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[The Librarian]

Blame Urk. Tom or Chris will fix it as soon as they get in this morning.

Urk is out of the office today, leaving me in charge of the weekly update... weird not being able to scoop him. I admit I don't have much planned yet, I'll have to see where inspiration strikes as the day progresses. However I'm not averse to considering special requests either.

Make special note that, as of yesterday, I graduated high school.

 

[ManCannon]

How about you have a section of the update where you field some questions from HaloGAF Brian?

If questions surface that can be realistically answered, sure, I'll see if we can tackle a few as appropriate. I am rounding up a few in-game assets that don't cause PR conflicts but will still be interesting.

I'm actually spending a few hours touring a journalist around the studio today, stopping at people's desks to talk shop and see what they're working on, so I'm pretty sure some gems will come from that.

Damn I think I'm scooping my own update now

 

[GhaleonEB]

Blame Urk. Tom or Chris will fix it as soon as they get in this morning.

Urk is out of the office today, leaving me in charge of the weekly update... weird not being able to scoop him. I admit I don't have much planned yet, I'll have to see where inspiration strikes as the day progresses. However I'm not averse to considering special requests either.

I'd love to hear a rundown on just where the project is right now at a high level. What's been completed, what's left to do. We've seen terms like "content complete" and "polish complete" used before, the latter on Actual Noble. But I don't really know what they mean in terms of milestones, or what stages of development remain after each. I'd love to have them broken down somewhat.

If questions surface that can be realistically answered, sure, I'll see if we can tackle a few as appropriate. I am rounding up a few in-game assets that don't cause PR conflicts but will still be interesting.

I'm actually spending a few hours touring a journalist around the studio today, stopping at people's desks to talk shop and see what they're working on, so I'm pretty sure some gems will come from that.

Damn I think I'm scooping my own update now

Sounds good. The post Beta but pre-E3 stage is an awkward one, but it's good to hear there's some stuff you can round up.

 

[Shishka]

If questions surface that can be realistically answered, sure, I'll see if we can tackle a few as appropriate. I am rounding up a few in-game assets that don't cause PR conflicts but will still be interesting.

I'm actually spending a few hours touring a journalist around the studio today, stopping at people's desks to talk shop and see what they're working on, so I'm pretty sure some gems will come from that.

Damn I think I'm scooping my own update now

Too soon to give them my wallpaper? Or will that always be too soon? =\

Make special note that, as of yesterday, I graduated high school.

Grats!

 

[The Librarian]

If questions surface that can be realistically answered, sure, I'll see if we can tackle a few as appropriate. I am rounding up a few in-game assets that don't cause PR conflicts but will still be interesting.

I'm actually spending a few hours touring a journalist around the studio today, stopping at people's desks to talk shop and see what they're working on, so I'm pretty sure some gems will come from that.

Damn I think I'm scooping my own update now

Will we have a "Blame Stosh" section this week?

Grats!

Thank ya!

 

[Kapura]

Brian, we all love you here, but my guess is the BWU will be full of not a lot this week, and, quite frankly, urk writes the very best pages of nothing. I don't think you'll top him :/

 

[ManCannon]

Too soon to give them my wallpaper? Or will that always be too soon? =\

I think that wallpaper is at least October..

 

[Kapura]

I think that wallpaper is at least October..

 

[Tashi]

Too soon to give them my wallpaper? Or will that always be too soon? =\

TEASE MOOAARRRRRRRRRR

 

[ManCannon]

Brian, we all love you here, but my guess is the BWU will be full of not a lot this week, and, quite frankly, urk writes the very best pages of nothing. I don't think you'll top him :/

I will make up for my lack of overly verbose prose and teasing metaphors by straight up posting screenshots, Q&A and blurbs that I've asked people on the team to write themselves. Really I only censor and cut the "real" content out of Urk's updates to give myself more to work with during the rare times when he's out of the office. That's the great thing about being the Reach PR gatekeepr.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I will make up for my lack of overly verbose prose and teasing metaphors by straight up posting screenshots, Q&A and blurbs that I've asked people on the team to write themselves. Really I only censor and cut the "real" content out of Urk's updates to give myself more to work with during the rare times when he's out of the office. That's the great thing about being the Reach PR gatekeepr.

It's good to be king.

Thanks for the preview.

 

[Slightly Live]

E3 Teasing is expected and would be swell. Actually, anything cryptic in general would be awesome. The Speculation Engine is a marvel to behold.

 

[Butane123]

Hey Sketch, go ask Halcylon how his first week has been for the update. A lot of people know him from B.net, so it could be interesting for us.

 

[feel]

Ok, officially excited for this update.

 

[Hey You]

Urk is out of the office today, leaving me in charge of the weekly update... weird not being able to scoop him. I admit I don't have much planned yet, I'll have to see where inspiration strikes as the day progresses. However I'm not averse to considering special requests either.

I was wondering why the front page wasn't updated. This should be a interesting WU.

Oh and Sketch. HBO is rallying some Q's for ya.

 

[Tashi]

I wonder if Bungie will make DLC in the form of "campaign" missions. New levels to go through, not necessarily have a story but to offer what Reach campaign will. Maybe slap it on with a map pack.

 

[FourDoor]

I will make up for my lack of overly verbose prose and teasing metaphors by straight up posting screenshots, Q&A and blurbs that I've asked people on the team to write themselves. Really I only censor and cut the "real" content out of Urk's updates to give myself more to work with during the rare times when he's out of the office. That's the great thing about being the Reach PR gatekeepr.

A picture is worth a thousand words right? So post as many screenshots as you can to top Urk and we're golden! :lol

Dani, great read by the way. Thanks for posting and adding a little voice of intellectual reason behind the complaints posted on the interwebs.

 

[The Librarian]

I wonder if Bungie will make DLC in the form of "campaign" missions. New levels to go through, not necessarily have a story but to offer what Reach campaign will. Maybe slap it on with a map pack.

When it comes to DLC, and given how Bungie is approaching MP maps this time around, I think we'll mainly be given asymmetrical MP maps in the game, then mostly symmetrical MP maps for DLC.

 

[Tashi]

When it comes to DLC, and given how Bungie is approaching MP maps this time around, I think we'll mainly be given asymmetrical MP maps in the game, then most symmetrical MP maps for DLC.

True but if Bungie were to offer campaign style missions all of those campaign noobs who don't touch multiplayer or only do for a month or so would come back.

 

[Domino Theory]

If questions surface that can be realistically answered, sure, I'll see if we can tackle a few as appropriate. I am rounding up a few in-game assets that don't cause PR conflicts but will still be interesting.

I'm actually spending a few hours touring a journalist around the studio today, stopping at people's desks to talk shop and see what they're working on, so I'm pretty sure some gems will come from that.

Damn I think I'm scooping my own update now

Post a YouTube video of you in Powerhouse showing off all the changes (no more ghosting, faster movement, higher jump heights, etc.), please.

 

[zumphry]

Halo's fans are loyal to the Halo experience. This experience simply cannot be found in other games. It's hard to describe exactly what makes this experience unique but it's what keeps fans going and coming back to Halo games year after year, month after month and despite the release of newer games and the growth of other popular game franchises.

Loved the small piece from your article Dani, but I think I have somewhat of an answer for this. I don't know if it was someone from here or not, but I remember someone saying that Halo was practically a fancier version of army men/action figures from their childhood. I think that's pretty fitting for why Halo is unique. Halo doesn't really try to be a simulation shooter, but that doesn't necessarily mean it tries to be a pure game either (or "gamey", if that makes any sense). Halo just is Bungie (and soon 343) making what they see as the best game out there that is fun. It's built to be fun, and it is fun (most of the time). That's what people keep coming back to.

That probably doesn't make much sense, or people will say that I'm just trying to be sophisticated in writing like you, but whatever. :lol

Hey Sketch, go ask Halcylon how his first week has been for the update. A lot of people know him from B.net, so it could be interesting for us.

No way, he works at Bungie now? That's awesome.

The 60-bullet clip leaves plenty of blood decals on the floor, thats for damn sure

(sometimes you have to teach those elites not to mess with you after you've already killed them)

And then cause my Xbox to start to slow down due to so much blood being sprayed out. :lol

 

[EazyB]

Are players given the option of turning off the bloom in custom gametypes?

 

[Dirtbag]

Are players given the option of turning off the bloom in custom gametypes?

You really think this is even a remote possibility?
Of course not.

 

[Self Induced]

When is Halo 1 coming to XBLA?

 

[The Librarian]

Are players given the option of turning off the bloom in custom gametypes?

Give it a rest.

 

[EazyB]

You really think this is even a remote possibility?
Of course not.

I don't see why not. It's not like it changes the gameplay any more than being able to turn on 25% gravity and 300% speed, or even no shields.

Of course it's a little different than what's been an option in previous games but they've already said you'd have more customization options than every before. Given how controversial it is I'd figure they'd at least give players that option to see if they really do enjoy the game more that way. The only reason I could think they wouldn't include it is out of pure stubbornness.

I think the wizards at Bungie would be able to go a lot further than that and really taking gametype creation to a whole new level. They've done great with giving options to adjust player traits so why not weapon traits. I'd love to go into Forge or under an advanced option in custom gametypes and change attributes of weapons: clip size, damage, bloom, etc. They could also do something similar with adjustable AAs. Seems like the natural evolution of custom game options, from player traits, expanded objective customization, to weapons, and AAs.

 

[Hydranockz]

I don't see why not. It's not like it changes the gameplay any more than being able to turn on 25% gravity and 300% speed, or even no shields.

Of course it's a little different than what's been an option in previous games but they've already said you'd have more customization options than every before. Given how controversial it is I'd figure they'd at least give players that option to see if they really do enjoy the game more that way. The only reason I could think they wouldn't include it is out of pure stubbornness.

I think the wizards at Bungie would be able to go a lot further than that and really create their own gametypes to a whole new level. They've done great with giving options to adjust player traits so why not weapon traits. I'd love to go into Forge or under an advanced option in custom gametypes and change attributes of weapons: clip size, damage, bloom, etc. They could also do something similar with adjustable AAs. Seems like the natural evolution of custom game options, from player traits, expanded objective customization, to weapons, and AAs.

Without bloom you can fire as fast as you want and get the hit every time... no thanks

 

[bobs...onGaf]

Without bloom you can fire as fast as you want and get the hit every time... no thanks

They could have a 'no-bloom' option which just sets RoF to every gun to a reasonable value or something. Im not expecting it to happen as it would be a huge amount of work for little payoff, but if it did i would be playing customs night and day.

 

[EazyB]

Without bloom you can fire as fast as you want and get the hit every time... no thanks

Yeah, it totally sucks in Halo CE/2/3...

Are you really arguing that players shouldn't have that option? And if Bungie really took things to the next level and let players set RoF one could balance the weapons as necessary.

 

[Dirtbag]

I don't see why not. It's not like it changes the gameplay any more than being able to turn on 25% gravity and 300% speed, or even no shields.

Of course it's a little different than what's been an option in previous games but they've already said you'd have more customization options than every before. Given how controversial it is I'd figure they'd at least give players that option to see if they really do enjoy the game more that way. The only reason I could think they wouldn't include it is out of pure stubbornness.

I think the wizards at Bungie would be able to go a lot further than that and really create their own gametypes to a whole new level. They've done great with giving options to adjust player traits so why not weapon traits. I'd love to go into Forge or under an advanced option in custom gametypes and change attributes of weapons: clip size, damage, bloom, etc. They could also do something similar with adjustable AAs. Seems like the natural evolution of custom game options, from player traits, expanded objective customization, to weapons, and AAs.

Changing base player traits, or turning AAs on and off is one thing...
But allowing an option to turn on or off bloom would also require them to tool around with weapons fire-rates and would essentially constitute a full re-balance of the sandbox. It just seems extremely unrealistic. This is the game they want us to play. Accept it or move on.

 

[EazyB]

Changing base player traits, or turning AAs on and off is one thing...
But allowing an option to turn on or off bloom would also require them to tool around with weapons fire-rates and would essentially constitute a full re-balance of the sandbox. It just seems extremely unrealistic. This is the game they want us to play. Accept it or move on.

Why are people acting like this option would require any rebalancing of RoF or anything? It's not like they tuned Halo 3's sandbox to 300% movement speed or 25% gravity. You can't even posit a MLG type gametype where it's pretty much always rifle on rifle so the sandbox doesn't need to be touched. The sandbox in that gametype would be different, but it could work and wouldn't have any effect on the vanilla gametypes. Even if it didn't make for a fun gametype, I don't think phantom plasma pistols is a fun gametype or helps the sandbox any, but the options there and it doesn't hurt anybody.

 

[Devin Olsen]

Without bloom you can fire as fast as you want and get the hit every time... no thanks

Why would consistency in accuracy be a bad thing...?

 

[Hydranockz]

Yeah, it totally sucks in Halo CE/2/3...

Are you really arguing that players shouldn't have that option? And if Bungie really took things to the next level and let players set RoF one could balance the weapons as necessary.

It's a different story for CE/2/3 and ODST. They used recoil and strict RoFs but hey if you wanna play a game that has a shooting mechanic like Halo CE/2/3 or ODST you know where to go.

 

[EazyB]

It's a different story for CE/2/3 and ODST. They used recoil and strict RoFs but hey if you wanna play a game that has a shooting mechanic like Halo CE/2/3 or ODST you know where to go.

Do you have a single reason why the option would detract from the rest of the game? Any reason why it would do anything but give whatever tiny minority I happen to occupy a chance to enjoy the game more?

 

[bobs...onGaf]

It's a different story for CE/2/3 and ODST. They used recoil and strict RoFs but hey if you wanna play a game that has a shooting mechanic like Halo CE/2/3 or ODST you know where to go.

Thats another argument I hate, its pretty obvious Halo 3 matchmaking will be a ghost town post Reach, and the people here like Reach but dislike certain aspects. I dont listen to the radio because I wish my TV was HD.

P.S. Brian, is it possible to show us a video of the current Spartan movement? It would be mindblowing to see a Spartan make that jump on Powerhouse.

 

[Dirtbag]

Why are people acting like this option would require any rebalancing of RoF or anything? It's not like they tuned Halo 3's sandbox to 300% movement speed or 25% gravity. You can't even posit a MLG type gametype where it's pretty much always rifle on rifle so the sandbox doesn't need to be touched. The sandbox in that gametype would be different, but it could work. Even if it didn't make for a fun gametype, I don't think phantom plasma pistols is a fun gametype or helps the sandbox any, but the options there and it doesn't hurt anybody.

Because an unbloomed pistol would overpower every weapon, making the rifles pointless.
We'd have a return to the halo 2 sniper rifle. None of the guns currently have recoil, so they'd all be like shooting rapid fire rail guns. It's not going to play any better then what we have without some balancing.

Part of the problem with including so many customization options is you start to water down the core experience right from the start. Casual players become confused, and you go from playing a game with 100% accuracy to 75% accuracy and its going to feel strange.

Honestly, you and I both know that customs aren't the core experience to halo anyway. Matchmaking is, so while this is a fun distraction, I'm more concerned with the base gameplay offered.

 

[Tashi]

I wouldn't want the customization option because they would play radically different, I would have to stick with one. Like if MLG had a playlist without bloom, it would be difficult to make the switch so I would stick with only MLG. I mean, I do that now but for other, less important reasons.

 

[Hydranockz]

Do you have a single reason why the option would detract from the rest of the game? Any reason why it would do anything but give whatever tiny minority I happen to occupy a chance to enjoy the game more?

Because it does everything that having recoil would do. Recoil is pretty damn necessary as is bloom.

 

[Dirtbag]

Because it does everything that having recoil would do. Recoil is pretty damn necessary as is bloom.

Except one thing, and that's to allow the player to control the variable.
Recoil you can pull down on the stick and reline quicker, or judge when to squeeze off the shot again... rather then the luck of the draw of bloom.

Bloom allows a less accurate shooter to keep his aim directly over the same spot, while his cross hair closes for accuracy.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Do you have a single reason why the option would detract from the rest of the game? Any reason why it would do anything but give whatever tiny minority I happen to occupy a chance to enjoy the game more?

The traits that have historically been manipulatable in Halo's MP have been player traits tied to movement, weapon starts and of course the gametype options. You are talking about the actual weapon mechanics and the HUD (the targeting reticule), wanting them to be built with a secondary fixed firing mode, which is a whole other kettle of fish. Yes, I think that's an unreasonable request, asking that Bungie build in multiple iterations of the core weapon mechanics into the game.

and for what he admits to be a "tiny minority"

That too.

 

[Dirtbag]

The traits that have historically been manipulatable in Halo's MP have been player traits tied to movement, weapon starts and of course the gametype options. You are talking about changing the actual weapon mechanics to behave differently, and the HUD (the targeting reticule) to be built with a secondary fixed firing mode, which is a whole other kettle of fish. Yes, I think that's an unreasonable request, asking that Bungie build in multiple iterations of the weapon mechanics into the game.

and for what he admits to be a "tiny minority"

Do you have a single reason why the option would detract from the rest of the game? Any reason why it would do anything but give whatever tiny minority I happen to occupy a chance to enjoy the game more?

 

[EazyB]

The traits that have historically been manipulatable in Halo's MP have been player traits tied to movement, weapon starts and of course the gametype options. You are talking about changing the actual weapon mechanics to behave differently, and the HUD (the targeting reticule) to be built with a secondary fixed firing mode, which is a whole other kettle of fish. Yes, I think that's an unreasonable request, asking that Bungie build in multiple iterations of the weapon mechanics into the game.

You really don't think Bungie's capable of building in a toggle that would disable the widening of the bloom?

I got to get on this extremely low expectations bus. Seems like it's the express lane to satisfaction.

and for what he admits to be a "tiny minority"

It was to prove a point, there's no way of knowing how many like the bloom. On the podcast they said it was about a 50/50 split, if anyone knows what the majority of the community is saying about it, it's Bungie. And I'd say 50% of the population warrants a bit of attention. It doesn't matter how small the crowd is that wants it though, like I said, they don't have to create an entire no bloom sandbox balance or anything. Just that option. If it breaks the game and no one likes it then no one will use it in their custom games, no harm done.

 

[Dirtbag]

You really don't think Bungie's capable of building in a toggle that would disable the widening of the bloom?

The guys that have made the most successful FPS of all time (Bungie) already feel like they are giving you the best version of their MP experience with bloom. They didn't add it in there to piss people off. You are asking them to undermine their own efforts by including such an option.
Now could they have gone another route to balance the weapons, sure. (I've even gone as far as to admit I would have rathered they went with recoil and ROF)
But you are asking for an unbalanced solution, which seems even more cause for concern.
Simply removing bloom introduces a world of other imbalances, IMO more then keeping it presents.

 

[bobs...onGaf]

You really don't think Bungie's capable of building in a toggle that would disable the widening of the bloom?

I got to get on this extremely low expectations bus. Seems like it's the express lane to satisfaction.

Haha its not as easy as that, in programming the movement value would just be a number right, so they can easily change this number. Changing the bloom would require coding a system to stop the visual mechanic, and coding the game in such a way that bloom could be toggled.

Put it this way, if you write a sentence 100 words long, and decide one of the words would be better if it was fancier. Its easy to change one of the words, but if you want to actually change what that sentence is about you pretty much need to scrap it and write a new sentence.

Bad examples aside, its just easier to let us change movement speed and stuff than it is to toggle bloom on and off.

I got to get on this extremely low expectations bus. Seems like it's the express lane to satisfaction.

I agree with this though sadly. The people that absolutely loved every aspect of the beta would probably have blindly adapted to anything.

 

[GhaleonEB]

You really don't think Bungie's capable of building in a toggle that would disable the widening of the bloom?

Given infinite resources and time, I think Bungie could do pretty much whatever they want. If I were they - and obviously I'm not - I would rank an optional secondary firing system desired to appeal to a very select group of people very, very low on my list of possible features to design, code and test for Halo Reach.

I got to get on this extremely low expectations bus. Seems like it's the express lane to satisfaction.

I hope that your bus arrives at Acceptance, and away from Denial, with speed.

Really, given Bungie's history of quality with the Halo trilogy, given the epic list of things we know they're changing from the Beta - and how much of what you personally complained about is being addressed - and given how deep we know the feature set is going to be on this game, I think you're reacting in a pretty hilarious way. Bloom is in. Accept it. You've had a vision for what Halo is that is different from what Bungie has always made Halo to be, from day one, and that is continuing with Reach. I have no doubt that you'll rack up thousands of games over the course of years, and complain about how horrible the game is the entire time. It's what you guys do.

 

[Hydranockz]

I agree with this though sadly. The people that absolutely loved every aspect of the beta would probably have blindly adapted to anything.

That's a tad harsh.

 

[EazyB]

Bad examples aside, its just easier to let us change movement speed and stuff than it is to toggle bloom on and off.

Eh, I'd figure movement speed and gravity would require a lot more work than tweaking the UI. With those things you have a shit ton of animations that must work for players moving at ridiculous speeds and jumping 4 times as high.

I have no doubt bungie give players the option to remove bloom in customs. If you guys think it's too hard for bungie to do I guess I should just really adjust my expectations of them. Maybe they could outsource it to Treyarch so they could show them how to do it.

Bungie has the means, if they don't do it it's only because they don't think players would appreciate the option. I'm simply expressing my interest in this option.

 

[electricpirate]

Golden rule of Halo customization, you don't fuck with the weapon sandbox. Dirtbag and Tashi have it right.

 

[Dirtbag]

Eh, I'd figure movement speed and gravity would require a lot more work than tweaking the UI. With those things you have a shit ton of animations that must work for players moving at ridiculous speeds and jumping 4 times as high.

I have no doubt bungie give players the option to remove bloom in customs. If you guys think it's too hard for bungie to do I guess I should just really adjust my expectations of them. Maybe they could outsource it to Treyarch so they could show them how to do it.

Bungie has the means, if they don't do it it's only because they don't think players would appreciate the option. I'm simply expressing my interest in this option.

Or they feel it is detrimental to the experience they are trying to provide.
I think having bloomless and bloom games in the same title would make the game play radically different and confusing to many gamers.

 

[Hydranockz]

Bungie has the means, if they don't do it it's only because they don't think players would appreciate the option. I'm simply expressing my interest in this option.

Pfft, they have the means. It's the time that's the problem.

Har har har, you made a Treyarch joke.

Bloom has planted itself in the soil of Reach's gameplay. Will your tears help it grow?