Halo Master Chief Collection [H:MCC] [XO, XBSX|S, PC, XGP]

[AlNom]

What's to hate about a feature that dials down the resolution when things get so heated that you wouldn't even notice the change if you were actively looking for it?

In theory it can be a good thing, but the problem is that there's really no single "best" implementation yet.

Rage was probably the worst I've seen. KZM was interesting as it reduces res (if it has to) when the scene is static - less likely to see temporal aliasing as a result. Brink was... well.. I don't think most people even knew about that one, but whether that's down to # of people playing or a very good implementation... *cough*.

I'd be interested to see more devs at least discuss implementation for best practise. The criteria for detecting frame drops and when it needs to be done can be unwieldy - how do you know specifically when to drop or even to raise up, and that's even if the frame is pixel fill/shader limited - are you wasting time if the bottleneck is elsewhere such as the CPU. If your frame time is perfect at lower res, when do you raise it back up without doing a seesaw of resolutions (arguably more distracting). There are a number of cases to consider for an FPS or any other game where the dynamics of gameplay can vary wildly.

*shrug*

Maybe if the devs have scripted something stupendous to happen like MechaStatenGruntZord descending from the heavens, maybe they should just damn the framerate for extra cinematic cinematography and just push the effects to 11 anyway.

But for general gameplay and taking care of hiccoughs - hard to say unless they spend enough time on it beyond the norm (as they are already making sure they can hit the target, nevermind the hiccoughs), short of scaling back everything.... again.

Bungie had some neat stuff for 1/4 x 1/4 particle upscaling (to reduce the artefacting for overlapped transparents & opaques), so I mean, they could just go right to the cause of pixel fill problems there instead. *shrug*

---

Racers are pretty stable in the grand scheme, I would think.

 

[RenegadeRocks]

Riddick also had variable res on the ps3. It was a slow game, but I remember people praising the implementation back then.

 

[AlNom]

Riddick also had variable res on the ps3. It was a slow game, but I remember people praising the implementation back then.

Yeah, pretty good. Although one wonders if the darkness and tight corridors are contributing there, not just visually, but the expected workloads - fillrate-heavy stencil shadows, various smoke, limited object count etc.

 

[Jwm]

I've said it before, 1080p and 60fps can only be done with some really serious trade-offs - practically no new features added to the X360 engine, and only modest increases in polygon count. At least they can still go crazy with the textures, animations and such.

With that said, the engine wasn't that bad feature wise, it's just that many details had to be scaled back to get to 30fps. And Halo isn't really about fancy renderer bullet points anyway, as long as it has huge open levels and dozens of enemies and vehicles. 343 should really just aim for topping the fight with the two Scarabs in Halo 3; hopefully that huge Forerunner thingy in the E3 trailer is a sign of things to come.

Nah, that is just what Cortana hacked and placed her soul in - I think it is a War Sphinx. They would be ultra deadly, but the size makes me think it could even be a Seeker.

 

[Cyan]

343 have a great plan in place for Halo. A lot of stuff will be revealed at E3, not only about Halo, but secret games.

http://www.el33tonline.com/post/2014/02/28/halos-future-will-be-revealed-at-e3-2014-great-plan-in-place-says-spencer/

 

[Laa-Yosh]

I'd like to hear about the online series too, it's going to be an entire year after the announcement and that's actually quite a lot of time even in TV productions. I don't really expect footage but at least info about the scope and the cast...

Forward Unto Dawn was not bad at all and showed that production values can actually get good enough for the most part; this means they could pick almost anything. On the other hand, maybe MS will want to further pave the way for a movie project, which'd mean they'll need a setting outside the game series.
So, maybe the old days on Reach, maybe a bridge between H3 and H4, or whatever happened to the rest of the original Spartans; and of course Master Chief could and should make appearances.
The H4 stuff might be problematic though because of the difference between the voice cast and the scan talent - Lasky, Palmer and some S4s are clearly the new secondary characters, but they couldn't keep consistency with them between the series and the game.


As for the games, delaying H5 seems to be the wise thing to do. A limited user base would IMHO cost them sales this holiday season and they already have at least another big transmedia exclusive in Quantum Break that seems to be on track for that timeframe. The extra time should also allow 343 to make more significant advancements to the technology and use it to create new gameplay possibilities. I guess we won't be seeing much of that at this year's E3 though, so maybe it really is going to be about the rumored H2 Anniversary.

 

[Laa-Yosh]

Nah, that is just what Cortana hacked and placed her soul in - I think it is a War Sphinx.

That was like 20 times as big as the war sphinxes described in the Forerunner books. Granted, 343 didn't really follow Greg Bear's descriptions in the Didact and others either, but still it's quite far from a small 1-seated walking thing

As for Cortana, please don't bring her back. At least not the original.

 

[HTupolev]

As for the games, delaying H5 seems to be the wise thing to do. A limited user base would IMHO cost them sales this holiday season and they already have at least another big transmedia exclusive in Quantum Break that seems to be on track for that timeframe. The extra time should also allow 343 to make more significant advancements to the technology and use it to create new gameplay possibilities. I guess we won't be seeing much of that at this year's E3 though, so maybe it really is going to be about the rumored H2 Anniversary.

Well, they certainly don't want a Halo 4-2 in 2014. That would probably nail-in-coffin the whole Xbox brand for a lot of potential customers.

A decent H2A could ease the waters and set them up for a well-rounded 3-year Halo 12 months later.

...It'll be really interesting if they try for an H2A without the original MP. I'm not sure what kind of insane strategy that would be playing into, but I'd be impressed by their guts.

 

[shredenvain]

In my opinion it has to be Halo 2 AE this year. Pretty much every Halo game has had a 3 year dev period.That doesnt meanvthey release every 3 years because of at one time 3 teams were working on 3 games. Plus this being the 10year anniversary for Halo2 why would it not be released.
This is why microsoft have been so coy with this years Halo title.

 

[Laa-Yosh]

I don't know, I wouldn't rule out MS changing plans - originally aiming for a quick iteration of the H4 engine on the new system with the hope that 343 can put together a satisfying SP campaign, then realizing it'd be better to do a proper sequel that has more polished gameplay and a more advanced engine.

After all, Sony's own exclusives are kinda taking their time as well and there'll be enough multiplatform titles to keep sales at a satisfying level....

 

[BadTB25]

That was like 20 times as big as the war sphinxes described in the Forerunner books. Granted, 343 didn't really follow Greg Bear's descriptions in the Didact and others either, but still it's quite far from a small 1-seated walking thing

As for Cortana, please don't bring her back. At least not the original.

I guess I'm attached to the old Cortana and want her back either in human form or more or less her old self. So many ways to make it happen. Maybe a clone of Halsey with Cortana's mind, memory & experience somehow transferred in.

 

[Laa-Yosh]

That's something I count as a common mistake in many TV and animated series and probably comics too - any kind of loss is weightless if it can be just undone. If Chief can simply bring Cortana back, then all the emotional toll was just temporary, and ultimately meaningless.

Bringing in a different, fresh copy of the Cortana AI - of which I think Halsey had several ones, hinted at even in H4 - is however a new story opportunity. Chief would know it's not the same thing, the AI would know it's not the same thing, and yet there'd be the possibility of them forming a similar bond eventually, if they can take the risks and bumps.

The dynamics of such a relationship are much easier to relate to, as it happens in real life quite often as well, and they also wouldn't diminish the loss in H4. The status quo between these two characters has stayed the same for the majority of four games, it's way past time to mix things up. Just imagine stuff like Chief intentionally ignoring his designated AI on official UNSC missions and even going rouge, with the AI eventually earning his trust. That's already a much stronger story, compared to rescuing the damsel in distress once again and then getting back to things being the same.

 

[Jwm]

We get Cortana in a few months anyway, so they would surely just bring in another AI. At this point do we truly know the state of the AI program anyway?

 

[AlNom]

She is probably just lost in the Domain somewhere and Guilty Spark will play a part in finding her.

BSODding sod.

 

[BadTB25]

I just want to see our hero get his girl in the end. To me, the main Halo arc has always been about the Master Chief and Cortana.

It feels wrong to me to not see MC and Cortana together at the end of this trilogy. MC needs Cortana to "complete" him.

 

[NRP]

I was so pissed when those knuckleheads killed Cortana, but I admit Laa-Yosh's take on another Cortana might work if done properly. Looking back on the original game and the books, I think what makes the Chief/Cortana relationship work for so many Halo fans is that we got to experience that relationship/bond grow. It's hard to let go of that.

 

[Cyan]

We get Cortana in a few months anyway, so they would surely just bring in another AI. At this point do we truly know the state of the AI program anyway?

I just came across this video yesterday and I loved the guy's theory on Cortana and how she could become human. Now that would be amazing.

NRP, I think that what the guys says in the video could be another take at Laa Yosh's theory and what could happen next too, which might eventually work as well.

I mean, wouldn't be cool for Cortana to become kinda human? Halo 2 and Halo 4 had the best stories of the whole franchise to me, and if some of these two theories became a reality then the story go to an entirely different level.

 

[shredenvain]

It kinda makes sense that Cortana could become human.
After all the Forerunner technology is extremely advanced.
The Didact can turn humans into digital data why not the other way around.

 

[Cyan]

The original composer and audio director of the Halo soundtrack, Marty O'Donnell has been fired from Bungie.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-04-16-veteran-halo-composer-fired-from-bungie

He tweeted this:

I'm saddened to say that Bungie's board of directors terminated me without cause on April 11, 2014.

https://twitter.com/MartyTheElder/status/456303189998841856

This what an allegedly Bungie employee said on the matter:

Okay. So I can't give out too much detail here, but I will let you know what I know. Marty was a contracted employee, he didn't just get a fee for each game he produced. Marty had received a significant raise in the last few years, but was now asking for another. This created tension between him and the board (some of whom already felt he was overpaid). A verbal argument ensued recently between Marty and a member of the board. Shortly there after he was let go. So there was certainly 'cause' but one that a lot of us felt could be worked through. But money talks. The board feels they can get someone for cheaper, and without the drama, that will have a better ROI.

So basically it seems that tensions rose to a breaking point, one the board felt they couldn't work past, or didn't want to deal with, so they let Marty go. I'm not saying it was right (I don't think it was), but that is the situation.

Marty O'Donnell daughter also commented on her father's departure:

I don't even know everything that happened, I just know that I've closely observed Bungie shift and change dramatically over the last decade. Cool thing though, my dad has been consistent. He has consistently worked hard and consistently cared about making the player experience as cool as possible.

Many times I would come home from school and he would be testing out a video game, making notes on what he liked and didn't like, or even in the middle of developing a theory on how things could be improved for the player. I've seen him do extensive research on how music affects emotions and I know he always adds in little details that are important. My dad is a brilliant video game producer and music composer/producer. This change will not ever change who he is, because from the beginning he has always been consistent; that is one thing I know about my dad. Oh, and he loves the fans, that is another thing. I'm in tears reading about how his music affected people's lives. Thank you to the bnet community and halo music fans *Edit: As requested, I've sent this to my dad, so he will be reading the responses.*

The original soundtrack of Halo:

Halo 4 new soundtrack, some goosebumps worthy moments too:

 

[Billy Idol]

The original composer and audio director of the Halo soundtrack, Marty O'Donnell has been fired from Bungie.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-04-16-veteran-halo-composer-fired-from-bungie

He tweeted this:

https://twitter.com/MartyTheElder/status/456303189998841856

This what an allegedly Bungie employee said on the matter:

Marty O'Donnell daughter also commented on her father's departure:

The original soundtrack of Halo:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIBmfSBZyiA">YouTube Link</a>

Halo 4 new soundtrack, some goosebumps worthy moments too:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEGqEHmsLEg">YouTube Link</a>

I already read that. Halo 1 and Halo 2 soundtrack are the best out there imo, I even have them on my phone.

However, the other games never reached this quality imo...but I did hope that Destiny features again this high quality sound. Well, now the chances of this happening significantly decreased.