| God of the Flame
Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: First Place Posts: 1,515
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http://www.ampedesports.com/news/307...GoW-vs-Halo-2/ Quote: 
March 13, 2007 - When Gears of War (GoW) fell through my letterbox a day before the UK release in mid November I was excited as hell. Despite the US having nearly a week’s headstart on me since “emergence day”, I was addicted and leapt into the campaign mode. Storming my way through, either on my own or with whoever I could get to hop in on Co-Op I completed it by the weekend twice. Resting on my victory, I started to play MP against friends and soon realised how immersive it was. Now, nearly four months on the game has topped popularity tables, MLG has hosted two huge online MLG tournaments, is currently hosting two more and hints at picking the game up for 2007 season and Epic have just released two free maps. What does this all mean for eSports?
Popularity
One of the things that drove Halo 2’s competitive play was its unwavering “fan-boi” faith. Despite the game being 2 years old at the start of November 2006, it was still at the top of the Xbox live’s most played game. This popularity manifested itself on the tournament scene, with the 2006 season opener smashing all previous records of numbers attending. Gears of War tops Halo 2 on Xbox Live, but what about competitively?
144 teams battled it out in April 2006 at the Meadowlands for the 2006 Season Opener title, smashing the previous team record of 80ish in the 2005 season. If anything can be said about competitive Halo 2 play over the lifespan of the game, it can be seen that it is growing. Not only is it growing, but its popularity is a sure fire way to send the title into the MLG 2007 season.
But does GoW have the same mass following? Many were sceptical at first, and with the right reason. Competitive shooter fans have been waiting for the next mass title to hit the 360, paving the way for the next gen console to break into the MLG scene. Fans (me included) were let down by titles such as Call of Duty 2 failing to live up to its PC ability, and Rare’s release title Perfect Dark Zero. Throughout the 360’s lifespan, others have been hailing every shooter as the next competitive title. Games like Ghost Recon Advanced Warrior, Quake 4 and Prey have all had a fan base claiming it is the next competitive title, but nothing to rival Halo 2.
GoW was the first shooter to break the dominance of Halo 2, helped by the fact it sold over 1million copies in the first fortnight it was out in the US alone. Personally the game did better than I anticipated, and I think a lot of people are feeling the same. When the game topped Halo 2 on MajorNelson’s blog as the most played game on live of December I started to see how big this game was becoming. Despite its popularity, MLG has made no annoncement as to whether it would be played on LAN at the upcoming 2007 Season Opener.
Threads appeared on competitive console forums like “will everyone get off of GoW and back on H2!” along side “GoW glitches, tips, tactics”. In Yellow pages and team recruitment forums, players were looking for scrims or players to enlist into their team. A fever took the competitive console scene, as finally a game with a mass following had come out, and people wanted to play.
The demand for play was soon grouped into MLG and GameStop’s first online GoW tournament, launched alongside the Halo 2 online tournament. At first the GoW tournament had a second place to the Halo 2 tournaments. Although there was a bigger prize at stake, MLG put more emphasis into how the Halo 2 Tournaments separated the Pro’s. This all changed however, when the 80slots were filled in 1 day as word spread and 50 teams put their names down on the waiting list. MLG saw how big this was, and made a bold change. Doubling the number of teams in the first tournament, MLG also hosted a 2nd online tournament which in turn was filled with 180 teams by the 1/8/07, only a few days after it was opened. 2 online tournaments, each with 180 teams fighting for the crown. So why are so many people entering? The simple reason is that they don’t know who is the best; the appeal of becoming the new OGRE twins, Walshy, ShocKWav3 or any other Halo 2 pro; the fact that it’s a blank slate and a fresh start. Its also been shown that Halo 2 pro's are not dominating at Gears of War, with LGD (relatively unknown players) winning both online tournaments.
How much skill is needed for GoW?
A multiplayer map with a train? Wonder where they got that idea...
Just because a game is popular, doesn’t mean it is competitive. It is a long time in the future until we see a World of Warcraft competitive tournament. Despite me getting the game a week later than my US friends, and spending the first week or so playing SP when I jumped into my first MP game it took me less than 40minutes to understand how to play the game. The fact it is easy to pick up is a great appeal to new comers. However just because it is easy to pick up doesn’t mean you can’t excel in the game after countless experience. What seems like a good idea at the start soon turns into a suicide; trying to chainsaw someone who has seen you. Things that may seem stupid, are suddenly found to be hugely useful; using a grenade at point blank range. The growth of GoW’s learning curve starts out flat for new people to pick up, but I believe will take a large amount of time for players and teams to reach their peak. For me this sparks the belief that GoW’s competitive lifespan could indeed rival Halo 2’s.
One of the fundamental complaints about Halo 2 when it first came out, was the lack of individual skill that was needed to play the game competitively. The large amounts of Auto Aim meant players were not rewarded with accuracy. The huge host advantage even on LAN was complained about by players. However one thing that Halo 2 did do, was show how essential teamwork can be. In a 1v1 fight, if you’re down a shot already (ie the opposition started shooting first) the massive amount of auto aim meant among good players they would rarely miss and finish you off. Only the best strafes could beat good Battle Rifle shots. However, via team shooting team mates could help each other out and turn those fights around. This team shooting soon fed into the development of teamwork and showed how important team chemistry is. With the 2006 rules for Halo 2, teams could no longer just get good players together and plough through a tournament. Teams started to stick together for much longer. Some people place this on the fact that in 2005 if a certain team member could not attend due to money issues then teams had to find new lineups. Compared to 2006 where if you were ranked top 16 you received a travel bursary. Regardless of that, teams still stuck together and focused on teamwork. Why am I putting emphasis on teamwork? Because the mark of a true team game, is teamwork. Teams that can work together well, get large number of assists, communicate well and control the map/key weapons would win Halo 2.In GoW it is the exact same. Epic have put a lot of emphasis into making the MP a team game. Players are forced to work together even more so, as team shooting is essential in GoW. 1 Player cannot go rushing off on his own, pick up a key weapon and get all 4 kills in a few seconds in GoW. The rules set that competitive players have decided works well is execution. For those who are not familiar to GoW, when you are hit enough you go “down” to your hands and knees. From there in execution you literally bash A to get back up (always reminds me of International Track and Field that part). However while you are down you are at the mercy of the opposition unless your teammates can heal you. Hence running off on your own is a guaranteed suicide. Once you are down, in execution you can only be killed by certain methods. The ever famous Curbstomp, necksnap (a simple melee), pistol style execution shot to the head or a chainsaw. Therefore, it is clearly in teams best interests to stick together to avoid getting killed, and on the odd chance someone is downed they can be easily pulled back up again with a “revive” from team mates. 
Halo 2's Warlock Arena - Teamwork at its best.
Also, the decision to go running off to go curb stomp and enemy who is downed should not be taken lightly. Any good player who is downed will be surrounded by teammates. The opposition must clearly advance and isolate downed players to be finished off.
Where am I going with this? The main point is that what has made Halo 2 such a successful game in team play (through what some people still complain as flaws), is apparent in GoW. Unlike in Halo 2, where the emergence of team play came from an the development of the game, GoW has been developed from the ground up by Epic with 1 thing in mind: Teamwork. Halo 2’s teamwork style is essential to play, but as the game doesn’t revolve around this central factor some players are screaming from the rooftop in threads on forums that GoW’s teamwork element is so much better. After playing the game for a while online, and then returning to Halo 2, I’d have to agree. Teamwork is what makes a competitive teamshooter. Although Halo 2 needs teamwork, I’d argue that GoW needs it just that much more.
But what about individual skill? Players and other fans who watch pro gaming being streamed live just love it when 1 player does something amazingly clutch or skilful. In Halo 2 a simplistic medal system was implemented. Get a kill with a sniper? Have a sniper medal. Kill 2 people within 4 seconds? Have a double kill medal. At the end of the game, players can see how many medals they received, and what type of medals they got. Although this seems silly, it forms the basis for what is seen as individual skill. Primarily in shooters I would say there are 2 main ways you can be skilful; Hard kills with key weapons and getting clutch kills.
In Halo 2, numerous of the weapons are hard to use, and yet when pulled off provide a great sense of satisfaction. Examples include headshot with a sniper or a “beat down” with an Objective item (infact one of my favourite way to kill someone is pounding their face in with “the Skull” in the gametype Oddball). Halo 2 or Gears of War?
 Gears of War
• Gears of War sales hit 3million within 10weeks of release
• Free maps dowwnloaded 750,000 times within 4 days
• Average Review Rating of 9.3
Halo 2
• Most played game on xbox live each month, for 25months running.
• Currently MLG's chosen First Person Shooter Title
But as we already mentioned, Halo 2’s huge amount of auto aim takes a lot of this skill away. The notorious sweep snipe where players abuse Halo 2’s poor netcode to sweep their reticle across the head and pull the trigger to guarantee a headshot. The lunge on the melee’s mean that the majority of the skill is taken out of beating down oppositions with objective items. As already mentioned, many people believe that Halo 2’s skill level is low. Numerous arguments are found on forums about how Halo 1 took more skill. In comparison GoW’s skill level with key weapons is a lot more skilful. The sniper rifle compared to Halo 2’s requires a huge amount of skill. The fact that there is very little auto aim means getting a headshot is essential. The fact that it is a single shot rifle, means a risk v reward situation – if you miss, you’re screwed while you frantically reload unless teammates are there to save your bacon (another example of teamwork). The torque bow (another key weapon) requires large amounts of skill also through its risk v reward scenario – in this case it has to charge up before you fire, and has one of the smallest reticles. GoW’s version of a rocket launcher (the Boomshot) has a slight dip which players must compensate for via experience, plus the fact that it is a single shot weapon. So why is GoW’s individual skill better than Halo 2’s? Because in my opinion the weapons are harder to use. As I mentioned before, when you’re “downed” in GoW you are susceptible to being killed. However, certain weapons (namely those mentioned above) can kill in 1 hit, even in execution. Admittedly, you can’t revive a team mate who’s just had his face caved in by a sniper round.
All of the GoW weapons, usually present you with a risk v reward scenario. Can you handle the pressure of using that weapon? What if you miss? Certain players in the pro Halo 2 circuit are seemed as being clutch. In my opinion, two players stand out among the rest as being able to pull great plays off when needed – Gh057ayame from team Carbon and Saiyan 2005 National Champion of Team 3D. In Halo 2 the ability to be clutch can turn games around. Retaking map control in a CTF, breaking in and stealing the ball or getting numerous kills with a key weapon in a Team Slayer. Being clutch is what can turn games around in Halo 2, and that’s what makes a competitive title. What about in GoW? Countless times have players come up clutch and not only with key weapons, but when on their own with nothing but a Lancer (assault rifle you spawn with) and a shotgun (The other gun you spawn with). I’ve found myself in situations where all my team is dead, and all I have is a sniper rifle and I’m 1v3. Ok its not like I’ve done clutch and skilful play all the time and won every time I’ve been outnumbered, but in GoW that’s one thing you can do if your skilful. Players can be on the brink of defeat, outnumbered 4v1 and still get all 4 kills and win the game. Players can grab key weapons and work magic to win against the odds. Not always does it happen but it does, a fine example of GoW’s clutch play.
The new free map from Epic; Raven Down.
Overall, this article heavily favours GoW to overtake Halo 2 as the next competitive title. But there are some factors that haven’t been taken into account. GoW is fairly glitchy, especially with its death animations. I once received a boomshot rocket to the face, and survived because the game makes you invincible when curbstomping someone. Despite the recent patch the game is still a bit glitchy. Halo 2 also has proven that along side other competitive titles like CoD2 and Counterstrike that its fanbase will never truly die out.
GoW is only 3 months old, and could soon unexplainably die off with such upcoming shooters like GRAW 2 or the release of the new Halo 2 maps. Finally, GoW may not have enough numbers attending LAN events. MLG or other companies could add it to their roster, only to have to remove it due to lack of attendees. Similar to Project Gotham Racing and Tekken.
If you own a 360 and haven’t got a copy of GoW I strongly advise you to go buy one. GoW not only combines great SP with amazingly competitive MP but does so with style. However, only time will tell as to whether this title will actually dethrone the King that is Halo 2 |
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Originally Posted by Brutal Irken I look like the Grinch.  |     |