Halo 3 melee fixing auto update is now live

by Dustin Burg { Feb 20th 2008 at 9:45AM }

The very firstest Halo 3 auto update has just been released this morning and will be automatically downloaded once you plop Halo 3 into your 360 and connect to Xbox Live. This update (which we've been calling the "melee fix" update) will make the melee seem a lot less random, unlock the Elite Commando shoulders for everyone and fix the bug where dead Spartan bodies would fly hundreds of feet through the air. Honestly though, we enjoyed that bug. Though, other than that, Bungie hasn't mentioned any other issues that the update will fix. When we contacted team Bungie about obtaining a super-duper comprehensive list of update changes, we were told that the only information being released about the Halo 3 update has been posted on Bungie.net. Humph to that. No matter, we'll make it our mission to track down all the mini-fixes (if there are any) in our first Halo 3 auto update. Now go forth and melee with honor and pride!

Tags: bungie, bungie-studios, halo-3, halo3

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

dylan @ Feb 20th 2008 9:58AM

Did they fix the 10 minute matchmaking wait time? Because if they did I'm going to miss being able to go make a pot pie while I wait to play a game.

Ethan Rom @ Feb 20th 2008 9:59AM

Cool
Thanks for listening Bungie!

Digital Limit @ Feb 20th 2008 10:00AM

So, how is the melee? Is it fixed to everyone's satisfaction? This has been a long time coming and should bring fans back if it done right. I really hope it's fixed well - I may even play Halo again!

DjDATZ @ Feb 20th 2008 10:13AM

Bravo Bungie. I read the explanation of the before and after and it seems a lot better now!

JLP @ Feb 20th 2008 10:28AM

I tried a match EARLY this morning before coming to work, just to see if I could notice anything. The "simultaneous" melee seems to be different, but i'd have to look at the film.

One BIG change I did notice is that it no longer takes just ONE melee from behind to assassinate someone. It takes at least 2, so this is a big change I think. I can remember melee's where just one hit from behind put them down before!

Mr Sauceman @ Feb 20th 2008 11:46AM

Can anyone confirm this statement? That it now takes more than one melee to assassinate someone? How can that be?

JLP @ Feb 20th 2008 11:59AM

Isn't that crazy Mr. Sauceman?? I'll double check my Halo3 film to make sure. But I swear I was standing behind a guy who appeared to be AFK (or AFC..away from controller) and I whacked him good. I started to run away and then noticed he was still standing and there was no notification of my kill!! So I whacked him again and then he went down. I couldn't believe it either...so like I said I will check my film to make sure I was really behind him. I'll post the film on my Bungie profile too. If I'm wrong I'll gladly retract my statement!

JSBeckerist @ Feb 20th 2008 1:15PM

Pretty sure I read somewhere that they were going to reduce the "angle of assassination." Meaning you have to hit them more dead-center in the back now for it to be an assassination, otherwise it's just a beatdown.

Also, both people can die if they hit each other within the latency allowance. What a funny concept though (sounds a little Riki-Oh to me!) where two people can punch each other so hard that they both die in the process...... Oh well, it's definitely different!

Chance Morgan @ Feb 20th 2008 11:01AM

About five of us were still up playing at about 4:00 am central time and we were all booted out of xbox live one at a time to receive our autoupdate. We played several after and...so far...I like the "feel" of the new melee. It didn't make it any easier but it does seem to show more accurately on the screen what actually happened. I noticed that when someone got the jump on me that I never even got my melee off. The reverse was true for me as well. There were a couple of occasions that I never got any advance shots into them and I had to melee them two times to take them down. Which if I remember correctly is similar to the way it was. I never experienced both of us dying at the same time with a simultaneous melee. That will have to be discovered in the future.

One other change that I noticed is that brute grenades no longer stick to bubble shields and energy barriers. They bounce away just like their more rounder counterparts.

Tr3y MoNey @ Feb 20th 2008 11:44AM

No More Hyper-Uppercuts? Bout Time.

stinger503 @ Feb 20th 2008 11:58AM

As Sir Gallahan: "Gods be praised!"

Josh @ Feb 20th 2008 12:34PM

i think i read on bungie.net that they'd also be fixing a BXR-like glitch.. is that the sniper rifle acting almost like a mauler glitch? one can only hope... that isht is annoying

MrKniceGuy @ Feb 20th 2008 12:40PM

Does anyone know if the patch has to be downloaded from LIVE every time or will the games update itself? Let me clarify, I play Halo 3 at a local LAN party several times a month and not everyone has internet access and no access at the location. Will the patch auto patch other versions of the game as soon as we hook up? Anyone able to test this?

Jason @ Feb 20th 2008 12:46PM

They did say it there was a glitch they fixed before it became prominence, but listed it as a "BXB"? (never heard of it).

I also agree that there's no way they changed the #of hits for an assassination, it will stay as one.

Jason @ Feb 20th 2008 12:50PM

@ dylan

They didn't fix "10 minute matchmaking". I assume you're talking about Big Team. Bungie said they are working on the fix, but it wouldn't be ready in time for AU1.

Digital Limit @ Feb 20th 2008 2:40PM

"One other change that I noticed is that brute grenades no longer stick to bubble shields and energy barriers. They bounce away just like their more rounder counterparts."

Is this true? Can anyone confirm this?

Seems wrong as it's a wholly unnecessary change, and morso because it's a strategy I'm sure many players have developed in the past, and changing it pointless changes how people have to play the game. I know I've had countless kills from throwing a spike grenade onto a shield door as I run through it.

dan stabbingworth @ Feb 20th 2008 2:45PM

Then throw it on the ground just before the door. Same thing.

Chance Morgan @ Feb 20th 2008 3:19PM

They are promoting A betrayal to get the achievement. Not a big deal to me. I agree...people should really lighten up.

Chance Morgan @ Feb 20th 2008 3:19PM

They are promoting A betrayal to get the achievement. Not a big deal to me. I agree...people should really lighten up.

Chance Morgan @ Feb 20th 2008 3:21PM

Ignore the other two posts...crazy cut and paste issues with roboform. I may actually need to learn how to use it if I am going to use it.

Digital Limit

I can confirm with video...check out "double bubble"

http://www.bungie.net/stats/Halo3/FileShare.aspx?gamertag=Johnny%20D%20Bates

Whoot108 @ Feb 20th 2008 5:36PM

I'm not happy with this update. I get most of my killing sprees up close and personal, and the simultaneous kill will probably cut short most of them.

Da n i el @ Feb 21st 2008 1:50PM

MrKniceGuy:
No LAN network play will be allowed with different versions. It is imperative that you have everyone update so that you can play closed LAN. Also is a MLG rule if that fits your tastes. I've already had this problem and had to reformat my 360 to resolve.

Firebird007 @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:49PM

Actually as far as the 10 minute matchmaking thing goes, im pretty sure that goes for every playlist... ive just spent about the past hour hopping from playlist to playlist, and at one point it even said that I had 584 games found in team slayer, but it didnt match me with a single one. I have yet to enter a single game in the past hour and its really pissing me off...