John-117
-
Posts
785 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
3
Content Type
Profiles
Halo Articles
Forums
Events
Gallery
Books
Movies
Posts posted by John-117
-
-
I hope someone gets my corny reference for the news today, anyways LETS DO DAS!!!!!!!!!
HEADLONG REMAKE IS NOW BREAKNECK (OFFICIALLY REVEALED)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB18aOfIYCI&feature=player_detailpage#t=2s
While we’re on the subject of heads that are long, this seems like the perfect time to talk about yet another map that will be shipping with Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. Whether or not you make a habit of paying attention to the writing on the wall (and by wall, I of course mean our whiteboards), you’ll be excited to hear that an updated version of Headlong is officially joining the ranks of new and improved maps that include Beaver Creek, Damnation, Timberland, Prisoner, and Installation 04. That’s right, everybody’s favorite large-scale Multiplayer map from Halo 2 has been rejuvenated with not just stunning visuals but also a layer of fascinating new fiction.
Breakneck—which is Anniversary’s adaption of Headlong—is located in Section 21 with a view of downtown New Mombasa and the collapsed space tether. The city has been flooded from the recent slipspace rupture, and construction was abruptly halted during the Covenant attack. Despite the fact that numerous buildings have been partially destroyed—with some even housing flaming ship segments—one monument remains standing, tall and defiant. I guess you could even say to the end.
For those of you that haven’t had the pleasure of playing on this asymmetrical construction site, it’s well-suited for vehicular combat, objective-based gametypes, and Big Team-esque Slayer battles. One base is an evacuated civilian structure, replete with potted plants, art, and hardwood floors, while the other is an unfinished skyscraper with concrete walls and steel columns.
There are multiple paths to take when maneuvering between the two primary areas. Whether you tiptoe across the precariously-hanging crane, sneak through the defensive Sniper building, or rush straight across the large and open expanse that is the middle basin, you’ll more than likely notice small design changes that differentiate Breakneck from the original. Take, for instance, the teleporter: originally appearing on the balcony of Blue Base, it has since been replaced by a large man—or as I prefer to say, Spartan-spewing—cannon. Panels were also added to one of the Blue Base balconies to provide additional cover when moving from building to building. Red Base got some love as well, in the form of an extension on the Engineering Hallway behind the Construction Building and a gap in the ceiling of the Office. If you’re wondering why there’s a gap, it’s because there was an explosion. And also because artists like blowing sh-, I mean stuff, up.
To give you a better feel of the space, here is a gallery full of gorgeous images taken from the reimagined map. Feel free to ogle to your heart’s content. I mean, it’s only new Title Update information patiently awaiting you after the gallery…
(Look at the shoulders)
Don’t tell anybody, but I may or may not have selected the last image in an effort to forever immortalize the moment I stuck David Ellis. Let's just say he bet I couldn't stick it. And I had to prove him wrong.
I Said a Hip Hop, Hippie to the Hopper
Halo: Anniversary, which is coming bundled with Breakneck and six additional Multiplayer playspaces, will be on a store shelf near you November 15th. According to my extremely precise and detailed calculations, that’s in roughly two months. Before that, though, on September 21st, you’ll be prompted to download a Title Update for Halo: Reach. It’s important to note that you won’t see any perceptible changes in Halo: Reach Matchmaking immediately after the download. In an effort to provide some much needed clarification, here’s a brief timeline of what you can expect in regard to the upcoming Title Update and beta matchmaking playlist:
September 20th
On this day, you will play Halo: Reach. You will lose a few games, primarily because of the jerkface that took the sniper and sent the bullets whizzing by the heads of your enemies, instead of directly through them.
September 21st
On this day, when logging into Halo: Reach, you will be prompted to download the Title Update. You’ll start playing, notice nothing seems different, and then recall that I said, in this here Bulletin as a matter of fact, “You won’t see any perceptible changes in Halo: Reach Matchmaking immediately after the download.” The majority of players will only complete the first two steps, though. Curses.
October 3rd
‘Twas the night before the Beta Hopper, when all through the game, not a creature was stirring, even the Gúta were tame. The AAs were hung on the selection screen with care, in hopes that the hopper soon would be there. The Spartans were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of zero bloom danced in their heads…
October 4th
On this day, you will log into Halo: Reach and immediately notice—assuming you’re the observant type—a brand spankin’ new playlist. Changes will be isolated to that one particular area, so should you want some Vanilla Reach, you will simply access your regularly frequented playlists. Should you want a new flavor, though, I recommend diving directly into the beta matchmaking hopper. This 4v4 playlist will feature both Slayer and Objective gametypes, with DLC maps being optional. In an effort to provide an environment conducive to soliciting Title Update-specific feedback, all Objective gametypes will have DMR starts. Throughout the time this playlist is active, we’ll be watching not only the decisions you make in Matchmaking, but also the thoughts and opinions you leave in our forum. And it’s with that data that we’ll continue crafting the best possible playing experience for you and your Halo-loving buddies.
Here are the specifics of the beta matchmaking playlist, if you’d like to drill further down. Please note all gametypes utilize 85% bloom (unless otherwise noted) with all the Title Update changes implemented—minus the addition of the Combat Evolved Magnum. It’s also worth noting this hopper is not intended to represent the makeup and content of the non-beta hoppers, and that all things are as ever, subject to change based on test data and numerous other super-secret and highly scientific factors—a few such things being whether or not the sun is shining and if Frankie has facial hair that day. (Just kidding, by the way. Well, for the former at least.)
Beta Matchmaking Playlist Specifics
Team Slayer (AR Start)
• Condemned
• Tempest
• Unanchored
• Asylum
• Uncaged
• Reflection
• Countdown
• Boardwalk
• Powerhouse
• Zealot
Team Slayer DMRs
• Condemned
• Tempest
• Unanchored
• Highlands
• Asylum
• Uncaged
• Reflection
• Countdown
• Boardwalk
• Powerhouse
• Zealot
2 Flag Slayer
• Condemned
• Zealot
Multi Flag
• Tempest
• Unanchored
• Highlands
Neutral Flag
• Asylum
1 Flag
• Reflection
• Boardwalk
• Powerhouse
Speed Flag
• Zealot
3 Flag
• Unanchored
• Asylum
• Zealot
3 Plots
• Tempest
• Countdown
• Boardwalk
Neutral Bomb
• Tempest
• Asylum
Team Oddball
• Asylum
• Reflection
• Countdown
Team Hot Potato
• Unanchored
• Asylum
• Countdown
Team Crazy King
• Condemned
• Reflection
• Countdown
Zero Bloom Team Slayer DMRs
• Condemned
• Tempest
• Unanchored
• Highlands
• Asylum
• Uncaged
• Reflection
• Countdown
• Boardwalk
• Powerhouse
• Zealot
WELL THAT'S IT FOR TODAY'S AWESOME REVEAL DAY!! PEACE OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-
1
-
-
Agreed, a year goes by so fast!
-
Actually this is what happens when people can't or won't adapt to change
Agreed, people need to learn that games will always change in someway. It is our job to adapt to it and give feedback on it, not whine about it.
-
A little idea I came up with.
When your shields go out you will be able to take permenant body damage. You take a few shot then you die instantly.
Here's the idea: as you take body damage you go slower. You take 50% damage, you go 50% speed because you are limping. You get 90%-95% you fall down and are forced to go prone because your legs took too much damage to support you.
It's kinda strange taking a lot of damage and look as good as new and then dying instantly. It's hard to tell if your teamate needs to be healed with your drop shield in Halo Reach. I think using this idea would improve Halo.
I like the idea good job!
-
Everyone needs to relax and take a good hard look at the situation for what it is. Its been a year and you still cannot effectivly find a solution to every complaint you have with the gameplay? Yeah..... time to.move on then. Even if things are adjusted to your liking it will only be a matter of time before people find something else to ***** about. I say just shut up and play, or go play a different game. Nuff said!
AMEN!!!!!!!
-
I was able to talk to someone on the creative team and they said those are just forge pieces....hope they will bring back the tripmine for Halo 4.
-
Can I ask why its in it?
My best guess is so Halo fans will buy the game. I am still not getting Forza 4
-
My title explains it all, I will be guiding you through what I think this means.
XF-063= ONYX
ZETA DORADUS, IV= HUMAN OCCUPIED WITH BOTH UNSC AND ONI FORCES
DIAMETER= 9.21431341 MILES
THERE IS ONE SATELLITE WATCHING OVER THE PLANET
GRAVITY= BELOW NORMAL
ATMOSPHERE= NITROGEN (n2), OXYGEN (o2), ARGON (AR)
SURFACE TEMPERATURE IN FAHRENHEIT= -13 DEGREES FARHENHEIT-116 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT
LOCAL DAY: MONDAY
LOCAL YEAR: 2554
AS YOU CAN SEE WE ARE LOOKING LIKE WE ARE HEADING TO ONYX, HERE IS ALL THE INFO KNOW ABOUT ONYX
Onyx, officially known by the UNSC as "XF-063", was a planet-sized Forerunner construct located in the Zeta Doradus System. While it had a Human habitable surface and a seemingly terrestrial crust, internally, it was actually composed of trillions of Onyx Sentinels.[2] Onyx's ultimate purpose was to guard the entrance to a Shield World. It was the location of the massive, three-sided Battle of Onyx.
Background
Onyx, named by the Unified Earth Government due to the unusually large onyx quarries found in the planet's crust, had an Oxygen-Nitrogen gas atmosphere, of suitable pressure for Human life with a temperate weather cycle. It also had an unusually large number of indigenous species of flora and fauna, some of which were edible by Humans and posed no threatening danger. The transplanting of Earth species was immediately possible.
Some notable anomalies were that it had no detectable tectonic activity, an unusually strong planetary magnetic field, and slightly higher than normal background radiation. All of this was possibly explained when it was revealed that the planet's crust was composed of large numbers of dormant Sentinels.
Structure
Onyx's surface, as mentioned before, was composed of seemingly infinite amounts of Sentinels, with a massive Forerunner city hidden under the terraformed ground layer. Under the surface, there was a vast network of underground tunnels and installations, including a map room and an immense Sentinel production facility under the northern polar region.
In the core of Onyx, there was a large room, the Core Room Antechamber. It contained a slipspace rift that would be open for a short time after the Halo Array was put into standby mode, allowing evacuation to the Micro Dyson Sphere within, acting as an escape from the Array's destructive firing.
The Dyson Sphere habitat located wholly within a maintained slipspace bubble, which in normal space, is only some meters in diameter, has a diameter of approximately 300 million kilometers. The megastructure has a habitable, terraformed surface and in the center, a G2-type star to provide terrestrial lighting.[3]
History
A UNSC complex on the surface of Onyx. Onyx was discovered by the UNSC Engineering Corps sometime around May, 2491. In ENGCORP Field Report A76344, Captain D. F. Lambert stated "XF-063 is a rare jewel of a find" and recommended colonization. The Assembly quickly moved to keep colonization from occurring, as they had discovered the presence of Forerunner artifacts independently of the UNSC and feared that humanity would not be ready to learn about the existence of alien life. On February 19, 2492, in ENGCORP Field Report A79052 Lieutenant W. K. Davidson stated that Geological Expedition Four found an entire phylum of possible alien taxonomy and recommended a follow-up survey with specialists in Paleobiology, Xenobiology, and Biochemistry.
In 2511, when archaeological expeditions uncovered massive subterranean Forerunner constructions in what would after be called Zone 67, ONI immediately took control of the world, going so far as to remove Onyx from UNSC navigational databases and suspending any prospective colonization and terraforming attempts. However, further attempts to determine the purpose of the structures, or even to extract any usable technology, yielded no results. In 2525, with the coming of the Human-Covenant War, the operation was scaled down and only a minimum ONI garrison and a single AI remained. The planet's location remained secret. Regular scans continued to yield little of value.
With the course of the Human-Covenant War, Vice Admiral Margaret O. Parangosky authorized the construction of the SPARTAN-III training base on Onyx in 2531 (there were three companies trained, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma) because of the planet's obscurity. This base, designated Camp Currahee, was constructed perilously close to Zone 67, which had been declared strictly off limits. However, during a routine exercise north of Currahee, Beta Company Team X-ray trespassed into Zone 67, entered a Forerunner structure, and disappeared without trace. An ONI investigation into the matter was inconclusive, although X-Ray was rumored to have encountered a "glowing eye", which detonated upon discovery.
Battle of Onyx
In 2552, Onyx's Sentinels were roused to action by the standby signal from Installation 05, instigating the Battle of Onyx and revealing Onyx's true nature. The AI Endless Summer took command of all military personnel on Onyx to immediately defend Zone 67 per General Order 98.93.120, after Onyx's Sentinels first started to attack the SPARTAN-III's. Endless Summer sent Kurt a flash transmission sending attached files directly into Kurt's retina. An explosion stopped Endless Summer's transmission before Kurt could finish scanning the new threat. At the conclusion of the battle, Onyx was effectively destroyed, although not before Bloody Arrow was declared and Blue Team, Team Saber, Team Katana, Dr. Halsey, and SCPO Mendez escaped to the safety of the Shield World.
Locations on Onyx
Camp Currahee
-
- Command Center
- Armory
- NCO quarters
- NCO's Inspection yard
- Infirmary
- Camp Commandant's residence.
[*]The Tree House[*]Zone 67
[*]Twin Forks River[*]Gregor Canyon[*]El Morro Point[*]Shield World
- Core Room Antechamber
- Sentinel Production Facility
- Entrence to Core room
Trivia
[*]he Terminals mention that there were indeed Forerunners on Onyx. However, the Terminals were probably referring to the Onyx Sentinels being on Onyx or the construction of it to become a Shield World to be protected from any of the the Halos.[*]The Sentinels on Onyx were much stronger than the ones on Installation 04 and Installation 05, being able to combine forms, and were capable of space flight.[*]Onyx on the Moh's hardness scale is seven.
-
-
i voted haha
-
Some inappropriate Anime, you must have missed it John.
Yea because school
-
Um, yeah.... hey John can you get someone to delete the post above. Thanks for the info John!!
What was the post?
-
Hey guys,
Sorry about not doing a weekly update last night but that's what happens when your computer get fried by a plasma grenade. Anyway, LETS GET STARTED!!!!!!!!!!!!
Halo 4 Lead Creative Director has Left the Building!
In an interview with Kotaku, Halo 4 Creative Director, Ryan Payton reveals the reason why he left the project.
Ryan Payton isn’t just leaving the project, but he’s also leaving 343 Industries as well. 343 Industries will be developing three new games for the Halo franchise spawning an all-new trilogy.
The main reason Payton left the project because he was “losing passion for the project”. He felt Halo 4 was going in another direction that he did’t envision from the beginning and felt it was time to explore something new.
“I had a great run at Microsoft. I don’t regret one day of it. But after a few years, there came a point where I wasn’t creatively excited about the project anymore”, said Payton. “The Halo I wanted to build was fundamentally different and I don’t think I had built enough credibility to see such a crazy endeavour through.”
“For somebody who loves this industry as much as I do and know how lucky I’ve been, I never thought I’d get to a point where I was so drained. That was when I knew I had to do something else. I think time is the most valuable thing we have and I’ve decided that I’m not going to waste one more day working on something that doesn’t speak to my values,” Payton concluded.
Despite Ryan Payton leaving the project, a new Creative Director has now been appointed. Halo 4 is still scheduled to be released Q4 2012.
VN:F [1.9.10_1130]please wait... The Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary Guide is ready for launch!
A few days ago I saw something that caught my eye, I saw the Halo CEA Strategy Guide preorder info on Gamestop.com.
All the info that was given was that it is being made by Brady Games and will cost $19.99
GAMEFest secures UK playable debuts of Halo CEA and other AAA Titles
Microsoft will be bringing their big guns of 2011 to GAMEFest in playable form for the first time in the UK including Gears of War 3, Forza 4 and Halo Anniversary. They will also be bringing a handful of new kInect titles to give a flavour of their hands-free Christmas line-up. Gamers will be able to get down with Dance Central 2, try out marionette gunslinging in Gunstringer and try out some new sports in Kinect Sports 2.
Tickets for the event are now sold out for the Saturday, but Friday the 16th and Sunday the 18th of September still have plenty of space free. They are available to GAME Reward card holders for 10 GBP per day.
This Halo Helmet Looks Good Enough for the Movie They’ll Never Make
The way it's looking there'll never be a Halo movie. Ah well! So long as regular humans keep making killer props like this, we're free to imagine our own. Which is always for the best, because then, they never end up sucking.
This helmet was submitted to MAKE magazine by creator Tsabo Tsaboc over the weekend, and it's stunning.
If you don't recognise it, it's Carter's helmet, with Carter being your squad's leader in Halo: Reach. The helmet goes nice with some of his other stuff, including a complete ODST suit of armour and various individual Halo helmets (like Noble Six's), all of which you can see in more detail at the link below.
Jeremy Clarkson Talks About…a Halo Warthog
If you've ever wanted to hear the Top Gear star drawl "light plasma cannons", you should watch this clip of Jeremy Clarkson giving the rundown on the Warthog that'll feature in Halo 4.It comes across as a bizarre piece of marketing, until you remember the Warthog will be in the upcoming Forza 4 (albeit not in a drivable state), a game that will have Top Gear branding and content all over it.
Forza 4 is out in October on Xbox 360.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzUNdXPGOf4&feature=player_embedded#t=0s
-
I was disappointed when I read you were leaving. I couldn't tell if you were joking or not. Glad to hear you are sticking around man.
I WAS THE MOST SAD ON THE SITE!!!!!!!!!!!
-
Bravo Twam, looking towards to the update, especially the News System to its latest version!
-
I wish for a wonderful planet full of new objects and vehicles for us to explore!
-
Heck, I'm in.....
GAMERTAG- COPPER PARTIN
-
I was required to review a game and I would like to know what everyone thinks!
Please note the second image is smaller than the size it is on this site.Halo: Reach Review
Covenant Beware
Ten years ago we got a franchise that has started a craze throughout the world for the past decade. Halo: Reach continues the line of games for such a wonderful franchise. Now Halo: Reach was a bit of a shocker when it was first revealed, whether it is the introduction to armor abilities or the fact that this is a prequel to the whole Halo series.
Halo: Reach follows the heroic story and sacrifices of a group of people called Noble Team. You take up the role of the character Noble Six who is filling in for the recently deceased Thom-293. At the beginning of the game you get into your first encounter with the covenant. Throughout the campaign you witness the heroic sacrifices that Noble Team had to make. One thing that makes Reach standout from the rest of the franchise is the mission structure and variety. One minute you will be high tailing it through space trying to take out a giant covenant ship, and then you are in the city of New Alexandria on a jetpack oriented mission. This campaign is really one of the greatest throughout the franchise.
Now, where Reach really shines is its multiplayer component. The addition of armor abilities (the replacement for equipment) really affects the game play for each match. A good example would be on Hemorrhage, which is a hybrid of Blood Gulch/ Coagulation. This map is mainly vehicle oriented but, if you are like me and are the stealthy type, then you could choose the jetpack and get up to this high nook in the map and snipe your little heart away. Also, we now can customize our Spartan in more than 1 Million combinations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-1x6jo-NQo
Now here is where some of Reach’s flaws come in, firefight. When playing firefight on ODST (the game that takes place between Halo 2 and 3) it was a challenge, now it is sadly not. The reason for this is armor abilities. If I were Bungie, I would have implemented a hybrid of Call of Duty’s “Zombies” game type to where you would have to purchase the abilities for a one time use.
In Halo 3 we got introduced to Forge, in Halo: Reach we get Forge 2.0 which gives us the ability to have objects go through other objects (other know as Ghost Forging in Halo 3) and keep objects in mid air without falling. We also get a wonderful thing called Forge World which is a giant map where you can build till your sick. I am just worried that it will get boring a year after release.
Theater is still pretty much the same in Halo 3 but, one thing I wish they could have allowed was the ability to have more than 1 person viewing in theater.
As you can see Reach is a great way to leave the series in a bang and also a swansong to many fans. I give Halo: Reach a 9/10.
-
1
-
-
Might get a cap card for my birthday.
-
-
6
-
-
Whats with the J117? His offical designation is Serria 117. Anyway, it looks awesome keep it up!
I know that, after the Covenant War era I felt like it would be write for him to be called by his name and service tag.
-
This week I am doing something special, I am going to do a full fledge recap of Halofest…LETS DO THIS!!!
Panels:
Anniversary Campaign Disscusion
Halo: Building a Universe of Toys and Collectibles
Bungie: Hatching the Cosmic Halo Egg
The other videos:
http://www.ign.com/v...litplayer-vidoc
http://www.ign.com/v...yer-walkthrough
Halo CEA Multiplayer:
The articles of Halofest!
Why You Should Care About Halo: Reach's Title Update
This September, 343 Industries will release a title update for Halo Reach that will prep your 360's for Combat Evolved-flavored gameplay.
If you've wondered how exactly 343 Industries plans to recreate the multiplayer gameplay you know and love from Halo: Combat Evolved in Halo CE: Anniversary, this is your answer.
To explain, we asked 343 Industries' Content Producer David Ellis to give us the inside scoop as to why a typically innocuous thing like a title update could become such a gamechanger or Halo fans.
"It's a free downloadable update for Halo: Reach to allow the MP to work seamlessly with the Halo CE: Anniversary MP as well as adding some additional options for adjusting gameplay variables in multiplayer," Ellis explained.
Translation: this update will essentially use high-tech ninjary to fool Halo: Reach into playing like Halo: Combat Evolved.
The update won't enable content immediately; you'll have to wait until specific multiplayer hoppers go live sometime in October for that. But here's how it will all work when they do.
Weapon Changes
The insanely overpowered gameplay of the Halo: Combat Evolved Magnum pistol will crash the Halo: Reach party with the Title Update.
Now, it won't feature the OG Magnum itself exactly; instead the wizardy of the TU will allow for the configuring of the reticle bloom on the Reach pistol (and other semi-automatic weapons, like the DMR), enabling high-precision firing with increased accuracy in rapid succession, making for a lethal three-shot kill from anywhere on a map. It's strongly reminiscent of the way Combat Evolved felt.
Ellis puts it this way: "Bloom is a gameplay mechanic in Reach which encourages players to space their shots to keep accuracy high. For example, the rate of fire for the Reach magnum isn't set. You can fire the gun as fast as you can pull the trigger. However, there is a lag in the time it takes your firing reticule to shrink down between shots. Fire quick, your shots are less accurate; fire slower and your shots will be more accurate."
The TU allows changes to how much your reticle "blooms", or expands, when firing 'head shot' weapons. If you set it to zero, there is zero bloom. If you set it to .85, it's 85%. *All* headshot weapons on the map are affected by this setting. Settings will vary for different beta hoppers.
Swords will get a tweak as well; specifically the ability to block a sword attack with a melee from any weapon other than another sword will be disabled.
Melee Damage and Armor Ability Changes
In Halo: Reach, players can basically sprint at you and melee twice for an insta-kill. Not so with the TU; melee beatdowns will require 3 full blows as damage will bleed through your shield into your health, similar to Halo 3.
And good news for anyone who hates people who camp Armor Lock: Sticky grenades will no longer be nullified if you use Armor Lock after being stuck. Also, damage received while in armor lock is transferred to remaining Armor Ability energy, and how much the damage depletes your armor lock energy (and how quickly) is configurable.
Active Camo will get a dialing back, reducing the bonus time the player gets in Camo while standing still and reducing the overall length the player can be in Active Camo.
The update will enable Campaign and Firefight matchmaking for players using an Xbox 360 4GB console without a HDD, which previously required a HDD.
"We'll be launching the TU sometime in September with the beta hoppers coming online in early October. One of these reasons we're doing this is to allow the rabid Halo community to provide feedback on the changes we're implementing in this TU. So in essence, the community themselves will help to shape their Halo multiplayer experience going forward."
Halo's Warthog Makes its Debut... in Forza 4.
What could be cooler than seeing the new Halo 4 Warthog in your favorite racing game? How about racing in it? Well, too bad, but it's still very pretty looking.
The Warthog will be featured as part of Forza Motorsports 4's Autovista mode, which allows players to walk around and interact with vehicles. You can't race in it (could you imagine trying to handle Forza's tracks in a giant dune buggy?), but you will be able to interact on some level. Oh, and you're going to have to unlock it, so we hope you're good at Forza.
Check out the screens of the new improved Warthog.
343 Guilty Spark Campaign Impressions
It's a strange lens at times. Going from the mysterious and oh-so-2001 fog-plagued view of 343 Guilty Spark of Halo CE to a ominous and alien swamp courtesy of Saber Interactive is... jarring, to say the least. It's distracting wandering around a level you thought you knew to see everything that's been done. Everything looks more alive than it did before, which changes the general vibe of the level in distinct ways. The haunted swamp feel has been pushed aside by a foreboding green and yellow light emanating from the trees.
You'll lose track of that when the shooting starts though. In that respect, everything is as it was. Halo CE is filled with moments involving a valley, trees, and a dozen or more Grunts and Jackals. These kinds of encounters dwindled in later games, and playing them again, I realize how much they've been missed. There's a great sense of pacing to timing shots from the Halo CE pistol to maximize efficiency, alternating between close grouped head shots on Grunts and well aimed arm shots on shield-bearing Jackals to leave them vulnerable.
No other Halo game has gotten that same pistol-powered rhythm down as well. The one-two-three of effective pistol usage is empowering and distinctive and... I really missed Halo: Combat Evolved. It's good to have it back again.
There are some wrinkles in the experience right now though. First, hardcore Halo fans will want to foreswear the wireless controller in lieu of a wired one. The finer points of Halo combat were tuned around the wireless-lag-free response of the original Xbox controller, and things might feel a little more floaty than you recall otherwise. Then there's the 3D.
This being 2011 and all, a major title can't seem to hit our greedy little hands without some implementation of 3D, and Saber Interactive and 343i have implemented it pretty well. Aside from the world's longest gun barrel, there's a great sense of depth, and a lot of adjustment options. Plus, it supports passive 3D for compatible televisions, so you can spring for lots of cheap, theater style glasses for everyone you want to suffer through watching you play Halo in 3D.
CEA gets 3-D Support
Halo: CE Anniversary is getting a lot of upgrades in the visual department, but if you're at Halo Fest this weekend there's a pretty major one you can see for yourself: stereoscopic 3D.
Microsoft announced that the revamped Halo: Anniversary will feature a 3D system built specifically for the game. The 3D is being demoed during Halo Fest at PAX this weekend.
Changes Coming to Waypoint
At its "What's Next for Waypoint" panel at this year's Halo Fest, the 343i team announced a number of changes and additions to Halo Waypoint due later this year.
Waypoint will receive a visual overhaul for the release of anniversary this November. The Xbox 360 portal will get a new look, with a consolidated look at stats and top level information regarding your Halo experience. Players will also be granted the ability to issue create and issue custom challenges to their friends.
The web version of Waypoint will be altered to reflect the console changes to the platform, with an initial full stats view of your personalized Spartan in Halo: Reach. The deep-view information players have come to expect from Bungie.net for Halo: Reach will also transfer over to the new Waypoint site, as well as the Windows 7 Waypoint App.
ALL SKULLS ON
At 343i's "Halo Anniversary Campaign" panel at this year's Halo Fest, the developer confirmed the return of "skulls" in the remake launching later this year. Previous Halo titles have allowed users to find hidden skulls that could be activated in order to trigger additional effects within the game, such as more resilient enemies or no regenerating health.
In addition to the previously leaked Grunt Funeral skull available for pre-orders at specific retailers, the panel disclosed two of the currently unknown total number of easter eggs. Malfunction, when activated, disables a random HUD element after each respawn, while Boom doubles explosion radiuses.
343 also informed fans that skulls will not be available or functional in the so-called "Classic" mode. Skulls will also not be visible to collect outside of the remastered mode.
Also it was confirmed that they are going to use the Halo 3 format. You will have to find the skulls secretly located throughout the campaign.
Halo 4-6 Now has a Name for the Trilogy!
While the ten year birthday of Halo: Combat Evolved and the upcoming Halo CE Anniversary release are clearly the focus of the first Halo Fest at this year's Penny Arcade Expo, the continuing adventures of the Master Chief aren't far from anyone's mind. At 343i's Halo 4 panel on Saturday morning, Josh Holmes discussed the impending Halo trilogy and revealed the name of the upcoming three-game series: the Reclaimer Trilogy.
Astute Halo fans will recall that Guilty Spark, the AI presence from the original Halo installation in Combat Evolved (and namesake of 343i), often referred to the Master Chief as the Reclaimer throughout their interactions. Guilty Spark also plays a prominent role in Halo CE Anniversary's new addition to the original game, the Terminals.
Halo 4 beta rumors have been deceased.
At was announced today that there will be NO beta for Halo 4 shipping out with Halo Anniversary, They did go on to say that when they have a beta, they will make sure the full public has access.
-
2
-
-
I changed the date to the 26th so it is on a weekend.
-
Did you come up with this. If so it's really good and I like it. MORE!
Yea I did, I will be writing a page per day.
-
AGREED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Weekley Update-September 14, 2011
in Halo & Gaming Industry News
Posted
Thanks to you both, I am looking forward to when the reveal the Hang em' High game play but, that s likely to never happen due to the name, which means Cliffhanger!!!!!!!!!!!! I think that would be a great map name for it!!!!!!!