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Halo 3 matchmaking, and why GOW's is broken
1UP continues its parade of Halo 3 coverage today with a new interview. The interview centers around the matchmaking system that Bungie is developing for Halo 3. Besides the obvious issue of cheating, Bungie talks about Halo 3's new ranking system. In addition to the traditional skill based ranking system, Bungie is implementing a new experience based ranking system (according to the latest issue of EGM, these will be actual military ranks). The idea is that whether you win or lose, you will gain some experience. This way, when a new playlist pops up and everyone is a level 1, you'll still have an idea of each player's relative skill level -- i.e. the guy with 300 hours of play time will probably beat the guy with 10.
17.25 seconds of Halo 3 campaign analyzed [update 1]
1UP's final week of Halo 3 coverage is upon us, and today they deliver the first public info on Halo 3's campaign. The staff of 1UP was witness to approximately 17.25 seconds of a campaign level. That's it. What's more, the snippet they saw was not specially engineered by Bungie at all. In fact, the tiny video was made using the new film recording feature. Supposedly, the pre-Alpha footage was discarded immediately after being shown to the press, so we probably won't be getting our hands on it. The level witnessed took place inside what appeared to be a human city, possibly the bombed out ruins of New Mombasa. The author of the article suggests this may take place directly after Halo 2 ends, with the Chief landing on Earth in the middle of a war zone. Master Chief begins by jumping onto a Warthog and is quickly pursued by ships and a new Ghost. This special ghost is the new Brute Ghost, a reconfigured version of the standard Ghost. The article describes it as normal Ghost with its wings folded, presenting a more "tube-ish" design. The Chief raises the Warthogs Gauss cannon to fire and ... that's it. According to 1UP, Halo 3 is visually very impressive, so much so that it may give Gears of War a run for it's money (which it should as a 3rd generation 360 game). Hopefully, this will allay graphical concerns leveled at Halo 3's multiplayer screenshots. So there you go, 17.25 seconds of gameplay scrutinized for all they're worth, and then some. God help Bungie if they screw up Halo 3. If people are reading this much into 17.25 seconds, imagine what they'll do with an entire game. It's frightening (and mildly titillating, strangely).Update: Clarified headline to prevent potential riot.
Video: Tactical breakdown of Halo 3 maps
The latest episode of the 1UP show includes an extensive breakdown of all the Halo 3 multiplayer maps we know about so far: High Ground, Snowbound, and Valhalla. The 1UP fellas go ever each map in great detail, noting layout, weapon placement, and overall strategies they employed during their playtest. We are happy to note that Valhalla looks to greatly improve upon the Blood Gulch/Coagulation template, introducing different paths, hills, and plenty of cover. Bad news for sniper whores, great news for everyone else.Please note, if you were hoping for video or screenshots, you will be sorely disappointed: this is basically an academic exercise with the editors scrutinizing hand drawn recreations of the maps. Still, if you loves your Halo strategery, it's a nice chance to start building your Halo 3 repertoire early. Watch the video after the break.
Bungie, they aren't corporate... are they?
This past week's news on Halo 3 and all the upcoming goodies we'll be treated to in the next year makes my inner fanboy squeal with excitement. A new commercial, new Halo 2 maps, and an open beta for Halo 3 multiplayer, that's just nifty. But I can't help but feel a little ... how do I say this ... uneasy about how the Halo franchise is being handled. I'm not referring to Bungie themselves, because they have yet to let us down, but the corporate machine backing Halo. I just don't know, pre-rendered Halo 3 commercial (Bungie doesn't do pre-rendering), new maps for Halo 2 that must be purchased and only on the 360, Halo Wars being licensed off to a different studio ... blah, blah, blah. Maybe I'm just a little paranoid, maybe I'm just a little stressed tonight, but is Microsoft possibly playing the puppet-master card with Bungie just a little too much? I'll revisit this topic some other time I guess ... maybe I can talk to Frankie and he can calm my nerves. Frankie, if you're reading this, please comfort me ... please?
GOW knocks Halo 2 from Live top spot
Today is a momentous day. For the first time since, well, ever, Halo 2 has officially been knocked from the number one slot on Xbox Live. If you keep track of Major Nelson's weekly updates on the most played games on Live, you'll know that Halo 2 consistently trumps all other Live titles, even all the fabulous titles on 360. That's right, one original Xbox title is routinely played more than any 360 title. Until now, that is. Of course, now the question is: how long will it stay there? We'd like to extend our congratulations to Epic and to Microsoft for their success. So, have you made the switch from Halo to Gears?[Via Joystiq. Thanks, Sherveen Mashayekhi]
H3: Everybody run! He's got ... a Needler?
If you've been scouring the Halo 3 information around the web, you may have heard a few things about the needler. The needler -- a weapon that shoots slow moving, homing crystals that explode after a certain duration -- is generally regarded as the worst weapon in the Halo series. In fact, most consider it so useless that they will only pick it up as a joke or for some lucky humiliation kills. Bungie now intends to turn that around. In Halo 3, the needler is no longer dual-wieldable. Because it's now a two-handed weapon, Bungie has room to make it more powerful. We don't know exactly what's been changed -- whether the needles move faster or track better, for instance -- but we do know it's now a weapon to be feared. In the words of Bungie's KPaul:"These factor in significantly, as once the needles are flying you're pretty much done unless you've got some cover to get behind before they reach you. Yeah, we've said it before, but this time we mean it. You will hear someone scream "OH SHEETS HE'S GOT A NEEDLER" at some point during your Halo 3 experience and for once, it will not be sarcasm."Needler fans rejoice, come Halo 3, you'll actually have a reason to pick one up. Then again, Bungie said they were going to fix the needler last time, too. Here's hoping they keep their word this time.[Image via Brickshelf]
Tons of Halo 3 screens leaked [update 2]
We swear, we didn't wake up this morning intending to beat Halo to death, but the news just keeps coming. It looks like the always reliable foreign press has leaked lots of Halo 3 screenshots, concept sketches, and renders onto the internet. Most of you will recognize these from the recent EGM cover story, though many of them are brand new. It's nice to have them in hi-res digital form, but unfortunately they come with a nasty watermark from GameCity, the Swiss site that leaked released the images in the first place. Halo Base, a German Halo site, has broken the shots down into the proper categories, screenshots, concept art, and renders. The renders in particular are very nice, showing off lots of Spartan and weapon detail. It seems like Halo Base is getting hammered by internet traffic, because the images are loading very slowly -- in other words, you may want to grab these before Halo Base is completely snowed under. We expect that Bungie will make these public soon, either via Bungie.net, or through 1UP's coverage throughout the month. Still, why wait when you can check them out now?Update: As expected, it looks like Halo Base has been flooded. Lucky for us, News4Gamers (who just happen to be linking this very post) have gone to the trouble of uploading the images themselves. It looks like they have most of them up now. Find them here (or click the image above).Update 2: Halo Base has removed their shots at the request of GameCity, who claims to have released them legally in the first place. The shots are still on News4Gamers, and some of them have been released on 1UP as well.[Via HBO]
Halo Wars art, new info in December
The Playstation 3 and Wii are launching this week, and it looks like Microsoft wants to make damned sure that players remember why they love Xbox. We're talking about Halo, of course. The above piece of concept are showed up in our inbox a few minutes ago. It's a UNSC Shortsword bomber, one of the units available in Ensemble Studios upcoming 360 RTS, Halo Wars. We went over to the official Halo Wars site just to see if anything was new. Sure enough, Ensemble has posted an update on the game's progress. In truth, the update is really just there to let us know that they plan to do monthly updates from now on. Still, Ensemble takes the time to congratulate Bungie on Halo's fifth-iversary and welcomes gamers to share their ideas for Halo Wars. If you have an idea, or just want to share your enthusiasm, head over to the Halo Wars forums -- you can also download hi-res versions of the above concept art in their image gallery. Expect a real update in December. What would you like to see in a Halo RTS?
Halo madness! New H2 maps, H3 public beta!
Okay folks, the big news is here. It turns out that the "BIG" Halo announcement is neither a Halo 3 release date nor the long awaited Marathon Arcade. Is it actually worthy of the capitalized BIG (we all remember the BIG GOW announcement)? Maybe we're overstepping our bounds here, but we're going to say yes. Big yes. It's BIG. It turns out the BIG announcement is actually three announcements rolled into one megannouncement. The first announcement: new maps are coming for Halo 2! These maps will only be available for Xbox 360 owners sometime in the Spring. Frankly, we're excited. We never would have anticipated something that could make us dust off Halo 2, but there it is. We'd also like to point out that it's a brilliant -- if somewhat dastardly -- move on Microsoft's part to release these maps exclusively on 360. Naturally, there are thousands (millions?) of Halo 2 players that are quite happy playing it on their original Xbox. Sure, they'll probably get a 360 when Halo 3 comes out, and Microsoft knows it. So, if you can't sell those people Halo 3 until next winter, just sell them Halo 2 ... again! We should note that Bungie hopes that Microsoft will eventually make this content available for original Xbox owners, but in the meantime it's a great incentive (for Halo 2 addicts) to upgrade to 360 right now. At any rate, we're excited as hell to play us some new maps. Here's hoping they can squeeze out some new graphical effects offered by the 360. Also worth noting, the new maps mean that MS is taking another look at Halo 2's backwards compatibility glitches, so some of those should be ironed out in the future.
Halo b-day gift: H3 demo, Marathon arcade?
The internet and wild speculation are like peanut butter and chocolate; they just go together. Today's wild speculation began when I ran across this entry on Phuze (which actually looks like a cool ezine). The speculations goes a little something ... a-like-a this: Bungie reported in their most recent update that there was a special "BIG" Halo announcement coming this week, in celebration of Halo's fifth anniversary on Wednesday, November 15th. 1UP's Halo 3 page lists a "Special Halo Announcement" as part of tomorrow's coverage. Phuze speculates that this announcement is probably something along the lines of an official release date -- and we agree -- but proffers the tantalizing possibility of something more. What if, wonder of wonders, it's an actual playable Halo 3 demo? Is it possible? Very slightly, yes. After all, as Phuze notes, all these game journos were playing a multiplayer build as early as last month, so it's possible (not to mention it's a great way to make 360 owners forget about the PS3). Allow us to add even more fuel to the fire. Tomorrow, as most of you are no doubt aware, is Wednesday. Wednesday typically marks the release of a new Xbox Live Arcade title. Could Bungie have an Xbox Live Arcade title lined up for the anniversary of Halo? If they do, what better way to celebrate Halo's birthday than by releasing its spiritual prequel, Marathon? So there you have it. If Bungie releases Marathon on XBLA tomorrow, you heard it here first. If they don't ... well then why the hell were you listening to us in the first place?
How Halo 3 fixes Halo 2 multiplayer
1UP continues their month long barrage of Halo 3 coverage with a breakdown of what Bungie is doing to address the multiplayer concerns from Halo 2. In short, these concerns are: Weapon whoring Duel Wielding and the "noob combo" (plasma pistol and battle rifle) Player designations A big problem in Halo 2 multiplayer is weapon whoring. In other words, once a power weapon -- like the rocket launcher or sniper rifle -- is obtained, it cannot be obtained by anyone else until it is emptied or dropped by the player holding it. In some cases, a team will grab both sniper rifles on a large map and dominate, while the other team is denied any kind of counter measure. Another way to whore a weapon is to grab it and just not use it. As long as it is in your possession, it will not respawn, thus keeping it from everyone else. For instance, the team that grabs both snipers could also pick up the rocket launcher and sword just to make sure your team never has a chance. So, how does Bungie fix this?
Female Spartan in Halo 3? Could be ...
Upon further inspection, we've unearthed another Halo 3 tidbit from Friday's Bungie.net weekly update. Bungie is considering (considering, mind you) adding a female voice option for Spartans in Halo 3 multiplayer. Apparently, a considerable portion of the Halo 2 player base is comprised of women. It's also apparent (at least to me) that none of these women live within a hundred miles of Fanboy Towers (not that it matters, I'm happily married thankyouverymuch). Bungie assures us that the voice will not be comical or stereotypical, but rather a strong female voice to make the Chief proud. Of course, this raises a few issues. What about female Covenant? Are there female Covenant? On second thought, maybe we don't want to know.Are you a female Halo fanatic jonesing for a gender appropriate voice in your games? If so, Bungie invites you to say so in their forums, make petitions on your own sites, or you could always comment here.
Breakdown of new Halo 3 multiplayer maps
1UP's kuh-razy month long coverage of Halo 3 continues with breakdowns of the three confirmed new maps: Snowbound, High Ground, and Valhalla. Along with the new maps, we learn about some of the new environmental features.
Video break down of leaked Halo 3 info
Shatter Studios have put together two videos that summarize the leaked Halo 3 info in easily digestible bites. Using the leaked images as backgrounds, the videos point out new weapons, features, and maps. Think of it like a really awesome version of all those crappy documentaries you had (or have) to watch in high school. Our favorite part is when they point out the new spike grenade, which resembles a WWII era German grenade -- you may remember 1UP's Mark MacDonald remarking that it makes a satisfying/terrifying "whoop whoop whoop" sound as it rotates in the air. Check out both videos after the break.
Halo 3 impressions from 1UP and EGM
That issue of EGM isn't even out yet and the Halo 3 hype train keeps a' rolling. The editors of EGM/1UP have posted some of their thoughts and impressions of their visit to Bungie. Though they don't give away anything that hasn't already been leaked, they do announce that they definitely liked what they saw. Dan Hsu makes a time honored point, noting that the graphics weren't "that impressive for an Xbox 360 game," but it was so fun that it didn't matter. He goes on to say that he doesn't want to go back to Halo 2 now that he has been spoiled by this (pre-alpha) build of Halo 3. Mark MacDonald probably gives the most concrete info, giving speculators and Halo fanatics something to chew on. "I very rarely dual-wielded in the few hours we got to play Halo 3, and after some early experimentation, I mostly stuck with the Assault Rifle. I'd pick up a Battle Rifle or Shotgun if I had the chance, but unless I was super close or far from a target, the AR suited me just fine. More than fine. OK I f*king love the assault rifle. It might as well be an entirely new weapon. (I hope they don't mess with it too much between now and the final game.)"He goes on to discuss some of the new weapons, the new maps, and the overall candor of the Bungie team. Fans slavering for info would best be served to read his impressions first. The last impression comes from Luke Smith, who paints Halo as his Mario. His is more nostalgia and hope than the factual accounts of the other two. Still, if you love Halo, or hearing people wax romantic about videogames, give it a read.So, with all this pre-hyped hype, has anybody actually gotten the new EGM yet?[Via HBO]
1UP clarifies Halo 3 info, new details
1UP has taken some of the leaked Halo 3 info and clarified a few mistranslations and speculations. First, the Spartan laser is more than an anti-vehicle weapon and can be used quite effectively as an anti-personnel weapon. Apparently, it's not as difficult to control as some sources thought it to be, though Bungie may still tweak it for balance. Second, the new Brute weapon, the Spiker, is sort of a cross between the needler and the SMG and it's more effective than both. The weapon shoots bright orange spikes at a very fast rate. We can't help but be reminded of the needler shown during a pre-release Halo 2 multiplayer demonstration ages ago. You know, the one that didn't suck. Third, the nail grenade is actually called a spike grenade and should be quite a departure from the plasma and frag varieties. Fourth, weapons not in use will be placed according to their type. For example, two handed weapons like rifles and shotguns will be slung over the shoulder, while single handed pistols will be kept at the hip. Halo fans will recognize that actually seeing a secondary weapon will dramatically change gameplay (no more hiding the sword or rocket launcher). Fifth, multiplayer will still be capped at 16. Obviously, this has worked well thus far, so why fix what ain't broke? Finally, the "Man Cannon," designed for fast air travel, is so hilariously named that many assumed it was a mistranslation. Nope, Man Cannon is the name Bungie gave it, and it's not likely to change. 1UP promises that there is even more info in the latest issue of EGM -- arriving in mailboxes shortly -- and all month long at 1UP itself. Rest assured we'll bring you more Halo 3 as it develops.[Via Bungie.net]
Halo 3 LE images, pre-orders being taken
Just when you thought you'd absorbed all the Halo 3 info that was leaked last week, scans of the latest Famitsu are starting to hit the web. There's plenty to look at, though most of it was in the scans of Level that were leaked last week. One little bit that was not in the scans -- as far as we know -- is a picture of the Legendary edition. Taken from the Famitsu scans, the above image could be both the collector's and Legendary editions side by side, or possibly just the Legendary edition by itself. We'll leave the speculating to you. Hit the read link for the scans.In related news, GameStop has started taking pre-orders on Halo 3, with a release date of 11/07. Those familiar with Bungie lore know that 11 and 7 are important numbers in the Halo universe -- the Master Chief if Spartan 117, for example -- so the date is feasible. That, and it'll probably take that long to finish anyway. GameStop requires a reservation fee of $5 for the standard edition, $10 for the collector's edition, and $25 for the Legendary edition. We agree with Joystiq that it's insidious to play on gamers' fears with pre-orders -- the logic being that if you don't pre-order, you won't get it day one -- but at the same time, we want that helmet (at least I do). Still, with a rumored price of $100, the Legendary edition could be a serious pain in your wallet. Would you be willing to lay down ten Hamiltons for it?[Thanks, Sincere7745 and dapperdan]
Halo 2 wastes lives, 4 billion games played
In all of our pumpkin carving madness, we somehow missed this little benchmark the other day. On October 30th, Halo 2 officially surpassed the 4 billion games played mark. This game hasn't even been out for a full two years yet (eight more days)! Let's do some math, just for fun. That's over 2 billion games a year, 166 million games a month. If the average match lasts 10 minutes, that's 666 million hours wasted. Wait a minute ... 666 million, just in time for Halloween ... is Halo 2 a sign of the Apocalypse? I'm scared. [Via The Xbox Domain]
Leaked H3 info is just the beginning
In Friday's Bungie Weekly Update, Frankie speaks briefly about the Halo 3 magazine scans that were leaked last week. For one, EGM has images that weren't leaked via the Swedish magazine, Level. Not only that but the folks at Bungie have one or two more Halo related surprises before the year is over. What these surprises could be is anyone's guess. We'd say that it will be a new trailer at best, and a demo at most impossiblest (not a real work). In other Bungie news, Halo 3 matchmaking tests are going swimmingly and the Halo movie continues apace, despite recent setbacks.Anyone care to hazard a guess about what Halo 3 info will be revealed before New Year's?
DIY Machinima in Halo 3
In addition to confirming what we learned this morning, 1UP has revealed that you will be able to "save your own movies from Halo 3's single- and multiplayer gameplay." Now it will be even easier to share your new Warthog-jumping record or Human cannon hilarity with the rest of the world. Will we be able to share our machinima masterpieces over Xbox Live? 1UP also revealed that there will be three different version of Halo 3 (how numerically appropriate): standard, collector's edition, and the "one SKU to rule them all" Legendary edition. Their 3-week love fest with Bungie's latest begins next week.[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
