Halo 3 : first infos *

[Tap In]

Bungie Weekly Update

Bungie Weekly Update

But a 2nd honeymoon is upon me, started by the creeping realization that Halo 3 is definitely, demonstrably, positively going to be more fun to play than Halo 2. It’s not just the new weapons, or the new maps, or the new variations of old favorites. It’s not the new vehicles, map features or AI. It’s not the tuned control scheme or the new thing the X button does. It’s the way the game feels.

Don’t get me wrong, it feels like Halo. The journalists we invited to play the stripped down multiplayer session a few weeks ago were able to pick it up and repeat almost exactly their current level of Halo 2 skill, but the vital addition of the enhanced Assault Rifle (occasionally known as the ultimate spawn weapon in these parts) makes the first three seconds of every Halo 3 MP match quite different than Halo 2.


you’ll just have to take my word for it that the new levels are among the best we’ve ever created. One in particular will be a favorite among the objective-game fans – CTF, Territories and perhaps other modes…while another will be a smash hit with the competitive guys.

The Campaign game continues its inexorable progress towards completion. The most obvious changes from build to build are certainly graphical.

OHNOESIJUSTSAWREALHALO3WATER!!!!!!!!!

I just saw Hao Chen’s new water tech. He’s not there so I can’t ask him about it, and I’m not even sure that’s what we’re using, but it was astonishing. Water flowing around objects and creating eddies and turbulence. A far cry from the shiny default placeholder in the MP demo EGM played.


Hao’s work on “atmospherics†is dropping in daily too. That is to say, particulates in the air that dramatically and subtly affect the quality of light and realism of the atmosphere. Objects in the distance are obscured by a realistic haze rather than fogged out or knocked out of focus.

The atmospherics and lighting are also used to amazing effect in the single most terrifying Halo moment I ever saw. I literally yelped. Something really, really bad happened in the Campaign story, and something really, really scary ensued. Joe screamed when he saw it. I admit I peed too.

http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=9137

 

[AlNom]

A far cry, eh?....

I actually recall Frankie getting excited about Halo 2's water in one of the updates last year...

 

[scooby_dooby]

A far cry, eh?....

I actually recall Frankie getting excited about Halo 2's water in one of the updates last year...

This one?

WATER!
One cool new graphic feature being played with right now is water. The briny deep demoed at E3 is not the final water. In fact, several techniques are being experimented with, but I saw a cool one yesterday in a Zanzibar test level. Only it was deliberately broken. So when you jumped, the level literally filled up with water. It was kind of funny to go inside the control room part of the level (where the defender's flag normally sits) jump once and flood the place with sparkly, gorgeous, reflective wet stuff. Did I mention I loved video game water?

http://www.bungie.net/Games/Halo2/page.aspx?section=FAQInfo&subsection=WeeklyUpdate&page=23

 

[Tap In]

A far cry, eh?....

I actually recall Frankie getting excited about Halo 2's water in one of the updates last year...

the first part of the quote

Posted by Frankie at 11/3/2006 4:59 PM PST

I’m the biggest ever water-fan in the history of video games. It started with the compelling waves found in Pitfall 2 on the Atari 2600. I was hooked. From then on, I became a voraciously addicted connoisseur of video game aquatics.

 

[NRP]

A far cry, eh?....

I actually recall Frankie getting excited about Halo 2's water in one of the updates last year...

Yeah, I've learned to not pay much attention to Frankie's opinions in the Weekly Updates. He hyped the hell out of Halo 2, and I found that his tastes are somewhat different than mine. He's also one of the weakest Halo players out there, so I don't trust his gameplay opinions either, at least as far as competitive play goes.

However, I know it's his job to hype the game. It's just that I also know the game will be different than what he says it will be.

 

[22psi]

New info:

http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=755574

 

[Tap In]

Yeah, I've learned to not pay much attention to Frankie's opinions in the Weekly Updates. He hyped the hell out of Halo 2, and I found that his tastes are somewhat different than mine. He's also one of the weakest Halo players out there, so I don't trust his gameplay opinions either, at least as far as competitive play goes.

However, I know it's his job to hype the game. It's just that I also know the game will be different than what he says it will be.

true

Halo 3 will probably suck

 

[pipo]

Yeah. Just like Halo 2.

 

[NRP]

true

Halo 3 will probably suck

I don't think Halo 2 sucked. However, I felt it didn't live up to the hype.

Pipo's link sort of illustrates my point. Critics gave it a 95. Users gave it a 79.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

I don't think Halo 2 sucked. However, I felt it didn't live up to the hype.

I agree, though Halo 2 was good it was a step down from the first game. I don't think any game could live to the hype Halo 2 was getting. I'm keeping my feet on the ground for the third one. That way I'll be pleased even if it's "only" a great game instead of something godlike.

 

[Tap In]

I don't think Halo 2 sucked. However, I felt it didn't live up to the hype.

Pipo's link sort of illustrates my point. Critics gave it a 95. Users gave it a 79.

well yes, not everyone appreciates the game type nor did they appreciate the story of Halo2, but USER scores mean squat since many people like to skew those in the opposite direction just for kicks even if they never played the game.

And MP is where it shined as evidenced by it being the most popular and frequently played online console game of all time (in terms of number of users and games)

 

[TurnDragoZeroV2G]

The MAN CANNON--the joke finally beaten into the ground

 

[22psi]

3 weeks of Halo 3 starts today:

http://www.1up.com/do/minisite?cId=3154510

Editor blogs on their visit to Bungie Studios

 

[pipo]

Pipo's link sort of illustrates my point. Critics gave it a 95. Users gave it a 79.

To be honest there are a whole bunch of users giving it 0 points. Metacritic works best if you ignore the f@nboys (both Xbox and others) and just look at the critics.

I mean it's reviewed by 91 'official' sites / mags, so the outcome is saying something. Even if you take it with a load of salt it's a good score.

 

[poopypoo]

To be honest there are a whole bunch of users giving it 0 points. Metacritic works best if you ignore the f@nboys (both Xbox and others) and just look at the critics.

I mean it's reviewed by 91 'official' sites / mags, so the outcome is saying something. Even if you take it with a load of salt it's a good score.

*goes and adds a few more 0's to the user reviews* >:} muhahahahahahha!!!