Halo: Reach

The way they were talking about it on the 1up podcast, it sounds like the levels are blocked out and already fun to play, but need all the assets built. Static meshes, textures, materials, etc. They were speaking of an alternative way to develop games, instead of building all your assets and then arranging them in fun configurations. Supposedly, this is why weren't not seeing a lot of media being released yet. It is also difficult to present to outsiders like the press and investors, because they don't have a clear indication of how the game development is progressing or what's the targetted aesthetic.
 
I read somewhere that that is how Nintendo did the Metroid games. They create crude assets (just blocks) and test the game first. Then add in the graphics later.
 
It's most definitely way too late to start asset building, they should be in serious production for many months by now. It's okay to leave 'art' and 'polish' passes of a level to start only after the gameplay is more or less complete, but even a hundred artists can't complete everything in the remaining <6 months.

And the media embargo should be pretty close to end anyway, so they definitely need to have stuff to show already.
 
It's most definitely way too late to start asset building, they should be in serious production for many months by now. It's okay to leave 'art' and 'polish' passes of a level to start only after the gameplay is more or less complete, but even a hundred artists can't complete everything in the remaining <6 months.
Some asset creation could be outsourced. Of course by now they have art well under way, or they wouldn't have been able to show that trailer.
 
It's most definitely way too late to start asset building, they should be in serious production for many months by now. It's okay to leave 'art' and 'polish' passes of a level to start only after the gameplay is more or less complete, but even a hundred artists can't complete everything in the remaining <6 months.

And the media embargo should be pretty close to end anyway, so they definitely need to have stuff to show already.

Media embargo ends in Feb., right? Or am I thinking of something else?

Regards,
SB
 
Some asset creation could be outsourced.

Outsourcing is even more time consuming, because usually the partner company can't have access to all the engine tools to finetune their assets. Thus everything coming in has to be checked and finetuned by inhouse artists, which takes a huge amount of time... and that's after many feedback loops that have a lot of latency.

Outsourcing is a very, very complicated issue, and Bungie doesn't really need it that much IMHO, at least not for the actual models and textures.
 
It's been announced during the CES Keynote (with trailer shown), Out this fall on XBOX360. Halo:ODST owners eligible for Halo: Reach Multplayer Beta in a few months.
 
Many sites are reporting a Reach release date to be September 24 according to UK POS computer systems dates. http://news.vgchartz.com/news.php?id=6436 Summer beta, game will be in the can by early summer, and September release date. Looks like Bungie is following their typical recent Halo pattern. Cant say I'm a fan.
 
The release date is likely more of an MS requirement than a Bungie pattern. Bungie has said in many interviews over the years that if they had two more weeks, they'd be "pounding the code" for two more weeks.
 
Many sites are reporting a Reach release date to be September 24 according to UK POS computer systems dates. http://news.vgchartz.com/news.php?id=6436 Summer beta, game will be in the can by early summer, and September release date. Looks like Bungie is following their typical recent Halo pattern. Cant say I'm a fan.

It's typical of what a good dev will do. Standard practice for both Blizzard and Bungie. Make sure a new game goes through sufficient beta testing. Then give enough time to fix issues found during beta. Then add in more time to sufficiently QA those fixes and then bugfix anything that might turn up in QA.

I have to say I far prefer that to the finish game, launch beta, end beta, immediately launch game. Release patch soon after or sometimes even before a game goes on sale.

Unfortunately most devs don't have enough funding to do the former and end up doing the later.

Regards,
SB
 
Stolen from gaf which stole from bungie.net

- We play as Spartan IIIs. Jorge is the only Spartan II on the team.

- Carter 259 and Kat 320 are the only members of their original squad.

- Jorge is a heavy weapons specialist.

- "Skully" now has a name, Emile 239. He's the silent type of the game.

- The sniper is called Jun 266. He's thoughtful and taciturn.

- We can customise the appearance of the Lone Wolf by a small degree. Awesome.

- The game is apparently darker than any of the other Halo games, even more so than ODST.

- Human Insurrectionists are possibly in the game

- Bungie have once again made the Covenant more dangerous and frightening, as they were in Halo 1.

- Covenant soldiers no longer speak English, they speak in their own languages.

- A new enemy like a Jackal has been introduced, named a "Skirmisher." They are deadly and cunning enemies that attack in packs, and flank secure positions.

- Graphics have been improved drastically, as proven by in-magazine comparisons.

- Elites are back, and are more ferocious than ever.

- Larger scale combat will be in Reach. Where only 20 AI at a time could be on screen in Halo 3, now over 40 AI and 20 vehicles can be present at a time.

- Scenes are more cinematic.

- Noble Team splits up at a point in the story.

- Health Bar is back along with energy shield.

- Single shot rifle like the Halo 2 E3 demo is in the game, named the Designated Marksman Rifle (DRM)

- Sniper, AR and Magnum make a return. Gun sounds are more realistic.

- Needler Rifle is in the game, a mid-range headshot capable weapon.

- Spike Grenades and Flame Grenades are out. Only frags and plasma remain.

- Helicopter Transport is called the Falcon.

- Civillian vehicles are now drivable.

- Fully stealthy gameplay is now possible.

- Assassinations are possible with a knife by holding down the melee button.
 
- The game is apparently darker than any of the other Halo games, even more so than ODST.

Nooooo my eyes, my eyes! I can barely play ODST comfortably in the lighting environment of my living room!

Everything else sounds great. Will pick a few nits after consulting the books (Were Spartan IIIs on Reach?)
 
Thanks for sharing as it looks pretty neat but point is that scans are forbidden, edit your post ;)

Has somebody a readable version of the "new tech" paragraph that's really interesting.
I understood something about an improved LOD system, more lights (up to 20 from 4 in H3) and a new animation system.
 
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