Halo: Reach playlists updated, campaign matchmaking this month
If you've started to lose that lovin' feeling for Halo: Reach's online multiplayer component, you may want to dip back in to check out the broad changes applied to the shooter's Matchmaking playlists in an update launched earlier today. The update also makes some minor adjustments to a handful of multiplayer maps and game modes -- the full list of which can be found just after the jump.
Bungie has also announced that it plans to fulfill its promise to add Campaign Matchmaking to Reach in a smaller update, due out either Oct. 12 or Oct. 19, depending on how long it takes for the developer to finalize the patch. We'll let you know once Bungie's settled on one of the two.
Playlist Changes
Rumble Pit
Added Crazy King
Added Juggernaut
Removed Oddball on Asylum
Team Slayer
Removed SWAT
Removed Classic
Weights adjusted based on voting data
Team SWAT (New!)
Based on existing Team Slayer SWAT offering
Removed Hemorrhage
Replaced Zealot with Arena Zealot map variant
Team Objective
Added Crazy King
Added several gametypes on Powerhouse (CTF, Assault, Stockpile, Crazy King, 3 Plots)
Removed heavy vehicles from all 4v4 Team Objective gametypes
Multi Team
Added Rocket Race
Big Team Battle
Added Crazy King
Removed SWAT
Removed Snipers from Boneyard
Weights adjusted based on voting data
Doubles Arena
Removed Slayer Pro for Season 2
Removed Boardwalk
Replaced Zealot with Arena Zealot map variant
Team Arena
Removed Slayer Pro for Season 2
Replaced Zealot with Arena Zealot map variant
Maps
Arena Zealot (New!)
Added a softkill zone to the space area
Modified initial spawns so enemies cannot see each other
Zealot
Objects can no longer be dropped into the boot_base
Asylum
Removed multiple duplicate Headhunter score zones
Boneyard
Changed the base object for territories from a hill marker to a flag stand
Objects can no longer come to rest on the out of bounds cliff behind the scaffolding where the Invasion core is captured
Players can no longer sit in the out of bounds area under the ship scaffolding
Pinnacle
Health Packs should not respawn after 15 seconds
Hemorrhage
Landmine removed from Red team's west cliff
Respawn time for all Mongoose vehicles is now 45 seconds
Scorpions replaced with Wraiths (4 minute respawn)
Paradiso
Respawn timer for Concussion Rifle at Red base is now 30 seconds to match Concussion Rifle at Blue base
Reflection
Changed the base object for territories from a hill marker to a flag stand
Boardwalk
Changed the base object for territories from a hill marker to a flag stand
Powerhouse
Respawn timer for all Needler weapons is now 45 seconds
Gametypes
Global Changes
Slayer DMR now has motion tracker enabled
Evade has replaced Hologram for all gametypes in which players can hold objects (CTF, Assault, Stockpile, Oddball)
Evade has replaced Dropshield for gametypes which create concentrated gameplay in specific areas (Crazy King, Territories, Oddball)
All Classic gametypes should now include Sprint as default equipment
King of the Hill
Teams are now always able to correctly score points
Players standing in the hill no longer receive extra points upon returning from a host migration
Rocket Race
Players now attached to vehicles after being on foot for 10 seconds
Flipped vehicles will be detected to prevent players from attaching to a non-upright vehicle
Added functionality for tracking and reporting rotations
Fountain of Mongeese should no longer be possible (don't ask)
Players are no longer able to jack another teams Mongoose
Players are no longer forced into a specific role of driver or gunner
All players start with a Rocket Launcher
Players move at 50% speed, do significantly reduced damage and are marked with a nav icon
Players on foot are now able to score points in Rocket Race
Juggernaut
The Juggernaut no longer sees other players as allies upon returning from a host migration
New clients after a host migration will no longer lose their Juggernaut status
Territories
All teams now have separate capture timers for each territory
Locked territories will no longer prevent players from using equipment
The flag in the territory is now attached if the territory is a flag stand object
Added a HUD_Widget to display contested status to players inside a territory
The progress bar for a territory will now show as full when that territory is being contested (capture progress is saved and will appear again once the territory is no longer contested)
Random flag clothes will no longer disappear after a round transition
Oddball
Bombs in Hot Potato now properly report carry time
Multiple hot potato bombs will no longer spawn in the same location
The carry time reported stat will now always be correct after a host migration has occurred
Players carrying the oddball during a host migration will no longer receive extra points
Stockpile
All stockpile flags are now attached to their spawn location if it is a flag stand
Invasion
The game score is now set per frame tick based off of the current phase
A failsafe game end timer has been added to catch any possible bad cases of Invasion games not ending properly
Invasion: Boneyard
The core will now reset whenever it is thrown through a shield door into a spawning location in Phase 3
Invasion (Assault) and Assault
Added sudden death to Invasion (Assault) and Assault gametypes
Race
Players who die before the first checkpoint will no longer spawn in a random location on the map