Some big additions are in the works for Gears of War 2. The first is Title Update 3, which brings a load of improvements and exciting new features to the game, including an all-new experience-based ranking system. That’s already cause for celebration, but there’s more—the Snowblind Map Pack, a bundle of four wintery Gears 2 multiplayer battlefields, hits the Xbox LIVE Marketplace shortly after Title Update 3.
Gears of War 2 Title Update 3—March 24, 2009
A culmination of the tireless efforts of the Gears team and mounds of player feedback, this latest Gears 2 update is our biggest yet. Title Update 3 contains a bounty of additions ranging from new features and achievements to exploit fixes and matchmaking tweaks, with highlights below:
New experience-based ranking system: The new system gives you 100 levels of player experience, gained through scoring in Public matches. The game still uses TrueSkill to set up the most competitive matches possible, but skill ranks are now hidden. Players who quit matches early see their experience docked as a penalty.
Public Match autobalancing: Bots now automatically join a Public Match to fill any slots left vacant by players who quit early or disconnect.
Improvements: You get region preference for matchmaking, improved standby detection, playlist optimization, plus nine new achievements—six of which require the Snowblind Map Pack—worth a total of 250 points.
Exploit fixes: Title Update 3 eliminates the ability to mantle greater distances by swapping weapons during cover slide and to melee attack through walls while holding an enemy weapon, plus adding many more fixes.
General fixes: These include more reliable chainsaw interruption detection, improved headshot detection for certain character model heads, improved flag AI in Submission games, plus other fixes.
Balancing: Title Update 3 makes changes to Subway weapon spawns for greater balance, reductions to smoke-grenade stun duration, an increase to the forward angle that triggers chainsaw duels, and several other balance revisions.
Of course, that’s just some of what’s in store for players in Title Update 3. For the complete skinny, be sure to check out the complete patch notes.
Snowblind Map Pack—March 31, 2009
Don’t worry, that rush of cold up your back is just the Snowblind Map Pack, a winter-themed batch of four new Gears of War 2 maps bound to crank up the heat on your multiplayer and Horde matches. The four maps are:
Grind Yard, a massive industrial complex with low bunkers and high sniping positions.
Under Hill, which takes players through snowbound tunnels and beyond.
Courtyard, a wide-open battle royale.
The popular Gears 1 map Fuel Depot, back with a blast of winter courtesy of Mother Nature, aka Epic Games.
Source:
http://gearsofwar.xbox.com/Templates/CMBlog.aspx?id=1408&blogid=47896
Woo, fuel depot! I guess. Is anyone still playing this?
Also, can we get some singleplyer DLC at some point?
Complete patch notes are available at:
http://gearsofwar.xbox.com/Templates/Secondary.aspx?id=1406
Posts
Didn't they fix them months ago with title update #2?
Maybe? It's been a long time since i've played.
What? Not at all. Far from it.
There are very few glitches, its a tonne of fun to play. I have been playing a shitload of this lately and its awesome. I am genuinely surprised we don't have a raging thread for this game. The Combustible map packs are awesome and title update #3 will be gold! Cant wait to get the ranking up achievements (I'm an achievement whore). Not to mention the Snowblind maps.
Pub games, like most games, downright suck. Get a good team together and its great. I have managed to pull a great bunch of local folks together and we are having a blast.
At least there's more than four levels to play... (I kid I kid I love Left 4 Dead, honest). However, this game has just as many ZOMG Ponies that was awesome moments.
Seriously though, play this game. Invite/friend request me if you want. Note I'm kind of tired and I'm not proofreading this post.
Either way, if anyone still plays this somewhat regularly like I do, feel free to add me to your friends list.
PSN: Infinity_Prime
Right now, GoW's mp still stands out more to me than GoW 2's did.
Glitches, waiting 30 minutes to find a match, and to top it all of Epic has the nerve to release overly priced maps before they even fix the game? F that. That was the final straw.
Oh Im right there with you man. I did the same thing. It was an awful trainwreck of an online game. No doubt. I sold it a while ago. Thing is, thanks to my brother not wanting his, he gave me it and I have yet another one. I told him I wouldnt sell it since its his and its just been sitting there for months. Ill finally put it to use I guess.