Halo 4

[Laa-Yosh]

I've always been under the impression that adding split screen can limit how much is pushed in the single player mode. Is this not the case?

Not necessarily - split screen can start to turn off features and scale back various kinds of detail settings to reduce the workload. And most of the time the reduced screen resolution helps a lot to hide these handicaps.

lol

If I had to compare H4 level design to any game it'd be Doom 3 instead. Lots of detail but kept at a low visual weight, lots of colored lighting to paint environments...
Not surprising considering Kenneth Scott's background.

UT is IMHO very different.

I understand it's silly to judge shaders and such from cortana, but wouldn't she be a good preview on the improvements to character art, more specifically the modeling?

Well the character's face is improved from Reach somewhat, but it's very hard to judge because Cortana is still somewhat stylized. The Elite and Chief are very heavily detailed but once again it's kept in nice artistic balance.

Will be interesting to see more of this game. I'm also a fan of Sparth's work (concept designer on Rage environments) and his Halo-themed art revealed so far is quite amazing - and a great challange for the 343 level builders...

 

[kagemaru]

Not necessarily - split screen can start to turn off features and scale back various kinds of detail settings to reduce the workload. And most of the time the reduced screen resolution helps a lot to hide these handicaps.

Interesting, I always knew about the resolution drops and scaled back effects/details, but I figure factors like AI, number of characters, or physics would be limited to some degree due to split screen. I'm guessing though, it would be [relatively] easy to get around these types of hurdles (process AI routine for a specific character and just applying it to the same character on both screens for example).

I have read and heard developers, bungie specifically, passively comment on how removing split screen would make their lives so much easier. I guess this could mean that more time could be spent optimizing single screen gameplay if they didn't have to worry about optimizing split screen as well maybe? I always thought that there comes a point where scaling down the graphics may not be enough to fit a game into split screen, possibly creating limitations on the game overall, guess I was wrong. Thanks.

Well the character's face is improved from Reach somewhat, but it's very hard to judge because Cortana is still somewhat stylized. The Elite and Chief are very heavily detailed but once again it's kept in nice artistic balance.

Will be interesting to see more of this game. I'm also a fan of Sparth's work (concept designer on Rage environments) and his Halo-themed art revealed so far is quite amazing - and a great challange for the 343 level builders...

I see, thanks. Just looking at Cortana's face, the model seems better artistically than human characters of past Halo's (or even Cortana herself) IMO. Curious to see how an actual human model turns out.

Regarding Sparth's work, looking at them gets my hopes high, but I also have my doubts how well they'll be translated over into a game level. I just want my Halo to still have the more open and expansive firefights compared to other more hall way shooters out there.

 

[AzBat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed1fa8N61OU&feature=g-u-u

Check out the rest of Game Informer's exclusive Halo 4 videos...

http://www.youtube.com/user/gameinformer/videos?query=halo

Also, check out the official Halo 4 videos on the Xbox channel...

http://www.youtube.com/user/Xbox/videos?query=halo 4

Watch & listen to vidoes on the new music. It's definitely different & not Marty-esque. I'm warming up to it though.

Tommy McClain

 

[rekator]

For Halo split-screen, the big hit is the relative freedom of the two players (more taxing than a real 3D implementation) due to dual independent streaming data and dual different POV, and the double of opponents need for challenge (at least in harcore and legendary setting), so decreased resolutions, cosmetics composant (like grass, trees, etc…), low LOD and more pop-in.
Same for Gears 3 split-screen more opponents also, but due to more low level size and less freedom for characters the reduced elements are less visible.

Split-screen is very dependent of good reflexion design and technology so many devs past it… But it's a real advantage when a game have it made right.

 

[Devious]

Some first missions details I found. http://www.onlysp.com/2012/04/11/halo-4-first-mission-details-leaked/

Looks like 343 has begun to implement more cinematic set-pieces like those seen in Uncharted. Which I for one think is a neat idea. More info 343! MORE!

 

[Rangers]

QTE's dont sound good for a Halo game. But it wont be the end of the world.

 

[kagemaru]

Some first missions details I found. http://www.onlysp.com/2012/04/11/halo-4-first-mission-details-leaked/

Looks like 343 has begun to implement more cinematic set-pieces like those seen in Uncharted. Which I for one think is a neat idea. More info 343! MORE!

I like the UC series, but I really don't want any Uncharted in my Halo. Uncharted's cinematic moments are introduced through scripted scenes or the camera panning out. Halo's cinematic moments are introduced through random gameplay moments that happen on the fly, such as a vehicle flipping over your head thanks to a well placed explosion

Prefer the latter to the former.

QTE's dont sound good for a Halo game. But it wont be the end of the world.

Agreed, really hope these moments are just small little cut scenes from the Chief's perspective, allowing you to look around but not requiring us to follow some QTE.

 

[dragonelite]

Releases 6.11.2012
Red vs Blue made in Halo 4.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t060JHOI2k&hd=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx-kzU3y_Nc&hd=1

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Releases 6.11.2012
Red vs Blue made in Halo 4.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t060JHOI2k&hd=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx-kzU3y_Nc&hd=1

This is the first video's I've looked at. If those are the new Spartan models. UGH. I absolutely hate the new helmet design. Absolutely horrible.

Throw some wings/antennas on the side of the helmet and you have your generic anime giant robo head (like Gundam).

[edit] Looked at the official launch trailer, and the helmet there is much better. So what are RvB using?

Regards,
SB

 

[Laa-Yosh]

Both Halo 3 and Reach had a great variety of armor customization, and some of those didn't look that good either.

Then again this really isn't as 'Halo' as one would expect...

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Checked out a few more videos, and their real-time face wrinkling tech is pretty cool. That bodes well for the cinematics/cut-scenes in the game.

And found out the the helmet that is in RvB is a Spartan IV helmet for multiplayer arenas. Still hate the design of it, ugh.

And I hope to god they don't have QTE's and UC style of set pieces. I like the Halo style of setpieces where things happen around you but where you generally aren't removed from control of your character. So you're free to look at it or not. Free to move away from it if you want. Cutscenes are where they can take control and force you see critical story progression connection arcs.

Regards,
SB

 

[Devious]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GflJB-aM0wI&feature=g-all-u&context=G2880295FAAAAAAAAAAA

So it seems Conan O'Brein will have some sort of affiliation in Halo 4. He will most likely play a role as a Marine and there will be some sort of Easter Egg like in Halo 3 with RvB on the mission "Crow's Nest".

Some Halo 4 gameplay can be seen at 8:53 in the Conan video.

 

[N_B]

QTE's dont sound good for a Halo game. But it wont be the end of the world.

It's a step in the wrong direction.

After the backlash against BF3 you would think games would stop adding these.

 

[Rangers]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GflJB-aM0wI&feature=g-all-u&context=G2880295FAAAAAAAAAAA

So it seems Conan O'Brein will have some sort of affiliation in Halo 4. He will most likely play a role as a Marine and there will be some sort of Easter Egg like in Halo 3 with RvB on the mission "Crow's Nest".

Some Halo 4 gameplay can be seen at 8:53 in the Conan video.

Wow that looks pretty incredible, especially for multiplayer.

not sure of there's a policy on .gifs but

 

[(((interference)))]

The multiplayer footage looks nice, but the multiplayer spartan models are utterly hideous - it's like from some terribly overdesigned Japanese sci fi game.

And from watching the interview with the multiplayer designer on Gameinformer, I think 4 will not suppport all the splitscreen modes that 3 and Reach did, namely there's only 2 player split screen online, not 4 - which would be a disappointment if true as taking 4 local player online is so much fun.

 

[scently]

The multiplayer footage looks nice, but the multiplayer spartan models are utterly hideous - it's like from some terribly overdesigned Japanese sci fi game.

And from watching the interview with the multiplayer designer on Gameinformer, I think 4 will not suppport all the splitscreen modes that 3 and Reach did, namely there's only 2 player split screen online, not 4 - which would be a disappointment if true as taking 4 local player online is so much fun.

Halo 4 supports 4 split screen and 4 player co-op multiplayer. If you want to know more I suggest you follow the neogaf thread. Don't make assumptions.

 

[(((interference)))]

Halo 4 supports 4 split screen and 4 player co-op multiplayer. If you want to know more I suggest you follow the neogaf thread. Don't make assumptions.

I know H4 supports 4 player split screen, but they don't seem to support 4 player split screen online gameplay any more - at least that's what implied from the gameinformer video, though maybe someone from 343 has said otherwise on GAF?

 

[Alucardx23]

Some good quality pictures, looking good.

http://minus.com/mpkjxerap/

 

[NRP]

You know, I'm generally a "glass is half empty" kind of guy when it comes to new Halo games, and I still have a feeling that 343 will somehow manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory . . . . but, wow those pics look good!

 

[Laa-Yosh]

Sparth's concept paintings are amazing. Knowing his old work I believe he's perfect for the Halo universe.
It'll be interesting to see if 343 can implement the designs as well as id did on Rage.