Strategizing Halo: Think Your Way to the Top
How many hours did you play Halo for last night? Nay, better yet, how many did you sleep? Chances are, if you’re gunning for the MLG Pro Circuit, you spent more time playing than sleeping—and it’s ok, I don’t judge. But could you be missing something here? More than likely, yes.
When x 8thful sent his original draft of 64 Squares to me, I couldn’t help but feel impressed as he managed to nail down ideas that I’ve long felt should be at the forefront of competitive gaming—that they weren’t has long puzzled me.
We are willing to put countless hours into practicing the game. We are willing to game long into the night, after the world has fallen asleep, all in the hope of getting better. In a sense, we are willing to stay in the trenches. And, in doing so, we are willing to define ourselves in a position of immanence that forces us to be the equivalent of robotical action. Truth be told, we’re fine with being on auto-pilot.
The sad thing is, the auto-pilot works. Up until now, it has allowed teams to win. Yet there’s something more, something that can radically alter the outcome of the game: strategy.
Don’t we strategize now?
In a narrow sense, yes. Absolutely. We watch VoD and try to come up with reasons for actions taken by players. We try to think of new ways to handle the objective, lock down the map, and move about.
Such thought is good. Very good. But, if it is all that we limit ourselves to, we’ve missed out on much.
You see, practice does make perfect. But, if it is practice alone, it can also can narrow your perspective, putting blinders on that prevent you from seeing the picture in its entirety. And, if experience means anything, that’s usually when you die, the flag is grabbed, capped, and the game is over.
So what are you saying there, Bluestrike?
In a sense, I want you to think. I want you to strategize. And make no mistake about it, I’m not just talking about figuring out new routes to take the flag.
Str8 Rippin won because their skill and natural inclinations allowed them to run ahead of the pack. But that’s a short-term advantage. Sooner or later, everyone catches up.
That’s not good enough.
Early on, and I’ve talked about this before, Str8 Rippin managed to lead the field in Halo 3 because they picked up the game faster than anyone, and managed to secure their positions. But, in the time since that first season, the speed at which they moved away from the pack slowed, and others managed to catch up.
They’re still at the top, mind you, but that gap—the very one that enabled them to secure the national title—has closed considerably. At risk of Tom flying up to kill me, I want to emphasize that they haven’t gotten worse, and they shouldn’t be written off. They’re still going to take Orlando.
But they can’t do it by relying solely on their skills, because that won’t do.
Ok… so, um, rely on what?
Their minds. Plain and simple, their minds.
The future of competitive gaming doesn’t lie in the realm of individual skill: with enough practice and help, anyone can get to the point where they can fend for themselves in an all-out BR battle with even the top pro players. That’s not what people buy lessons for.
The tricky part has always been, and always will be, the mental aspect of the game.
We have centuries of military tactics, strategy, and history at our finger tips, along with decades of in-depth psychological research just sitting and waiting to be applied to the game. Even here, I am barely scratching the surface of what is available with but a mouse click.
Combine that with the lessons we’ve learned throughout the Halo series, and you have the tools necessary for unleashing a wake of terror that the MLG Pro Ciruit has never laid eyes upon.
At Gaming Lessons, this has become the focus of our articles: we look, not towards short-term gain, but rather, the long-term battle. As x 8thful so put it, games of Halo at the highest levels are never won in the opening.
And so, walk away from this article with one idea in mind: as a gamer, your skills will naturally improve with practice. But, the mental side of the coin—the one of strategization and thought—isn’t so guaranteed. It must be pursued, cradled, and pushed.
Towards this end, look forward to a number of military-strategy related articles here on Gaming Lessons in the coming week. Next up? We’ll be looking at the OODA loop (observe, orient, decide, and act) and how it can be applied to the game of Halo.
About the Author: Bluestrike2
A student of economics, philosophy, and psychology at Duquesne University, Tom—known to the community as Bluestrike2—could be said to bring the rationality of an economist, the thinking of a philosopher, and the concern of a psychologist to the team. Drawing upon his work in these fields, he has helped shape Gaming Lessons into the company that it is today.
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Ooooooh I’m excited. The things we can do with this concept, incredible! Expect many more articles to be brought to the light. It’s about time the tactics and strategies of warfare have surfaced in the gaming world.
Great article, much thanks! Looking forward to read all of the OODA articles that might be coming.
What I’ve been loving about theses articles is that the strategy part can be applied to any game genre that you play, be it FPS, RTS, fighters, etc. or other sports like soccer, basketball, football, etc.