[360] Halo 3: ODST

[AlNom]

edit2 yeah it's definately a covenant cruiser, it's clearer little bit later in the video.

Aye, it's a carrier ship, likely the same one from Halo 2 even.

Here's another image of it from H2 (image appears to be a render using H2 assets):
http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Image:COVENANT_ASSAILT_CARRIER.jpg

 

[DuckThor Evil]

http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2008/09/25/x3f-tv-video-analysis-of-bungies-keep-it-clean-teaser/

Here is some interpretation that sounds about right.

 

[Akumajou]

Makes perfect sense that Microsoft would have Bungie work on an expansion for Halo 3 to be released to keep Xbox 360 owners from getting too nervous when Resistance 2 and Killzone 2 hit stores.

I have to say that its a brilliant move if its more Single player/coop missions however I still want to see how they are going to handle this in practice.

Will it be a DLC that requires internet access?

Will it be a DVD stand alone game?

Will it be the same old Halo 3, 3d engine or a new revision of it to add more flair to the graphics?

Will people really care anymore and will it draw heat away from other consoles and games back to halo and MS's console?

 

[expletive]

I think we have to assume that whatever this is, it will *probably* be "arcade pack friendly", which is to say that any download will probably be capped at around 200MB to fit on the supplied memory card.

EDIT: I take it back, they could release an SE version on DVD for new arcade pack owners and a large download for the existing userbase. In that case they would only be screwing the existing arcade owners by forcing them to buy a hard drive or trade in their halo 3 and buy an SE one.

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

I was sort of expecting content to be released first as only DLC with the physical media coming a few weeks or a month later.

I hadn't even considered the impact on the Arcade. I can't believe it'd be worth their time to release something that would be less than 200MB. I imagine they'll make this available to arcade and non-Live! supporters via physical media but those users will either get punished or encouraged depending on your point of view, for their lack of a HDD and Live!

 

[Rangers]

Best and most thorough dissection of the trailer I have seen yet, really excellent work:

http://blog.ascendantjustice.com/2008/09/26/into-the-ashen-wake/


They also note the 01/06/09 date could be either Jan or Jun 09 depending on the format. A good point imo.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

A new trailer has been released at TGS. It's officially named as Halo 3 Recon and the release date is next fall.

http://kotaku.com/5060886/halo-3-recon-the-trailer

Maybe the thread title can be changed now that we know the name.

 

[Rangers]

I have lots of questions about this..

Is it third person?

If so, will a major graphical overhaul/upgrade take place?

I certainly hope so.

This appears to be MS tentpole 09 halo prequel, it got a little confusing for a while with all the expansion talk, its nice to have that settled, but to me it begs the question why tag it with Halo 3 and not Halo: subtitle.

I suppose because one assumes it will not have it's own separate multiplayer, but rather simply more maps for H3 existing multiplayer.

 

[PARANOiA]

That's a good observation. Looks like MS is set to continue the alternating cycle each year of Gears, Halo, Gears, etc.

It also in my mind says we won't see Halo 4 until it's a launch title for "next" gen if that's 2011 - i.e., GoW '06, Halo 3 '07, GoW2 '08, Halo 3: Recon '09, Gears 3 '10, Halo 4 '11 (on new system?)... time will tell, but it's certainly within what I'd like to see as the next system launch date.

 

[Acert93]

You would think, at some point, with the new hardware there would be a gap year or two for developmental purposes. Per Halo, it would be nice to see some other Spartans and, if the hardware permits, some of the massive (hundreds up hundreds of baddies) battlefields. The Fall of Reach and such would make a good setting.

As for Recon... no real answers and nothing really there to hang on to and get excited about. Ok, another Halo... from a grunts perspective. Right before MC arrives for the beginning of Halo 3... and?

 

[BoardBonobo]

Maybe because MS can't tempt Kojima and MGS over to the 360 they're going to update an existing franchise and create a stealth based FPS mutant of their own?

 

[eastmen]

Maybe because MS can't tempt Kojima and MGS over to the 360 they're going to update an existing franchise and create a stealth based FPS mutant of their own?

I don't think MGS comes into play at all , this will be very diffrent.

I simply think they are trying to expand the brand. You have the old school shooter feel with the main halo series the one man running in and blowing stuff up with shields and all this other stuff. Then you have the graw style where you need to use some stealth and think ahead more type game play.

I think its a great idea to do this , the only question is how it plays. If your allways putting out the same halo games you can't really experiment because fans will get upset , however if u put out a game in the same world they wont get upset much. Also this allows them to really show what the engine is capable off as you get to see earth based levels instead of alien worlds.

 

[PARANOiA]

You would think, at some point, with the new hardware there would be a gap year or two for developmental purposes. Per Halo, it would be nice to see some other Spartans and, if the hardware permits, some of the massive (hundreds up hundreds of baddies) battlefields. The Fall of Reach and such would make a good setting.

Yes, but with the forming of the new "super Halo team" with Ryan Payton and others, I believe this was rumoured to be for their next-gen effort.

 

[Malibu]

Joystiq

• "It will be a standalone disc sold in stores in boxes next Fall. It's also going to include some multiplayer maps."
• "It is a first-person shooter still ... It's not a squad-based shooter."
• "As an ODST, compared to playing as in invulnerable Spartan, you are going to have to sort of pick and choose your encounters a little bit differently."
• "It is going to very much feel like Halo. Full feature parity."

Bungie used a "small agile team" made up of a "bunch of elders" who started the Halo: Combat Evolved franchise some seven years ago. Who better than to deliver a "bit of a departure" from the last three titles?

Though Recon shares the Halo 3 engine, with all new assets – think new textures and models for the new, darker urban environment

 

[Rangers]

Joystiq

Hmm, disappointed with this news.

Not third person means it wont be as radical departure as I hoped. I was also hoping for a major graphical upgrade, the engine news probably means not so.

And seems this may not be a "tentpole" title after all, given this:

When asked about the potential future pricing of the "expansion pack" Jerrard said it was too early to say for sure, but that they were leaning towards something a little more "value-oriented.

Though I'm not sure what else MS would have lined up for that role (something from RARE?), so it probably still is.

 

[Pugger]

It was never going to be a new engine, I'm sure it will be updated and improved much like GOW2 will show enhancements. Even though Bungie are a cash rich studio, even they cannot chuck 2-3 years of work on an engine out the window. As for not being first person, again its a sensible option for continuity reasons. A radical change would alienate many of the people who have bought into Halo. You only need to look at Nuts and Bolts and the PR campaign Rare has had to fight to get its message across. Saying all that its doesn't need to be 3 person to be radically different from previous Halo's, does it?

 

[DuckThor Evil]

Hmm I wonder how different it can be, because unlike the joystic news, the spartan really isn't invulnerable, he pretty much dies like everybody else in videogames, and I would quess that this new guy won't go down with a single shot either. Maybe the medkits return.

 

[PARANOiA]

It actually sounds a lot like Call of Duty against aliens. We'll see, but I have faith in Bungie - they obviously have a huge passion for their work.

 

[Inquisitive_Idiot]

It was never going to be a new engine, I'm sure it will be updated and improved much like GOW2 will show enhancements.

I really hope so! Halo 3 was a decent looking game when it was released last Christmas, but considering Gears of War 2, Fable 2, Banjo Kazooie, Resistance 2 and Killzone 2 are all going to be released before it comes out Halo 3 recon might find itself a little outdated visually by the time it is released.

 

[Malibu]

GamePro Interview

How does the Rookie's high-tech visor work? And what are those pretty colors and highlights we saw in the teaser trailer?

We're still tweaking the visuals, but it's basically a low-light vision enhancement and target acquisition mode. It's most basic function is to highlight enemies in red and allies in green, but it's also extremely helpful for navigation. Objects of interest -- the "clues" that advance the story -- also get special vision-mode treatment.

The open-world element in Halo 3: ODST is an interesting addition. Will players be able to choose which of the four beacons they explore first? Can you explore them in any order you like?

Again, I don't want to ruin any surprises, but I can clarify a misstatement in [a recent Game Informer] article. There are actually more than four beacons, and once you find the first one you're pretty much free to roam the dark, Covenant-patrolled streets of New Mombasa however you like - free to find the remaining clue beacons in any order you choose.