How to be a better Halo 3 player

One of the great things about working at Microsoft is the internal distribution lists. You start with a group of people who are wicked smart, put them on a distribution list about a product, service, or subject that they are passionate about, and then you apply the manners and decorum that comes from people clearly identified by their real name conversing with fellow co-workers. It's a great thing.

Recently I saw a thread on our Xbox DL with a list of questions about being all you can be in Halo 3 multiplayer. I contacted some of the people who responded and they've allowed us to post their responses, which I've included below. But I suspect many of you could still stomp us, so if you're a Halo 3 serial killer, please include your thoughts about these questions in the comments to help out the sanguinary-challenged.

From: Joe Hunsaker
Subject: How to be really good at Halo 3 Multiplayer?

What are the tricks to being really good in Halo 3 Multiplayer?
What controller sensitively should I get used to? 10?
What weapons do more damage at the head versus the body?
What is the secret to being a good grenadier?
How do you use the battle rifle successfully?
What weapons work well dual wielded?
How do you use vehicles effectively?
What is the best way to melee from front?
How exactly does EXP increase?
How do you gain EXP the fastest?
On Team Slayer (and other team games), it is based only on team wins?
On Solo Slayer, is it based on getting in top X place?
Does Ranked VS Matchmaking make any difference in gaining EXP?

From: Bryan Thomas, Dev Lead II

What are the tricks to being really good in Halo 3 Multiplayer?
Map awareness and aim are the most important factors.

Make a conscious and concerted effort to think about where the weapons are and where the traffic patterns are.

LOOK where people are likely to be instead of where you are going. If the means you’re always running sideways and backwards then so be it.

AIM where people might appear, if you’re heading up a ramp you shouldn’t be aiming at the ramp. Aim chest-level at edge of the doorway at the top of the ramp where someone might appear.

When you see someone on your radar try to picture where they could be on the map. This will help you get them jump on them, or even surprise them with an around-the-corner grendade.

What controller sensitively should I get used to? 10?
Probably no more than 5 for accuracy. Some people like high sensitivity so they can turn and respond to fire quickly, but that just means they suck at map awareness and they’re constantly being surprised.

Against a good player if you get surprised you’re probably already dead, you should focus on getting away instead of trying to win the fight (unless you have rockets or something that kills instantly)… A good player also won’t surprise you with a weapon that’s not appropriate for the range.

What weapons do more damage at the head versus the body?
Battle Rifle, Carbine, Pistol and Snipers are headshot weapons. Those weapons (except the sniper) only kill when the shields are down. For spread shot weapons like the BR it’s better to put the first few shots into the body and then move to the head once the shields are down.

All other weapons should be shot at the body. Rockets should be shot at the feet.

What is the secret to being a good grenadier?
Map awareness and practice, learn what angle you have to assume to get the correct distance for any given throw.

Remember that some grenades bounce and some stick. Ricocheting a frag grenade into an unseen space is very useful. If you’re trying to kill someone you can’t see then throw more than one.

Only throw a grenade at someone that can shoot you if you surprise them or if your gun is useless. Stopping and throwing a grenade halfway through an equal fire fight is a good way to lose the fight.

RETREAT: Get around a corner, and then turn around and use grenades to spam your escape route. A lot of players will pursue around corners to finish the kill, and get blown up.

How do you use the battle rifle successfully?
Body Body Body, Head. Always be strafing, and use your strafing to make minute adjustments to your aim.

What weapons work well dual wielded?
Dual wieldable ones. Double maulers are ridiculous for camping closed spaces with lots of blind corners. Narrows is a good dual mauler map.

How do you use vehicles effectively?
Practice.

What is the best way to melee from front?
Learn effectiveness range and melee first.

How exactly does EXP increase?
If you are in the top 49% of any hopper game, ranked or unranked, you will get XP. If there are 16 people you just need to be number 8 or higher.

How do you gain EXP the fastest?
Play in all the hoppers, ranked and unranked. Even unranked hoppers have an invisible “skill” to keep you from picking on newbs. If you spread out your gaming you can get XP from the lower levels of all hoppers.

On Solo Slayer, is it based on getting in top X place?
Top 49%

Does Ranked VS Matchmaking make any difference in gaining EXP?
No, but at the higher officer levels you need to have corresponding skill levels to “rank” up. Otherwise you could have a 2000 XP, but since you’re below 10 in highest skill you might be some lieutenant still or something.

From: George Cheng, Support Engineer

What are the tricks to being really good in Halo 3 Multiplayer?
Always keep your weapon reloaded. Stick with your team. Crouching.

What controller sensitively should I get used to? 10?
Depends on the player

What weapons do more damage at the head versus the body?
All weapons

What is the secret to being a good grenadier?
Throw grenades when you see people, and when u die. Learn how to stick people.

How do you use the battle rifle successfully?
Keep your distance and zoom and shoot at the head.

What weapons work well dual wielded?
Weapons in halo 2

How do you use vehicles effectively?
Run over people.

What is the best way to melee from front?
Shoot first than melee.

How exactly does EXP increase?
You place 3^rd in individual or your team wins.

How do you gain EXP the fastest?
Play with good players and let them carry you.

On Team Slayer (and other team games), it is based only on team wins?
yes

On Solo Slayer, is it based on getting in top X place?
Top 3

Does Ranked VS Matchmaking make any difference in gaining EXP?
no

From: "Jay" (no, not Allard)

When thinking about map awareness:

• Keep the opposing team in front of you.
• Don’t let them flank you from the sides or sneak up behind you.
• On the flip side, spend your time trying to flank/sneak up behind them. Surprising someone from behind is the easiest way to kill them.

Practice driving the vehicles on custom games. For the warthog, pay careful attention to how you can use the emergency brake to tighten your turn radius.

• When driving the warthog in combat situation, NEVER STOP.
• Think about driving from one area of cover to another area of cover, letting your gunner mow down whatever he can during the time you’re exposed between the two areas of cover.
• Once you get to the 2^nd area of cover, pause by circling around for a bit to let shields recharge, then go back.
• Don’t go through the same path enough times that your opponent will get wise to you & lay down a mine or be ready to stick you.
• Think defensive. Spend more time worried about keeping yourself alive than killing other stuff. The killing will take care of itself.
• Beware the overcharged plasma pistol / power drainer.
• If you hear the missile lock-on noise, it’s time to get something between you and the missiles immediately. Don’t try to sweat it out, it won’t work.

Setup custom game types of SWAT to force you to focus on practicing headshots. Headshots are the most efficient way to take down an enemy, both in terms of the amount of time it takes to take them down, and in the amount of ammo you use to do it (assuming you don’t soften them up first with a grenade or something).

From: Chris Roupp, Software Development Engineer II

Another warthog driving trick: If you are punishing a simi-fixed target do figure 8’s or a tight dog track back and forth to keep the gunner at a good angle. The gun can pan just as fast as the hog can fishtail so keep the turning radius really tight by using the rear brake and never letting off the gas. If someone throws something in your path (grenade, trip mine, small child) it’s really easy to just abandon that leg of the figure 8 and drive away.

From: Larry Larsen, Senior Manager
Work in teams, practice in teams, and make sure everyone in the team has read this.