Support NeoGAF

[StalkerUKCG]

My biggest problem with Reach's art is not that it isn't good, it is most of the locations. We get 3 out of the 9 missions in industrial environments (Nightfall, TotS and tPoA) which I really dislike. I'd loved to see some more future city spaces ala Exodus and New Alexandria or some more forest area's.

That's something Halo 3 did very well: Nearly every level felt unique. You were playing in a completely different environment each level (with the exception of Floodgate). The Ark and the Covenant couldn't be bigger contrasts. Or Sierra 117 and Rat's nest.
I hope 343 will try to do something similar with Halo 4.

Nightfall is the worst level i can think of in a halo game, No hypebole.

The structures are horrible, and night makes them look worse. For me ODST has the best civilized environments, im aware reach tried a "frontier" style architecture but honestly it just dosnt sit well with me at all.

New Mombasa (ODST) and New Alexandria are amazing looking locations (the playable spaces are another matter all together) but on a future city level they rule.

Id love to see what locations like Seoul look like now.

Human Architecture is very hit and miss in halo games for me.

How they visually presented the overall world/universe.

I meant i dont understand what the hell a macro design language is. I bolded it you must of missed that.

Edit: Ignore me i think i get what your saying now.

 

[A27_StarWolf]

New Alexandria is quite possibly one of my favorite Halo Campaign missions.

 

[HiredN00bs]

Eh, I think it's worth sacrificing some detail and fidelity to get a nice, high, stable framerate.

Wait.

Yeah, you meant to say more robust construction pallete. Many of the other maps in Reach drop frames at certain specific perspectives.

 

[heckfu]

New Alexandria is quite possibly one of my favorite Halo Campaign missions.

That was a good one and I LOVE the art of Reach, don't get me wrong, but it only gave me a couple of those just..WOW moments. Probably the Sabre launch sequence being the most memorable.

ODST was fantastic for what it was going for and one of the most artistic of series but I just feel like the majority of Halo 3 I just kept thinking, 'damn. this is it.'

Maybe I just miss playing as the Chief. It's been a while, old friend.

 

[The Henery]

I've just now played more Reach than Halo 3, but the only reason for that is I actually have some people I play Reach with, and (just about) always played solo in H3, heh.

I wouldn't want to go back to H3, really; Reach does quite a few things right, its just some of the design decisions drag a lot of it down.

-Imagine if bloom reset much faster from the beginning, or was 85% at the beginning, etc. Or if it was just a hitscan BR with 2x.

-If vehicles weren't paper to the DMR.

-If the Banshee wasn't a Scorpion of the sky.

-If Arena wasn't such a joke, with jetpacks and armor locks, and personal ratings, etc, at the beginning

-If armor lock worked like it works now, or all AAs were pickups on maps, etc.

-If player inertia wasn't cranked so high that it nerfed strafing

Those are just a few things, but I think a lot of people would have a different opinion of Reach... except the people on Waypoint. That place is full of BKs.

If that happened I imagine Reach would have retained far more of the Halo 3 base than it did.

For the record, though Reach's graphics are technically superior, I prefer Halo 3's art style, colour and lack of grain. Screenshots looked better I thought.

 

[Karl2177]

Campaign environment discussion? Coolio.

Outskirts in Halo 2. How many of you guys did the shortcut to get the sword near the rex stones? Today I was playing co-op with my friend. I did the jumps up to get on the rooftops, while my pal played in the courtyards below. It was a completely awesome experience that hasn't been replicated in a Halo game since. What I want in future Halo games is a more vertical experience with multiple options as a player. I like to think of it as a less linear version of Gears co-op when it splits you.

 

[The Librarian]

I think the quality of the art of locations in a Halo game depends largely on their type: human, Covenant, or Forerunner.

 

[Louis Wu]

"Return of the King"?

If I may use an MLG term, HBO is riding some strong D with that article.

Don't know that term.

Marcus was the king of Reach - he was there at the outset, and it was his vision, all the way through. Then he left. Then he came back.

::shrug:: Made sense to me.

 

[Reagan's BR]

Halo 2,3, and ODST pulled off the Human setting 10x better than Reach did.

 

[Hitmonchan107]

Don't know that term.

Marcus was the king of Reach - he was there at the outset, and it was his vision, all the way through. Then he left. Then he came back.

::shrug:: Made sense to me.

Marcus is coming back?! Fantastic!

 

[kylej]

Marcus was the king of Reach - he was there at the outset, and it was his vision, all the way through. Then he left. Then he came back.

Marcus was the king of Reach

it was his vision, all the way through

king of Reach

Marcus

his vision

Reach

 

[heckfu]

hahaha, beautifully put together

 

[feel]

:lol :lol :lol

 

[Louis Wu]

Wish I got THAT reference, too.

 

[Trey]

The music is is the worst of the series though (or the least good).

Definitely, which is not offensive towards Reach in particular. Its OST is still good. But it's just not fucking with some of the bangers on the other games.

 

[Tashi]

Definitely, which is not offensive towards Reach in particular. Its OST is still good. But it's just not fucking with some of the bangers on the other games.

Hell yea. Total bangers. Was in the club last week and DJ was spinnin the CE remaster on Vinyl.

 

[xxjuicesxx]

Bunch of monks chanting about not getting laid in Halo 4 or no sale.

 

[Tunavi]

Bunch of monks chanting about not getting laid in Halo 4 or no sale.

Hire juices

Spoiler

for the monk choir

 

[vgamer1]

I was wondering if anyone on here had a spare Anniversary Map Pack code I could purchase off of them? I would get it through microsoft, but money is tight right now and if there is any way I could save a few bucks, that would be great.

 

[Trey]

Hell yea. Total bangers. Was in the club last week and DJ was spinnin the CE remaster on Vinyl.

No doubt.

 

[feel]

http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/AvatarMarketplace?Brand=14344

Where's the Halo logo tramp stamp? You're leaving money on the table here Frank.

 

[Steelyuhas]

Hell yea. Total bangers. Was in the club last week and DJ was spinnin the CE remaster on Vinyl.

Anyone else feel the CE OST remaster was blatantly inferior to the original?

Really my only disappointment with CEA.

 

[Sai-kun]

Hell yea. Total bangers. Was in the club last week and DJ was spinnin the CE remaster on Vinyl.

I dropped it at a party last week, total hit

4 on the floor beats for halo 4 confirmed

 

[MrBig]

Anyone else feel the CE OST remaster was blatantly inferior to the original?

Yes, they tried their best recapture the original but did not. I would have rather seen them re-imagine them completely since they couldn't just re-orchestrate them and had to re-compose them. But I'm really unhappy with the entire handling of the remake as well.

 

[ElRenoRaven]

Anyone else feel the CE OST remaster was blatantly inferior to the original?

Really my only disappointment with CEA.

For the most part I thought it was ok but 2 or 3 tracks certainly weren't near as good as the originals.

Yes. But I'm really unhappy with the entire handling of the remake as well.

I'd somewhat agree. I'm let down by it but I don't hate it with a passion. I just really hate some of the choices they made with it. Overall if I had to rate it compared to the original and other games I'd rate it like this.

Halo 1: 9/10
Halo 2: 8/10
Halo 3: 9/10
Reach: 8/10
ODST: 9/10
HCEA: 6/10

My big gripes were graphics issues, fixing of bugs that were in the original despite saying they didn't, lack of multiplayer even if it was split screen like the original, and the pauses to load the cutscenes. I'd rather have had the switch option be a menu choice before playing if that meant a better experience.

 

[Trey]

For the most part I thought it was ok but 2 or 3 tracks certainly weren't near as good as the originals.



I'd somewhat agree. I'm let down by it but I don't hate it with a passion. I just really hate some of the choices they made with it. Overall if I had to rate it compared to the original and other games I'd rate it like this.

Halo 1: 9/10
Halo 2: 8/10
Halo 3: 9/10
Reach: 8/10
ODST: 9/10
HCEA: 6/10

I'm quite enjoying CEA so far. But as far as OSTs go, I gotta spin it in this order: ODST > CE > Halo 2 > Halo 3 > Reach = CE remastered. I heard about ten seconds of the new shit in CEA's menu and promptly switched it back to the original.

 

[The Librarian]

Anyone else feel the CE OST remaster was blatantly inferior to the original?

Nope! Aside from some minor "creative" additions here and there, the Anniversary OST was a pretty faithful remake.

Beyond a Pale Horse. That violin! So good.
Devils, Monsters...

 

[Karl2177]

The soundtrack in CEA sounds different than the in game version. Primarily with First Step.

 

[StalkerUKCG]

For the most part I thought it was ok but 2 or 3 tracks certainly weren't near as good as the originals.



I'd somewhat agree. I'm let down by it but I don't hate it with a passion. I just really hate some of the choices they made with it. Overall if I had to rate it compared to the original and other games I'd rate it like this.

Halo 1: 9/10
Halo 2: 8/10
Halo 3: 9/10
Reach: 8/10
ODST: 9/10
HCEA: 6/10

My big gripes were graphics issues, fixing of bugs that were in the original despite saying they didn't, lack of multiplayer even if it was split screen like the original, and the pauses to load the cutscenes. I'd rather have had the switch option be a menu choice before playing if that meant a better experience.

I have to disagree with somethings, no multiplayer is completely understandable and honestly not a massive omission. If they had done multiplayer its safe to assume dev time would be pushed back and the game might of not made a 2011 release.

Its also safe to assume it would of split the reach playerbase, which isnt in the best of states in comparison to halo 3. Netcode implementation would of taken a great deal of trail and error and too much testing, Campaign suffers from horrible netcode (the worst iv experienced)

All that effort for what? a game thats going to have a 7-8 month life span? They did the best possible thing. Polished the campaign (and i think they did that very well) and tweaked the current multiplayer.

Even local MP would mean overhauling 13 maps (at least) and thats alot of work for just local play.

 

[MrBig]

Listening through the CEA OST again, a lot of the songs are good, but some are just flat out horrid or unfitting.
I wish I could just get the original OST in flac or any other hq format.

 

[The Librarian]

Does anybody know what song in the Anniversary OST is "A Walk in the Woods"? I don't think it's on there.

 

[RebornYeti]

So, after playing Reach today, I was reminded why I don't play it. I don't even know why I bother going back all the time. I wish my friends still played Halo 3.

 

[Barrow Roll]

Anyone else feel the CE OST remaster was blatantly inferior to the original?

Really my only disappointment with CEA.

Nope.avi

Was awesome. Rock Anthem for Saving the World is superior to the CEA version, whatever that's called, but it's still fantastic.

 

[Hypertrooper]

Nope! Aside from some minor "creative" additions here and there, the Anniversary OST was a pretty faithful remake.

Beyond a Pale Horse. That violin! So good.
Devils, Monsters...

Please post the best track of the soundtrack. Installation 04

 

[Tunavi]

Nope.avi

Was awesome. Rock Anthem for Saving the World is superior to the CEA version, whatever that's called, but it's still fantastic.

Came here to post this.

nvm I'm always here.

 

[Tashi]

Neonnight.mp3

 

[Barrow Roll]

Came here to post this.

nvm I'm always here.

Reminds of people (like you) talking about the "off" note in the Walk in the Woods redux.

You guys are either super picky music snobs or just really nitpicky.

 

[Steelyuhas]

Listening through the CEA OST again, a lot of the songs are good, but some are just flat out horrid or unfitting.
I wish I could just get the original OST in flac or any other hq format.

Yeah sometimes when I play CEA I enter a sequence when I know part of the score is going to kick in, and then something awful and untrue to the original. Most of it is fine, but sometimes that happens. Even the stuff that is fine though, I prefer the original at almost every point in the score.

 

[Hypertrooper]

Does anybody know what song in the Anniversary OST is "A Walk in the Woods"? I don't think it's on there.

It's called "Lions and Tigers and...". Did you even listen the whole OST?

Neonnight.mp3

Im always thinking that I listen to the Wall-E soundtrack, when the Track "Finale" starts. Still ODST has such an amazing soundtrack.
Halo 2 Vol 2 > Halo 3: ODST >>>> CE > Halo 3 = CEA > Halo: Reach = Halo Wars

 

[Trey]

Neonnight.mp3

Difference For Darkness.

mhmf

 

[Tunavi]

Reminds of people (like you) talking about the "off" note in the Walk in the Woods redux.

You guys are either super picky music snobs or just really nitpicky.

There is a note that is totally off key in that version. Not being nit picky.

The intro song on the maw really stood out to me. This one is incredible.

 

[The Librarian]

It's called "Lions and Tigers and...". Did you even listen the whole OST?

No I didn't. I bypassed the entire soundtrack, posted on GAF that it's not there because I couldn't find it.

Now that is an example of an unfaithful remake. They're so different I couldn't tell they were the same track.

 

[MrBig]

In some ways the CEA OST reminds me of Troll 2.

e: this comment is little extreme. I apologize, but it has to be done.

 

[Sai-kun]

Reminds of people (like you) talking about the "off" note in the Walk in the Woods redux.

You guys are either super picky music snobs or just really nitpicky.

There is absolutely an off note. Nothing wrong with wanting things to be the 'same'-ish, especially when that's the whole point of the remake. I really like the drum parts though. Very neat.

The new Drumrun is also very well done.

 

[Tunavi]

Now that is an example of an unfaithful remake. They're so different I couldn't tell they were the same track.

It was a great rendition though. The new drumline made it a lot more exciting and it worked well in the game.

also, when it hits exactly 1:19, thats where the off-key note is. suck it, barrow.

 

[heckfu]

No I didn't. I bypassed the entire soundtrack, posted on GAF that it's not there because I couldn't find it.

Now that is an example of an unfaithful remake. They're so different I couldn't tell they were the same track.

These three songs in a row just flow well together. You have to trust me.

Golden Slumbers - The Beatles
Carry That Weight - The Beatles
Lions and Tigers and... - CEA Soundtrack

 

[Hypertrooper]

No I didn't. I bypassed the entire soundtrack, posted on GAF that it's not there because I couldn't find it.

Now that is an example of an unfaithful remake. They're so different I couldn't tell they were the same track.

I think it is more a new interpretation of the soundtrack. I like it and it isn't bad as everyone says.

There is a note that is totally off key in that version. Not being nit picky.

The intro song on the maw really stood out to me. This one is incredible.

I think it is "Suite Fall". But I ain't sure.

 

[Trey]

It was a great rendition though. The new drumline made it a lot more exciting and it worked well in the game.

also, when it hits exactly 1:19, thats where the off-key note is. suck it, barrow.

For the life of me I cannot discern the off key note, but the two songs are unmistakably related. The remake is a little more upbeat is all.

 

[heckfu]

The soundtrack is great, IMO.

EXCEPT THE FREAKING SIEGE OF MADRIGAL.

It's too different to me. Just...no.

 

[The Librarian]

I think it is more a new interpretation of the soundtrack. I like it and it isn't bad as everyone says.

Anniversary is a remake first and foremost. On its own it may be a good track, but it fails as a remake.