUT225 at the Ghosts of Onyx, not me. I thought it was very informative and interesting, so I brought it here. I do not take credit for this thread (though I did add a few small things, as some of it was out of date).

Here's the info we currently have on Firefight:

General:
-Firefight comes on the disc with the Halo 3: ODST Campaign, the "Extras" option where we will be able to access the Halo: Reach MM Beta, as well as Theatre mode for snapping screenshots and films (its unknown whether we will be able to take film clips from the films yet).
-You can play Firefight solo, on splitscreen, via system link, and over XBOX Live
-Firefight stats will be tracked via Bungie.net and there will be leader boards.
-There will be Firefight specific achievements to be earned.
-Scoring and medals are shown centered on the screen, below the reticle.
-The announcer says the word "reinforcements" when new enemies are dropped onto the scene.
-You can choose any 4 letter service tag you wish, and special characters are available.
-You can play as Sgt. Johnson by pre-ordering Halo 3: ODST at participating retailers (all major retailers).
-You can toggle your ODST's helmet On or Off.

Media:
LIGHTS'S San Diego Comic Con 2009 Firefight Film - More of my Comic Con experience here
Over 8 Minutes of action on Crater [Night] and Security Zone!
3 Minutes of Firefight action!!
Halo 3: ODST Gameplay Trailer - Firefight footage seen at 1:10
Firefight Gameplay Vid 1
Firefight Gameplay Vid 2
Firefight Gameplay Vid 3
Heads-Up Display
Pregame Lobby
Postgame Carnage Report
Halo 3 ODST Field Guide: Features page
Drop Into Firefight: Bungie News Article
ViDoc: Desperate Measures
ViDoc: Bip Bap Bam

Gameplay:
-Drop into Firefight solo or with up to 3 of your friends. Firefight's difficulty will not change depending on how many people are playing.
-You can set your Firefight game on various difficulty levels (the standard Easy, Normal, Heroic, Legendary)
-Firefight comes to us in the form of sets, rounds, and waves. Each round has 5 waves of enemy foes to battle, and each set has 3 rounds. There are an infinite number of sets. Enemy waves are in no particular order.
-Each 'wave 5' is marked by drums playing and a handsome reward of Chieftans to dispatch. Successfully complete a round and you'll earn some extra lives as well as replenished ammunition.
-It appears that there are 7 Skulls that will be continually layered on and combined in different, interesting ways to enhance the gameplay experience and keep the curveballs coming. Different combinations of skulls create different score multipliers.
-You can add additional skulls on in the pregame lobby: Blind, Cowbell, Grunt Birthday Party, and IWHBYD.
-Your team gets 7 lives per player (a 4 player team gets 28 lives) and they share these lives communally. Once your team has used all of your lives up, the game ends.
-Once you die, while waiting to respawn you have the option to Press Y and use a flying camera (much like theatre) to survey the field and pass on pertinent information to your teammates.
-You can use your VISR visor in Firefight for nighttime maps.
-Enemies WILL try and flank you
-Even in daytime environments, your VISR will be handy in picking out camouflaged Brutes

Enemies:
-Our enemy forces include:

1. Grunts
2. Drones
3. Jackals (shielded and carbine jackals confirmed)
4. Brutes (Standard, Jet Pack, and Chieftans and camouflaged Brutes confirmed)
5. Hunters.

-We know that we will have to face Wraiths from time to time as well. It is currently unknown if we will be facing Choppers, Prowlers, or Ghosts (but it certainly wouldn't be far-fetched, and will most likely be dependent on the map).
-We will not face Elites or the Flood.

General Map Information:
-We will only be allotted a small number of Firefight maps to start with. The rest will be unlockable via the Halo 3:ODST campaign (exploration, completing missions, scoring, achievements, etc.).
-We cannot forge on Firefight maps (the Forge is located on disc 2 with the 24 multiplayer maps, Halo 3 MM, & Extras).
- In each map, players will spawn in an armory with all the essentials like SMGs, Pistols, Grenades, and Health Packs. Rockets, Sniper, power weapons spawn around the map and are replenished after each set.

Maps:
Security Zone
The Oni building courtyard beyond the bridge that Dutch blows up in campaign.









News Article
Your base of operations for Security Zone puts you right smack in New Mombasa’s Section 2 ONI Alpha Site. If you’re familiar with the fiction, you might think that should make it one of the more well-defended sectors of the city. You should also be aware that things did not go so well for the city’s defenses when the Covenant’s impromptu invasion force touched down and started scouring the city streets, sending the citizens into full-on scatter mode. As a result, you and your squad are going to be on your own beneath the imposing obsidian ONI building.

From the initial load out space tucked inside the shadowed confines of a small lobby, you’ll probably want to scurry your way up the set of stairs bracketed by palm trees straight away. Once outside under the sulfuric pall, you’ll find that you and your squad already occupy the brightly lit high ground. Go you.

You’ll also notice that several barriers have been dropped into place to help stave off enemy fire. Don't think you can get too comfortable hanging out behind these walls. When they absorb too much damage (which is actually their one and only function in Firefight), they asplode and afford the enemy with a pretty clear view of your position.

You’ll also find numerous staircases that lead both up to small observation platforms and down the slope to the depressed open area below. Many players might find it valuable to head right up to the platforms at the outset to get a quick look at the Covenant Phantoms drifting in over the encircling wall and waterway. From this vantage, if you happen to be particularly unlucky to kick things off, you’ll be able to see said Phantoms deploy a pair of Wraiths into the lower area.

The Wraiths will be content to stay in the lower section, shelling you and your squad relentlessly as the more agile forces make their way up the central staircases (or flank around and take the dirt and grass roads less traveled.) How you deal with them is up to you, but each earthen terrace boasts its own unique platforms, barriers, and various other elements that might provide you and your squad with a small spot of cover should you find yourself being shelled with endless volleys of plasma.

If you choose to weather the storm and stick to the high ground, you might find that it's a relative safe haven for as long as you are able to keep the ascending Covenant forces at bay with well placed headshots. Once the heavy hitters begin to deploy into the site, what was once a preferred perk can quickly become the perfect place to wind up caught in a well-executed enemy flank. As will all Firefight missions, if you allow your tactical awareness to wane, you might just end up running down the slope, headfirst into a very violent pack of Brutes.

Q&A
Q. Straight away on Security Zone, players have the high ground and plenty of cover. How did you ensure that Security Zone would still offer up the same level of challenge and intensity as other Firefight missions?

A. Well, every map in Firefight plays a little differently. Some are big, like Security Zone, while others are smaller like Crater (Night). The bigger ones are more of a slow burn. It does start a little less intense, but it quickly becomes pretty insane. We are always telling the AI to hunt you down and kill you. This helps out quite a bit, and makes it so you can't just cower in your spawn area and "wait it out".

One way we handle the bigger levels is by putting pressure on in different ways that help fill out the lulls in combat. People who were at E3 and played Security Zone will remember the Wraiths that occasionally get dropped off at the bottom of the map. That's a good example of upping the intensity without enemies always being in your face. So, not only do you have to pay attention to that squad of Grunts moving up to your position, but you also have to keep an ear open to possible incoming wraith shells.

Q. Security Zone is on a pretty significant slope divided by several outcroppings and stairwells that provide cover and multiple routes as players traverse the environment. How will that affect the way players engage the enemy and move about the mission space?

A. Cover is a very important part of the combat cycle in Halo. Security Zone is a great example of lots of good cover in a wide open space. It just makes the encounters that much more interesting, because players and the AI have numerous ways to attack each position. This allows players to flank the enemy in unique ways, but the downside is that the AI will do the exact same thing to you. It just makes the game more tactical because your options for how you engage are increased.

Q. The Wraiths in the lower basin can be really nasty. It’s easy to get distracted while taking on ground forces and end up getting shelled with plasma when you take your eyes off the skies. Did you ever think about pulling them from the map altogether? What purpose do they serve in terms of the tactics players will have to rely on for Security Zone?

A. Well, like I mentioned above, it's a pretty unique (and yes, nasty) way to apply pressure in the bigger outdoor levels. I think from the moment we put them in, we knew they were there to stay. The best part about them is not just the extra pressure they add to the space, but also that it changes your tactics pretty significantly. As soon as Wraiths are dropped off you have to deal with them quickly or suffer the consequences. In order to do so, you have to truck down there and take them out. This means leaving your safe little high ground and wading through the other Covenant to take them out. The overcharged Plasma Pistol and another ODST with Rockets, Laser, or Grenades will be the best way to knock them out.

Q. Being that the Security Zone mission takes place during the daytime hours, players won’t be getting as much use out of the VISR as they would on say, Crater (Night). You haven’t pulled any sneaky tricks like sticking Active Camo Brutes into the mix equipped with Flame Grenades and Maulers, have you?

A. Hey, I see what you did there. Yeah, even though the VISR isn't as effective in daytime levels, it's still no slouch when the sun is out. There could possibly be enemies that have Active Camo, Flame Grenades, and Maulers that might just get the drop on you unless you're flicking on the VISR every once in a while. Plus it's a great target acquisition tool, so it's pretty useful even during the day for any of the other enemies.


Crater (Night)
Its within the city, at night. The "(Night)" tag indicates that there will also be a Daytime variation as well, and that may be a recurring theme throughout several Firefight maps. It has been confirmed that there will be Crater map(s) at other times of day other than night.











News Article
Last week we walked you through the well lit zone of secureness we call Security Zone. This week we’re looking at the dark depression that goes by the name Crater (Night). While we do have a more tactical Q&A with designer Paul Bertone cooked up and ready to serve below, I figured I’d give you my own assessment first. Save the best for last and all that.

Special note: you may find that the following “analysis” will not correspond with your own experience. If you typically employ the term “skill” when describing your own Halo play, there will undoubtedly be a few discrepancies betwixt your experience and mine.

Crater (Night) is fairly compact and multilayered, but the first foreshortened view a player gets comes inside a small, well-lit room. If you’re like me, there’s no need to make much note of the initial surrounds— you’ll be spending a little bit of time here, returning often to respawn (or to steal the lion’s share of medpacks from the unsuspecting suckers on your squad).

The door will open automatically, gently leading you into a dim interior hallway – a staging area with a few weapons loaded into racks lit by emergency lights. Once you’re ready, step outside.

The first thing you’ll notice about Crater (Night) is that it lives up to the name. When you and your squad step out onto the courtyard terrace, the sun has already set on this sunken courtyard. Switch your VISR on to take advantage of its low-light enhancing optics and get a better view.

You should also note that there’s some cover you can take advantage of on this small, exterior overhang you’re standing on - a pair of industrial crates and two large columns. Just ahead, a decorative planter can provide just enough of a barrier to shield you from the enemy fire that will soon volley up from below should you decide to, I don’t know, squat in the relative safety of the foliage while your teammates attempt to keep the encroaching Covenant forces at bay.

But the planter isn’t only good for its scant spot of cover. Amidst the flora you’ll also find an emplaced turret. If for some reason you’re pretty certain that you’re going to be outscored by the rest of your squad, you can rip it free straight away and try to rack up as many kills as you can in the early goings. Yeah, leaving it intact will afford you much more ammo, but this isn’t about logistics, it’s about mowing down Grunts. Pay no attention to the fact that the rest of your crew is landing easy headshots from long range and conserving ammo for the big kills. The turret makes a lot of noise. You are helping.

Plenty of players choose to make their stand up here on this perch. It’s not quite the loftiest vantage point on the map, but it does proved a clear view of Covenant Phantoms as they deploy troops into the courtyard below and onto the upper tiers on the far side of the map. Coordinated squads will be able to scout out enemy forces as they advance, utilize the weapons cache back inside the building, and weave in and out of cover as necessary.

Uncoordinated components of said squad will be able to cower in the hallway, hunker down in the planter, and scurry around the crates and pillars should anything larger than a Jackal happen to make it up to the landing. If they’re extra lucky, maybe they’ll be able to steal a few kills by haphazardly spraying SMG fire and throwing ill-advised grenades into the fracas. (I totally didn’t see you guys!)

When you are forced to vacate, I find the quickest route is dead ahead. (You can take the stairs on either side, but most of the time, you gotta wade through bad guys if you take that route.) Jump down into the courtyard if you need some more breathing room, but make sure you’re not leaping into a pack of Brutes. Once you’re on the ground floor, you’ll be far more exposed to Phantom fire and any enemies that spot you are bound to tear you to shreds out in the open. I find it’s best to hit the ground running.

I also find that a nice, unintelligible, falsetto shriek lets the rest of your squad know that you’ve gotten yourself into a bit of trouble and might need them to lay down some cover fire as you scramble back to safety (or get mowed down and suck up yet another one of your team’s pooled lives).

Q&A
Q. Last week Lars held our hands and took us on a gentle guided tour through Security Zone. This week we’re poking around Crater (Night). What are some of the more obvious differences between these two Firefight missions?

A. Crater (Night) is one of the smaller Firefight maps. The biggest difference is the Covenant are not only inserted via Phantoms. Waves will randomly spawn from either Phantoms or the strategically placed "monster closets." This keeps the action pretty intense.

Q. It seems the perch outside the initial spawn is a pretty sweet place to hold out. Can players expect to spend set after set up there safely keeping the Covenant assault at bay? What kind of nefarious schemes did you employ to nudge them out of the roost?

A. I would use the term "safe" very lightly when applied to Firefight. There are no safe zones or hiding spots. We built every map with at least one area where players would have an advantage, but the Covenant are given free rein to hunt you down and exterminate you. There will be plenty of opportunities to vacate the premises though. It's a pretty tight fit when there's a Hunter or Chieftain up there and buggers and jetpack Brutes don't care much for funneling themselves nicely up the stairs.

As for "nefarious schemes"... designers never share their secrets. :-)

Q. Once a player takes flight and lands in the central courtyard, they’re going to find that it’s a bit of a no man’s land. The result is this really cool ebb and flow between relative safety and the threat of imminent death. Is that something you intentionally cultivated in Crater (Night) and if so, how did you balance the two contrasting elements?

A. The center area is a great place to go at the end of a wave when you need to re-equip yourself. There are always plenty of grenades and plasma weapons out there. It is most definitely NOT the place to be at the beginning or in the middle of a wave. It's pretty much home base for the Covenant. And things really heat up in round two when Catch turns on and Brutes and Grunts start fast-balling grenades up to the "perch."

The ebb and flow between relative safety and the threat of death is a key component of Firefight. We spent a lot of time balancing the experience so players are always right on the verge of annihilation. Lives awarded for set completion, the progression of skulls, the number Covenant per wave and the make-up of that wave are just some of the knobs we turned to fine tune the experience.

Q. Any super secret stuff on the map that we can’t talk about yet that will alter the way players will approach combat? Doesn’t the parenthetical “Night” suggest that there is, in fact, a Crater somewhere that exists at some other time-of-day?

A. Yes and yes. :-)

Alpha Site
The inside of the Oni Alpha Building. The map, at this time, seems to be mid-size, if not a bit on the small side. Being that the map is indoors, its probably a safe bet that the Monster Doors used in Crater (Night) will be present again, as well as Phantom drops just outside the front doors. Which means chaos.







[img]https://2img.net/h/i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/CivBase/A4.png[/img





News Article
The ominous onyx building ONI calls home in New Mombasa’s Alpha Site sits perched atop a space you should already be familiar with. You got a good look at the climb in our Security Zone layout some time back. But what you didn’t see was what was just beyond the walls of Security Zone’s swank lobby load out. In fact, when you first set boots inside of Alpha Site you begin in that exact same hallway, only now a security gate blocks the way back, leaving only one place to go: dead ahead.

Moving forward, you sweep into the stark interior space, greeted by electronic kiosks that provide a scrambled overview of the layout and direct you to check all your bags and step through the security terminals before proceeding to your desired destination. You can go ahead and ignore the warning. The security systems seem to be offline, and besides, you have more pressing things to worry about than the loose change jingle jangling in your pocket.

Depending on whether you dropped in stage left or right, you’ll have instant access to either a Shotgun or a Sniper Rifle, both latched into place on the wall straight ahead. Snag 'em and press into the interior until you’ll come to a space you'll be spending quite a bit of time defending while you're Oscar Mike in Alpha Site.

This central lobby is bracketed by three out-of-order elevators and ultimately bifurcates into two slightly stepped, and very cramped corridors. These short chutes lead up to more columned lobby space, memorials dedicated to ONI personnel and UNSC soldiers who gave their lives in the war against the Covenant, and the mission’s third power weapon, found mounted on the back wall, the Rocket Launcher.

By now you should hear the whine of incoming Phantom engines as they descend upon the open air platform to drop their deadly payload. Pay attention: this is where the overwhelming majority of the Covenant forces are going to touch down. Save the rockets though; the first batch of bad guys won’t require that kind of firepower. You’ll want to whip out that SPNKR later. Right now, you’ll probably have better luck if you double back and take up a defensive position in the central lobby space. It’s a good place to lie in wait.

Q&A
Q. The ONI building’s interior provides for some up close and personal combat. What steps did you take to make sure that players won’t feel cornered and overwhelmed from Wave One on?

A. The Oni Interior game flow actually went through a couple of incredibly different iterations before we settled on the current setting. What we finally decided upon was using the center part of the interior as a cross-roads choke point and allowing the Covenant to enter into the space on one side of the map and have the player spawn on the opposite side. This gives some flexibility to players so they don’t feel completely cornered or trapped.

Q. The site lines into enemy insertion points are also somewhat more focused than they are on other missions. Was Alpha Site designed so players can hold up and let the enemy come to them? Does that lead to camping?

A. Yeah, that originally was a bit of a concern that players would be able to just camp the two known spaces, but we put some surprises in to make sure that won’t be a problem. ;)

You can be as aggressive as you want to be. I’ve found I survive longer if I let the enemies come to me.

Q. I find I survive longer if I let the enemies come to other players and then steal kills from long range. It's a sad and pathetic display. On display in Alpha Site is quite a wealth of power weapons (considering the size of the space overall). Seems like there’s a really great opportunity for players to hunker down and pile up the points. Is that something you think about when crafting the various Firefight missions?

A. For the most part, Firefight spaces have the same amount of power weapons. One thing I’ve found really cool about Firefight is that because the skulls unlock in a certain order, it stretches the value on the sandbox weapons across the spectrum. Sometimes a Rocket Launcher or a Sniper Rifle just won’t get the job done in later rounds, and even the Plasma Rifles and Plasma Pistols prove to be gold down the road. It’s pretty cool because in marathon Firefight sessions, I find myself using and valuing all of the weapons at various times – it’s really awesome to experience.

Q. There’s a trio of elevators in the lobby that seem like they could come in real handy should players find themselves overrun during marathon missions. Can players expect to make a quick escape by taking a swift ride up the shaft? Should they look up from time to time to make sure there isn’t anything coming down?

A. Heh. I guess you’ll have to find out at the end of the set, eh?

Ringleader wrote:damn, so they are going to have it so there are the same circumstances every single game of firefight.

Dud Doodoo wrote: we don't need to cater to the wants of the minority.

Dud Doodoo wrote:No, if you don't want Halo to be the main subject on a Halo based forum GTFO, we don't need to cater to the wants of the minority.