GRID Lab to hold ‘Halo 2’ league tournament
By Jillian Mapes, Assistant Managing Editor
November 6, 2006 | 11:55 a.m.
The “Halo 2” league started play on Oct. 2, and the four teams are to compete in play-offs on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The two highest-ranking teams (based on cumulative scores for all of league play) will then move on to the league championships, which are to be held Friday, Nov. 10. Trophies will be awarded to the top-ranking team, as well as the four highest-ranking individual players. The individual player trophies are, by all means, completely fitting; they are modeled after the Master Chief character from “Halo 2.”
The members of the “Halo 2” league play every Wednesday night from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., and the cost to play each week is $4 a person. Teams compete in three games with two of those games being team vs. team and the last being a free-for-all game. Maps, i.e. “Halo 2” levels, are randomized in agreement with the league’s goal of giving no player an unfair advantage in the game.
While “Halo 2” is currently one of the most popular video games on the market, playing in a league and just playing alone in your dorm room are two completely separate experiences. “It feels like an official league rather than just some kids sitting around, playing,” said OU junior Josh Ende, a GRID Lab employee and “Halo 2” league member.
The “Halo 2” league members, most of which are Ohio University students, work together in four teams of four people in hopes of excelling in the league each week. While team members are obviously competitive, the league’s purpose is to allow members to have fun.
“The whole idea [of the league] is to have fun, not to necessarily beat each other’s brains out,” said Michael Sweeney, Operations Manager of the GRID Lab gaming center. “The competitive aspect of playing a game can sometimes overwhelm the whole process.”
Patrick Underwood, an OU senior who works at the GRID Lab, said, “[The players] are competitive, but it is not in a hostile way. Everyone wants to win, obviously, but in a friendly way. You’ll hear trash talking once in a while.”
Although league play has helped to establish the GRID Lab as a place that encourages healthy competition, the league has served other purposes as well. “The ‘Halo 2’ league is bringing people to the GRID Lab,” Underwood said.
“League play has helped to normalize revenue here and combat against yo-yo days,” Sweeney said.
With “Halo 2” currently serving as the GRID Lab’s most popular league, there are definite plans for future league play throughout winter intersession, winter quarter and spring quarter. Inter-collegiate leagues are even in the works. Sweeney anticipates even more interest in future leagues and invites potential players to “come and show their skills.”
As for the upcoming play-offs and championship, the race among the four teams is close. “The play is so evenly balanced that we won’t even know who will have won until the competition is over,” said Sweeney.
The play-offs will prove to be intense, and spectators are encouraged to attend. Teams will win additional prizes for having the most cheering points. The four teams competing in the Nov. 8 play-offs are: Team Newb, Team Balla, Team Crazy People and Team GRIDsauce.
Although Team Newb is currently in the lead, there is still hope for Team Balla. “We kind of hope that Team Balla wins, that the ‘new underdogs’ will pull up from behind,” said Ende, a proud member of the GRID Lab employees-only Team GRIDsauce. “Team Balla consists of new guys coming in, and we really hadn’t seen them at the GRID Lab too much [before the league].”
There will obviously be winners and losers, but in the end, the “Halo 2” league is uniting gamers in the desire to have fun. “It’s a great way to meet people you didn’t previously know -- very interesting people,” Ende said. After all, who doesn’t love new friends?
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If you go
Halo 2 Play-offs: 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 8.
League Tournament and Lock-in: 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 10 to Saturday, Nov 11. Spectator tickets are $2.