"Halo 4: I Get a Woman!" - Sgt. Mjr. A.J. Johnson, RIP

[thehoodedsmack]

Microsoft Accidentally Reveals Halo 4 (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/110675-Microsoft-Accidentally-Reveals-Halo-4)

Time to make a new sub-forum.

Expect details to show up over the next little while. I guess they were planning to announce it at today's E3.

Edit: Looks like we're already talking about it in the E3 thread. Not sure if I should keep this open now.

[arbiter901]

Keep it open so we can discus it here without any other games interfering

[Hotrod]

And it also shows the Halo 1 remake, totally didn't see that coming...oh wait...

[Pyong Kawaguchi]

ltazJQyYrbI
hi

[Spartan094]

Halo 1 REMAKE. Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

[thehoodedsmack]

That was listed in addition to the Halo 4 leak. Two separate things, by the looks of it. We'll see if that's the case.

[Limited]

Halo 1 REMAKE. Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary
Must be, specially with the original Halo font and the old ass spartan.

I'm fucking pumped don't know about you guys. If this is fake publicity from Microsoft I will hate them forever. But the likelihood of that is slim.

:D:D

[Pooky]

Oh hell.

Another chance for Halo to get ruined even more. I'm so excited.

[thehoodedsmack]

Halo 4-6 confirmed.

[Amit]

They said TRILOGY. Oh god. It's gonna get milked.

[Sanctus]

Maybe so but the trailer gave me goosebumps

[thehoodedsmack]

It's as if nobody noticed how terrible Star Wars was during it's second trilogy. You'd think people would learn. Anyway, I'm excited for what will hopefully be a new story with new enemies in new environments, and hopefully not anything to do with Covenant, human allies, or seeing actual Forerunner.

[Pooky]

Halo 4-6 confirmed.

Oh what the fuck. I hope the Combat Evolved remake is done properly because the chances of Halo 4-6 being even slightly decent are virtually nonexistent.

[thehoodedsmack]

Who wants to feel old?

Forget the kids playing today who were born after the first game came out. By the time Halo 6 wraps up, we'll be playing against kids who weren't alive for the first trilogy. I now know how my parents must have felt taking me to see Phantom Menace. This is now a series which will, nearly by the time of completion, and certainly by the time online support is dropped, have spanned twenty-plus years.

[MXC]

Really enjoyed that trailer, that was awesome.

[EX12693]

I hope 343i Can pull this off.. Both Halo A and Halo 4..
I have a little hope though.. firstly, because its not Bungie.. and second, 343i actually did a decent job on the Reach DLC..

[BobtheGreatII]

Maybe so but the trailer gave me goosebumps

Yeah, when I could make out Cortana yelling, I got them immediately too.

[n00b1n8R]

(the trailer hasn't be posted in this thread yet right?)
EXvChHXUQjg

I'm cynical, but Deus Ex 3 turned out to be really awesome after so much pecimism so we can hope right?
(no mention of PC ports for CE:HD or H4?)

[Ifafudafi]

The MS rep said that "everything after this is exclusive to Xbox 360," and both Halo announcements took place after that assertion, so I'd assume that is true. I'd love nothing more than to get my hands on Reach's particle engine but at the current rate I think the most we can hope for is GFWL-burdened, un-moddable H3 PC in 2014

[Warsaw]

Microsoft: "We are dedicated to supporting games on the Windows platform."









:v:

[TeeKup]

Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks his armor looks completely different? It looks like the original Halo Wars Mark IV mashed with bits of the Mark IV:
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o203/benstreeper/halo/halo%20wars/Spartan.jpg

EDIT: Also, Forerunner Fortress World?

[nuttyyayap]

Meh, I expect some canon-breaking genric sci-fi crap with too much focus on graphics and multiplayer, but i'm still getting it~

[Kornman00]

Certain Affinity actually did a decent job on the Reach DLC..
ftfy

[Bodzilla]

Halo 4, start another fight.

[EX12693]

ftfy

Ah.. true.
Hmm... well.. at least its not Bungie..

[chrisk123999]

Halo 4, start another fight.

Only 1 year off from being predicted correctly.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z30xwzTjXh0)

[Higuy]

looks like SHIT. i hope to dear god that halo isn't ruined, becuase that trailer really did suck and 3 more games of halo not made by bungie sounds pretty bad.

the halo remake looks alright, besides from the interior of the 343 structures and MC's biped... hopefully it'll be decently "remastered".

[Phopojijo]

They got the release of Halo 1 wrong too -- it was November 15, 2001... not 2002.

[Arteen]

looks like SHIT. i hope to dear god that halo isn't ruined, becuase that trailer really did suck and 3 more games of halo not made by bungie sounds pretty bad.
After Reach, 3 more Halo games not made by Bungie sounds pretty good. I really don't see anything bad about the teaser either.

[Cortexian]

As for the trailer and the jetpack, I was always under the assumption that the Spartan II's had some kind of built in zero-g maneuvering thrusters in their suits. It would make sense that they were located on the backpack since the suit power-core is there as well. We've never really seen the chief operate in a zero-g environment so I assume that may be the explanation.

Remember, it may not be a full on jetpack that can lift a super soldier in MJOLNIR armor off the ground in-atmosphere.

[Donut]

im curious what the hell is left for them to talk about and do in one game, let alone three. CE remake on the other hand, im all over that.
E: oh by the way, dear whoever is making halo 4 (343i?): remember that halo 2 E3 video? the one with the dual smgs that the reticle changed for, the wounded marines, single shot br, etc... remember how halo 2 did not deliver much of anything shown in that video? dont do that again, kthx.
ps: that doesnt mean set your standards low by releasing a shit gameplay video either :maddowns:

[Ifafudafi]

Well personally, if I were a creative director at 343 and I got a mandate from Microsoft to make a new Halo trilogy continuing directly after the end of H3, I would try and come up with an entirely new enemy and threat in a brand-new kind of setting. I would try my hardest to keep away from the Covenant and the Flood, and look toward other elements of the fiction to find new styles of environments to explore outside of the standard Covenant purples, Halo greens, and Forerunner greys that so widely populated the original games. I would try and pick out the most basic elements that make Halo's combat unique - a carefully crafted set of conventional and exotic weaponry, each with a specifically designed function; the seamless integration of vehicular elements; a variety of enemy types, some intelligent, some not, each requiring different strategies to effectively combat; etc. - and find a way to take those elements and rework them into something new and original.

But that's just me.

E: oh and I'd also release it on PC the same day as the 360 version with a full-fledged editing kit and no GFWL, but again, that's just me

[Hotrod]

Set in the aftermath of Halo 3, Master Chief returns to confront his own destiny and face an ancient evil that threatens the fate of the entire universe, and a new trilogy begins.
—Halo Waypoint

From the looks of it, there definitely won't be much Covenant in there, if any at all. Maybe it's the Flood, but the trailer seems to point towards something new and different. Either way, I'm quite excited to see what 343i has in store for us since the trailer looked amazing.

[TeeKup]

I honestly do hope it involves the Forerunner in a deeper sense, but not in the way in the past (dealing with the flood). The galaxy is a rather large place, The Covenant probably weren't the only space faring species in it, although introducing a new species as a major threat this late into the series could be rather untasteful.

[Cortexian]

I just hope to god that they won't pull a "Forerunners came back and want their galaxy universe back".

[Warsaw]

Precursors, perhaps?

[LlamaMaster]

I couldn't be less excited. Halo was a great game, but I don't want to see it dragged out like this. I guess it could become the "mario of microsoft," but they are going to have to innovate quite a bit to keep it interesting.

[Warsaw]

Since I get raging hard-ons for realistic games, I would love to see them do a realistic Halo.

[TeeKup]

Precursors, perhaps?

Dear god no, Halo Cryptum ruined any preconceptions I had about the Precursors in the final fucking paragraph in this sense.

[Warsaw]

Didn't read it.

[TVTyrant]

Didnt want to

[=sw=warlord]

As for the trailer and the jetpack, I was always under the assumption that the Spartan II's had some kind of built in zero-g maneuvering thrusters in their suits. It would make sense that they were located on the backpack since the suit power-core is there as well. We've never really seen the chief operate in a zero-g environment so I assume that may be the explanation.

Remember, it may not be a full on jetpack that can lift a super soldier in MJOLNIR armor off the ground in-atmosphere.

It's about time someone mentioned the obvious.
I mean the first time the Spartans encountered the Covenant in their suits they did make a jump onto a covenant hull in space it would only make sense for later revisions to have integrated stabilizers.

As for the ancient threat, The Flood is the only thing coming to my mind right now.
The forerunner died so unless it's some kind of automated system aka Onyx sentinels I doubt we would have too much trouble with them.

[DarkHalo003]

It's about time someone mentioned the obvious.
I mean the first time the Spartans encountered the Covenant in their suits they did make a jump onto a covenant hull in space it would only make sense for later revisions to have integrated stabilizers.

As for the ancient threat, The Flood is the only thing coming to my mind right now.
The forerunner died so unless it's some kind of automated system aka Onyx sentinels I doubt we would have too much trouble with them.
I'm thinking it's rampant Forerunner AI, like Offensive Bias. I know Mendicant was resolved, but I don't think anyone ever said what happened to Offensive Bias.

[PlasbianX]

Did you guys notice he's got a shit ton of damage on him in the trailer? He's missing the plate that covers his crotch, there's damage on his visor, and his one arm looks damaged.

[Cortexian]

He's missing the plate that covers his crotch,
Cortana what have you been doing!

[p0lar_bear]

I hope that the opening level in the game invovles battling some sort of immediate threat while the chief's armor systems are spazzing out/falling apart, and then when the level's over he gets upgraded.

Kinda like the opening in Megaman Zero 2, where Zero is all falling apart and damaged, and if you pause the game you're presented with a busted-ass version of the pause screen from the first Megaman Zero. Or, on a similar vein, the opening to Castevania: Symphony of the Night, where you fight Dracula as Richter Belmont and you have his moveset and HUD.

I dunno why, but I really like it when a game does stuff like that. Would make sense too, since it seems that he's damaged and stranded out in the middle of space, with no UNSC forces nearby.

[Amit]

Cortana what have you been doing!

How else are you supposed to wake a human male from slumber in mere seconds if you don't tickle his private parts?


I hope that the opening level in the game invovles battling some sort of immediate threat while the chief's armor systems are spazzing out/falling apart, and then when the level's over he gets upgraded.

I dunno why, but I really like it when a game does stuff like that. Would make sense too, since it seems that he's damaged and stranded out in the middle of space, with no UNSC forces nearby.

At the end of the level, the Chief gets super fun awesome forerunner upgrades to his armour. Call of Duty in space, bitches.

[Pooky]

At the end of the level, the Chief gets super fun awesome forerunner upgrades to his armour. Call of Duty in space, bitches.

Doubt that's what he meant, but it's gonna happen eventually anyway.

[Kornman00]

They got the release of Halo 1 wrong too -- it was November 15, 2001... not 2002.
In the first few seconds, they also state that in 1994, Bungie was is in Kirkland...they didn't move to WA until MS bought them about six years later lol.

—Halo Waypoint

From the looks of it, there definitely won't be much Covenant in there, if any at all. Maybe it's the Flood, but the trailer seems to point towards something new and different. Either way, I'm quite excited to see what 343i has in store for us since the trailer looked amazing.
H4 will have you discovering this new threat, more than likely all the machinery and AI that the Forerunner have left behind (now under rampant control). At the very end of H4, you find a way back to Earth, or at least human occupied space, at which point they show the Chief taking off his helmet (once again, out of view) and telling Cortana that things are just getting started...again. H5 will be H2 all over again, except with this new threat. H6 will have the Chief going back in time, 500,000 years, to active the rings in an effort to stop the Foreunner from setting off a chain of events that introduce their rampant AI. He activates the rings too late, and now we have a never ending cycle. H6's tag line: Start The Fight.

The terminals in HA10 will pave the initial tail of what is come in H4.

[Pooky]

H6 will have the Chief going back in time, 500,000 years, to active the rings in an effort to stop the Foreunner from setting off a chain of events that introduce their rampant AI.

I C WAT U DID THAR

http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/4086/marathoninfinity.gif

[Donut]

ha, wouldnt it be funny if halo 4 through 6 was just the marathon trilogy adapted for halo gameplay... it would almost work, since marathon 1 starts in a ship in space too.

[DarkHalo003]

I C WAT U DID THAR

http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/4086/marathoninfinity.gif
Only partly correct. The sealed beast in Marathon Infinity is more like Gorea from Metroid Prime Hunters.

I don't see why people keep comparing Marathon to Halo and vice versa. Neither have anything to do with each other storywise and at the same time, though situations may look similar, they only look similar because people say they look similar. Basically, it's all in your heads. Plus, the entire scenario of Chief/Cortana being in the ship is totally different than the Security Guard/Leela/Durandal being in their ship, not to mention how it all started in the first place is totally reversed.

[Pooky]

Only partly correct. The sealed beast in Marathon Infinity is more like Gorea from Metroid Prime Hunters.

I don't see why people keep comparing Marathon to Halo and vice versa. Neither have anything to do with each other storywise and at the same time, though situations may look similar, they only look similar because people say they look similar. Basically, it's all in your heads. Plus, the entire scenario of Chief/Cortana being in the ship is totally different than the Security Guard/Leela/Durandal being in their ship, not to mention how it all started in the first place is totally reversed.

Jesus, it was just a joke. Don't read into it so much.

[Dwood]

Dear god no, Halo Cryptum ruined any preconceptions I had about the Precursors in the final fucking paragraph in this sense.

The game writers won't take Cryptum into consideration, I hope.

[Kornman00]

lol Cryptum. The first Halo book I put down without resistance.

[Hotrod]

lol Cryptum. The first Halo book I put down without resistance.
lol Cryptum. The first Halo book I refused to buy without resistance.

[p0lar_bear]

At the end of the level, the Chief gets super fun awesome forerunner upgrades to his armour. Call of Duty in space, bitches.

Maybe "upgrade" was the wrong word.

I imagine it like this: the level starts with MC being pulled aboard this... thing in the trailer. He's treated as hostile by the first beings to encounter him, and since Mr. John is too much of a badass to be a prisoner, he fights his way out. You're basically put through a tutorial level like the POA in Halo 1 that reintroduces you to the core Halo formula, make sure you're still with it. All the time, though, your armor system is failing. The HUD, for example (which would be the HUD in H3), does things occasionally like show garbled text, glitched graphics, elements flicker, etc (especially if you get hit). Shields take longer to recharge, and the automatic medical systems don't work (healthpacks come back into the picture). Then something happens, like, say, a friendly rebel faction happens on the Chief, or maybe he does get detained after a Lone Wolf-esque standoff. Then the beginning of the next level, whoever he's answering to for this game repairs the armor or replaces it, and then whatever gimmicks 343i is putting into this iteration of Halo (armor abilities, for the sake of example) are introduced to the chief, as well as a restyled HUD.

Or something. I dunno, I just want to rationalize it by setting a scenario. Again, the thought of this presentation excites me for some reason.

[EX12693]

Im also interested in seeing what Martin has in store for the soundtrack.....

[Warsaw]

Did he move over to 343i, too?

[Ifafudafi]

Marty's with Bungie. Reach was the last Halo game he wrote for, so (barring some insane switch) he won't be returning for this one.

Still, whoever Ensemble got for Halo Wars did a pretty good job of emulating the style and I'm sure 343's got tons of cash so I'm sure they'll have a perfectly good soundtrack.

[Kornman00]

They should just play Blow Me Away every time they need some music in Halo 4. To add variation, they can switch b/w the instrumental track and the album track.

[Warsaw]

Marty's with Bungie. Reach was the last Halo game he wrote for, so (barring some insane switch) he won't be returning for this one.

Still, whoever Ensemble got for Halo Wars did a pretty good job of emulating the style and I'm sure 343's got tons of cash so I'm sure they'll have a perfectly good soundtrack.

If Bear weren't busy with Red Faction, they could hire him. He's a god with music and can do anything. He has also done video games before.

[TeeKup]

Jack Wall did a great job for Mass Effects music.

[annihilation]

im curious what the hell is left for them to talk about and do in one game, let alone three. CE remake on the other hand, im all over that.
E: oh by the way, dear whoever is making halo 4 (343i?): remember that halo 2 E3 video? the one with the dual smgs that the reticle changed for, the wounded marines, single shot br, etc... remember how halo 2 did not deliver much of anything shown in that video? dont do that again, kthx.
ps: that doesnt mean set your standards low by releasing a shit gameplay video either :maddowns:

Maybe nothing having to do with the previous Halo games. They should change the title if that's the case.

The Adventures of Master Chief and the blankity blank blank.

[Kornman00]

That's what happens when you extend an idea that was really only suppose to cover two games. The cow says, moooooooooooo!

[Warsaw]

Actually, it was only ever supposed to cover one game. Bungie has stated in interviews that they never intended to make two Halo games, let alone start a franchise.

[hry]

I like the idea of a new trilogy I swear; but Halo 4 is a terrible name, seriously.

[Arteen]

I'm curious how long it will take MC to get back to civilization in Halo 4. I can't picture 343i trying to make a Halo game without marines or warthogs or pelicans or needlers or grunts or all those other standard Halo things, especially when calling it Halo 4 instead of something like Halo: Spinoff.

[Sever]

Well, shit, H3:ODST didn't have Master Chief, Elites, the Flood, or even any Halos for that matter, but it's still a Halo # title.

[Kornman00]

Reach didn't have a Halo in it, except for the very end but that was just a tie in to Halo1 (fuck ":CE"). The only reason it continues to be used is because that's where it all started, that's what everyone knows it by, and they already have the game's site planted at halo.xbox.com.

Hell, Halo Wars didn't even have a goddamn ring in it, but they still called it Halo Wars.

They took an idea with no real contingentcy plan other than "here's this game we're making, oh fuck, we need a name for our game, what a shame, oh look a great dane, ok everyone, here's our ticket to fame!" *Combat Evolved*.

And ODST still had the UNSC, the Covies and a Spartan Laser...it wasn't like something out of the far left field in terms of the Halo universe where it's like "wat, dis iz knot Haloz".

[Arteen]

If you want to completely miss the point, then sure, you can ignore how it had the rest of the covenant, marines, and all of the usual weapons and vehicles.

Halo 4 starts out with Master Chief and Cortana, alone on a sheared-in-half spaceship, above some forgotten Forerunner planet. No covenant, no covie weapons, no covie vehicles, no marines. Given the condition of the Forward Unto Dawn, there's not much MC can do to salvage any of the remaining weapons and vehicles on board, nor is there any way for him to restock once he gets to the planet's surface.

So it's pretty much just Master Chief, Cortana, and Forerunner artifacts, with no obvious story reasons to include any of the standard Halo enemies, allies, weapons or vehicles (other than maybe sentinels and flood infection forms). Potentially an entirely different sandbox. Now do I actually expect 343i to make a game called Halo 4 and not include grunts or ghosts or warthogs or plasma pistols? Not really.

[TeeKup]

tie in to Halo1 (fuck ":CE")

FUCKING THANK YOU. All my friends after reach started calling Halo 1 "Halo CE" when in hindsight NO ONE EVER CALLED IT THAT. I was just HALO. Halo CE is for custom edition you fucks. I don't give a damn about the "combat evolved" in the fucking title. Piss off.

Also this game better have an excess of Forerunner and Halos or I'm going to be pissed. Halo 3 was supposed to be the epic ending to the first trilogy and you were on halo for only one goddamn mission.

EDIT: Taking into account Arteens argument, we could potentially see more personal Forerunner equipment, like firearms, vehicles. I'd be extremely happy to see more AI constructs. I'd actually be perfectly okay with the main plot consisting of a rampant forerunner "super AI" like mendicant bias. Some reason it goes rampant, detects the small outbreaks of the flood in the previous games and determines the rings need to be deactivated again or some shit. Hell maybe it could be Offensive Bias? Just a thought.

[Hotrod]

FUCKING THANK YOU. All my friends after reach started calling Halo 1 "Halo CE" when in hindsight NO ONE EVER CALLED IT THAT. I was just HALO. Halo CE is for custom edition you fucks. I don't give a damn about the "combat evolved" in the fucking title. Piss off.

Also this game better have an excess of Forerunner and Halos or I'm going to be pissed. Halo 3 was supposed to be the epic ending to the first trilogy and you were on halo for only one goddamn mission.

EDIT: Taking into account Arteens argument, we could potentially see more personal Forerunner equipment, like firearms, vehicles. I'd be extremely happy to see more AI constructs. I'd actually be perfectly okay with the main plot consisting of a rampant forerunner "super AI" like mendicant bias. Some reason it goes rampant, detects the small outbreaks of the flood in the previous games and determines the rings need to be deactivated again or some shit. Hell maybe it could be Offensive Bias? Just a thought.
I agree with all of this, especially the Halo CE part.

[DarkHalo003]

To me Halo, includes every element of the series. The UNSC, Covenant, The Flood, Spartans, Elites, etc all make it Halo as I see. And of course I can't forget the mysterious Forerunner Architecture and the TRUE history behind the Forerunners (Not Greg Bear's copypasta nonsense).

If Halo 4 has bad music, I don't know, I might actually play it once for the campaign or multiplayer and shelve it. If a game doesn't have good music and audio, then it's not worth playing beyond the "I played it" reason. Marty O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori did an awesome job with Halo 2, 3, ODST, and Reach. I expect it not to be as good as theirs, but I still expect it to be good.

[Warsaw]

Well, to be fair, Battlefield has the best audio of any game series, ever. If you are expecting that level, you should prepare to be disappointed.

[Pooky]

To me Halo, includes every element of the series. The UNSC, Covenant, The Flood, Spartans, Elites, etc all make it Halo as I see. And of course I can't forget the mysterious Forerunner Architecture and the TRUE history behind the Forerunners (Not Greg Bear's copypasta nonsense).

If Halo 4 has bad music, I don't know, I might actually play it once for the campaign or multiplayer and shelve it. If a game doesn't have good music and audio, then it's not worth playing beyond the "I played it" reason. Marty O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori did an awesome job with Halo 2, 3, ODST, and Reach. I expect it not to be as good as theirs, but I still expect it to be good.

Marty's soundtrack was the only good reason to play Reach single player IMHO.

[DarkHalo003]

Marty's soundtrack was the only good reason to play Reach single player IMHO.
It helped tremendously for me. I probably wouldn't have played it more than a few times (because I like to beat Heroic and Legendary) if it hadn't been for Martin O'Donnell's freaking awesome music. I play SP almost everytime I log in Reach now, just for those moments where the music is too awesome.

[Warsaw]

Why is the first level of every Halo game always the mot fun? In Halo 1, other levels can compare, but they never exceed the fun of "Pillar of Autumn." In ALL of the other games, the first level is the most fun and none of the other ones come remotely close.

I always play the first level of Reach because it amuses me to do so every time. The other levels: not so much.

[ejburke]

Can I just say, "Fuck Trilogies"? I often wonder if these companies are aware of how trite a concept it is, but they use it anyway, because they think we're all idiots that buy into that nonsense.

Were Halo 1-3 really better off for being a "Trilogy"? If anything, I think Halo 2 and 3 weren't what they could have been because of too much narrative dead weight. Here's an idea: make a good game with a satisfying conclusion. Then make another. If all goes well with that and you're still on the right side of the diminishing returns curve, do another. Hey, whaddayaknow, you have a series of 3 satisfying games that dorks will dub a trilogy, and all you had to worry about was making good standalone experiences. Go figure.

Then make a 4th great standalone game, just to fuck with those assholes.

I just want Halo 4 to be standalone. Going in with the bullshit "Trilogy" mindset is a recipe for disappointment. Take a cue from the Uncharted guys. They just announced that they have no such trilogic designs on their franchise. They'll stop when they stop.

[thehoodedsmack]

The thing about a trilogy is that now we can expect disappointing cliffhangers.

[Warsaw]

While I agree that trying to make a trilogy is a recipe for disaster, sometimes you can't tell a whole story in one game. Half the problem with the Halo games is that they tweaked the mechanics of the game at every opportunity. That resulted in a no-fun experience. Then they tried to get extra serious with the story, and that finished it off.

tl;dr: They are trying too hard.

[NullZero]

Saw this on N4G:
"Leaked" news:
http://www.gameblurb.net/news/halo-4-details-leaked/

Not sure if real.

[=sw=warlord]

I don't know about you but I always felt like the pillar of autumn was just a typical sci-fi game and it wasn't until you crash land on Halo that the game took on it's own beauty.
E: aimed at Warsaw.

[Warsaw]

Maybe, but it was still one of the most fun levels of the game. Halo 1 is "eeeh" about which level is the most fun, but the first level is definitely the most fun in all the other games.

I think it might have something to do with the overabundance of ammo always present in the games' opening chapters.

[Kornman00]

I just want Halo 4 to be standalone. Going in with the bullshit "Trilogy" mindset is a recipe for disappointment. Take a cue from the Uncharted guys. They just announced that they have no such trilogic designs on their franchise. They'll stop when they stop.
Didn't you hear? A new halo game every 3 years is too long, they're trying to go the COD route :downs:

[jcap]

Didn't you hear? A new halo game every 3 years is too long, they're trying to go the COD route :downs:
Well they did beat Activision to one thing...

not caring for PC gamers.

[DarkHalo003]

Saw this on N4G:
"Leaked" news:
http://www.gameblurb.net/news/halo-4-details-leaked/

Not sure if real.
If it's someone claiming they have insider information, then don't believe it until it's proven. People have been doing this for the past decade. Wait until an official source gives the actual details or confirms those details.

[Dwood]

Saw this on N4G:
"Leaked" news:
http://www.gameblurb.net/news/halo-4-details-leaked/

Not sure if real.

Sounds real enough.

[ejburke]

Totally disagree about the first levels being the most fun. To me, fun Halo combat involves efficiently and expertly clearing the room of scum -- a task which usually requires a headshot weapon. Being tutorialized and saddled with bullet hoses for early portions of most Halo games has never been the reason I kept playing. POA and Cairo Station were fine in this regard. Sierra 117 and Winter Contingency took too long to take the training wheels off. I don't even remember what the first ODST level was.

[Warsaw]

There is no "first ODST level", but if you want what they intended as the first, it's the Plaza (playing as Buck).

As for Sierra 117, I get a kick when I have a Needle Rifle and Needler and can efficiently clear the entire canyon in a couple minutes WITH some assassinations mixed in. Winter Contingency was awesome because the layout was perfect for setting up assassinations and you can precisely dispatch Grunts with that over-abundance of assault rifle ammo.

[dark navi]

As for Sierra 117, I get a kick when I have a Needle Rifle and Needler and can efficiently clear the entire canyon in a couple minutes WITH some assassinations mixed in. Winter Contingency was awesome because the layout was perfect for setting up assassinations and you can precisely dispatch Grunts with that over-abundance of assault rifle ammo.

What now? You meant the car-bean?

[Warsaw]

Basically. Would have been better if it were an M6D, though.

:downs:

[Kornman00]

http://www.modacity.net/forums/images/customavatars/avatar1793_4.gif (http://www.modacity.net/forums/member.php?1793-dark-navi) (http://www.modacity.net/forums/member.php?1793-dark-navi)

[Bodzilla]

H2 was shithouse,

1 was awesome and i never bothered playing the others.

to me the silent cartographer was the best mission. island vehicles hunters, battles, powerups stealth sections and a healthy chunk of story to boot.

what more could you possibly want.

[Warsaw]

I liked Assault on the Control Room a bit more than Silent Cartographer because I can work my sneaky magic more often in there. I usually skip through The Silent Cartographer by abusing overshields and the fall mechanics.

[annihilation]

Delta Halo all the way.

[dark navi]

Hey y'all, don't be forgetting about 343 Guilty Spark. It was the shit, although now it looks like Pandora at night time...

Question: Will Halo: Anniversary support 3D?

[Hotrod]

Question: Will Halo: Anniversary support 3D?
Extremely doubtful. The 3D market is very small at the moment and it would be a huge waste of resources to make the game 3D compatible. They wouldn't make a profit out of it.

[Warsaw]

Delta Halo all the way.

Way too short, way too boxed in, and zero choice in how you approach things. =|

Also, I don't think the Xbox 360 even does 3D at all.

[Kornman00]

Jingle all the way.
ftfy

[DarkHalo003]

ftfy
Put that cookie down now!

I started with Halo 2 at my neighbor's house, purchased Halo 1 PC in 2006-7, learned of Halo 3 and played the Beta, loved Halo 3 until it felt really old (2009-10), I thought ODST was great (just played it this past week), I've played Reach since nearly day 1, and I plan on playing every Halo game until it's somehow ruined.

[=sw=warlord]

Way too short, way too boxed in, and zero choice in how you approach things. =|

Also, I don't think the Xbox 360 even does 3D at all.

Crysis 2 and black ops support it.

[Warsaw]

On Xbox 360? I know Crysis 2 can do it on PS3 and PC, but I didn't think it could on the 360.

[Dwood]

Hey guys, put your 1997 lenses back on and re-read the thread from Dark Navi's last post.

[Donut]

well that was entertaining

[Amit]

I guess David Scully will be on with Angela Bassett for Halo 4 :haw:

[Kornman00]

I was thinking the same thing...but for Halo Reach :saddowns:

[=sw=warlord]

Hey guys, put your 1997 lenses back on and re-read the thread from Dark Navi's last post.

Woah there little critter.
3D is so 1980's (http://nintendoscene.com/2011/04/17/nintendo-using-3d-gaming-technology-that%E2%80%99s-so-1980s%E2%80%A6/)

[Dwood]

Woah there little critter.
3D is so 1980's (http://nintendoscene.com/2011/04/17/nintendo-using-3d-gaming-technology-that%E2%80%99s-so-1980s%E2%80%A6/)

Either I'm missing something or you missed the funny.

[=sw=warlord]

Either I'm missing something or you missed the funny.

Whoosh.

[Delta4907]

From the Halo 4 Panel:
vAKmu2yn3Fk

[TeeKup]

This might be a good return to some good ol' fashion Forerunner grandeur.

[EX12693]

Yes!
Also... dat music....

[Kornman00]

The horn blasts reminded me way too much of War of the Worlds or w/e that movie is called where the aliens fart for communication.

[Tnnaas]

I thought they were just trying to throw some Inception in there.

[Pooky]

The music and art style remind me a little too much of Mass Effect, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Also, what Teekup said. I don't give a fuck about Earth, more epic mysterious alien space stations please.

[TVTyrant]

The music and art style remind me a little too much of Mass Effect, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Also, what Teekup said. I don't give a fuck about Earth, more epic mysterious alien space stations please.
Thank you.

[Spartan094]

Me riky so far.

[TeeKup]

The music and art style remind me a little too much of Mass Effect, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Also, what Teekup said. I don't give a fuck about Earth, more epic mysterious alien space stations please.

Sever and I were having a discussion on live, if somehow in the middle of the Halo 4 campaign we get sent back to Earth, I'm sending a picture of a fist in the face of a game dev to 343 industries.

[DarkHalo003]

Should have replaced the Inception Horns with Violins. Just saying. Otherwise, looks cool.

[Kornman00]

The way Frank&Beans was talking today, it sounded like H4 will actually take place further in the future than expected.

Basically, the H4 teaser is an H2 teaser. That is, it's not reflective of how the game will actually begin (nor is the MC's armor from that teaser the final armor)

[n00b1n8R]

I'd love for it to take place centuries after the Halo 1-3 events. That gives humanity time to rebuild and incorporate tech developed for the human/covenant war (and tech obtained from our new Shangheili brows) be integrated into ordinary equipment/architecture/starships. They could finally have finally locked onto the chief's distress signal and meet you halfway through the game or something.

Hell, the chief could be outclassed by standard soldiers of the day with much simpler/more effective enhancements. Now who's a super soldier.

[nuttyyayap]

Yeah, maybe it's set in 2794 and it's a colony ship that finds him in the tau ceti IV system :smug:

[neuro]

halo4, start another fight.

[Amit]

They will integrate some more of the shit that was happening on Onyx, sloppily tell us how Halsey and the rest of the Spartans got off the shield world and brought amazing new tech they found in there back to the humans, and then they will insert their own story shit there.

[Champ]

I was disappointed, I was hoping for a bit more detail on the game. but, oh well.

[Kornman00]

They will integrate some more of the shit that was happening on Onyx, sloppily tell us how Halsey and the rest of the Spartans got off the shield world and brought amazing new tech they found in there back to the humans, and then they will insert their own story shit there.
I forget which 343i talking head said it, but at the H4 panel they talked about how with H4 and onward we'll start to get to see humanity research Forerunner tech and actually put it to use (eg, in the form of new weapons). Beforehand, the Covies were constantly keeping humanity on their toes, hardly giving them any time to spare on research of Forerunner tech. That's changed with the covie-war over.

However, I sure hope to hell this doesn't mean it will start to become some kind of fucking Star Wars/The Force rip off. I saw that animation reel that Nate W. posted (whom I believe left the studio for PopCap games), and if they seriously start to introduce some kind of magic-like powers like that, I will be disappoint.

[neuro]

eA4tG4OGI8k


REALITY!!

[ejburke]

Sounds like the rumored "No purple or pink" art mandate is true. Frank said they were trying to mature the franchise to stay in step with a fanbase that is 10 years older.

Some things from the panel sounded good, some things I found to be off-putting. Claiming that an early commitment to a trilogy would be good for the story... utter nonsense. And there are going to be nods to Cryptum? What, are we going to stumble upon the original bottle of dog shampoo that gave rise to the Flood? Keep away from me with that shit!

I'm still waiting on proof that this is in fact going to be released on 360. Screenshots would be a good indicator, but there haven't been any. They seem to want a lot of humongous environments with a lot of giant moving machinery, which is going to eat into performance. And they didn't include a beta invite with Halo Anniversary, so either the game isn't actually going to launch next year, or there isn't going to be a beta, or Halo 4 and Halo Anniversary are going to be on different platforms, or all of the above. It's probably just wishful thinking on my part. A new Halo as a next gen launch title sounds far more appealing than the 4th Halo FPS on 360. They are going to be technologically hamstrung and have a much harder time making a splash without new hardware. And then they are going to have to waste time between Halo 4 and Halo 5 transitioning to that next generation, because that jump has got to happen eventually. And then we'll have another cross-generational Halo trilogy where they have to go back and up=res Halo 4 after a few years. Meh to all that.

[Pooky]

Yeah, maybe it's set in 2794 and it's a colony ship that finds him in the tau ceti IV system

I would be okay with this.


Sounds like the rumored "No purple or pink" art mandate is true. Frank said they were trying to mature the franchise to stay in step with a fanbase that is 10 years older.

How exactly does changing the game's art style to be more faux masculine make it mature?

[Masterz1337]

I don't have much faith in 343, but I think what this is really going to boil down to is whoever the new enemies are going to be. Getting rid of the covenant as your enemy is going to be the biggest change from all the other games. If they can do that I'm sure everything else will fall in place. After all, it can't be much worse than H2... can it?

[ejburke]

How exactly does changing the game's art style to be more faux masculine make it mature?Don't ask me, ask the people who dismiss Halo as, "The shooter with the purple guns." Call it whatever you want, but you can't really fight the perception. Purple and pink just aren't taken seriously as colors.

It seems to me that if one were designing a Halo game to be more adult than, say, Halo Reach, some of the first things to go, intuitively, would be the purple and probably the Grunts. Otherwise, you're just making another Halo game with no claim to being more or less "grown up".

By the way, it was also rumored that there wouldn't be any Covenant in this game, so that would go a long way toward reigning in the color palette and silly enemy types, if true.

[Warsaw]

Add more dismemberment from weaponry, ADS, and swear words, and it's already more mature! :haw:

[Mr Buckshot]

As cool as ADS is, it's become so widespread in shooters that I actually WANT to play a modern shooter now that hasn't jumped on that bandwagon =.= Although to be fair, Crysis 2's implementation of ADS was unique and more fun to use.

Also, I'm not 100% sure but in the Halo books, wasn't the armor sensing system integrated so well with the hands/weapons that accurate reticules eliminated the need to ADS? In fact I believe the SPARTANs could even snipe while holding the rifle from the hips due to the smart-linked wireless scope. Correct me if I'm wrong since it's been a while since I touched anything related to Halo.

[MXC]

Add more dismemberment from weaponry, ADS, and swear words, and it's already more mature! :haw:


How does adding swear words increase the maturity? I've always found that swear words make something feel more childish.

[Mr Buckshot]

How does adding swear words increase the maturity? I've always found that swear words make something feel more childish.

you took the words from my mouth lol. Yeah I agree, I'm not saying profanity should be cut out of a script, but leave it in parts where it's perfectly understandable to yell it out (i.e. a character getting shot or hearing grieving news). When you say "fuck" in like every other line it just makes the script look lame and immature. It was the excess profanity that ruined "The Departed" and Mafia 2 for me.

[ejburke]

What the Hell is ADS? Do you mean AIDS? Yes, Halo 4 should tackle the hivvy in order to be taken more seriously. And they should refer to it as "the hivvy". Also, Cortana should be raped.

Sorry I brought up the "M" word. Can we just use the word "serious" and spare this thread from becoming a semantics shitpit over what's mature and what's "teh kiddie"? I thought it was safe to use the word again and that the internet had moved on. My mistake.

[Kornman00]

Marty is no longer around to keep the dialogue PG(-13)...I bet we'll start hearing some fucks now :downs:

[dark navi]

Marty is no longer around to keep the dialogue PG(-13)...I bet we'll start hearing some fucks now :downs:

As in, "What the fuck is this shit game that we just made?"

[Kornman00]

quite psbl

[Warsaw]

How does adding swear words increase the maturity? I've always found that swear words make something feel more childish.

I was being sarcastic about the swearing. I do want some appropriate weapon effects and ADS (Aim Down Sight, just for you ejburke), though.

@Buckshot, yes, but they still aimed down the rifle out of 1.) habit, and 2.) redundancy. In military applications, redundancy is a good thing.

[PlasbianX]

I was being sarcastic about the swearing. I do want some appropriate weapon effects and ADS (Aim Down Sight, just for you ejburke), though.

@Plas, yes, but they still aimed down the rifle out of 1.) habit, and 2.) redundancy. In military applications, redundancy is a good thing.

I have no idea what youre talking about.

[Kornman00]

Fuck ADS. That's one less controller input that can't be mapped to something else. And just fuck ADS in general. Leave that shit up to COD.

[Warsaw]

I have no idea what youre talking about.

Directed comment towards wrong person since I didn't read. :v: Fixed.

[Pooky]

What the Hell is ADS? Do you mean AIDS? Yes, Halo 4 should tackle the hivvy in order to be taken more seriously. And they should refer to it as "the hivvy". Also, Cortana should be raped.

Sorry I brought up the "M" word. Can we just use the word "serious" and spare this thread from becoming a semantics shitpit over what's mature and what's "teh kiddie"? I thought it was safe to use the word again and that the internet had moved on. My mistake.

Bright colors and silly enemies are things that make Halo unique. If this is just gonna end up as Call of Halo: Gears of Honor then I'm really not interested.

[Kornman00]

^

I have to wonder the fate of the Grunt now...it isn't a Halo game with Grunts* :(

* They must also speak mother fucking English. This is American, we speak English. Not derp.

e: also, the stock forum smilies are complete shit. get rid of this shit and bring back the originals.

[TeeKup]

:D <-- I like that one, I see it as a smug HAAW face.

[Masterz1337]

How does adding swear words increase the maturity? I've always found that swear words make something feel more childish.
Better than having your characters go "awww crap" or "son of a gun" while in a war zone. I always though gears had a perfect amount of swearing, it actually added to the characters and mood.

[TeeKup]

What mood? Pissed off gloomy angst fueled by testosterone?

[Mr Buckshot]

I was being sarcastic about the swearing. I do want some appropriate weapon effects and ADS (Aim Down Sight, just for you ejburke), though.

@Buckshot, yes, but they still aimed down the rifle out of 1.) habit, and 2.) redundancy. In military applications, redundancy is a good thing.

Speaking of Halo rifles, I just realized, how the hell did any non-Spartan aim with the MA5B assault rifle when there were no real sights of any kind O_O. All I see is a raised area for the ammo computer, but nothing that resembles a sight.

also, due to the... curviness of the Covenant weapons, I'll just assume all of them had sensors and reticules analogous to the Spartans lol.

[Cagerrin]

Fairly sure they all had targeting overlays on one eye, at least in H1.

[Warsaw]

This is American, we speak English. Not derp.

Totally sigging that.


Speaking of Halo rifles, I just realized, how the hell did any non-Spartan aim with the MA5B assault rifle when there were no real sights of any kind O_O. All I see is a raised area for the ammo computer, but nothing that resembles a sight.

also, due to the... curviness of the Covenant weapons, I'll just assume all of them had sensors and reticules analogous to the Spartans lol.

Plasma Pistol had an ironsight placed on it. Needler is guided, so fuck snakes. Needle Rifle, FRC, Focus Rifle, Beam Rifle, and Carbine all have scopes. Plasma Rifle is derpy spray and pray for honourable close quarters battle. :downs:

As for the Assault Rifle, it's a game. At the time, Bungie wasn't really thinking about things like that and they had to keep up the aesthetic; notice how the DMR has flip up iron sights. Magnum has irons, too, as do the SMG, Sniper Rifle, Shotgun, etc.

[Amit]

Yeah, there's no real way to make the AR have iron sights now. It's far too late. I doubt it would look good either. Also, some marines might have targeting overlays, but those are only the ones with equipped helmets. What about all the marines who used boonie hats or caps? The ones with nothing at all on their heads? They had jack shit to help them acquire targets with the AR.

[Kornman00]

Oh, that's easy to explain







































It's a video game

[ejburke]

I was modeling a high-res neo-classic AR last year and a few things baffled me about the design. 1) no sighting system. 2) giant motherfucking flashlight. And 3) the size/shape that the magazine has to be in order to fit seamlessly into the stock doesn't make much sense. I went back to watch the old reload animations and they were a total slight-of-hand cheat.

And if some kind of helmet-mounted display is the solution for the sighting, then why can't they put the ammo counter there?

[neuro]

it's still a video game.

[Timo]

You're the master chief. An elite super soldier in a world 500 years from now - it's far cooler for him to shoot a scopeless/sightless/sensorless/derpless weapon from the hip like a boss than it is to aim down iron sights.

e:Also that concept art is awesome, hopefully they can pull off those environments on the 360 or are planning to move to the PC.

[jcap]

I'm sure they can. Most of it was just the "sky". The skies in Halo 3 and Reach are damn impressive, often containing as much detail as the playable map. If they can't model it in total detail, at the very least they would be able to resort to the cheap tactic of using images in the background :( (like Halo 2 or Deux Ex 3).

[ejburke]

I am not championing aiming down iron sights as a mode of play. Lack of physical (practical) sighting on the weapon is purely a suspension of disbelief issue for me.

But above all, I'd like to see an AR that you can stick with and not ditch at the first sight of a headshot weapon. To me, that means dorpping full auto and going with 5-round bursts, where each bullet can do a meaningful amount of damage and they don't have to nerf accuracy so much. Leave the full-auto, spitball hose role to the SMG.

[Mr Buckshot]

The Halo 1 AR was actually quite fun to use even on Legendary, if you spam the melee attack a lot after each burst. Yeah, I jumped on the "AR sucks pistol ftw" bandwagon at first, but after a while I grew to appreciate the AR and smugly own in multiplayer with it.

I actually want back my Halo 1 AR sometimes. I know, the SMG is supposed to be the equivalent since Halo 2, but it's an SMG and doesn't look as badass.


You're the master chief. An elite super soldier in a world 500 years from now - it's far cooler for him to shoot a scopeless/sightless/sensorless/derpless weapon from the hip like a boss than it is to aim down iron sights.

e:Also that concept art is awesome, hopefully they can pull off those environments on the 360 or are planning to move to the PC.

Easy, run at 1024x600 or 960x540 and pass it off as HD. The console crowd would be none the wiser, if you sit far back from the TV it looks fine.

[jcap]

The AR in Halo 1 is one hell of a weapon. Many don't think so because they get the impression it's weak from the lag in multiplayer, but at close to medium range, the weapon just mows down enemies.

[Sever]

I'm currently replaying H1 on Legendary, and I can attest to this claim. I was having trouble with the final fight against the four Active Camouflage Elites on TSC (ascending from the complex, just after defeating the Zealot) and I stepped back to rethink my strategy, since neither of the two pistols were effective. I then remembered that there was an Assault Rifle in the ammo cache located just outside the Hunter room, so I retrieved it and simply mowed through all four Elites using no more than two clips, and with zero Health lost. Also, on a humorous side note, Foehammer chose to be an ass and hovered the Pelican's back door over the edge of the installation, so I had to make a tough jump to end the level.

[TPBlinD]

the AR isn't bad in CE.....people are just stupid and don't know how to play.

[Warsaw]

Yeah, there's no real way to make the AR have iron sights now. It's far too late. I doubt it would look good either.

I could do it in a sketch. Damnit, now I have to do it.

[Pooky]

Just remove the funky bulky ammo counter thing and there'd be plenty of room for sights..

[Warsaw]

But then the gun loses its personality. Naw, I'll do it. But I'd use a red-dot rather than irons.

[BobtheGreatII]

In case you hadn't seen it yet:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzUNdXPGOf4&amp;feature=player_embedded

[Kornman00]

I just noticed the new dashboard behind the wheel

[ejburke]

The AR in Halo 1 is one hell of a weapon. Many don't think so because they get the impression it's weak from the lag in multiplayer, but at close to medium range, the weapon just mows down enemies.Every weapon in Halo 1 could be considered "one Hell of a weapon" under certain circumstances -- that's one of the things I loved about the game.

But if we're talking Medium-close range, I'd rather have a shotgun. I'd rather have a plasma rifle or plasma pistol, because they drop shields faster (I should note that my impression of these weapons is biased toward their campaign utility). Even the needler, if ammo is plentiful, is a more attractive option to me than the AR.

Of course, I'm not saying it's useless. I'm just saying that it's not a weapon that you want to pick up and stick with for the majority of the game, ala the Pistol, BR, and DMR. Considering how iconic the image of the Master Chief holding the AR is, I think it's a shame that it's been a second-tier option.

[Warsaw]

Wait, you'd rather have a plasma rifle or plasma pistol over the AR in campaign? I can see the latter, but the former? That thing overheats and you have to sit there holding it for five seconds while it cools off. AR is just reload n' go. This is especially useful against the Flood. Shotgun/AR combo.

[TeeKup]

I actually liked using the PR on the flood.

[Mr Buckshot]

Every weapon in Halo 1 could be considered "one Hell of a weapon" under certain circumstances -- that's one of the things I loved about the game.

But if we're talking Medium-close range, I'd rather have a shotgun. I'd rather have a plasma rifle or plasma pistol, because they drop shields faster (I should note that my impression of these weapons is biased toward their campaign utility). Even the needler, if ammo is plentiful, is a more attractive option to me than the AR.

Of course, I'm not saying it's useless. I'm just saying that it's not a weapon that you want to pick up and stick with for the majority of the game, ala the Pistol, BR, and DMR. Considering how iconic the image of the Master Chief holding the AR is, I think it's a shame that it's been a second-tier option.

hell yeah, one of the best parts of Halo 1 was how literally every weapon felt useful in at least one situation, unlike a lot of other shooters (including the Halo sequels) where too many of the weapons, especially handguns, are perceived as inferior/useless and pretty much ignored most of the time.

[TPBlinD]

the only gun i never used in halo 1 campaign on legendary was the plasma pistol because it looks like shit.

[Amit]

the only gun i never used in halo 1 campaign on legendary was the plasma pistol because it looks like shit.

It doesn't look that bad. And you've been missing out if you haven't been using it. I liked to headshot grunts with it lol.

[Warsaw]

I actually liked using the PR on the flood.

So did I, but it wasn't the optimum combination. Neither is AR/Shotgun, but it's still a better choice. The BEST anti-Flood combination is Pistol/Shotgun, because you can pop those carriers from afar while they are still in the middle of the pack.

@Buckshot: Agreed.

[Sever]

I just used the Pistol/Shotgun combination on The Library on Legendary without losing any health. I'd say it works pretty damn well.

[Amit]

If you used anything on the Library other than the Pistol and the shotgun, you were doing it way wrong.

[p0lar_bear]

If you used anything on the Library other than the Pistol assault rifle and the shotgun, you were doing it way wrong.

AR bursting for those pesky infection swarms and carriers, shotgun for pretty much anything else. And the AR made a good fallback if/when you ran out of shotgun shells, especially since its spread often dismembered combat forms without putting much thought into it. Harmless when armless.

[Pooky]

Yeah, I preferred the AR over the Pistol for Library.

[Warsaw]

I never worried about infection forms in Halo 1 since you could melee them rather effectively, and when one popped it often sent out a chain reaction to all the other infection forms around it. Ah, CE Flood, I miss you. So much fun!

[ejburke]

I favored the PR over the AR mostly because the PR was disposable and easy to replace. You could afford to waste shots on chickenshit Elites who love to hide and regenerate.


If you used anything on the Library other than the Pistol and the shotgun, you were doing it way wrong.Agreed. Halo 1 had the most fun Flood combat. Popping and blasting made the Library enjoyable when I discovered pistol/shotty kills Flood dead on my second or third run through the game.

As others have said, it's easiest to melee infection forms and cause a chain reaction. And if you run out of shotgun shells, well, the pistol is still better than the AR vs regular Flood. You can drop them in one or two shots from a safe distance.

[Amit]

The assault rifle is inefficient at killing flood combat forms. Infection flood you can just melee like has been said before, the rest just pop when they hit your shield. With a pistol you can take out combat forms from a distance by hitting them in the "head" region. When they start to swarm you, np, because you already thinned them out from a distance with a powerful gun and then you have your shotgun for close combat. AR does not put out enough damage on flood to warrant the amount of ammo used.

[Warsaw]

But you have to admit it is so damn fun to unload an entire magazine into a single target, have it get back up half-way through, and then promptly fall down again under the torrent of lead. :-3

[Amit]

Actually, the first time I played 343GS, I was using the assault rifle. I mowed down two or three combat forms. I was like Fuck Yeah! I then proceeded to freak out when they started to get back up with missing limbs. Oh those were the days.

[Pooky]

Still prefer the AR. Also who gives a fuck about ammo when you get 600 spare and Flood drop it like candy lol.

[ejburke]

I'll give it this much: if I'm ever trying to recapture my original terror of the Flood, the AR would be my weapon of choice. Hmm, that sounds fun. Anybody want to do an AR-only co-op run of the Library when anniversary comes out?

Shit, were we talking about Halo 4? This whole derailment is my fault.

[Pooky]

I'll give it this much: if I'm ever trying to recapture my original terror of the Flood, the AR would be my weapon of choice. Hmm, that sounds fun. Anybody want to do an AR-only co-op run of the Library when anniversary comes out?

Shit, were we talking about Halo 4? This whole derailment is my fault.

The AR is just more viscerally satisfying to use. And sometimes I find it more effective at suppressing large swarms of combat forms. I mean, if I just wanted to use the most technically effective weapon in every situation, I'd play Reach and use PP + DMR through the whole campaign.

[Warsaw]

Hey now, the Plasma Pistol in Reach is awesome because it finally returns the usability of that weapon which had been lost since the first game. That said, it is amazing how fast it demolishes Elites even on Legendary.

[Kornman00]

That said, it is amazing how fast it demolishes Elites even on Legendary.
But not LASO

Q_Q

[nuttyyayap]

Yes LASO; use primary fire and an elite's shields gonna break in about 2-3 seconds.

[Amit]

Halo 4: Epitaph of the Forerunner.

[=sw=warlord]

Halo 4 dev: "there's a lot of stuff COD does beautifully that we should do better" (http://www.oxm.co.uk/33616/halo-4-dev-theres-a-lot-of-stuff-cod-does-beautifully-that-we-should-do-better/)343 Industries on competing with Modern Warfare: "we have to earn our spot"



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWaLxFIVX1s

[Donut]

:gonk:

[TeeKup]

The video of the Forerunner concept art raised my hopes to slightly above average. That article dropped it back down into a pit of spikes.

Why would Halo comepete with CoD, two entirely different genres and communities.

[ejburke]

Don't knee-jerk too hard. It's bad for the hamstrings.

[chrisk123999]

http://nooooooooooooooo.com/

[jcap]

They are referring to the cinematic method of storytelling that COD games do. Most people think what makes a game "good" is the number of scripted linear "battles" that make you feel like you are playing through a movie. That's like the only thing MW2 did well. However, I'm not totally crazy about this method. It's cool the first time you play through, but it leaves the game with literally no replay value.

[ejburke]

I completely agree. Unfortunately for us, most people don't play through a game more than once.

[DarkHalo003]

lgI2ZQVyrBo#!

Gameplay-wise, I think the above video shows my anguish.

Cinematically, ODST did it the best in terms of 1st Person Cinematics.

[Guardian]

To me, It sounds like they're planing on doing a multi platform release.

[Hotrod]

To me, It sounds like they're planing on doing a multi platform release.
Microsoft owns Halo, they would never let anybody put it on any other platform than their other baby, the Xbox.

[Amit]

lgI2ZQVyrBo#!

Gameplay-wise, I think the above video shows my anguish.

Cinematically, ODST did it the best in terms of 1st Person Cinematics.

OMFG. Dr. Cox just referenced the voices in Torin's Passage on the 2nd last level at the slippery slope! And then of course, if you die, he did Torin's "NOOOOOO" (except withouth the hitting rocks noises). This almsot brought a tear to my eye.

[Kornman00]

Microsoft owns Halo, they would never let anybody put it on any other platform than their other baby, the Xbox.
With Bungie going to other platforms, and so many other games being multiplatform, and W8 coming out...I don't think this is the case anymore. So a PC release for H4 is likely I think.

[Amit]

With Bungie going to other platforms, and so many other games being multiplatform, and W8 coming out...I don't think this is the case anymore. So a PC release for H4 is likely I think.

Are you for real?

[DarkHalo003]

Are you for real?
Considering how competitive the market is becoming, it makes sense to an extent. MS is always shaky about putting things that are usually exclusive to one platform on any other one. For example, putting Halo 4 on the PC would most likely increase revenue gained from that game theoretically, but would split the player-base (unless they made it so that PC and Xbox players can play in the same matchmaking) AND you risk losing revenue due to pirates. They would have to pull some serious strings to make it worth the effort.

[=sw=warlord]

You can't lose revenue that was never there in the first place.
If they didn't port it to PC they won't get the revenue they would porting it and the piracy would only a small percentage compared to the amount "lost" by not porting.

[Amit]

I would still want a PC game if it required us to be signed into LIVE to play campaign (always on DRM). I just want to see SOMETHING!

[Kornman00]

What's the point of pirating the game if you won't be able to do all the great online stuff? File sharing? New Stuff? Etc. There will always be piracy, no matter the platform. The goal is to make people want to invest in the game. They could easily do that by releasing an editing kit which works by registering with your LIVE handle, etc. There are ways to make it work. But you have to embrace the PC platform as the PC platform, not like a console platform. This includes the population which surrounds it. Meaning featuring dedicated servers, rcon, modding, etc.

[Pooky]

consoles get pirated all the time too just sayin

[Amit]

What's the point of pirating the game if you won't be able to do all the great online stuff? File sharing? New Stuff? Etc. There will always be piracy, no matter the platform. The goal is to make people want to invest in the game.

This is exactly why I see them not wanting to do a PC version unless they completely lock all the features until you log into live. They obviously won't be releasing mod tools for a game even if it does get released. They've shown us time and again they don't care about Halo gamers on the PC.

[t3h m00kz]

Even then you could potentially just log into your already existing live account with a pirated game and get all the features, unless they find out the game files aren't legit.

I mean, I don't know, I've never pirated anything before. Ever.

[Amit]

You can't sign into LIVE in a GFWL game without putting in the activation code. When the GFWL menu shows up, you type in your hotmail or whatever details and it'll log you in half way. Then it asks for the serial key, copy and paste it into the fields, and hit submit. That is when you're finally logged in and the game will download your Gamertag profile if you don't already haven't already used GFWL on that computer. That's how all GFWL games work.

[jcap]

consoles get pirated all the time too just sayin
They're also leaked before release date and properly stealthed ISOs are literally undetectable.

[neuro]

AND you risk losing revenue due to pirates.

you don't LOSE revenue due to pirating.

LOSING something would imply having it.

also, GFWL is still a 100% deal-breaker for me
if halo4 were to come to pc, but i'd be forced to use gfwl, i'd simply not give a fuck about it anymore.
i can barely stand PIRATING gfwl-games.

[Amit]

Do you have a vendetta against GFWL or something?

[neuro]

more or less

[Kornman00]

Who can blame him?

Oh, and that dedicated server bullshit they pulled with H2V? That's justifiable homicide right there.

[ejburke]

Here's me holding my breath for Halo 4 to be announced for PC.

::dies::

Here's me, breathing normally, waiting for Halo 4 to be done right on PC.

::dies of old age::

[Zeph]

At least if they put any games on PC out, we can fix them.

[Amit]

Who can blame him?

Oh, and that dedicated server bullshit they pulled with H2V? That's justifiable homicide right there.

I definitely agree with you guys about the H2V fiasco, but Microsoft thought people were idiots back then. I find even more insulting that the game is capable of running on XP yet they forced it to Vista only. Now, LIVE isn't so bad. Except the TrueSkill system. That shit sucks eggs hard. I love the interface for live, though, and many good games use it.

[p0lar_bear]

...Microsoft thought people were idiots back then...

If Windows 8 is any indication of Microsoft's assumptions of its end-users, there's a good chance they still think that.

[=sw=warlord]

And it's a good estimate based upon the average end users of desktops and tablets.

[Amit]

If Windows 8 is any indication of Microsoft's assumptions of its end-users, there's a good chance they still think that.

I thought somebody might say that. I meant to say that Microsoft thought PC gamers were idiots back then. PC gamers usually know more about computers than the average windows user. Windows 8 is meant to fool the ignorant into thinking that touch based devices is the way to go.

[t3h m00kz]

http://shadbase.com/comic_folder/2011-09-14-heilo-x.jpg

[ThePlague]

What the hell is with the chiefs arm?

[Kornman00]

That's his masturbatinger-chiefing arm.

[nuttyyayap]

So, cheif's gonna become a space-nazi? Better than going on some stupid adventure through space and into a forerunner world where he meets himself from the future and it turns out he's a forerunner or something (Bet you 100 this is gonna happen by the end of 6 :downs:)

[Amit]

I thought ODSTs generally disliked Spartans-IIs.

[Kornman00]

That should tell you just how smooth the MC is.

[annihilation]

Those swastikas are backwards and Halo 4 will be terrible.

[t3h m00kz]

Heilo 4th Reich does things different. don't be hating.

[BobtheGreatII]

*cough*
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v675/cplqpictures/8f8800a1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v675/cplqpictures/e49cad85.jpg

http://www.gamerlive.tv/article/new-halo-4-images-master-chief-never-looked-so-good-0



(http://www.gamerlive.tv/article/new-halo-4-images-master-chief-never-looked-so-good-0)GO

[TVTyrant]

Wow. I really like what they did with the BR. It looks so genuinely gun that its ridiculous. The armor is okay, but I don't like how elongated the helmet looks in the first pic.

[JackalStomper]

It still looks like they're just spamming extrude/bevel everywhere, but it does look cool.
Is that a red dot?

The visor is very nice but will probably be downgraded to make room in the graphics budget for other things. Just like Halo 3.
The textures look hilariously low-res for everything else, and probably are given the current consoles ram limitations.
Hands are cool, look like gauntlets.

[BobtheGreatII]

Looks like:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/Velocd86/bestgame_crysis2_B.jpg

to me. His hands at least.

[nuttyyayap]

Looks like plastic action figures.

[samnwck]

I hate those gloves they did. They look atrocious/generic, but that could be just as much texture as well as overall shape. Though other than that I can't really be too judgmental as these don't really show the armor as a whole very well.

What I'd like to know where he got new armor in the first place though.

[Tnnaas]

Looks like:
-snip-
to me. His hands at least.

I was thinking the exact same thing.


What I'd like to know where he got new armor in the first place though.

A "book" is supposedly coming out that will explain everything.

[=sw=warlord]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6UL63Zo-uo

[rossmum]

wow, look at the battle rifle. it's gone from being fairly distinctive to the same cookie-cutter bullshit as any other sci-fi game or movie.

blocky silhouette? check
random, visually confusing bevels and extrusions? check
totally fucking pointless stripes of chipped coloured paint? check

out of the halo context, i wouldn't be able to tell you if that weapon was from avatar, district 9, mass effect or doom 3. everything that is wrong with modern gaming summed up in a single art asset.

[MXC]

wow, look at the battle rifle. it's gone from being fairly distinctive to the same cookie-cutter bullshit as any other sci-fi game or movie.

blocky silhouette? check
random, visually confusing bevels and extrusions? check
totally fucking pointless stripes of chipped coloured paint? check

out of the halo context, i wouldn't be able to tell you if that weapon was from avatar, district 9, mass effect or doom 3. everything that is wrong with modern gaming summed up in a single art asset.

Do you have a gaming blog? If not then you should really make one.

[samnwck]

Wow after seeing the video, I love that new bulky ass armor, still not feeling the hands but oh well. The legs I thought are the biggest improvement over anything previous.

[rossmum]

Do you have a gaming blog? If not then you should really make one.
I do, but I haven't used it in like a year and a half because a) it takes too much of my precious free time, and b) I tend to roll into long-winded rants that have no forseeable end when I do post there.

[=sw=warlord]

Looks to be like Video games are now in a stage where Hollywood was in the 80's.

[nuttyyayap]

Hmm...
Graphics look like utter shit.
Generic Sci-Fi BR.
Spartan IVs.
A Mech.
A dev named Kiki.


I really don't like where this is going... Whatever, good music and there's a british dude, so :iamafag:

[Amit]

BR looks like shit, Helmet looks weird. Not liking this.

[nuttyyayap]

Anybody fancy wagering on how shit the weapon balance will be this time 'round?

[TeeKup]

It looked like you at least moved a lot faster in multiplayer. That's good at least. ugh.

[Nero]

Oh God.... xD

[thehoodedsmack]

Halo is now operating on brand-name value. Replace established names with new ones, and it's nearly an entirely separate entity. For me, this is the first title in the series where I may very well have to say, will not buy.