In the most recent issue of Time Magazine, Bill Gates just happened to talk a little about MS best selling series Halo. In his comments he mentions that Halo 3 could be released to combat the console release of the PS3 from Sony. Could this be the game that single handedly takes down the gaming giant? Gate's Quote
"Note to the hard-core faithful: the next version of Halo will not, repeat not, be ready in time for the launch of Xbox 360. It will be part of the all-important second wave next spring. 'It's perfect,' Gates says, radiant with bloodlust. 'The day Sony launches [the new PlayStation], and they walk right into Halo 3."

While no one at MS has commented on this, many believe it would be the pefect tool to fend off potential Sony buyers. While it could be just a ploy to keep Sony shaking in thier boots it is almost certain we will have a Halo 3.

The old school 2old2play members know this little yellow guy very well. I'm sure many of us bugged our parents endlessly for quarters, gathered up all the pennies, nickels, and dimes we could to exchange them for quarters, and of course were more than excited to go out to eat with our parents to restaurants that had Pac Man in the waiting area. I know it took me about 5 minutes to eat my meal and then start acting like a pit bull tied to a chain with a slab of steak only a few feet away.

I was lucky enough that my small town had 2 Pac Man machines, one at the Pizza Hut and one at the Dairy Queen. I was also lucky enough to be 13 years old with 2 parents that worked which allowed me to ride my bike to the Dairy Queen damn near every day just to get my fix and ensure my initials were virtually carved into the leader board. I dared not waste my money on the chocolate sundaes or even a small ice cream cone.

Pac Man was a great tool to teach us important life experiences. It taught us the value of money and you should make every penny last as long as possible to get greater value out of it or that the smallest kid would always give up his quarters if cornered by a larger group of big kids. It taught us patience to wait in line while others took their turn, great for when you have to go to any local government office to pick something up. It gave us stronger wrists and hands for better hand-eye coordination which was perfect timing for those of us going into puberty and discovering Hustler magazine. And most importantly, it taught us how to call "next" with our quarters which is invaluable in any pool hall.

Yes, Pac Man was and still is a great game for any generation to enjoy, but it holds a special place in the Gen-X group. So, Happy 25th Pac Man! And yes, had the original name "Puck Man" stuck with it, we would've defaced the hell out of every game stand out there (must read story to understand).

CNN Money has a great article on Pac Man; anyone that enjoyed Pac Man should read it.

Pac Man From CNN

- T3

Gamespot is reporting that Gamestop has started taking pre-orders for Halo 3. the price? $60 + an X360. In between the usual X360 vs PS3 stuff about Gates lobbing something at Sony's crotch, you'll find the target release date is June 2006.

Here's a LINK. There's lots of X360 game news, and a mention that the folks at Bungie will not work on anything new for Halo 2 after the July release of maps. Opinion
My only concern here is the launch date of the game. If we are to belive Microsoft, Halo 3 will not launch until at least six months after the X360. Putting the whole PS3/X360 thing aside, this seems like a hell of a delay. Xbox sales will undoubtedly be hurt by the upcoming X360 as well as the news that as yet there are no games with confirmed backwards compatibility. So if I, say, were looking to get into Halo, what do I do? Do I buy an Xbox knowing that in less than 6 months my investment will be shot to hell by the new X360, which won't play my copy of Halo anyway, or do I wait and then get an X360 and hope that by then the backwards compatability extends to a version of Halo for the X360.

On top of that, if my Halo is re-versioned for the X360, it will likely look better than on regular Xbox, so what is going to make me want to dive at Halo 3?

It seems to me that the strategy here is muddled. MD needs to launch a slim line, lower cost Xbox to drive present sales in spite of the upcoming new console. They need to confirm, now, that Halo will be available, on the X360 backwards compatible from day 1. And finally Halo 3 needs to kick ass, and have something new and interesting enough to pull in the punters.

Ok, that's my opinion as a non-Halo, non-Xbox owner. For the record I would rather X360 is successful as competition drives the market to better products and cheaper prices. With Nintendo basically giving up on the next generation, Microsoft and Sony are the only game in town. Sony needs X360 to rock, just as Microsoft need the PS3 to kick butt.

Regarding Halo 3, what do you think? Read the article, it's interesting, even if it's just the first Halo 3 sighting...

(am I the only one wondering whether Gamestop = Gamspot?)

- Highlander

Our illustrious overlords of Halo 2, Bungie, released 4 new maps early in the morning on Monday April 25, 2005. Two of the maps were free, brought to you by Mountain Dew. These maps were the gigantic Containment and a remake of Halo 1 Wizard, called Warlock. The two other maps, the beautiful but deadly Sanctuary and the streets of South Central where the Bloods and Crips have at it, Turf, will cost you $5.99. Sanctuary and Turf are well worth the cost of “two Frappuccino’s” as several 2o2p guys put it. So, don’t be a cheap bastard, buy the maps. If you are going to be a cheap bastard, the maps are available for free on June 28, but everyone else will know the maps inside and out and you will get pwned on a consistent basis. Shouldn’t be anything new for you cheap bastards anyway… On to the maps…

Warlock
This map is Wizard from Halo 1 with an extreme makeover. To date, it is the least favorite of the 4 new maps. We didn’t really like Wizard and we were sure we wouldn’t like Warlock. The map is a small circle with 4 bases, 4 ramps, 2 teleporters, and a center platform. Weapon balance is even for each team. However, if you don’t act fast, you’ll be stuck with the default SMG until you can find some poor bastard that got fragged and pick up his weapon, which shouldn’t be too long. Facing the center platform from your base you’ll find a battle rifle on the platform directly in front of you, off to the right near the air lift you’ll find a shotgun, underneath the ramp/platform you’ll find a needler, and directly to the left you’ll find a plasma rifle. Plasma (very useful on this map) and frag grenades can be found between the main base and ramp/platform. There is a cammo power-up in the center platform.

The map is extremely balanced as far as weapons are concerned. However, the Blue team has a big advantage due to the fact the map is very dark in a lot of places. It is very difficult to see the Blue team on this map and they’ll usually get a few shots off before you even know where the bullets are coming from.

Suggested game types for Warlock:

4v4v4v4 Neutral Bomb with a 10 second timer – freaking insane is all we can say about this game type. It’s great to find the enemy planting the bomb in someone’s base, kill them, and then plant the bomb for your team. It’s total chaos because ¾ of the time you have no clue as to where the bomb is.

Slayer – Should be good for Rumble Pit matchmaking. Grey and Blue armored soldiers will have a big advantage over the bright colored armors.

4v4v4v4 Neutral Flag – It’s almost worth just hanging out at your base and waiting for a passing team with the flag, killing them, and capping the flag. Flag tossing is the key to this map. Don’t waste your time going up the air lift or ramp, toss it to someone waiting at the cap point.

Containment
Newly designed map shaped like a S. This map is HUGE. How many boobies could fill up containment? The world may never know. WARNING: DO NOT play this map on one of those self power generating Gamercycle that are out for the Xbox. Beating Lance Armstrong at the Tour De France would be easier. Get the idea yet? FREAKIN’ HUGE!!!

Ok, enough about how big it is ladies you can stop drooling, we’re talking about maps here… There are 2 bases at each end of this snowy map. They appear to be well fortified, but there are numerous ways into the base. Each base starts off with a Puma, Banshee, and Tank. Each base has a large door which can be opened via a button that is outside of the base in a small tower. The military genius who thought up this design is way ahead of his time. If the button was inside, who’d want to leave opening the gate to the base to the janitor when you’re retreating from the enemy? That’s right, put the button outside so everyone can open the gate, oh wait….err. There is a teleporter near the flag/bomb site point. This teleporter will take you to the tower in front of the base. There are 2 cave entrances on each side of the base which the enemy can use. You can’t drive a warthog into either of these entrances. The only way the enemy can get a tank or warthog into the base is by opening the gate. There are also large ramps in front of the base that foot soldiers can use to infiltrate your base. There are plenty of weapons to go around. There are rockets in the middle of each map off to the side with ammo near by. The sniper rifle is in front of the base underneath the ramp near the mountain side. There is a gun turret near the gate entrance and a battle rifle near by. There are three bridges in the middle of the map for vehicle crossings and underneath the middle bridge is the over shield power-up. Each base has a cammo power-up directly in front of their base between a couple of rocks. There are also these large fusion cores that act like land mines scattered throughout the middle of the map. Shoot one of these when an enemy vehicle or soldier is near by and they’ll go down.

The map plays very well and is a favorite among the 2o2p guys. In CTF games we’ve learned you really need to guard the teleporter entrance to have a healthy defense. Using a tank or warthog really helps. The flag is so close to the teleporter that if a warthog is waiting at the exit and the enemy gets the flag out there, it’s gone. So a lot of teamwork is required to make a good get away. The map is very balanced as each team has access to the same amount of weapons, including super weapons.

Suggested game types for Containment:

1 CTF – Requires a lot of team work to get a score. You can get lucky with a quick Banshee drop to grab the flag, but most people are aware of that tactic now. Defenders need to concentrate on blocking the teleporter, side entrances, and the ramps coming up from the front of the base.

MultiFlag CTF – a bit easier to score on since it is harder for a handful of people to defend such a large base Assault - The plant circle is fairly large, so you better find that bomb and keep the enemy away.

Suggested game type if you’re crazy:

KOTH – moving hill, omfg. The hill icon blends in with the snow too damn well. Half the time you’re trying to squint your eyes to figure out where the hell the hill is. You usually won’t see it until someone is occupying the hill. Still a very fun game despite the indicator blending in with the map.

Turf
I am a nightmare walkin, psychopath talkin
King of my jungle just a gangster stalkin
Livin life like a firecracker quick is my fuse
Then dead as a deathpack the colors I choose
Red or Blue, Cuz or Blood, it just don't matter
Sucka die for your life when my shotgun scatters
We gangs of L.A. will never die - just multiply

Man, you better be packing some heavy heat on the mean streets of Turf. You never know what is going to hit you when you round that corner. There could be some sucka hiding on a roof, behind a container, or waiting around the corner with the rest of his crew waiting to cap yo’ ass. This map is completely urban. If you’re a close corridors combat freak, then stick to the alley ways on this map. There is one open space, the main street where a medic tent starts at one end and the warthog spawns at the other. You can jump onto roofs, jump over allies, hide behind containers, just be a sneaky smacktard. Weapons are scattered throughout the map with the Brute plasma rifle making an appearance. You’ll find a shotgun, sniper rifle, brute shot, grenades, pistols, battle rifles, and plasma rifles scattered throughout the map.

The game pace is fast and furious. You better think 3D at all times on this map because you never know where the bullets are going to come flying from. Great map for slayer, oddball, and territories games. If you do get thirsty, there is a cockbite soda machine in the warehouse.

Suggested game types for Turf:

Slayer – Even though it’s every man for himself, this map makes it feel like everyone versus you.

Team Slayer - Better run in packs. Nothing will make you turn tail and run like rounding a corner and seeing 5 enemy soldiers rolling hard

Territories with 3 teams – Complete insanity, holding 1 territory is a nightmare, try holding 2. We saw a team with 2 seconds left to win lose while a team that was 1 minute behind got the win. That’s how tuff it can be.

Oddball – Trying to figure out where the ball is can be frustrating since there are so many routes the ball carrier could be taking

Sanctuary
This map is amazing and I’ve really enjoyed all the game types I’ve played on it so far. Bravo Bungie, Bravo. This map is set in a garden type environment with stone buildings in ruin, aqueducts, and large rocks. Each base has the flag/bomb site located in a large covered patio like area. Off to the left you’ll find the turret and sniper rifle. The shotgun is towards the back left in a small dark tunnel. Grenades are scattered throughout the map while a sword sits in the middle ruins of the map. The smart players let the sword freaks rush for it while they chunk grenades in there, which makes for some easy double, triple, or killtaculars if the other team is really that stupid. To the right of each base is a somewhat open area with large rocks scattered throughout. The enemy can use it for cover to get into your base, so have some grenades ready to flush them out. The left is a bit easier to get into so a heavier defense should be placed there. They can come at you from the middle ruin which has a wall that protects them from your fire, or they can come at you from the lower rear tunnel, or they can jump up from just to the left. If they come at you from the middle, well that’s just crazy talk because that turret, and everyone else will send them to a spawn countdown instantly.

In 1 CTF games with 16 people the flag can be a bit tough to get at. But once you get it moving it seems impossible to defend and you are assured a cap. So, use some teamwork to find the weak spot in their defense and rush ‘em. This map is really great for just about every game type Bungie has available, whether it’s a small 4v4 or large 8v8, just an excellent well rounded map. I actually can’t think of a game type that would suck on this map.

Suggest games types for Sanctuary:

1 CTF – really fun, tough to get the flag in large games, but easy to get the cap once it’s on the move

Multi-Flag CTF – lots of battles going on in the middle as each teams offense goes for the flag. A bit tougher on the defense to hold such a wide open space with 4 people. Assault – Requires a great amount of teamwork to get a plant against a solid team. The guys that don’t keep a large contingent around the plant point are doomed for failure.

Oddball – Well balanced map where it’s not hard to get some time with skull Slayer or Team Slayer – great map for these game types. Weapon balance is fair, some places to hide while waiting for a good weapon combo

7 lives – we finally have a new map to play this great game type on, no more lockout 7x marathons, we can change it up.

Overall opinion
Great Job Bungie!! The Killtacular map pack is well worth the $5.99. Turf and Sanctuary will go down as some of the best Halo 2 multiplayer maps. If you want to wait until June 28th when these maps will be free, go ahead, but you’ll be in a minority and stuck playing the same old same old for 2 months. I’ve already seen several people being kicked out of custom games. Fortunately they went and got the maps I really would've preferred a new map design over the wizard remake. Maybe a Halo PC map should've been ported, like Danger Canyon or Timberland, if there wasn't time to make a new design. Containment is the bomb though. So, 3 out of 4 ain't bad at all.

I’m also glad Bungie staggered the map release dates. 9 new maps at once would’ve been information overload. These 4 maps are great and will surely give us plenty to do until the next 5 come out. Remember folks, don’t show the new guys the ropes on these new maps. Just load up, play, and let them get pwned. That’s what they get for leaving town during the release (for Mike James of course )

- T3muJin

The old guys from www.2old2play.com got a chance to fly out to L.A. and join the masses at E3 this year. While we did want to see all the new consoles, Next Gen software, and new handhelds, our eyes were always fixed on the Halo 2 kiosk. This was also do to the fact that our old bodies have trouble walking around all those exhibits for so many hours each day. While Bungie didn’t have any new games to show of this year, their numbers certainly didn’t show it. Day one we didn’t have too much trouble getting into the games much to our surprise. My first experience was with Relic and all its dirt covered splendor. Luckily, one of the friendly Bungie employees pointed out some weapons for me that I couldn’t have found on my own. You see, at our age it is sometimes a little hard to see those tiny LCDs and since I didn’t bring my trusty monocle a little help was needed. After seating myself in the comfortable chair that is the ghost’s driver seat I proceeded to drive around the map taking in the sights and trying to kill whatever came in my path.


From what I saw, Relic has a very barren and rocky layout. As much as I was playing the game, I was also trying to take in all the vistas and sounds of the new map. Cover is sparse with rocks lying around the island to provide limited protection. The base seems to be the place were everyone meets up for the real action. A sly player can sit back and pick off others as they fight it out near the top of the base. I for one was killed many times by this very tactic. Not one to take up real gamers time, the 2old2play boys spent the rest of the day licking our wounds and watching the other maps play out from afar.

Gemini, while dark, is amazing to look at. The detail the Bungie team has taken in the set up of this Covenant battle field is more then impressive. The tree has this ominous feel to it while the colors around it are vibrant and eye catching. I almost found it hard to watch the action as I found my eyes focused on the moving doors and multiple levels of this map. Contrary to my concerns as powerful as the sword is, it’s perfectly balanced on Gemini. Since the level is dimly lit, the sword is a dead give-a-way and anyone can layout a field of grenades before being struck down. Also there are many halls to hide in so sneaking up is a huge part of the strategy. I kept seeing the sword go from player to player without very much devastation which is a relief for us old guys.

Thursday it was almost impossible to get near the Halo both. We spent most of the time lurking around the Xbox 360 and trying to sneak peeks into the Halo 2 kiosk but the lines were simply to long. The cool thing was that all the gamers handed over the controller after each game so it seemed as though everyone was getting a chance to play. I caught a glimpse of Elongation and its moving belts but not enough to really report on. Backwash was definitely a highlight of Thursday’s trip the convention. Its layout is perfect for the stealth player who likes to hide out and wait for their enemies. Weasel, a default profile, was owning with the sword bobbing in and out of trees while hacking and slashing his way around the swamp. Again, Bungie has really put a lot into the make up of this map as it seems much more like a level from the campaign then just a map. The structure in the middle provides a place to go when it gets a little to hot and muggy out in the swamp. It also seems to be a great place to throw some grenades if you just passing by. In true 2old2play fashion, our crew was taken apart with ease as we casually walked about the map. In our defense we did not change the default settings so getting owned was already in the cards.


The last day was when we really shined. 2old2play got a change to sit back and watch the PMS gals thoroughly whoop the boys in some great Halo 2 matches. After having an entire week in L.A. playing Halo at our clan mates home we sat back to watch. Waiting for a match or two we finally had our chance to take on some of the girls from PMS and other folk. Our map was Terminal which is by far the best map in the new pack in my opinion. There are just so many places to hide, maneuver, and jump too. The train is an awesome addition to the map as all the power-ups are on the tracks. The sword is a leap of faith that I was lucky enough to complete without breaking any major limbs. The beginning of the match was a little brutal as PMS once again showed us the gender has little to do with skill. My 4 kills and my partners -1 was quickly showing everyone that while gender might not have anything to do with skill, age just might. Lucky for us, we fought back with all the vigor of a Viagra pill. Somehow we pulled off the win with a lucky 18 kills from me and 7 for my partner. The map itself was downright fantastic. Maybe it was the win, but to us Terminal is the perfect edition to the multiplayer realm of Halo 2. With all its nooks and crannies it’s just the perfect map for any gametype.


In the end, we had a great time trying out all the new maps and talking to the Bungie staff. They really are a great group of people and we hope to one day challenge them to a little hump day. If anyone wants some more photos and picks of our E3/Bungie experience click on the link below.

BUNGIE E3 PHOTO GALLERY

EA is showing off the next generation of Madden NFL. Head over to EA Sports Madden 2006 and have a look for yourself. You might want to make a date with ESPN on Draft day. EA & ESPN will preview the game in a 60 second broadcast during the first hour of ESPN's NFL draft coverage. EA are showing two sets of images, some very nice, fully rendered images that look photo-realistic. The second set looks no better than the graphics on the Xbox this year. More features will reportedly be announced soon, but you will be able to 'look off' the defence as QB.

From the Site:
Along with finally providing an answer to the question of which player will be picked first in the 2005 NFL Draft, the first hour of ESPN's Draft coverage on Saturday, April 23, will also give the world its first look at the next generation of videogames -- Madden NFL football will make its next generation debut in a TV ad airing within the first hour of the broadcast, which begins at 12:00pm ET / 9am PT.

The ad, which will run only one time during the broadcast, is a 60-second preview of the photo-realistic graphics and heart-pounding football intensity that is the essence of Madden NFL football -- an experience that will come to life like never before on the next generation of video game consoles. This is the future of Madden NFL football, and if you're a football fan, this is a televised preview that is not to be missed. Set your VCRs or digital video recorders so you can play back the commercial again and again, because you may not believe what you're going to see.

The next generation of Madden NFL football is coming, and you can get your first glimpse on ESPN during the first hour of the 2005 NFL Draft. Don't miss it!

- highlander

Today’s "Quick Impressions" comes from everyone's favorite 2old2play wordsmith Freyn Ap Thyr (aka Bubba). Bubba was kind enough to take a little time from his busy schedule and touch on most of the important aspects of the Auto-Update. Enjoy...
Halo 2 1.1 Auto-Update
The great news of the automatic update was rapidly overshadowed by the news that I will soon have something Halo-related to spend $5.99 on, New Maps! However, letting this tweak to gameplay go without a quick rundown of my impression doesn't seem like something any good gaming site should do.

A complete rundown of the fixes and tweaks is available at:

http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?story=weeklywhatsapril15th&p=30...

so I won't get too far into them here. The general gameplay summary is- Melee and grenades have been nudged to do more damage, dual wielding has been made a bit less reliable at close range. The stated goal of this was to create more equitable fighting options and to increase the number of possible outcomes when I, with a lowly SMG, come up against some dual-wielding psycho spawn camper.

Enough with the descriptions how does it actually work?

The good news for members of the 2Old2Play clan is that now doodirock sucks. Just kidding dood. However, like any tweak to gameplay, the people that will notice it, and be affected by it the most are the ones that have most completely mastered the old skillset. In a series of games played Monday night, some of the most proficient killers in the clan were noticeably absent from the top of the leaderboard. Also note that the lag that Bungie reported would happen was in full-effect. All of the games were played in a murky underwater fashion- but if you count that effect as equal among all participants, then it looks like the better you were, the longer the acclimation period may be to Halo 2 1.1.

Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated change revolved around the much maligned Brute Shot. When H2 shipped and we all got our hands on that fat bastard for the first time, I'm sure we all felt the same way- vastly underwhelmed. The AU promised to change all that. With the nudge to frag and melee damage, and the deliberate boost to the Brute Shot's gorgeous but ineffective scythe, I for one was looking forward to adding a new item to the list of Uber weapons. Fourteen members apparently shared my enthusiasm as it was easy to get consensus for an all Brute Shot Game as soon as we formed up. So how did the new Brutey fare against our expectations? For me, not so well.

Take this from a guy that sucked with the old Brute Shot and who still sucks with the new one. The nudge to frag grenades was not as dramatic as the boost given to plasma grenades (more on this later). It certainly was not enough to make up for my inherent inaccuracy with the Brute. While I could have anticipated that, what jumped out at me the most while fighting with the Brute Shot was the subtlety of the melee adjustments that were made.

Like many of the people I play with, jumping has been relegated to a movement role in Halo 2 and largely deleted from my fighting style. The loopy, predictable parabola and the disadvantage of having to recenter to head level after a jump, have made the closest thing to a cardinal rule in H2 infighting- "don't jump." The melee tweak is going to change that for many. When you consistently get beat down by the Brute's jumping, scythe attack (and lose when you attempt a standing melee with the same weapon), the full extent of the melee tweak is revealed. The jump melee is significantly more powerful. The standing melee has only been bumped a bit. People that can incorporate this advantage will have a new, unconventional weapon that is difficult to counter at their disposal. Imagine a boxer fighting against some wire-flying, John Woo-style badass and you will get the picture.

The other big gameplay mod is grenade damage. The new power of frag grenades is really tough to gauge at first because the boost was small. Additionally, my first impression was that the blast radius is largely unchanged. For example, if I would lose half-my shields at 15' from the frag before, I now lose slightly more, but if I was safe at 25' I am still going to come away untouched. Where the change is really noticeable is in Real War/no-shields games. Forget their utility at mid- and short-range. Frags were always great for that in Real War. Post AU, you can now be a surgeon with them from a long way out.

Because the line between death and damage is so thin in RW anyway, it caused me to rethink my initial impressions of blast radius. A grenade in the vicinity becomes an object of immediate and complete concern. And thanks to the AU you now have less time to react to it as well. The shortened fuse means that if you anticipate where the grenade is landing and try to evade it- and have guessed wrong- you will not have time to get away. The old patterns of movement that may have protected you as you huddled in the base on defense might not work anymore.

My final thoughts are on Plasma Grenades. Get them. Use Them. Love Them. They are now to H2 1.1 what Sam Colt's .45 was to the Old West. The great equalizer of men. Their damage boost is significant. Their fuse after contact is practically non-existent. The days when you could chase down the guy that stuck you and take him with you are a thing of the past. The days when you had to be a marksman to kill with them are gone too. Drop one within a couple of feet of your enemy and the chances are good that they will rapidly become a good enemy. Good and dead. They promise to make KOTH games a Killtacular party for all involved that learn to locate and scoop them up regularly.

Everyone is going to have different opinions about the tweaks. I have not even discussed the impending level-reset, the changes that are supposed to lessen glitching, or any of the other weapon tweaks. For me, the casual player that loves the camaraderie of the game and who is not that concerned with KPD and my matchmaking performance, the AU might have come and gone and I would not have noticed for a few days without the hype. But when I went looking for the changes and thought about the different styles that can flourish post-AU, I am going to give them a hearty thumbs-up.

Freyn Ap Thyr (aka Bubba)

In the most recent issue of Time Magazine, Bill Gates just happened to talk a little about MS best selling series Halo. In his comments he mentions that Halo 3 could be released to combat the console release of the PS3 from Sony. Could this be the game that single handedly takes down the gaming giant? Gate's Quote
"Note to the hard-core faithful: the next version of Halo will not, repeat not, be ready in time for the launch of Xbox 360. It will be part of the all-important second wave next spring. 'It's perfect,' Gates says, radiant with bloodlust. 'The day Sony launches [the new PlayStation], and they walk right into Halo 3."

While no one at MS has commented on this, many believe it would be the pefect tool to fend off potential Sony buyers. While it could be just a ploy to keep Sony shaking in thier boots it is almost certain we will have a Halo 3.

The old school 2old2play members know this little yellow guy very well. I'm sure many of us bugged our parents endlessly for quarters, gathered up all the pennies, nickels, and dimes we could to exchange them for quarters, and of course were more than excited to go out to eat with our parents to restaurants that had Pac Man in the waiting area. I know it took me about 5 minutes to eat my meal and then start acting like a pit bull tied to a chain with a slab of steak only a few feet away.

I was lucky enough that my small town had 2 Pac Man machines, one at the Pizza Hut and one at the Dairy Queen. I was also lucky enough to be 13 years old with 2 parents that worked which allowed me to ride my bike to the Dairy Queen damn near every day just to get my fix and ensure my initials were virtually carved into the leader board. I dared not waste my money on the chocolate sundaes or even a small ice cream cone.

Pac Man was a great tool to teach us important life experiences. It taught us the value of money and you should make every penny last as long as possible to get greater value out of it or that the smallest kid would always give up his quarters if cornered by a larger group of big kids. It taught us patience to wait in line while others took their turn, great for when you have to go to any local government office to pick something up. It gave us stronger wrists and hands for better hand-eye coordination which was perfect timing for those of us going into puberty and discovering Hustler magazine. And most importantly, it taught us how to call "next" with our quarters which is invaluable in any pool hall.

Yes, Pac Man was and still is a great game for any generation to enjoy, but it holds a special place in the Gen-X group. So, Happy 25th Pac Man! And yes, had the original name "Puck Man" stuck with it, we would've defaced the hell out of every game stand out there (must read story to understand).

CNN Money has a great article on Pac Man; anyone that enjoyed Pac Man should read it.

Pac Man From CNN

- T3

Our illustrious overlords of Halo 2, Bungie, released 4 new maps early in the morning on Monday April 25, 2005. Two of the maps were free, brought to you by Mountain Dew. These maps were the gigantic Containment and a remake of Halo 1 Wizard, called Warlock. The two other maps, the beautiful but deadly Sanctuary and the streets of South Central where the Bloods and Crips have at it, Turf, will cost you $5.99. Sanctuary and Turf are well worth the cost of “two Frappuccino’s” as several 2o2p guys put it. So, don’t be a cheap bastard, buy the maps. If you are going to be a cheap bastard, the maps are available for free on June 28, but everyone else will know the maps inside and out and you will get pwned on a consistent basis. Shouldn’t be anything new for you cheap bastards anyway… On to the maps…

Warlock
This map is Wizard from Halo 1 with an extreme makeover. To date, it is the least favorite of the 4 new maps. We didn’t really like Wizard and we were sure we wouldn’t like Warlock. The map is a small circle with 4 bases, 4 ramps, 2 teleporters, and a center platform. Weapon balance is even for each team. However, if you don’t act fast, you’ll be stuck with the default SMG until you can find some poor bastard that got fragged and pick up his weapon, which shouldn’t be too long. Facing the center platform from your base you’ll find a battle rifle on the platform directly in front of you, off to the right near the air lift you’ll find a shotgun, underneath the ramp/platform you’ll find a needler, and directly to the left you’ll find a plasma rifle. Plasma (very useful on this map) and frag grenades can be found between the main base and ramp/platform. There is a cammo power-up in the center platform.

The map is extremely balanced as far as weapons are concerned. However, the Blue team has a big advantage due to the fact the map is very dark in a lot of places. It is very difficult to see the Blue team on this map and they’ll usually get a few shots off before you even know where the bullets are coming from.

Suggested game types for Warlock:

4v4v4v4 Neutral Bomb with a 10 second timer – freaking insane is all we can say about this game type. It’s great to find the enemy planting the bomb in someone’s base, kill them, and then plant the bomb for your team. It’s total chaos because ¾ of the time you have no clue as to where the bomb is.

Slayer – Should be good for Rumble Pit matchmaking. Grey and Blue armored soldiers will have a big advantage over the bright colored armors.

4v4v4v4 Neutral Flag – It’s almost worth just hanging out at your base and waiting for a passing team with the flag, killing them, and capping the flag. Flag tossing is the key to this map. Don’t waste your time going up the air lift or ramp, toss it to someone waiting at the cap point.

Containment
Newly designed map shaped like a S. This map is HUGE. How many boobies could fill up containment? The world may never know. WARNING: DO NOT play this map on one of those self power generating Gamercycle that are out for the Xbox. Beating Lance Armstrong at the Tour De France would be easier. Get the idea yet? FREAKIN’ HUGE!!!

Ok, enough about how big it is ladies you can stop drooling, we’re talking about maps here… There are 2 bases at each end of this snowy map. They appear to be well fortified, but there are numerous ways into the base. Each base starts off with a Puma, Banshee, and Tank. Each base has a large door which can be opened via a button that is outside of the base in a small tower. The military genius who thought up this design is way ahead of his time. If the button was inside, who’d want to leave opening the gate to the base to the janitor when you’re retreating from the enemy? That’s right, put the button outside so everyone can open the gate, oh wait….err. There is a teleporter near the flag/bomb site point. This teleporter will take you to the tower in front of the base. There are 2 cave entrances on each side of the base which the enemy can use. You can’t drive a warthog into either of these entrances. The only way the enemy can get a tank or warthog into the base is by opening the gate. There are also large ramps in front of the base that foot soldiers can use to infiltrate your base. There are plenty of weapons to go around. There are rockets in the middle of each map off to the side with ammo near by. The sniper rifle is in front of the base underneath the ramp near the mountain side. There is a gun turret near the gate entrance and a battle rifle near by. There are three bridges in the middle of the map for vehicle crossings and underneath the middle bridge is the over shield power-up. Each base has a cammo power-up directly in front of their base between a couple of rocks. There are also these large fusion cores that act like land mines scattered throughout the middle of the map. Shoot one of these when an enemy vehicle or soldier is near by and they’ll go down.

The map plays very well and is a favorite among the 2o2p guys. In CTF games we’ve learned you really need to guard the teleporter entrance to have a healthy defense. Using a tank or warthog really helps. The flag is so close to the teleporter that if a warthog is waiting at the exit and the enemy gets the flag out there, it’s gone. So a lot of teamwork is required to make a good get away. The map is very balanced as each team has access to the same amount of weapons, including super weapons.

Suggested game types for Containment:

1 CTF – Requires a lot of team work to get a score. You can get lucky with a quick Banshee drop to grab the flag, but most people are aware of that tactic now. Defenders need to concentrate on blocking the teleporter, side entrances, and the ramps coming up from the front of the base.

MultiFlag CTF – a bit easier to score on since it is harder for a handful of people to defend such a large base Assault - The plant circle is fairly large, so you better find that bomb and keep the enemy away.

Suggested game type if you’re crazy:

KOTH – moving hill, omfg. The hill icon blends in with the snow too damn well. Half the time you’re trying to squint your eyes to figure out where the hell the hill is. You usually won’t see it until someone is occupying the hill. Still a very fun game despite the indicator blending in with the map.

Turf
I am a nightmare walkin, psychopath talkin
King of my jungle just a gangster stalkin
Livin life like a firecracker quick is my fuse
Then dead as a deathpack the colors I choose
Red or Blue, Cuz or Blood, it just don't matter
Sucka die for your life when my shotgun scatters
We gangs of L.A. will never die - just multiply

Man, you better be packing some heavy heat on the mean streets of Turf. You never know what is going to hit you when you round that corner. There could be some sucka hiding on a roof, behind a container, or waiting around the corner with the rest of his crew waiting to cap yo’ ass. This map is completely urban. If you’re a close corridors combat freak, then stick to the alley ways on this map. There is one open space, the main street where a medic tent starts at one end and the warthog spawns at the other. You can jump onto roofs, jump over allies, hide behind containers, just be a sneaky smacktard. Weapons are scattered throughout the map with the Brute plasma rifle making an appearance. You’ll find a shotgun, sniper rifle, brute shot, grenades, pistols, battle rifles, and plasma rifles scattered throughout the map.

The game pace is fast and furious. You better think 3D at all times on this map because you never know where the bullets are going to come flying from. Great map for slayer, oddball, and territories games. If you do get thirsty, there is a cockbite soda machine in the warehouse.

Suggested game types for Turf:

Slayer – Even though it’s every man for himself, this map makes it feel like everyone versus you.

Team Slayer - Better run in packs. Nothing will make you turn tail and run like rounding a corner and seeing 5 enemy soldiers rolling hard

Territories with 3 teams – Complete insanity, holding 1 territory is a nightmare, try holding 2. We saw a team with 2 seconds left to win lose while a team that was 1 minute behind got the win. That’s how tuff it can be.

Oddball – Trying to figure out where the ball is can be frustrating since there are so many routes the ball carrier could be taking

Sanctuary
This map is amazing and I’ve really enjoyed all the game types I’ve played on it so far. Bravo Bungie, Bravo. This map is set in a garden type environment with stone buildings in ruin, aqueducts, and large rocks. Each base has the flag/bomb site located in a large covered patio like area. Off to the left you’ll find the turret and sniper rifle. The shotgun is towards the back left in a small dark tunnel. Grenades are scattered throughout the map while a sword sits in the middle ruins of the map. The smart players let the sword freaks rush for it while they chunk grenades in there, which makes for some easy double, triple, or killtaculars if the other team is really that stupid. To the right of each base is a somewhat open area with large rocks scattered throughout. The enemy can use it for cover to get into your base, so have some grenades ready to flush them out. The left is a bit easier to get into so a heavier defense should be placed there. They can come at you from the middle ruin which has a wall that protects them from your fire, or they can come at you from the lower rear tunnel, or they can jump up from just to the left. If they come at you from the middle, well that’s just crazy talk because that turret, and everyone else will send them to a spawn countdown instantly.

In 1 CTF games with 16 people the flag can be a bit tough to get at. But once you get it moving it seems impossible to defend and you are assured a cap. So, use some teamwork to find the weak spot in their defense and rush ‘em. This map is really great for just about every game type Bungie has available, whether it’s a small 4v4 or large 8v8, just an excellent well rounded map. I actually can’t think of a game type that would suck on this map.

Suggest games types for Sanctuary:

1 CTF – really fun, tough to get the flag in large games, but easy to get the cap once it’s on the move

Multi-Flag CTF – lots of battles going on in the middle as each teams offense goes for the flag. A bit tougher on the defense to hold such a wide open space with 4 people. Assault – Requires a great amount of teamwork to get a plant against a solid team. The guys that don’t keep a large contingent around the plant point are doomed for failure.

Oddball – Well balanced map where it’s not hard to get some time with skull Slayer or Team Slayer – great map for these game types. Weapon balance is fair, some places to hide while waiting for a good weapon combo

7 lives – we finally have a new map to play this great game type on, no more lockout 7x marathons, we can change it up.

Overall opinion
Great Job Bungie!! The Killtacular map pack is well worth the $5.99. Turf and Sanctuary will go down as some of the best Halo 2 multiplayer maps. If you want to wait until June 28th when these maps will be free, go ahead, but you’ll be in a minority and stuck playing the same old same old for 2 months. I’ve already seen several people being kicked out of custom games. Fortunately they went and got the maps I really would've preferred a new map design over the wizard remake. Maybe a Halo PC map should've been ported, like Danger Canyon or Timberland, if there wasn't time to make a new design. Containment is the bomb though. So, 3 out of 4 ain't bad at all.

I’m also glad Bungie staggered the map release dates. 9 new maps at once would’ve been information overload. These 4 maps are great and will surely give us plenty to do until the next 5 come out. Remember folks, don’t show the new guys the ropes on these new maps. Just load up, play, and let them get pwned. That’s what they get for leaving town during the release (for Mike James of course )

- T3muJin