343 Industries
Latest
Bungie profiles Halo 3 warthog, secret code?
Bungie has posted a new vehicle profile from Halo 3, and today it is none other than our beloved (wort-wort) Warthog. While we don't learn much more about the vehicle than we already know, there is mention of different configurations of the 'Hog. One configuration mentioned ditches the gun in favor of four extra passenger seats. Also mentioned is that the mounted guns have internal batteries, enabling them to be operated even when detached from the Warthog. Granted, these configurations may not be in the game at all, but it's fun to speculate. Speaking of speculation, Bungie has included a new 360 degree screen shot, allowing users to take a virtual tour of the Warthog. What's interesting is that there appears to be a hidden code broken up throughout the screen shot. Rotating the 'Hog causes different pieces of the code to appear. It reads: "X.XX.713> ghost.713/non-auth/activity ongoing" What does it mean? Is this the beginning of ILoveBees redux? Does it have something to do with the Spartan-III project? We have no idea. From what we can tell, it's not a URL. That's where you come in. Go forth and decipher the code fanboys. [Thanks, un1qu3 n3wy0rk]
Expensive (but nice) custom Halo 3 themed 360
Up for sale on eBay is one super fine custom Halo 3 themed Xbox 360. Complete with airbrushed Halo 3 logo, portrait of Master Chief, water droplets and dirty embellishments, this is one sexy custom case. And you're ever so lucky, because if you want this little guy all you have to do is drop $925 and you'll have her with matching controllers to boot. Though, no real Halo 3 fan could put a price on custom Halo 3 Xbox 360 perfection. Yup, spend $925 on this custom wonder and an additional $130 on the Legendary Edition and we'll (possibly) crown you richest, silliest, craziest, Halo 3 fan on the planet. Happy bidding! [Thanks, to everyone who sent this in]
Halo 3 ran (so far away)
Bungie's Weekly Update this past Friday was all about atmosphere and flocks of seagulls. Frankie dished the dirt on how the environments in Halo 3 apply the real world physics behind what makes the sky blue, Rayleigh and Mie Scattering, which in turn gives distant objects that realistically faded tint. Following that, he continues his obsession with the water effects, going into extensive detail of a waterfall and the dynamic changes in the flow of H2O from the start to finish. Next up, he described the use of "flocking" behavior in air battles taking place in the far distance. That being said, when you're in aerial combat, the enemy AI will be in full force. Even so, apparently if you fire a rocket and get lucky, you can even hit some of the distant crafts. Also on the subject of "flocking", the artists have been putting some time into adding birds into the game, primarily seagulls and a form of cockatoo. They currently fly in packs of about 50 or so, and can be individually shot, if you want a closer look at the model. Well, that's enough blabbing on our part, if you want to hear more of what Frankie had to say about Halo 3's progress, click the "Read" link to go to the article.
Bungie.net's makeover, complete with Halo 3 inspiration
Bungie couldn't look any prettier today as the long-awaited makeover of their site has officially rolled over. Typically, a company remodeling their website would be a footnote on a release, but this is Bungie and a site that has recorded over 600 million games of hot, Spartan action. It deserves a little recognition. Okay, so there is more to it. Midway through the design process, Bungie called upon one of the folks behind Halo 3's interface to lend a hand to the statistical portion of the website. Using our man-crush Frankie as an example, profiles have received a huge face lift, complete with swanky flash navigation for the game viewer. And If we look at this game where Frankie placed 12th on Juggernaut Lockout (ouch), we can see all sorts of new graphical flair and a much improved presentation. Sort of makes you wish you were playing Halo 3 right now, doesn't it?
Bungie comments on Legendary price point
While Bungie's Weekly Update had a slew of goodies for you to get excited about Halo 3, they also touched on the $30 increase in price for the Legendary Edition. They more or less apologized for the misleading initial price point, and assured us that the final product will be definitely worth every penny, especially to those who are die hard Halo fans. They even revealed that the Legendary Edition is limited enough to warrant Bungie staff pre-ordering their own copies, and that each one is individually numbered. So, with that coming from them, does it change your opinion on the thirty dollar discrepancy?
A little more info about the Halo 3 beta
Game Informer sat down with Bungie's Community Lead Brian Jarrard to discuss the upcoming Halo 3 beta. When asked about how much actual Halo 3 content will be included in the beta, Jarrard confirmed there will be multiple multiplayer maps, a few vehicles, the inclusion of the new weapons, and a stripped down version of online stats that compare to that of Halo 2's offerings. Jarrard also hinted at new unannounced Xbox Live features saying that "most of our other new Live features are still highly classified, so I can't spill those details quite yet". Which of course gets our collective Halo fanboy gears churning, wondering what the other features could be. It's a pretty good (and short) interview, but we still don't learn any specifics about the beta including the most obvious ... when will it start? Anyone care to speculate on a rough time frame when we'll get our hands on some Halo 3 beta goodness or want to express your thoughts on what the new Xbox Live functions could be?
Bungie adds vehicular AI into Halo 3
Remember in Halo 2 when you proudly drove around in your spiffy warthog with an AI controlled gunner manning the turret only to be annoyed by him, because he was shooting at a tree and not the five ghost riding Elites in front of you? Well, according to this week's Bungie Weekly Update we'll be able to write off that problem in Halo 3. Frankie says that the AI controlled marines who fight by your side will be a lot smarter and will actually take hints to where they should be shooting simply by knowing where you are looking. Point your camera to the right and the gunner will shoot to the right, storm straight ahead and the gunner will unleash death bullets in front of you. Better AI always rocks. The other interesting news from this week's update is a promise that we'll get to see some of the behind the scenes work that went into creating the Legendary Edition of Halo 3, including how the spartan helmet case came to be. Frankie also dropped an interesting tidbit referring to why the Limited Edition includes an art book that the holy grail Legendary Edition doesn't. He says that "Legendary Edition purchasers will be pleased to know that they will not have to live without that content at all". Interesting, no? Okay, this is getting too long. Just make the jump and read all the new newness that is Halo 3.
Halo 3 Legendary Edition to command a legendary $130 pricetag
Originally rumored to cost a measly $99 US dollars, Microsoft has reevaluated the pricing for the Legendary Edition of Halo 3 putting it more in line with its namesake. The new "estimated" retail price is a legendary one hundred and thirty dollars. Ah, that's better. So, what does the dedicated Halo nerd get for his $130? First, the luxury of owning an item that is promised to be released in "limited quantities" only. Next, two supplemental discs with a "Making of Halo 3" documentary, featurettes, and an AV calibration tool on the first and remastered "cinematic material" from Halo 1 and Halo 2 (a refresher course, if you will) and exclusive Red vs. Blue and This Spartan Life content on the second. Deep breath ... and you get a collection of Halo 3 storyboard art. If you don't want to spend $130 on a game (you obviously never owned a Neo Geo), then there are two other opportunities to give your money to Microsoft. Similar to games like Gears of War, Halo 3 will come in both Standard and Limited editions. The Limited edition will fetch $70 and include the first disc from the Legendary Edition, as well as a Halo "fiction and art book." We're not sure if this book will be available outside of this offer, but we imagine some Legendary owners won't like getting shorted on it. Don't care about the goodies, just want the game? Try the $60 Standard Edition. You could even get two and still bring it in for less than the Legendary edition. %Gallery-2154%
Halo 3 Legendary edition: officially $129.99
Shortly after uncovering the official box art for the Halo 3 Legendary and Limited editions, Microsoft has sent official details of both special edition packages. First, the big shocker: the Halo 3 Legendary edition will cost $129.99. For the hefty price tag, Halo fanboys will receive the oft mentioned limited edition case featuring the Spartan helmet and two bonus DVDs. The first disc contains behind the scenes footage of Halo 3 including a high definition "Making of Halo 3" documentary. The disc also has a special audio/visual calibration tool designed by the Bungie graphics and sound team. The calibration tool is designed to get the most out of players' home theater setups. The second disc -- exclusive to the Legendary edition -- includes cinematic material from the first two Halo titles, including developer commentary. Also on the disc is special content from the makers of Red Vs. Blue and This Spartan Life. Finally, the Legendary edition will include exclusive storyboard art featuring important moments in the Halo storyline. The Limited ediiton will cost $69.99 and comes in a spiffy metal case. It includes the same behind the scenes DVD as the Legendary edition and a Halo fiction and art book. The art book contains info on the various species in the Halo universe and reveals new info that expands on Halo's storyline. Just so Limited edition folks won't feel jilted -- and to give Legendary purchasers a reason to buy another edition -- the art book is exclusive to the Limited edition. Finally, the plain ol' regular edition contains nothin' but Halo 3 for the price of $59.99. So, now that all has been revealed, which edition will you be bagging come September Fall 2007?
More fuel for the September Halo 3 fire
Following 1UP's speculation that Microsoft could drop the Halo 3 hammer in September, IGN reports its findings on the matter. According to IGN a "big-name publisher and well-established development house" have both revealed that Halo 3 will drop in September to beat the holiday rush. The developer is apparently "close" with Bungie (like, are they dating or something?) and stated that shipping Halo 3 in September will allow Microsoft to beat its competition to the holiday punch. This will allow Microsoft to sell more systems before Sony and Nintendo release the hounds their big holiday titles. No offense to our beloved franchise, but it's probably a good idea for Halo 3 to ship before GTAIV, too. Of course, developing games is a tricky process, and it's certainly possible that Bungie may stretch development into November. We're Halo fanboys to be sure, but honestly, we can wait 'til November. Seriously, have you seen how many games are coming this year? There will be plenty to keep us busy until the Master Chief is good and ready. [Thanks, dpcough]
Possible Halo 3 packaging revealed for all editions [update 2]
Obsessed Halo fanboys will be excited to know that the picture above could be what their Halo 3 Legendary Edition will look like. Xboxygen posted what look to be renderings of Halo 3's retail packaging for the Legendary Edition as well as the Limited Edition. We're not sure where these images came from or how Xboxygen got their mitts on them, but they look somewhat professional and sort of legit. We'll be the first to say that if these are real, the dark and simplistic packaging is very sexy and anyone buying the Legendary Edition would be proud to showcase the box. But don't get your hopes up, because the packaging usually isn't shown until the release date nears and these renderings only use the limited amount of official Halo 3 material that has been released. These could have easily come from an evil photoshopper who has no regard for the Halo fanboy code, so take them for what they're worth. Check out more pictures after the break. Update 1: We used our detective skills and confirmed that these box shots are indeed listed on a Microsoft press website. So, the packaging is official and comes from Microsoft, but could change between now and a Fall 2007 release. We're uber excited for that Legendary Edition box and uncontrollably salivating. Update 2: If you're looking for localized versions of the packaging then take a look at Joystiq's nifty little gallery ... enjoy.
Germans get in Halo 3 beta with a preorder
Those lucky fellas in Germany have it easy trying to get into the Halo 3 multiplayer beta. To join this Spring's fun, all they have to do is plop down 10 Euros on Halo 3 and, like magic, they are in. Yup, that's mostly it. No hoops to jump, no waiting to register on a website only to find the server crashing in a minute, no purchasing of another game ... just a simple preorder. Though, to be fair, once they place a preorder they'll be emailed a code and then must register on this website. So, at least they have to do some (light) work to get in. Oh well ... German chocolates aren't that good anyway. [Via HBO]
Halo 2 Achievements for Vista
In a recent blog entry by Hired Gun, the MGS team responsible for bringing Halo 2 for Vista posted recently regarding the 41 Achievements the game will have. They cover the easy ones and the difficult ones the put in, from sticking your first enemy in multiplayer to killing someone who beat the game on Legendary to playing through the single player campaign without dying, although they didn't specify the difficulty required. Interestingly enough Silver members, while able to play multiplayer in Halo 2 Vista, they won't be able to unlock Achievements online or use the matchmaking, while Gold members get the full course. So, do you plan on taking your Xbox 360 account over to the land of mouse and keyboard to get Halo 2 Achievements?
Halo 3's Brute Spiker dissected
As part of Bungie's ongoing profiling of Halo 3 weapons and vehicles, this week Frankie posted an insider's look at the new Brute Spiker. It's officially called the Type-25 Carbine, rocks two tungsten-alloy bayonets, and can quickly rip its target to shreds. According to soldier's remarks we learn that the Spiker is relatively heavy, bulky, and acts similar to the SMG. One good thing this dual-wielding wonder has going for it is that there isn't any recoil, so its automatic shots will a little more accurate. We really hope the Spiker adds more variety to the current weapon set and gels nicely with the others. Nobody would want an overly powerful, spike shooting, death stick of melee horror now would we? Ahem ... now would we?
Finally, we get a Halo Wars update
Over on the official Halo Wars forums Thunder posted a special update for our little Halo gem. The Ensemble Studios development team had to reach one of their first development milestones by getting a preview build of Halo Wars ready for some visiting Microsoft execs. And to our surprise, they actually created a multiplayer build so the whole team (including those Microsoft execs) could spend the day blowing stuff up real good. Thunder also went on to say that they've "got a long way to go still, but it's very encouraging when a group like this can sit down and have fun beating the hell out of each other so far from any ship date". True, they do have many milestones to achieve before Halo Wars goes gold, but we're extremely exciting knowing that such an early build was so well received. Anyone's thirst for Halo Wars news been quenched or do you demand 20 gallons worth of screenshots? [Thanks, DjDATZ]
Halo 3: Fall 2007
Surprised? Probably not. Bungie's latest Weekly Update delivers the first of many promotional images to come, making official Halo 3's "Fall 2007" release window -- to be likely whittled down to "November" in the coming months. Of course, the game will be preceded by a well-known multiplayer beta test, which "will not be starting next week" (when Crackdown hits retail). "We're still aiming for a Spring release [for the beta], but it could be more like late Spring," says Bungie. [Thanks, brandon]
Halo 3 materials and control scheme, oh my!
We're finally getting to a point where we get actual juicy details on Halo 3 from Bungie's Weekly Updates. This week's deep fried nuggets of information include the revealing of the first promotional material for Halo 3 (see above). According to Bungie, this marketing goodness is the first in a series that will be coming out throughout the year, similar to Halo 2's campaign with the whole orange background thing. Also note that it does read "Fall 2007" ... nice. Frankie also mentions that progress is being made on the campaign front, that the Halo 3 beta will not begin next week upon Crackdown's release, and that Bungie.net is getting an overhaul. He also posted the current default controller layout for Halo 3, dissecting each and every button and what each is used for. Though, Frankie makes it very clear that things could change and that the mysterious "X" button could be moved too. We're interested in how talking in multiplayer will work and currently there is a scheme using the d-pad, but he also mentions that it is in the extremely early stages of how the function will work. Please Bungie, make it so we don't have to push a button to talk, we can deal with loud people with our A-hole button. Go ahead and make the jump to get your weekly dose of Halo 3 knowledge.
Bungie preps invited players with Halo 3 beta FAQ
They may not be saying just what the "X" button does yet, but Bungie has compiled a list of some of the most asked questions concerning the upcoming Halo 3 beta. Can you blow stuff up with your laser? Totally. Will parties and matchmaking work in the beta? You better believe it. It also includes a bit of rumor debunking as it confirms, once again, that you won't be playing Halo 3 come the release of Crackdown next week. So exactly when will you be getting your hands on the shiny new Spartan toys? They're still not saying, nor are they talking about the length of the beta beyond "for a limited time only."
Halo 3 Beta invites delivered to 'Rule of Three' participants
The second phase of Halo 3 Beta registration is complete, as those qualifying through the "Rule of Three" (Halo 2 playathon) have been notified of their entry into the beta. Future beta participants have been emailed the following confirmation: Congratulations [gamertag], You were one of the first 13,333 gamers to meet the "Rule of Three" program eligibility requirements. As a result, you have been selected to participate in the Halo® 3 beta. In order to participate, you must have access to: - An Xbox 360 Pro console or Xbox 360 Core console with hard drive - A valid Xbox Live® Gold subscription Keep an eye on your inbox, we will be sending more information about this opportunity soon. *Limit one Halo 3 beta invite per person/Xbox Live gamertag. Your invitation is non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash. The beta is available in English only. Now that phase one and two are complete, there remains just one opportunity to join the beta test. Buy Crackdown.
The latest on Halo Wars: mocap goodness
It's been a long time coming (and we're a week late getting to it), but the latest update on Halo Wars has finally arrived. Posted on the Halo Wars forums, the update centers around a recent motion capture session (mocap to the kids). The makers of Halo Wars set up some test sessions with an LA motion capture studio, House of Moves, to see if mocap could be beneficial to Halo Wars. So, several actors were set up with light reflecting ping pong balls and asked to re-enact scenes from the game. They even set up a plywood warthog and gave the actors some crazy stilts to emulate the way Elites walk. See more pictures after the break.
