Melee fix coming to Halo 3 this week
by Justin McElroy 
{ Feb 18th 2008 at 12:45PM }
Now though, it seems that after working with pros from the MLG, Bungie has corrected the issue, and will be passing the fix along in an autoupdate sometime this week. Speaking as hopeless romantics who still tear up when we see two armored soldiers put swords through each other, we couldn't be more pleased.
[Via OXM]
[Update: Unsurprisingly, the melee problem is a bit more complicated than we make it out to be here. If you'd like a disturbingly thorough understanding of the issue check this out.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
cortinator @ Feb 18th 2008 12:53PM
I feel as if I am the only one that enjoys the game :(
itsburnsie @ Feb 18th 2008 12:54PM
No, it's just become popular to hate Halo 3, much as it used to be popular to hate the PS3.
I play regularly, and still enjoy every minute of it.
Shmil @ Feb 18th 2008 12:56PM
no you're not
i still love halo 3
halo 3 > cod4 imo
they're just two different games, one is a war simulator
the other is halo
Huey2k2 @ Feb 18th 2008 12:59PM
I'm not sure I would call COD4 a war "simulator" it's a very arcadeish game at its core.
karmaghost @ Feb 18th 2008 1:19PM
@itsburnsie: Really? I thought it was still popular to hate the PS3.
ExMcloud @ Feb 18th 2008 1:23PM
Your definitely not th only one...Actually a lot of people love Halo...But no one will confess their love because they wanna be faces in the crowd....lol.
Halo 3 > COD 4 IMO also
But COD 4 is a hell of a game...I'd still play Halo 3 first way more options
Mr.ESC @ Feb 18th 2008 2:04PM
Well I loved the single player mode but the multiplayer still sucks.
Don't get me wrong, the multiplayer mode in Halo 3 is good but not great like COD4 or awesome in every sense of the word like TF2.
Halo 3 is enjoyable but the multiplayer mode is constantly dragged down by its retarded community, stupid players,n00bs,lack of strategy whatsoever and the fact that matchmaking ignores the fact that the game counts with more modes than CTF, Team Slayer and territories, hell I don’t remember when was the last time I played oddball.
Not to mention that building in forge controls are awkward.
Other than that Halo 3 is great is just that when you have access to stuff like Tf2 and Cod4 is not that great,still good tho'
Also why the hell Friendly fire is allowed in Halo 3?
Mr.ESC @ Feb 18th 2008 2:22PM
Not to mention that building in forge controls are awkward.
ops I meant Forge controls are awkward.
Shmil @ Feb 18th 2008 2:47PM
@Mr. Esc
well typically i just mute all other players when i play online and i'll say that has made gameplay better since i stick to simple team slayers and lone wolves
other than that splitscreen multiplay is always a blast
as for forge: i've found that once you can get used to some of the controls you can have fun time, my friend and i empty out foundry and have a normal player fend for themselves as the other tries to splatter them with fences, signs, vehicles, blocks, etc.
Trev @ Feb 18th 2008 12:53PM
Ha. And I thought it was because I was just terrible with the melee timing...
...oh wait, it was. This patch isn't going to save me.
dan stabbingworth @ Feb 18th 2008 12:59PM
Switch to boxer. I rarely lose melee contests.
Justin B @ Feb 18th 2008 2:31PM
Read Bungie's article, as Justin McElroy's description of the change is completely and absolutely wrong.
FraGNeM @ Feb 18th 2008 2:42PM
The above joystick summary is wrong in assuming that the old melee gave the host an advantage.
That is how things worked in Halo 2, and stupidly, a lot of people prefer this way -- Bungie changed the melee because they refused to give so much preference to low-ping players, namely the host.
This change allowed certain laggy situations to frustrate players as they would appear to bash first and lose in a melee fight. This is because a high-ping player had a BETTER chance than before of competing with a host in a melee battle. So it really did make thing more fair -- the player with less health loses if both players hit "at the same time".
Now with the change, Bungie's added a buffer such that if both players can be killed by the melee attack, both die, even if one player's health is lower than another. If one player has clearly much more health than another, he will win.
Bungie explains it in more detail here:
http://tinyurl.com/2ljj86
Vidikron (FU) @ Feb 18th 2008 3:13PM
" If one player has clearly much more health than another, he will win."
That's still stupid. If you both attack at the same time then both should take the full damage of the melee attack regardless of health. That's the only way that makes any logical sense.
alu @ Feb 18th 2008 3:45PM
you will still take full damage. recall that melee's are only 1 hit kills (while enemy's health at 100%) from behind.
Bungie's description is about in melee contests which are when both people are facing each other.
Andy Man @ Feb 18th 2008 12:54PM
Excellent. This drives me nuts. Nevermind, I was nuts before halo 3.
Hey Cortinator, I enjoy the game as well.
Brian Fantana @ Feb 18th 2008 12:56PM
About fucking time!!!!!!!!!11
dan stabbingworth @ Feb 18th 2008 12:58PM
Not to nerd out here, but the host advantage was in Halo 2.
Halo 3 gives a grace period for the non-host player to transmit the melee action, and then if it is in a certain window, the two melees are considered simultaneous, and the player with more life has the advantage.
Regardless, I think both players dying is a much better solution, and adds a new strategy to one-sided gametypes where the defense can just toss their life away knowing they'll spawn right back at the base, while the other side has to avoid dying or risk starting at the farthest point from the base.
Sam Zebian @ Feb 18th 2008 1:06PM
If bungie implemented that, people would go nuts. The whole aspect of the multiplayer would be ruined. Just imagine everyone bashing each other, and everyone dying at the same time. It's not a good idea for halo.
dan stabbingworth @ Feb 18th 2008 1:32PM
That is what they're implementing. And I think it will add a much needed "don't fucking rush into a gunfight" mentality. Well, probably not, but hopefully.
Mr.ESC @ Feb 18th 2008 2:14PM
"don't fucking rush into a gunfight" mentality.
The thing is that Halo is about rushing into the fucking gunfight, is not TF2 or anything.
Halo 3 is about getting the bigger gun then pwn and finally teabag.
For example everyone goes for the freaking hammer of rocket launcher, stop them once they got it is pretty damn hard if you don't have the right weapon. not to mention that most Halo 3 weapons are useless, like the flamethrower, yeah it kills everything it touches but its range is ridiculously small.
Bungie should remove friendly fire, then add some dog fight mode using the hornet and the banshees and introduce some classes like Sniper, Spy, Pyro,Solider,Heavy, Demoman, Medic, Scout, Civil, and Engineer and if they want some new classes like the architect and the Beekeeper.
Justin B @ Feb 18th 2008 2:27PM
I wouldn't calling it "nerding out". Justin McElroy posted complete and total bullshit in this article that isn't even remotely close to reality. There is a melee change coming sure, but it is absolutely nothing like what he described.
CB @ Feb 18th 2008 3:39PM
Agreed, dan.
samfish @ Feb 18th 2008 1:04PM
Brutal Kissing...tea-bagging and face humping...
There's some definite homo-erotic tendencies in Halo, aren't there?
Clutch_beast @ Feb 18th 2008 1:06PM
Took them long enough. My university connection settings don't allow me to host, so this has been a source of great annoyance.
Justin B @ Feb 18th 2008 2:37PM
Actually the host advantage has always been eliminated in Halo 3, unless your ping is worse than 100ms. Justin McElroy's description of the change in the article is absolutely wrong.
mark @ Feb 18th 2008 1:43PM
can't wait for some 50-50 ties in team slayer
SP @ Feb 18th 2008 1:27PM
When I click onto the "Inside Bungie" link you provided, I fail to see any mention of the melee fix coming this week.
Justin B @ Feb 18th 2008 2:31PM
Yes you're right, his links are completely wrong, in addition to the fact that his description of the change is absolutely wrong. This article is so poorly thrown together.
Here's the real Bungie news post:
http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=13233
Obie @ Feb 18th 2008 1:28PM
Meh....goes back to COD4.
xGeneral DEATHx @ Feb 18th 2008 1:42PM
Second that...I enjoy Halo custom games where you can set the game up so it's not a "rush to the n00b cannon" type of game, but for online matchmaking, CoD4 FTW.
*Loads up G3 and M4 for Team Hardcore DM*
Mr.ESC @ Feb 18th 2008 2:16PM
TF2>COD4>Halo3.
There,you all have seen the undeniable truth.
Ryan @ Feb 18th 2008 2:45PM
OMG YOU ARE SO COOL BECUZ YOU DON'T LOV3 T3H HAL0Z UR SUCH A REBEL LIKE FONZI NOT LIKE EVERY1 ELSE WHO IS JUST TEH DUMBZ SH33PZ!!!!1111 kekekekekkekeke
Vince @ Feb 18th 2008 1:32PM
it's not host advantage. that was halo 2. this one is "life advantage" which is just stupid.
BJ Moneyheffer @ Feb 18th 2008 1:44PM
I stabbed a card board box with a screw driver for 45 minutes last night
Jake11 @ Feb 18th 2008 2:38PM
that's fantastic
deaftly @ Feb 18th 2008 1:44PM
Halo3 rucking fools
mundox @ Feb 18th 2008 1:53PM
I like halo3 and all but it's "just another fps". Will play it if my 360 comes back from the dead someday. I still prefer my FPSes mouse+keyboarded.
ps: when did hating the ps3 stop being popular?
mikey d @ Feb 18th 2008 2:11PM
it stopped being popular this weekend when hd dvd bit the dust and blu ray won the battle.
I'm very happy with my 360, but i'll be buying a ps3 as its the best blu ray player out there.. and now I can play MGS4!
Mr.ESC @ Feb 18th 2008 2:20PM
The truth is that the Ps3 isn't that bad but here it supports sucks yet if they manage to bring a PS3 bundle with MGS4 I'll buy it.
I really don't give a crap about the blu-ray but its nice.
I'll buy a HD-DVD addon for the xbox 360 once they hit the bargain bin.
FraGNeM @ Feb 18th 2008 2:21PM
Now I suppose we can only make fun of it for not being popular primarily as a gaming machine.
Brian Fantana @ Feb 18th 2008 2:52PM
Yo, Mikey D. PS3 the best BLU RAY player out there? HUH?
Why, cause it also plays games? The PS3 has the cheapest Blu Ray drive they make in it. And the video and audio quality is worse than any stand alone player on the market.
Vidikron (FU) @ Feb 18th 2008 3:17PM
@Brian Fantana
That's BS. The video quality is great. There might be a standalone or two out there with better video quality, but let's be realistic, at this point the video quality differences between players is very small to the point most people won't even notice. You're more likely to find your video quality affected more by the quality of your display than the actual player. Besides, the PS3 is still the only 2.0 compliant BR player on the market. That's a HUGE plus in its favor.
natsfan7 @ Feb 18th 2008 2:04PM
I don't really want them to change halo3 too much cause it is a hell of a lot of fun; but who knows maybe it is for the best.
PS- To the first guy; I still really enjoy halo and think it is slightly bet than cod4.
Justin B @ Feb 18th 2008 2:25PM
It was so nice of Justin McElroy to post such a blatantly false article. The actual changes they are making are absolutely nothing like what he described.
dan stabbingworth @ Feb 18th 2008 2:31PM
All he did was copy the details from the OXM article in the read link.
Seriously, cry me a river. Go start your own blog if you can't handle a minor error.
Justin B @ Feb 18th 2008 2:37PM
"All he did was copy the details from the OXM article in the read link."
If that were true, I might be more forgiving. But it isn't. The OXM article doesn't mention anything about what the actual change does. I don't know where Justin McElroy got his information from, but its wrong.
"Seriously, cry me a river. Go start your own blog if you can't handle a minor error."
I'm just pointing out the facts here. Is there a problem?
Doug @ Feb 18th 2008 2:53PM
So far everyone has summarized the Halo 3 melee problem wrong, starting with Joystiq, so here's the real story:
As it currently stands, the player with the greater health wins the melee every time, even if he hits second. The desperate Halo 3 player with low shields trying to "move in for the kill" on a pursuing player always loses, because his shields/health is lower.
Most people find this unfair, because initiative and skill should factor into the equation, but currently it doesn't. It's a straight, who-has-higher-shields-wins-the-melee.
Bungie is fixing it so that you have to have a WAY higher shield/health ratio to survive a melee battle. If both players are close to the same ratio, and both players melee at the same time, both players will die. This system takes into account lag & hosting issues, but the news of this update is that you can now get the jump on a healthier player and kill him with melee, whereas before you couldn't.
CB @ Feb 18th 2008 3:40PM
This was like the main reason I don't play H3 anymore. Maybe I'll give it a go again.
umm....hello??? @ Feb 18th 2008 3:47PM
ironic that I finally have CoD4 and most of the ppl on my friend's list that were playing CoD4 are now playing Halo3 again....although now I can play both games no matter what!!
am looking forward to the fix--I only read Joystiq's post to see how witty McElroy was going to be--but I already read the extremely detailed bungie post last Friday night which is when they update their Halo3 news...