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[electricpirate]

Personally I'm looking forward to a generational leap in the watermarks on leaked media.

 

[The Librarian]

I'm hoping for a system where some of your armor abilities are picked up as you progress through the campaign (i.e. you start out with just sprint, but when you play Truth and Reconciliation, you get the active camo ability and so on). That way, there's some incentive for all of the milk-drinkers to at least try to play the campaign.

That's a really good idea. It'd make playing the campaign more fun, and you could get rewards for doing certain things in a campaign level.

 

[Slightly Live]

Speaking of leaks, guess Bungie is expecting them any time now.

Bungie's Marcus Lehto has said that the thought of information leaking out of alpha and beta releases is "terrifying" but that it's a "part of making games that we just deal with".

Talking to WorthPlaying, Halo Reach's Creative Director said:

"We realize that, with everything that goes out there, with every beta or alpha that we put out there, something's going to leak, and it's terrifying to us.

"It's terrifying because the game's still in progress. We're making it still, and we're going to continue working on it for quite some time until it's done. It's shipping this fall, but we've got a lot of work, a good handful of months in front of us before it's completely done.

"To put stuff out there, like the beta, we understand that we're going to do our best to make it as good as we possibly can. Even the things we showed (at X10), they're not done yet, but we realize that stuff is going to get out to the public and we're going to get scrutinized as a result. That's part of making games that we just deal with."

So, what's the moral of this story? Don't judge a game by its leaks.

Halo Reach suffered from an info leak back in November when blurry photos showing the first in-game images cropped up on the internet. Then in January, a video showing the menu screens for the beta then appeared online.

This is the first time Bungie has commented on the matter.

Halo Reach launches exclusively on Xbox 360 later this year.

Link

 

[xemumanic]

The first major Halo 3 leak was on February 27th 2007. It was a leaked alpha video showing off some of the weapon set.

Also, the "alpha test team" of thousands are mostly Microsoft employees under heavy NDA's.



As far as I am aware, obtaining Armour Abilities is just like picking up equipment (except they are much rather to find). You probably see a few of the "Armour Objects" lying around a map to pick up in multiplayer and be able to place them in maps with Forge, just like equipment.

That's what I understand from reading about them across all the media released.

One aspect of the armor abilities I could have sworn I heard more than once is that they recharge, they aren't one-time use. So once you get one, you can use it all you want until you swap another (or you go into a new level, and you're stripped of everything like they usually do in Halo games).

 

[electricpirate]

As far as I am aware, obtaining Armour Abilities is just like picking up equipment (except they are much rather to find). You probably see a few of the "Armour Objects" lying around a map to pick up in multiplayer and be able to place them in maps with Forge, just like equipment.

That's what I understand from reading about them across all the media released.

Do you have any specific comments on that? I figured there was gong to be something interesting about it because Sage says something about "We haven't revealed armor abilities are acquired yet." Those words contained great Foreshadowing, but I may just be over analyzing here.

 

[The Librarian]

One aspect of the armor abilities I could have sworn I heard more than once is that they recharge, they aren't one-time use. So once you get one, you can use it all you want until you swap another (or you go into a new level, and you're stripped of everything like they usually do in Halo games).

That was either in the GI article or the Edge article. Can't remember which one, but yeah, they armor abilities can recharge.

Hello Metroid-style backtracking.

"You need the Gravity Lift armor ability to reach this area."

No, not like that. As in, you have to do a certain task in a certain campaign level to unlock an armor ability or a customization option for MP.

 

[Spasm]

That's a really good idea. It'd make playing the campaign more fun, and you could get rewards for doing certain things in a campaign level.

Hello Metroid-style backtracking.

"You need the Gravity Lift armor ability to reach this area."

 

[kylej]

As both friend and family of Bungie I expect my alpha invite any day now. Thanks in advance.

 

[Stinkles]

As both friend and family of Bungie I expect my alpha invite any day now. Thanks in advance.

Not until you finish your chores.

 

[kylej]

Not until you finish your chores.

You're not the boss of me, dad.

 

[electricpirate]

Hello Metroid-style backtracking.

"You need the Gravity Lift armor ability to reach this area."

While I don't expect it to be used heavily, I fully expect a section where the team decides they need some cool upgrade, and you have to go into some Oni lab to recover it, come back out and then use it. Doing that once or twice would be pretty fun, as long as it's kept short and well directed, with good encounters throughout.

I just really love it when games give you a cool toy for the story then actually let you use it in gameplay.

 

[BerserkerBarage]

I really enjoyed reading Mr. Tung's bit on the Alpha RC1. What I wouldn't give to be part of the alpha... Bah, just a few months until I can get my hands on the game. I wonder how those lucky people get to be some of the lucky testers. Still, looking forward to the more-polished produce on May Third.

Create Smashed and Tundra. He's probably playing the Alpha right now. I was playing some MW2 with him about 2 weeks ago and he mentioned his contract had been approved and that he'd start Alpha testing shortly.

Here's hoping that we don't have the whole "Beta Build" watermark all over our HUD in the Public Beta this time around. While I understand the importance to Bungie to stress that what we're seeing isn't the finish product of the game, it did seem a little unnecessary.

OT question: Is JohnnyOThan still at Bungie? With all the recent excitement about Beardy Man's awesome beard of awesome, I haven't heard much from other sandbox personnel. Did he leave Bungie and I miss it?

~B.B.

 

[urk]

As both friend and family of Bungie I expect my alpha invite any day now. Thanks in advance.

We don't want to throw you to the wolves just yet, gentle warrior. I fear the donging we'd dish out would be too much for your fragile ego to take. Don't want you hangin' up your Halo skates before the beta!

BB, Cable is in the building.

 

[BerserkerBarage]

BB, Cable is in the building.

Thanks. Just something I was thinking about earlier. How big has the sandbox/engineer team got? I remember Luke Timmins saying something about it in the ViDoc but I was distracted by all the talk about "crazy sausages".

~B.B.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

I have never really been hardcore enough with Halo to discuss it in the fine detail you gentlemen are able to get into. I just wanted to say that Reach is looking really phenomenal. The idea of the Magnificent 7 mixed with the rich lore of the Halo universe and cast with a bunch of bad ass Spartans seems like its destined to be amazing. The screens also look excellent and are everything I wanted visually from H3. Anyways carry on with the obsessive banter since it looks like I might be right there with you guys.

 

[squidhands]

Create Smashed and Tundra.

I misread that as Tung being responsible for those two maps. Hype-loss averted. :lol

 

[The Librarian]

I have never really been hardcore enough with Halo to discuss it in the fine detail you gentlemen are able to get into. I just wanted to say that Reach is looking really phenomenal. The idea of the Magnificent 7 mixed with the rich lore of the Halo universe and cast with a bunch of bad ass Spartans seems like its destined to be amazing. The screens also look excellent and are everything I wanted visually from H3. Anyways carry on with the obsessive banter since it looks like I might be right there with you guys.

That reminds me. Joseph Tung, at the beginning of the ViDoc, mentions the "magnificent seven" and the "seven samurai." If I'm not mistaken, there are only six members of Noble Team, correct? So who's this seventh they're talking about? If I had to guess, it would be Reach's AI character.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

That reminds me. Joseph Tung, at the beginning of the ViDoc, mentions the "magnificent seven" and the "seven samurai." If I'm not mistaken, there are only six members of Noble Team, correct? So who's this seventh they're talking about? If I had to guess, it would be Reach's AI character.

I just took it to mean that's the overall feel they are going with for the story and characters. However, you would know if Bungie is slipping in a little hint as well.

 

[Captain Blood]

That reminds me. Joseph Tung, at the beginning of the ViDoc, mentions the "magnificent seven" and the "seven samurai." If I'm not mistaken, there are only six members of Noble Team, correct? So who's this seventh they're talking about? If I had to guess, it would be Reach's AI character.

Also something I was curious about. Seemed like 7 was a focal point of the vidoc, and it is bungie after all.

 

[IZZO]

duh, It's Oonsk.

 

[metareferential]

Thanks. Just something I was thinking about earlier. How big has the sandbox/engineer team got? I remember Luke Timmins saying something about it in the ViDoc but I was distracted by all the talk about "crazy sausages".

~B.B.

30+ guys, as stated in the ViDoc.

 

[AwesomeSyrup]

Is there anyway to get your stuff from one account transferred to another? I had to make a new account for security reasons and I'm not too happy with losing everything I've done in Halo 3/ODST.

Anyone?

 

[BerserkerBarage]

30+ guys, as stated in the ViDoc.

I wonder what that number comprises of. I mean 30 is obviously far too many for just MP Engineers (which is what Luke was in H3). Maybe both Campaign and MP engineers? I wonder if that includes Evil Otto and the UI/Tools guys?

I know that it seems really off-topic, but it does make me wonder if they are bringing on a much larger engineering team to help conquer more coding. Like they might be coding for different aspects than just Campaign and PvP Multiplayer. Just trying to worm out some information that I can blow way out of proportion. :lol

~B.B.

 

[The Librarian]

Or the seventh character could just be Reach itself.

 

[Ramirez]

Create Smashed and Tundra. He's probably playing the Alpha right now. I was playing some MW2 with him about 2 weeks ago and he mentioned his contract had been approved and that he'd start Alpha testing shortly.

Here's hoping that we don't have the whole "Beta Build" watermark all over our HUD in the Public Beta this time around. While I understand the importance to Bungie to stress that what we're seeing isn't the finish product of the game, it did seem a little unnecessary.

OT question: Is JohnnyOThan still at Bungie? With all the recent excitement about Beardy Man's awesome beard of awesome, I haven't heard much from other sandbox personnel. Did he leave Bungie and I miss it?

~B.B.

So, make terrible maps basically?

Speaking of people still there, why isn't Griessemar (spelling lolz?) still the head sandbox guy?

You guys totally have to have someone make a beta video again like you all did with this guy...

http://download.microsoft.com/downl...-A675-9A0AF090B575/H3_MrJukes-Betalicious.wmv

Got me hyped so much...

 

[BerserkerBarage]

So, make terrible maps basically?

Speaking of people still there, why isn't Griessemar (spelling lolz?) still the head sandbox guy?

I was just poking a little fun at Kapura since he's a Community Map guy himself. If only he had made Smashed and Tundra, he'd be playing the Alpha right now?!?! :lol

Anyways, IIRC, Jaime Griesemer was in "gameplay design" in H3 for whatever the hell that means. Is that the same as sandbox engineers? Still trying to understand the industry lingo in regards to who does what.

It does seem like we have a slightly different cast of characters doing the media this time around.

~B.B.

 

[Gui_PT]

Or the seventh character could just be Reach itself.

Over powered character. Will ruin MM.

 

[squidhands]

Over powered character. Will ruin MM.

As long as it's customizable, I don't care.

 

[Falagard]

I was just poking a little fun at Kapura since he's a Community Map guy himself. If only he had made Smashed and Tundra, he'd be playing the Alpha right now?!?! :lol

Anyways, IIRC, Jaime Griesemer was in "gameplay design" in H3 for whatever the hell that means. Is that the same as sandbox engineers? Still trying to understand the industry lingo in regards to who does what.

It does seem like we have a slightly different cast of characters doing the media this time around.

~B.B.

Engineers are programmers - guys who write code.

Designers are usually responsible for taking what the programmers give them and making it fun.

 

[Gui_PT]

As long as it's customizable, I don't care.

*Avoid This Player*

 

[wwm0nkey]

You know what, I wonder if the Halo 2 closing prize with the number guessing is a friends and family code to play the Halo: Reach beta early.

 

[broony]

Speaking of people still there, why isn't Griessemar (spelling lolz?) still the head sandbox guy?



Got me hyped so much...

I think I read he is now on the secret Bungie project along with the ODST team. Sage is there in his place for this project. Can't remember where I heard that though.

 

[Kuroyume]

This thread is like bizarro land. There's the AR vs BR argument. I chalk it up to people either enjoying the fact that they can kill someone easily in Halo 3, or Halo fiction fans liking that the CE weapon is in there. There was the split screen argument and I chalked that up to people misunderstanding the counter argument or simply being selfish. The Halo 2/Halo 3 vehicles vs Rockets/Lasers argument on the previous page though... Seriously? :lol What the hell is going on here? I haven't played Halo 2 since '07 so maybe the memory is hazy, but I can't recall an instance where I was agitated by the rockets in that game as it pertains to vehicles getting blown up. In fact, I'll admit that I was even aware how to lock on to things until '07 and I've had Halo 2 since the first day. I'm totally serious. I heard that there was lock on in the game but I don't recall the game ever teaching me how to do it, so if I couldn't figure it out then what's the likelihood that most people did? I can offer and I have offered good arguments why BTB sucks ass in Halo 3. I've explained why vehicles ruin Halo 3. I've explained why the laser is an awful weapon. Simply saying that the rockets in Halo 2 were unbalanced doesn't mean shit if you can't back up the argument. Get rid of the laser. Bring back the rockets. Weaken the vehicles. That would improve Halo BTB immensely.

 

[squidhands]

*Avoid This Player*

:-(

 

[Ramirez]

I thought the missle pod and rockets in Halo 2 functioned exactly the same way? Seems like the rockets were even more balanced than the pod, could be my memory though.

 

[Kuroyume]

Well, yeah it does function like that but it also takes more than a few shots from the pod to destroy a vehicle, and it doesn't quite solve the problem of vehicles being total death machines. In Halo 2 vehicles were essentially transport vehicles. In Halo 3 there an excuse for people to spawn rape other teams.

 

[Spasm]

Ugh. The lock-on feature of the RL took all the fun out of it. Dumb-firing is the only way to play.

 

[DualX]

You know what, I wonder if the Halo 2 closing prize with the number guessing is a friends and family code to play the Halo: Reach beta early.

As awesome of a prize that sounds, the odds of getting that last kill are impossible. =/

You'll just have to rely on luck.

Anyone?

Unfortunately, you won't be able to. It would only work if you were transferring the data under the same name. And yes, I've tried. A friend of mine wanted the data we've both been working on through Dead Rising, we tried several different things including recreating my account on his xbox, transferring the data over, and seeing if his account could access it somehow but it just did not work.

Get rid of the laser. Bring back the rockets. Weaken the vehicles. That would improve Halo BTB immensely.

And give us the ability to be able to either shoot those rockets to the point where they explode like grenades or bump them mid flight (via bullets) and I'd say we would be in for some epic moments.

 

[Gui_PT]

:-(

<3

Hey Bungle, my profile on Bnet tells me I'm an "Exalted Legendary Member"

Where's mah Alpha invite?

 

[DiabolicalBagel]

Well, yeah it does function like that but it also takes more than a few shots from the pod to destroy a vehicle though, and it doesn't quite solve the problem of vehicles being total death machines.

But they're not. The majority of players are just terrible at dealing with them.
As Ghal says, a lot of maps are filled to brim with anti-vehicle stuff and if you've got the skill and the balls to confront it, it's a sinch.
If people hide inside their base and whine like they've just been raped that is exactly what is going to happen.

I also prefer that the rockets didn't have forced lock-on, tracking is sometimes detrimental to your efforts.

 

[wwm0nkey]

As awesome of a prize that sounds, the odds of getting that last kill are impossible. =/

You'll just have to rely on luck.

Yeah I know I won't be getting it, can wait till May 3rd, the only thing that I hope is that the beta does go past may 13th since I am leaving the 14th to go to E3 again.

 

[Kuroyume]

But they're not. The majority of players are just terrible at dealing with them.
As Ghal says, a lot of maps are filled to brim with anti-vehicle stuff and if you've got the skill and the balls to confront it, it's a sinch.
If people hide inside their base and whine like they've just been raped that is exactly what is going to happen.

I also prefer that the rockets didn't have forced lock-on, tracking is sometimes detrimental to your efforts.

Okay. :lol Terrible at dealing with them? How do you deal with them? The game always spawns people outside of their base. Add to that the fact that running in Halo 3 is like running through fucking thigh high mud, and that suggestion that people can simply run to their base after spawning outside is simply stupid and impractical nearly all the time. Whenever there's a warthog unleashing an onslaught on a team there's usually the rest of the enemy team there taking care of the left overs with BR fire, grenades, and sniper fire. Only in an ideal scenario would it ever be possible for people to run from an outside spawn to their base.

 

[Spasm]

Okay. :lol Terrible at dealing with them? How do you deal with them?

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=19860397&postcount=13276

 

[GhaleonEB]

Okay. :lol Terrible at dealing with them? How do you deal with them? The game always spawns people outside of their base.

Spawns are the culprit, there, not the weapon balance. Standoff especially.

As to the question:

If I'm on Valhalla - to pick one example - I'll see if the missile pod, plasma grenades or power drain are at the base, and use them accordingly. To get into grenade position, don't launch off the man cannon - head out on foot, using the rocks or caves for cover. Lurk until the Hog comes near and then power drain and/or stick the bastard.

If those items are gone, I'll grab the plasma pistol and, if the Hog is doing laps behind or at the sides of the base, lurk until it's near and tag it, then toss grenades. If it's not going near the base, take a similar approach as tossing a sticky: get into position and tag the Hog as it drives by, and toss a frag to roll it. Additional plasma grenades are in the caves, which are handy places to hide for a stick. Plasmas are on a quick respawn and are usually readily available.

I've also had success using the turret, and in heading out in the open near the turret with a bubble shield as protection, tagging the Hog as it drives by. Use the corner man cannon to get into position. The Brute Shots are over there as well, which are handy for putting the Hog into a rapid roll.

Of course, if my team has the laser or the missile pod, things get real simple real quick. Not to mention: our Banshee or a Warthog of our own.

Taking a Hog out just requires using your brain a little, and trying.

 

[DiabolicalBagel]

Okay. :lol Terrible at dealing with them? How do you deal with them? The game always spawns people outside of their base. Add to that the fact that running in Halo 3 is like running through fucking thigh high mud, and that suggestion that people can simply run to their base after spawning outside is simply stupid and impractical nearly all the time. Whenever there's a warthog unleashing an onslaught on a team there's usually the rest of the enemy team there taking care of the left overs with BR fire, grenades, and sniper fire. Only in an ideal scenario would it ever be possible for people to run from an outside spawn to their base.

I can't stick vehicles for shit but 98 times out of 100 I will flip it with a frag I throw. (I am infinitely better with frags than stickies)
Once you get that vehcile rolling/flying/stopped dead on its top, it is almost certainly over for their joyride.
This of course leaves me stuck if I've already dispensed of my grenades.
Then again I'm always playing with Dani and he has a knack for killing things with wheels so unless we're both dead, out of grenades, in extremely awkward positions, have no map control whatsoever, have no equipment, plasma pistols or power weapons and are extremely outmatched (in which case we deserve to lose anyway) we never really have a problem.

 

[Schmitty]

I think the vehicles are fine in Halo 3 too. On Standoff alone (the most likely map to be dominated by the Warthog), there are 2 stickies in the base, 2 by active camo, laser in the middle, 1 rocket launcher on each side, a power drain in each base, and a plasma pistol. The problem is that most people think just haphazardly throwing frags and BR fire brings it down.

 

[Kapura]

I think Halo vehicles are so balanced, they should be put in MLG. They already have two types of grenades and the plasma pistol, that's all they need to stop a Hawg, then they just use their mad BR skills to get some kills.

 

[dilatedmuscle]

Speaking of leaks, guess Bungie is expecting them any time now.



Link

I think its funny that they still think the menu was real.

Hello Metroid-style backtracking.

"You need the Gravity Lift armor ability to reach this area."

I would love that to a certain extent.

That reminds me. Joseph Tung, at the beginning of the ViDoc, mentions the "magnificent seven" and the "seven samurai." If I'm not mistaken, there are only six members of Noble Team, correct? So who's this seventh they're talking about? If I had to guess, it would be Reach's AI character.

I been thinking the same thing, prolly talkin about Oonsk

 

[urk]

I think Halo vehicles are so balanced, they should be put in MLG. They already have two types of grenades and the plasma pistol, that's all they need to stop a Hawg, then they just use their mad BR skills to get some kills.

I four shot Warthogs.

 

[big ander]

As awesome of a prize that sounds, the odds of getting that last kill are impossible. =/

You'll just have to rely on luck.


Unfortunately, you won't be able to. It would only work if you were transferring the data under the same name. And yes, I've tried. A friend of mine wanted the data we've both been working on through Dead Rising, we tried several different things including recreating my account on his xbox, transferring the data over, and seeing if his account could access it somehow but it just did not work.


And give us the ability to be able to either shoot those rockets to the point where they explode like grenades or bump them mid flight (via bullets) and I'd say we would be in for some epic moments.

Like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xYyFEmt8tc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgsM52iMamg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq12iQ1kcds
Unless I'm misunderstanding you, that's already in Halo 3.