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[Trey]

Wow, sounds like the Halo lore took a pretty awesome turn with the new books. I need to get off my ass and read those things. Sounds like the new trilogy has some amazing stuff to work with.

It's lukewarm to me. Glasslands is a mediocre book in my opinion, though kind of essential to the Halo plot going forward.

In order of importance to the events of Halo 4, I gotta think the Greg Bear trilogy is tops, followed by Traviss'. Cryptum >>> Glasslands, by a country mile.

So, Cryptum is essentially a must read. Glasslands is recommended seeing as it is the most "up to date book". The meat of the actual Halo lore is in Ghost of Onyx, Fall of Reach, and Contact Harvest. You can skip Evolutions, the Flood, First Strike, and Cole Protocol if all you care about is lore leading up to Halo 4.

 

[TheOddOne]

It's lukewarm to me. Glasslands is a mediocre book in my opinion, though kind of essential to the Halo plot going forward.

In order of importance to the events of Halo 4, I gotta think the Greg Bear trilogy is tops, followed by Traviss'. Cyrptum >>> Glasslands, by a country mile.

The stuff they allude to in Glasslands are awesome though and I really like the team that was set up.

 

[Trey]

The stuff they allude to in Glasslands are awesome though and I really like the team that was set up.

I didn't like how they were just mentioned with no context, foreshadowing, stakes, or ramifications, though. That's not good writing. It's similar to the narrator of a TV show going "on the next episode...!"

 

[TheOddOne]

I didn't like how they were just mentioned with no context, foreshadowing, stakes, or ramifications, though. That's not good writing. It's similar to the narrator of a TV show going "on the next episode...!"

Yeah, I totally agree with that. Cryptum did that way better.

 

[ncsuDuncan]

I didn't like how they were just mentioned with no context, foreshadowing, stakes, or ramifications, though. That's not good writing. It's similar to the narrator of a TV show going "on the next episode...!"

I don't follow - what team are you talking about? Who was mentioned without context, etc. ?

(Glasslands)

Spoiler

Osman's team? Mendez's? The research team?

Keep in mind, Glasslands is the first of three Traviss books planned (if I recall correctly).

 

[TheOddOne]

I don't follow - what team are you talking about? Who was mentioned without context, etc. ?

(Glasslands)

Spoiler

Osman's team? Mendez's? The research team?

I'm talking about

Spoiler

Osman's team

btw, just to clear it up.

 

[Trey]

Keep in mind, Glasslands is the first of three Traviss books planned (if I recall correctly).

Still bad writing.

Spoiler

The cliffhanger isn't even my main issue. It's stupid and poorly cut (I mean, who starts an entirely new plot chain just to bring about a cliffhanger?), but I ain't even mad.

Parangosky and Oz talk briefly about the a new capital ship tricked out with Forerunner tech...why? In what manner does the existence of this ship effect the Haloverse? We're given nothing to go on other than that it exists. No clues or concrete information about other than that it can move about.

And the Spartan IVs are merely name dropped. Okay.

I understand it's a trilogy, but look at how Greg Bear ended Cryptum: it was self contained story that left plot strands open naturally for sequels. Traviss begins a new one and cuts it prematurely. An entire planet of dissident factions of every known species, and we just now learn about it? The first significant action in the entirety of the Sangheilli-Human Cold War happens at the end of the book? The last one is inexcusable because it was supposed to be what the book was actually about.

I understand leaving things for sequels, but Cryptum and Glasslands are the good and bad example, respectively, on how to do it correctly.

 

[Flipyap]

Still bad writing.

I just think ONI was lucky that Kurt's name wasn't McButtfart.

Spoiler

ONI Research Facility McButtfart

 

[Hypertrooper]

Still bad writing.

Spoiler

The cliffhanger isn't even my main issue. It's stupid and poorly cut (I mean, who starts an entirely new plot chain just to bring about a cliffhanger?), but I ain't even mad.

Parangosky and Oz talk briefly about the a new capital ship tricked out with Forerunner tech...why? In what manner does the existence of this ship effect the Haloverse? We're given nothing to go on other than that it exists. No clues or concrete information about other than that it can move about.

And the Spartan IVs are merely name dropped. Okay.

I understand it's a trilogy, but look at how Greg Bear ended Cryptum: it was self contained story that left plot strands open naturally for sequels. Traviss begins a new one and cuts it prematurely. An entire planet of dissident factions of every known species, and we just now learn about it? The first significant action in the entirety of the Sangheilli-Human Cold War happens at the end of the book? The last one is inexcusable because it was supposed to be what the book was actually about.

I understand leaving things for sequels, but Cryptum and Glasslands are the good and bad example, respectively, on how to do it correctly.

It's planned as trilogy. And so it is allowed to have a un-ended story.

Spoiler

The UNSC Infinity plays a role in Halo 4 and was already known before Glasslands. Because the Spartans-IVs are assigned to the UNSC Infinity, we can suppose that they will play a role in Halo 4, too.

 

[The Librarian]

It's planned as trilogy. And so it is allowed to have a un-ended story.

Spoiler

The UNSC Infinity plays a role in Halo 4 and was already known before Glasslands. Because the Spartans-IVs are assigned to the UNSC Infinity, we can suppose that they will play a role in Halo 4, too.

How can you say that definitively?

 

[ncsuDuncan]

How can you say that definitively?

Definitively? No, of course not.

But the Halo 4 section on the HaloFest timeline exhibit had this:



So it isn't a huge leap to think

Spoiler

the UNSC Infinity and the Spartan IVs aboard it will be in Halo 4, especially considering the way they're mentioned in Glasslands. It gave me the impression that 343 suggested Traviss drop those names as subtle hints towards the new game.

 

[The Librarian]

Oh. Didn't know about that (or I forgot about it).

I hope we don't see

Spoiler

Spartan IVs in Halo 4. Not after Reach's Spartans.

 

[Biggest-Geek-Ever]

Either I forgot something about Cryptum, or I just missed it.

Spoiler

Where is it stated that humans looked to the Precursors as Gods? What was their relationship like, and what was it's basis?

Correct if I'm wrong,

Spoiler

but I thought it was mentioned in Cryptum that humanity believed they were the heirs to the Mantle as opposed to the Forerunners. Maybe "gods" isn't the correct term, but I thought that implied religious connotations.

 

[Domino Theory]

I really hope 343i captures that sense of loneliness and mystery that I get everytime I play through Forerunner environments in CEA. Just the simple act of hitting the switch to turn on the light bridge on the level Halo makes me smile because it's just you, Cortana in your head, and all these mysterious Forerunner environments that set a nice, slightly horrific tone.

Like I've said before, the concept art trailer gives me a huge end-of-Half Life 2 vibe and that's what I want Halo 4's campaign to capture.

 

[daedalius]

Needs more new info imo.

Frankles needs to get that hype train rolling (oh wait it is, look at us all in here with just about nothing).

 

[rvy]

I really hope 343i captures that sense of loneliness and mystery that I get everytime I play through Forerunner environments in CEA. Just the simple act of hitting the switch to turn on the light bridge on the level Halo makes me smile because it's just you, Cortana in your head, and all these mysterious Forerunner environments that set a nice, slightly horrific tone.

Like I've said before, the concept art trailer gives me a huge end-of-Half Life 2 vibe and that's what I want Halo 4's campaign to capture.

Really? I would prefer to have the opposite. Spartans fighting alongside you. Halo always makes you feel like it's you against the World. Even in Reach, where you supposedly belong to Noble Team. I always wanted them to change that.
It makes Master Chief look like God, dude can single-handedly change everything by himself. I'll take anything though, loneliness is fine too.

Whatever, we want news.

 

[The Xtortionist]

I'm wondering where they're gonna show this off in 2012. Maybe they'll get a nice long segment during the E3 MS conference.

 

[Domino Theory]

Really? I would prefer to have the opposite. Spartans fighting alongside you. Halo always makes you feel like it's you against the World. Even in Reach, where you supposedly belong to Noble Team. I always wanted them to change that.
It makes Master Chief look like God, dude can single-handedly change everything by himself. I'll take anything though, loneliness is fine too.

I don't mind having multiple Spartans fight beside you (Glasslands spoiler)

Spoiler

and if the planet Chief is heading towards is Onyx then we'll be fighting alongside Blue Team and the 3 other Spartan IIIs

. I think it'd be cool to give the player a better perspective of the Chief relative to others for the first time and it'd give co-op players more of an identity, but I fear there will be MUCH more beyond multiple Spartans being thrown at us (possibly the UNSC, the Flood, and more Covenant in addition to the new enemies).

I'm pretty surprised that Halo 4 wasn't at the VGAs, I guess Reach being there was just a one-off thing for Halo. I'm very curious now to see where they start the hype train because Microsoft likes to take advantage of huge PR events to reveal their products. With VGA '11 finished, the only thing plausible is E3, but we know that it'll be revealed much earlier than that.

 

[Demoncarnotaur]

Oh. Didn't know about that (or I forgot about it).

I hope we don't see

Spoiler

Spartan IVs in Halo 4. Not after Reach's Spartans.

Eh, just cause Reach couldn't get it right doesn't mean another game cant. I hope we do see

Spoiler

Spartans, or Spartan IVs

to an extent.

Im still surprised we dont know for sure when some info will be released for this game.

 

[Hypertrooper]

I don't mind having multiple Spartans fight beside you (Glasslands spoiler)

Spoiler

and if the planet Chief is heading towards is Onyx then we'll be fighting alongside Blue Team and the 3 other Spartan IIIs

. I think it'd be cool to give the player a better perspective of the Chief relative to others for the first time and it'd give co-op players more of an identity, but I fear there will be MUCH more beyond multiple Spartans being thrown at us (possibly the UNSC, the Flood, and more Covenant in addition to the new enemies).

I'm pretty surprised that Halo 4 wasn't at the VGAs, I guess Reach being there was just a one-off thing for Halo. I'm very curious now to see where they start the hype train because Microsoft likes to take advantage of huge PR events to reveal their products. With VGA '11 finished, the only thing plausible is E3, but we know that it'll be revealed much earlier than that.

Didn't Frankie already confirm that the Chief isn't heading to

Spoiler

Onyx

?

 

[Domino Theory]

im still surprised we dont know for sure when some info will be released for this game.

Yeah this is something that's surprising to me. Don't know why they're so quiet about their reveal plans. :/

 

[TheOddOne]

Yeah this is something that's surprising to me. Don't know why they're so quiet about their reveal plans. :/

Atleast we have Primordium coming next month, so that will tide us over but yeah the lack of any info is really really suprising.

 

[Demoncarnotaur]

Didn't Frankie already confirm that the Chief isn't heading to

Spoiler

Onyx

?

I believe so.

Yeah this is something that's surprising to me. Don't know why they're so quiet about their reveal plans. :/

Its weird, there usually is some sort of announced plan at this point. Maybe they want to make up for the botched reveal at e3 and surprise us. =P

 

[Biggest-Geek-Ever]

Yeah this is something that's surprising to me. Don't know why they're so quiet about their reveal plans. :/

After that E3 leak on Microsoft's own freaking website, they're probably playing things very close to the chest.

 

[Demoncarnotaur]

After that E3 leak on Microsoft's own freaking website, they're probably playing things very close to the chest.

I dont blame them. Still, Im surprised they havent trickled fed us teases like "I saw a new weapon today, and couldn't believe that it [redacted]", "I saw something scary today, and it wasn't Frankie" etc. =P

 

[Domino Theory]

I dont blame them. Still, Im surprised they havent trickled fed us teases like "I saw a new weapon today, and couldn't believe that it [redacted]", "I saw something scary today, and it wasn't Frankie" etc. =P

I miss those vague tells-you-everythng-yet-tells-you-nothing blurbs in the old Weekly Updates for Halo 3. It was a great way of giving your fans something to chew on and debate with others. Now we just get nothing.

The Halo 3 mystery sound during the very first Bungie podcast was the best. Everyone heard the Spiker and thought "OMFG WTF BBQ SAUCE" and it was this constant back and forth.

 

[Feindflug]

I dont blame them. Still, Im surprised they havent trickled fed us teases like "I saw a new weapon today, and couldn't believe that it [redacted]", "I saw something scary today, and it wasn't Frankie" etc. =P

Well I hope that we'll see a trailer before GDC, I can't wait that long.

Spoiler

Frankie and his secrecy.... -_-

 

[exYle]

Oh. Didn't know about that (or I forgot about it).

I hope we don't see

Spoiler

Spartan IVs in Halo 4. Not after Reach's Spartans.

What was wrong with Reach's Spartans?

 

[Lingitiz]

The next gen Xbox is rumored to be at CES right? MS has a pretty big keynote spot that Halo 4 could show up in. Still, I don't know if its the right venue. The superbowl is much more likely.

 

[Biggest-Geek-Ever]

Troll Frankie is best Frankie, so I hope he gives us something right now. =P

The next gen Xbox is rumored to be at CES right? MS has a pretty big keynote spot that Halo 4 could show up in. Still, I don't know if its the right venue. The superbowl is much more likely.

A superbowl spot would be amazing, but it's probably not the best outlet for a gameplay reveal. Anything more than a 60 second spot and you'll blow all the marketing budget lol.

 

[Flipyap]

Didn't Frankie already confirm that the Chief isn't heading to

Spoiler

Onyx

?

Heading there could be difficult, considering

Spoiler

it doesn't exist anymore...
If you guys mean ONI's Kurt Ball, that thing is the size of Earth's orbit and probably hidden most of the time. That's not it.

 

[The Librarian]

It's not Onyx, guys.

 

[def sim]

Yes.

Kinect + controller configuration? More developers should start doing this. Sounds like it could be very cool.

 

[Biggest-Geek-Ever]

Spoiler

Has it even been confirmed where the ass end of Forward Unto Dawn is? The Ark is over 150,000 light years from the galaxy, and I always kind of assumed that's near where Forward Unto Dawn was.

 

[Demoncarnotaur]

I miss those vague tells-you-everythng-yet-tells-you-nothing blurbs in the old Weekly Updates for Halo 3. It was a great way of giving your fans something to chew on and debate with others. Now we just get nothing.

The Halo 3 mystery sound during the very first Bungie podcast was the best. Everyone heard the Spiker and thought "OMFG WTF BBQ SAUCE" and it was this constant back and forth.

It was the little things like this that made the weekly updates fun, and while they had nothing truly revealing it was still..something. Plus it helped build hype, even if we didnt know what we were hyped for.

I still wonder if they will explore a completely different direction getting the Halo 4 info out, and try something unique. That said, it needs mainstream attention as well.

 

[Slightly Live]

Spoiler

Has it even been confirmed where the ass end of Forward Unto Dawn is? The Ark is over 150,000 light years from the galaxy, and I always kind of assumed that's near where Forward Unto Dawn was.

Fronks confirmed the Dawn was in the Milky Way, not outside it like the Ark.

 

[GodfatherX]

Fronks confirmed the Dawn was in the Milky Way, not outside it like the Ark.

so it made it partially through the portal/wormhole and then broke off from the rest of the ship that continued to earth.. so it could be pretty much anywhere in the galaxy

 

[Slightly Live]

so it made it partially through the portal/wormhole and then broke off from the rest of the ship that continued to earth.. so it could be pretty much anywhere in the galaxy

Exactly. Best guess is draw a line from the Ark to the Earth and the Chief's exit point will be in the vincinity. Even with his time drifting in cryo, no confirmed duration of that yet, the Dawn was travelling relatively slowly so it's doubtful he's strayed far.

The Infinity is probably the best hope for reuniting the Chief with the UNSC since it's the fastest ship in the military.

 

[higherARC05]

I just jizzed at all the new updates you guys put up on the HALO lore.

Spoiler

That pic of the UNSC Infinity made my heart stop for a sec. Human and Forrunner technology bringing a new era of tech and power. Espicially with the Spartan IVs.

What if the Spartan IVs are a combination of Human and Forrunner technology melded together to create a super soldier that possibly surpasses Master Chief's suit.

NEW SUIT?!!!!!

Also is it possible that ONI could of created something from the Flood DNA strains I'm sure they were collecting and studying?

Maybe a new threat unleased by the ONI?

I love this so much.

 

[Demon Ice]

Spoiler

Shield worlds can be escaped and Halsey and the other spartans got out fine.

Spartan IV program started and is an opt-in program now

UNSC Infinity is a UNSC ship built on Covenant and Forerunner tech and loaded to the teeth with Spartan IVs

Hooooly shit I've been out of the Halo loop for far too long. Are these from the latest book(s)?! AHHH I need to bring myself up to speed!

 

[GodfatherX]

Hooooly shit I've been out of the Halo loop for far too long. Are these from the latest book(s)?! AHHH I need to bring myself up to speed!

yeah ive never read any of the books, but have checked out various wiki's to expand my knowledge of the universe but all of that is news to me, sounds very awesome and shows 343i isnt afraid of making Halo their own and expanding it

 

[Trey]

It's not Onyx, guys.

Heading there could be difficult, considerering

Spoiler

it doesn't exist anymore...
If you guys mean ONI's Kurt Ball, that thing is the size of Earth's orbit and probably hidden most of the time. That's not it.

The only outright denial I remember about the Legendary planet not being Onyx came from Bungie, and they don't have a say any longer.

Spoiler

The Dyson sphere expanded to a super huge planet in realspace. They named it Trevalyan. So there is, once again, something there. The time frames fit, too.

 

[Flipyap]

The only outright denial I remember about the Legendary planet not being Onyx came from Bungie, and they don't have a say any longer.

Spoiler

The Dyson sphere expanded to a super huge planet in realspace. They named it Trevalyan. So there is, once again, something there. The time frames fit, too.

Again, the ball is the size of

Spoiler

Earth's orbit around the sun, it could fit a planetary system inside. If that's what Forward Unto Dawn's butt is drifting towards, then all Halo 4 media showing it is wildly inaccurate. That opening itself would be the size of MANY Earths.
The main reason to set a game inside a Dyson sphere would be to give players sci-fi boners every time they look up. You wouldn't even begin to see the curvature of a structure of that magnitude (also mentioned in Ghosts Onyx).

 

[Trey]

Again, the ball is the size of

Spoiler

Earth's orbit around the sun, it could fit a planetary system inside. If that's what Forward Unto Dawn's butt is drifting towards, then all Halo 4 media showing it is wildly inaccurate. That opening itself would be the size of MANY Earths.
The main reason to set a game inside a Dyson sphere would be to give players sci-fi boners every time they look up. You wouldn't even begin to see the curvature of a structure of that magnitude (also mentioned in Ghosts Onyx).

Spoiler

I don't see how current media would be inaccurate. It's merely relative, we don't have any sense of the distance between the Dawn and the planet so we couldn't tell if it was really that big.

 

[squidhands]

What was wrong with Reach's Spartans?

Unhelpful at best, and will get you killed more often than not. Emile's shotgun sniping at the Drones in Pillar of Autumn is among the most useless friendly AI behavior I've ever seen in a Halo game.

If there are more...companions in the next Halo game, I hope it's in an ODST model where you can play as the different characters from time to time. Maybe even give each member some unique traits to spice things up when you're not the Walking Badass that is the Chief.

 

[Trey]

Unhelpful at best, and will get you killed more often than not. Emile's shotgun sniping at the Drones in Pillar of Autumn is among the most useless friendly AI behavior I've ever seen in a Halo game.

If there are more...companions in the next Halo game, I hope it's in an ODST model where you can play as the different characters from time to time. Maybe even give each member some unique traits to spice things up when you're not the Walking Badass that is the Chief.

Emile, shotgun sniping like a bawse.

 

[monome]

Spoiler

Everything from the last two books can be transformed into a gameplay element, curious?
Spartan IV : new armor models for MP and possible co-op integration if story allows.
Infinity Program : new human weapons and vehicles. New ship, new places to visit
Sanghaeili dissidents : keep fighting them after Halo 3 resolution
Forunners history explained: Greg Bear ain't cheap but certainly cheaper than getting all in cutscenes or dumbed down ala Origins.
Precursor : new evil, new powers, necessary for the Chief to evolve and reclaim.

It's not like 343i tries to hide anything, it's just trying to sell it well.

 

[Trey]

Allow us to kill humans in campaign mode, 343. Y'know, by design.

 

[The Librarian]

Allow us to kill humans in campaign mode, 343. Y'know, by design.

Stop it.

 

[Trey]

Stop it.

I can already see a confrontation against

Spoiler

S4's, because ONI seems like it's trying to get its Cerberus villainry card. Yay for cliche new hotness/young upstarts vs. the old guard/wily vet with one more run left in 'im.