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Halo |OT3| Remember Reach?

Didn't really offer any new info, seemed to be just reiterating what we already knew, with (sexy) artwork (with massive watermarks).
One of the central locations depicted in Halo 4, Requiem is an ancient artificial world created by the mysterious Forerunner civilization millennia ago. A big part of Halo 4 will involve exploring its many secrets. Take a closer look at the art, and you can see that the pillar-like objects are actually hanging from above. That's because Requiem is surrounded by a huge outer shell, and numerous stalactite-like objects hang down from the interior of the ceiling.
Ruined, Yet Still Alive

The Forerunner structures on Requiem may be ancient and at times overgrown, but 343 promises that we'll also see these facilities more active and alive than Forerunner ruins in previous games. While it's unclear who the new enemies will be on the planet, it's obvious by the familiar handheld shields in this image that the Covenant are also present on the mysterious world. 343 has suggested that we'll see interesting interactions between the Covenant and the new enemy force. Something tells us the new bad guys aren't going to like the Coveanant being on Requiem any more than they like Master Chief being there.
Ancient Technology

Here's another glimpse at the strange environment of Requiem, and the obelisk-like Forerunner structures that still exist there after 100,000 years. Requiem is a special variation on a Forerunner Shield World. Among other things, the Shield Worlds were constructed by the Forerunners as places that would remain safe from the Halo pulse that wiped out all sentient life in the galaxy. Have Forerunners survived all these centuries? Or does something else live here now?
A few parts I found interesting. First it confirms that the Covenant is on Requiem too. I thought it will be only at the beginning. Furthermore I was pretty sure that we'd fight the Forerunner in Halo 4. But now... not really anymore. At least I believe GI has more information than we have. But it does not really mean much.
 
A few parts I found interesting. First it confirms that the Covenant is on Requiem too. I thought it will be only at the beginning. Furthermore I was pretty sure that we'd fight the Forerunner in Halo 4. But now... not really anymore. At least I believe GI has more information than we have. But it does not really mean much.

I still think its going to be sentinals, a post I did in OT2.

To me, after re-reading the article, I think we will be fighting über sentinels, ready to protect Requiem.

"We wanted to create a set of enemies that work together in collaborative way, where each one of those enemies builds on and accentuates the abilities of the others. So when you face an individual enemy they offer one challenge, but as you layer those enemies together it changes the experience in important ways and heightens the challenge".

It is also very adaptive, each Sentinel transmitting its combat footage to an unknown intelligence that continually upgrades Onyx Sentinel combat algorithms. As per a Spartan: "We are teaching it how to fight." The Onyx Sentinels can also merge together for a variety of purposes, such as combining to increase firepower and shield strength, architectural purposes, and forming clusters to protect Onyx. Even a pair of Sentinels is exponentially more dangerous than a lone one, as a pair, unlike individual Sentinels, can activate its shields and fire its energy weapon at the same time.

Onyx Sentinels are also known to have other specific tasks beside combat, much like other types of Sentinels. Because of their modular shape, they can transform into several different types of configurations. For example, they can interlace into oblong-shaped formations, which are used for excavating and earth-moving.
 

Fuchsdh

Member
A few parts I found interesting. First it confirms that the Covenant is on Requiem too. I thought it will be only at the beginning. Furthermore I was pretty sure that we'd fight the Forerunner in Halo 4. But now... not really anymore. At least I believe GI has more information than we have. But it does not really mean much.

Considering we aren't fighting the Flood this game either, I'm sensing they're opting for a slower burn before all hell breaks loose, universal-stakes speaking, in the later installments.

Fine by me if they pull it off.
 
Considering we aren't fighting the Flood this game either, I'm sensing they're opting for a slower burn before all hell breaks loose, universal-stakes speaking, in the later installments.

Fine by me if they pull it off.

Halo 4 and 5 building up to an all out war with covies, humans, flood, new enemy,
the didact
in Halo 6?

Sounds good to me.
 
Maybe to someone who does not like unlocks, but I don't mind them and I admit I keeps me playing COD longer than I probably would, because when I unlock most perks and attachments for the weapons I like I end up playing it less and eventually selling the game to due to the redundant nature of the game.

343i are just being smart, they want people to play for longer, and now Halo 4 will have a lot of weapons which means some can be unlocked, big deal. And then you have Spartan Ops (which despite the name shouldn't be compared to Spec Ops, crap name though)

Sorry, maybe I'm reading this wrong but are you saying that a FPS is redundant once you have unlocked everything? Do you know how ridiculous/outrageous that sounds? You grind through this game (in which the actual gameplay is 'redundant') to unlock things to use in the game but once you have those perks and features to use in the game, you no longer want to play it because there's nothing left to unlock. Is that what you're saying?

WHY DID I CLICK THAT TWICE. I HATE YOU SO DAMN MUCH.

edit: seriously, please don't gif that. i have the lowest vomit tolerance ever and i throw up when i see people in person do it, i can't handle it just showing up on pages.

Whenever I see people puking I laugh convulsively. Somebody gif it but put it in img tags.
 
If it's 2 disc its no big deal:

Campaign disc: beat on legendary in the first week, put on shelf for all of eternity

Halo 4 infinity disc: leave in 360.

Problem solved.
 
More details on Cortana rampancy.
As Halo 4 begins, Cortana will be facing her own imminent madness and death; as a smart AI, her seven year lifespan will create serious challenges to the unshakeable partnership between the two characters.
I'm positively giggling. Can't wait to see how they handle it.
 

The multiplayer story tidbit made me realize that the main campaign's going to be closer to a full-length feature film while Spartan Ops is more of the TV series that gets spun off from it. I'm expecting way lower stakes in Spartan Ops with simpler missions like "secure this area that contains a Forerunner artifact" rather than "stop the Master Builder from escaping Requiem" or something like that.
 
Really? I would wish if it were 2 discs...

I'm ok with it being 2 discs, but if they can figure out a way to lessen the swapping then I'm ok.

I like Countdown more than Construct, but those weapons were kinda useless on the map to begin with.

Placing the missile pod, flamethrower, and laser on Construct was a masterful move by Bungie. Those three weapons increased the fun factor of that map considerably. I will not argue that they were competitive or useful, but they were fun.

Sorry, maybe I'm reading this wrong but are you saying that a FPS is redundant once you have unlocked everything? Do you know how ridiculous/outrageous that sounds? You grind through this game (in which the actual gameplay is 'redundant') to unlock things to use in the game but once you have those perks and features to use in the game, you no longer want to play it because there's nothing left to unlock. Is that what you're saying?
This behavior is well documented by psychiatrists. If you reward someone for an activity (even something that has its own intrinsic reward, like fun) and then take the reward away, that someone is much less likely to continue the activity and/or enjoy it. Our brains really suck sometimes.
 

Fuchsdh

Member
Not if it's Reach

I've gotten at least some greater appreciation for Reach in replaying it. On co-op Legendary isn't the face-meltingly unfair scenario it is solo. While I don't agree with a lot of their design choices they did do a decent job of grabbing the best bits from previous campaigns and making a cohesive intra-level narrative.

(I still have yet to be convinced that Halo CE is harder on Legendary. CE has the Plasma Rifle stun, shotgun/pistol combo that wrecks all the Flood levels, and you can actually go in for a melee without getting curb-stomped.)
 
More details on Cortana rampancy.

I'm positively giggling. Can't wait to see how they handle it.

Well it cant be worst than Bungies way for telling stories. I love Halo, but if i look at story telling within a game, Bungie were god awful at it. Im hoping 343i do it more like Uncharted 2-3, with amazing cut-scenes and great story telling.
 
Well it cant be worst than Bungies way for telling stories. I love Halo, but if i look at story telling within a game, Bungie were god awful at it. Im hoping 343i do it more like Uncharted 2-3, with amazing cut-scenes and great story telling.

Joke post?

maybe? fuck, dude
 

Woorloog

Banned
Joke post?

maybe? fuck, dude

Other than Halo 2 (greatest of Halos so far when it comes to story and narrative), i don't think Bungie did good job at telling the story. Well, Halo CE was okay but then its story was standard "superweapon and ancient evil" story. Halo 3 had a couple of strong moments but the characters were awful (why the fuck did they downgrade the Arbiter to boring sidekick?), dialogue was meh ("To war"), cinematics lacked action and/or political intrigue and interesting exposition.
ODST had interesting premise but in the end, the game doesn't have a real story... finding out what happened to your squad is all fine and good but otherwise, meh. Greatest Halo game otherwise.
Reach? Excellent premise, wasted oppoturnity at every fucking point. I really mean it. Other than the end of New Alexandria and the moment when the Covenant reinforcements come, the game didn't even have strong moments. And even that was good only because of that haunting piano, every death was pure idiot ball and/or poor writing or simply badly executed.
 
Other than Halo 2 (greatest of Halos so far when it comes to story and narrative), i don't think Bungie did good job at telling the story. Well, Halo CE was okay but then its story was standard "superweapon and ancient evil" story. Halo 3 had a couple of strong moments but the characters were awful (why the fuck did they downgrade the Arbiter to boring sidekick?), dialogue was meh ("To war"), cinematics lacked action and/or political intrigue and interesting exposition.
ODST had interesting premise but in the end, the game doesn't have a real story... finding out what happened to your squad is all fine and good but otherwise, meh. Greatest Halo game otherwise.
Reach? Excellent premise, wasted oppoturnity at every fucking point. I really mean it. Other than the end of New Alexandria and the moment when the Covenant reinforcements come, the game didn't even have strong moments. And even that was good only because of that haunting piano, every death was pure idiot ball and/or poor writing or simply badly executed.

hahaha I know, I was more talking about the Uncharted part, just inciting general confusion than anything else. Believe me, I loved Halo 2's story and ODST's premise/"story."
 

Woorloog

Banned
hahaha I know, I was more talking about the Uncharted part, just inciting general confusion than anything else. Believe me, I loved Halo 2's story and ODST's premise/"story."

Oh, i see. I know nothing of Uncharted myself, except for the fact Nolan North voices the main character (who is called Drake?).
 

kylej

Banned
2 discs for MP3? Man, the old ass disgusting console that is the Xbox 360 continues to fester. Please Microsoft put this dinosaur out of its misery, I feel like a caveman carving out a stone every time the guide takes 30 seconds to pop up or I have to swap discs or deal with P2P internet in 2012.
 
Which is wierd because by comparison Halo 2 had very good/deep storytelling IMO.

Although the ending for halo 3 was perfect, chief goes out the way he came in.

Halo 3 has it's moments.

-Arbiter is wasted as a NPC sidekick, but all of his dialog is fantastic. "Were it so easy..." "Spartan, the Brutes have taken your soldiers, as prisoners or as meat for their bellies, I do not know. In case some yet live, let us be careful when we shoot."

-You know me: when I make a promise...

-The ending

But I thought most of it was so...blah. Lot of wasted potential.
 

heckfu

Banned
2 discs for MP3? Man, the old ass disgusting console that is the Xbox 360 continues to fester. Please Microsoft put this dinosaur out of its misery, I feel like a caveman carving out a stone every time the guide takes 30 seconds to pop up or I have to swap discs or deal with P2P internet in 2012.

I feel like a caveman when I eat steaks that are entirely too big. Also, when I grow my beard out. Embrace it.
 

You know, Im probably beating a dead horse at this point, but with each GI article I am awed by the lack of 'interest' the writing has. It all reads so dry and detached from the actual material, as opposed to some of their other cover articles. I dunno, it all feels very off and lacking of any actual content.

Also, if they had access to the new Grunt render why not put it in the magazine? I think it would further show the graphical enhancements Halo 4 is seeing, and show that this isn't just a "milking" of the franchise. Blah.
 

kylej

Banned
I feel like a caveman when I eat steaks that are entirely too big. Also, when I grow my beard out. Embrace it.

I feel like the next console cycle should last as long as the 360 has, but the current cycle was in a kind of technological transition period which sucks. Hardware for the 360 was probably locked for production in 2004, which means we got HD... but barely. Just give me current gen assets at 60fps locked, no draw distance, and 1080p native and I'm good to go for a decade.
 
Halo 3 has it's moments.

-Arbiter is wasted as a NPC sidekick, but all of his dialog is fantastic. "Were it so easy..." "Spartan, the Brutes have taken your soldiers, as prisoners or as meat for their bellies, I do not know. In case some yet live, let us be careful when we shoot."

-You know me: when I make a promise...

-The ending

But I thought most of it was so...blah. Lot of wasted potential.

I agree on those points, although, I would like to add (seeming as i just remembered) that whilst they never improved the story telling significantly in ODST, the did however manage a more cohesive and better paced one.
 
I feel like the next console cycle should last as long as the 360 has, but the current cycle was in a kind of technological transition period which sucks. Hardware for the 360 was probably locked for production in 2004, which means we got HD... but barely. Just give me current gen assets at 60fps locked, no draw distance, and 1080p native and I'm good to go for a decade.

I actually really appreciate your opinion, in particular the good to go for a decade part. You have all these people expecting all this ridiculous shit for next gen and native 1080p starting mid-to-late next gen seems totally plausible.


i was actually going to mention 3D augmented reality gameboys as a next-gen thing but then realized the 3DS exists
 
I agree on those points, although, I would like to add (seeming as i just remembered) that whilst they never improved the story telling significantly in ODST, the did however manage a more cohesive and better paced one.

I think the thing with Halo 3 is that they took so much of the criticism about Halo 2's story to heart. People didn't want to play as the Arbiter(especially since he wasn't in any of the marketing which was all about big space Jesus MC saving the Earth), and they didn't want to watch all the long cutscenes about his story(despite how well-crafted it was in terms of interesting characters, world-building, and extra nuance and complexity to the overall narrative). So it all went out the window! And they didn't replace it with a whole lot, either!

There's that one scene, Cortana's Rescue, that thing is just absolutely flawless in its composition and presentation, but most of the interesting character work went out the window for plotplotplot full-steam ahead.
 
I'll stick with my CoD popular answer. 60 fps creates less input lag and a better smoother sense of control. People really really like to control their weapons. This is the foundation, the skeleton is really solid, then you tack on a pretty decent FPS with decent graphics on top of it and you have a good fucking game. Americans love guns. Match made in heaven. Speaking of Matches CoD just tosses you in games, fuck boring ass lobbies and infinite reloading MM screens, CoD lets you PLAY the game.

Fuck I can't even get an Arena game half the time. N if I even want to win I have to wait and get a team (See plywood for proof) CoD I go in alone and win half lose half, and I don't think that even uses any skill matching at all.

Halo has the skin but its skeleton is getting weak. It needs to run better and faster.
 
You mean like never having to swap discs?
Mandatory installs? The worst os and game update system that has "graced" consumer electronics?
Of course I agree that the disk storage situation is a little pathetic in 2012.

It's another reason that stopped me from getting ME3 on the 360. Will be getting it on the pc instead.
 
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