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Halo: Reach |OT6| There Are Those Who Said This Day Would Never Come

R

Ramirez

Member
blamite said:
anybody post the new Data Drop yet? 4b has some information that might be of interest to anyone wondering about certain story points from Reach's campaign...


The UNSC knew Reach had been located by the Covenant tracker on the Iroquois, so they intentionally lowered the planet's defenses to lure the Covenant in in order to hijack a ship to use in Operation Red Flag. Explains why you didn't see as much military resence/MAC platforms, etc. as you'd expect. This explanation doesn't really make anything about the campaign better, but at least it is an explanation.
Click to expand...

Guys, lets let the Covenant gang bang our biggest Military planet so that we can steal one ship!!
 
D

Domino Theory

Crystal Dynamics
Dax01 said:
Okay, folks. I'm home for fall break and I found the OXM Halo tenth anniversary issue.

I must say, if you have a chance, go out and buy it. I read front to back and while there are some prominent mistakes that seemed to have been impossible to miss during editing, there's some quality stuff in there.

However, the best part of the magazine was the except for Glasslands. The first chapter, to be precise. From what I read, I'm mostly pleased, though I do have some quirks with it. I'll put this in spoilers for those who haven't read the excerpt:
1.
The book implies that the Arbiter and the rest of the Elite/Human crew that traveled to the Ark arrived back to Earth in January rather than May. Peace talks are going on between humans and Elites lead by the Arbiter. Unless the book explains my confusion later on, this is already a pretty huge contradiction between the books and the games. Hopefully the book explains my confusion.

2.
After five years, I finally got a taste of what happened to Dr. Halsey and the other Spartans. I was pleased with what I read and it peaked my interest, but there are some things about it that bothered me. Calling Olivia "O" now when they were doing that in GoO, unless a lot of time has passed between where Glasslands starts and GoO lets off. Also, I don't think Travis wrote Halsey correctly, at least from what I read. Halsey was trying to get closer to the Spartan IIIs in GoO but in Glasslands she's distant to them. This depends on how long how much time has passed between GoO and Glasslands. If a couple months has passed then I guess it would work, but if it continues right where GoO left off then it doesn't. The formatting wasn't clear when the events of Dr. Halsey in Glasslands takes place.
Click to expand...

Interesting on the first point. Not sure about the second one since I never read Ghosts of Onyx.

When, specifically, is Glasslands out this month? Will there be a Kindle version?
 
T

Tunavi

Banned
Tashi0106 said:
That's the biggest bullshit list ever, besides laser really. I would say I hate radar more than all those things on that list. It's been in Halo since the beginning but Halo without radar is the way it should be played.
Click to expand...
3x scope breaks the sandbox IMO.
Alright what are your other two?
 
S

Steelyuhas

Member
Tunavi said:
I enjoy 85% AR/Magnum starts. The reduced bloom, bleedthrough, 4sk works really well. Getting me pumped up for the slowed firing rate of the magnum. Armor abilities are the worst thing to happen to halo.

My Finest Moment
Can someone render this? its fucking hilarious.
Click to expand...

I hope you feel great shame.
 
K

kylej

Banned
Ramirez said:
Guys, lets let the Covenant gang bang our biggest Military planet so that we can steal one ship!!
Click to expand...

Currently writing an article for FUD that should clear that up. 18,000 words and counting. Almost done so look for it soon.
 
T

Tunavi

Banned
Steelyuhas said:
I hope you feel great shame.
Click to expand...
If I didn't would I still be a scrub?

anyway, I dont really know what I want from the halo sandbox. So im babbling on about it. What I'm positive about is that I hate armor abilities.
 
H

Hypertrooper

Member
Domino Theory said:
Interesting on the first point. Not sure about the second one since I never read Ghosts of Onyx.

When, specifically, is Glasslands out this month? Will there be a Kindle version?
Click to expand...
There will be a kindle version, you can even pre-order it at amazon already.
 
T

Thagomizer

Member
blamite said:
anybody post the new Data Drop yet? 4b has some information that might be of interest to anyone wondering about certain story points from Reach's campaign...


The UNSC knew Reach had been located by the Covenant tracker on the Iroquois, so they intentionally lowered the planet's defenses to lure the Covenant in in order to hijack a ship to use in Operation Red Flag. Explains why you didn't see as much military resence/MAC platforms, etc. as you'd expect. This explanation doesn't really make anything about the campaign better, but at least it is an explanation.
Click to expand...


So they
fixed the plothole of the UNSC's mind-numbing incompetence of not noticing a 27 km supercarrier, plus escorts, by... committing what is inarguably treason? You don't use your most important colony and only remaining major military stronghold besides Earth as bait. Even if Red Flag went off without a hitch, Reach would still have been glassed.

If anything, that explanation is even more stupid than what is in the game.
 
S

Steelyuhas

Member
Tunavi said:
If I didn't would I still be a scrub?

anyway, I dont really know what I want from the halo sandbox. So im babbling on about it. What I'm positive about is that I hate armor abilities.
Click to expand...

Still a scrub either way lol.

Agreed on AA's. When we play 120 customs, it is so much more fun than AA's.
 
T

Tashi

343i Lead Esports Producer
Tunavi said:
3x scope breaks the sandbox IMO.
Alright what are your other two?
Click to expand...

I lol'd

My other 2? Ummmm

Equipment and the removal of bloom from Reach (hehehehehehe)

For reals my 3rd is probably, I'll have to get back to you on that one.
 
T

Thagomizer

Member
Sai-kun said:
gimme dat

edit: ooh gotta preorder glasslands :>

edit 2: the higher ups in ONI/the UNSC are basically assholes, lol
Click to expand...

I can mayyyybe understand allowing the Covenant to find it, but there is absolutely no reason for intentionally lowering its defenses. None.
 
H

Hypertrooper

Member
Damn. Played bad today. Really fuckin* bad. Shouldn't play Rach If I had a migraine attack earlier. And yeah move to europe and get an europe connection, would fix so much.

Edit.: If I buy the Kindle edition, can I use it on my Windows Phone 7 and PC? (And on Kindle if I get it later)
 
T

The Librarian

Banned
blamite said:
The UNSC knew Reach had been located by the Covenant tracker on the Iroquois...
Click to expand...
This was revealed in the Adjunct stories in the new edition of Fall of Reach. But there is new information in here already.
Thagomizer said:
So they
fixed the plothole of the UNSC's mind-numbing incompetence of not noticing a 27 km supercarrier, plus escorts, by... committing what is inarguably treason? You don't use your most important colony and only remaining major military stronghold besides Earth as bait. Even if Red Flag went off without a hitch, Reach would still have been glassed.

Bad move, 343.
Click to expand...
At first, I would agree with your assessment, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.

It fills in an apparent plot hole from the book (How did the refit crews not notice a Covenant tracking device on the Iroquis?). Reach was screwed the moment the Covenant knew its location. Might as well make as much of a victory out of it as you can. I don't think lowering your defenses means what you think it means, just that the UNSC didn't show all their cards at once in the hopes to make the Covenant as unsuspecting as possible.
 
H

heckfu

Banned
Hypertrooper said:
Damn. Played bad today. Really fuckin* bad. Shouldn't play Rach If I had a migraine attack earlier. And yeah move to europe and get an europe connection, would fix so much.
Click to expand...

I played really poorly too that last game. Mostly because I'm not great.
 
T

Thagomizer

Member
Dax01 said:
This was revealed in the Adjunct stories in the new edition of Fall of Reach. But there is new information in here already.

At first, I would agree with your assessment, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.

It fills in an apparent plot hole from the book (How did the refit crews not notice a Covenant tracking device on the Iroquis?). Reach was screwed the moment the Covenant knew its location. Might as well make as much of a victory out of it as you can. I don't think lowering your defenses means what you think it means, just that the UNSC didn't show all their cards at once in the hopes to make the Covenant as unsuspecting as possible.
Click to expand...

An even better explanation that doesn't require all this hoop jumping: the motherfucker bailed out before it reached the refit dock. The Covenant didn't need the exact location, just a ballpark.
 
H

Hypertrooper

Member
D

Domino Theory

Crystal Dynamics
Hypertrooper said:
Edit.: If I buy the Kindle edition, can I use it on my Windows Phone 7 and PC? (And on Kindle if I get it later)
Click to expand...

If there's a Kindle app for WP7, yeah. Once you get a Kindle book, you can use it on the Kindle app for any device it's available on (PC, iOS, Android?, WP7?) and the eReader itself.
 
H

Hypertrooper

Member
Domino Theory said:
If there's a Kindle app for WP7, yeah. Once you get a Kindle book, you can use it on the Kindle app for any device it's available on (PC, iOS, Android?, WP7?) and the eReader itself.
Click to expand...
It sounds like a deal for me. Get the book at day 1 is awesome. I waited two months for Cryptum. Going to pre-order both for Kindle now(Primordium and Glasslands), but I will still get the Hardcover versions.
 
T

The Librarian

Banned
Thagomizer said:
An even better explanation that doesn't require all this hoop jumping: the motherfucker bailed out before it reached the refit dock. The Covenant didn't need the exact location, just a ballpark.
Click to expand...
"The motherfucker" can't do that. The device ejects a memory crystal and opens up a minute slipspace opening for it. It'd still be on the Iroquois when it arrived at space dock.

Edit: Someone needs to tell the guys over at Halo Wiki that they have their dates wrong for the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV.
 
K

kylej

Banned
who reregistered AnArmorLockHero?

Frankie?

edit. need one more Overdoz quit because he lives on the moon. Beta playlist baby. lets wape. jelyk send a message no bad kids please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
T

Thagomizer

Member
Dax01 said:
"The motherfucker" can't do that. The device ejects a memory crystal and opens up a minute slipspace opening for it. It'd still be on the Iroquois when it arrived at space dock.

Edit: Someone needs to tell the guys over at Halo Wiki that they have their dates wrong for the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV.
Click to expand...

Does it ever specifically say that it can't? Why couldn't it just detach, say, 100,000 miles out? That's still so close as to be effectively on the planet/refit station, but still far enough away that no one's probably going to find unless they are absurdly lucky or are specifically looking for it. Wouldn't the Covenant have realized that their probe would be spotted as soon as it reached port, and so programmed it to be able to detect when a planet has been reached (heh) and bail out at that point?
 
D

daedalius

Member
Got the super-jackpot at the same time I finished 2 challenges, pretty sweet payout, heh.

Very difficult getting used to 100% bloom again after a bunch of games in the TU playlist, 85% is just so much more consistent. I really hope that ends up getting through to all of the other playlists.
 
T

The Librarian

Banned
Thagomizer said:
Does it ever specifically say that it can't? Why couldn't it just detach, say, 100,000 miles out? That's still so close as to be effectively on the planet/refit station, but still far enough away that no one's probably going to find unless they are absurdly lucky or are specifically looking for it. Wouldn't the Covenant have realized that their probe would be spotted as soon as it reached port, and so programmed it to be able to detect when a planet has been reached (heh) and bail out at that point?
Click to expand...
It doesn't say that the probe can't, but that's what it does. It ejects a memory crystal and opens up a minute slipspace hole for the memory crystal to enter and (hopefully) rendezvous with a waiting Covenant ship.

The Covenant doesn't care about being stealthy. They don't know the extent to their own technology. Elites have a "warrior honor" that would not cover, essentially, stabbing your enemy in the back while he's not looking. The Covenant is on a quest to exterminate humanity. It doesn't matter if humans know they're coming.
 
G

GhaleonEB

Member
Tunavi said:
Yeah I feel you there. You hear that grenade at your feet, you KNOW its there, and you immediately take action to avoid it, but it takes so long to get moving, you're dead.
Click to expand...
I hopped into a game of Score Attack this morning to knock off the 100 kill Challenge - and blow some steam before work - and I was felled by a plasma grenade. I died not because I didn't see it coming - I watched the dude wind up. And not because I didn't move in time - my reaction time was good. But I was moving one way full speed, and had to change direction, and by the time it blew, I had barely budged. And that was a plasma grenade - with frags its even worse, of course.

I've been playing Deus Ex a lot lately (in case anyone somehow didn't know), and while movement is slow, when you press in one direction, you go that way. With Reach it feels like there is a ball and chain around my ankle. It's something I got used to, but only playing a couple games of Reach a week, it feels really odd and detrimental.

It's one of those design decisions I simply do not understand in Reach.
lybertyboy said:
Yes.
Click to expand...
Which playlists/what odds?
 
T

Thagomizer

Member
Dax01 said:
It doesn't say that the probe can't, but that's what it does. It ejects a memory crystal and opens up a minute slipspace hole for the memory crystal to enter and (hopefully) rendezvous with a waiting Covenant ship.

The Covenant doesn't care about being stealthy. They don't know the extent to their own technology. Elites have a "warrior honor" that would not cover, essentially, stabbing your enemy in the back while he's not looking. The Covenant is on a quest to exterminate humanity. It doesn't matter if humans know they're coming.
Click to expand...

First point doesn't explain or even imply that it can't detach.

Second paragraph is absolutely and objectively wrong. The book makes a point of saying how sneaky the thing is, the Covenant specifically targeted comms outposts at the start of the invasion so humans couldn't call for help, cloaking the LNoS once on station (plus however they got a ship over half the length of Rhode Island on the ground without anyone noticing in the first place), Spec-ops, Ossoona, and so on. I've always had the impression that they don't really consider subterfuge and sneakiness to be dishonorable, but rather retreating and disengaging; in other words, as long as you are actively fighting the enemy in some way, even if it's not direct violence, you're good.
 
T

Thagomizer

Member
I think the reason was that the section of shogun clipping was normally overscanned off, which for whatever reason didn't happen in that capture. I really doubt that they would have missed something so obvious (David said that he hadn't seen it before) if it was actually visible during play.
 
T

The Librarian

Banned
Thagomizer said:
First point doesn't explain or even imply that it can't detach.
Click to expand...
My main point is that it doesn't matter to the Covenant whether the humans knew they were coming or not. That's why it didn't detach, regardless if it could. Reach was going to fall. The fleet the Covenant attacked Reach with was 250-500, and they had another 500 in reserve judging from the number that rendezvoused with the "Uneven Elephant" in First Strike. Reach was going to fall. The Covenant knew they could overwhelm any UNSC fleet and so didn't bother putting in any detachment protocol.

Anyway, the actual article doesn't say how humanity found out about the Covenant's knowledge of Reach. The Iroquois could've detected the device opening a small slipspace opening for the memory crystal and removed it themselves. I just assumed they found it in space dock.

What I meant by the Covenant aren't sneaky is that they're very upfront about their intentions.
 
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