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[thezerofire]

The new Competitive MP maps will appear in a range of matchmaking options, but we also intend to do "classic" stuff with the matchmaking to approximate the original feel of the maps.



Because the game is not finished yet.

There will be a number of improvements to the stuff you saw today. The levels we captured for the trailer were still firmly in development. Certainly that's the approximate graphical fidelity to expect, but lots of significant and subtle changes will happen between now and launch.

please please please take out weapon bloom

 

[GhaleonEB]

There's already some folks chomping at the bit wondering what the exact settings of the "classic" stuff is.

It begins. Again.

Fun times.

 

[Stinkles]

I think it is absolutely asinine that the game doesn't have multiplayer. "Fragmenting the base" is no excuse. I am not playing Reach multiplayer, but I would play Halo CE multiplayer on Live if it existed.

There are a number of reasons. Obviously the (Halo CE) engine work is already done, and obviously we had to create new netcode to support the co-op over Live, but the reasons include:

Fragmenting the user base
It would feel different because of latency and would not precisely replicate what you remember.
The Pistol effect (a three shot ultraweapon on Live, it's not the same as System Link).

There are a lot more dry, technical issues too - all of which would have had insurmountable gameplay ramifications. It was a difficult decision with a lot of elements to balance, but please don't think it was made lightly or cynically.

We also discovered that some of the maps are incredibly good fun with some of the reach elements and weapons. One in particular, that we haven't revealed yet, feels like it was born to be played "on" Reach.

 

[Dr. Feel Good]

The new Competitive MP maps will appear in a range of matchmaking options, but we also intend to do "classic" stuff with the matchmaking to approximate the original feel of the maps.



Because the game is not finished yet.

There will be a number of improvements to the stuff you saw today. The levels we captured for the trailer were still firmly in development. Certainly that's the approximate graphical fidelity to expect, but lots of significant and subtle changes will happen between now and launch.

Can you give us a flat answer as to why multiplayer is not included in this game? Why have online co-op and not just go whole nine yards and include in key multiplayer maps and provide online support under the original game mechanics? You are alienating so many people who loved the first game but do not enjoy the recent games. What gives?

edit: Just saw you posted. God, the pistol excuse is such bullshit. Who cares if it was an unrealistic super weapon? It was a weapon you needed to be good at. What's the problem with that? That's what people LOVED about the original.

 

[Oozer3993]

There are a number of reasons. Obviously the engine work is already done, and obviously we had to create new netcode to support the co-op over Live, but the reasons include:

Fragmenting the user base
It would feel different because of latency and would not precisely replicate what you remember.
The Pistol effect (a three shot ultraweapon on Live, it's not the same as System Link).

There are a lot more dry, technical issues too - all of which would have had insurmountable gameplay ramifications. It was a difficult decision with a lot of elements to balance, but please don't think it was made lightly or cynically.

We also discovered that some of the maps are incredibly good fun with some of the reach elements and weapons. One in particular, that we haven't revealed yet, feels like it was born to be played "on" Reach.

God, I hope you're talking about Sidewinder. I need that map.

 

[Slightly Live]

It begins. Again.

Fun times.

 

[WrikaWrek]

Ill advised. That's all it comes to mind.

 

[Syracuse022]

There are a number of reasons. Obviously the (Halo CE) engine work is already done, and obviously we had to create new netcode to support the co-op over Live, but the reasons include:

Fragmenting the user base
It would feel different because of latency and would not precisely replicate what you remember.
The Pistol effect (a three shot ultraweapon on Live, it's not the same as System Link).

There are a lot more dry, technical issues too - all of which would have had insurmountable gameplay ramifications. It was a difficult decision with a lot of elements to balance, but please don't think it was made lightly or cynically.

We also discovered that some of the maps are incredibly good fun with some of the reach elements and weapons. One in particular, that we haven't revealed yet, feels like it was born to be played "on" Reach.

Insurmountable is a hell of a word to use when talking about a game made 10 years ago then taken online 8 years ago (setting aside XBC, which worked quite well in low latency rooms). Should I start crossing my fingers for the Gearbox game's 10 year anniversary?

EDIT: In addition, how is the solution to "It would feel different because of latency and would not precisely replicate what you remember" putting the maps into Halo Reach?

 

[Stinkles]

Can you give us a flat answer as to why multiplayer is not included in this game? Why have online co-op and not just go whole nine yards and include in key multiplayer maps and provide online support under the original game mechanics? You are alienating so many people who loved the first game but do not enjoy the recent games. What gives?

edit: Just saw you posted. God, the pistol excuse is such bullshit. Who cares if it was an unrealistic super weapon? It was a weapon you needed to be good at. What's the problem with that? That's what people LOVED about the original.

Multiplayer is included with the game. Campaign, Campaign Co-op, 7 MP levels (one Firefight). If you mean why isn't CE MP included, I told you the reasons. It's OK to not be satisfied with those reasons, but they are the reasons.

Halo CE on PC, and Halo CE on GOND are there to provide the verbatim experience. Halo Anniversary is a different experience. And I am not a very good Halo player, as many here can attest, but I could still three shot anyone on a map. That's how the gun worked. But that's a small part of the big picture, not the main reason.

You'll have to take my word for it, we juggled a lot of data before making the decision.

 

[Ecotic]

I'm torn about this remake. Playing Halo: CE for the first time was one of my greatest gaming experiences. I remember not even being able to use dual analog FPS controls at first but playing through the first level and thinking "This is incredible!".

But when I watch the trailer it feels like I'll be playing a spin-off of Halo Reach instead of a remade Halo: CE. I loved Halo Reach but it had a different feel than Halo: CE. I guess that's the side effect of using the same engine and assets and everything, and I guess I can't expect them to devote full resources like a completely new engine to suit the purpose. But then again that's the problem with remaking classics, it isn't economically sound to go all out so you use an existing engine or farm it out to a third party developer or something.

 

[ncsuDuncan]

Multiplayer is included with the game. Campaign, Campaign Co-op, 7 MP levels (one Firefight). If you mean why isn't CE MP included, I told you the reasons. It's OK to not be satisfied with those reasons, but they are the reasons.

Halo CE on PC, and Halo CE on GOND are there to provide the verbatim experience. Halo Anniversary is a different experience. And I am not a very good Halo player, as many here can attest, but I could still three shot anyone on a map. That's how the gun worked. But that's a small part of the big picture, not the main reason.

You'll have to take my word for it, we juggled a lot of data before making the decision.

Can you talk about how it works with Reach multiplayer? I think I saw somewhere that it is launched from Halo:CEA, so does it also contain all of the Reach maps?

Am I just asking questions that David will answer in the Sparkast?

 

[Slightly Live]

Multiplayer is included with the game. Campaign, Campaign Co-op, 7 MP levels (one Firefight).

You mentioned earlier about the maps settling into Reach's enviroment, will the older Reach maps be tagging along with Anniversary package?

 

[godhandiscen]

The new Competitive MP maps will appear in a range of matchmaking options, but we also intend to do "classic" stuff with the matchmaking to approximate the original feel of the maps.



Because the game is not finished yet.

There will be a number of improvements to the stuff you saw today. The levels we captured for the trailer were still firmly in development. Certainly that's the approximate graphical fidelity to expect, but lots of significant and subtle changes will happen between now and launch.

Frankie please use the Mark V helmet from H3, please.

 

[erpg]

Just tell us everything, Frankie.

 

[godhandiscen]

If CE contains 1 level of FF, do I have to switch back to Reach to play the other FF levels?

 

[kayos90]

Is this confirmed that it's 40 dollars. Not some crappy reason to charge 60.

 

[FilthyLies]

Fix that awful, awful master chief model and we're in business.

 

[blamite]

Oh, and this has probably been mentioned already, but was that Steitzer narrating the trailer? Because it was awesome.

 

[ncsuDuncan]

Is this confirmed that it's 40 dollars. Not some crappy reason to charge 60.

It is confirmed to be cheaper than $60, but I haven't seen confirmation of $40 yet.

 

[Mr Vociferous]

Oh, and this has probably been mentioned already, but was that Steitzer narrating the trailer? Because it was awesome.

Yep. That's him.

 

[J-Roderton]

Did I really see that Battle Creek/Beaver Creek remake during the trailer? Sold.

 

[BootlegSnackz]

MANY OF US HERE PLAYED HALO: CE OVER XBOX CONNECT. IT WAS VERY POPULAR IN THE YEAR BEFORE LIVE CAME TO EXIST. THERE WAS LAG, BUT IN MANY CONNECTIONS IT WAS MANAGEABLE.

Sorry for the caps, but the reason why we want it on live is because it was just fun. An ultra weapon on live is the same as an ultraweapon anywhere else. anyone has access to it.

But I digress, I know this isn't going to change your mind, but I still want to give my opinion.


The only multiplayer I hated in the Halo series was 3

if I had to rank it, here's what it would look like

1>Reach>2>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>3


I just want my OG 3-Shot Guarantee pistol back. Here is my map wishlist:

Hang em High (Didn't really play much of the remake map on Halo 2, because it came out so late, i need that icy blue/gray old school hang 'em high)
Chill Out
Damnation
Longest
Blood Gulch
Battle Creek
Rat Race

Honorable Mentions:
Prisoner
SideWinder
(never played any PC maps, but would like to)
Zanzibar
Ascenion
Lockout

I know that some of those maps have been remade, but I tend to like the OG versions better.

 

[Slightly Live]

Yep. That's him.

Was that Jen also in the 4 tease? There's a dispute about it, oddly.

 

[Stinkles]

Is this confirmed that it's 40 dollars. Not some crappy reason to charge 60.

Confirmed. and some features not yet announced.

Was that Jen also? There's a dispute about it, oddly.

Confirmed.

 

[The Librarian]

Frankie, the trailer looked great. Really looking forward to Anniversary. Day one.

 

[op_ivy]

We also discovered that some of the maps are incredibly good fun with some of the reach elements and weapons. One in particular, that we haven't revealed yet, feels like it was born to be played "on" Reach.

HAS TO BE boarding action. jet packing across the gap in space =)

 

[Rodney McKay]

If Headlong is included, I will buy this.

If not I'll buy it for under $20... or just get the PC version of Combat Evolved.

 

[The Librarian]

nice

A monitor, most likely 343 Guilty Spark, can be seen in the middle of the logo, where the Marathon logo used to be.

 

[Stinkles]

To clarify:

Campaign runs on and in the original Halo CE engine. Physics, gameplay, everything are all intact. The "second engine" running on top of it is a graphics layer. No gameplay, or even glitches, have been altered deliberately. You can, at any time, press the Back button (appropriately enough) and switch, in real time (with a tiny pause) to the original appearance, to check for yourself. It's a pure nostalgia play, but I find myself doing it a lot. For fun.

 

[Spasm]

To clarify:

Campaign runs on and in the original Halo CE engine. Physics, gameplay, everything are all intact. The "second engine" running on top of it is a graphics layer. No gameplay, or even glitches, have been altered deliberately. You can, at any time, press the Back button (appropriately enough) and switch, in real time (with a tiny pause) to the original appearance, to check for yourself. It's a pure nostalgia play, but I find myself doing it a lot. For fun.

High def Warthog launching incoming!

 

[Stinkles]

A monitor, most likely 343 Guilty Spark, can be seen in the middle of the logo, where the Marathon logo used to be.

And reflected in the Chief's visor.

 

[Neuromancer]

To clarify:

Campaign runs on and in the original Halo CE engine. Physics, gameplay, everything are all intact. The "second engine" running on top of it is a graphics layer. No gameplay, or even glitches, have been altered deliberately. You can, at any time, press the Back button (appropriately enough) and switch, in real time (with a tiny pause) to the original appearance, to check for yourself. It's a pure nostalgia play, but I find myself doing it a lot. For fun.

Awesome, and amazing.

 

[szaromir]

Will there be a stage demo?

 

[erpg]

I wish "Classic mode" could include ridiculous Warthog physics. :lol

 

[The Librarian]

And reflected in the Chief's visor.

Oh wow. Nice touch. Really liking the box art.

 

[Buckethead]

So this doesn't have XBL multiplayer?

 

[Prine]

DAAAAMN SON! Look at TEH boxart.

This is by far the greatest Single FPS game ever, cannot wait to get my hands on to this. Frothing at the mouth thinking about Silent Cartographer over XBL co-op

 

[V_Ben]

To clarify:

Campaign runs on and in the original Halo CE engine. Physics, gameplay, everything are all intact. The "second engine" running on top of it is a graphics layer. No gameplay, or even glitches, have been altered deliberately. You can, at any time, press the Back button (appropriately enough) and switch, in real time (with a tiny pause) to the original appearance, to check for yourself. It's a pure nostalgia play, but I find myself doing it a lot. For fun.

Wow, I'll buy it just for that. I loved that effect in the Monkey Island remakes.

 

[JohnOfMars]

To clarify:

Campaign runs on and in the original Halo CE engine. Physics, gameplay, everything are all intact. The "second engine" running on top of it is a graphics layer. No gameplay, or even glitches, have been altered deliberately. You can, at any time, press the Back button (appropriately enough) and switch, in real time (with a tiny pause) to the original appearance, to check for yourself. It's a pure nostalgia play, but I find myself doing it a lot. For fun.

Does that rule out Reach-style screenshots, video, campaign scoring?

 

[Neuromancer]

I wish "Classic mode" could include ridiculous Warthog physics. :lol

It should still, shouldn't it?

 

[Stinkles]

So this doesn't have XBL multiplayer?

Yes it does, but in the Reach engine. 7 maps, one of them Firefight.

 

[Bossniak]

I wish "Classic mode" could include ridiculous Warthog physics. :lol

Gameplay is not changed. So its there. Thank god.

 

[kayos90]

That box art looks nice. The Chief model in that box art is also nice. If only they used that model for the game. Ugh.

 

[NullPointer]

To clarify:

Campaign runs on and in the original Halo CE engine. Physics, gameplay, everything are all intact. The "second engine" running on top of it is a graphics layer. No gameplay, or even glitches, have been altered deliberately. You can, at any time, press the Back button (appropriately enough) and switch, in real time (with a tiny pause) to the original appearance, to check for yourself. It's a pure nostalgia play, but I find myself doing it a lot. For fun.

I am thoroughly confused by this. Halo CE engine with Reach assets? Nuts.

 

[Prine]

To clarify:

Campaign runs on and in the original Halo CE engine. Physics, gameplay, everything are all intact. The "second engine" running on top of it is a graphics layer. No gameplay, or even glitches, have been altered deliberately. You can, at any time, press the Back button (appropriately enough) and switch, in real time (with a tiny pause) to the original appearance, to check for yourself. It's a pure nostalgia play, but I find myself doing it a lot. For fun.

Fuckin hell, now THATS how you satisfy the fans. Anyone complaining aren't fans and have no interest in the game to begin with.

 

[szaromir]

Yes it does, but in the Reach engine. 7 maps, one of them Firefight.

Will it have older Reach maps, too? If not, can you add these maps to HR?

 

[erpg]

It should still, shouldn't it?

Well, I should clarify I meant the multiplayer playlist. I used to gleefully launch Warthogs on Death Island, Blood Gulch and Danger Canyon. Wish I still had the community videos we used to make....

 

[Summary Man]

To clarify:

Campaign runs on and in the original Halo CE engine. Physics, gameplay, everything are all intact. The "second engine" running on top of it is a graphics layer. No gameplay, or even glitches, have been altered deliberately. You can, at any time, press the Back button (appropriately enough) and switch, in real time (with a tiny pause) to the original appearance, to check for yourself. It's a pure nostalgia play, but I find myself doing it a lot. For fun.

This is fantastic. I was afraid that the Halo remake would have been created on a different engine. Although I enjoy them, none of the other Halo games "feel" like Halo 1, mostly due to that game's engine.

I was so, so disappointed when I found out that Halo 2 had switched to Havok physics. Felt like a completely different game.

 

[Zeouterlimits]

To clarify:

Campaign runs on and in the original Halo CE engine. Physics, gameplay, everything are all intact. The "second engine" running on top of it is a graphics layer. No gameplay, or even glitches, have been altered deliberately. You can, at any time, press the Back button (appropriately enough) and switch, in real time (with a tiny pause) to the original appearance, to check for yourself. It's a pure nostalgia play, but I find myself doing it a lot. For fun.

Model View Controller at work? Wonder how much tidying had to go into Bungie's code for this to happen. Or was Gearbox's PC version used as the base source code?

 

[dmg04]

Question: since the MP maps are all Reach, will the warthog still handle like reach? Will it handle like reach in the campaign as well? I saw earlier you said the reach engine purely handled graphics, but i'm just asking to be 100% sure.

Thanks for dropping some answers out there for us. Can't wait to get back into Halo again.