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[Zeouterlimits]

I find it ...'fascinating' that one of the main BTS bits we get for FUD is for the finale.

Stopped watching as soon as he said it.

Would I watch a BTS for the final few levels of the game? No.
Why would I do it here?

 

[NobleGundam]

I personally want to see the mtw leaks... Not really for info about the game, but just out of curiosity to see what ideas 343 had. I know it's not in 343's best interest to ever show that stuff and I don't expect them to, but I would still love to see it.

Agree with you on this.

 

[Stinkles]

What? I see posters criticizing Microsoft for not releasing specific information (about an upcoming title they are both developing and publishing) that meets what requirement? Stuff they personally wanna know? How is this a valid criticism of marketing?

Most of us have been here for years and know that we're essentially in a position of waiting for scraps. The implied sense of entitlement from some is embarrassing.

I don't mind people asking for stuff and while people certainly get "entitled" I think that a lack of video content is a valid complaint - but here's the reality:

• BTS stuff is not "marketing" - which may be an irrelevant distinction, but it's community support and not designed to "sell" units.
  
• We are swamped and haven't made as much stuff as we'd like.
  
• Events - things like E3, PAX, comiccon are sucking up a lot of the spare time we have.
  
• For every BTS or Vidoc you don't have, those team members have been working on launching the game, so it's not like we have loads of people sitting around doing nothing.
  
• Creating stable builds for screenshots and movies is not trivial.
  
• WE ARE WORKING ON MORE VIDEO CONTENT BETWEEN NOW AND LAUNCH THAT WILL APPEASE SOME OF YOU.

All caps is so you see it, not because I am yelling.

 

[Flipyap]

I was never too good at getting Halo 3's lighting to work in weird ways to my advantage for screenshots. Except this one.

One of my favorites.

 

[Zeouterlimits]

I don't mind people asking for stuff and while people certainly get "entitled" I think that a lack of video content is a valid complaint - but here's the reality:

• BTS stuff is not "marketing" - which may be an irrelevant distinction, but it's community support and not designed to "sell" units.
  
• We are swamped and haven't made as much stuff as we'd like.
  
• Events - things like E3, PAX, comiccon are sucking up a lot of the spare time we have.
  
• For every BTS or Vidoc you don't have, those team members have been working on launching the game, so it's not like we have loads of people sitting around doing nothing.
  
• Creating stable builds for screenshots and movies is not trivial.
  
• WE ARE WORKING ON MORE VIDEO CONTENT BETWEEN NOW AND LAUNCH THAT WILL APPEASE SOME OF YOU.

All caps is so you see it, not because I am yelling.

Most .. A few of us are aware of this, but I just think it's a pity.

 

[wwm0nkey]

I'll say this, Bungie was much better at doling the info out and keeping the community salivating for more info. How long until the game goes to cert?

They usually gave out too many SP locations though. I am fine with they way 343 is handling this (SDCC wasnt even that long ago, some of you are acting like we have been waiting 2 months for info)

 

[HiredN00bs]

I wouldn't call wanting more info about a product a company wants to sell me "entitlement".

Except that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about people faulting the company for not marketing based on the metric of "they're not giving me what I want". That's not the purpose of marketing. Microsoft, as a developer/publisher, isn't required to share anything with anyone, super-fans included. Now, arguing why a particular strategy is detrimental or beneficial based on its own merits might be a reasonable discussion, even just saying "I'm super excited for Halo 4 and wish I could get an early peek at X" isn't really unreasonable, and in some cases, the developer or publisher can grant such a wish. But saying "343 Industries sucks because it's less than 100 days to release and they haven't given me X" is just so fucking stupid and backwards that it deserves admonishment.

 

[Steelyuhas]

Halo Reach saved space because the MP maps were shared with the campaign, that saves a lot of space.

Halo 4 will have separate campaign and multiplayer maps, if Reach would have done the same then I don't see how it would have fit onto one disc.

I think one of the Halo 4 discs could be Spartan Ops, there is no reason for it to be downloadable unless 343 can't finish all the missions before launch (SP guys must be working on Spartan Ops, they finished campaign a long time ago I believe), but in reality I expect it to be locked content already on a disc which is unlocked every week.

Pretty sure that MP maps also being a location in Campaign doesn't change any space requirements. You still have to have a separate .map for each MP map.

We already know that Spartan Ops is something that you will download each week. The missions are not on the disc.

I am not comparing people. I am comparing the details. No company releases details until they are 100% certain that those details will be indicative of the final product. If they do release info, it's usually with a pretty hefty disclaimer that the information can change.

It's the same with campaign details. It's the same with multiplayer details. It's the same with the size of the OST. It's the same with the key art they use. It's the same with the UI. It's the same with the amount of pages they say will be in the manual.

Also, if people look back. When did we ever get an idea as to what features didn't make the cut of any game? Guardian was going to be in Halo 3's campaign. We found that out post-release of Halo 3. Why on earth would you expect to see these things before the game even comes out? That's suicidal marketing right there because you have people clamouring to those cut features. This is exactly the reason that the Network Test wasn't released to the public and why there are no sreenshots (except from idiots).

Edit: So while it's really awesome when we see what could have been, at least wait until the ame releases before wanting to see that stuff.... You know, the way these things have always happened.

Stuff like sections of campaign that are cut are cut long before a network test 6 months before the release of the game.

I fail to see what's wrong with people wanting to see the footage. We know that it's old, and that stuff as changed, but we would definitely still see stuff that we haven't seen yet and it would give us a pretty decent indication of what some of the weapons and abilities are going to be like.

 

[TS x Massacre]

I don't mind people asking for stuff and while people certainly get "entitled" I think that a lack of video content is a valid complaint - but here's the reality:

• BTS stuff is not "marketing" - which may be an irrelevant distinction, but it's community support and not designed to "sell" units.
  
• We are swamped and haven't made as much stuff as we'd like.
  
• Events - things like E3, PAX, comiccon are sucking up a lot of the spare time we have.
  
• For every BTS or Vidoc you don't have, those team members have been working on launching the game, so it's not like we have loads of people sitting around doing nothing.
  
• Creating stable builds for screenshots and movies is not trivial.
  
• WE ARE WORKING ON MORE VIDEO CONTENT BETWEEN NOW AND LAUNCH THAT WILL APPEASE SOME OF YOU.

All caps is so you see it, not because I am yelling.

Yeah, I can't imagine how insane it is trying to fit all this stuff into the little time you guys DO have with all the events and such going on.

Some people need to realize that if they know every little thing before the game comes out, then half the experience is out the window.

Also, looking forward to what you guys have in store for us, I've gotten over the "need info" itch for right now, just looking forward to playing the game.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I was never too good at getting Halo 3's lighting to work in weird ways to my advantage for screenshots. Except this one.

One of my favorites.

Some oldies from my hosted pics.

Halo 3's lighting style was great to go back and admire in theater.

I don't mind people asking for stuff and while people certainly get "entitled" I think that a lack of video content is a valid complaint - but here's the reality:

• BTS stuff is not "marketing" - which may be an irrelevant distinction, but it's community support and not designed to "sell" units.
  
• We are swamped and haven't made as much stuff as we'd like.
  
• Events - things like E3, PAX, comiccon are sucking up a lot of the spare time we have.
  
• For every BTS or Vidoc you don't have, those team members have been working on launching the game, so it's not like we have loads of people sitting around doing nothing.
  
• Creating stable builds for screenshots and movies is not trivial.
  
• WE ARE WORKING ON MORE VIDEO CONTENT BETWEEN NOW AND LAUNCH THAT WILL APPEASE SOME OF YOU.

All caps is so you see it, not because I am yelling.

Appreciated.

 

[_Computer_]

One thing I hate is when I go to my local game stop and Halo 4 ads don't exists. Plastered all over the windows and the show room all you see is Black Ops 2. There are alot of people that play games and have no clue that Halo 4 is in production due the the horrific marketing.

 

[Overdoziz]

• WE ARE WORKING ON MORE VIDEO CONTENT BETWEEN NOW AND LAUNCH THAT WILL APPEASE SOME OF YOU.

It's more FUD stuff, isn't it?

 

[Im_So_Pringles]

Am I the only one around that really doesn't need any more Halo 4 media? I've already got the limited edition pre-ordered. It's not that I'm going on blackout or anything like that, I just don't need to see any more than I have lol

 

[ViewtifulJC]

343 Feedback: Please click on the option that describes what you think about the marketing:

-Happy
-Sad
-Upset
-Hydra
-KyleJ
-Overkill

Fixed

 

[Poker Face]

I don't mind people asking for stuff and while people certainly get "entitled" I think that a lack of video content is a valid complaint - but here's the reality:

• BTS stuff is not "marketing" - which may be an irrelevant distinction, but it's community support and not designed to "sell" units.
  
• We are swamped and haven't made as much stuff as we'd like.
  
• Events - things like E3, PAX, comiccon are sucking up a lot of the spare time we have.
  
• For every BTS or Vidoc you don't have, those team members have been working on launching the game, so it's not like we have loads of people sitting around doing nothing.
  
• Creating stable builds for screenshots and movies is not trivial.
  
• WE ARE WORKING ON MORE VIDEO CONTENT BETWEEN NOW AND LAUNCH THAT WILL APPEASE SOME OF YOU.

All caps is so you see it, not because I am yelling.

Things like this should go into the bulletin. Thanks for the update though

 

[Tha Robbertster]

Some people need to realize that if they know every little thing before the game comes out, then half the experience is out the window.

Are you talking about campaign or multiplayer here? Cause I don't think there are many people in here that actually mind when stuff about the mulitplayer is ''spoiled''. And multiplayer is also the thing that most people want info on right now. They can keep campaign largely under wraps and I'd be happy with that but tell us as much about the MP as is possible. I and I think the majority of people on here won't care about ''spoilers''.

 

[heckfu]

I'm super stressed out at work and glanced at gaf during my break, caught this, and started laughing. Thanks for that much needed relief!

I don't mind people asking for stuff and while people certainly get "entitled" I think that a lack of video content is a valid complaint - but here's the reality:

• BTS stuff is not "marketing" - which may be an irrelevant distinction, but it's community support and not designed to "sell" units.
  
• We are swamped and haven't made as much stuff as we'd like.
  
• Events - things like E3, PAX, comiccon are sucking up a lot of the spare time we have.
  
• For every BTS or Vidoc you don't have, those team members have been working on launching the game, so it's not like we have loads of people sitting around doing nothing.
  
• Creating stable builds for screenshots and movies is not trivial.
  
• WE ARE WORKING ON MORE VIDEO CONTENT BETWEEN NOW AND LAUNCH THAT WILL APPEASE SOME OF YOU.

All caps is so you see it, not because I am yelling.

Why are you releasing all your stuff to MTW to leak? That seems unfair.

 

[Ramirez]

What's funny is that it seems like most games keep everything under wraps right until about a month before launch. Then every media site gets its own campaign & MP level to cover and then you know everything about the game.

 

[HiredN00bs]

BTS stuff is not "marketing" - which may be an irrelevant distinction, but it's community support and not designed to "sell" units.

It may not be traditional marketing, but it certainly has an indirect effect on sales. BTS video releases, links go out to media outlets large and small, community websites, those members spread the information by word-of-mouth to people outside the community, etc. Fostering community has to be of financial interest to the company for them to have invested in it.

 

[Not a Jellyfish]

It's more FUD stuff, isn't it?

Boom! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=le6TQCk2j7I&feature=player_embedded Spoilerish of the finale, you have been warned.

 

[L1NETT]

One thing I hate is when I go to my local game stop and Halo 4 ads don't exists. Plastered all over the windows and the show room all you see is Black Ops 2. There are alot of people that play games and have no clue that Halo 4 is in production due the the horrific marketing.

Wouldn't call it horrible marketing, maybe the big push hasn't begun yet and Call of Duty's one has.

But where I live the local games outlet (although GAME closed down) is BLOPS 2 everything. Not a whiff of Halo 4.

 

[_Computer_]

I think some of us become disappointed with the marketing because we all want Halo 4 to be the biggest most suspenseful game it can be. We feel like we have a stake in it being we have stuck with Halo through thick and thin (Reach). We all have pride in the game and want to see it take off.

 

[squidhands]

One thing I hate is when I go to my local game stop and Halo 4 ads don't exists. Plastered all over the windows and the show room all you see is Black Ops 2. There are alot of people that play games and have no clue that Halo 4 is in production due the the horrific marketing.

I think this is the first time I've read about someone actually wanting more marketing. Bill Hicks is rolling in his grave.

What's funny is that it seems like most games keep everything under wraps right until about a month before launch. Then every media site gets its own campaign & MP level to cover and then you know everything about the game.

Yep, when that all starts to hit, I think I'll be going dark. I hope there's some good multiplayer stuff to gnaw on, but I don't want to know any more about campaign and, to a lesser extent, SpOps than I already do.

 

[Homeboyd]

Boom! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=le6TQCk2j7I&feature=player_embedded Spoilerish of the finale, you have been warned.

Dude. That's the third time you've posted that in a page and a half. And it was already posted 3-4 times before you started. No worries, but we saw it.

 

[wwm0nkey]

One thing I hate is when I go to my local game stop and Halo 4 ads don't exists. Plastered all over the windows and the show room all you see is Black Ops 2. There are alot of people that play games and have no clue that Halo 4 is in production due the the horrific marketing.

A marketing push right now would be fucking stupid. Septmeber-November marketing push would be smart.

Those ads you are seeing at GameStop? Pre-order ads and GameStop happily advertises pre-orders because they gather interest off that $5 you put down and they know Black Ops II will sell like crazy. Black Ops II doesnt have a lot of video reveals either and I don't think we actually have 1 multiplayer video at all for it.

Also for the fact Halo 4 has no real pre-order bonuses besides some skins where as Black Ops II has a map (which is some BS)

 

[HiredN00bs]

I think some of us become disappointed with the marketing because we all want Halo 4 to be the biggest most suspenseful game it can be. We feel like we have a stake in it being we have stuck with Halo through thick and thin (Reach). We all have pride in the game and want to see it take off.

No one's questioning anyone's passions or intentions, rather the rationality of their criticisms. For example:

a) I went to Gamestop and saw a Black Ops cardboard stand-up.

b) I didn't see any Halo 4 ads there.

conclusion) Halo 4 marketing is horrible.

Let's just try to be a little more reasonable. Please?

 

[ArchedThunder]

I don't mind people asking for stuff and while people certainly get "entitled" I think that a lack of video content is a valid complaint - but here's the reality:

• BTS stuff is not "marketing" - which may be an irrelevant distinction, but it's community support and not designed to "sell" units.
  
• We are swamped and haven't made as much stuff as we'd like.
  
• Events - things like E3, PAX, comiccon are sucking up a lot of the spare time we have.
  
• For every BTS or Vidoc you don't have, those team members have been working on launching the game, so it's not like we have loads of people sitting around doing nothing.
  
• Creating stable builds for screenshots and movies is not trivial.
  
• WE ARE WORKING ON MORE VIDEO CONTENT BETWEEN NOW AND LAUNCH THAT WILL APPEASE SOME OF YOU.

All caps is so you see it, not because I am yelling.

There should be people who should be able to make these videos, but I'm just glad you told us that you will be releasing some new videos semi-soon. PAX I presume? I can wait that long as long as we finally get a REAL blow out.


Unrelated question, one of the bulletins said that the new UNSC logo was introduced after the Human-Covenant war, so why is it on the Forward unto Dawn?

 

[Orochinagis]

I think some of us become disappointed with the marketing because we all want Halo 4 to be the biggest most suspenseful game it can be. We feel like we have a stake in it being we have stuck with Halo through thick and thin (Reach). We all have pride in the game and want to see it take off.

Maybe the announcement was to soon but yeah Halo 4's marketing its more quiet or we were more used to see Bungie's Vidocs and info about everything

 

[MaximumFlipFlop]

343 has just left us with too many questions that need clarification upon clarification. If we were just given solid data drops that were well thought out before delivery to us, and didn't leave us scratching our heads, we wouldn't be in this predicament is the first place.

 

[ArchedThunder]

Maybe the announcement was to soon but yeah Halo 4's marketing its more quiet or we were more used to see Bungie's Vidocs and info about everything

343 should do what Bungie did in the down times between reveals, give detailed info on weapons and other things like that. I remember before Halo 3 they actually wrote and article about the fusion coil.

 

[Stinkles]

It's more FUD stuff, isn't it?

No. Gameplay. Of non-Barn Builds. Including a build from yesterday where I had the most fun I have ever had in a game of Slayer, ever.

 

[Poker Face]

is it safe to assume no update tonight?

 

[ViewtifulJC]

No. Gameplay. Of non-Barn Builds. Including a build from yesterday where I had the most fun I have ever had in a game of Slayer, ever.

Now I know what that regen field tweet was about yesterday

Spoiler

j/k

 

[Talents]

• WE ARE WORKING ON MORE VIDEO CONTENT BETWEEN NOW AND LAUNCH THAT WILL APPEASE SOME OF YOU.

.

As long as you talk about the ranking system before launch, I'll be good.

 

[Beckx]

There should be people who should be able to make these videos

I assume that he means the team creating the assets is just flat-out with no time to make stuff for the marketing team. I guarantee that among MS's many marketing people there are some *screaming* for assets. But it's a cost/benefit thing from the way Frankie talks about it - do you stop and detail people to create nice stuff for the marketing team, or keep grinding toward that deadline?

No. Gameplay. Of non-Barn Builds. Including a build from yesterday where I had the most fun I have ever had in a game of Slayer, ever.

F'ing sweet. Happy.

 

[CyReN]

No. Gameplay. Of non-Barn Builds. Including a build from yesterday where I had the most fun I have ever had in a game of Slayer, ever.

nerd chills.

 

[Overdoziz]

No. Gameplay. Of non-Barn Builds. Including a build from yesterday where I had the most fun I have ever had in a game of Slayer, ever.

If you give me the newest build I'll poop out a multiplayer vidoc for free.

 

[Demoncarnotaur]

Soo, here are a few random Halo 3 pics that I still have saved:

I don't mind people asking for stuff and while people certainly get "entitled" I think that a lack of video content is a valid complaint - but here's the reality:

• BTS stuff is not "marketing" - which may be an irrelevant distinction, but it's community support and not designed to "sell" units.
  
• We are swamped and haven't made as much stuff as we'd like.
  
• Events - things like E3, PAX, comiccon are sucking up a lot of the spare time we have.
  
• For every BTS or Vidoc you don't have, those team members have been working on launching the game, so it's not like we have loads of people sitting around doing nothing.
  
• Creating stable builds for screenshots and movies is not trivial.
  
• WE ARE WORKING ON MORE VIDEO CONTENT BETWEEN NOW AND LAUNCH THAT WILL APPEASE SOME OF YOU.

All caps is so you see it, not because I am yelling.

Cool, thank you for explaining. Its still frustrating at times, but this is completely understandable. I am definitely looking forward to seeing more in the hopefully semi near future.

 

[Recarpo]

Yep, when that all starts to hit, I think I'll be going dark. I hope there's some good multiplayer stuff to gnaw on, but I don't want to know any more about campaign and, to a lesser extent, SpOps than I already do.

I'm the same way. I haven't even watched the spartan ops stuff at this point because I want it all to be a surprise. I'm always up for more MP information and footage, though.

 

[thezerofire]

I realize it takes a lot of time to do video and screenshots and stuff, but could we get more textual information? I know there's a lot that isn't done, but is there anything that is done enough for us to know about?

 

[ArchedThunder]

I assume that he means the team creating the assets is just flat-out with no time to make stuff for the marketing team. I guarantee that among MS's many marketing people there are some *screaming* for assets. But it's a cost/benefit thing from the way Frankie talks about it - do you stop and detail people to create nice stuff for the marketing team, or keep grinding toward that deadline?

This late in development there are definitely some people on the team that don't have much left to do, such as designers. Maybe they should have planed ahead to have people make videos at this time, Bungie never had a problem like this.

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

[*]WE ARE WORKING ON MORE VIDEO CONTENT BETWEEN NOW AND LAUNCH THAT WILL APPEASE SOME OF YOU.
[/LIST]

All caps is so you see it, not because I am yelling.

Frankie thx.

 

[Beckx]

This late in development there are definitely some people on the team that don't have much left to do, such as designers. Maybe they should have planed ahead to have people make videos at this time, Bungie never had a problem like this.

Well, yeah, that's a different criticism though. I have no idea what their staffing levels or budgets are, and whether those are appropriate. Just saying that I generally accept at face value that the people who could be tasked to create assets for a Bungie-level flow of information are otherwise occupied.

I realize it takes a lot of time to do video and screenshots and stuff, but could we get more textual information? I know there's a lot that isn't done, but is there anything that is done enough for us to know about?

This really is a great point, though, one would think that the kind of stuff Urk was doing in the run up to Reach would be possible. I ate up every last morsel of information in the BWUs leading up to Reach.

 

[_Computer_]

No. Gameplay. Of non-Barn Builds. Including a build from yesterday where I had the most fun I have ever had in a game of Slayer, ever.

There is the marketing right there! A commercial of Franky with a nice close up. His head glistening in the sunset. stating that line "I had the most fun I have ever had in a game of Slayer, ever." Sold.

 

[CyReN]

I realize it takes a lot of time to do video and screenshots and stuff, but could we get more textual information? I know there's a lot that isn't done, but is there anything that is done enough for us to know about?

Like this:

• Gameplay
• Game Modes
• Gametypes
• Maps + Missions

 

[ArchedThunder]

Well, yeah, that's a different criticism though. I have no idea what their staffing levels or budgets are, and whether those are appropriate. Just saying that I generally accept at face value that the people who could be tasked to create assets for a Bungie-level flow of information are otherwise occupied.

343 is huge, not to mention they are the holders of Microsoft's biggest money maker. They should have all the resources they would need yet they didn't have enough resources to do a beta, do forge on their own, or release a steady flow of information, images and videos. Shouldn't they have people who's job is to do things like make videos? I guess Halo 4 will be a learning experience for 343, I doubt the lead up to Halo 5 will be anything like Halo 4 or CEA, which had the very same problems. I'm fine with that as long as the game turns out well.

 

[Sofa King]

I don't mind people asking for stuff and while people certainly get "entitled" I think that a lack of video content is a valid complaint - but here's the reality:

• BTS stuff is not "marketing" - which may be an irrelevant distinction, but it's community support and not designed to "sell" units.
  
• We are swamped and haven't made as much stuff as we'd like.
  
  [*]Events - things like E3, PAX, comiccon are sucking up a lot of the spare time we have.
  
• For every BTS or Vidoc you don't have, those team members have been working on launching the game, so it's not like we have loads of people sitting around doing nothing.
  
• Creating stable builds for screenshots and movies is not trivial.
  
• WE ARE WORKING ON MORE VIDEO CONTENT BETWEEN NOW AND LAUNCH THAT WILL APPEASE SOME OF YOU.

All caps is so you see it, not because I am yelling.

PAX!!!! Hoping for some info on what to expect at PAX soon

 

[Beckx]

Like this:

• Gameplay
• Game Modes
• Gametypes
• Maps + Missions

I think he means stuff like this, where we got all the possible Firefight settings.

 

[Risen]

No. Gameplay. Of non-Barn Builds. Including a build from yesterday where I had the most fun I have ever had in a game of Slayer, ever.

So it was the new Team Hardcore... right?

 

[ArchedThunder]

PAX!!!! Hoping for some info on what to expect at PAX soon

They will probably reveal 2-3 more maps, the changes to returning modes like CTF, maybe a new mode or two, and hopefully some more details on forge or the reveal of another forge environment.