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[Sofa King]

So, there's still some things we know exist in some form or another that we're still waiting on a reveal for:

- 2 new vehicles (unless Mantis is one)
- 4 more MP maps
- 2 more Forge environments (and additional pieces, color schemes, tools, etc...)
- Groups
- Ranking system (?)
- Detailed progression system breakdown
- Challenge system
- Theater
- Bungie Pro equivalent
- Custom game options
- Spartan Ops customization (beyond difficulties/skulls ?)

(Additional new game modes like Dominion, revamped CTF, etc..?)

What else?

Skulls available at launch, or do they need to be found in-game?

 

[Gunnerdude]

Just found out I share a birthday with Barrow......

I've decided I'm ok with this....

And overnight pictures! What a great present! Now just hand Barrow and I our copies of Halo 4 and we will be on our way!

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

Congrats to 343 on the completion of Halo 4. Most of those screenshots look gorgeous. However:



This is not the Flood.

Something out of my nightmares. They look like they will be very tough to fight. Are they supposed to be flood? Or Forerunners of some kind? Or Flood Forerunner forms?

 

[Hydranockz]

Computron, thanks for linking that networking talk. It was really interesting.

 

[Der Flatulator]

So, there's still some things we know exist in some form or another that we're still waiting on a reveal for:

- 2 new vehicles (unless Mantis is one)

Could be Mantis and Mammoth

- 4 more MP maps

3 maps. 1 is "Complex".

- 2 more Forge environments (and additional pieces, color schemes, tools, etc...)

1 is the map shown at PAX with Grifball, but we need more info!

- Groups

No comment

- Ranking system (?)

Beli343

- Detailed progression system breakdown

Probably in a bulletin some time soon

- Challenge system

Probably similar to Reach

- Theater

Will likely be the same as Reach

- Bungie Pro equivalent

Not sure if this will happen. I hope so though.

- Custom game options

MOAR OPTIONS, MOAR!

- Spartan Ops customization (beyond difficulties/skulls ?)

Doubt it.

(Additional new game modes like Dominion, revamped CTF, etc..?)

Probably some more stuff they haven't shown us yet.

 

[Genesis Knight]

These screens are bullshots of some kind, right? Supersampled or rendered higher than the game's native... Just seems like there's no way it will actually look that good. It's crazy talk...

Being serious but don't flame me, I've been posting in Halo threads for three years now and I'm as big a fan as the next guy. I'm just being realistic and I don't understand how the 360 can suddenly crank out jaggie-less visuals with shadows that crisp and clean.

 

[Fuchsdh]

Skulls available at launch, or do they need to be found in-game?

I'm guessing available, given there are no achievements for finding skulls.

These screens are bullshots of some kind, right? Supersampled or rendered higher than the game's native... Just seems like there's no way it will actually look that good. It's crazy talk...

Being serious but don't flame me, I've been posting in Halo threads for three years now and I'm as big a fan as the next guy. I'm just being realistic and I don't understand how the 360 can suddenly crank out jaggie-less visuals with shadows that crisp and clean.

I'm guessing it's a combination of legit graphics and 2x output scaled back to 1080p.

 

[Homeboyd]

3 maps. 1 is "Complex".

1. Adrift
2. Haven
3. Longbow
4. Exile
5. Solace
6. Complex

Which one am I missing? There's 10 total right?

 

[Der Flatulator]

1. Adrift
2. Haven
3. Longbow
4. Exile
5. Solace
6. Complex

Which one am I missing? There's 10 total right?

Oh, the remake though my count off.

(list here)

 

[Rickenslacker]

These screens are bullshots of some kind, right? Supersampled or rendered higher than the game's native... Just seems like there's no way it will actually look that good. It's crazy talk...

Being serious but don't flame me, I've been posting in Halo threads for three years now and I'm as big a fan as the next guy. I'm just being realistic and I don't understand how the 360 can suddenly crank out jaggie-less visuals with shadows that crisp and clean.

Now if that were true they actually would be magicians, but no the IQ is bullshot.

 

[Gui_PT]

It was found to have been redundant. Players would have always just switched to find out or simply remember they had it. When shrinking the secondary weapon icon, many silhouettes looked too similar to one another.

Hahahahaha

Great joke

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

So I take it this is Complex? It gives me a Mass Effect vibe for sure.

 

[TheOddOne]

Earlier version of the Grenade Launcher from Reach:

 

[Hypertrooper]

These screens are bullshots of some kind, right? Supersampled or rendered higher than the game's native... Just seems like there's no way it will actually look that good. It's crazy talk...

Being serious but don't flame me, I've been posting in Halo threads for three years now and I'm as big a fan as the next guy. I'm just being realistic and I don't understand how the 360 can suddenly crank out jaggie-less visuals with shadows that crisp and clean.

The screenshots from the mission "Dawn" looks like I have played this week. Won't comment on aliasing because game was upscaled in some strange monitor resolution.

 

[Rickenslacker]

Earlier version of the Grenade Launcher from Reach:

 

[Tawpgun]

Flood always seemed like s very free form kind of creature to me. I have no problem with spartan floods being different.

 

[Fuchsdh]

I wouldn't even mind the Sticky Launcher if it wasn't so diminutive and dinky in appearance. I need some girth on the giving end of the blast y'know?

I'll let Wahrer take this one...

Funny that the GL could have looked like the SAW though. Personally I like that the detonator doesn't look like any modern GL.

 

[op_ivy]

The thing I've always felt with Infection is that it's never fun to be a zombie. You're essentially headshot and shotgun fodder for the human's and then the climax of the game is bum rushing the last man standing who is stood in a teleporter node or with his back against the wall in a one entrance room. Yawn.

exactly why i'm dying to see the changes implemented. and yeah, i'm assuming some drastic changes - after seeing infinity slayer, ctf, oddball, griffball, and dominion, i think thats a fair assumption to make. not to mention that they finally took time to give this mode its due with actual infection models.

 

[op_ivy]

Halo 4 development is complete

then why do the screens still only show the equipped weapon in the UI?

 

[Hypertrooper]

then why do the screens still only show the equipped weapon in the UI?

No. Not a bug. Weird emergent UI decision based on a number of factors. At first my mind was blown, because I found out about it in a review meeting internally, but then it was pointed out to me I had been playing like that for six months and never noticed - just like the grand majority of test subjects. That's the symptom, but the reason is slightly more layered.

* There are so many weapons that silhouettes become semi-meaningless. Sure you can see a plasma pistol, but by the time players get to concussion rifle versus plasma mortar, those start to lose mnemonic cohesion. You add in several geometric and semi-symmetrical forerunner weapons, DMR versus BR, increased necessary sandbox cycling in campaign, MP and SPOPs, playlist/mode cycling and several other scenarios you can fill in yourself, as well as multiple user selectable load outs, it became apparent through testing and data that the most effective method for payers to understand what their secondary weapon was - was the weapon switch button, followed surprisingly, by memory. The experience and data around those allow us to reduce UI clutter by one item. And the HUD, while in some ways more subtle In terms of saturation and brightness now, needs as much clarity and simplicitly as possible to increase immersion and enhance gameplay space without letting its animation and audio do more than increase the sense of 'place 'in the user FOV.

It's an almost invisible and very subtle change for a very subtle improvement in the experience on balance. In certain game modes, Snipers for example, it's easy to see why it doesn't matter. But ironically player load outs vastly improve player awareness about what secondaries are. Worst case scenario, you will barely notice and get used to it. Best case scenario it will streamline your experience and in a hyper edge case, save your life when an enemy Tag appears in that extra real estate.

That's an experiential description, not necessarily the design breakdown.

.

 

[Der Flatulator]

then why do the screens still only show the equipped weapon in the UI?

this

No. Not a bug. Weird emergent UI decision based on a number of factors. At first my mind was blown, because I found out about it in a review meeting internally, but then it was pointed out to me I had been playing like that for six months and never noticed - just like the grand majority of test subjects. That's the symptom, but the reason is slightly more layered.

* There are so many weapons that silhouettes become semi-meaningless. Sure you can see a plasma pistol, but by the time players get to concussion rifle versus plasma mortar, those start to lose mnemonic cohesion. You add in several geometric and semi-symmetrical forerunner weapons, DMR versus BR, increased necessary sandbox cycling in campaign, MP and SPOPs, playlist/mode cycling and several other scenarios you can fill in yourself, as well as multiple user selectable load outs, it became apparent through testing and data that the most effective method for payers to understand what their secondary weapon was - was the weapon switch button, followed surprisingly, by memory. The experience and data around those allow us to reduce UI clutter by one item. And the HUD, while in some ways more subtle In terms of saturation and brightness now, needs as much clarity and simplicitly as possible to increase immersion and enhance gameplay space without letting its animation and audio do more than increase the sense of 'place 'in the user FOV.

It's an almost invisible and very subtle change for a very subtle improvement in the experience on balance. In certain game modes, Snipers for example, it's easy to see why it doesn't matter. But ironically player load outs vastly improve player awareness about what secondaries are. Worst case scenario, you will barely notice and get used to it. Best case scenario it will streamline your experience and in a hyper edge case, save your life when an enemy Tag appears in that extra real estate.

That's an experiential description, not necessarily the design breakdown.

edit: DAMN IT HYPER!!!

 

[Woorloog]

then why do the screens still only show the equipped weapon in the UI?

EDIT beaten, twice, badly.
I agree that it ain't really needed, i can play Halo CE and 2 without any issues, and i never think of it in Halo 3/Reach, i remember what i have.

 

[Hydranockz]

.

Hahahaha

Great joke.

 

[ElzarTheBam]

Hahahaha

Great joke.

Yeah.

That explanation Frankie gave, is the only time I have completely disagreed with, or failed to see the positives from the implementation.

 

[Omni]

>Wants to "streamline" HUD
>Adds random white text that pops up in the middle for no reason

Lol.

 

[op_ivy]

.

this


edit: DAMN IT HYPER!!!

EDIT beaten, twice, badly.
I agree that it ain't really needed, i can play Halo CE and 2 without any issues, and i never think of it in Halo 3/Reach, i remember what i have.

thank you, must have missed it. didnt frankie say it was indeed a bug a few months back, or did i misinterpret?

 

[Fracas]

No one else saw this? lol

 

[User 73706]

I'll let Wahrer take this one...

Funny that the GL could have looked like the SAW though. Personally I like that the detonator doesn't look like any modern GL.

Oh, you bitch.

I think the Flood forms are fine for now since we've never seen infected Spartans anyway. I just hope the standard Flood (like marines, elites, etc) look more traditional.

 

[Woorloog]

thank you, must have missed it. didnt frankie say it was indeed a bug a few months back, or did i misinterpret?

Well, considering he said he was surprised when he was told it wasn't in, i reckon he thought it a bug earlier on. I too interpreted lack of secondary weapon in HUD as being a bug based on what he said earlier.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it confirmed that no Flood were in campaign?

Yup. Well. Technically it was said we won't fight them.

 

[Omni]

Oh, you bitch.

I think the Flood forms are fine for now since we've never seen infected Spartans anyway. I just hope the standard Flood (like marines, elites, etc) look more traditional.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it confirmed that no Flood were in campaign?

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

I think the Flood forms are fine for now since we've never seen infected Spartans anyway. I just hope the standard Flood (like marines, elites, etc) look more traditional.

Same here. Although these new models look like they will be a blast to fight if they ever make it into campaign.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it confirmed that no Flood were in campaign?

Frank noted we don't fight the flood in Halo 4's campaign. They could be seen or referenced though. Also I would expect them in Halo 5 most likely.

 

[Fuchsdh]

Oh, you bitch.

I think the Flood forms are fine for now since we've never seen infected Spartans anyway. I just hope the standard Flood (like marines, elites, etc) look more traditional.

That's bastard to you.

Agree about the combat forms.

 

[Swarmerr]

Earlier version of the Grenade Launcher from Reach:

Glad they made it the way they did. Idk, the design looks cool but doesn't seem like halo to me. Granted, if this design ended up in reach I would probably say otherwise. (kinda looks like the saw gun though lol)

 

[lilty]

This game looks gorgeous. I love the lighting especially, and I'm really digging how bright and distinguishable the spartans are. That one screenshot of the 3 blue spartans really showcases how pretty the character models can be. That Mark VI with a black visor and blue colour scheme (my personal set up) is going to look so sexy.

I can't wait for this game any longer. I've seriously never been this excited for a game.

 

[Gabotron ES]

>Wants to "streamline" HUD
>Adds random white text that pops up in the middle for no reason

Lol.

My thougts.

THE IRONY, I CAN'T TAKE IT +10

 

[Fuchsdh]

Postmortem from HBO/FUD just made me realize why the Flood probably have crab claws instead of whips--less work to reskin and reanimate an energy sword Spartan. Makes sense, I guess. Prolly have similar hit boxes this way too.

 

[Hydranockz]

Yeah.

That explanation Frankie gave, is the only time I have completely disagreed with, or failed to see the positives from the implementation.

Could you elaborate on that?

 

[Tashi]

Awesome screens. Congratulations to 343 on completing Halo 4.

Now, is the game gold now or is it gold when it passes cert?

 

[willow ve]

For those that have errors with Waypoint (so say we all) many/most of the pictures were posted here last night

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=490778&page=229

(not sure how linking to pages in a thread works with 50 v 100 ppp).

-----

I agree with the general responses to pretty much everything. Game looks fantastic. Flood forms look a little too much like modern sci-fi horror monsters (and not enough like the Flood)

Spoiler

but I'll adapt

 

[squidhands]

Congrats to 343 on the completion of Halo 4. Most of those screenshots look gorgeous. However:



This is not the Flood.

Doesn't The Flood shape change based on the form it inhabits? Has any Flood overtaken a Spartan, who are chock-full of body modifications? I kind of like the new design.

So, there's still some things we know exist in some form or another that we're still waiting on a reveal for:

- 2 new vehicles (unless Mantis is one)
- 4 more MP maps
- 2 more Forge environments (and additional pieces, color schemes, tools, etc...)
- Groups
- Ranking system (?)
- Detailed progression system breakdown
- Challenge system
- Theater
- Bungie Pro equivalent
- Custom game options
- Spartan Ops customization (beyond difficulties/skulls ?)
- All skulls
- Full medal list

(Additional new game modes like Dominion, revamped CTF, etc..?)

What else?

WHAT'S ON THE SECOND FUCKING DISK?

-------------------------------------------------------

On a side note, Waypoint is a horrible, horrible site. Constant error messages, and now I can't even get to the new media that was released last night. I don't understand how an official site can be such a hassle to pull up 99.8% of the time.

 

[Der Flatulator]

This hasn't been released yet, hasn't it? Wasn't it set for something like the end of July?

On a side note, Waypoint is a horrible, horrible site. Constant error messages, and now I can't even get to the new media that was released last night. I don't understand how an official site can be such a hassle to pull up 99.8% of the time.

Never had problems like this... There are authentication problems that are resolved by letting it sign in and then going back to the link, but other than that and general performance issues it's not that bad...

 

[Gunnerdude]

Awesome screens. Congratulations to 343 on completing Halo 4.

Now, is the game gold now or is it gold when it passes cert?

Gold when it passes cert.

 

[Vire]

Grats to 343.

Game looks phenomenal in those screenshots.

Don't like the "Flood" design at all though. Besides that, thumbs up.

 

[heckfu]

Fracas, check PMs

 

[The Librarian]

Doesn't The Flood shape change based on the form it inhabits? Has any Flood overtaken a Spartan, who are chock-full of body modifications? I kind of like the new design.

Yes they do, but there has always been some uniform characteristics across all hosts. Texture of the body, color, and a shared theme of dis-figuration. If I was given that picture without any context, "Flood" would not have been the first thing to come to my mind.

Something out of my nightmares. They look like they will be very tough to fight. Are they supposed to be flood? Or Forerunners of some kind? Or Flood Forerunner forms?

Can you give more context to your post? Because it seems like you haven't heard about the new infection mode for multiplayer in which the zombies turn into Flood. They're supposed to be Flood, and they're Flood forms Spartan IVs.

Gotta give props to 343 for overhauling the gametype like this, even if I don't like the redesigned Flood. I'm excited to play it.

 

[Tashi]

Gold when it passes cert.

Thought so. Had an idea for the intro to the next podcast but it will have to wait now lol

 

[HigherLevel]

One of my favorite things about this game so far is that all the multiplayer maps seem to be carefully designed not just for how they play but the art style too. We all know Bungie got lazy with maps in Reach so it's nice to good looking maps again.

 

[Louis Wu]

Halo 4

Um... Frank said just a couple of hours ago that it was sent for certification; I'd be really surprised if it was gold already.


And though I thank Demoncarnotaur for all the image reposts last night, I'd be much, much happier if Waypoint were actually up right now. (Well, it IS up - but with a year-old database.) Bleh. I have no idea what's missing from last night's posts. (Most said 'highlights', implying there were non-posted pics.)

 

[Overdoziz]

Fracas, check PMs

Did you bully him again?

 

[Omni]

I wonder if we'll get Flood assassinations?