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Spring Showcase no shows: Halo Wars and Alan Wake
Now that the onslaught of Spring Showcase information has mostly subsided (we've still got some hands-on impressions on the way), we have some time to reflect. There were many games on display at the Spring Showcase, which makes the absence of two of Microsoft's premiere titles stand out. The games about which we speak are Alan Wake and Halo Wars. While Alan Wake is perhaps less anticipated (thanks to its seemingly eternal development schedule and its status as a new IP), it's pretty strange that a high profile title like Halo Wars was absent. According to our friends at Joystiq, who spoke to Microsoft on the matter, the Spring Showcase wasn't considered the proper venue for the two games.It's kind of hard to believe that an event designed around letting journalists try their collective hand at all the latest games isn't the right venue for these games (or any game, really). We suppose it's fair to say that Alan Wake -- a survival horror game -- might require more intimacy to appreciate, but Halo Wars? Perhaps Microsoft thought journos wouldn't be able to grasp the controls in the 30-45 minutes of playtime they were allowed.Whatever the reason behind the decision to leave out two of Microsoft Games Studios' biggest titles from the Spring Showcase, we hope we'll see something soon. And we really hope that their absence doesn't portend any delays.
Halo Wars audio designers make birds you can't see
The Halo Wars RTS Chapter on Bungie.net has conducted an interview with Ensemble Studios' Kevin McMullan and JD Smith, the two people in charge of the audio in Halo Wars. Again -- as seems to be a trend with Halo Wars -- you won't find any breathtaking news in the interview, but it does serve as an interesting glimpse into the development process. McMullan and Smith discuss how complex the soundscape is in RTS games, which combine the sounds of combat, dialogue, UI effects, and music all at once. They also talk about the challenge presented by creating sound for a Halo RTS that has to stay true to the series and yet still create its own identity. Finally, and perhaps most interesting, is the discussion of creating ambient sound effects. In particular, Smith mentions creating birds that aren't graphically represented in the game, but instead are represented solely through moving, intelligent sounds. Fascinating stuff. Even more fascinating is Smith's source file he used to create one of the game's bird calls: his 3-year-old daughter. Hit the "read" links below to read the interviews and hear the sound files.Read - Interview pt. IRead - Interview pt. II (including sound files)
Halo Wars designer talks controls, DLC, and more
Australian site Gameplayer recently managed to snag a few minutes with Graeme Devine, lead designer on Halo Wars at Ensemble Studios. While there are no earth-shattering announcements to be pulled from the interview -- sorry kids, still no confirmation of playable Covenant or Flood -- there are still a few tasty bits to be gleaned. First of all, Devine reemphasizes that one of the main goals of Halo Wars is to prove that RTS games can work without a keyboard and mouse. With this in mind, the team at Ensemble created simple controls, consolidating similar actions -- such as different types of unit selection to presses of a single button. For example, single press of the A button will select one unit, a double click will select all units on screen, and a triple click will select the entire army. Another addition, all levels have been designed so that they can be completed without rotating the camera. Sure, players can rotate the camera, but they don't have to.Finally, Devine mentions that there may be a level editor included with Halo Wars and also details Ensemble's plans for downloadable content. At the moment, new units and maps are definitely in the works. Even more exciting, Ensemble is considering releasing extra campaigns as well. Hit the "read" link for the full interview.
Halo Wars April update talks strategy, music
The monthly Halo Wars update for April is up. Unfortunately, there isn't much news concerning gameplay (sorry folks, no playable Covenant or Flood yet), but that won't stop us from detailing what was there. What little info there was regarding gameplay centered around the cancellation of Ensemble's internal tournament. The tournament is still coming, but the team decided to wait for a few more things to be implemented in the game. Said things are referred to as "really cool stuff" and should complete "the game's full arsenal," so the team thought it would be best to wait. Other tweaks are also being made to air vehicles which are apparently a little too effective for hit-and-runs. Oh, and Scorpion tanks, while resource-intensive and slow to build, are proving quite popular among the Ensemble staff (imagine that). The update also details a rather effective counter to an opponent that favors building Scorpions (hint: go Marines!).The rest of the update focuses on the game's music. Essentially, Music and Sound Director Stephen "Big Al" Rippy is currently walking a tightrope between making sure the game's music holds true to the Halo universe while still being able to expand upon the work already established by Bungie's Marty O'Donnell (who likes Rippy's work, incidentally). For what it's worth, Rippy says all of the music for Halo Wars is now in the can (assuming there are no more significant changes). Let's hope that means we can get a closer look at the full game soon.
Halo Wars alpha spotted on Xbox Live
We've been receiving reports for the last few days that a Halo Wars alpha is floating around on Xbox Live. Now, thanks to 360Sync, we have picture proof of its existence. For whatever reason, the alpha has the title "Sway," though it's clearly the Halo Wars alpha according to the status message underneath. What does this mean to the common gamer? Well, not much really. Keeping in mind that an alpha test can precede a final product by many, many months -- the Halo 3 beta came out four months before the final release -- this doesn't mean we're that much closer to seeing Halo Wars hit the shelves. Still, who knows, maybe a public beta is in the works for Halo Wars. At the very least we should have a demo to look forward to.In the meantime, we'll just have to be jealous of those lucky alpha testers.
Ensemble talks Halo Wars multiplayer
Halo.fr recently sat down with Graeme Devine of Ensemble Studios regarding Halo Wars. Of particular interest in the (interestingly translated) interview is further talk about how long multiplayer games should last. While it was reported earlier this year that Ensemble expects a typical match to last from 15-30 minutes -- RTS fanatics know that this is pretty short for the genre -- Devine notes that games can feasibly range from 10 to 45 minutes with the average landing at around 20 minutes. Probably the other most noticeable tidbit was Devine's response regarding local multiplayer. When asked about whether or not local mutliplayer was an option, Devine responded, "You can play against the AI in skirmish mode. That's a large component of the game." Reading between the lines, it sounds like competitive local multiplayer is out, but cooperative multiplayer is in. There are a few other interesting subjects covered in the interview like the fact that Ensemble will be including Easter eggs in the game for Halo fans, and it's worth a read. Follow the "read" link and give it a once over.[Via HaloWars.com]
Halo Wars will not be your traditional RTS
After getting some quick hands on time with Halo Wars, CVG informs us that Ensemble Studios' latest RTS child is delivering on their promises and will be bringing something new to the console RTS market. According to CVG, Halo Wars strays from the traditional console RTS controls as seen in Battle for Middle Earth and C&C, instead using a much more simplistic "paint" selection control scheme. Definitely a good thing. Ensemble is even going out of their way to redefine the RTS formula and instead of focusing the gameplay on resource management, you'll have to focus on time management and unit management. Just like in the Halo universe, decisions will have to be made strategically as you'll have to decide when to shoot and when to take cover. Simply stated, Ensemble knows they and Halo Wars are under the magnifying glass and are making it their number one priority to deliver a solid RTS experience. Our fingers are crossed. [Via HBO]
Halo Wars: What's in and what's out
Ensemble Studios just published their monthly Halo Wars update and this month they focused their talk to the topic of what will be a part of Halo Wars and what has already been scrapped. The biggest reveal (to us anyone) is what the team thinks the perfect time frame for how long a multiplayer match should be. Too long and gamers get bored / annoyed and too short of a game leaves gamers feel cheated. After their mathematical analysis they came up with a nice 15-30 minute plan for how long a match "should" last. Sounds spot on to us. Ensemble continues their monthly update with talk about the reasons for not including space combat in Halo Wars and informs us that milestones are being met, goals are being achieved and development is chugging along as planned. Make a quick hop over to the official Halo Wars website to read this month's juicy deets and be alert to look for the April issue of OXM in the coming weeks as they have the scoop on other Halo Wars goodness.
Rumors of Halo Wars PC now officially squashed
Sorry PC fanboys, you can consider the rumor officially squashified. After word hit the intertubes that Microsoft and Ensemble Studios were developing Halo Wars for the PC to participate in some cross platform play with the Xbox 360 version, Microsoft felt the need to step in. Step in and deny Halo Wars PC's very existence.After being confronted with the rumor, Microsoft told IGN that "Halo Wars is being developed from the bottom up for the Xbox 360 and its control scheme to ensure that we deliver a groundbreaking console RTS experience. Given that, we have no plans to develop 'Halo Wars' for Windows Vista at this time." Well, that's a pretty blunt statement ... so ... no Halo Wars PC then. Sounds good.
Rumor: Halo Wars for PC with cross-platform competition
Still very much part of the rumor mill, website The Angry Pixel, "after enough assurances that this is not a cruel hoax," writes that Xbox 360 exclusive Halo Wars is in development for PC and that the game features cross-platform play. The result: Xbox 360 owners may feel what it's like to play an RTS against keyboard and mouse players -- or might it actually be balanced? CVG followed up with a Microsoft rep about the story and was naturally told, "We do not comment on rumour and speculation."Cross-platform capabilities have been accessible through UNO and Shadowrun, and it's no real shock to postulate that an RTS like Halo Wars could be in development for PC. Apparently Sega's Universe at War will have cross-platform capabilities when it launches on Xbox 360 this spring, so it would seem somewhat plausible for a first-party title like Halo Wars to feature the capability as well. Update: Predictably, Microsoft has squashed the rumor. "Halo Wars is being developed from the bottom up for the Xbox 360 and its control scheme to ensure that we deliver a groundbreaking console RTS experience. Given that, we have no plans to develop Halo Wars for Windows Vista at this time," a Microsoft representative told IGN.Read: Fog of War: Halo Wars for PC?Read: Is Halo Wars going cross-platform?%Gallery-1676%
Rumor: Ensemble planning a Halo Wars PC release
The always disturbed crew over at the ANGRY pixel have jump started the rumor mill once again with a claim that Halo Wars is also being developed for the PC.According to one of their Microsoft insiders (who contracted a "case of verbal diarrhoea"), the ANGRY pixel claims that Ensemble is planning on bringing Halo Wars to the PC as part of Microsoft's Games for Windows initiative and, get this, will feature cross platform play with its brother on the 360. They say that Ensemble was ready and willing to take on both 360 and PC Halo Wars development and were up for the challenge to completely integrate cross-platform gameplay. They also mentioned that the PC version may include a map editor (nothing too fancy for a PC RTS), but that the custom maps would be playable on the 360 as well.Rumor or not, Halo Wars PC isn't all that far fetched of an idea. If it doesn't come to fruition day one when Halo Wars on the 360 releases, we wouldn't be one bit surprised to see its PC release come six months down the road.[Via CVG]
Alan Wake, Fable 2 and others will release in 2008
Something we forgot to mention that was included in Dan Mattrick's ever enjoyable memo was the fact that, for the first time ever, a few Xbox 360 games have been confirmed for a 2008 release.Nestled towards the bottom of Mattrick's memo he lists a few games that'll release in 2008 including the not so canceled Alan Wake and Fable 2 as well as Too Human, Halo Wars, Splinter Cell: Conviction and "several exciting yet-to-be-announced titles". Wait, did you get that? Alan Wake is no longer rumored, but is now confirmed for release this year! Double w00t, w00t to that! But don't get us wrong. We're totally happy to hear Fable 2, Too Human and the others are also confirmed for release this year, it's just that we've been in an Alan Wake drought as of late and hearing that it hasn't turned into vaporware makes us giddy. Anyhoo, it's nice to see some of the our 2008 game release predictions coming true and know that we won't be in a gaming slump after last year's amazing lineup. It's time to get your pre-orders lined up fanboys, because this year is going to be grreat![Via Joystiq]
Fable 2, Alan Wake and more confirmed for 2008
Microsoft Games chief Don Mattrick has confirmed (or, in some cases, reaffirmed) via a memo a handful of exclusive titles to arrive on Xbox 360 in 2008. The list of assuredly not canceled titles include Halo Wars, Too Human, Fable 2, Alan Wake, Splinter Cell: Conviction and "several exciting yet-to-be-announced titles." Following the list of 2008 exclusives, Mattrick continues to say that "Xbox 360 will be home to the next versions of great franchises like Grand Theft Auto and Resident Evil ... Madden and FIFA." We're not sure if he meant to imply Resident Evil 5 is due out this year, but it's certainly a suspicious line. Other than this year, no schedule was given as to the release of these titles, although we now get a sense of what Microsoft feels will keep gamers happy in this post-Halo 3 world.
First Halo Wars multiplayer screens surface
The Halo Wars news well has been dry lately. It's Winter, what do you expect? But today, in an effort to quench your thirst, we bring you some brand new Halo Wars multiplayer screenshots. Over at CVG they posted five four new screenshots featuring multiplayer craziness like what you see above, familiar units and old school red versus blue action. And we'll be the first to say "wowzaz!" Not only are we impressed at the landscapes, terrain, units and the sheer amount of action going on screen, but we instantly get a comforting Halo feeling. It's hard to explain, but we can tell that Ensemble Studios has worked closely with Bungie, because the game just looks right. Now click away kids and drink up. One can't be sure of when our next Halo Wars watering will come. [Thanks, Muffin man]
Next Gen compiles best of 2008: GTAIV on top
Next Generation has put together its own list of the best upcoming games of 2008, a popular thing to do at this time of year. Their list has an interesting twist though: estimated sales numbers. Each game is given a three month sales projection derived by taking sales of previous entries in a franchise (or similar games in the case of new franchises) and tacking on expected sales increases for 2008. Most titles are nestled somewhere in the 300,000 - 900,000 sales range. Undoubtedly though, the one game predicted to blow the competition away is none other than Grand Theft Auto IV, projected to sell between 3.5 and 4 million copies. The only titles close to this number are Fable 2 which could go as high as 1.3 million and Fallout 3 and Halo Wars, both of which could break 1 million. Granted, these are all merely predictions, but we'd say it's a pretty safe bet that Grand Theft Auto IV will be the game to beat in 2008.[Via Evil Avatar]
Halo Wars and TF2 videos on XBLM
A new day brings some new Xbox Live Marketplace content, and while we don't have any new demos to enjoy, there are some decent videos. The first video is the Halo Wars walk-through that was supposed to go up earlier this week. If you haven't already seen it on the intertubes, it's definitely worth checking out. The second video has also already been seen on the web, though it's probably worth watching in hi-def with some popcorn on the couch. We are talking, of course, about the Team Fortress 2 video featuring the soldier. We said it before and we'll say it again: comedy gold. Download both videos at your earliest convenience, but please, watch responsibly.
Halo Wars gameplay footage now on XBLM [update 2]
[Update: The content is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. For more details, click here.] We reported earlier today that something Halo Wars related was coming along today, and lo and behold, here it is. A 10 minute video of Halo Wars in action has now hit Xbox Live Marketplace as well as HaloWars.com. The video is the same walk-through demonstration that was shown at E3 and gives an overall feel for what the game has to offer. Some of the things you'll get to see are vehicle construction, troop movement, and of course, battle. But enough jibber-jabber, watch it already. After you've seen Halo Wars in action, why not tell us what do you think? Does it have what it takes to give Command & Conquer 3 a run for its money?
New Halo Wars gameplay trailer [Update]
Was that thirty seconds of Halo Wars gameplay footage from July not enough to quench your thirst for wanton Spartan vs. Covenant destruction? A new, ten-minute gameplay trailer with narration is now available in HD over Xbox Live. The trailer goes over how the controls currently work, as well as show off some of more acute details of the game (spoiler: UNSC troops do push-ups). If you can't fire up your Xbox 360 (either because of circumstance or an irksome Red Ring), the new video is embedded above for your viewing pleasure. Be sure to check out our impressions of the game from this year's E3. [Update: D'oh! Due to extenuating circumstances -- our Xbox 360s are sleeping with digital fishes -- we took the word of the press release that the Halo Wars trailer would be available on Xbox Live. You can still enjoy the video, in standard definition, via the embedded video above.]
Halo Wars demo or video coming soonish
Xbox Live members may be getting another look at or first play session with Halo Wars soon, as it's rumored that a Halo Wars demo or video will be releasing to the XBLM sometime today. In an interview with Ensemble Studios executive producer Harter Ryan (video embedded after the jump), he hints at some sort of media release when talking about the game at Leipzig saying that "we're showing a demo that'll be available on Monday". Indeed, Ryan's comment can be taken two different ways meaning either the release of an actual game demo to the Marketplace or just a video of the demo, but our logical side is leaning towards a video. You can cross your fingers though fanboys, an actual Halo Wars demo would be a lot cooler than a boring old video.
Official Halo Wars website gets an update
Ensemble Studios has updated their official Halo Wars website featuring screenshots from the game and some information on new vehicles that'll grace the battlefield. Heading on over to the website you'll be slapped in the face with a few new screenshots on the homepage featuring battle scenes seen in the gameplay trailer. Digging a little deeper we found the Features section which showss off renders and concept art from a few new in game items including the UNSC Cougar, UNSC Supply Pad and Covenant Air Artillery. Give the updated website a look over, stop by the forums and see what other goodies you can uncover.
