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Bungie looks back on Halo 2 development
Speaking to Eurogamer as part of a look back at the development of Halo 2, several Bungie staffers shared some revealing thoughts on the game's development. The end of development "crunch" was particularly difficult, with Chris Butcher noting that he would show up for work early and leave after 11pm "seven days a week, for months and months." He added that, while crunch time at Bungie has improved significantly, "The crunch on Halo 2 was, 'Oh my god, we're f***ed. We're all going to die." The stress stemmed from a solid release date, which would see the game released just prior to the last major holiday season for the original Xbox. Still, Butcher said he prefers a deadline to the Blizzard / Valve "when it's done" philosophy. "The problem with 'when it's done' is that it would never have been done," said Butcher. He elaborated that the team was cutting features from Halo 2 within four months of the deadline. Concerning the ambition of the original scope of the project, Butcher offers an interesting anecdote. "There's a famous drawing that someone did on a whiteboard in the team's space that shows a plane on fire trying to land on a runway, and people are jettisoning cargo crates out the back of the plane in order to try and get it on the runway," Said Butcher, adding, "Every crate has the name of a feature we had to cut .... In the end, we ran out of room on the whiteboard for all the crates." Be sure to read Eurogamer's full piece, which covers plenty of other topics, including the reaction to the Arbiter and, of course, Halo 2's infamous cliffhanger ending.
More Halo: Reach beta screens and info than you can shake a jetpack at
click to Master Chief-size Considering how close we're getting to actually putting our hands on the Halo: Reach beta, it's not exactly surprising to see Bungie loosening the floodgates a bit on information and images from its last Halo game. Just below you'll find a handful of new images from three of the beta's four maps (Overlook, Swordbase, and Powerhouse), though the mysterious Boneyard still remains missing. In addition to these new screens, Bungie delves into the gruesome details regarding a few of the beta's gameplay modes, and even goes as far as to break down the weapon allocation for Powerhouse (only one rocket launcher, folks -- come on!) and Overlook. For instance, did you know that Powerhouse used to be named "Settlement?" Or that Swordbase is actually set in an Offiice of Naval Intelligence? That means we'll be spending our time getting one-hit killed from behind while trying to glean campaign information from the destructible computer monitors littered throughout the level. Damn you, Bungie! We are, however, quite partial to Swordbase's many levels (all the better for us to jetpack around!), but you could be all about those outdoor environments. Who knows?! One thing's for sure: you can peep both options in the gallery below. %Gallery-90309%
O'Connor: Halo movie will happen 'when the time is right'
During last week's MI6 conference, Bungie alum (now 343 Industries head) Frank O'Connor spoke candidly about the possibility of a Halo movie now that relations between Peter Jackson / Neill Blomkamp and Microsoft have fallen apart (as reported by IGN). "We're going to make a movie when the time is right," O'Connor told attendees of a session he was part of, titled "Extending Your Game Beyond the Package." He continued, frankly stating "We own the IP." Being head of Microsoft's Halo product house (that includes everything from Master Chief plushies, to the development of games after Halo: Reach, to a possible film) though, O'Connor worries about the implications of a film on the franchise. "If we want to make a movie, the scale of all the other stuff that we do changes dramatically. We make tens of millions of dollars on ancillary stuff, toys, apparel, music and publishing. If we do a movie all of that will grow exponentially." So while that's not exactly confirmation of a movie adaptation for the Chief at some point in the future, the possibility of exponentially growing an already multi-million dollar business sounds like a pretty good excuse to us for doing one.
Halo: Reach beta maps revealed, detailed
[IGN] If you haven't been following along with the minutiae Halo: Reach development over at Bungie's website, you probably didn't know that the upcoming beta will feature four maps from the final product's full list. Today we finally got a look at what those maps will be -- "Swordbase" and "Powerhouse" (intended for "party game types"), "Overlook" (featuring the "Generator Defense" game type), and the sparsely detailed sandbox design of "Boneyard" (intended for the "Invasion" game type) -- as well as a smattering of new deets on the jetpack-enhanced Halo game. For instance, we probably won't be finding out too many major campaign secrets during the beta that we didn't already know. The devs at Bungie have only included human-themed maps in the beta as to ensure the secrecy of plot points, actually. "Several of the other maps have different themes that I think are really cool [outside of the beta]," says Bungie's Chris Carney. "I don't really want to talk about them because it would talk about things that are happening in the single-player story." There's a ton more really, really specific stuff (as well as several new screens) over on IGN, if you're into that kind of thing (and let's be honest, if you've made it this far in the post, you probably are).
New high-res Halo: Reach weapons and vehicle renders
Click to get high ... resolution Good news for fans of Halo minutia -- and who isn't -- as Bungie has released a whole slew of Halo: Reach character, weapon and vehicle renders. Not only that, but these renders are in high resolution. That means you can take in all the tiny details of each and every image, from trigger mechanisms to faceplates to ... whatever the stubby wing things are called on the Banshee. Our favorite image so far is the plasma launcher (pictured above), which, according to the latest Bungie Weekly Update, sends "a volley of one to four plasma explosives" at your enemy. Fun. Check out the complete gallery of renders below. %Gallery-89861%
Amazon offering $20 gift card with Halo: Reach
Hot on the heels of Walmart's very sweet deal on Halo: Reach, Amazon has gone ahead and matched it, offering patrons of the pre-order arts a $20 gift card to sign up for Bungie's latest. Based on some very high-brow mathematical calculations, we've deduced that the gift card is actually a 47 percent savings on the title's $59.99 price tag -- a damn decent deal, to be frank. ... what? Oh, you think our math is off? What, did you go to some math college or something? You did? Well, uh, we're ... uh -- look, jet packs! [Via Slick Deals]
Bungie registers Marathon and 'Bungie Aerospace' trademarks
Between the recent filing to trademark ... something regarding Bungie's first FPS Marathon, and a filing for the name "Bungie Aerospace," we're not exactly sure what to make of whatever it is that's going on over at the house that birthed Master Chief. Both filings, spotted by Superannuation, represent still unknown plans for the studio. And aside from the logo you see above, we know very, very little about either. As for the Marathon trademark, it could very well just be an update to an existing filing. The inclusion of references to several past Bungie logos in the Bungie Aerospace filing, however, suggests a possible rebranding of the studio -- something we wouldn't be particularly surprised with considering the break with Microsoft way back in 2007, not to mention the fact that this fall's Halo: Reach marks the last Halo game from the studio before Microsoft's 343 Studios fully absorbs the IP. Oh, and no, Bungie won't be joining the Richard Garriotts and John Carmacks of the world in heading into outer space, as both trademark filings fall under the usual USPTO video game classification. A Bungie representative told Joystiq "No comment" when asked about the listings, but for now you're free to speculate along with us to your heart's content. Source 1 - USPTO Source 2 - USPTO [Via Superannuation]
X10: The Recap Post
.nounderline a { text-decoration: none; } Microsoft's X10 press event has come and gone, and with it came a stack of Xbox-related news, trailers, screenshots and more. It was so much content, we nearly broke the Internet! Alright, that's probably inaccurate but we have to assume we were close. In case you missed anything, we've wrapped it all up and have it here for you in one tidy, little package. Alan Wake | Dead Rising 2 | Fable III | Final Fantasy XIII | Halo: Reach Left 4 Dead 2 | Modern Warfare 2 | Splinter Cell: Conviction | XBLA Block Party %Gallery-85281%
Interview: Marcus Lehto on Halo: Reach, Firefight, and ending at the beginning
Bungie's Marcus Lehto was grinning like a proud papa when we had a chance to chat with him during X10. The Halo: Reach creative director had been demoing his baby continually for around eight hours, but seemed excited just to be able to tell us more about the studio's final Halo game, his presentation of which had totally wowed us earlier in the day. We reached out, shook his hand, said Halo (okay, not really) and got cracking with our questions. Joystiq: As a game that is intended to cap off Bungie's work on the Halo series, how do you end a story by going back to the beginning? Marcus Lehto: What we wanted to do is kind of bring everything full circle. Going back -- to a prequel -- to delve into the stories of the Spartans on planet Reach and to tell their stories; What they did, what they did that transpired and led to the events of Halo 1, was such a cool thing for us to tackle. That's the thing that really got us excited about [Halo: Reach]. We came up with an amazing story tell tell. For us, like I said, it does literally bring things full circle for us because we're doing things in Reach -- and telling this story -- that really help us encapsulate the entire series and make sense of everything. %Gallery-64713%
Bungie: Halo Reach multiplayer takes 'big risks'
When asked if Bungie was sticking to the tried-and-true multiplayer formula in the upcoming prequel Halo: Reach, creative director Marcus Lehto told Joystiq the developer would be taking some "pretty big risks" for its final Halo title. "While we'll still have all of the good stuff that players have come to know and love about Halo, we've made that better and given them new features on top of that," Lehto said.Lehto wouldn't detail the new risky features, but he would confirm players would see the "new multiplayer features" during the Reach multiplayer beta; beginning May 3. Lehto also reiterated that "currently" the multiplayer beta would only be accessible through a Halo 3: ODST disc.Brainstorm with us, folks: What new features do you hope for in Halo: Reach multiplayer?%Gallery-64713%
Xbox Live service for Xbox 1 games to be discontinued on Apr. 15
[Image: Bungie] Microsoft is pulling the plug on the Xbox Live services that still cater to the original Xbox. As of April 15th, all Xbox 1 games -- including those playable on Xbox 360 or via the Xbox Originals service -- will be severed from the online realm. "I want to start by saying this isn't a decision we made lightly," Xbox Live general manager Marc Whitten said at the start of a letter to Xbox Live members, "but after careful consideration, it is clear that this will provide the greatest benefit to the Xbox Live community." Whitten added that in continuing to "evolve the service," Microsoft requires changes that are "incompatible" with the previous console's games. "We will contact the Xbox LIVE members directly impacted by this change and if this includes you, I encourage you to check your LIVE messages and associated e-mail account over the coming weeks for more details and opportunities." According to Major Nelson's most recent list of top Xbox 1 Live titles, Star Wars: Battlefront 2 and Counter-Strike players will be hardest hit. Well, sure, Halo 2 is still the most widely played game, but at least those guys will have some consolation when they leave the house and discover that two three more Halo games have come out since 2004. By the way, if you have anything terribly important to say to your clan mates, we suggest you say it now.
PSA: Halo Legends 'Origins Part 1' available today only
Today's the day, folks. The last weekend of a two-month long, mostly bi-weekly Halo Legends release on Xbox Live Marketplace. While you can find the "Making of" version of this week's episode next week, "Origins Part 1" will mark the last free episode of the soon-to-be-released series. And yes, that "Part 1" modifier certainly does indicate a cliffhanger ending -- particularly considering this episode includes information on the barely talked about Forerunners of the Halo franchise. And now, if you'll excuse us, we're off to peep this joint for ourselves.
Halo: Reach gameplay premieres with multiple Spartans (and some ladies!) [update: now with hi-res]
Update: Microsoft sent over a hi-res version of the trailer (seen above) as well as the screenshot in the gallery below. According to the publisher, Halo: Reach will follow the story of "Noble Team in their heroic stand to defend the planet Reach." The company also noted that a "multiplayer beta is coming [in] Spring 2010." Hooray! As promised, Spike's 2009 Video Game Awards delivered the first footage (in-game, 'natch) of Halo: Reach to the masses. More Spartans? Check! Female Spartans? Check check! A skullfaced Spartan? Wait ... what?! Since the show just aired, we've got a low-res version of the trailer for you after the break and will have a prettied up version as soon as it's available. %Gallery-80182%
ODST reaches 2.5 million sales; Haloverse expansions detailed
After yesterday's full-fledged assault on mainstream gaming news coverage, we were refreshed to read this great USA Today report on the current state of the Halo franchise. Sure, it further promotes the tired opinion that Bungie's ever-popular shooter is set to overtake the Star Wars franchise in the cultural marketplace. However, it backs up that assertion with startling figures: According to the report, Halo 3: ODST has sold 2.5 million units in the past two weeks, bringing the total sales for the entire franchise up to a cool 27 million. Additionally, USA Today further supports its thesis by compiling a list of the future franchise spin-offs, including -- *deep breath* -- Halo: Reach, the Halo: Blood Line comic series, Halo Legends, Halo Waypoint, the Halo: Evolutions novel (and another heretofore unnamed book trilogy), and more McFarlane toys. Some may accuse this franchise of succumbing to over-saturation -- we think it crossed that bridge around the time it got its own Mountain Dew.
Watch the making of Halo 3: ODST live-action short
Like us, you've probably been wondering what sort of work (apart from directing people in costumes and laying on the special effects) went into Microsoft's now-legendary Halo 3: ODST live-action short, "The Life." Its creators must have anticipated our curiosity because they've put together a short-but-sweet behind the scenes video, which includes a rough cut of a scene that didn't make it into the final production. The micro-documentary also reveals some surprising trivia about the shoot, including the fact that the opening funeral scene was shot inside the cooling tower of an operating nuclear power plant. Oh, and the battle sequence? They filmed it at the bottom of a coal strip-mine. Really? We could have swarn it was New Mombasa.
Microsoft says Halo 3: ODST disc read errors aren't 'widespread'
Bungie quickly responded to a 60-page-long thread on the Halo 3: ODST forums where users complained the title had experienced disc read errors while playing in the game's Campaign and Firefight modes. Now, Microsoft has also sounded off on the errors, telling Eurogamer, "we are aware of a very small number of people who are reporting they can't play the game," and later adding "at this point it doesn't appear to be a widespread issue." In our last post regarding the game-crashing errors, we asked readers if they had encountered similar problems during their time with ODST. Out of the 5,608 participants who responded at the time this article was written, 1,769 (or 31.5 percent) had reported technical issues with the game. We're sure Microsoft has their own method of tracking this data, but our polling figures certainly make the problems seem as though they've spread fairly wide.
TGS 2009: Wait to play Halo 3: ODST, get UNSC threads
During the last day of TGS 2009, Microsoft was handing out free (and stylish!) UNSC-branded t-shirts to gamers willing to wait in line to play (the already released) Halo 3: ODST. For their effort, gamers seemed to enjoy the reward of partaking in local multiplayer sessions of ODST's Firefight mode. Check out a closer look at the shirt after the break.
Users report Halo 3: ODST disc read errors
According to a rather lengthy thread on Bungie.net, several Halo 3: ODST players are having technical issues with the game. Users are reporting that disc read errors are occurring during the game, rendering it unplayable. Some believe the issue only affects older consoles, specifically those with older DVD drives. Anecdotally, our own David Hinkle encountered the DRE issue on a 2008 Elite. According to Hinkle, installing the game to the hard drive seemed to fix the problem. He later bought a second copy of the game and hasn't encountered the issue again. It's also worth noting that this issue seems to be isolated to the ODST campaign and Firefight mode. The Halo 3 multiplayer disc appears to be unaffected. Bungie is looking into the problem, with a member of the test team asking forum users for specific information about problems that have been encountered. For those out there with a copy of ODST, let your voice be heard in the poll below. %Poll-34788%
Bethesda production director says MS 'totally bungled' ODST marketing
For some, Halo 3: ODST's $60 price point has become a point of contention (though not for us, we should note). And not for Bethesda production director Ashley Cheng either, who says on his blog that, "reviewers are now mentioning that Halo 3: ODST may not be worth the price point, that it should've been cheaper, etc. ... give me a break." According to him, these complaints wouldn't be arising if it weren't for the game's "totally bungled" marketing campaign. "First saying it was a standalone expansion pack, then coming out and saying wait, no, we're charging full price because - surprise! - we put 'more' stuff in it and it's called Halo 3: ODST now, vs its original title, Halo 3: Recon." Bungie has since justified the new price point to us, though apparently for some that just wasn't enough. %Gallery-72961%
Halo 3: ODST miniFAQ
.nounderline a { text-decoration: none; } Whether you're preparing to drop right in or are wavering outside the enlistment office, this is your basic field guide to Halo 3: ODST. Jump to a specific answer by clicking on a question below, or view the entire FAQ after the break: Is ODST worth $60? What's in the box? Should I install either game disc on my hard drive? What's it like not playing as Master Chief? What are the new weapons in ODST? Will you show me the Achievements list? How many missions are in Campaign? What are the collectible Audio Logs, and how many are there? Is co-op play supported in Campaign? What are the basic rules of Firefight? How many missions (or maps) are in Firefight? Can I customize my character in Firefight? How many skull modifiers are there, and what does each skull do in Firefight? Does Firefight support online matchmaking? Is there new Halo 3 multiplayer content? Do I need to keep downloaded Halo 3 maps on my hard drive? Where are the hidden skulls in the new Mythic maps? How do I unlock Recon armor for Halo 3 multiplayer? WARNING: FAQ contains spoilers pertaining to names and descriptive elements of Campaign and Firefight missions, Achievements, and certain hidden/unlockable content.
