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HaloGAF |OT: Anniversary| So fades the great harvest of our betrayal.

-Ryn

Banned
STARBUCKS PUMPKIN SAUCE IS COMING EARLY THIS YEAR

khZBXD0.gif
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Tzeentch

Member
I also think the H3 engine is being given a new lease of life simply by giving it more "air" to show off how good that engine was, and how well it was used at the time. It's not just "uprezzed" it's markedly unshackled in terms of IQ. It's the same game, allowed to breathe. And of course, those improvements aren't just numbers, they're experiential too.
-- Dat Guardian moss.
 
I think that the hybrid engine being used for H2A is doing amazing stuff visually. I mean, like, total next-gen amazingness, as well as an art style I'm really fond of in the way it spans and respects the whole Chief saga.

I also think the H3 engine is being given a new lease of life simply by giving it more "air" to show off how good that engine was, and how well it was used at the time. It's not just "uprezzed" it's markedly unshackled in terms of IQ. It's the same game, allowed to breathe. And of course, those improvements aren't just numbers, they're experiential too.

The Halo 4 stuff is fresher, and again, this process is kind of revealing just how good that late-stage tech and pixel-pushing had gotten. It's like, daaaaamn is this really from last gen?


But without going too far down a check-butt-cashing path, I am really enthralled by how much potential the Bone and next gen in general has.

Some of you guys might remember the launch period for last gen, where you were seeing some neat immediate benefits (SD to HD was the biggest jump, both in terms of processing horsepower and adoption of the screen tech into people's homes), but there was (even then) the diminishing returns conversation about Xbox OG to Xbox 360. But you all saw how the generation shook out, and how the combination of polys, shaders, scale and application of art took us to genuinely remarkable content and aesthetic improvements - everything from Forza to Uncharted - stuff we still marvel at, but now take for granted.

I think this generation is going to surprise people in terms of how much stuff developers will be able to put on screen, at what fidelity and more importantly, how that visual fidelity immerses you in the experiences. I think the cynicism about diminishing returns has already started to morph into excitement about experience.

And it's why I think that soon conversations are going to shift from the unhealthy and often pointless bickering about pixels (which is neither new nor surprising - this is a rinse repeat of every generation in terms of that schoolyard argument space) - , and back to the much more important conversation about art and how that art helps immerse us in those experiences.

Anyway, long story short, I was looking at stuff today that was like uncanny valley for surfaces and textures. I literally did a double take at a skyline. And it was a really spectacular combination of technology and art.
Image quality?
 

Madness

Member
[...]Anyway, long story short, I was looking at stuff today that was like uncanny valley for surfaces and textures. I literally did a double take at a skyline. And it was a really spectacular combination of technology and art.

I can't wait to see just see and experience it. You're right in that each new generation brings experiences that change how we immerse ourselves in games.

My hype levels are high. Can't wait for the beta and the collection itself. Here's hoping a lot of the generational changes and cool things that you can do with the new hardware is done in a ViDoc. Always like seeing the interviews or the different teams talking about what they've done etc.

And some of our artists w were mortified that we wanted two such "rough" looking WIP.

Is this referring to Sanctuary/Ascension, or the next-gen Midship/building skyline/interior shot?
 

Omni

Member
I think that the hybrid engine being used for H2A is doing amazing stuff visually. I mean, like, total next-gen amazingness, as well as an art style I'm really fond of in the way it spans and respects the whole Chief saga.

I also think the H3 engine is being given a new lease of life simply by giving it more "air" to show off how good that engine was, and how well it was used at the time. It's not just "uprezzed" it's markedly unshackled in terms of IQ. It's the same game, allowed to breathe. And of course, those improvements aren't just numbers, they're experiential too.

The Halo 4 stuff is fresher, and again, this process is kind of revealing just how good that late-stage tech and pixel-pushing had gotten. It's like, daaaaamn is this really from last gen?


But without going too far down a check-butt-cashing path, I am really enthralled by how much potential the Bone and next gen in general has.

Some of you guys might remember the launch period for last gen, where you were seeing some neat immediate benefits (SD to HD was the biggest jump, both in terms of processing horsepower and adoption of the screen tech into people's homes), but there was (even then) the diminishing returns conversation about Xbox OG to Xbox 360. But you all saw how the generation shook out, and how the combination of polys, shaders, scale and application of art took us to genuinely remarkable content and aesthetic improvements - everything from Forza to Uncharted - stuff we still marvel at, but now take for granted.

I think this generation is going to surprise people in terms of how much stuff developers will be able to put on screen, at what fidelity and more importantly, how that visual fidelity immerses you in the experiences. I think the cynicism about diminishing returns has already started to morph into excitement about experience.

And it's why I think that soon conversations are going to shift from the unhealthy and often pointless bickering about pixels (which is neither new nor surprising - this is a rinse repeat of every generation in terms of that schoolyard argument space) - , and back to the much more important conversation about art and how that art helps immerse us in those experiences.

Anyway, long story short, I was looking at stuff today that was like uncanny valley for surfaces and textures. I literally did a double take at a skyline. And it was a really spectacular combination of technology and art.
Can you talk about any other changes to Halo 3? Like are we getting some kind of AA solution? I remember the game being pretty jaggy. And is the HDR lighting the same as it was?
 
K

kittens

Unconfirmed Member
Most single shot weapons are boring.

The DMR especially. Combination of what seems to be perfect accuracy, hitscan and single shot is just blaaah. It even sounds boring to fire

I miss the Needle Rifle. It was actually somewhat interesting
I find the DMR and CE Pistol far more satisfying than the Battle Rifle. The Halo 4 BR is pretty fun though. Also: isn't the needle rifle single shot, too?

Edit : Yall should play Diablo 3 with me. I've been playing almost all day. RIP.
 

-Ryn

Banned
I find the DMR and CE Pistol far more satisfying than the Battle Rifle. The Halo 4 BR is pretty fun though. Also: isn't the needle rifle single shot, too?
I think he was referring to it as an exception to single shots being boring.

I think the CE magnum and Battle Rifle are really fun to use. The DMR is nice but not as satisfying to me.

I guess theater mode is only available to H3 & H4 in tmcc. Kinda disappointed a little.
Didn't they say it'd be available for the Anniversary multiplayer as well?
 

wwm0nkey

Member
So this is going to be completely random but I've been playing a lot of Counter Strike recently.....and I mean a lot. So me and my friends somehow got into the age old talk of "what happened with Reach?" in terms of MP and somehow got into how Reach could have been amazing if it did some of the things that CS:GO did.

Remove Armor Abilities: This one has been done to death so I wont explain.

Increase base movement speed: Again been done to death but make it a bit faster than Halo 2 base speeds, so maybe 120%?

Keep Bloom but make bullet patterns:
Okay so this one is new, Bloom in Reach was an inconsistent nightmare, no one wants to role dice when they shoot. So why keep bloom? Well to add a new skill set to Halo in the form of bullet patterns! CS:GO does this extremely well, you have to actually learn how the gun sprays and its not completely random BS so its cool! It also helps you feel more involved with the gun you are using since you actually need to know how to use it and if you know the gun better than the other user your skill will show and you will kick their ass. But CS:GO has shift walk for aiming too...well to solve that one

Replace AA button with "walk option":
Okay so it wont be like CS:GO where you move really really slow, this will just be a tad slower or the same as Reach's base movement. Now why add this? Well it would make for interesting Player encounters and map movement. So when you are in this "walk" state your guns are more accurate and its bullet pattern will be more concentrated. This makes the AR and other close range weapons VERY viable and make sure that all guns have a very defined range. An AR at full speed wont be super accurate but if you toggle walk on your reticule becomes very focused and you will be able to tear people to shreds, but only at close ranges. If you have a mid range weapon you will want to maintain your distance from these weapons or turn off walk and run the hell away from battle until you are at a better situation to take them on. Or if you really think you know your weapon well enough you can try and take them on.

This also allows for really interesting map movement, someone can turn walk on to make sure they get to a power weapon faster while leaving themselves open or to escape an enemy.

So its not really sprint, its your natural movement. You might want to slow the fuck down when shooting someone to get the more concentrated shots on them.

Division Ranking system or 1-50:
Honestly both CS:GO and Halo 2 were ELO systems so both work just fine.

I think it would be an interesting route to talk Halo while adding another layer of skill into gunplay and movement.

EDIT:
I laughed.
 

wwm0nkey

Member
Walking sounds too much like ADS variation, trade accuracy for speed. No thanks.

I don't really see ADS and Walking as the same thing. One limits your view by a lot one just slows you down a tiny bit but still gives you the full Halo movement.

Now this isn't the route I would want Halo to go from here on out, but it would have made Reach a lot more enjoyable at least, and I would have liked to see bullet patterns to add a bit more depth to a gun fight. Again though, this is for Reach only.
 

-Ryn

Banned
Bungie argued that if O'Donnell's shares were restored, he would be a "bothersome presence at board meetings and in the company".
Oh well I guess that just settles it.

Seriously what is this? Is this real? Is this some joke that the Bungie higher ups are trying to stretch out as long as possible?

Is that lama goat thing dead?
 

Nebula

Member
I'm super excited to see Halo 3 unchained. One question though. Any chance you guys at 343 can make forge more similar to Reach/4 so we don't need to abuse glitches to merge objects and so on?
 

willow ve

Member
I'm super excited to see Halo 3 unchained. One question though. Any chance you guys at 343 can make forge more similar to Reach/4 so we don't need to abuse glitches to merge objects and so on?
Maybe in three years for Halo 3 anniversary DLC edition.
 

Akai__

Member
/off-topic

This speech is one of the few things I really liked about the game.

The one in the collection trailer actually is even better, in my opinion.

Keith Szarabajka (voice actor of Didact) and Keith David (voice actor of the Arbiter) are both epic, when it comes to these speeches. I was so happy, when I heard Keith David's voice at the MCC reveal trailer. Goose bumps all over my body.

"The reclamation has already begun, and we are hopeless to stop it"

Speculation?

Didact is probably worried, about the existance of the Forerunners. Thing is, we don't know, if there are any other living Forerunners out there (I would be surprised, if there are none), so him saying "The reclemation has already begun,..." makes kinda sense, since the UNSC (or humanity in general) is invading Forerunner structures, planets and basically everything, that is out there.
 
Chief being "the chosen one" was coincidental in the sense that the Librarian laid a framework that would eventually spawn an ace-in-the-hole that could start humanity's next step from an evolutionary standpoint, and that ace happened to be the Chief. When the Librarian taught Chief how to Armor Lock, one of the mutations apparently gave him an immunity to the Composer in the sense that it wouldn't outright digitize him - it still hurts, based on the cutscene.

Is this information from Halo 4 or one of the novels? I'm interested in this...
 
The interesting thing about the immunity that the Liberian gave to chief and unlocked the "seeds" within him not only is evidently biological, but apparently his suit as well?

At any time the Didact can manipulate objects and disintegrate them by will. How interesting that he chosed not to do it to the chief's armor, but attempted to compose him entirely in Ivanhoff.
 

Fuchsdh

Member
The interesting thing about the immunity that the Liberian gave to chief and unlocked the "seeds" within him not only is evidently biological, but apparently his suit as well?

At any time the Didact can manipulate objects and disintegrate them by will. How interesting that he chosed not to do it to the chief's armor, but attempted to compose him entirely in Ivanhoff.

I think the stuff the Didact can innately manipulate have to be Forerunner in nature--he can rearrange Requiem and his ship all he wants.
 

BigShow36

Member
I think this generation is going to surprise people in terms of how much stuff developers will be able to put on screen, at what fidelity and more importantly, how that visual fidelity immerses you in the experiences. I think the cynicism about diminishing returns has already started to morph into excitement about experience.

This is a double-edged sword. One of the worst things to happen to most multiplayer experiences over the past 10 years has been the explosion of "stuff" in multiplayer gameplay and maps. Enabling developers to add even more doesn't exactly have me jumping with joy.

It takes a good artist who also understands multiplayer needs to really nail a good looking multiplayer map. Most of them seem to fall back on the "ruination of past glory" schtick and throw random garbage everywhere. Sure, the garbage is nicely done, but it makes the multiplayer game play worse.

Multiplayer can still look amazing and have very clean lines, but again, it takes someone who knows what they are doing.
 
I think the stuff the Didact can innately manipulate have to be Forerunner in nature--he can rearrange Requiem and his ship all he wants.
I thought about this once, but some ideas came to mind.

What gives him the ability to materialize and de-materialize forerunner metal matter?

Is there something within its anatomy that he can tap into and hence shape them into any form he wishes?

And can it be possible that type of matter be implanted into almost any type of metal in order to manipulate?
 

jem0208

Member
I think the stuff the Didact can innately manipulate have to be Forerunner in nature--he can rearrange Requiem and his ship all he wants.
When you first see the Didact he does the whole Darth Vader choke thing on the chief.
I thought about this once, but some ideas came to mind.

What gives him the ability to materialize and de-materialize forerunner metal matter?

Is there something within its anatomy that he can tap into and hence shape them into any form he wishes?

And can it be possible that type of matter be implanted into almost any type of metal in order to manipulate?
I'd think it would be his armour right? Forerunner armour is really important to them isn't it?
 

Fuchsdh

Member
I thought about this once, but some ideas came to mind.

What gives him the ability to materialize and de-materialize forerunner metal matter?

Is there something within its anatomy that he can tap into and hence shape them into any form he wishes?

And can it be possible that type of matter be implanted into almost any type of metal in order to manipulate?

I assume that at least some Forerunner materials change their properties when reacting to a stimulus--like how we have materials that change shape and flixibility when a current is run through it. The Didact jus has the ability to control this.
When you first see the Didact he does the whole Darth Vader choke thing on the chief.

The gravity gauntlet (trademark Wahrer Industries) seems to be a different mechanism than what we are talking about though.
 
I thought about this once, but some ideas came to mind.

What gives him the ability to materialize and de-materialize forerunner metal matter?

Is there something within its anatomy that he can tap into and hence shape them into any form he wishes?

And can it be possible that type of matter be implanted into almost any type of metal in order to manipulate?

Forerunners basically mastered 3 things in that area: programmable matter, field manipulation (stuff like the Constraint field and incredibly fine-tuned artificial gravity), and slipspace storage. The former two allow them to reshape existing bits and pieces in real space, the latter allows them to safely tuck stuff away and pull it back out again as needed. Sort of like how
the Onyx shield world is orders of magnitude bigger than the planet that contained it.
 

Omni

Member
I thought about this once, but some ideas came to mind.

What gives him the ability to materialize and de-materialize forerunner metal matter?

Is there something within its anatomy that he can tap into and hence shape them into any form he wishes?

And can it be possible that type of matter be implanted into almost any type of metal in order to manipulate?
Isn't it just hard light? (Not a metal). I think that's what they call it. Forerunner were able to manipulate this material to build pretty much everything apparently

And it's not static. In one of the books I'm pretty sure they talked about the Didact's ship changing or transforming because it was made of the material
 
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