Halo2 Tips/Variants

[BxR HuSTLe]

The Games Called MLG

MLG Team Slayer (MLG TS)
--------------------------Score to win: 50
Round Time Limit: 20 Minutes
Suicide Penalty: None
Betrayal Penalty: None
Starting Weapon: Battle Rifle
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: Off
Team Changing: Off
Leave the rest of the settings as is.

MLG Team Slayer Warlock (MLG TS Warlock)
--------------------------------------------Score to win: 50
Round Time Limit: 20 Minutes
Suicide Penalty: None
Betrayal Penalty: None
Starting Weapon: Battle Rifle
Weapons on Map: Covenant
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: Off
Team Changing: Off
Leave rest of the settings as is.

MLG Team Slayer Backwash (MLG TS Backwash)
-----------------------------------------------Score to win: 50
Round Time Limit: 20 Minutes
Suicide Penalty: None
Betrayal Penalty: None
Starting Weapon: Battle Rifle
Weapons on Map: Rifles
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: Off
Team Changing: Off
Leave rest of the settings as is.

MLG Colossus (MLG Snipers)
---------------------------Score to win: 50
Round Time Limit: 20 Minutes
Suicide Penalty: None
Betrayal Penalty: None
Starting Weapon: Sniper Rifle
Secondary Weapon: Battle Rifle
Weapons on Map: Sniping
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: Off
Team Changing: Off
Leave the rest of the settings as is.

MLG Zanzibar (MLG TS Zanzibar)
-------------------------------Score to win: 50
Round Time Limit: 20 Minutes
Suicide Penalty: None
Betrayal Penalty: None
Starting Weapon: Sniper Rifle
Secondary Weapon: None
Weapons on Map: Sniping
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: Off
Team Changing: Off
Primary Light Vehicle: None
Secondary Light Vehicle: None
Leave the rest of the settings as is.

MLG Team Slayer Sanctuary (MLG Snipers)
------------------------------------------Score to win: 50
Round Time Limit: 20 Minutes
Suicide Penalty: None
Betrayal Penalty: None
Starting Weapon: Sniper Rifle
Secondary Weapon: Battle Rifle
Weapons on Map: Sniping
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: Off
Team Changing: Off
Leave the rest of the settings as is.

MLG Team Slayer Covenant (MLG TS Covenant)
----------------------------------------------Score to win: 50
Round Time Limit: 20 Minutes
Suicide Penalty: None
Betrayal Penalty: None
Starting Weapon: Carbine
Weapons on Map: Covenant
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: Off
Team Changing: Off
Leave the rest of the settings as is.

MLG Team Slayer Human (MLG TS Human)
------------------------------------------Score to win: 50
Round Time Limit: 20 Minutes
Suicide Penalty: None
Betrayal Penalty: None
Starting Weapon: Battle Rifle
Weapons on Map: Human
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: Off
Team Changing: Off
Leave the rest of the settings as is.

MLG Rifles (MLG Rifles)
---------------------Score to win: 50
Round Time Limit: 20 Minutes
Suicide Penalty: None
Betrayal Penalty: None
Starting Weapon: Battle Rifle
Weapons on Map: Rifles
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: Off
Team Changing: Off
Leave the rest of the settings as is.

MLG Free For All (MLG FFA)
--------------------------Score to win: 50
Round Time Limit: 20 Minutes
Suicide Penalty: 10 Seconds
Starting Weapon: Battle Rifle
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: On
Sword is NOT allowed.
Leave the rest of the settings as is.

MLG Free For All Midship (MLG FFA Midship)
----------------------------------------Score to win: 50
Round Time Limit: 20 Minutes
Suicide Penalty: 10 Seconds
Starting Weapon: Battle Rifle
Weapons on Map: Human
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: On
Leave the rest of the settings as is.

MLG Oddball (MLG Ball)
----------------------Score to win: 5 Minutes
Round Time Limit: 20 Minutes
Respawn Time: 10 Seconds
Suicide Penalty: None
Betrayal Penalty: None
Starting Weapon: Battle Rifle
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: Off
Team Changing: Off
Leave the rest of the settings as is.

MLG King of the Hill Crazy King (MLG KOTH)
----------------------------------------Score to win: 5 Minutes
Round Time Limit: 20 Minutes
Respawn Time: 10 Seconds
Suicide Penalty: None
Betrayal Penalty: None
Starting Weapon: Battle Rifle
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: Off
Team Changing: Off
Moving Hill: 2 Minutes
Leave the rest of the settings as is.

MLG Capture the Flag Classic (MLG CTF Midship/Warlock)
-----------------------------------------------------Score to win: 5
Round Time Limit: 30 Minutes
Respawn Time: 10 Seconds
Suicide Penalty: None
Betrayal Penalty: None
Starting Weapon: Battle Rifle
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: Off
Team Changing: Off
Flag at Home to Score: On
Flag Touch Return: On
Flag Reset Time: 15 Seconds
Flag Indicator: Off
Flag Type: Flag per team
Leave the rest of the settings as is.

MLG Capture the Flag Sanctuary (MLG CTF Sanctuary)
----------------------------------------------------------Score to win: 5
Round Time Limit: 30 Minutes
Respawn Time: 10 Seconds
Suicide Penalty: None
Betrayal Penalty: None
Starting Weapon: Battle Rifle
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: Off
Team Changing: Off
Flag at Home to Score: Off
Flag Touch Return: Off
Flag Reset Time: 10 Seconds
Flag Indicator: Off
Flag Type: Flag per team
Leave the rest of the settings as is.

MLG Neutral Bomb (MLG Bomb)
-----------------------------
Score to Win: 3
Round Time Limit: 20 Minutes
Respawn Time: 10 Seconds
Suicide Penalty: None
Betrayal Penalty: None
Starting Weapon: Battle Rifle
Weapon Respawn Time: Double Time
Motion Sensor: Off
Team Changing: Off
Enemy Bomb Indicator: When Dropped
Sudden Death: Off
Bomb Reset Time: 30 Seconds
Bomb Arm Time: 5 Seconds
Sticky Arming: Off
Leave the rest of the settings as is.

Miscellaneous information:
∙Sword is allowed in ALL team games. Sword is NOT allowed in FFA.
∙Double weapon respawn time ALL MLG gametypes.
∙MLG stands for Major League Gaming.
∙Team changing is OFF for all team games.
∙There is NOT a suicide or betrayal penalty for MLG team gametypes.

[BxR HuSTLe]

Tips becoming a dominant Halo 2 sniper. I've decided that I should touch upon the finer points of sniping a bit more.

This post covers where to snipe. And the answer isn't as obvious as it seems. Most Halo players on Xbox Live don't even seem to know where to start. The place where you snipe, in my opinion, is more important then how you snipe(i.e. how good of a sniper you are).

A bad sniper will get more kills and get killed a lot less if he knows where to snipe, then a good sniper that doesn't know where to snipe.

My first tip for you is, NEVER stay in the same place. Keep moving. This way you'll keep the enemy guessing your location instead of knowing exactly where you are. Usually, you can only get one kill before someone goes to your sniping spot.

Another thing is the area where you're sniping can't be too open. At the most, there should only be two ways/routes to get really close to you. It'll be a lot easier to defend this way.

The next point kind of goes with the above one, but it's still important. There cannot be a lot of shot angles at your location. Shot angles are the amount of different places an enemy can shoot you from. So if you want to have a big shot range, a lot of people are going to be able to shoot you too. If you can shoot them, they can shoot you back.

But you've got to use your mind to decide on this. If you're playing a map with only one sniper and you have it, go ahead and snipe from a place with a ton of shot angles since it'll be a lot tougher for an enemy to shoot you.

This is the second part of three in the series "Become a Dominant Halo Sniper." Today, I'm going to go over some tips for sniping long-range.
I think the very best way to snipe and get headshots is by aiming with the left thumbstick(strafing). Just have the targeting reticule on an invisible straight line with the enemy's head and use the left thumbstick to center the targeting reticule on his head.

Practice this by picking a small spot, like a small box or something and try to hit it by only using the left thumbstick.

Trying to aim mostly with the right thumbstick will cause you to sometimes jerk it at the last second, missing the enemy completely. Use the right thumbstick for minute adjustments only.

Another added bonus of strafing to aim is that you become a moving a target and a lot harder to hit for the enemy.

When you first start playing online, you're going to suck close-range with the sniper. You might shoot a guy once in awhile, but you'll never get a headshot(or at least it's very improbable). And you'll always be really surprised when you do hit someone.

It takes a ton of practice to get good at it. I recommend you to play custom games with only snipers and don't allow anyone to zoom in. Playing this gametype will accelerate your skill faster then anything else will.

I like to have the all snipers, no-scope rule at Ascension and have everyone go into the black bowl in the middle. It's a lot of fun and really helps out your close-range sniping skills.

But besides practicing and playing a lot, there is a tip that can help you out. No-scoping is the opposite of sniping long-range; you must use the right thumbstick to be good in close. Actually, you have to use both, but the right thumbstick plays a bigger role.

[icee weissy]

Thats good, but look at my guide.

Halo 2

Foundation multi-player map
Successfully complete single player mode on any difficulty setting to unlock the Foundation multi-player map. Note: There is a glitch that prevents some people from unlocking the map as it was originally intended. The way it has been done successfully is as follows: Successfully complete single player mode on any difficulty setting. Create a new profile. Begin a co-op game on the last level with the newly-created profile with the second player. When you reach a section where you fly a Banshee, the new profile must perform a barrel roll and a loop-the-loop. Finish the campaign and the new profile can access the Foundation map when hosting split-screen, System Link, or Xbox Live games. Alternately, if you have Xbox Live, go to the Microsoft Content download menu. Then, download all recently updated content. Go to a game menu. Go to change the options, then change the map. It should be at the very bottom.

Infinite ammunition or power
This trick requires levels that have either Covenant or Marines following you. If you have a powerful weapon that has very limited power (for example, the energy sword, or Covenant sniper), or weapons that are very powerful (for example, Human sniper or rocket launcher) give them to the A.I. following you. As they use them, the weapons will never run out of power or ammunition. Also, they can use them very well.

Infinite ammunition in campaign mode
To do this trick, your weapon must be reloadable and have at least one clip in it. When your weapon has no shots remaining, before you reload, switch to your other weapon. Find an ally that you can switch weapons with, then quickly switch to the weapon that needs to reload and swap with the ally. If done correctly, you will see your ally reload the weapon. Swap your weapon back to see that your clip is now full, and it did not take away any ammunition.

Have the same primary and secondary weapon while not dual wielding
This trick can only be applied to weapons that can be dual wielded. For this trick to work, you need four dual wielding weapons in one place. Two or three weapons of the total four weapons must be the same, but remember a minimum of two of same weapon is necessary in order to have same weapon for both primary and secondary slot. For example, have two needlers, an SMG and a plasma rifle. To get two needlers, carry one needler as your primary weapon then select anything else but the needler (such as the SMG gun) as your secondary weapon. Note: You cannot select the same weapon as your secondary any way. Dual wield plasma rifle with the SMG then go to the needler that is on the ground, hold X, and substitute the second needler with the SMG gun. Then, throw the plasma rifle away by pressing B. You are left with the Needler as both your primary and secondary weapon.

Using a destroyed machine gun
You can use a destroyed machine gun; for example, in Zanzibar after you fire a rocket to one of the turrets on the left and right on the main base. Just go back to them and the screen will prompt you to hold X to operate. This can be useful during heated sessions.

Hijack a Bansee
Wait until a Banshee drops quite low (but you still cannot reach it). Jump before doing it. If it does not say "Hold X to board enemy Banshee", press X regardless. You might not see Master Chief leap up and hit the Elite (or other alien) out of the Banshee. Do not go too low, and drive slowly because the Elite might kick Master Chief out.

Hijack a Wraith
Go near a Wraith and press X. Then, press B a few times. Instead of throwing a grenade, just hop in. If this does not work, throw a grenade in the Wraith.

Banshee tricks
When in a Banshee, press A and a direction on the Left Analog-stick. When in a Banshee, hold A and press Left Analog-stick Down. The Banshee will do a backflip. Additionally, to do tricks in a Banshee, press Left or Right on the Left Analog-stick and hold A to do a barrel roll, or hold Down + A to do a loop.

Ghost tricks
In multi-player-mode, turn on all vehicles and go to a place with open space. Get in a Ghost and find a tank. Go towards it as fast as you can. You will flip and do different things, depending on where you hit the tank.

Go to any level (Metropolis recommended, when you have to get on the Scarab). Back the Ghost up to the side of the bridge. It will start hopping up and down.

Chose a level with the yellowish glowing boxes that blow up (Headlong or Waterworks recommended). Get in a ghost and boost into one of the tiny boxes and you will be sent flying. You can repeat this as many times as desired, or you can pile the boxes and be blown sky high.

Spectre tricks
When using a Spectre, go at top speed and hold A. You will do a wheelie for about three to four seconds. This is useful when climbing up walls or going over short walls.

Stealing vehicles
When playing a multi-player map with vehicles, you can steal vehicles such as the Wraith from your opponent. Approach the vehicle while holding X. Note: This removes your opponent from the vehicle only; you must press X a second time to board the vehicle.

To hijack a Wraith, you must get up close to it by first destroying the side guns. You will get a message to press X. Do so, and you will be hanging on the side of it. Then, tap B to punch the door in. Next, press L and throw a grenade in. Jump off and go back in by pressing X, and you will now be driving the Wraith.

When you board a Wraith of Scorpion tank, the "B to melee" message will appear. Melee until the cover is knocked off, then continue punching. This will kill the driver without damaging the tank.

Use the following trick to knock enemies out of vehicle safely. Note: This only works with a fast moving, non-flying vehicle. First, stand by a wall or something that they can crash into. Try to get the opponent to run you over, then jump out of the way after about a second of contact. He should then crash into the wall. When he does, go directly next to it and hold X. You should now be in the vehicle.

Snipe from vehicle
Piggyback on a Banshee. Before one member of your team gets into the Banshee, jump on top of the Banshee's pilot cover. When you get in, you can just stand on top of it. Only make turns with the Right Analog-stick. They are slower and do not tilt the Banshee. More than one player can stay on top of the Banshee. This provides extra fun if you want to do aerial tricks with friends by jumping from Banshee to Banshee.

Piggyback ride on vehicle
With almost any vehicle, you can get a piggyback if you are not skilled at driving or need a fast ride when someone on your team is already on a Ghost. This also works with the Scorpion, Banshee, and the Warthog when you have someone in the gunner seat, when you are all far enough away from the enemy.

Vehicle explosions
In a multi-player level with vehicles (Ghosts recommended), stand in front of one of those barrel things that explode. Wait until someone in a Ghost sees you, throws it in turbo. and tries to run you over. At the last moment, jump out of the way. If done correctly, the vehicle will shoot past you, fly into the barrels, and explode; killing the driver instantly with a huge explosion.

Send tanks flying
While playing on a map with two Scorpion tanks available (Coagulation recommended), have a friend drive his or her tank up against a canyon wall until it flips upside-down, and your friend falls out. Drive your tank over to your friend's tank. Face the side that looks like a ramp. Line your tank up and start driving up it until one is on top of the other. While you are still in the top tank, have you friend walk over to the bottom one. The "Hold X to flip tank" message will appear. Once flipped, the bottom tank will send the top one flying high into the air (sometimes above the level), spinning at incredible speeds. After awhile, the tanks may start to catch fire and wear-down.

Destroying a Ghost
To destroy a Ghost in one hit (sniper rifle) or three shots (battle rifle), look on the left side of it, just under the driver's seat. You will see a gas tank of sorts. If you shoot that directly, the Ghost will explode with one hit or one burst from the battle rifle.

One of the best ways to take down a Ghost is with a sniper rifle. Wait until the Ghost is facing away from you and open fire at the pilot. If the pilot does not die, the Ghost may explode, because it is very vulnerable in the back.

Destroying a Wraith
Besides boarding, there is one other reliable way to take down a Wraith in single or multi-player mode. Get a Ghost and hit the booster until you are right up against the Wraith. Then, circle around to the back of it and open fire. By the time he has fully turned around to get a bead on you, he will probably be dead. If he tries to get out, you can simply pick him off as he is climbing out. Note: This may not work as well in single player mode, as the Wraith has anti-infantry plasma cannons.

Next generation Warthog launch
This trick is reminiscent of the Warthog launch from the original Halo, but uses different methods. First, start a split screen multi-player game with just yourself on a map that has any explosive boxes (Headlong or Waterworks recommended). Then, find any of the explosive boxes and gather them in a pile near one end of the map. You can move them by pushing against them or meleeing them. However, do not melee them more than once or they will explode. After you have gathered enough, park a Warthog over them slowly and fire a rocket at one end of the Warthog. Depending on how many boxes you gathered, the Warthog should go incredibly far. Note: This takes a lot of skill and time, and should only be done if you have nothing else to do.

Rewards for straight killings
The following is a list of rewards you get from killing people without dying once. Note: After 25 it starts over again with "Killing Spree".

5: Killing Spree
10: Running Riot
15: In The Zone
20: Unreal
25: Unfreaking Believable

Melee combo
When caring an item (bomb, flag, etc.) quickly press Melee, X, Melee to perform a combo melee attack. Continue pressing Melee, X, Melee, X, etc. to make the combo continue indefinitely.

Melee, shotgun, melee combo
While equipped with shotgun, get in close range and press Melee, X (reload), Shoot, Melee. Note: You must press X immediately after the first melee is finished.

Plasma rifle, melee, shoot rage combo
While holding the shoot trigger, press Melee, and immediately after the hit, press X (which instantly continues you back into shooting). Note: This can be done as long as you do not overcharge the plasma rifle.

Double whack energy sword combo
When using an energy sword, press Melee, X, Shoot. This combination can happen very fast.

Infinite energy sword ammunition
When the energy runs out, do not trade it for another weapon. When you get to the next level, try to use the sword. The ammo will be at zero but you will do full sword damage instead of melee damage and can do sword moves.

Instant kill
To instantly kill any enemy except Hunters and Bosses, hit them in the back with any weapon.

Easy kills
The plasma sword is one of the most deadly weapons in the game. However, there is a way to make it deadlier. If you are walking up to someone, you will see the aiming reticule turn red. If you press the trigger or B, you will deliver a deadly lunge that can kill almost anything in one hit. To make this even deadlier, before you reach your enemy jump and keep aiming at him. When the reticule turns red, you will still be in the air. As you are in the air, press the trigger or B and you will lunge forward in mid-air. This is more deadly because you are above himm and his head is the closest thing to you when you are in mid air.

Get two Magnums (pistols) and shoot one trigger at a time. Do not use against the Flood, as it will backfire and kill you.

Sword cancel
To sword cancel, rapidly press B + X. This will let the sword swing wildly and is also a good way to shock opponents. To swing your sword at an enemy but not hit them (canceling your attack) press R + X. This will only work when you are locked on an enemy.

Faster reload
When reloading a gun, press melee immediately after the ammo is reinserted into the gun, press X. This enables you to shoot and/or zoom instantly. This works for any gun that uses ammunition.

Accurate SMG Dwing
When DWing SMGs, press one shoot trigger at a time simultaneously. This disables the reticle/aimer from going upwards. Note: This also works on other DWings.

Lock on with rockets
To lock on with rockets, target a person, vehicle, etc., then hold R until it says that it is locked. The red reticle will follow the item. Release R to fire. Additionally, while using a rocket launcher, you can lock-on to the following items: turrets, vehicles, and the Phantom's plasma cannons (Covenant Dropship's turrets). To lock-on to those objects, aim your cross-hairs at the object. By doing this, your rocket launcher's cross-hairs should have four red squares on the corners. Then, hold Fire so that the rocket launcher will fully lock-on to the object. While this happens, the lock-on system of the rocket launcher should make a few repetitive beeping sounds. After the beeping sounds have ended, the cross-hairs should be completely red and ready to fire. Release Fire and your spiraling heat-seeking rocket launcher missile will go to the target.

Switch grenade types
If you have picked up a frag grenade and a plasma grenade, press Black to change from one to another.

Practice with the sword
To get some good practice in with the sword, you must have two players, both with swords. Practice hitting each other. This is useful for combat with the Royal Elites.

Flying sword
Have the sword when an enemy is very close. You can jump and do it, or run and jump to them, then press B. This is a one hit kill for Flood, and a two hit kill for some Covenant and the shield Flood.

Extra ammunition with dual wield weapons
Have two dual-wieldable weapons (for example, a Needler and an SMG), but do not have them out at the same time. The Needler would be the weapon that you want extra ammunition for. Have the SMG out and find another Needler to dual wield with it. Then, find yet another Needler and trade that with your SMG. You will now have three Needlers, and have three times the ammunition.

Dual wielding recommendations
When dual wielding, it is best to think about things before you just grab a needler and a plasma pistol, and have a pistol as your third weapon. You should make it so you have a good backup weapon; when dual wielding, ammunition can go quite quickly. Have two plasma rifles (or your choice) and have something like a particle beam rifle, shotgun, Covenant carbine, or perhaps a rocket launcher so that you have something to fall back on. Some suggestions are as follows:

Needler x2
Plasma rifles x2
SMG x2
SMG and a plasma rifle
SMG and a plasma pistol
Note: Having two plasma pistols is not a good choice because you cannot hold the two triggers down, or you will power them up. You must keep pulling, making this somewhat difficult. When wielding two weapons at once, use only one at a time, and when that runs out of ammunition, use the other one while reloading. Do this to keep up a steady stream of fire.

Dual needlers is probably the most underestimated weapon pairings available in the game, and probably the most powerful as well. Needlers have an incredibly fast rate of fire, are heat seeking, do initial damage then explosive damage, and you can pick up usually 80 to 160 ammo after each bout of gun fighting (in campaign mode). The only bad thing about needlers is the fact that they ricochet off shields and some body armors (for example, Hunters and the Elite Guard). They are not recommended for fighting shield wielding enemies, Hunters, Elite Guard, or Infected Flood (as they are extremely quick and will most likely do damage to you before the needler shots explode in them). In multi-player mode with friends, there should be nothing more feared then dual needlers.

A great dual wielding combo are two plasma pistols. Early in the game, two blue ones will do. Later in the game when you begin to fight the Brutes, after they die take their red plasma pistols. The red ones are slightly more powerful and overheat a little bit faster. A red and blue plasma pistol is recommended, as they compliment each other very well. If you have fast trigger fingers, any enemy will die. Even Brutes will die within around five seconds. Be careful; watch your heat and ammo meters. The plasma pistols are very good because they are powerful, and get rid of energy shields very quickly.

Use the following trick for easy kills by dual wielding a plasma charger. Get one plasma and any other weapon of your choice (SMG, plasma rifle, needler, etc.). Next charge your plasma pistol and keep it charged. If you get a hit on your opponent, his shields will be down and you can kill him within two seconds with a normal gun.

The best dual wielding combo is the plasma rifle and the sub machine gun (SMG). The second best is dual SMGs, and the third best is a plasma pistol and pistol combo.

Dual wield a plasma rifle and a plasma pistol. While the rifle is firing you can charge up the pistol, and while the rifle is cooling down shoot the pistol charge.

Do not be afraid to retreat for a moment to let your shields recharge and reload your weapons, especially when dual wielding.

[icee weissy]

I ran out of character space in the other post.


Defeating Brutes
Get a Plasma Sword from a dead Covenant Elite and get close enough to the Brute for the half-circle surrounding the crosshairs to turn red before attacking. You will lunge forward and get rid of half the enemy's life. Jump into the air immediately afterwards, and do this a second time to kill him instantly. Both attacks combined cost only ten ammo points, so this process can be done ten times in succession, making it an effective way to crowd-clear Brute patrols near the end of the game. Make sure to jump in-between each strike so that the Brutes you are fighting cannot continue to ram you and drain your life. Additionally, on the last level when you are fighting the head Brute, wait for his shields to go off (when the blue gas-like thing around him shuts off). Then, shoot him in the head as many times as you can until it turns back on. Repeat this process until he is dead. Do not use an energy sword. It will not work, and he can kill you with one hit of his hammer.

When you are facing several Brutes together, such as in the Uprising level, use a weapon with good accuracy, such as the pistol. However, this may be difficult because it no longer has a scope on it. The Covenant Carbine is a good choice because it has great accuracy, a zoom, and a usable clip size. When using the carbine, aim for the skull plating they have on the top of their head. If you are a skilled shot, this should kill the Brute in about four to five shots. Have something like the energy sword as a backup in case there are too many and they charge.

Two direct head shots with a beam rifle are required if they are wearing a helmet. Pack some heavy artillery. A fuel rod cannon or rocket launcher may be cheap, but they cannot charge you if they are blown up. A few hits with the brute shot can also work; there should be plenty of ammunition for it. If all else fails and they charge, a shotgun or the blade on the brute shot can work, but it will require three shots to the face with a shotgun and three hits with the blade.

The best combination of weapons against a Brute is to use two plasma rifles. Brute plasma rifles are recommended, as they are slightly stronger and shoot faster with a slower heating process. Run up to any Brute (this actually works for all enemies except Hunters) and fire both of your plasma rifles in sequence. This means that first you fire the right (or left) gun until it is nearly overheated, then stop firing that one and begin firing your second one until it is nearly overheated. Again, start firing the other one. Keep doing this in sequence and the only thing that will stop you from shooting is running out of ammunition. A good way to do this properly is to count how long you have been shooting. Shoot with one gun at a time for about three to five seconds, then begin shooting the other one. This is very useful for big groups of opponents as you do not have to reload or wait for your weapon to cool down.

On the final level, once you reach the door that leads to the final battle, a group of Brutes will come out. Instead of fighting them, use your invisibility gear and sneak through the door without having to fight. Note: You must be fast or the door will lock.

The Brutes' weakness are their heads. That is why they usually have metal plates. Shoot them in their heads for an easy kill.

Defeating Elites
When battling with Elites, do not hit them once with your weapon. Always hit them multiple times. If you hit them once, they will have a faster time and kill you with one hit or take down your shield. Additionally, an easier way to kill Elites quickly is to double-wield the SMGs and aim for the head. Be careful, as the SMGs tend to send the reticle upward. Also, try meleeing him before using the double strategy.

You can outsmart Elites in some battles by finding cover and returning fire as usual. However, when they stop firing, relocate to other sources of cover and have a few seconds before they notice. Also throw grenades before they get all the way out, if they are appearing from a door or a ship portal.

Dual wield a plasma pistol or rifle and a Human pistol. Use a plasma pistol or rifle to knock down the shields quickly, and then shoot them in the head with the magnum.

The best way to quickly kill an Elite is to hit them multiple times with your weapon. First. hit them so they are stunned for a few seconds, then shoot them quickly. They should die easily.

Defeating Floods
Get a Plasma Sword from a dead Covenant Elite and get close enough to the Flood for the half-circle surrounding the crosshairs to turn red before attacking. You will lunge forward and kill the enemy instantly, sometimes killing two or even three if they are in close-enough proximity to the target. This attack only uses between two to five ammo points, so it can be repeated at least twenty times. Note: Do not use this trick on either the small spider-like Flood or the large bulbous Flood, as the explosion that follows will damage your shields. Additionally, to kill the Flood easily, use the sword. It cuts right through the Flood in one shot, unlike any type of plasma gun.

To make fighting Flood easier, use a shotgun and an energy sword. The Flood levels are mostly close quarters -- shoot them in the face with a shotgun. This will take down even a shielded Flood in one hit. Then, use an energy sword to vaporize the bodies so that they cannot get back up. The best part is that it will not use any energy sword power.

You can actually kill the human and elite Floods with one shot of the Covenant carbine. Aim directly at the stomach for the human-type Floods (with no long tentacles in their left arm); and aim high in the middle where the head would usually be for the Elite-type floods (with the long tentacles).

Defeating Grunts
With big groups of enemies, kill off the Grunts first, as they are easier to kill and become less of an annoyance. Additionally, two slashes with the plasma swords are good against Grunts. However, hitting them with the grenade launchers three times can kill just as easily and does not use any ammunition.

Get a needler. Find a grunt and aim close to his head. Shoot him and he will jump in the air and die.

Defeating the Heretic Leader
It is best to have dual Needlers and a Sentinel Beam when you are playing under the legendary difficulty setting. As soon as game play resumes after the intermission sequence, press White to turn invisible. Then, press Y to get rid of one of your guns and stick a plasma grenade to one of the guys. As soon as you do that, run to the left and behind a column. You should see a hole/hallway kind of thing. Go in there and hide a short time. You can then run out of the hole, turn invisible, and stick another grenade to one of them. If a grenade explodes and you hear a grunt or yell, you have hit the leader and not the copy. Go back and hide in the hole. This will save a checkpoint. The guy will start talking and more copies will appear. Repeat the process until he is dead. Note: Whenever you kill a copy of the Heretic Leader, it will drop several grenades, allowing you to restock.

Defeating Hunters
Get a beam rifle (the Covenant sniper rifle) and fire it in the middle of their bodies where it is pink. This is more effective then pumping shell after shell into them. Because they have the new gun, getting close to them no longer works. There is another way to defeat them, but it is more costly. First, take your plasma grenades and throw about two or three of them on their pink skinny area. Then, get a shotgun (or the strongest gun you have) and pump the pink spot full of rounds until it is dead. Since they usually appear in pairs, this can waste a lot of ammunition and grenades.

You can kill Hunters without using any ammunition. If there is a Human turret nearby, use it. You will do so much damage that they will drop quickly. You can also still get close to them. Remember that you are a lot faster than they are, and pay attention to where the other Hunter is located. Sometimes you can get them to hit each other. It is also possible to melee attack them to death, but a lot of your Marine allies will probably die.

When you encounter a Hunter on any level, use your melee attack and hit them in the head. They will stand there for a moment, stunned. This is just enough time for you to get behind them and kill them. Depending on how skilled you are, it may take a few times to take them down.

When you see a Hunter, find a turret close by. Man the turret like in the Outskirts level. You must kill two Hunters to move on. There will be a turret upstairs, and when they come out, open fire on them.

When a Hunter charges, move out of his way. When he misses you, the pink spot on his back will be wide open. Use the weapon of your choice to blast him.

Defeating Prophets
To kill Prophets, you must dodge there laser attacks and get up close until the message to hold X to board appears. Do so. Once onboard, tap B to attack them. Three hits should kill them. If not, repeat until it falls.

Defeating Regret
To easily defeat the prophet Regret, jump on his vehicle then hold X to board it. You can then press B to melee him to death.

Defeating Royal Guards
To easily take down Royal Guards (red Elites with strange helms), attack them with the energy sword. Do not be afraid -- keep slashing. They will fall after about three hits. Note: If it has a energy sword, you must get the first hit or it can kill you with one shot. Do not let their armor fool you -- they are still Elites. Knock down the shields with a plasma weapon, then shoot them in the head with the pistol.

Defeating the Scarab
Instead of following the Marines, go staight across the bridge. You will find a sniper. Take it, then jump on the Scarab and shoot all the Elites and pilots. Additionally, if the people on the Scarab are taking down your shields, get on the gun turret. Fire at them madly. They will hide and allow time for your shields to recover. Then, jump on the Scarab and blow their head off by surprise.

When you fight the enemies on the Scarab, mostly Elites and Grunts, start running down the path. You will see rocket launcher ammunition. Collect it if you have a rocket launcher, as it will make battle easier when you enter the Scarab. Your second weapon should be a shotgun or dual plasma rifles in case you lose rocket launcher ammunition.

Defeating Tartarus
When playing in co-operative mode under the legendary difficulty setting, get a grenade launcher that is left over from the Brute on the bridge. When Tartarus jumps onto the spinning disks, jump onto the platform with your partner, then jump on the three disks for safety. Let your partner have a carbine rifle on the top level and have him snipe reinforcements when they arrive. Run around the middle circle, waiting for Tartarus to lose his shield from Sarge sniping him. Hit him with your grenade launcher. Hit him three times, then run away and wait. His reinforcements may appear. If they do, camouflage and run to the top level. Allow your partner to kill the Elites. Camouflage if Tartarus or Elites come to the top level. Note: Use your Brute plasmas if you run out of ammunition. There are some on the middle level, and perhaps the bottom level. Make sure your partner conserves his carbine rifle ammunition. Never fight a Brute Elite, as they will kill you in a few hits. Also, never hit Tatarus with a melee attack. Never use grenades as Tartarus will just jump. The most important thing is to not allow your partner to die. When doing this in single player mode, use the same tactics except when Elites arrive, camouflage yourself then go to top level and snipe with the carbine rifle.

When the intermission sequence ends, do not rush towards Tartarus like the others. Instead, just wait until they all jump to the other side, then jump over there. Or, you can wait for the moving platform to help you get to the other side. After you have done that, Tartarus will have a sort of "fog" around him. Get a plasma gun. Note: If you cannot find one, go to the lift, and on the top floor behind a wall there should be a box from which you can get one. Dual wield the plasmas and fire at him until the fog goes away. Then, keep shooting at him with the plasmas until he dies. Alternately, when his shield depletes, drop your gun and throw a grenade until he dies. Be careful though -- stay a good distance away to avoid being hit and killed.

When playing on the legendary difficulty setting, instead of getting out of your Banshee when entering Tartarus' base, fly it inside and up, using the boost. You will scrape the ceiling and run into the wall at the end of the tunnel, then run into the door. Get out, open the door, and take your Banshee inside the door. Kill the Covenant with it, or get out then keep flying through the doors. When you get to the intermission sequence, you will be out of your Banshee on a platform with Tartarus in front of you with some Brutes. Kill them, then turn around and go back down the hallway the intermission sequence skipped. Your Banshee will be sitting there, ready for takeoff. This makes defeating Tartarus much easier. Continually fire at him and when the sergeant takes out his shield, it will hurt him until the point that he dies. If he tries to jump on you, just boost under him. Watch out for his Brute friends that he calls -- they are very accurate with Brute shots and plasma grenades and will kill you. Also, do not fly under the platform.

Get two Brute plasma rifles and run away. When his shields are down, throw grenades then shoot him. He should die quickly.

In the last level of the campaign called The Great Journey, get to the part where you enter the control room. Instead of walking through, bust your Banshee through. When you enter the room with the Brutes, get out of your Banshee and kill them. Note: They might destroy your Banshee. Then, kill the Honor Guards. Make sure your Banshee is in the room where you fought the Brutes. Continue on foot until the intermission sequence starts. When it ends, turn around and run back. On your way through, your friends will teleport there. Keep going and get in your Banshee. Note: Do not go below the last platform levitating in the main room or the game will automatically kill you. Then, drive your Banshee to Tartarus and shoot him. Pressing B will shoot your bomb. When his shield gets down, shoot him as hard as you can.

Defeating hijackers
Use the following trick in multi-player mode with someone that is trying to steal your vehicle. When you definitely know that they are trying to board your vehicle, press X to hop out as they board. This will give you about three or four seconds to blast them before they can get a bead on you. This requires some skill, but works very well. It is possible to take out a Banshee, Ghost, and Warthog with one SMG by doing this.

When someone tries to steal your vehicle (and it is not a Banshee), allow them to do so. When you hit the ground outside the vehicle, press X as fast as possible. You should steal the vehicle back from the person. Move quickly away from them or they will do the same thing to you.

When someone is hijacking your Ghost, Warthog, Specter or Banshee, wait for them to almost take it away from you (just before you lose control of it). Press X quickly to get out, then immediately after you press X, hold X. You will ditch your Ghost or other vehicle, and will not kicked off and can now hijack it back.


Theres more, but it would take 3 more pages. Enjoy. More games to be added

[BxR HuSTLe]

Halo 2 Video Making FAQ

What do I need to get started?

Well, first off, you will need to purchase something to capture video with. You can choose from digital cameras to capture cards. It really depends on where your X-Box/360 is stationed. If you are no where near your computer I suggest getting a camera that allows you to record from your xbox/television directly into your camera. The Sony MiniDV is just one of many different types of cameras you can purchase, and they are quite expensive. So before purchasing one, make sure that your current camera doesn't support input recording already, that way you can save hundreds of dollars.

Even though a DV camera has the best image quality you can get it costs a lot of money, and if you don't have the money right now, you can settle to buy a capture card. There are two types of capture cards you can purchase: internal and external. The internal capture card is placed in a PCI slot in your computer PC. Here is an example of a internal capture card: Sabrent Video Capture. Also, make sure your computer, X-Box, and television is extremely close together. I recommend the internal capture card to those who aren’t worried about unhooking their cables. These capture cards range in from 20.00 - 150.00 US dollars.

Can't afford a DV camera? Don't want to open your computer and take the chance of damaging it by installing the internal capture device? Then I suggest getting a external capture card. I use the Dazzle 80, and it was a great investment, in my opinion. It's easy to use and not so much of a hassle to connect or disconnect. You simply connect it through a 2.0 USB port (you can use a 1.1 USB port but the quality is not as great). You can choose other types of Dazzle devices as well. Dazzle 85, Dazzle 90, and the Dazzle 150. Prices range from 50.00 - 130.00 US Dollars. The Dazzle capture card also comes with free editing software. Something I will get into in a minute.

Okay, I got a capture card, but now how do I watch what I'm doing on the television set and record at the same time?[/U]

This part is simple, but involves more money. Take a trip down to your nearest game store and purchase one of these: X-Box High Definition AV Pack. It cost 20.00 US Dollars and comes with the double-sided s-video connection and double sided male-male composite connectors. After that you will want to head over to Radio Shack and pick up 2 Y-Splitters for your audio connections. You will also need two extra audio composite cables and one separate video composite cable. When you have everything you need then set it up!

But I don't know how to set it up...


Don't know how to set it up? Okay, first open up your High defin... lets cut to the chase... 1.Connect your High definition AV connector into your X-Box. 2. Connect both of the Y-Splitters into the audio ports of the HD AV connector. 3. Plug in the right connections from the AV connector to the capture card unit... (AV)White to (CC)white, (AV)red to (CC)red and (AV)s-video to (CC)s-video... you get it right? Then connect the composite video cable to the yellow ports on both the HD AV connector and your TV. Do the same with the audio connections, except connect them onto the y-splitters, (Y-SP)White to (TV)white, (Y-SP)red to (TV)red. After that you should be set. Now your prepared to record anything that happens on your favorite game... Halo2!

Software

Don't worry, software won't cost you any money unless you want to really get into the mach making business. There are quite a lot of video and audio editing programs out there to use. Here is a list of editing programs that maybe used to edit sound and video. I'll try to find the prices as well.

Program Audio Video Price
Windows Movie Maker | * | * | Free
Pinnacle Studio 9 | * | * | Free with Dazzle capture Cards - Upgrade 20$ (US)
Pinnacle Studio 10 | * | * | 70.00 - 130.00 US Dollars
Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0 | * | * | 100.00 US Dollars
Adobe Audition | * | | 350.00 US Dollars
Sony Vegas | * | * | 450.00

There are more editing programs out there but I wont list them all. All of the editors with the abstract in both video and audio can edit sound, but very little. The best thing to edit sound with is Adobe Audition. It takes time to learn, and it's a great investment... Mind I say, there are alternative ways of getting some of these programs, but I don't think I'm allowed to say.

w00t I recorded a clip from a super awesome battle I had on Big Team Battle!!

That’s good... but one thing, who are you recording for? I'm sure it's fun to record games you play, but wouldn't it be more fun to actually record something you did and show it to the world?! I think so... Well then lets start recording something others will enjoy watching.

Machinima

A machinima basically a video made with characters in a video game. Many fans like to create machinimas and host it online for others to watch, enjoy, and comment on. Be aware though, not everyone will like what you have made! The best way to create a excellent machinimas is to find some people who also like creating videos. Make a group or a clan of people and give each other jobs. If you think that you're okay without a machinima clan then forget about making videos. Without a group of some sort, you won't be very organized and whenever you want to record, your friends may not want to help or be on to record with you. So there’s key 1. Another thing is to actually make a script. I personally think that 99.9% of the Halo2 community doesn't like machs that aren't scripted. It makes the movie messy and sometimes leads the movie into not making sense. So remember - make a script, review it, ask for opinions from your fellow clan mates, and edit it. Do that as much as want until you feel like the script is ready. Another tip is, don't stand for goofing off. Set times for breaks and messing around. If you see a person goofing off while you're trying to record, tell them to stop or to leave. Time is a valuable thing, and if you want to get the mach right, you are going to need all the time in the world. So keep in mind:
1. Become organized. Create a clan and maybe a website. You can create a website free at .com . It's a great way to keep your clan intact with each other.
2. Create a script, ask for others opinions, and edit until you feel it's finalized. Also don't make things as you go, no one likes watching unscripted machs.
3. Time is valuable. Don't waste time by goofing around. Instead make break times were you guys can goof around.

Montages

A montage is basically a bunch of clips from recorded games tied with music and special effects. The only thing with these clips is that they contain the best, most unbelievable, kills you have gotten. This means no scope snipes across the map, across the map sticks, killamanjaros with a single battle rifle, combos, weird vehicle kills... basically things that people don't usually see or do while playing Halo 2. Make sure to keep the clips with the music. If they aren’t together then it will make the montage look bad. Don't overdo it with special effects or no one will like it. Make sure there arn't scenes with you dieing in them, it makes you look bad as a player. Remember, montages are all about your skill in Halo 2 and showing that you die multiple times isn't a good way to show how good you are on this game. Also, choose music that people will like and understand. No one wants to listen to some Asian song while watching you fight in Team Slayer. So remember.
1. Make the clips short, and have things that people usually don't see in game play. This doesn't include modders and cheaters. No one wants to see that.
2. Keep the clips with the beat. If something big happens in the music, try putting something big from the clips. It will give the viewer a good feeling when watching.
3. Don't overdo your montage with special effects. Keep the special effects low but add enough to keep the viewer interested.
4. Dieing is a big no. Don't show yourself dieing because it will look bad. I'm sure all of us seen the scoreboard at least 1,000 times. We don't need to see it in your montage. Remember montages are for you to show what type of player you are.
5. Choose a song that everyone can understand. I learned that the hard way...

I have everything you need, I think I'm ready for movie making, except for one thing. How do I take off the reticule and display?

Ok, I can tell you seriously want to make a machinima! Good. Anyways, there is one way of getting the reticule off your screen, and there is one way of getting your whole HUD off your television set. The first way is quite simple and it doesn't involve buying anything for your X-Box. First make this game type:

Oddball - Movie
Starting Weapon: Plasma Pistol
Secondary Weapon: None
Oddball Icon: OFF when dropped
Score to win: None
Weapons on Map: Your Choice

I recommend you call it Movie, so if someone joins they will automatically detect that your making a movie. It also serves as a warning. "We are making a movie, if your not needed you may be booted". After you finish making the game type, make a custom game. Choose any map you want and play. When you are in game, hold the plasma pistol trigger until it's fully charged. Go over the oddball and press (X). *Don't let go of the trigger button or you wont drop the oddball and plasma pistol* If you did it right the oddball and the plasma pistol should drop. Be careful because if you run over a weapon you will automatically pick it up. You may also need to jump backwards when you drop the plasma pistol and oddball or you may pick one of them up again. Doing it this way will not remove your shield and radar. This is where you need to crop it, and I will get into that in the editing section.

The second way of doing this will cost you some of your hard earned cash. It's called... *gasp* Action Replay 30.00 US Dollars. You can pick it up at any video game store. *Action Replay will not get you banned. Bungie used to ban people because there was a hack that allowed you to auto reload on the game. The second update deleted the problem, and the auto reloading glitch does not work and will not work ever again* First you will need to head over to codejunkies.com and find a HUD less game type. There are many of them but you should look for the a Team slayer one. You can find two types of modified game types. One is where you don't start with any weapons but your HUD is still on (Basically the oddball one), and another that allows you to start with no weapons, no radar, and no shield display. But be warned, if you pick up a weapon and then switch to another weapon, the display HUD will freeze. You might notice a pistol reticule when you’re holding a rocket launcher. It's an easy fix... kill yourself. Cameraman isn't supposed to have a weapon anyways... Some people might have trouble getting the file onto their action replay, so I guess I will help with that too.

Action Replay File Transfer

1. Download the correct HUD less save and save it to your desktop. (DO NOT UNZIP THE FILE)
2. Make sure your AR is connected to your computer. Open up Action Replay.
3. Drag the HUD less save from your desktop into your memory section.
4. Disconnect AR and connect it to your X-Box controller.
5. Copy the HUD less save from the AR onto your X-Box Hard Drive

Editing, Voices, Music

You thought recording and watching what you were recording was cool? That was only half the fun... The real fun is the editing! Editing your video is where the movie making magic begins. Gather all your clips and watch them. Make sure there aren’t any obvious flaws. What I mean by flaws is like when you have someone who wasn't supposed to be on stage, and he accidentally appear on stage in the background. It doesn't just make the movie look bad, but it also makes the director and actors look bad. Put them in the order you want them to be viewed. Make sure to get your story across.

But what’s a story without voices? Some machinimas have subtitles, but it really isn't fun reading subtitles instead of enjoying the movie, right? Well in my opinion, I don't think so. For voices it's best to record through a microphone connected to your computer. Using voice-overs through X-Box Live can actually kill your movie and make your audience feel that your movie is a joke. I know I wouldn't want that... Besides, if you record through a computer microphone, you will be able to edit the voices with Adobe Audition or any other sound editor you've found. Make sure that the voice fits the character description though. You don't want Little Billy voice acting over X-Box Live, when he has the role of a monster from the lakes of Japan right?

Music is a big thing in most machinimas. Music is used to set the mood in the video. If something is scary, you'll probably begin to hear soft creepy music. If something is funny, you will usually hear some fast up to beat music. So choose your music wisely. Find some music that doesn't have words in it. Sometimes, if someone is singing, it kills the mood (I also learned this the hard way). You can usually find wordless music by orchestras, just search for a piece you might think you like, and if you think it goes with your video, then try it out.


Ok, I understand... One more thing though. I hate pinnacle! It lags and takes to long to load, but it is the only thing I have that will crop the shields, grenades, and radar out of my machinima. What should I do?

[U]That’s not true actually... You have an alternative way of cropping your video without using Pinnacle Studios! Just use Windows Movie Maker. It's quite complicated so follow along carefully.

You will need to find the size or resolution of your video. When you do go to paint in your programs and make a blank picture with the size of your video. Then paint it all black. After that you will need to save the picture and open the notepad. Copy and paste this in it:

<TransitionsAndEffects Version="1.0">
<Transitions>
<TransitionDLL guid="{DE75D012-7A65-11D2-8CEA-00A0C9441E20}">
<Transition name="A Letterbox" iconid="22">
<Param name="MaskNum" value="22" />
<Param name="Progress" value="0.45" />
</Transition>
</TransitionDLL>
</Transitions>
</TransitionsAndEffects>

See the part in bold? That is the size of the video... you will need to experiment with it before you get the actual size, have fun doing that . When your done save it as a .XML in C:\Program Files\Movie Maker\Shared\AddOnTFX. If you can't find the folder "AddOnTFX" then create one. Now when you open Windows Movie Maker look under transitions and you can find the little two bars that block out the shielding, radar, and grenade count box.

Remember that black picture that you skillfully colored? Drag that into your collections bar and then drag it into the timeline. Make sure it is at the beginning of your video. Also, make sure that your video is completed. Make the picture as long as your video. Drag the video so it comes over the Black Box picture. Then just add the "A Letterbox" transition on it. Congratulations your movie is cropped.

You might start of with a bad video, but just keep trying and you will be able to improve on your video skills. The more videos you make, the better you will become. Keep in mind, instead of shooting down other's opinions on your video, learn to accept them and reflect on them. Maybe you will learn something from your audience as well.


Have fun :) also i forgot to say that Action Replay is at EB games best buy and game-stop(i think)

[COLOR="Red"]TILL THEN SEE YA ON LIVE!!![/COLOR

[Penguineon]

here's a tip, if a ghost is boosting at you and you have a sword just before the ghost hits you attack with the sword and whoever is in the ghost dies