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Gears Of War Online Multiplayer FAQ
Complete revision (V.2.1)
Copyright 2007 by Patrick Connors. This FAQ may be reproduced
with permission for any purpose. Contact me via X box live or E-Mail
for any questions or comments. Enjoy!
trevelyans@yahoo.com
GAMERTAG: Trevelyan2
This is a complete re-write of my original FAQ for
Gears Of War; I feel a need to change a few things
within the old guide, and think that a total retyping
is in order. This FAQ is designed with newbies and vets
in mind alike, and isn't a coven for cheaters. If you like
to cheat to win, google up a$hole to find your link.
I DO list glitches and how they occur in this game, but
exploitation of this magnificent game is not my goal.
I will drop the weapon locations for the maps in favor of
strategic elements, but not both. I want this FAQ to be
easy to read and not filled with useless information.
That said, read on and I hope you enjoy! -Trevelyan2
NOTE: THIS VERSION, 2.1, IS MOST LIKELY RIDDLED WITH
SPELLING ERR0RZ. I DON'T CARE AT THIS POINT, SINCE I JUST
WANT THE UPDATE TO BE UPLOADED. PLEASE DO NOT E-MAIL ME
WITH ANY SPELLING OR GRAMMAR CORRECTIONS. THANK YOU!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Section 1: Controls for newbies
Section 2: Controls for pros
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SECTION 1: BASIC CONTROLS FOR GOW
OVERVIEW: Here, you will learn how to function in multiplayer and learn some
basic tactics that you will need to use consistently in every match. You can
do everything in multiplayer that you can do in campaign, so you might want
to go through the whole single player experience before you dive into multi.
The first thing you fight in GOW is the camera, which is both awesome to
behold and a constant hinderance to your viewpoint. It's over-the-shoulder
viewpoint is used to restrict your perepherial vision and allow enemy flanks.
This demands constant communication with your team mates, and is the first
game that demands this much of it. If you bought GOW and didn't buy a mic, go
get one!
When taking damage from enemies, your COG symbol located in the center of
your screen will fade in. When it reaches full, you will drop to your knees,
and be "downed". A team mate can revive you, bringing your health to max
again, at the cost of vulnerability to both you and your reviver.
If you avoid damage for a brief period of time, you will recover your
health, and once the symbol disappears will be back for more action.
So, moving around with the thumbsticks to move and strafe allow some
mobility, but to move from 1 spot to the other quickly requires you to use
the main button for GOW: "A". Also known as the run button...
***********RUN: A button**********
...And to take off like a bat out of hell, covering your head. Suddenly you
are shot at from up ahead, your team mate is screaming: "Get down, you moron"!
***********ROLL: A button + direction**********
And you roll out of the way of a boomshot, to live for another 5 seconds.
You see some sandbags in front of you, so you take cover to avoid more fire...
***********COVER: A button + toward cover point************
...And your new buddy on your team is now screaming: "Shoot him, you dumb
ass! Haven't you played this game non-stop since November!? What a noob!"...
**********FIRE: right trigger**********
...So you politely shoot your weapon at your target (provided you haven't
already died), blindfiring at the enemy. Looks cool eh? Well, use it wisely
but not excessively. You will learn why later. So! You want a better shot at
the guy thats shooting at you?
**********AIM: left trigger***********
Your view with any gun is zoomed in with this trigger, at the cost of the
speed in which you can move around while doing so. Get this fact straight
immediately if you are new to GOW: DON'T MOVE AND FIRE AT THE SAME TIME WHILE
YOU ARE HOLDING THE LEFT TRIGGER. Don't. You sacrifice critical speed AND
accuracy of said weapon, especially the longshot (sniper rifle). If you want
to go in guns blazin', then you should "hip fire" by merely shooting without
using the aimer.
***********COVER MOVES: direction + A************
When you are on a leg of cover that allows cover moves, the indicator on
the bottom of your screen will reflect the option that is allowed based on
what cover you are in and what cover is nearby. You can go from post-to-post,
looking all cool. You can roll out sideways with the same command if there is
not anything to take cover next to you. You can press down to remove yourself
awkwardly and probably take damage, too. You can jump over low ended cover,
and you can run forward from an edge of cover. These moves are extremely,
EXTREMELY vital to master. You need to learn the nuances of moving from place
to place quickly and with little effort, and that takes practice. Lastly, if
you are in cover that is tall, you can duck by pressing in on the left thumb
stick. This is usually a good idea to make yourself harder to hit.
*************ACTIVE RELOAD: right bumper*************
Pressing the right bumper starts the Active Reload system, which is another
piece of the game you must attempt to master. When you start the active reload
a bar appears on the top right of the screen with a line running across it.
You want to press the bumper again once the line is in the grey area to reload
quicker. Pressing it too late or too early jams your gun causing BIG trouble.
Pressing it on the small white line within the grey area is an ACTIVE reload,
which is a temporary damage boost that can be devastating. You can also wait
out the bar and reload slower with no consequence, but where's the fun
in that?!
***************MELEE: B button***************
The melee strike (I will not spell it Mee Lee) is the devastating final
solution in GOW to take down the enemy. It's power between most of the weapons
is equaly devastating, with only 1 or 2 strikes neccesary to down an opponent.
It's also a risky thing around multiple opponents, because you are vulnerable.
If you are stuffed with an enemy and he hasn't done it yet, touch the B button
to smack him up with your weapon. That is, if you aren't using the default gun
in GOW, in which case you are revving up the...
**********CHAINSAW: B button************
Using the chainsaw is awesome the first few times, and funny later on.
Using the Lancer (the default assault rifle at the start of every round), you
start the bayonet by holding down the B button. Simply run into an enemy to
start the kill choppety kill. This weapon is deadly but balanced, so note the
fact that most players die immediately after chainsawing in a firefight. If
you are hit with anything when you are revving up, you will be stunned and
need to press the button again. Don't, do not, please dont, DON'T run straight
up to someone thinking you'll get a kill. You will probably die.
***********WEAPON PICK UP: X button***********
Simple enough, when the icon for a weapon appears you can swap one of your
main weapons (left and right), or sidearm (down), or grenades. You may only
carry one of each type of weapon. If you have a grenade or sidearm selected
you won't be able to grab a main weapon until you select one first; however,
you CAN pick up a sidearm or grenade with a main weapon selected. If you have
a snub pistol (your default sidearm) when picking up frag grenades you will
automatically switch to them. You are extremely vulnerable when picking up
weapons, so beware.
***********TAC COM: left bumper. POI: Y button************
These are 2 vital means of understanding where your team is located, and
what they have equipped. Holding the left bumper shows the status, direction,
and weapon of each team mate. Holding down the Y button shows the nearest
player to you, or a downed player pleading for help. Use these buttons!
***********TEAM MATE REVIVAL: X button***********
If a player is down on your team you may revive him by standing next to the
player and pressing "X". Beware you are extremely vulnerable when doing so.
Hoding down the "Y" button when the red icon appears at the top of your screen
will point you in the direction you need to go, so don't scream: "Were are
you?!"
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GAME DETAILS
Here are some general facts that assist in starting off in GOW:
Game modes: WARZONE
ASSASSINATION
EXECUTION
WARZONE: The default mode of deathmatch in GOW, Warzone relies more on
teamwork than Execution, because a downed player can't get up on their own.
If you shoot a downed player 2 or 3 times (once in the head) you will finish
him off. You need to be more careful than in other modes if you plan on living
longer. The "Bleed Out" time that is set by the host is a timer in which the
player has to live before he dies; if a team mate is downed note the filling
red symbol representing the time left until he dies. When you are down,
tapping the "A" button prolongs the timer a bit; you don't need to mash the
button, since it's only a brief extension so long as you consistantly press
it.
ASSASSINATION: A rarely played mode that can be very fun with the right
players; not very fun if you don't have good team mates.
Each team begins with a leader, one being Hoffman (the general) and the
opposise being General RAMM. These players are the only ones that can unlock
weapons laid on the map, and are the targets to win each round. The leader
can grab weapons per request of a team mate, and re-grab the previous weapon,
allowing the peeon to use it.
If a player kills the leader of the other team, then that player is made
into the new leader. If your teams leader is killed, then the player with the
most points on that team is made leader. Make sure you pay attention to the
player models to know which target to worry about.
This game type requires the most team work of all the game types, and is
very fun in player match mode.
EXECUTION: A variant of Warzone that is also popular in GOW, Execution's
main difference is that you cannot be killed while downed unless you are
in execuction range, which is about melee range. You can, of course, kill
the player before he is downed, E.G. headshot, etc.
As in Warzone, you are limited to 2 downs before a third down
automatically kills the player. If the "bleed out" time is reached, the
downed player is automatically revived. Most matches, ranked or unranked,
are set to 5 seconds lately, which means you need to be careful about rising
opponents.
ANNEX: A new game mode in style of king of the hill, annex is the first
mode in GOW that has respawns.
The neatly made icon system on the top left at the start of the match
displays all the information you need to know what's going on in the match.
The objective is to score points for the team via controlling a weapon
spawn selected at random; the center indicator shows the weapon in question,
and a small pointer attached to orient you to it's location.
Once a player reaches a circle that surrounds the area, it begins the
capture proccess. The more of 1 team fills in the circle, the faster the
capture of the location. Once captured, the circle on-screen pulses to the
team's color. At this time, a single point per second is rewarded to the team
until the other team BREAKS the prossess. To do this, they need to be in the
circle uncontested for a moment.
When you control a spot, you do NOT NEED to be in the circle to gain
points; however, a player in the location can hold control if one player on
the other team tries to take it over; you need to be the only one in the
circle to break or take the location. However, the more players on your team
that are in it, the faster you capture it.
When respawning, you are randomly placed in waves (15 seconds apart) on
either side of the map. You begin with 5 seconds of invunerability; however
you need to act quickly if a player is attempting to spawn kill you.
The strategy of this game is quite different than the other gametypes, and
can be a blast with friends; however, I find ranked matches to be quite
annoying and cheesy, unless you happen to have 2 good teams (which is RARE.)
If you don't know, the achievements that are gained from this gametype are
few between; you can only gain a couple, such as clusterluck, remember your
first and so on. Kill-based achievements are removed from this gametype.
RANKED MATCHES/PLAYER MATCHES
If you are starting out and getting used to GOW, do us all a favor, and
yourself, by starting out in Player Match mode. It's more fun and less
irritating to your teammates if you are new to the game. It's also the best
way to learn a specific weapon, since it's easy to start a match with a
custom weapon slot.
REACHING A HOST
Do not call it a server. Every match in GOW is hosted by another player,
hence he/she is a HOST. After the update, you can't find the host's name in
ranked matches.
PLAYING WITH A GUEST
This is surprisingly hard for some people to figure out (it took me about
30 minutes to get it right), but it's very simple to do.
Make sure only 1 profile is signed in the main menu. Select "X Box Live
Player Match", and the option of "guest sign in" will appear on the bottom.
Sign in as a GUEST, not a profile you made up in the X box dashboard.
As you might guess, you cannot have guests in ranked matches.
PREGAME SETUP
After loading up a map when connecting to your host (or starting a match),
you begin in the "center" of the team setup. You will be invisible to the
other players for the most part, but you can talk to them still if you wish.
pressing either direction will pick your team you wish to be on; the game
does not allow unbalanced teams, so if there is 1 more player on 1 team, you
must go on the opposite.
Player matches continue until the host removes himself, and usually has a
rotating map scheme. You will often come into a match in progress, and join
after the round (not match) is over.
PREGAME SETUP (RANKED MATCH)
All ranked matches are started in the pregame lobby; you can't continue a
match after it's over, and must start a new game every time. Simply put, get
in, play, go home.
Unlike player matches, you can't start the match until it is a least 3 on
3. Most matches begin with 4 on 4.
With the update online, you are now unable to begin a match unless there
are even teams on each side, meaning a 4-on-3 scenario is no longer possible.
Like previously stated, only experienced players should go through the
trouble to get into ranked matches. Don't start learning the ropes in this
area, or you're going to have a rough time getting into this game.
SECTION 2: ADVANCED CONTROLS FOR GEARS OF WAR
*************************** SLIDING COVER
Running up to any cover spot (basically any object that isn't at spawn)
and pressing "A" whilst the direction of the direct cover will make the player
slide into it, which is both looking cool and gaining speed in movement.
You can bounce from wall to wall with this technique, and throw off your
opponents. It's also a great way to get killed if you are merely trying to
run away!
*************************** RUNNING ALONG COVER
Holing "A" while moving along cover speeds up your movement to nearly the
speed in which you run, making you a dificult target. Note that reloading
cancels this extra speed. Also watch the direction you are poining the stick,
since you can cancel the cover by pressing away from it.
*************************** ADVANCED RUNNING
When you hold "A" you run directly ahead, without the need to hold forward
on the left stick. Holding down the button and then pressing ANY direction
will send your player running in that direction. This is a essensial move to
get around quickly, so master this. Another technique is to roll sideways
after passing a passageway to advance down that passage; keep the A button
held down along with the direction, and you will continue to run down that
way.
*************************** WEAPON SLIDE
It doesn't work after the latest patch. (YESSSS!)
There is a variant that has always existed, in where you are taking cover
while you are picking up the weapon (usually in canals). This really isn't
a glitch, so it's no big deal; it's also really hard to pull off every time.
Basically, you run along cover (read above) and pick up the weapon at the
same time; this may allow you to pick up the weapon while still in cover.
**************************** ADVANCED ICONS
Paying attention to your icons is extremely vital to success. Here are some
tips to allow you to be more knowledgable:
When a weapon is picked up, the COLOR of the team is now visible, making
the info less confusing. If you are still curious if a team mate picked up the
boomshot, then hold the left bumper down and look at his symbol; it shows
both where he is, and what weapons he's equipped with.
DON'T ask a downed player: "Where are you?!". Just hold the "Y" button
down to point you in his direction. He might be right next to you!
**************************** LOOK SENSITIVITY
I personally suggest that you change the sensitivity (accessed anytime in-
game via the "x box 360 controller" option menu) to HIGH, since you are much
quicker with aiming with the sniper and are able to turn around quicker as
well. Some weapons are harder to aim (like the torque bow) initially, but you
can overcome this hinderance.
**************************** ACTIVE RELOAD: PART II
The active reload is extremely vital to survival in online matches, but
many players are unaware of a few vital facts:
Each time you AR a paticular weapon in succession, the hot-spot decreases
each time until you either fail, or melee when the reload bar appears. This
makes continuous reloading difficult, and most players can't AR past 6X.
If you have the time, you can override this "shrinkage" by striking with
the "B" button, cancelling the reload and restoring the AR bar.
Your active ammo (the reloaded ammo flashing after the fact) will only last
about 5 seconds, so make sure you time it correctly, and more importantly,
time a player that you are dueling in your head. If that player likes to down
via the longshot, count to 5 after he AR's, and rush in.
The pistol and hammerburst are nearly the same when reloaded, so don't
rely on it to succeed. There is a small difference, but compared to the damage
boost of other weapons, it's very minute. See below for details.
**************************** THE POINT SYSTEM (SCORING)
The scoring system for Warzone and Exectution is very simple:
A down is worth 15 points.
A kill is worth 10 points.
A headshot, frag tag, or other instant death is also 25 points, if the player
is standing (not down).
A curb stomp is worth 15 points. (5 more than a standard kill.)
Now, factor THIS in when comparing scores:
When you damage a player about halfway to a downing point, you begin to score
points, all the way up to 4, where his COG symbol is blood red. If another
player kills or downs the target when you're shooting him, you get the damage
points, and the other player gets the kill/down points, LESS the amount that
you damaged the target.
Simply put, if you hurt him to 4 points of damage and a team mate headshots
the guy instead, you get 4 points, and your team mate gets 21.
If a down occurs, it's 10 points up for grabs no matter what or who downed
the player.
Finally, the damage point ratio also applies to a target that hurts HIMSELF
before getting killed/downed. If he downs himself (-15 points), then you
gain 10 points for finishing him off. If he stuns himself with a grenade
(say, -3 points), and you flash him with a shotgun, you get 22 points.
If at any point the target recovers fully before any of the above variables
occur, then the point dispertion is reset.
This concludes this topic for GOOD.
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WEAPONS
Here is a detailed strategy with all the weapons in GOW:
DAMAGE RATIOS:
Within each weapon listing shows a damage ratio, where I display how many
shots it actually takes to down a player.
With the exception of the longshot, there is no difference between shots
to the whole body, save the head itself. With the longshot, shots to the
upper body (waist to the neck, and either arm) down the player when AR'ed.
ACTIVE RELOAD:
As mentioned frequently, the AR is extremely useful in battle and should
be one of the many things to practice in GOW multiplayer. The damage ratio
with each weapon or it's effects are listed here too.
*****LANCER:
USES: Your default weapon in every match; it's uses after the latest patch
are now even further expanded to any range. It's power has been upped, with
the ability to down players almost instantly. If you are in close range you
can attempt to circle incoming players with hip-fire if you are strapped
for time in switching to the shotgun.
TECHNIQUES: It's a beautiful weapon when used in pairs, and 2 players
select the sameopen target; the resulting down is almost instant.
USE TEAMWORK with this weapon!
If you are targeting a partially exposed player under cover, the lancer
is once again a great use, allowing you to move the aimer until you find a
spot to hit the player. Watch for the blood splatters.
A crack team of lancers (4 players picking the same target... Sweet)
would be unstoppable if it were assembled, but many players can't let go
of the shotgun, so time will have to be a factor for players to re-learn
this now powerful weapon.
ACTIVE RELOAD: Extremely deadly; it takes a bit of time to empty your
clip to make room for AR ammo, but it's worth it with support.
DOWN RATIO: 12 bullets to the body, 8 to the head. AR: 10 to the body,
6 to the head
*****GNASHER: (Shotgun)
USES: A favorite among most players on GOW, the shottie (I won't call it
Gnasher) is extremely deadly if used correctly, although it's one of the
hardest weapons to master.
TECHNIQUES: This weapon can score headshots from any range, although it's
better to be in close. With no latency, a single shot to the body will flash
an opponent, sending gibs everywhere. The damage of this weapon is huge, but
you need to be accurate with it online.
This weapon is most effective on-the-move, with no use of the aimer. With
practice, you can use an imaginary crosshair to shoot your enemies.
Another alternative to not using the aimer is to use the aimer and firing
simultaniously, which increases your accuracy in trade of speed. Do NOT hold
down the aimer when using this gun!
A common technique to take opponents by suprise is to run up with the
shotgun (holding "A"), and firing up close. You need to be within melee range
to kill the guy; if you fail to time it correctly you will be in trouble.
Finally, a personal favorite is to stun an enemy with the "B" button, and
finishing him off with a quick shot. Once the player is struck and stunned,
you will be in auto-aim mode for your finishing shot, so circle him quickly.
ACTIVE RELOAD: While the active rounds of the shotgun are deadlier, it's
still the most deadly up-close, since it only takes a single shot to flash
a player. Some players rely on active reload with the shotgun to down players
from a longer distance, but I find that this only works for dead-eye players.
In other words, the pistol and lancer are better suited for medium range
attacks in this scenario. The closer you get, the bigger the gamble.
DOWN RATIO: Variable, but aiming for the mid section produces the most
damage; head regions increase the chance of a head shot. An active seems to
increase it's range, but it's debatable towards it's actual damage ratio.
****SNUB PISTOL: (Pistol)
USES: Another deadly weapon with varying uses. It's downing shot, when
aimed at the skull, will blow it off. It's melee is well known at this point
for quickly dispatching enemies in conjunction with hip-fire. With the recent
update, the lancer is in many cases a better weapon of choice however.
TECHNIQUES: A great technique that is hard to stop is to hip-fire (not
using the aimer), and score a couple of hits. When you get into range to hit
the opponent you can down him with one strike.
A similar technique is to hit a guy first, stunning him. While BACKING UP,
fire on to the poor sap and you should score a quick down as well.
It's also a great weapon to down retreating, injured enemies. It's the most
accurate of your default weapons.
Unaware players will lose their head when the downing shot from a pistol
is aimed at the head. It's rather satisfying.
ACTIVE RELOAD: The active for this gun is nearly the same.
DAMAGE RATIO: 7 to the body, 6 to the head (6th=headshot).
AR: 6 to the body, 6 to the head (6th=headshot)
****SMOKE GRENADE:
USES: Every player begins with a single smoke, and can be very useful in
distracting opponents. It's smoke can smother a sniper's line of fire, but
it's better to land a smoke near a sniper, not near you. A talented sniper
may simply fire into the smoke and get a shot in anyway.
You can smoke tag an enemy with the melee button, but it's for comedic
purposes only.
Just as in the frag grenades, you can (and should almost always) not
use the aimer to throw a smoke, less you expose yourself needlessly.
****FRAG GRENADE:
USES: A weapon that should always be picked up when found, the frags serve
a many of use.
I'm sure you are aware of the grenade tag, by meleeing the opponent at
close range with it equipped. It's range has been capped to the same as any
other weapon, making getting away more difficult.
Holding the aimer creates a helpful arc line that shows where your grenade
will go when thrown. However, I prefer to not use aimer at all; it's speed of
release is much faster and unexpected. You can also blind throw it for an even
better suprise.
It's damage can stun an enemy for a quick kill, but if they are already
hurt the damage will most likely kill them. If you think a thrown frag will
stun a player, then switch to another weapon before it explodes; you will have
enough time to down him then.
****HAMMERBURST:
USES: A difficult but deadly alternative to the lancer, the hammer is a
personal nemesis to yours truly. I have been corrected by a dozen players
claiming that the weapon is godlike, but I still don't see the purpose in it
on many occasions.
While it's a great weapon, it's supposed accuracy is severely diminished
in many cases. A rolling player can avoid it's deadly bursts of lead and gain
an advantage point on you. It requires VERY good aim to use properly, and a
fast player can outmanuver your shots if mess up.
TECHNIQUES: This weapon, unlike the lancer, is still accurate when moving
around in the "aim" mode (L trigger), which is a benefit against a lancer or
pistol user. It can down players with extreme viotility if they don't react
quickly. It's more powerful than the lancer and more accurate, but fires in
6 round bursts, which are hard to direct to a moving opponent online.
A big advantage over the lancer is the fact you can melee a player that
closes the gap, and finish him with a burst of rounds.
ACTIVE RELOAD: Virtually no difference in power, trust me on this one.
DAMAGE RATIO: 12 to the body, 7 to the head. AR: 11 to the body.
****SNIPER (Longshot):
USES: One of the most powerful weapons in GOW, it's uses are obvious and
very, VERY neccesary to be aware of. The main 2 uses with the sniper in
killing opponents are either active reloading, head shots, or both.
The active reload for this weapon is very definitive. When you are in AR
mode with your single round, you can down an enemy with a shot to the UPPER
half of his body (including arms). The same round shot to the LOWER half will
severely damage the same person, enough to down him with a pistol with a mere
couple shots.
While the shot itself without AR is somewhat minimal (and the same, high or
low on the body), be aware that a melee strike afterwards will down an enemy.
Headshots are a never-ending satisfaction in GOW, and here are some key
tips on how to get them:
TIP#1: Do not zoom in (by pressing the right thumbstick in) if you are near
the opponent, or within a medium range. You tend to be more accurate without
the use of directly lining up a shot.
TIP#2: DON'T move the left thumbstick when you are about to fire, for you
will throw off your shot big-time. Try it out yourself and notice the
difference!
TIP#3: Blindfiring enemies (especially under low-cover) will always expose
their heads for an easy headshot. If you are on the same level as them (not
over them), a stationary covered enemy is immune to sniper shot; you need to
gain an angle on them to score a shot. The reticule on your sniper will turn
red if your shot is good to go. Remember: Don't settle for anything less than
a headshot if you don't have an AR round.
TIP#4: To get more headshots, go for them. Play unranked matches with your
friends and play with a bunch of snipers. Learn the spots that expose players
and don't settle for a body shot.
****BOLTOK PISTOL (Magnum)
USES: A very, VERY hard weapon to used in GOW; I argue that it is almost
useless when you are in a laggy match online. It's supreme power is masked by
very limited ammo and tricky AR timing.
*TECHNIQUES: You only get a handful of bullets to use with the boltok, so
relying on a active reload means letting off a couple of rounds pre-battle,
and not missing. It's active reload doubles the power, but it's hard to pull
off.
Like the pistol, it's melee use with the regular rounds are great, but I
would prefer to melee first, then shooting the enemy while they are stunned.
ACTIVE RELOAD: Way more powerful, but difficult in a big battle to set
up; you only get 2 sets of magazines with a pick-up.
DAMAGE RATIO: 3 to the body, 2 to the head (2nd=headshot).
AR: 2 to the body, 2 to the head (2nd=headshot).
****BOOMSHOT:
USES: Vastly changed in terms of damage recently, the boomshot is a very
scary thing to go up against. I personally believe the boomshot to be the
most powerful weapon in GOW; and not many people will argue that.
What has changed with this weapon is that the splash damage from launching
a grenade to the ground makes for a quick down to the opponent; an active
round will extend the range and damage, but still only down the player. A
direct hit will destroy the player, and anyone nearby will also explode.
The main factor that determines weather or not the player will actually
blow up is if they were at all damaged before you shoot the round near them;
If they were hit, it will cause them to blow up. If not, they will be downed.
This weapon is in my opinion overpowered, and should ALWAYS be a focal
point in a match. Only a mildly talented player is neccesary to gain a
supreme upper hand against any player in front of him.
A great move on the opponent is to draw blind fire, which exposes their
body for a quick kill. Make sure the reticule is red before you fire.
ACTIVE RELOAD: Not as neccesary as it was, but still powerful, since it
makes an extra long explosion to down players nearby.
DAMAGE RATIO: Direct hit = splat. Ground shot near feet = Splat.
****TORQUE BOW:
USES: My favorite weapon, the bow is a hyper-deadly weapon when a player
doesn't miss often. Pulling back the bow makes for a forboding sound that
warns all nearby players; the longer that you hold down the fire button,
the harder the arrow is shot.
You need enough torque to stick to a player before it will explode and kill
him; it takes about 3 seconds by default. If you fail this, the arrow will
bounce off him, or around the place.
However, as I use it, an active reload of this weapon doubles the speed
and splash damage of this weapon. You need only hold down the fire button for
a fraction of the time to make the shot deadly; the splash damage from sending
the arrow to the enemies feet will possibly be enough to kill him also.
A great technique on advancing enemies is a active reload near the feet of
an aggresser, and switching weapons to finish the enemy. It's splash damage
is powerful!
Another way to use the splash damage is to use it multiple times on an
enemy that is attempting to snipe or otherwise hide. Shoot as close as you can
to him without hitting the cover they are taking; hit the ground or nearby
wall to inflict damage. If you down the player, they will explode!
BEWARE: Charging the bow makes you a HUGE target to a sniper; it's muzzle
light is noticeable from any range. And whatever you do, DO NOT blind charge a
round if you are aware of a sniper!
****HAMMER OF DAWN:
USES: The hardest weapon to master in GOW, the hammer is a death beam sent
via sattelite to destroy your enemies from above. Learn first, the sound of
the beeps that preceed your death.
While aiming directly OR without aiming, target a spot that doesn't have
anything overhead to trigger a beep. When your target has a spot highlighting,
be sure to hold that spot until a beam comes down to oblitherate your target.
It's not as easy as it sounds to most; any object that comes between you
and your target (except the target itself) will cancel the process, and you
need to start over.
A great technique in open areas (fuel depot, for example) is to use it
on-the-run, targeting open ground while moving. Once the beam lands, you can
move it freely around the map for 5 seconds or so.
The rest is patience and knowing the exact spots to target, so you don't
spend any time searching for spots that will work. Looking upwards in certain
maps reveals possible spots that you can use to suprise your enemies.
The splash damage for the initial blast is dangerous; it's beam afterwards
is less deadly, but can wipe out players if it's held to them.
****MELEE STRIKING:
USES: All of the weapons in GOW except the lancer and hammer of dawn swing,
stun and down players EXACTLY THE SAME. There is no contest to the range,
damage or anything else in this game; it's made that way.
When you swing your weapon (or chainsaw), the game automatically hits the
target if you are within 80 degrees of facing the enemy. If you get chainsawed
and wonder how he turned around so fast, there is your answer.
You can run into an enemy while within the animation of swinging, allowing
you to score the hit.
If you hit an enemy during an animation, e.g. chainsawing, they won't be
stunned by it. Make sure you develop a timing for this and understand the
game's faults. DON'T melee a reviving player before shooting him; your strike
won't stun and you will be in big touble!
If you are shot during any part of your swing animation you will be stunned
just as if you were shot attempting to chainsaw a player.
The hammer of dawn was made weaker in damaging up close to balance the
weapon. It takes 3 hits instead of 2 to down a player.
Also, when playing online there is a common uccurance of both players
hitting each other with a strike; you will build muscle memory to know what to
do when this happens. If you can break away from the range when you both
revover, then shoot him. If you can't, then you can attempt to beat him to the
next punch, but it's basically a coin toss at that point.
******************************************************************************
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MAP TECHNIQUES
if you don't know what you are doing, then join a player match or local
game, and learn the default locations. It should be easy for you
to learn, and I won't pollute the file size with needless info.
****************************************** GRIDLOCK:
WIDE OPEN, AND LITTERED WITH ONLINE GAMERS
From my experience, this map has the most players online playing it. If you
have a team going into this map, then more power to you joining in. But if you
feel like joining in at random, tread carefully. A majority of pro's prefer
this map over anything else.
A critical point is the longshot, and you need control of it more than any
other weapon. But to do that, you may need 2-3 team mates to get to it. Watch
for a player running past the frag grenades for a rear attack when battling by
the longshot. With the latest update this area is very tricky to rush at the
start of the match.
Newbie players will sacrifice their team by running up to grab the hammer-
-burst, because it simply takes too long to get at the beginning of the round.
I've seen many matches end at the small area where you locate this weapon,
though. It's very hard to get a shot on a player that's crouched there.
Another critical weapon that counters the longshot is the boomshot, and it
requires speed to get. With the slide glitching (presently) cancelled, you
are EXTREMELY vulnerable to a surprise attack from either vehicle near the
boomer when attempting to rush it.
A quick summary: 2 groups of 2 are ideal setups here, since a group of 3
or 4 tend to be picked off on this map via confusion. A good start off would
be 2 to the longshot, and 2 to the boomshot.
MOST COMMON MISTAKE: Grabbing the hammerburst. Stop it, NOW.
************************************** CANALS:
A SNIPER'S FAVORITE
Another favorite, the canals are filled with a variety of kill scenarios.
You tend to start off with a headshot, a quick lancer kill at the center, then
a torque bow kill, a grenade tag and finally a shotgun flash for flavor. JOY!
The front player is the one that needs to grab the sniper located at either
bridge; other players are likely to expose their heads to danger from the
opposite sniper; watch you icons, and hold off if you are outrunned.
The frags tend to be open for business, so grab them if you can. If you do,
then check below for any lancer battles going on for the torque bow. You can
bank the grenades off of the stone pillars and gibbify a couple of players.
Unless you are some strange player that is obsessed with the boltok, ignore
the weapon at the base of the frag bridge; it's too vulnerable from every
direction.
A crack team of active lancers can roast players rushing grenade side if
you can cooirdinate a strike; be sure to spot patterns in the opposite team.
And for crying out loud, don't fire on anyone at the beginning of the round
from the sniper bridges! You will surely be head shot most of the time, unless
your opponents are crap snipers.
MOST COMMON MISTAKE: Trying to outsnipe a sniper at the start. (POP!)
*************************************************** MAUSOLEUM:
MASTER YOUR COVER TECHNIQUES HERE!
This map is rediculously filled with cover locations and hiding spots.
And if you are into that, then you should love this map already. It's also
chock-full of weapons to grab, if you are daring...
Remember that the side that has the frags is the same that contains the
longshot. The boltok side hides the torque bow. And of course, they alternate
each round.
The boomshot is very handy on this map, as are the other 2 power weapons,
which are all in-line with another. To gain control of the boomer, you need
a player to rush it (or 2).
Since this map tends to be in-your-face, the shotgun isn't a bad choice of
a default weapon. The lancer should be for support only, unless you like to
try and chainsaw (ugh.)
MOST COMMON MISTAKE: Blindfiring at a sniper or boomshot. You'll learn
quickly on what happens when you do that.
******************************************* ROOFTOPS:
GET YOUR 'DONT HURT EM' ACHIEVEMENT HERE!
My least favorite map by far, but still requiring as much skill and
strategy as any other map. Teamwork and communication are double-fold in
nessecity here, so speak up!
There are a multitude of high-up locations to aim the hammer of dawn,
even at the starting area. Experiment!
This is also a good map to practice your head shots, since most of the
battle is on a level surface. A defensive team can break an impatient team
apart on this map.
This map needs cooperation between all of your team mates, which means
that you need to assign yourselves the roles needed, and use it to your teams
advantage, not your own. You need a hammer of dawn expert, a good sniper, a
frag grenadier, and shotgun whore. How you choose to hammer or snipe purely
depends on what happens during the match, but don't argue over who gets what.
MOST COMMON MISTAKE: Suicide via hammer of dawn.
**************************** CLOCKTOWER:
YOU WANNA GET HIGH? OR LOW?
This map is very unpredictable. It also requires a lot of teamwork and
communication to succeed. This is a map that also requires the whole team
to stay together for the best results, since it's somewhat wider than some.
It's also with few explosions, save the hard-to-aquire frags and boomshot.
Rushing the longshot up top is not a bad idea, and you can usually find who
is up there before you try and grab the weapon. Beware of the far pillars and
it's possible surprise attack.
The hammerburst serves a nice weapon to assist from up top, but is also a
good way to get nailed from a multitude of angles when approaching it.
A lot of matches turn into a shotgun war at the base of the map, where the
vehicles are, but smart players avoid this area unless the whole team is down
there.
An excellent area to flank is right along the barricade next to the frags.
If you sneak over the wall you can often catch players on the opposite side
if they are distracted. If not, you still have a shotgun advantage point,
since they cannot get to you.
The boomshot is a tricky endeveour, and should be grabbed with caution.
If the other team grabs the sniper when you approach it, you are in big
trouble. Do not, under any circumstances, try to boom the sniper from that
location; I've NEVER seen a successful hit (although it's possible).
MOST COMMON MISTAKE: Camping at spawn or near the boltok pistol.
************************************WAR MACHINE:
DON'T USE THE TROIKA!
This map harbors the troika, which is both superdeadly and superuseless.
While there may be a way to consistanly use the weapon to kill the opposition,
I've not seen it yet.
You can split your teams into 2 on this map, each attempting a paticular
weapon, or go in full force to either the longshot or torque bow. The longshot
arena is filled with carnage, so beware.
There are 2 spots along the side of the longshot area that allow you height
over the protective sandbags, and flank your opponents. You can even move to
this location from your side, by dropping down and moving to the left/right.
The large, iron box at the very center of the map is a good location to
either hide or at lease gauge the opposition. Weaker players may pass right
on by without seeing you against it.
Grabbing the torque bow usually requires a fast player rushing it, and a
player covering him. Check when roadie running up to the torque if you are
rushing; you might see a player running up to challenge you for it.
It's extremely hard to use the grenades to kill the players grabbing the
torque, so it's usually best to save the frags for when you need it more.
MOST COMMON MISTAKE: Too obvious to mention here.
****************************************MANSION:
INSIDE AND OUT
Another good map to stick together and not do your own thing. Going
either inside to rush the longshot, or outside to nab the boomshot or frags
can lead to some devastating flanks.
It's generally benefitial to stick as a squad in this map, although it
depends on how the other team is behaving. You can sometimes land a flank
or 2, especially inside via the staircase.
When rushing into the mansion, a guy checking out the lower half is almost
essential in order to scope out flank attempts. Stick to near the edge, less
you expose your location.
When rushing outside for boomshot, a skilled player should hone the hammer
burst and cover a player attempting to grab the boomer. There are many ways
around outside to trick your opponents, so keep an eye out for angles.
A very vulnerable area to the boomshot is by the sniper, at the top of
either staircase. If you decide to try and hold this area, split up.
MOST COMMON MISTAKE: Getting caught one way or another in the boomshot
area; you need to proceed carefully in order to obtain these power weapons.
****************************************FUEL DEPOT:
DON'T FALL UNDER!
Another personal favorite map, the fuel depot is one of the largest in
GOW; it's many hiding spots and challenge areas provides a wide variety
of strategy and skill. It's also the most boring if you die frequently.
The fastest players should grab the sniper rifle and attempt to down
the opposite player, if they can get the first shot. If you are quicker than
the enemy, you can AR his midsection and down him in the trailer.
The hammerburst is an OK weapon on this map, allowing great support for
your team mates; this doesn't apply if they are the run-and-gnash type,
though.
The hammer of dawn is excellent to grab early on in each round, but is
less useful late in the game, when you are searching for the last guy; it's
better to use the weapon when the other team is unaware of your possesion of
it.
Blowing up the gas station with the hammer of dawn is awesome; however,
be aware that you can actually hurt your friends with the splash damage after
the fact. To my knowledge it's the only way to hurt a team mate with friendly
fire off.
******************************************************TYRO STATION:
GET YOUR 'THE NUGE' ACHIEVEMENT HERE!
I always enjoy this map, although it's arguably the least popular map in
ranked gametypes. The weapon pacing forces players to go empty handed, which
leaves a lot of hungry gamers cold.
It's obvious that 1 player (usually the frontman) needs to rush their
torque bow; it's uses are far too great to leave for your opponent. The catch
to having only 1 player get it and have the rest of the team elsewhere, is
that you leave the lone player pinned at torque. He is also open to free shots
from the opposite team if they grab their torque.
The bottom area is a small mess of quick moves and possible flank attempts,
and is very dangerous without a buddy or 2. It's possible to line up a couple
of lancers under cover, and release a "firing squad" on a player grabbing
the frags.
The hammer of dawn is extremely hard to use on this map, but is valuable if
you obtain it while the other team camps below. Learn the spots in which you
can hammer the opposite side, and your own if you are rushed.
The area directly across when running up and outside, opposite of torque,
is a good area to hide and pull off sneak attacks if the other team tries
to cross.
MOST COMMON MISTAKE: Not watching for a torque bow when acsending the other
side of the map. I've gotten dozens of kills on players just blindly running
up the runway!
*************************************************ESCALATION:
UP AND DOWN
This map is quite difficult unless you are very familiar with many elements
of combat with GOW. You need skills in sniping, communication, frags and cover
moves to efficiently deal with your opponents. For me, this is one of my
favorite maps due to it's non-symetrical design.
Naturally, your 2 best snipers need to covet the bottom snipers, but the
other players need not forget the 3 sets of frags at the bottom as well;
many players forget the set at the right hand side at spawn.
It's not a bad idea to rush to the 2nd tier, and grab the center frags
before the other team gets a chance to grab them. By using the frags
properly, you can force the other team to not rush.
If you are on the top, your support players need to use the hammerburst if
possible; but make sure if you use it to not expose your head. The burst
lights you up like a Christmas tree when you are shooting it.
I've seen teams win through camping at the top, and waiting for the other
team to come up; this can be solved 1 of 2 ways: By either not running up
there at all, and using the timer to your advantage (since if it goes to a
draw, you start on the opposite end), or by using your many sets of frags to
your advantage. Remember, if the other team camps at the top, than you should
have 4 SETS of frags to toss into the spawn area.
MOST COMMON MISTAKE: Taking cover on the 3rd and 4th tier on top, and
exposing your head to the sniper.
***********************************************OLD BONES:
GOOFY NAME, GREAT MAP
One of the 2 recent bonus maps, old bones treats the players to wide-open
spaces, allowing the free use of frags, boomshot and longshot, although the
last 2 require teamwork to get most of the time.
In similar nature to mauseleum, you need to remember which side leads to
your immediate goal and communictate this to your team mates. One side leads
to the longshot arena, and the other leads to the frag/boomshot. This switches
from round to round.
There is a good, safe post to lancer a player attempting to grab the
boomshot, out of a snipers immediate view. Sit there too long, however, and
you're setting yourself up for trouble.
There are many ways to die around the sniper arena, especially from the
boomshot. It's generally not a safe area to try and hold, and not a good area
to snipe from, either. If you grab it, follow your team mates instead.
Grabbing the boomshot, which is arguably the most important weapon to
have on this map, is risky. A suprise flank from around the statue, a
player lancing from above, a grenadier and even a sniper can stop you from
acquiring it. Proceed with caution!
It's sometimes neccesary to have 1 player on your team to pick up your
team's frag grenades, but if the rest of your team goes to the longshot area,
then he should follow there instead. By doing so, gain valuable firepower in
the longshot arena in exchange for the other team not really being able to
use their frags fully. If your team is scattered, then grabbing the frags is
a much better idea.
MOST COMMON MISTAKE: Bull rushing the boomshot when the whole other team
is approaching. Take cover instead, hero.
*******************************RAVEN DOWN:
THE DEFINITIVE SHOTGUN MAP
1st and last point about raven down; use the shotgun, a lot. It's also
the Pulp Fiction of GOW: You either love this map or hate it. NOTE: I've
not tried this map since the latest update in where the lancer is now far
more dominant!
You and your team mates start on adjacent slots of this map, forming an
"X" in a crowded intersection. Your team mates are always on your right if
you start on a side with frags, and always on the left if you don't. It's
the easiest way to remember where your other 2 team mates are, but you will
learn it soon enough.
Most matches are better won when your team sticks together on this map,
and not seperatly engaging the enemy. That said, each team's fragger will
have more luck decimating opponents when they toss it into a firefight, so
always be aware of it. Listen for the 2 frags to come out, or expect a tag.
There will be a TON of shotgunning within this map, no matter what. If
you don't like to use it, then I suggest you learn to like it, or choose
another map. Not that the other weapons are useless, but the shotgun's
volitale power up-close makes it an ideal choice here.
It's very hard to get in-line with your opponents to slay them with a
pistol or lancer, which is another reason to close the gap instead.
The so-called "room of death" is given this name from the likely outcome
of any player attempting to hide within it; the game's engine allows your
shadow to plainly appear from 1 side when you are in there, so you merely
set yourself up for an ambush if you try to camp there.
If your team is being gunned down repeatedly via the shotgun, you should
adjust your strategy and have at least 1 player assist with the lancer. I
said earlier that the shotgun is the best weapon, but assisitng in this
fashon can help your team a lot. You likely won't get many kills doing this,
but if you enjoy winning like me, then I suggest you try it.
MOST COMMON MISTAKE: Going solo at the start, and going in 1-on-2. Even
if you happen to pull it off, you're still an idiot.
************** BULLET MARSH:
SCARY
This map is one of my favorite of the newest additions to GOW; it's by
far the most graphically imperessive of all the multiplayer maps in my
opinion.
You begin on each dark side of the map with a choice of going high or low.
The high road curls up to a staight path to the center of the map, containing
Frags, a smoke grenade (?) and the Boomshot (Which MUST be aquired).
The low road is more sneaky, with weeds and darkness to mask a more covert
operation; at the semi-center of this low road (one side has better access to
this area), lies the torque, generator and a set of frags.
The generator, when fired on repeadedly, temporarily downs the lights that
cover the torque/frags, and each longshot located at each bunker on the high
road. In these areas (and most of the dark areas) harvest Kryll that will
down the player if they venture into it.
I've not seen a player manage to down the generator at the start of a round
in a typical match fast enough to not allow anyone to grab the longshots, but
if a player shoots the generator fast enough at the high road you may block
access to the torque bow, if you don't like the other team to get it.
One side (the one that ramps up and to the right) seems more difficult to
snipe the opposite team sniper from, balancing out the torque bow dillema. The
opposite side's sniper has a shot on the torque bow, and is more hidden in
darkness when sniping in the middle (although he's still vulnerable).
******************** GARDEN:
IT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD MAP
Most players hate this map at first, since it's the most wide-open of any
map in GOW by far. Professonal snipers will love the headshots given away by
unaware players. This is a map beyond all maps that require good teamwork.
Each side begins in a wide open field with no cover; in front of each spawn
lies a deadly greenhouse that will almost instantly kill anyone moving inside.
A player needs to move to a switchboard located past the greenhouse (clearly
visible), and hit the switch 3 times to disable the gas inside, which holds
the longshot. The gas re-emerges a short time later (I believe a minute).
One spawn will have a shortcut to the boomshot, which will be on their
right-hand side (as seen as a white building in the background). While fast
players can manage to confront the boomer as he's picking it up, one side will
usually win that battle if not handled correctly. If you want the boomshot (and
you do), make sure you have back up.
The other spawn has the same advantage in getting to the hammer of dawn,
located directly in the middle building of the Garden. The same rules of
conduct apply with gaining this weapon, since the other team only has a couple
seconds of delay in getting there.
******************************** PROCESS:
INTRICATE AND A FAN FAVORITE
This goregous, non-symetrical map is favored by many run-and-gun style
players, since this map is closed-in and contains furious battles most every
round. It's basic shape overhead consists of a big square, with many paths
in, around and outside it's paremeters.
Starting on the lengthy bridged side, (By all that juice!) you have 2 paths
in front of you, each leading into different means of entry into the plant.
On the left-hand side of this area, past the bridge, lies a hard-to-see set
of frags. Directly in front of this area is the longshot, which is equally
fast to get to (more or less). The opposite direction of these weapons leads
toward the torque bow and boomshot; All 3 of these power weapons are in-line
along the center of the map, and make for interesting decisions.
The torque is relatively the safest weapon to grab, if no one is at the
boomshot; the boomshot is in an extremely vulnerable location, next to the
torque bow, and in direct line with the longshot from across the map. The
boomer can shoot through the fence, as can any weapon; to grab the boomer
means you are literally vulnerable to every direction and weapon, but also
have a distinct advantage when you have it. It's use is vital!
There are many cover points in this map, and strategy is distinctly random;
I will go out on a limb and say that this map has more strategic options than
any other map.
************************** SUBWAY:
EAT FRESH
This map is huge, with 2 distinct directions of travel from either spawn:
Outside, or inside. One spawn begins outside, which carries the coveted
longshot on the far left. This overlooks half of the center of the subway, and
the center stairs leading to outside. It's also a challenge point to the
torque bow, located inside the subway. Finally, this point is a direct head
shot to the boomer, located dead-center of the map.
The inside of the subway begins at spawn; you can run directly upstairs
there, or go right towards the center subway area. The far end car holds the
torque bow, the center holds the boomshot, and next to the wall (out of sight
of the sniper), lies the frags.
A aimed toss of the frags will kill the sniper, but it requires a bit of
luck; it's a perfect means of distraction to allow a team mate to get the
boomer, at any rate.
The outside area, towards the underground spawn side, lies a out-of-the-way
set of frags, located on a platform; it's pickup is a dead giveaway, but with
the obvious exchange of frag grenades in your hand. This whole area is it's
own battleground, but is a dangerous area overall, due to every weapon located
in other locations; you never know where the next boomshot, torque or snipe
will come from out here.
******************************************************************************
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FREQUENTLY ANNOYING QUIRKS
Here, you will learn the many facts about
the game engine, achievements and other quirks
that are still plagued with lies and rumors.
While I do not promise 100% accuracy with the contents
of this section, I do promise that they are not
recycled rumors that I hear; I search out for what
I display and give you the results. Read on!
MELEE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT ****************************************************
Despite what you hear from people to this day, there is no difference
between ANY weapon when you melee a player, save the hammer of dawn and the
lancer.
It takes 2 hits from these weapons to down a player, and in comparesin, a
single strike and 2 clean shots to the body with the pistol.
Hitting a player stuns them briefly, but may not in the instance of them
rolling, taking cover, or doing other animations (rising up, etc). If you do
strike them while they are in an animation, the damage counts, but will not
down them, or stun them. This will leave you open to a stun yourself.
Hitting a player also will activate a brief auto-aim, allowing finishing
shots to be unleashed, or circling out of their range of fire.
Generally, if both players hit each other, then if they strike again, they
will both drop to the ground. If one shoots their shotgun/boomshot/etc instead
of striking, there is a possibility of a kill/down scenario. Latency sucks!
(Note: If 2 players are jamming on the "A" button to outrevive or outlive the
other, note that speed is irrelevant, since you only need to hit the button
so fast to prolong the timer at the max rate. The determined 'winner' is
based on the principle of LUCK, except in the case of a host, where a bleed
out or revive is awarded to the host first. The one time you don't want to be
host is when you are trying to out tap a player in Warzone; you won't win. :)
The hammer of dawn takes 3 hits instead of 2 to finish a player, which is
easy enough if he doesn't have a team mate nearby. Just keep circling him and
you'll do fine.
GRENADE TAGGING, AND THE NEW RULES *******************************************
It's extremely annoying to be tagged in GOW, but I find it to be just as
fair a way to get a kill as any other since the latest update. Note the new
rules:
If you are tagged, and you get within range to kill the other player with
his grenade, you will be awarded a bonus (revenge) kill.
On top of that, if you 2 are the last players in this instance, your team
will now be the one victorious! Thank you, Epic!
Unless you haven't noticed, the 1st update shortened the distance to tag a
player to the same distance as any other weapon. Usually, you now need to take
a player by suprise to tag successfully.
Lastly, if you tag a player and he jumps into a team mate of YOURS, you
can actually kill him as well, even with friendly fire off.
CHAINSAW STUFF ***************************************************************
We all love and hate the chainsaw. We love to pull a kill off, and HATE
being caught in it. It truly is a weapon for beginners, since it does work
VERY well if you don't expect it.
If you are within a 80 degree range of either side of a player when they
are revving the chainsaw, and within melee range, you will die. This will
explain why in so many instances a lucky player will merely turn while holding
down the "B" button, and chop you up. The key here, is to not be in that
range! If the player is clearly holding their lancer, then don't get so close.
On a similar note, dont try to stun a chainsawer when he's close either, or
you will be caught in a "chainsaw vaccum". Simply put, it will appear that the
revving player is out of chainsaw range, and you will try to fire a shotgun
blast; the other player then "sucks in" to you, bloodying up your screen. The
key move here: Run back first!
As you might know, a chain sawing player is invulnerable until he's done
with chopping up your team mate; he's not immune to damage, but immune to
explosive death (grenade tags, boomshots). A lancer burst is enough to down
him, as long as you are hitting him at the END of his animation for the
downing shot to count.
If you get the timing down, you can tag, torque or boom a chainsawer at
the end of his fun; just be aware of host/peer issues, as explained later.
INDIVIDUAL WEAPON ISSUES *****************************************************
***SHOTGUN***
There are 2 consistant glitches with this weapon that you need to be
aware of: If you are VERY close to the enemy with this weapon, you MUST hold
down the L trigger to aim in to guarentee a kill, especially if you are
sneaking up from behind. It's a good pracitCe to melee the enemy, and
then shoot him in the same manner in this case. Another glitch (that occurs
with most every gun) is if a player is directly behind you, and you fire
forward, the game will register a hit to the player behind you, killing him
instantly.
Occasionally, the melee strike for this weapon won't register; It's not
known if holding down the "B" button will effect it, but it's not as much
a factor as it was.
***TORQUE BOW***
Many times, it may appear that you stick a player with an arrow, only to
have it fizzle out. To my understanding, it's a confliction error with the
host, and may be because you didn't torque enough (but your X Box thought you
did).
***LONGSHOT***
If you are attempting to snipe the host, be aware of the lag time that you
need to adjust for, and don't ***** when you miss a "perfect" headshot; on his
host, you missed, so get over it. By all logical standards, if you are in a
battle with host 1-on-1, your using the most inconsistant weapon to kill him,
so maybe a lancer is a better idea (the best weapon against host, due to many,
many shots fired, with fewer latency issues).
***FRAGS***
Odd are you've attempted to "get back" at a tagger, but he miraculously
lives despite being directly next to you when you blow up; be aware, that the
player must be injured if he's taking cover, in order to suicide next to him
with consistant success. The game engine rewards cover from explosives with
reduced damage, so a crafty player will "slide" into cover at the last second
to avoid death. If he's hurt though, odds are you will get back at him.
ACHIEVEMENTS *****************************************************************
We are all here in multiplayer to get the various (and hard to get)
achievements. I will explain the details on how to get each one:
All of the weapon achievements (pistola, the nuge, etc) require a kill
OUTSIDE of execution range, which is always displayed as a gun to the head.
Most players will get either the exectution or curb stomp achievement first.
Speaking of which, almost ALL of the online achievements are not counted
via the new gametype ANNEX. It's far too easy to get kills in that mode, so
Epic wisely ommitted this possibility.
Playing in warzone mode is the best way to get any achievement, unless you
are trying to get a curb stomp or execution achievement. If you are more
skilled or daring, you can allow players to rise up in execution mode, and
chainsaw them to get that achievement also. As noted, you cannot chainsaw a
downed player to get a chainsaw kill, as it counts as an execution.
The clusterluck achievement can be earned in multiplayer, but it's easiest
to 'earn' it in single player (chapter 3, I believe).
After much deliberation and speculation, any player that goes above 100 of
a kill (say, curb stomp) that doesn't get that achievment is simply SOL until
they get that achievement later on. There is no explanation at this point why;
cross-mode (Execution, Warzone and Assasination) kill ARE COUNTED, so you do
not need to have a hundred on 1 type only.
All achievments are counted via your profile's saved data, heince canceled
matches in ranked games will still count; most (all) players get their
Seriously... Achievement before their ranked kills reaches 10'000.
THE HOST ADVANTAGE ***********************************************************
Here I will clear up some issues regarding the dreaded "host" advantage:
Firstly, despite all rumors, there is no actual DAMAGE advantage with
either peer nor host. The advantage is within confliction issues, and timing;
the net result is a player that is definitively more accurate overall.
Technicaly, the host is in charge of ALL actions within the match; each
peer sends a signal thru the internet requesting information back, allowing
progress. If you fire at an enemy, your graphics engine allows you to fire,
and see the results. MEANWHILE, the host recieves this "request" for your shot
to fire, and sends your XBox the results for your display.
On a good, solid connection, there is little difference for either result.
On larger distances, however, there will be BLATANT differences on what occurs
on-screen for the peer.
In a nutshell, you could blast a host with a perfect shotgun round. But in
reality, he's already shot you first, since his XBox is a split second ahead
of you. Shots that are "counted", as in, allowed by the host, are displayed
as blood splatters on-screen on all peers, heince this is what you should be
paying attention to when playing, especially with lancers, pistols, etc.
The basic thing to concentrate on if you are dueling the host is to try
and aim AHEAD of were he's moving, and keep a larger distance than normal if
neccesary. If you are hitting him dead-on and he's not being damaged, it's
because your not aiming in the right spot, and not REALLY hitting him. In a
recent match, I aimed (heh, by accident) 3 FEET to the left of my target (the
host), and downed him with an active sniper shot. I COMPLETELY missed on my
screen, but I hit him on his. That's the internet for you.
And if you are host, the players jut around a bit in place of moving
smoothly, in exchange for timing accuracy. Generally, every weapon in the
game is easier to use against your opponents; although many think that the
shotgun is the most overpowered. Trust me, they are ALL easier to use.
Last but not least, the #1 host killing technique, believe it or not, is
the so-called "team work" thing you've heard about. 2 lancers beats ANY "host
shotgun". In short, this is a team game, and the better team always wins in
GOW, end of story.
DEALING WITH LAG AND PACKET LOSS *********************************************
There are many elements to playing online that many still do not understand
to this day. The first and formost thing to remember is that you are NEVER in
the same exact position that you see on-screen when you are moving/shooting.
MOVING/SHOOTING: As mentioned, even though the game engine is showing you
firing your shotgun or pistol, it's still not registered with the host, and
it's not OK'ed. Once the host OK's the shot you made, it sends a signal back
to your XBOX, and it displays the results, such as a hole in the wall.
This is CLEARLY indicated by joining a match online and firing at anything.
you will notice a distinctive lag time when you shoot. It's this time that
good players memorize to aim ahead of what they see, and make more shots
count.
All of this confusion is based on netcoding, or the means in which the
game interacts with similar games on the internet. 2 (or up to like, 32)
computers are interacting in the same environment, and need to agree on what
is happening. It's EXTREMELy complicated, and impossible to perfect.
The main way, like in GOW or Halo, is for the peer player to run thru the
map in multiplayer as if they weren't playing online; jumping, strafing and
running are all displayed without error. While moving, the host is constantly
confirming your location, and displaying it to others. If your net speed is
increased, it takes longer to update this information, and it takes longer
to display this online. If it's bad enough, you will be redirected based on
the host engine's decision, meaning you may jump around a bit.
Some older games, like DOOM, will not use this kind of netcoding; instead,
they show the player EXACTLY what is happening on-screen, and the lag time is
directly applied to the control of the game. In other words, turning, shooting
and getting hit are all delayed based on his ping (latency).
If you've played these games, you will understand why modern online games
instead allow precise control, and masked online lag. It's far too difficult
to control anything with that type of netcode.
PACKET LOSS: A rarely mentioned form of lag is packet loss, where you lose
information completely, rather than it being delayed. This causes mass mayhem
in multiplayer games like GOW, since critical events can be compromised, like
reloading your sniper, or flashing a player with your shotgun.
Packet loss is not very common with most DSL or cable connections, but it
will still occur from time to time; it's identified online by sudden, crazy
movements or actions. If a host is creating packet loss, the game itself will
suffer tremendously.
Packet loss is unavoidable in terms of connection download or other means
of comparesin, and is usually only solved through a different connection.
THE WEAPON SLIDE, REMENTIONED ************************************************
Fixed, until some ******* finds out how to do it again. GET A LIFE!
(I've seen variations of weapon sliding, involving taking cover at the exact
moment that they pick up the weapon, but this has always been possible; it's
in no way the exploitation that it once was.)
GETTING 'OUT OF THE MAP' IN CERTAIN MAPS *************************************
It's up to you to learn to do this, I won't teach how; I learn how in order
to counter cheaters that attempt to ruin the experience, and that's the ONLY
reason I do so. Listing on how to cheat in this game really doesn't help the
matter much.
LAG GLITCHES *****************************************************************
Here are a few brief glitches that irritate players, but are usually easy
to correct if you know how:
NO-RUN GLITCH: On occasion, you may be unable to run, take cover or do
anything with the "A" button, but still move and shoot like normal. To correct
this, simply press the "B" button and rev/swing to fix this.
STICK GLITCH: You may also get stuck in place from time-to-time. If you can
move in any direction, try to take cover on a nearby wall; this will fix your
placement error.
NO RELOAD GLITCH: If you are firing the longshot and the rounds are not
decreasing and/or the reload bar doesn't appear, it's due to lag. The best
thing to do is to switch weapons and come back to it later.
NO FIRE GLITCH: Every twitch game has this error, so don't blame Epic for
this one; sometimes in a laggy match, a shot (sniper, boom, whatever) simply
won't come out your gun. If you see this happen, it's a loss of packet, or
a connection error. If you see a LOT of it, you are lagging out.
RANKED MATCHES, AND DUMB RUMORS **********************************************
Here I will list the many facts about ranked matches and hopefully calm
down the stupid rumors circlating them:
QUITTING PENALTY: -50 points, no more, no less. While you could think that
it should be much higher to keep people from dropping constantly, remember
that A: It wouldn't stop people, since they suck, and B: it's unfair to some
of the unfortunate folks that are actually lagged out of a crappy host. I will
letter bomb anyone who sends me an E-Mail claiming that this number is false.
(Not really, but please don't E-Mail me on this.)
DROPPED ROOMS: If the host quits, the match is null and void, and you will
anger a lot of players. I am not totally clear on weather or not points are
deducted on any party or if there are any consequences to anyone on the leader
board, since it's rare anyway. (Note: My records suggest that it's an
automatic win for the off-host team, but I will need to prove this.)
MATCHES COUNT: On topic, if ANY number of players quit in a ranked match,
it will still count, no matter what ANYONE says. I've tested this on 5
different occasions, and proved this fact. You can have it drop from a 4-on-4
match to a 1-on-1 and it count kill-for-kill. If you don't immediately see
the results on the leaderboard, it's either from a timing issue, or another
problem with networking, but NOT from players dropping. END OF DISCUSSION.
ANNEX DOESN'T COUNT: Annex, the new gametype, doesn't reward players for
any kind of weapon or kill-count achievement. This means you still have to
earn your Seriously Achievement. Oh well. ;)
FEEDBACK SYSTEM: Although leaving "postive" feedback on a player is a
good thing to do when neccesary, note that will NOT EFFECT that player's rep
when you do so. Look at your own rep closely:
"X% of players preferred or DID NOT SUBMIT A REVIEW about you".
What this means, is that your percentage is effected by the number of
players you interact with, and don't piss off. A player submitting a good
review of you only makes it more likely (supposedly) to be matched again in
the future, and nothing else.
In short: Don't bother unless you are just being nice.
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FINAL TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
Here, I list a few things off the top
of my head to be aware of when you are
working as a team, and your own role in it:
******* DON'T ARGUE ******************************************
The #1 way to succeed in GOW, and in any game, is to maintain your cool.
Those who play with me know I don't follow this rule well, but I use a couple
of key techniques to avoid the jerks online:
Accessing the gamer card of any player (most easily via the pregame lobby)
will bring up the easy option of muting any player you come across. While
many players are better off with trash talking, you still risk bad feedback.
By muting any player, you cut off communication to either party, so he/she
can't hear you either. Sometimes, it's best to just mute the whole other team
and concentrate on killing them instead.
If you do get into a testosterone match, remember to play your game, not
the other person's. If they taunt your weapon use, say: "Don't use the damn
shotgun all the time!", then keep using it, since it's working for you.
******* 4-ON-1 (VS.YOU) **************************************
If you realize suddenly, that your whole team has been murdered in a round,
check your timer with the back button. If you are spunky, then run like hell
and hide. I don't care what anyone says, if you are in a ranked match,
anything goes. You most likely won't kill the whole team here.
******* 2-ON-1 (VS.YOU) **************************************
Say you have 2 guys cockily shooting at you with shotguns, and you have no
place to go. As in real life, the best solution is to circle until both
opponents are lined up, so only the front player is damaging you.
This is easier said than done, and won't always work, but always be aware
that you cannot shoot through your team mate.
If the gap is increased, the best solution is to run like hell, and make
the players split up to try and catch you. You're way better off taking them
on 1-on-1.
A split-second decision that may be made, if you are heavily damaged while
between 2 enemies, and you down one of them: Run, immediately. The other
player will panic and raise his fallen team mate, and you can recover and try
again. I get yelled at by team mates a lot, but it's the best option if you
are trying to win the round for your team.
******** TEAM STACKING ***************************************
A completely unavoidable part of ranked matches is team stacking, in
which one team consists of players that are friends or are otherwise all
intending to play together. While Epic want's players to join in these matches
alone, it's simply not how this game is being played. So I submit to you a
couple of hints:
Do not argue in which side you want to be on, and don't whine about the
team stacking; it's unavoidable, and you can always join in another room. In
fact, if the other team is acting like jackasses, be sure to do so before the
match begins.
Join in games that only have a few players (less than 5), and you will
likely find a room that is not stacked yet. Talk a good game and you can
land a spot on the coveted "host" team (but be ready to hear about it later).
If you REALLY hate stacked teams, your best bet is to join games of exactly
10 ROUNDS. Most host players sticking with friends host games of odd numbers
(like 13, 17 ect). Be prepared to play a lot of gridlock though ;)
******** 4, 3, 2-ON-1 (AGAINST SOMEONE) **********************
I swear I've seen at least a hundred rounds lost from a squad of players
rushing in for the last "easy" kill, only to line up like lemmings and be
slaughtered by a single guy. Follow these EASY rules, and this will NEVER,
EVER HAPPEN:
First of all, STICK together, both as a team, and in communication. If
you break apart and run to find the last guy, you're tempting fate. DON'T.
That said, if the last guy is known to possess the boomshot, the
opposite is true, to an extent: Don't stick so close together that a single
shot could kill multiple players.
Now the important part. If you are encountering a final player, and he's
(predictibly) using the shotgun to fend for himself, keep your distance, and
circle the player. Whoever's in front can't stay in the way of the following
players, since they cannot shoot the guy. If every player is within MEDIUM
range, with pistols/lancers out, the last guy has no chance of survival, host
advantage or not. Of all things to NOT do, don't get into a shotgun war with
the last guy, since you are giving him a chance to live on.
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THANKS FOR READING THUS FAR, AND I
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. FRAG OUT!
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Gears Of War Online Multiplayer FAQ
Complete revision (V.2.0)
Copyright 2007 by Patrick Connors. This FAQ may be reproduced
with permission for any purpose. Contact me via X box live or E-Mail
for any questions or comments.
the_gamer_lives@yahoo.com
GAMERTAG: Trevelyan2
Explore the galaxy in the franchise's first open-world game.
