Patch up your Halo

Microsoft has released its first proper patch for Gearbox's PC Halo port since the game went retail. Remember that the previous update to the game merely enabled support for dedicated servers, and the update before that was released before the game had even hit the shelves. Halo 1.03 is set to be the first comprehensive update of the FPS, fixing a wealth of issues that almost exclusively deal with the game's multiplayer elements.

As well as generally improving the network code, one major addition the update brings is a complete banning system that relates to team-killing, a much needed feature in this day and age of idiots who enforce the case for online gaming licenses. Well not really, just… you know, making a point.

The system works like this: if a player kills a team-mate and then doesn't team-kill again for a set amount of time, the player is forgiven and their status is reset. Also, players are no longer penalised for being killed by a team-mate, and a team-killers respawn time is multiplied by the number of team-members he kills. Other changes include team persistence when a map changes, same map game restarts, and a timer and offence/defence role indicators in assault mode.

The patch comes alongside a dedicated server update, details of which can be found here. You can pick the 4.4MB file up at 3D Gamers or direct from Microsoft.