I'm creating this thread here in the maps and gametypes forum because obviously for Grifball in matchmaking to become a reality, we'll need maps and gametypes. The purpose of this thread however is to gather feedback. If you're looking forward to grifball having its own playlist in Reach, this is your opportunity to chime in.

What would you like to see in the Reach grifball playlist?

It should definitely have its own playlist. I think it should have a Permanent play-list. Its an amazing concept to a "Shooter" game. Personally I always take a break to play a little grifball, when get a little tired of matchmaking and the such.

Yes, a Grif Ball playlist would be AWESOME!

It will have its own playlist that likely will be permanent. What would you like to see though?

Did you like things like Chichen Itza, Blockrop and Aerial grifball in Halo 3 matchmaking? Should we have more alternative variants of grifball in Reach? For example - Hand Egg Grifball. If you haven't tried it, you should

Do you prefer rather standard standard sized and looking grifball maps like Bloody Grifball and Pinwheel and Cliffside?

Would you consider playing games on more experimental maps like Concave and NotreGrif?

Armor abilities or no armor abilities? Which do you prefer?

Just a few questions to get the ball rolling

Hello, I'm here to give you my opinion on what I'd like in Reach.

Firstly, I cannot wait for a Grifpall playlist. So many good nights on Halo 3 were had playing Grifball into the early hours of the morning with friends, beer and pizza - we need it in Reach ASAP!

Although the different types of gametypes and map varients are nice, they do get a little annoying sometimes. We used to revert back to "Classic" Grifball, which is just the standard game. Don't get me wrong, the Basketball gametypes and all the others were okay, but I really hope to catch a Classic mode of sorts. No AA's, just normal Grifball settings.

I've been watching a few Reach Grifball videos on youtube and it does look quite promising. Please, keep all the hard work coming guys! The only thing that put me off is active camo. If that is allowed in the game type, then I can see it being a very annoying experience. The other main AA's, such as sprint and evade, would be fair enough to add in. I have no problem with those, so long as they are all balanced out well.

I like to spawn kill. I'm not even going to say I don't, because that's where a lot of fun comes from in my opinion! So if people spawn and evade away from my "Hammer of Death", my medal count will go down and I won't be happy! Just saying, so long as AA's are ballanced - we shouldn't have a problem.

Map wise, I don't really care. So long as I'm having fun it doesn't matter what map I'm on.

That's all I can think of right now, but if anything else comes to mind, I'll edit my post.

Thanks for your time, and roll on Grifball!


*Also, I'd like to join a testing-stage thing like I've been seeing on the videos. Not sure if testing is the correct word, but I'd like to play the game with real people - how'd I go about doing such a thing?*

Excellent post, Floydia, thank you!

As for the testing thing - the most recent highlight videos you may have seen are actually taken from our Good Games League which is currently going into its third week. The league is basically serving as a test bed for Reach grifball, however it's not the only testing we'll be doing. I have an idea or two for map and gametype testing for matchmaking that everyone interested could help out with, which I'll post up soon-ish

First of all, I just wanna say that it's hard to say what maps I do and don't want in it, because so many of the maps I've seen put my tiny little map to shame, and just look absolutely gorgeous. I can't wait to see what else the community comes up with because Forge 2.0 is just amazing.

Now on to my feelings for Matchmaking...

As much as I like Hand Egg Grifball and other inventive maps, I really wouldn't want to see them in matchmaking. Maybe one Jetpack one, but other than that I just don't want to see them in my matchmaking games. I wouldn't want them there because I'm gonna be playing against, and with a LOT of randoms, that's how matchmaking works. I don't want to have to play terribly slow and boring matches, simply because I'm one of the few that actually knows what's going on. Now, I do know that people obvioiusly can learn and a lot of people will, but I still feel Matchmaking should have basic Grifball.

Now on that note, I do like the one's that you clasified as "Experimental". NotreGrif is an amazing map, and I would love to play on it. I would also love to play on maps kinda of like the one I made Platform Kombat. I'm not saying "PUT MINE IN, PUT MINE IN!" (Although I would love that) I'm just saying, I'd like to see some smaller maps with obstacles in the way. Obviously I don't want to have to jump around every second and always have to look around, but simple things that offer maybe a bit of cover, or just are in the way makes for interesting gameplay.

As for armor abilities, I'll have to say yes to that. They add to the gameplay, and they also can give you a few extra seconds of life, which are so very precious in a heated game.

Fantastic. I look forward to it, and will try get involved best I can!

I'm not too sure how much power anyone will have over this, but I feel it should be said:

Annoying gametypes are chosen a lot in Reach MM. I know it's all down to personal preferences, but gametypes such as Infection and even Rocket Race are now favourites to be played. I hope there isn't an annoying gametype varient of Grifball that always comes up and is always chosen through the veto voting system.

I know that point is obviously all down to what people enjoy and obviously how Bungie do their thing.

I would love Grifball in MM. It's a little too hard to find people willing to play customs and get a few games of it in there. There should be a vote for Grifball Classic (w/o AA's) and Grifball EVO. Then we could mix it up and throw Handegg in there every once in awhile. I'm not sure about some of the other custom maps, just because I haven't played them yet.

The basic concept that we had was based on the game voting system. In each set, we were thinking of having a standard game (Vanilla Grifball, no AA, Foundry-sized map), an evolved variant (include main AAs such as jetpack or evade or sprint or sprint/evade) and a crazy variant such as Hand egg.

The problem is, people are always gonna vote for the Crazy Variant.

Not true. I'd vote for the standards.

So would I, but have you seen Rumble Pit?

Personally, I never go in to Grifball matchmaking by myself. I always try to roll with a full team or at least 2 friends. Since the maps would be ordered Traditional, Evolved, Crazy, even if you tie you would get the more conservative option. Thoughts?

No. I don't play Rumble Pit. I'm sure people would vote for other variants. Everyone gets sick of playing the same thing over and over. You gotta mix it up a little.

Rumble pit is an entirely different thing than grifball though. More often than not in the Halo 3 grifball dxp playlist people opted for the more standard gametypes. At least those that had spent enough time in the playlist to know the difference between one variant or another.