Support NeoGAF

[The Librarian]

I don't think it'll be like Halo 1, since the BR is now pretty much that. 1 shot burst, 12 shots. Maybe the pistol will be similar to ODST, but non-silenced?

That's what I was thinking. We certainly won't be getting the M6D (it'd make the BR useless), but the pistol from ODST, given that it's weaker, might just be able to make a return.

 

[kylej]

I'm certainly not saying I always keep my opinions civil, it's just I don't plan to be heard when I want to vent my frustration in chasing someone down with AR starts on a map as big as Last Resort.

Well, if you're going to complain about matchmaking something tells me that's not going to be heard no matter what



I am tired as hell so if my writing seems really strange blame it on that.

Even you must admit that despite all the shortcomings and winnings of ODST lies within in it an improved narrative, the fact that it contains essentially two separate stories interwoven and you are able to follow both paths to conclusion without it having to take your attention away from the gameplay.

Absolutely. ODST was a massive step forward in clarity. I understood who I was, where I was, and what I was fighting for. Crucially it had some elements of human struggle that are missing from the main Halo games. Master Chief is a badass dude who crushes everything in his wake, which is fine, but it's hard to wrap an engaging narrative around him. Which is a strange predicament to be in because you have to provide a character that can perform the in-game heroics, yet by creating a space marine you are artificially confining yourself to many cliches that are impossible to avoid. This is Half-Life's masterstroke. Gordon is a space marine in a nerd costume. Valve has carefully set up this narrative where video game conventions are justified through story elements, that while absurd provide an interesting framework for the player.

Master Chief is not going to change, and the Halo enemies and planets and all that aren't either. Which is fine because they shouldn't. What needs to change are the levels and how they communicate the collapse of humanity to the player. Halo's levels are linear yet lack the scripted events that help bridge both a narrative gap and the feeling of immersion. I haven't played Killzone 2, but whenever I see screenshots it looks like the sky is black with smoke and lightning is cascading down, providing a backdrop for the decay. Halo needs a pinch of that if it wants to sell its incredibly epic tale. I love neon colored guns and vibrant worlds as much as anyone, but that creates a paradox when you have such serious shit going on around you. You cannot straddle both drama and cutesy one-liners. Through fan-service they are cheapening the world they are creating for the fans.

Bungie's inability to provide the little things is what hurts the story the most. You have a great game that provides very little context while playing, and you have this great story hanging in the ether but they never blend together.

That being said, the trailer for Reach seems to address all my issues. It has a darker tone, the environment looks desolate and we're finally getting those extra touches that make a world come alive. Just look at the skybox at the end of the trailer. No more blue skies. There is shit going down.

 

[enzo_gt]

Then it was Enzo. Don't know why Eazy would wanna go so far as to call someone a "retard" for preferring one weapon in a videogame over another, but whatever.

Not to beat a dead horse but I definitely did not call anyone a retard for using one gun over another. Probably was Eazy on that account. I believe Eazy called me out for something related to me liking the AR too but... I don't really understand the severity of the situation. I like AR/BR starts. Pick your poison; I just prefer the AR.

And the Plasma Rifle doesn't need to be the AR. As I said in my original post, its found its niche, there just needs to be a covenant equivalent for the AR to fill the void left in H2/H3.

That's what I was thinking. We certainly won't be getting the M6D (it'd make the BR useless), but the pistol from ODST, given that it's weaker, might just be able to make a return.

This is highly likely considering the weapons that worked well in ODST. I feel it will be the ODST weapon set + New BR + 1 new Human weapon + 2 more Covenant weapons to round it all up. They need to build hype, but could do some good with some risky weapon choices that could turn out for the better.

 

[Stormtrooper30]

I was gonna go see Avatar tonight. Reading through this thread more than satified my need for entertainment.



I've switched between MW2 and H3 many times and I honestly cannot tell the difference. I'm sure my eye reflexes are dumb or something, but I honestly cannot tell the difference. I know that movies are shown at much lower fps than video games and I don't see a difference there either.
I'm sure that there is a difference, I just can't see it.

 

[LCfiner]

I was gonna go see Avatar tonight. Reading through this thread more than satified my need for entertainment.



I've switched between MW2 and H3 many times and I honestly cannot tell the difference. I'm sure my eye reflexes are dumb or something, but I honestly cannot tell the difference. I know that movies are shown at much lower fps than video games and I don't see a difference there either.
I'm sure that there is a difference, I just can't see it.

movies are 24fps. “feels" the same as Halo and other 30fps games.

I can instantly tell the difference between 30 and 60 but I’ve never felt that Halo was a game that would really benefit from 60fps. Honestly, outside of a few genres, I’m happy with games at 30 despite the fact that I can spot the difference so easily.

 

[Smokey]

I was gonna go see Avatar tonight. Reading through this thread more than satified my need for entertainment.



I've switched between MW2 and H3 many times and I honestly cannot tell the difference. I'm sure my eye reflexes are dumb or something, but I honestly cannot tell the difference. I know that movies are shown at much lower fps than video games and I don't see a difference there either.
I'm sure that there is a difference, I just can't see it.

It's not so much as see the difference, but you cant feel the difference either? I used to be one of those 60fps doesn't matter people or w/e, and I never really noticed the difference until I went from MW2 back to H3.

 

[big ander]

It's not so much as see the difference, but you cant feel the difference either? I used to be one of those 60fps doesn't matter people or w/e, and I never really noticed the difference until I went from MW2 back to H3.

I go back and forth between those two games all the time. I notice nothing.

 

[Stormtrooper30]

It's not so much as see the difference, but you cant feel the difference either? I used to be one of those 60fps doesn't matter people or w/e, and I never really noticed the difference until I went from MW2 back to H3.

I usually play H3 every Saturday night for customs. I am usually playing MW2 and then Five or Bagel start bugging me about joining and I switch directly from MW2 to H3. I don't notice anything, really. The bullet lag of the BR is much more noticable and annoying, but that has always been a problem.

I dunno, my eyes must be broken.

 

[JonAmikar]

I hope they use the increased FOV from ODST in Reach. It felt so much better.

 

[vhfive]

I usually play H3 every Saturday night for customs. I am usually playing MW2 and then Five or Bagel start bugging me about joining and I switch directly from MW2 to H3. I don't notice anything, really. The bullet lag of the BR is much more noticable and annoying, but that has always been a problem.

I dunno, my eyes must be broken.

i'm (almost) the same way. when i first switch i notice a little but after about 5 min i can't tell at all.

 

[Metroidvania]

Bungie's inability to provide the little things is what hurts the story the most. You have a great game that provides very little context while playing, and you have this great story hanging in the ether but they never blend together.

That being said, the trailer for Reach seems to address all my issues. It has a darker tone, the environment looks desolate and we're finally getting those extra touches that make a world come alive. Just look at the skybox at the end of the trailer. No more blue skies. There is shit going down.

That's part of the dichotomy of any "fast-paced" shooter-oriented game with any already defined character, though. While a story is needed to hold the plot together, any huge focus on it inevitably detracts from gameplay.

Like you said, Gordon Freeman, (and Shepard from ME) are able to be seen by players as avatars because they're mute, at least, in part. Thus, the player establishes a connection with them because they see events unfurling through "their own" eyes because of scripted events that force the player to respond.

However, since Master Chief is defined right as Halo:CE opens, that alludes to a different style of narrative, one that relies on that defined main character as a driving force behind the narrative, rather than events that shape the player's path such as Mass Effect, where the player responds to changes, rather than acting to create those changes, per se. This is especially evident in the games focusing on Master Chief as the sole remaining spartan, when he's actually not. Halo games have used him as the focus.

As for why Bungie hasn't, we all know of the backlash by the average gamer when plot elements like the covenant war and playing as the arbiter kicked in. This backlash was created at least in part by the huge focus on Master Chief as the primary character of the halo franchise. This, of course, lead to Halo 3's focus once again on Master Chief, with the Arbiter being reduced to a secondary assist role, as well as re-focus the entire plot on Chief and Cortana, the only other "constant" character from Halo and Halo 2.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that Halo has always been set up as a character driven series, rather than focusing on the backstory itself, and judging by the what happened in response to the different releases, Bungie has adapted to not only cater to what their fans want not only storywise, but like was said earlier, gameplay wise as well.

As for what we'll see on Reach, I'm guessing it will in fact open up a lot of new doors on what happened at Reach as well as flesh out the elements of how Chief got aboard the pillar of autumn for those who never read the books. (similar to ODST and its emphasis on filling in ONI's background and the other "plot" elements of Halo 2 that didnt' get focused on.)

 

[feel]

I hope they use the increased FOV from ODST in Reach. It felt so much better.

THANK YOU!

This doesn't get mentioned enough by people other than me.

 

[xxjuicesxx]

I go back and forth between those two games all the time. I notice nothing.

HOW? lol.

Anyways CoD does many things right. If Reach combined the Framerate and tight ass controls of CoD with Halos MM system. Right there you would have a better game than both CoD and Halo 1, 2 or 3. Regardless of story, graphics, gameplay. Just the basic mechanics would be so good it would be successful as an FPS on Xbox live.

 

[Plywood]

I go back and forth between those two games all the time. I notice nothing.

For shame, turn in your eyes, you won't need them anymore.

 

[Arhal_Katarn]

We wont be seeing the old school pistol as the new BR is single shot 12 round if morello is to be believed. This makes it more like the dedicated marksmen rifle it was always supposed to be. Hopefully the AR will be improved so that it works at medium to close range like its meant to.

 

[Butane123]

Hopefully the AR will be improved so that it works at medium to close range like its meant to.

I always thought that a slightly beefed up silenced SMG from ODST would do well for a medium to close range weapon, or an AR that acted similar to it. Especially with the zoom function.

 

[big ander]

HOW? lol.

Anyways CoD does many things right. If Reach combined the Framerate and tight ass controls of CoD with Halos MM system. Right there you would have a better game than both CoD and Halo 1, 2 or 3. Regardless of story, graphics, gameplay. Just the basic mechanics would be so good it would be successful as an FPS on Xbox live.

Hah, I don't even know how. It's just never stuck out to me. I've even started to try and look for it now, but I can't really see a difference. I'm sure I will at some point though.

I always thought that a slightly beefed up silenced SMG from ODST would do well for a medium to close range weapon, or an AR that acted similar to it. Especially with the zoom function.

I feel like I'm one of the few that enjoyed the SMG. A lot of people say they'd swap it out for a carbine in campaign, but I'd always switch the Automag for the Carbine. I felt like the SMG worked awesome when paired with pretty much any mid- to long-range weapon. You had something to spray with in CQC, but the scope let you wear people down from far away. My only huge complaint about it would be the magazine size and the infrequent amount of ammo found for it.

 

[The Crawf]

I'm with big ander, swapping between the 2, I can't see any difference. My eyes must be broken too.

 

[Arhal_Katarn]

I always thought that a slightly beefed up silenced SMG from ODST would do well for a medium to close range weapon, or an AR that acted similar to it. Especially with the zoom function.

I can't see the AR having a scope, although that would be cool. Even give it the old bigger clip size or make it more accurate at meduim range. At close range it works fine but anyone more then 10 feet away and you may aswell throw the AR at them.
Hopefully the AR and BR will be balanced out so they both do thier rolls how they should.

 

[The Librarian]

I can't see the AR having a scope, although that would be cool. Even give it the old bigger clip size or make it more accurate at meduim range. At close range it works fine but anyone more then 10 feet away and you may aswell throw the AR at them.
Hopefully the AR and BR will be balanced out so they both do thier rolls how they should.

I support this.

 

[NullPointer]

At close range it works fine but anyone more then 10 feet away and you may as well throw the AR at them.

I like this idea. Fire at the enemy, throw the gun at them, and then move in for the melee kill.

3 pillars!

 

[xxjuicesxx]

We put up with no BRs in ODST. We should have no AR's in Reach. That gun is a piece of shit and just lets bad kids get kills. Bring skill back to Reach! Down with the AR! Who's with me!?

NO MORE AR!!!

NO MORE AR!!!

 

[Blueblur1]

THANK YOU!

This doesn't get mentioned enough by people other than me.

I honestly could not tell the difference. Anyone have a comparison video handy?

 

[RoH]

We put up with no BRs in ODST. We should have no AR's in Reach. That gun is a piece of shit and just lets bad kids get kills. Bring skill back to Reach! Down with the AR! Who's with me!?

NO MORE AR!!!

NO MORE AR!!!

Its my favorite weapon; request denied.

 

[OverHeat]

I honestly could not tell the difference. Anyone have a comparison video handy?

hint just look at the size of the AR in both games when in first person

 

[enzo_gt]

We put up with no BRs in ODST. We should have no AR's in Reach. That gun is a piece of shit and just lets bad kids get kills. Bring skill back to Reach! Down with the AR! Who's with me!?

NO MORE AR!!!

NO MORE AR!!!

Discrimination against other guns is bad, mmkay?

 

[NullPointer]

The Assault Rifle is the most unique, halo-ish, human weapon in the game*. Everything else looks like tweaked weapons circa 1990. If anything, we need more sci-fi goodness in Halo's weapons, not less.

* OK, the spartan laser is also pretty cool looking. But man, the AR has been there from the beginning! And it has a fucking compass.

 

[enzo_gt]

The Assault Rifle is the most unique, halo-ish, human weapon in the game*. Everything else looks like tweaked weapons circa 1990. If anything, we need more sci-fi goodness in Halo's weapons, not less.

* OK, the spartan laser is also pretty cool looking. But man, the AR has been there from the beginning! And it has a fucking compass.

COMPASS FTMFW. Also the needler is pretty unique and pink.

 

[The Librarian]

Its my favorite weapon; request denied.

If Tom Morello's screenshots are true, the AR is in Reach. From the one screenshot featuring the AR, it's gotten some aesthetic changes (based on that, it's probably got some gameplay changes too).

 

[Tashi]

If Tom Morello's screenshots are true, the AR is in Reach. From the one screenshot featuring the AR, it's gotten some aesthetic changes (based on that, it's probably got some gameplay changes too).

I actually played against that Tom Morello guy in MLG last week. After shitting on him I said, "Tom Morello, since I beat you, you have to tell me all about Reach" He replied, "I'm not gonna tell you anything because you beat me"

Prick.

 

[zumphry]

The Assault Rifle is the most unique, halo-ish, human weapon in the game*. Everything else looks like tweaked weapons circa 1990. If anything, we need more sci-fi goodness in Halo's weapons, not less.

* OK, the spartan laser is also pretty cool looking. But man, the AR has been there from the beginning! And it has a fucking compass.

If anything, the AR needs to be tweaked. Make it so that you can't just spray it and get kills against a guy with a BR/Pistol when you only have a sliver of shields/health left(yes, I know that's the purpose of a Assault Rifle, but it's the future, mang!).

Even though I hate using the AR, it is the "iconic Halo weapon", even more so than the BR. Doesn't mean we have to spawn with it all of the time like Bungie's line of thinking during the Halo 3 days (one of the ViDocs said that they brought back the AR due to it being iconic, but don't force it on us).

 

[Kibbles]

I actually played against that Tom Morello guy in MLG last week. After shitting on him I said, "Tom Morello, since I beat you, you have to tell me all about Reach" He replied, "I'm not gonna tell you anything because you beat me"

Prick.

:lol That dude said he had tons more screenshots, but he never put them up, wtf. Prick.

 

[The Librarian]

I actually played against that Tom Morello guy in MLG last week. After shitting on him I said, "Tom Morello, since I beat you, you have to tell me all about Reach" He replied, "I'm not gonna tell you anything because you beat me"

Prick.

:lol :lol

 

[big ander]

I actually played against that Tom Morello guy in MLG last week. After shitting on him I said, "Tom Morello, since I beat you, you have to tell me all about Reach" He replied, "I'm not gonna tell you anything because you beat me"

Prick.

:lol That is awesome :lol

This isn't as awesome, but still very cool.
Lego-runner structures
courtesy of Wu
edit: sorry guys, posted from my iPhone so I didn't see the stretching

 

[enzo_gt]

Need higher res.

 

[Slightly Live]

:lol That is awesome :lol

This isn't as awesome, but still very cool. Lego-runner structures.
big ass image that stretches the screen
courtesy of Wu

Lack of textures, too many rough edges!

Spoiler

Awesome!

 

[NullPointer]

Perfect. Even includes the jaggies. Now, thats dedication. ;P

 

[feel]

Grenades will get stuck everywhere..

 

[zumphry]

Grenades will get stuck everywhere..

I'm going to be getting stuck on geometry when playing MLG so much. Thanks, Bungle.

 

[NullPointer]

Lego Halo: Combat Evolved HD remix confirmed?

 

[Exypher]

Just finished my Halo 2 playthrough. Dual needlers are fun!

There was some sort of Carbine/Needler weapon in the Tom Morello screens right? I wonder if that means the regular Carbine and Needler are out.

 

[xxjuicesxx]

Even though I hate using the AR, it is the "iconic Halo weapon", even more so than the BR. Doesn't mean we have to spawn with it all of the time like Bungie's line of thinking during the Halo 3 days (one of the ViDocs said that they brought back the AR due to it being iconic, but don't force it on us).

Disagreed Halo 2 didn't have the AR and that game was fucking awesome. Probably because it didn't have the AR. Hell I didn't even know about the AR until Halo 3, and it fucked that game up big time (being the default weapon was such a stupid idea, if anything it would be a secondary, MC would rock the BR)

 

[Kibbles]

Just finished my Halo 2 playthrough. Dual needlers are fun!

There was some sort of Carbine/Needler weapon in the Tom Morello screens right? I wonder if that means the regular Carbine and Needler are out.

Standard Needler is still in.

 

[big ander]

Just finished my Halo 2 playthrough. Dual needlers are fun!

There was some sort of Carbine/Needler weapon in the Tom Morello screens right? I wonder if that means the regular Carbine and Needler are out.

I'd be fine with the removal of the Halo 3 carbine and the Halo 3 needler if it meant we got that awesome Carbineedler Morello described.
EDIT: Ah, didnt remember the needler in the leaked screens. Well, you can never have too many weapons I guess.

 

[Exypher]

Standard Needler is still in.

Ah, I thought it was the new weapon in both screens. Maybe this is just the replacement for the Carbine? Will be interesting to see which weapons make the cut.

By the way, is it just me or is ammo harder to come by in Halo 2 compared to Halo 3?

 

[xxjuicesxx]

I dunno it looks like an add-on attachment to the needler?

 

[Magni]

Just poking in from my Christmas break to say a big fuck you to MTH Pimpness, the second man (kid?) to ruin a perfection on a Mythic map by a nice random betrayal. You probably thought yourself clever with that random rocket of yours, congratulations, you're now officially an Internet Fucktard (TM).

I hope the Reach beta will be like the H3 one, where people were so happy to be playing it that they were polite and nice and intelligent. Such a breed has died it seems..

 

[Slightly Live]

I hope the Reach beta will be like the H3 one, where people were so happy to be playing it that they were polite and nice and intelligent. Such a breed has died it seems..

Yep, it will be. For the first day, maybe two. By the end, you'll have everyone muted and you'll be on here raging at all the stupidity.

Vicious cycle.

 

[feel]

Disagreed Halo 2 didn't have the AR and that game was fucking awesome. Probably because it didn't have the AR. Hell I didn't even know about the AR until Halo 3, and it fucked that game up big time (being the default weapon was such a stupid idea, if anything it would be a secondary, MC would rock the BR)

IIRC, you didn't play Halo CE campaign when it came out. Back then when everyone was blown away by the game, before there was even a competitive scene. That's why you don't get it. Also, the sound it made back then when fired was godly.

I hope the Reach beta will be like the H3 one, where people were so happy to be playing it that they were polite and nice and intelligent. Such a breed has died it seems..

The friends and family beta, was the best time I've had on live with Halo. After the unwashed masses from Crackdown came in, it was all downhill from there. The Reach one will be full of fucktards from day one unfortunately.

 

[lybertyboy]

I hope the Reach beta will be like the H3 one, where people were so happy to be playing it that they were polite and nice and intelligent. Such a breed has died it seems..

I remember Halo 2 was like that for the first week or so. Still have some of the people I met during that era on my XBL friends list.